Kitabı oku: «The Æneid of Virgil Translated Into Scottish Verse», sayfa 37

CAP. XIV

 
Tarchon, gret chiftane of the Tuscan ost,
The fleand folkis to turn agane can bost.
 

 
The fader of Goddis and men with diligent eyn
Has all hir dedis vnderstand and seyn,
And, situat in his hevynly hous on hie,
Inducis and commovis to the melle
Tarchon, of Tuscanys pryncipall lord and syre,
In breithfull stoundis rasyt brym as fyre;
So that amyd the ful myschewos fyght,
The gret slauchter and rowtis takand the flycht,
On horsbak in this Tarchon baldly draw,
Wilfull his pepill to support and saw:
The wardis all of euery natioun
With admonitiouns seir and exhortatioun
And diuers wordis tystis to feght, for schame,
Clepand and calland ilk man be his name,
Quhill thai that drevyn war abak and chaste
Relevys agane to the bargane in haist.
O Tuscane pepill, quhou happynnys this, said he,
That ȝhe sal evir sa doillyt and bowbartis be
Onwrokyn sik inurys to suffir heir?
O, quhat be this? quhou gret a dreid and feir,
Quhou huge dolfnes, and schaymful cowardice,
Hes ombeset ȝour myndis, apon sik wys
That a woman allon, and thus belyve,
Apon sik wys sal scattir ȝou and dryve,
And gar sa large rowtis tak the flycht?
Quharto bair we thir steill egis in fyght?
Or quhat avalys to hald in hand, lat se,
For nocht thir wapynnys, gyf we a wife sall fle?
Ȝe war not wont tobe sa lyddyr ilkane
At nycht batellys and workis venerian,
Or quhar the bowand trumpet blew the spryng,
At Bachus dans to go in caralyng,
Syne go to fest at tabill, and syt at des,
Se cowpys full, and mony danty mes:
Thar was ȝour lust, plesour, and appetite,
Thar was ȝour bissy cuyr and ȝour delyte;
Quhen that the happy spayman, on hys gys,
Pronuncit the festual haly sacryfys,
And the fat offerandis dyd ȝou call on raw
To banket amyd the dern blissyt schaw.
And, with that word, amydwart the melle,
Reddy to sterf, his hors furth sterys he,
And awfully onon with all his mayn
Ruschit apon Venulus, stud hym agane;
And with hys rycht arm can hys fa enbras,
Syk wys he dyd hym from hys hors arrais,
And with huge strenth syne dyd hym cowch and lay
Befor his breist, and bair hym quyte away.
The Tuscanys rasyt a clamour to the sky,
And Latynys all thar eyn abowt dyd wry.
This Tarchon, ardent as the fyry levyn,
Flaw furth swyft as a fowle vp towart hevyn,
Berand with hym the armour and the man;
And fra his speris poynt of brak he than
The stelit hed, and syne seyrsis all artis,
Euerilk entre, and all the oppyn partis,
Quhar he mycht fynd into sa litil stovnd
A place patent to geif hym dedis wond:
And, be the contrar, Venulus full wight
Maid all debait and obstakill at he mycht,
And can hys hand from hys throt oft sys chop
With all hys strenth, hys violens to stop.
Lyke as, sum tyme, the ȝallo egill be sycht
The eddir hyntis vp and careis on hyght,
Syne, fleand, in hir feit strenȝeis sa fast
That oft hyr punsys out throw the skyn dois thrast:
Bot the serpent, wondyt and al toschent,
In lowpyt thrawys wrythis with mony a sprent,
Hyr sprutlyt skalys vpset grysly to se,
With quhisland mouth strekand hir hed on hie;
All thocht scho wreill, and sprynkill, bend, or skyp,
Evir the sarar this ern strenys hys gryp,
And with hys bowand beik rentis grewsly,
Sammyn with hys weyngis soursand in the sky:
Noyn othyr wys, this Tarchon tursys hys pray
Throw owt the Tyburtyn rowtis glaid and gay.
The pepill Tuscane, quhilum cum fra Lyde,
Seand the exempill and prosper chans that tyd
Of thar stowt duke, followys hys hardyment,
And with a rusch sammyn in the bargane sprent.
Quhen as ane Aruns, by hys mortal fait
Onto myschewos ded predestinate,
Circulis at the wait, and aspyis abowt
The swyft madyn Camyll, of all the rowt
In honest fait of armys maist expert,
And best betaucht to schute or cast a dart:
He sekis by quhat ways or fortoun
To fynd the fassoun and tyme oportune
Maist esely this lady to assaill;
And all the wentis and renkis, sans faill,
This furyus maid held mydwart the melle,
The sammyn gait and passage haldis he,
And prevely hir futsteppys dyd espy;
And quhar scho dyd return with victory,
With fut bakwart frawart hir aduersar,
This ilk Aruns was ful reddy thar,
And thyftuusly onon the sam way he
Withdrew hys pays, and held on hir hys E:
Lurkand at wayt, and spyand rownd abowt,
Now this tocome, now that onset, but dowt,
At euery part thys pevech man of weyr,
And schuke in hand hys oneschewabill speir.
 

