Part 4

“Syne, schortlie, with ane gret solempnitie, Withouttin ony dispensatioun, The Kirk he spowsit with dame Propirtie, Quhilk haistelye, be proclamatioun, To Povertie gart[176] mak narratioun, Under the pane of peirsyng of hir eine[177], That with the Kirk scho sulde no more be seine.

“Sanct Sylvester that tyme rang Pope in Rome[178], Quhilk first consentit to the mariage Of Propirtie, the quhilk began to blome, Taking on hir the cure with heych corrage. Devotioun drew hir tyll one heremytage Quhen scho considerit lady Propirtie So heych exaltit in-to dignitie.

“O Sylvester, quhare was thy discretioun? Quhilk Peter did renounce thow did resave. Androw and Jhone did leif thair possessioun, Thair schippis, and nettis, lynes, and all the lave[179]; Of temporall substance no-thing wald thay have Contrarious to thair contemplatioun, Bot soberlye thair sustentatioun.

“Johne the Baptist went to the wyldernes. Lazarus, Martha, and Marie Magdalene Left heretage and guddis, more and les. Prudent Sanct Paule thocht Propertie prophane; Frome toun to toun he ran, in wynde and rane, Upon his feit, techeing the word of grace, And never was subjectit to ryches.”

The Gled said, “Yit I heir no-thyng bot gude. Proceid schortlye, and thy mater avance.” The Papyngo said, “Father, be the Rude, It wer too lang to schaw the circumstance, Quhow Propertie, with hir new alyance, Grew gret with chylde, as trew men to me talde, And bure two dochteris gudelie to behalde.

“The eldest dochter named was Ryches, The secunde syster, Sensualytie; Quhilks did incres, within one schorte proces, Preplesande[180] to the Spiritualytie. In gret substance and excellent bewtie Thir Ladyis two grew so, within few yeiris, That in the warlde wer non mycht be thair peiris.

“This royall Ryches and lady Sensuall Frome that tyme furth tuke hole the governance Of the moste part of the Stait Spirituall: And thay agane, with humbyll observance, Amorouslie thair wyttis did avance, As trew luffaris, thair ladyis for to pleis. God wate geve than[181] thair hartis war at eis.

“Soune thay foryet[182] to study, praye, and preche, Thay grew so subject to dame Sensuall, And thocht bot paine pure pepyll for to teche; Yit thay decretit, in thair gret Counsall, Thay wald no more to mariage be thrall, Traistyng surely tyll observe Chaistitie, And all begylit quod[183] Sensualytie.

“Apperandlye thay did expell thair wyffis That thay mycht leif at large, without thirlage[184], At libertie to lede thair lustie lyffis[185], Thynkand men thrall that bene in mariage. For new faces provokis new corrage. Thus Chaistitie thay turne in-to delyte; Wantyng of wyffis bene cause of appetyte.

“Dame Chaistitie did steill away for schame, Frome tyme scho did persave thair proviance[186]. Dame Sensuall one letter gart proclame, And hir exilit Italy and France. In Inglande couthe scho get none ordinance[187]. Than to the kyng and courte of Scotlande Scho markit hir[188], withouttin more demande.

“Traistyng in-to that court to get conforte, Scho maid hir humyll supplycatioun. Schortlye thay said scho sulde get na supporte, Bot bostit hir[189], with blasphematioun, ‘To preistis go mak your protestatioun. It is,’ said thay, ‘mony one houndreth yeir Sen Chaistitie had ony entres[190] heir.’

“Tyrit for travell, scho to the preistis past, And to the rewlaris of religioun. Of hir presens schortlye thay war agast, Sayand thay thocht it bot abusioun Hir to resave: so, with conclusion, With one avyce[191] decretit and gave dome Thay walde resset no rebell out of Rome.

“‘Sulde we resave that Romanis hes refusit, And baneist Inglande, Italye, and France, For your flattrye, than wer we weill abusit[192]. Passe hyne[193],’ said thay, ‘and fast your way avance, Amang the nonnis go seik your ordinance; For we have maid aith of fidelytie To dame Ryches and Sensualytie.’

