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PART OF THE

PROLOGUE

то

SIR DAVID LYNDESAY'S DREAM.

I

WRITTEN IN THE REIGN OF KING JAMES V.

I.

N the kalendies of Januarie

When fresche PHOEBUS by moving circulair
From Capricorn was enter'd in Aquarie,
With blaftis that the branches made full bare,
The fnow and fleet perturbit all the air,
And flemit FLORA from everie bank and bus,
Throuch fupport of the aufteir Eolus.

II.

Efter that I the lang wynteris night
Had lyne waking in my bed allone

Throw hevy thought, that na way sleep I micht,
Remembering of divers thingis gone:

Sa up I rois, and cleithit me anone

By this fair Titan with his lemis licht

O'er all the land had spread his baner bricht.

R

III.

With cloke and hude I dreffit me belive,
With dowbill fchone, and myttains on my handis,
Howbeit the air was richt penetratyve,

Zet fure I forth lanfing ourthort the landis,
Towards the fea, to schort me on the fandis
Becaus unblomit was baith bank and bray,
And fa as I was paffing by the way,

IV.

I met dame FLORA in dule weid difagyfit,
Quilk into May was dulce and delectabill,
With ftalwart stormis hir sweetness was surprisit,
Hir heavinlie hewis war turnit into fabill,
Quilkis umquile war to Luffaris amiabill,
Fled from the froift, the tender flouris I faw
Under dame Nature's mantill lurking law.

V.

The fmall fowlis in flockis faw I flee

To nature makand lamentatioun,

They lichit down befide me on ane tree,
Of their complaint I had compaffioun,

And with ane piteous exclamation

They faid "blyffit be fomer with his flouris,

"And waryit be thou wynter with thy fchowris.

VI.

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"Allace AURORE, (the fillie lark did cry) Quhair has thou left thy balmy liquour fweit, "That us rejoifit mounting in the sky?

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Thy filver drops are turned into fleit.

"Of fair PHEBUS quhair is the holfum heit,

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Qhuy tholis thow thy hevinlie plesand face, "With mystie vapouris to be obscurit, allace!

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VII.

Qhuair art thou May, with June thy fifter fchene "Weill bordourit with dafeis of delyte ?

"And gentill Julie, with thy mantill grene,
"Enamelit with rofis reid and quhyte ?
"Now auld and cauld Januar in difpyte
"Reiffis from us all paftime and plesure

"Allace! quhait gentill hart may this indure?

VIII.

"Ovirfilit ar with cloudis odious

"The goldin fkyis of the orient,

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Changeing in forrow our fing melodious, Quhilk we had wont to fing with gude intent, "Refoundand to the hevinnis firmament,

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"But now our day is changed into the nicht," With that they rofe and flew forth of my ficht.

HARDY KNUTE

A FRAGMENT.

I.

TATELY ftept he east the wa,

STAT

And stately stept he west,

Full seventy zeirs he now had fene,
With fkerfs feven zeirs of rest.

He livit quhen Britons breach of faith
Wroucht Scotland meikle wae :

And

ay

his fword tauld to their coft,

He was their deidly fae.

II.

Hie on a hill his castle ftude,

With halls and touris a hicht,

And guidly chambers fair to fe,
Quhair he lodgit mony a Knicht.
His Dame fae peirlefs anes and fair,
For chaft and bewtie deimt,
Nae marrow had in all the land,

Seif ELENOR the queen.

III.

Full thirtein fons to him scho bare,
All men of valour stout;

In bluidy ficht with fword in hand
Nyne loft their lives bot doubt;
Four zit remain, lang may they live
To ftand my liege and land:

Hie was their fame, hie was their micht,
And hie was their command.

IV.

Great luve they bare to FAIRLY fair,

Their fifter faft and deir,

Her girdle shawd her middle gimp,
And gowden glift her hair.
Quhat waefau wae her bewtie bred
Waefou to zung and auld,
Waefou I trow to kyth and kin,
As ftory ever tauld.

V.

The king of Norfe in fummer tyde,
Puft up with powir and micht,
Landed in fair Scotland the yle,
With mony a hardy knicht:
The tydings to our gude Scots king
Came, as he fat at dyne,

With noble chiefs in braif aray,

Drinking the blude-reid wyne.

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