CAP. XV

 
Aruns the preist slays Camylla be slycht,
Syne cowartly onon takis the flycht.
 

 
Per chans that tyde Choreus, of gret estait,
Ane spiritual man blissyt and consecrat,
That to Cybele sum tyme preist had be,
A weill lang space ȝond in the melle
Abilȝeit rychly and full gloryus schane
In pompus armour and array Phrygiane:
Furth dryvys he the fomy sterand steid,
With weirlyke bardis cled, and sovir weid
Of coyrbulȝe or leddir with gilt nalys,
Cowchyt with plait of steill als thik as skalys;
And he hym self, in brovne sangwane weill dycht,
Abuf hys onkouth armour blomand brycht,
Schaftis he schot, and takillys wrocht in Creyt,
With Lycyane bow nokkyt with hornys meyt,
And clattryng by hys schuldyr for the weir
Hys ganȝe cays and goldyn awblaster;
The helm of gold schane on the prestis hed;
Of safron hew, betwix ȝallow and red,
Was hys rych mantill, of quham the forbreist lappys,
Ratlyng of brycht gold wyre, with gyltyn trappys
Or cordys fyne was buklyt with a knot;
Of nedill wark all brusyt was hys cote;
Hys hosyng schane of wark of barbary
In porturatour of subtell brusery.
Thys man only of all the mekyll rowt
The maid Camylla followis fast about;
Quhyddir so it was that Troiane armour sche
Lyst hyng in tempill for memor of trophe,
Or than desyryt this wantoun hunteres
In goldyn attyre hir selwyn to addres,
Quhilk scho in feild byreft hyr aduersar;
Throw owt the ost onwarly went alquhar,
Blynd in desyre this Troiane to assay,
In womanly appetyt ardent of this pray,
This precyus spulȝe, and array sa prowd,
Quharwith, as said is, was this preist yschrowd.
This forsaid Aruns liggyng at the wait,
Seand this maid onflocht at sik estait,
Chosys hys tyme that was mast oportune,
And towart hir hys dart adressyt sone.
With voce expres hys prayer thus maid he:
O brycht Apollo, souerane God mast hie,
Of haly mont Soractis the wardane,
Quham pryncipaly we wirschip euery ane,
Quhamto the fyry smok of sens, we se,
Blesys in the kyndillit byngis of fyr tre;
As we that wirschippis the with obesans,
Be support of thy devoyt observans,
Oft with our futsteppys and our nakyt solys
Down thryngis feil hait syndris and fyry colys;
Grant me, fader almychty, now I pray,
With our wapynnys this schame to do away.
I ask na trophe, nor the pompos weyd
Of this maid dovn bet or repulsyt in deid,
Nowder byd I therof spulȝe nor renovn;
My other dedis syne mot mak me bovn
To report honour and lawd eftir this:
Bot at this time I byd na mair, I wys,
Salf that this wench, this vengeabill pest or trake,
Be bet dovn ded by my wond and smart strake,
And syne that I may to my kynd cite
But ony glor return alyve, quod he.
Phebus hym hard, and grantit to fulfyll
Of hys axin a party, at hys wyll;
Bot for the tother part, suyth to say,
He leit do waif with the swyft wynd away:
Consentand that he suld doun bet and sla
By hasty ded the awfull Camylla;
Bot, at hys cuntre hail scarth haymwart brocht
Suld se hym eftir that, he grantit nocht;
And in the clowdy blastis of the sky
That voce and wordis flaw away in hy.
So that, als fast as from hys hand, that stond,
