Poetry Codex

Tudor & Elizabethan

Sir David Lyndsay

c. 1486–1555

Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount was a Scottish courtier, diplomat and poet who served the young James V and later held the office of Lord Lyon King of Arms. He is often called the Scottish Juvenal for his satires on the abuses of court and church.

His best-known work is the morality play "Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis". His narrative and satiric poems, among them "The Dreme", "The Testament of the Papyngo" and "Squyer Meldrum", were widely read in Scotland for generations. Eyre-Todd (1892) prints his Middle Scots text from David Laing's edition.

Major Works (2)

  1. Ane Dialog betuix Experience and ane Courteour — Dialogue poem, 1553
  2. The Historie of Squyer Meldrum — Verse romance, c. 1550

Poems (14)

  1. The Dreme
  2. The Testament and Complaynt of Our Soverane Lordis Papyngo
  3. The Justing betuix James Watsoun and Jhone Barbour
  4. Kitteis Confessioun
  5. Squyer Meldrumis Justyng
  6. The Squyeris Adew
  7. Daybreak in May (from The Monarche)
  8. The Complaynt of Schir David Lyndesay to the Kingis Grace
  9. The Answer quhilk Schir David Lyndesay maid to the Kingis Flyting
  10. The Complaynt and Publict Confessioun of the Kingis Auld Hound, callit Bagsche, directit to Bawtie, the Kingis best belovit Dog, and his Companzeonis
  11. The Deploratioun of the Deith of Quene Magdalene
  12. Ane Supplicatioun directit to the Kingis Grace, in contemptioun of Syde Taillis
  13. The Tragedie of the Cardinall
  14. Ane Descriptioun of Pedder Coffeis having na regaird til Honestie in thair Vacatioun

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