“Than paciently scho maid progressioun Towarde the nonnis, with hart syching[194] full sore. Thay gaif hir presens, with processioun, Ressavand hir with honour, laud, and glore, Purposyng to preserve hir ever-more. Of that novellis[195] come to dame Propertie, To Ryches, and to Sensualytie;

“Quhilkis sped thame at the post rycht spedalye, And sett ane seage proudlye about the place. The sillye[196] nonnis did yeild thame haistelye, And humyllye of that gylt askit grace, Syne gave thair bandis of perpetuall peace. Ressavand thame, thay kest up wykkets wyde[197]: Than Chaistytie walde no langer abyde.

“So for refuge, fast to the freris scho fled; Quhilks said thay wald of ladyis tak no cure.” “Quhare bene scho now?” than said the gredy Gled. “Nocht amang yow,” said scho, “I yow assure. I traist scho bene upon the Borrow-mure Besouth[198] Edinburgh, and that rycht mony menis[199], Profest amang the Systeris of the Schenis.[200]

“Thare hes scho found hir mother Povertie, And Devotioun, hir awin syster carnall. Thare hes scho found Faith, Hope, and Charitie, Togidder with the Vertues Cardinall. Thare hes scho found ane convent yit unthrall To dame Sensuall, nor with riches abusit; So quietlye those ladyis bene inclusit.”

The Pyote said, “I dreid, be thay assailyeit, Thay rander thame, as did the holy nonnis.” “Doute nocht,” said scho, “for thay bene so artalyeit[201], Thay purpose to defend thame with thair gunnis. Reddy to schute thay have sax gret cannounnis, Perseverance, Constancye, and Conscience, Austerytie, Laubour, and Abstynance.

“To resyste subtell Sensualytie Strongly, thay bene enarmit, feit and handis, Be Abstynence, and keipith Povertie, Contrar Ryches and all hir fals servandis. Thay have ane boumbard braissit up in bandis[202] To keip thair porte, in myddis of thair clois, Quhilk is callit, _Domine custodi nos_;

“Within quhose schote thare dar no enemeis Approche thair place, for dreid of dyntis doure[203]. Boith nycht and daye thay wyrk, lyke besye beis, For thair defence reddye to stande in stoure[204], And hes sic watcheis on thair utter toure That dame Sensuall with seage dar not assailye, Nor cum within the schote of thair artailye[205].”

The Pyote said, “Quhareto sulde thay presume For to resyste sweit Sensualytie, Or dame Ryches, quhilkis reularis bene in Rome? Ar thay more constant, in thair qualytie, Nor the prencis of Spiritualytie, Quhilkis plesandlye, withouttin obstakle, Haith thame resavit in their habitakle[206]?

“Quhow long, traist ye, those ladyis sall remane So solytar, in sic perfectioun?” The Papingo said, “Brother, in certane[207], So lang as thay obey correctioun, Cheisyng[208] thair heddis be electioun, Unthrall to Ryches or to Povertie, Bot as requyrith thair necessitie.

“O prudent prelatis, quhare was your presciance, That tuke on hand tyll observe Chaistitie, But[209] austeir lyfe, laubour, and abstenance? Persavit ye nocht the gret prosperitie Apperandlye to cum of Propertie? Ye knaw gret cheir, great eais, and ydelnes To Lychorie was mother and maistres.”

“Thow ravis unrockit[210],” the Ravin said, “be the Rude, So to reprove Ryches or Propertie. Abraham, and Ysaac war ryche, and verray gude; Jacobe and Josephe had prosperitie.” The Papingo said, “That is verytie. Ryches, I grant, is nocht to be refusit, Providyng alwaye it be nocht abusit.”

Than laid the Ravin ane replycatioun, Syne said, “Thy reasone is nocht worth ane myte, As I sall prove, with protestatioun That no man tak my wordis in dispyte. I saye, the temporall prencis hes the wyte[211], That in the Kirk sic pastours dois provyde To governe saulis, that not tham-selfis can gyde.

“Lang tyme efter the Kirk tuke propertie, The prelatis levit in gret perfectioun, Unthrall to ryches or sensualytie, Under the Holy Spreitis protectioun, Orderlye chosin be electioun, As Gregore, Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustyne, Benedict, Bernard, Clement, Cleit, and Lyne.

“Sic pacient prelatis enterit be the porte[212], Plesand the peple be predicatioun[213]. Now dyke-lowparis[214] dois in the Kirk resort, Be symonie, and supplycatioun Of prencis be thair presentation. So sillye[215] saulis, that bene Christis scheip, Ar gevin to hungrye gormande[216] wolfis to keip.