Thirland the ayr this takill gaue a sound,
The rowtis can aduert and takis tent,
Turnand thar syghtis, ilk wight, with a blent
Towart the queyn, thar lady, this Camyll:
Bot scho nane heyd nor tent hes tane thartill,
Nowder of the hasty motioun of the ayr,
Nor ȝit the byrrand sovnd this flycht maid thar,
Nor ȝit persauyt this awfull schaft of tre
Discendand swyftly fra the hevyn on hie;
Quhill that the lance hir smate and hurt, perfay,
Quhar that hir pap was schorn and cut away,
And weggyt deip within hir cost stude,
Furth sowkis largely of this madynnys blude.
Hyr complicis alsammyn in this neyd
Start to thar lady in affray and dreid;
And sone thai claucht and lappyt in thar armys
This queyn, that funderand was for hir smart harmys.
Bot fyrst of all, for feyr and fell affray,
Thys Aruns fled full fast and brak away,
With blythnes mydlyt havand paynfull dreid:
For he na langar durst into this neyd
Assure forto debait hym with hys speir,
Na ȝit abyd the virgynys wapyn, for feyr.
And lyke as that the wild wolf in hys rage
Knawand hys recent falt and gret owtrage,
Quhen that he hes sum gret ȝong oxin slane,
Or than weryit the nolt hyrd on the plane,
Tofor hys fays with wapynnys hym persew,
Onon is he to the heich mont adew,
And hyd hym self full far owt of the way;
Hys taill, that on hys ryg befor tymys lay,
Vnder hys waym lattis fall abasytly,
And to the wod can hast hym intill hy:
Nane other wys Aruns, that fleyt wight,
Fled, and belyve withdrew hym owt of sycht;
Content only to gyf the bak and fle,
Amang the thikast pres hym hyd hes he.
And this Camylla, stervand the ilk stound,
The schaft hes pullyt of hyr dedly wound
With hir awyn hand; bot ȝit amang the banys
The scharp steill hed fixt to the rybbys remanys,
In a full deip wond and a grewos sayr.
All paill and bludles swarthis scho rycht thar,
And in the deth closys hir cald eyn;
The rudy cullour, vmquhile as purpour scheyn,
Blaknyt, and fadys quyte out of hir face:
And, ȝaldand vp the gost in the ilk place,
Onto ane of hir damysellis and ferys,
Clepyt Acca, that had beyn mony ȝheris
Only maste trast, and hald in speciall
To Camylla abuf the otheris all,
That knew alhaill the secretis of hir hart,
With quham hir thochtful curys wald scho part,
That tyme scho spak, and said on this maner:
Acca, Acca, my leif systyr deyr,
Onto this hour I haue done at I myght;
Bot now this dolorus wond so hes me dycht
That all thyng dymmys and myrknys me abowt.
Go fast thy way, and hy the of this rowt;
Schaw Turnus thir my last commandis, quod sche;
Byd hym entyr in fecht insted of me,
And fra the cite thir Troianys dryve away:
Adew for evir! I haue na mar to say.
Sammyn with that word the renȝeis slyp leyt sche,
And slayd to grond, nocht of fre volunte.
Than the cald deith and last stondis mortall
The spreit dissoluyt from the corps our all;
Hyr sowpil crag inclynand and nek bayn,
Bowyt dovn hyr hed that was with deth ourtane;
Furth sprent hyr armys in the ded thrawyng,
And fra hir kest hir wapynnys and armyng:
The spreit of lyfe fled murnand with a grone,
And with disdene dovn to the gostis is goyn.
 

