The Dream

This hinder nycht halff-sleiping as I lay,
Me thocht my chalmer in ane new aray
Was all depeint with many diuerss hew,
Of all the nobill storyis ald and new,
Sen oure first father formed was of clay.

Me thocht the lift all bricht with lampis lycht,
And thairin enterrit many lustie wicht,
Sum ȝoung, sum old, in sindry wyse arayit,
Sum sang, sum danceit, on instrumentis sum playit,
Sum maid disportis with hartis glaid and lycht.

Thane thocht I thus, this is ane felloun phary,
Or ellis my witt rycht woundrouslie dois varie ;
This seimes to me ane guidlie companie,
And gif it be ane freindlie fantasie,
Defend me Jhesu, and his moder Marie !

Thair pleasant sang, nor ȝett thair pleasant toun,
Nor ȝett thair joy did to my heart redoun ;
Me thocht the drerie damiesall Distres,
And eik hir sorie sister Hewenes,
Sad as the leid, in baid lay me abone.

And Langour satt wp at my beddis heid,
With instrument full lamentable and deid ;
Scho playit sangis so duilfull to heir,
Me thocht ane houre seimeit ay ane ȝeir ;
Hir hew was wan and wallowed as the leid.

Thane com the ladyis, danceing in ane trace,
And Nobilnes befoir thame come ane space,
Saying, withe cheir bening and womanly,
" I sa ane heir in bed oppressit ly,
My sisteris, go and help to get him grace."

With that anon did start out of a dance
Twa sisteris, callit Confort and Pleasance,
And with twa harpis did begin to sing,
Bot I thairof mycht tak na rejoseing,
My heavines opprest me with sic mischance.

Thay saw that I nocht glaidder wax of cheir,
And thairof had thai winder all but weir,
And said ane lady that Persaueing hecht,
" Of Heviness he feillis sic a wecht,
Ȝour melody he pleissis nocht till heir,

Scho and Distres hir sister dois him greve."
Quod Nobilness, " Quhow sall he thame escheve ? "
Thane spak Discretioun, ane lady richt bening,
" Wirk eftir me, and I sall gar him sing,
And lang or nicht gar Langour tak hir leve."

And then said Witt, " Gif thai work nocht be the,
But onie dout thai sall not work be me."
Discretioun said, " I knaw his malady,
The strok he feillis of melancholie,
And Nobilness, his lecheing lyis in the.

Or euir this wicht at heart be haill and feir,
Both thow and I most in the court appeir ;
For he hes lang maid seruice thair in vaine :
With sum rewaird we mane him quyt againe,
Now in the honour of this guid new ȝeir."

" Weill worth the, sister," said Considerance,
" And I sall help for to mantene the dance."
Than spak ane wicht callit Blind Effectioun,
" I sall befoir ȝow be, with myne electioun,
Of all the court I haue the governance."

Thane spak ane constant wycht callit Ressoun,
And said, " I grant ȝow hes beine lord a sessioun,
In distributioun, bot now the tyme is gone,
Now I may all distribute myne alone ;
Thy wrangous deidis did euir man enschesoun.

For tyme war now that this mane had sum thing,
That lange hes bene ane serwand to the king,
And all his tyme neuir flatter couthe nor faine,
Bot humblie into ballat wyse complaine,
And patientlie indure his tormenting.

I counsall him be mirrie and jocound ;
Be Nobilness his help mon first be found."
" Weill spokin, Ressoun, my brother," quoth Discretioun,
" To sett on deiss with lordis at the cessioun,
Into this realme ȝow war worth mony ane pound."

Thane spak anone Inoportunitie,
" Ȝe sall nocht all gar him speid without me,
For I stand ay befoir the kingis face ;
I sall him deiff, or ellis my self mak chace,
Bot gif that I befoir him seruit be.

Ane besy askar soonner sall he speid,
Na sall twa besy serwandis out of dreid,
And he that askis nocht tynes bot his word,
Bot for to tyne lang seruice is no bourd,
Ȝett thocht I neuir to do sic folie deid."

Than com anon ane callit Schir Johne Kirkepakar,
Off many cures ane michtie vndertaker,
Quod he, " I am possest in kirkis sevin,
And ȝitt I think thai grow sall till ellevin,
Or he be seruit in ane, ȝone ballet-maker.

And then Schir Bet-the-kirk, sa mot I thryff,
I haif of busie serwandis foure or fyve,
And all directit vnto sindrie steidis,
Ay still awaitting vpoun kirk-menes deidis,
Fra quhom my tithingis will I heir belyff."

Quod Ressoun than, " The ballance gois vnevin,
That thow allace to serff hes kirkis sevin,
And sevin als worth kirk, nocht haifand ane,
With gredines I sie this world ourgane,
And sufficience dwellis nocht bot in heavin."

" I have nocht wyt thairof," quod Temperance,
" For thocht I hald him evinlie the ballance ;
And, but ane cuir, full evin micht till him wey,
Ȝett will he take ane vther and gar it suey:
Quha best can rewll wald maist haue governance.

Patience to me, " My friend," said, " mak guid cheir,
And on the prince depend with heuinely feir,
For I full Weill dois knaw his nobill intent ;
He wald nocht, for ane bischopperikis rent,
That ȝow war vnrewairdit half ane ȝeir."

Than as ane fary thai to duir did frak,
And schot ane gone that did so rudlie trak,
Quhill all the air did raird the ranebow vnder,
On Leith sandis me thocht scho brak in sounder,
And I anon did walkin with the crak.