“No marvell is thocht we religious men Degenerit be, and in our lyfe confusit: Bot sing, and drynk; none uther craft we ken, Our spirituall fatheris hes us so abusit. Agane our wyll those treukouris[217] bene intrusit. Lawit[218] men hes now religious men in curis; Profest virgenis in keipyng of strong huris.

“Prencis, prencis, quhar bene your heych prudence In dispositioun of your beneficeis? The guerdonyng of your courticience[219] Is sum cause of thir gret enormyteis. Thare is one sorte wattand[220], lyke houngre fleis, For spirituall cure, thocht thay be no-thing abyll, Quhose gredie thristis[221] bene insaciabyll.

“Prencis, I pray yow, be no more abusit, To verteous men havyng so small regarde. Quhy sulde vertew, throuch flattrye, be refusit, That men for cunnyng[222] can get no rewarde? Allace! that ever one braggar or ane barde, Ane hure-maister, or commoun hasarture[223], Sulde in the Kirk get ony kynde of cure!

“War I one man worthy to weir ane croun, Aye quhen thare vakit[224] ony beneficeis, I suld gar call ane congregatioun, The principall of all the prelaceis, Moste cunnyng clerkis of universiteis, Moste famous fatheris of religioun, With thair advyse mak dispositioun.

“I suld dispone all offices pastorallis Tyll doctouris of devynitie, or jure[225]; And cause dame Vertew pull up all hir saillis, Quhen cunnyng men had in the Kirk moist cure; Gar lordis send thair sonnes, I yow assure, To seik science, and famous sculis frequent; Syne thame promove that wer moste sapient.

“Gret plesour wer to heir are byschope preche, One deane, or doctour in divinitie, One abbote quhilk could weill his convent teche, One persoun[226] flowing in phylosophie. I tyne[227] my tyme to wys[228] quhilk wyll nocht be. War nocht the preaching of the Begging Freris, Tynt war the faith amang the seculeris.”

“As for thair precheing,” quod the Papingo, “I thame excuse, for quhy, thay bene so thrall To Propertie, and hir ding[229] dochteris two, Dame Ryches, and fair lady Sensuall, That may nocht use no pastyme spirituall; And in thair habitis thay tak sic delyte Thay have renuncit russat and raploch quhyte[230],

“Cleikand[231] to thame skarlote and crammosie[232], With menever, martrik, grice, and ryche armyne[233]. Their lawe hartis exaultit ar so hie, To see thair papale pompe it is are pyne[234]. More ryche arraye is now, with frenyeis[235] fyne, Upon the bardyng[236] of ane byscheopis mule, Nor ever had Paule or Peter agane Yule.

“Syne fair ladyis thair chene may not eschape, Dame Sensuall so sic seid haith in tham sawin. Les skaith[237] it war, with lycence of the Pape, That ilke[238] prelate one wyfe had of his awin, Nor se thair bastardis ouirthort[239] the countre blawin; For now, be[240] thay be weill cumin frome the sculis, Thay fall to work as thay war commoun bullis.”

“Pew,” quod the Gled, “thow prechis all in vaine: Ye seculare floks hes of our cace no curis.” “I grant,” said scho; “yit men wyll speik agane, Quhow ye haif maid a hundreth thousand huris Quhilkis nevir had bene war not your lychorous luris. And geve I lee[241], hartlye I me repent; Was never bird, I watt, more penitent.”

Than scho hir shrave, with devote contynance, To that fals Gled quhilk fenyeit hym one freir; And quhen scho had fulfyllit hir pennance, Full subtellye at hir he gan inqueir: “Cheis yow,” said he, “quhilk of us brether heir Sall have of all your naturall geir the curis. Ye knaw none bene more holye creaturis.”

“I am content,” quod the pure Papingo, “That ye frier Gled, and Corby[242] monk, your brother, Have cure of all my guddis, and no mo, Sen at this tyme freindschip I fynd non uther.” “We salbe to yow trew, as tyll our mother,” Quod thay, and sweir tyll fulfyll hir intent. “Of that,” said scho, “I tak ane instrument.”

The Pyote said, “Quhat sall myne office bee?” “Ouirman[243],” said scho, “unto the tother two.” The rowpand Revin said, “Sweit syster, lat see Your holy intent; for it is tyme to go.” The gredie Gled said, “Brother, do nocht so; We wyll remane, and haldin up hir hede, And never depart from hir till scho be dede.”