CAP. XVI

 
Opis the nymphe with dartis of Dyane,
Camylla to revenge, has Aruns slane.
 

 
Ane huge clamour than dyd rys on hycht,
That semyt smyte the goldyn starnys brycht;
The bargane walxis mair cruell and het
Quhar that the stowt Camylla was down bet:
For all the rowtis of the bald Troianys,
The Tyrrheyn dukis semlyt all at anys,
And eik Evandrus wardys of Arcadys,
Sammyn in the pres thar aduersaris invadis.
Bot Opis tho, the nymphe, that weill neir by
Be thrynfald Dyane send was to espy,
Sat a lang space apon ane hillys hight,
And onabasyt dyd behald the fyght.
Syne thareftir on far scho can espy,
Amyd quhar as thir ȝonkeris rasyt this scry,
With schaymfull deth ourtane, Camyll the maid:
Scho wepyt soir, and plenand thus scho said,
Sobband full deip law from hir breist within:
Allace! virgyne, to mekill, and that is syn,
To mekill all owt, sa cruell punysyng
Has thou sufferit, certis, for sik a thyng,
Becaus thou hest inforsyt in all thy mycht
Fortill ennoy the Troianys in this fight.
Quhat proffitis the in buskis thyne allane
To haue servyt so lang the blissyt Diane?
Or by thy syde, or than on schuldir hie,
So lang our quavyrris to haue born? quod sche.
And, netheles, but honour in this sted
Thy queyn hes not the left in poynt of ded;
Nor this thy slauchter but ramemberyng
Amang all pepill sall not be, nor menyng;
Ne salt thou not that schame suffir, trast me,
Forto be tald thou suld onwrokyn be:
Quha evir with wond hes schent or violait
Thy fair body, to Dyane dedicate,
He sal repent the tyme that evir thou stervit,
And with his deth aby, as he hes servyt.
Vnder the montane law thar stude fute hoit
A byng of erth, vphepit like a moyt,
Contenyng the cald assis and brynt banys
Of ald Dercennus, kyng of Lawrentanys,
Ourheld with akyn treis and bewys rank:
Thyddir this Goddes, hastand dovn the bank,
Hyrself hes careyt, and thar huvys styll,
And from this knowys hycht, or lityll hyll,
Abydis this ilk Aruns till espy.
And fra scho hym persavys glydand by,
In rich armour schynand wonder brycht,
And all invayn, prowd, wantoun, gay, and lycht;
Quhy haldis thou awaywart so? quod sche:
Dres hyddirmar thy futsteppis towart me;
Now cummys hyddir to perys and to sterve,
And caucht dewly, as that thou hes deserve,
Thy reward for Camyllys ded, perde.
On Dyanys dartis, ha, suld syk ane de?
And with that word, lyke a stowt wench of Trace,
The swyft gilt arow schuke owt of hir cace,
And, rycht amovit, hir hornyt bow has bent,
Quharin onon the takill vp is stent;
Syne halys vp in ire and felloun haist,
Quhill that the bow and nokkis met almaist:
And now hir handis raxit hyt euery sted,
Hard on the left neyf was the scharp steill hed,
The stryng, vp pullit with the rycht hand in feir,
Went by hir pap almaste ontil hir eyr.
Aruns onon the motioun of the ayr
Sammyn with the quhislyng of the takill squar
Persavit hes, and eik the dynt atanys;
The dedly hed throu gyrd his body and banys.
Hys ferys all hes hym forȝet allane,
Quhar as he swelt with mony a wofull grane,
And in ane onkouth feld hes left hym ded,
Bedoif in dust and puldyr, will of red:
Syne Opys with hir weyngis swyft can fle
Abufe the skyis heich in the hevynnys hie.
 

CAP. XVII

 
Acca to Turnus schawys Camyllais chance,
Hir army fled, and left all ordinans.
 

 
The swyft army and active rowt wyth this
Of Camilla fled first the feld, I wys,
For thai had lost thar lady and capitane:
The pissans haill and ostis Tyburtane
Affrayt all togyddir gave the flycht;
The bak hes tane Atynas bald and wight;
The chiftanys brak array, and went thar gait,
The banneris left all blowt and desolait,
Socht to warrand on horsbak, he and he,
Frawart thar fays, and held to the cite.
Nor nane of thame, sa mayt and sa agast,
The fers Troianys, quhilk thame assalȝeit fast,
Onto the ded and myscheif dyd invaid,
With wapynnys anys to styntyng maid a braid,
Nor thame sustene ne ȝit resist thai mycht,
Bot all atanys sammyn tuke the flycht,
And on thar wery schuldris with gret schame
Thar byg bowys onbent has tursyt hame;
And the stowt stedis with thar huvys sovnd
With swyft renkis dyndlyt the dusty grond.
The blak stowr of puldir in a stew
Als dyrk as myst towart the wallys threw;
On the barmkyn abufe, and turettis hie,
The wemen bet thar breistis, was reuth to se,
Rasand atanys a wofull wyfly cry
Went to the starnys and thyrlyt throw the sky.
And quha mycht formest, with swyft curs hes thame set
To brek in at the oppyn patent ȝet;
The rowtis of thar ennemys myxt ourane
Apon thame ruschis, and owrthrawys mony ane:
Nor thar eschape thai nocht the wrachit deth,
Bot in the portis ȝaldis vp the breth,
Stekit amyd thar native wallys hie,
And amang howsis quhar sovir semyt thame tobe.
A part closyt the entre and the portis;
Ne to thar ferys, nor ȝit nane other fortis,
The ȝettis listyng oppyn, nor mak way,
Nor, thocht thai oft besekyng thame and pray,
Durst thame ressaue within thar wallys squar:
A duylfull slauchter onon vprisys thar
Of thame in armys stude the portis to defend,
And thame with glavys war kyllyt and maid end.
The sonnys furthschet, that pety was to seyn,
Befor thar wepand wofull faderis eyn,
Sum in the holl fowcy war tumlyt dovn,
Sa thik thame cummyrris the pres throng to the tovn;
Sum hasty and onwarly at the flycht
Sclakis thar brydillys, spurrand in all thar mycht,
Can with a ram rays to the portis dusche,
Lyke with thar hedis the hard barris to frusch.
The moderis eik and wemen albedene,
Fra tyme Camylla kyllyt haue thai sene.
Knawand thar was extreme necessite,
With all debait stude on the wallys hee;
Sik thyng to do that tyme and tak on hand
The perfyte luf thame taucht of thar kynd land;
And all agast dartis and stanys doun threw:
The syllys square and hedyt styngis enew,
And perkis gret with byrslyt endis and brunt,
Full hastely doun swakkis, dunt for dunt,
And, for defens of thar kynd wallys hie,
Offerit thame self with the formest to de.
In the meyn quhile, as Turnus at the wait
Lay in the wod, fast by the passage strait,
All the maist cruell tithingis fillys hys erys:
For Acca schawys to hym and all hys ferys
The huge affray, quhou the batale was gane,
The Volscane ostis distroyt, and Camyll slane,
Thar noysum fays encressyng furyus rage,
And by thar prosper Martis vassallage
Discumfyst all hys ostis, euery rowt,
That now the cite wallys stud in dowt.
He walxis brayn in furor bellicall,
So desyrus of dedis martiall,
For the hard fatys and strang mychtis he
Of the gret Jove wald that it so suld be:
The hyllys heich he left quhar at he lay,
And from the dern woddis went away.
And scarsly was he passyt owt of syght,
In the plane feild cummyn all at rycht,
Quhen that the prynce Ene with all his men
Hes entryt in and passyt throu the glen,
And our the swyre schawys vp at hys hand
Eschape the dern wod, and won the evyn land;
So that baith twa with thar haill rowtis at last
In all thar speid held to the cite fast.
And na lang space thar ostis war in sondir,
Bot that Ene the feildis reik lyke tundir
Of dusty stowr persauyt a far way,
And saw the Latyne rowtis ryde away;
And fers Eneas, wyrkar of hys harmys,
Turnus persauyt also ryde in armys,
The dynnyng of thar hors feit eik hard he,
Thar stampyng sterage, and thar stedis ne.
Incontinent thai had to batale went,
And in the bargane previt thar hardyment,
Ne war, as than, the rosy Phebus red
Hys wery stedis had dowkyt our the hed
Vnder the stremys of the occeane see,
Reducyng the dyrk nycht, thai mycht not se;
Alhail declynyt had the days lycht.
To tentis than befor the tovn ilk wight
Bownyng to rest, al thai that war withowt,
And delvys trynschis all the wallys abowt.
 