The Papingo thame thankit tenderlye, And said, “Sen ye have tane on yow this cure, Depart myne naturall guddis equalye, That ever I had or hes of dame Nature, First, to the Howlet[244], indigent and pure, Quhilk on the daye, for schame, dar nocht be sene; Tyll hir I laif my gaye galbarte[245] of grene.

“My brycht depurit ene[246], as christall cleir, Unto the Bak[247] ye sall thame boith present; In Phebus presens quhilk dar nocht appeir, Of naturall sycht scho bene so impotent. My birneist[248] beik I laif, with gude entent, Unto the gentyll, pieteous Pellicane, To helpe to peirs hir tender hart in twane.

“I laif the Goik[249], quhilk hes no sang bot one, My musyke, with my voce angelycall; And to the Guse ye geve, quhen I am gone, My eloquence and toung rhetoricall. And tak and drye my bonis, gret and small, Syne close thame in one cais of ebure[250] fyne, And thame present onto the Phenix syne,

“To birne with hir quhen scho hir lyfe renewis. In Arabye ye sall hir fynde but weir[251], And sall knaw hir be hir moste hevinly hewis, Gold, asure, gowles, purpour, and synopeir[252]. Hir dait is for to leif fyve houndreth yeir. Mak to that bird my commendatioun. And als, I mak yow supplycatioun,

“Sen of my corps I have yow gevin the cure, Ye speid yow to the court, but tareyng, And tak my hart, of perfyte portrature, And it present unto my Soverane Kyng: I wat he wyll it clois in-to one ryng. Commende me to his Grace, I yow exhorte, And of my passion mak hym trew reporte.

“Ye thre my trypes sall have, for your travell[253], With luffer and lowng[254], to part equale amang yow; Prayand Pluto, the potent prince of hell, Geve ye failye, that in his feit he fang[255] yow. Be to me trew, thocht I no-thyng belang yow. Sore I suspect your conscience be too large.” “Doute nocht,” said they, “we tak it with the charge.”

“Adew, brether!” quod the pure Papingo; “To talking more I have no time to tarye; Bot, sen my spreit mon fra[256] my body go, I recommend it to the Quene of Farye, Eternallye in-tyll hir court to carye, In wyldernes among the holtis hore[257].” Than scho inclynit hir bed, and spak no more.

Plungit in-tyll hir mortall passioun, Full grevouslie scho gryppit to the ground. It war too lang to mak narratioun Of sychis sore, with mony stang and stound[258]. Out of hir wound the blude did so abound, One compas round was with hir blude maid reid: Without remeid, thare wes no-thyng bot dede[259].

And be scho had _In Manus tuas_ said, Extinctit wer hir naturall wyttis fyve; Hir heid full softlye on hir schulder laid, Syne yeild the spreit, with panes pungityve[260]. The Ravin began rudely to rug and ryve[261], Full gormondlyke[262], his emptie throte to feid. “Eit softlye, brother,” said the gredy Gled:

“Quhill scho is hote, depart hir evin amang us. Tak thow one half, and reik[263] to me ane-uther. In-tyll our rycht, I wat, no wycht dar wrang us.” The Pyote said, “The feind resave the fouther[264]! Quhy mak ye me stepbarne, and I your brother? Ye do me wrang, schir Gled, I schrew[265] your harte.” “Tak thare,” said he, “the puddyngis for thy parte.”

Than, wyt ye weill, my hart wes wounder sair For to behalde that dolent departyng[266], Hir angell fedderis fleying in the air. Except the hart, was left of hir no-thing. The Pyote said, “This pertenith to the Kyng, Quhilk tyll his Grace I purpose to present.” “Thow,” quod the Gled, “sall faill of thyne entent.”

The Revin said, “God! nor I rax in ane raipe[267], And thow get this tyll outher kyng or duke!” The Pyote said, “Plene[268] I nocht to the Pape Than in ane smedie I be smorit[269] with smuke.” With that the Gled the pece claucht in his cluke[270], And fled his way: the lave[271], with all thair mycht, To chace the Gled, flew all out of my sycht.

Now have ye hard this lytill tragedie, The sore complent, the testament, and myschance Of this pure bird quhilk did ascend so hie. Beseikand[272] yow excuse myne ignorance And rude indyte[273], quhilk is nocht tyll avance[274]. And to the quair[275], I geve commandiment, Mak no repair quhair poetis bene present.