THE PROLOUG OF THE TWELT BUKE

 
Dyonea, nycht hyrd, and wach of day,
The starnys chasyt of the hevyn away,
Dame Cynthia dovn rollyng in the see,
And Venus lost the bewte of hir E,
Fleand eschamyt within Cylenyus cave;
Mars onbydrew, for all his grundyn glave,
Nor frawart Saturn from hys mortall speir
Durst langar in the firmament appeir,
Bot stall abak ȝond in hys regioun far
Behynd the circulat warld of Jupiter;
Nycthemyne, affrayt of the lyght,
Went ondir covert, for gone was the nycht;
As fresch Aurora, to myghty Tythone spows,
Ischit of hir safron bed and evir hows,
In crammysyn cled and granyt violat,
With sangwyne cape, the selvage purpurat,
Onschet the wyndois of hir large hall,
Spred all with rosys, and full of balm ryall,
And eik the hevynly portis cristallyne
Vpwarpis braid, the warld to illumyn.
The twynklyng stremowris of the orient
Sched purpour sprangis with gold and asure ment.
Persand the sabill barmkyn nocturnall,
Bet doun the skyis clowdy mantill wall:
Eous the steid, with ruby hamys red,
Abuf the sey lyftis furth hys hed,
Of cullour soyr, and sum deill brovn as berry,
Forto alichtyn and glaid our emyspery,
The flambe owtbrastyng at his noys thyrlys;
Sa fast Phaeton with the quhyp hym quhyrlys,
To roll Appollo hys faderis goldyn char,
That schrowdith all the hevynnys and the ayr;
Quhill schortly, with the blesand torch of day,
Abilȝeit in hys lemand fresch array,
Furth of hys palyce ryall ischit Phebus,
With goldyn crovn and vissage gloryus,
Crysp haris, brycht as chrisolyte or topace,
For quhais hew mycht nane behald hys face,
The fyry sparkis brastyng from hys eyn,
To purge the ayr, and gylt the tendyr greyn,
Defundand from hys sege etheryall
Glaid influent aspectis celicall;
Before hys regale hie magnificens
Mysty vapour vpspryngand, sweit as sens,
In smoky soppys of donk dewis wak,
Moich hailsum stovys ourheldand the slak;
The aureat fanys of hys trone souerane
With glytrand glans ourspred the occiane,
The large fludis lemand all of lycht
Bot with a blenk of hys supernale sycht.
Forto behald, it was a glor to se
The stablit wyndis and the cawmyt see,
The soft sesson, the firmament sereyn,
The lowne illumynat ayr, and fyrth ameyn;
The syluer scalyt fyschis on the greit
Ourthwort cleir stremys sprynkland for the heyt,
With fynnys schynand brovn as synopar,
And chyssell talys, stowrand heir and thar;
The new cullour alychtnyng all the landis,
Forgane thir stannyris schane the beriall strandis,
Quhil the reflex of the diurnal bemys
The beyn bonkis kest ful of variant glemys:
And lusty Flora dyd hyr blomys spreid
Vnder the feit of Phebus sulȝart steid;
The swardit soyll enbrovd with selcouth hewys,
Wod and forest obumbrat with thar bewys,
Quhois blisfull branschis, porturat on the grund,
With schaddoys schene schew rockis rubicund;
Towris, turettis, kyrnellis, pynnaclys hie
Of kyrkis, castellis, and ilke fair cite,
Stude payntit, euery fyall, fayn, and stage,
Apon the plane grund, by thar awyn vmbrage
Of Eolus north blastis havand no dreid,
The sulȝe spred hir braid bosum on breid,
Ȝephyrus confortabill inspiratioun
Fortill ressaue law in hyr barm adoun;
The cornys croppis and the beris new brerd
With glaidsum garmont revestyng the erd;
So thik the plantis sprang in euery peyce,
The feildis ferleis of thar fructuus fleyce;
Byssy dame Ceres, and provd Pryapus,
Reiosyng of the planys plentuus,
Plenyst sa plesand and mast propyrly,
By natur nurysyt wondir nobilly,
On the fertill skyrt lappys of the grund
Strekyng on breid ondyr the cyrkyll rovnd;
The variand vestur of the venust vaill
Schrowdis the scherald fur, and euery faill
Ourfret with fulȝeis of figuris full diuers,
The spray bysprent with spryngand sprowtis dispers,
For callour humour on the dewy nyght,
Rendryng sum place the gers pilis thar hycht,
Als far as catal, the lang symmyris day,
Had in thar pastur eyt and knyp away;
And blisfull blossummys in the blomyt ȝard
Submittis thar hedis in the ȝong sonnys salfgard:
Ive levys rank ourspred the barmkyn wall,
The blomyt hawthorn cled hys pykis all;
Furth of fresch burgionys the wyne grapis ȝyng
Endlang the treilȝeis dyd on twystis hyng;
The lowkyt buttonys on the gemmyt treis
Ourspredand leyvis of naturis tapestreis,
Soft gresy verdour eftir balmy schowris
On curland stalkis smylyng to thar flowris;
Behaldand thame sa mony diuers hew,
Sum pers, sum paill, sum burnet, and sum blew,
Sum greyce, sum gowlys, sum purpour, sum sangwane,
Blanchit or brovne, fawch ȝallow mony ane,
Sum hevynly culloryt in celestiall gre,
Sum watry hewit as the haw wally see,
And sum depart in freklys red and quhite,
Sum brycht as gold with aureat levys lyte.
The dasy dyd on breid hir crownell smaill,
And euery flour onlappyt in the daill;
In battill gyrs burgionys the banwart wild,
The clavyr, catcluke, and the cammamyld;
The flour delys furthspred hys hevynly hew,
Flour dammes, and columby blank and blew;
Seir downys smaill on dent de lyon sprang,
The ȝyng greyn blomyt straberry levys amang;
Gymp gerraflouris thar royn levys onschet,
Fresch prymros, and the purpour violet;
The roys knoppys, tutand furth thar hed,
Gan chyp, and kyth thar vermel lippys red,
Crysp scarlet levis sum scheddand, baith atanys
Kest fragrant smell amyd from goldyn granys;
Hevynly lylleis, with lokrand toppys quhyte,
Oppynnyt and schew thar creistis redymyte,
The balmy vapour from thar silkyn croppys
Distilland hailsum sugurat hunny droppys,
And syluer schakaris gan fra levys hyng,
With crystal sprayngis on the verdour ȝyng;
The plane pulderit with semly settis sovnd,
Bedyit full of dewy peirlys rovnd,
So that ilk burgioun, syon, herb, and flour,
Wolx all embalmyt of the fresch liquor,
And bathit hait dyd in dulce humouris fleyt,
Quharof the beys wrocht thar hunny sweit,
By myghty Phebus operatiouns,
In sappy subtell exalatiouns.
Forgane the cummyn of this prynce potent,
Redolent odour vp from rutis sprent,
Hailsum of smell as ony spicery,
Tryakill, droggis, or electuary,
Seroppys, sewane, sugur, and synamome,
Precyus invnctment, salve, or fragrant pome,
Aromatik gummys, or ony fyne potioun,
Must, myr, aloes, or confectioun;
Ane paradyce it semyt to draw neir
Thir galȝart gardyngis and ilke greyn herbere.
Maist amyabill walxis the amerant medis;
Swannys swouchis throw owt the rysp and redis,
Our al thir lowys and the fludis gray
Seirsand by kynd a place quhar thai suld lay:
Phebus red fowle hys corall creist can steir,
Oft strekyng furth hys hekkill, crawand cleir,
Amyd the wortis and the rutys gent
Pykland hys meyt in alleis quhar he went,
Hys wifis, Toppa and Partelot, hym by,
As byrd al tyme that hantis bigamy:
The pantyt povn, pasand with plomys gym,
Kest vp his taill, a provd plesand quheil rym,
Yschrowdyt in hys fedramme brycht and scheyn,
Schapand the prent of Argus hundreth eyn:
Amang the bronys of the olyve twistis
Seir smaill fowlys wirkand crafty nestis,
Endlang the heggeis thyk, and on rank akis,
Ilk byrd reiosyng with thar myrthfull makis:
In corneris and cleir fenystaris of glas
Full bissely Aragne wevand was,
To knyt hir nettis and hir wobbys sle,
Tharwith to caucht the myghe and litill fle:
So dusty pulder vpstowris in euery streit,
Quhil corby gaspyt for the fervent heit.
Vnder the bewys beyn in lusty valys,
Within fermans, and parkis cloys of palys,
The bustuus bukkis rakis furth on raw;
Heyrdis of hertis throw the thyk wod schaw,
Baith the brokkettis, and with braid burnyst tyndis,
The sprutlyt calvys sowkand the red hyndis,
The ȝong fownys followand the dun days,
Kyddis skippand throw ronnys eftir rays;
In lyssouris and on leys litill lammys
Full tayt and tryg socht bletand to thar dammys,
Tydy ky lowys, veilys by thame rynnys;
All snog and slekit worth thir bestis skynnys.
On salt stremys wolx Doryda and Thetis,
By rynnand strandis Nymphis and Naedes,
Sik as we clepe wenschis and damysellis,
In gresy gravys wandrand by spryng wellis,
Of blomyt branchis and flowris quhite and red
Plettand thar lusty chaplettis for thar hed;
Sum sang ryng sangis, dansys ledys, and rovndis,
With vocis schill, quhill all the daill resovndis;
Quharso thai walk into thar caralyng,
For amorus lays doith the rochys ryng:
Ane sang, The schyp salys our the salt faym,
Will bryng thir merchandis and my lemman haym;
Sum other syngis, I wilbe blyth and lycht,
Myne hart is lent apon sa gudly wight.
And thochtfull luffaris rowmys to and fro,
To lys thar pane, and pleyn thar joly wo;
Eftir thar gys, now syngand, now in sorow,
With hartis pensyve, the lang symmyris morow:
Sum ballettis lyst endyte of hys lady,
Sum levis in hoip, and sum aluterly
Disparit is, and sa quyte owt of grace,