Because thow bene But Rethorike, so rude, Be never sene Besyde none other buke, With Kyng, nor Quene, With lord, nor man of gude[276]. With coit unclene, Clame kynrent[277] to sum cuke; Steil in ane nuke Quhen thay lyste on thee luke. For smell of smuke Men wyll abhor to beir thee. Heir I manesweir[278] thee; Quhairfor, to lurke go leir[279] thee.

[132] feigned to weep.

[133] Dispose of your goods.

[134] faults.

[135] croaking.

[136] a hawk.

[137] croaking.

[138] prayer for the dead.

[139] _par cœur._

[140] God knows if we have.

[141] pilfer.

[142] services of thirty masses each.

[143] prattle, rattle off.

[144] make chickens squeak.

[145] The old Scottish liturgy was according to the usage of Sarum.

[146] as surety.

[147] funeral cry.

[148] the great creed.

[149] graceful.

[150] your mouth across their meadows.

[151] truly.

[152] consistory court.

[153] charge.

[154] peacock.

[155] testament.

[156] pleasant.

[157] regret.

[158] practice.

[159] quickly.

[160] ere.

[161] passed to and fro.

[162] region. _Lat._ plaga.

[163] by thy high intelligence.

[164] without lies.

[165] mix, deal.

[166] utter note.

[167] severe.

[168] a little.

[169] primitives.

[170] preaching.

[171] feared not the hurt.

[172] healed many hundreds.

[173] begat.

[174] reigned.

[175] Already in “The Dreme,” Laing remarks, Lyndsay had mentioned the fatal effects of the Emperor’s liberality to Pope Sylvester in conferring riches on the Church of Rome.

[176] caused.

[177] eyes.

[178] A.D. 314-335.

[179] rest.

[180] Very pleasing.

[181] God knows if then.

[182] forgot.

[183] by the word of.

[184] bondage.

[185] pleasant lives.

[186] purveyance, management.

[187] she could get no settlement.

[188] She marched.

[189] overbearingly ordered her.

[190] entrance.

[191] With one counsel, unanimously.

[192] greatly abused.

[193] hence.

[194] sighing.

[195] news.

[196] weak.

[197] cast wide their doors.

[198] South of.

[199] lament.

[200] A convent founded on the Burgh-muir by the Countess of Caithness for Dominican nuns of the reformed order of St. Catherine of Sienna, from whom the place got its name of Siennes or Sheens.

[201] armed.

[202] a cannon braced up in hoops.

[203] hard blows.

[204] storm.

[205] artillery.

[206] dwelling.

[207] assuredly.

[208] choosing.

[209] Without.

[210] reckless.

[211] blame.

[212] door.

[213] preaching.

[214] leapers over wall.

[215] innocent.

[216] gourmand.

[217] trucksters.

[218] Lay, unlearned.

[219] court-following.

[220] waiting.

[221] thirst.

[222] skill.

[223] gamester.

[224] fell vacant.

[225] law.

[226] parson.

[227] lose.

[228] wish.

[229] worthy.

[230] coarse white woollen.

[231] Laying hold.

[232] crimson cloth.

[233] meniver, marten, grey, and rich ermine furs.

[234] pain.

[235] fringes.

[236] trappings.

[237] hurt.

[238] each.

[239] athwart.

[240] by the time that.

[241] if I lie.

[242] Raven. _Fr._ corbeau.

[243] Overman.

[244] Owl.

[245] mantle.

[246] pure eyes.

[247] Bat.

[248] burnished.

[249] Cuckoo.

[250] ivory.

[251] without doubt.

[252] rose-red, purple, and cinnabar.

[253] labour.

[254] liver and lung.

[255] seize.

[256] must from.

[257] the woods hoar.

[258] sting and shock.

[259] death.

[260] pungent.

[261] to pull and tear.

[262] gluttonlike.

[263] reach.

[264] the lot, _lit._ 128 lb. weight.

[265] beshrew, curse.

[266] that sad dividing.

[267] let me stretch a rope, _i.e._ let me hang for it.

[268] Complain.

[269] smothered.

[270] clutched in his claw.

[271] the rest.

[272] Beseeching.

[273] composition.

[274] to be put forward.

[275] quire, book.

[276] worth.

[277] kindred.

[278] forswear.

[279] learn.

THE JUSTING BETUIX JAMES WATSOUN AND JHONE BARBOUR.[280]