Hys purgatory he fyndis in euery place.
To pleys his lufe sum thocht to flat and feyn,
Sum to hant bawdry and onlesum meyn;
Sum rownys to hys fallow, thame betwene,
Hys myrry stouth and pastans lait ȝisterevin:
Smyland says ane, I couth in previte
Schaw the a bovrd. Ha, quhat be that? quod he;
Quhat thyng? that most be secrete, said the tother.
Gud Lord! mysbeleif ȝe ȝour verray broder?
Na, neuer a deill, bot harkis quhat I wald;
Thou mon be prevy: lo, my hand vphald.
Than sal thou walk at evin: quod he, quhidder?
In sik a place heir west, we baith togydder,
Quhar scho so freschly sang this hyndyr nycht;
Do choys the ane, and I sal quynch the lycht.
I salbe thar I hope, quod he, and lewch;
Ȝa, now I knaw the mater weill eneuch.
Thus oft dywlgat is this schamefull play,
Na thyng accordyng to our hailsum May,
Bot rathar contagius and infective,
And repugnant that sesson nutrytyve,
Quhen new curage kytlys all gentill hartis,
Seand throu kynd ilk thyng spryngis and revertis:
Dame naturis menstralis, on that other part,
Thar blysfull bay entonyng euery art,
To beyt thir amorus of thar nychtis baill,
The merl, the mavys, and the nychtyngale,
With mery notis myrthfully furth brest,
Enforcyng thame quha mycht do clynk it best:
The cowschet crowdis and pyrkis on the rys,
The styrlyng changis diuers stevynnys nys,
The sparrow chyrmys in the wallis clyft,
Goldspynk and lyntquhite fordynnand the lyft;
The gukgo galys, and so quytteris the quaill,
Quhill ryveris rerdit, schawis, and euery vaill,
And tender twystis trymlyt on the treis,
For byrdis sang, and bemyng of the beys;
In wrablis dulce of hevynly armonyis
The larkis, lowd releschand in the skyis,
Lovys thar lege with tonys curyus,
Baith to dame Natur, and the fresch Venus,
Rendryng hie lawdis in thar obseruance;
Quhais suguryt throtis maid glaid hartis dans,
And al smail fowlys syngis on the spray:
Welcum the lord of lycht, and lamp of day,
Welcum fostyr of tendir herbys grene,
Welcum quyknar of floryst flowris scheyn,
Welcum support of euery rute and vayn,
Welcum confort of alkynd fruyt and grayn,
Welcum the byrdis beild apon the brer,
Welcum master and rewlar of the ȝer,
Welcum weilfar of husbandis at the plewys,
Welcum reparar of woddis, treis, and bewys,
Welcum depayntar of the blomyt medis,
Welcum the lyfe of euery thyng that spredis,
Welcum storour of alkynd bestiall,
Welcum be thy brycht bemys, gladyng all,
Welcum celestial myrrour and aspy,
Attechyng all that hantis sluggardy!
And with this word, in chalmer quhair I lay,
The nynt morow of fresch temperit May,
On fut I sprent into my bair sark,
Wilfull fortill compleit my langsum wark
Twichand the lattyr buke of Dan Virgill,
Quhilk me had tareit al to lang a quhile;
And to behald the cummyng of this kyng,
That was sa welcum tyll all warldly thyng,
With sic tryumphe and pompos curage glaid
Than of hys souerane chymmys, as is said,
Newly aryssyn in hys estait ryall,
That, by hys hew, but orleger or dyall,
I knew it was past four houris of day,
And thocht I wald na langar ly in May
Les Phebus suld me losanger attaynt:
For Progne had, or than, sung hir complaynt,
And eik hir dreidfull systir Philomeyn
Hyr lays endyt, and in woddis greyn
Hyd hir selvyn, eschamyt of hir chance;
And Esacus completis hys pennance
In ryveris, fludis, and on euery laik:
And Peristera byddis luffaris awaik;
Do serve my lady Venus heir with me,
Lern thus to mak ȝour obseruance, quod sche,
Into myne hartis ladeis sweit presens
Behaldis how I beynge, and do reuerens.
Hyr nek scho wrynklys, trasyng mony fold,
With plomys glitterand, asur apon gold,
Rendryng a cullour betwix greyn and blew,
In purpour glans of hevynly variant hew;
I meyn our awyn natyve byrd, gentill dow,
Syngand in hyr kynd, I come hydder to wow;
So pryklyng hyr greyn curage forto crowd
In amorus voce and wowar soundis lowd,
That, for the dynnyng of hir wanton cry,
I irkyt of my bed, and mycht not ly,
Bot gan me blys, syne in my wedis dres,
And, for it was ayr morow, or tyme of mes,
I hynt a scriptour and my pen furth tuke:
Syne thus begouth of Virgill the twelt buke.
 
 
Explicit scitus prologus;
Quharof the autour says thus.
 
 
The lusty crafty preambill, perle of May
I the entitil, crownyt quhil domysday;
And al with gold, in syng of stait ryall,
Most beyn illumnyt thy letteris capital.