The First Buke

In to that Park I sawe appeir
One ageit Man, quhilk drew me neir,
Quhose beird wes weill thre quarter lang ;
His hair doun ouer his schulders hang,
The quhilk as ony snaw wes quhyte ;
Quhome to behald I thocht delyte ;
His habitt Angellyke of hew,
Of culloure lyke the sapheir blew,
Onder ane hollyng he reposit,
Of quhose presens I was rejosit.
I did hym saluss reverendlye ;
Sa did he me, rycht courteslye.
To sitt down he requeistit me,
Onder the schaddow of that tre,
To saif me frome the sonnis heit,
Amangis the floweris softe and sweit ;
For I wes werye for walking.
Than we began to fall in talking :
I sperit his name, with reverence ?
I am, said he, EXPERIENCE.

COURTEOUR.
Than, Schir, said I, ye can nocht faill
To gyff ane desolate man counsaill.
Ye do appeir ane man of fame ;
And, sen Experience bene your name,
I praye yow, Father venerabyll,
Geve me sum counsell confortabill.

EXPERIENCE.
Quhat bene, quod he, thy vocatioun,
Makand sic supplycatioun )

COURTEOUR.
I haif, quod I, bene to this hour,
Sen I could ryde, ane Courteour ;
Bot now, Father, I thynk it best,
With your counsell, to leif in rest,
And frome thyne furth to tak myne eais,
And quyetlie my God to pleis,
And renunce curiositie,
Levyng the Court, and lerne to dé.
Oft have I sailit ouer the strandis,
And travalit throuch divers landis,
Boith South, and North, and Est, and West ;
Yitt can I never fynd quhare Rest
Doith mak his habitatioun,
Withoute your supportatioun.
Quhen I belief to be best easit,
Most suddantlye I am displeasit ;
Frome trubbyll quhen I fastest fle,
Than fynd I most adversatie.
Schaw me, I pray you hartfullye,
Quhow I may leif most pleasandlie,
To serve my God, of kyngis Kyng,
Sen I am tyrit for travellyng ;
And lerne me for to be content
Of quyet lyfe, and sobir rent,
That I may thank the Kyng of Glore,
As thocht I had ane mylyeoun more.
Sen everilk Court bene variant,
Full of invy, and inconstant :
Mycht I, but trubbyll, leif in rest
Now in my aige, I thynk it best

EXPERIENCE.
Thow art ane gret fuill, Sonne, said he,
Thyng to desyre quhilk may not be,
Yarnyng to have prerogatyve
Above all Creature on lyfe.
Sen Father Adam creat bene
In to the campe of Damascene,
Mycht no man say, on to this hour,
That ever he fand perfyte plesour,
Nor never sall, tyll that he se
God in his Divyne Majestie :
Quharefore prepair thee for travell,
Sen mennis lyfe bene bot battell.
All men begynnis for tyll de
The day of thare Nativitie ;
And journelly thay do proceid,
Tyll Atrops cut the fatell threid ;
And, in the breif tyme that thay have
Betuix thare byrth on to thare grave ;
Thow seis quhat mutabiliteis,
Quhat miserabyll calamiteis ;
Quhat trubbyll, travell, and debait
Seis thow in everie mortall stait !
Begyn at pure lawe Creaturis,
Ascending, syne, to Senaturis,
To gret Princis and Potestatis,
Thow sall nocht fynd in non estatis,
Sen the begynning, generallie,
Nor in our tyme now, speciallie,
Bot teddious, restles besynes
Bot ony maner of sickernes.

COURTEOUR.
Prudent Father, quod I, allace !
Ye tell to me one cairfull cace ;
Ye say, that no man to this hour,
Hes found in erth perfyte plesour,
Without infortunat variance :
Sen we bene thrall to sic myschance,
Quhy do we set so our intentis
On ryches, dignitie, and rentis ?
Sen in the Erth bene no man sure
One day but trubbyll tyll indure ;
And, werst of all, quhen we leist wene,
The cruell deith we mon sustene,
Geve I your Fatherheid durst demand,
The cause I wald faine understand ;
And als, Father, I yow implore,
Schaw me sum trubbyll gone afore :
That, heryng utheris indigence,
I may the more haif patience.
Marrowis in trybulatioun
Bene wracheis consolatioun.

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, Efter my small cunnyng
To thee I sall mak answeryng.
Bot, ordourlie for to begyn,
This misarie procedis of syn.
Bot it wer lang for to defyn it
Quhow all men ar to syn inclynit.
Quhen syn aboundantlye doith ryng,
Justly God makith punyssing :
Quharefor gret God in to his handis,
To dant the warld, hes divers wandis ;
Efter our evyll conditioun
He makis on us punytioun,
With hunger, darth, and indigens ;
Sum tyme gret plagis, and pestilens,
And sum tyme with his bludy wand,
Throw creuell weir be sey and land :
Concludyng, all our misarie
Proceidis of syn, alluterlie.

COURTEOUR.
Father, quod I, declare to me
The cause of this fragyllitie,
That we bene all to syn inclynde,
In werk, in word, and in our mynde.
I wald the veritie wer schawin,
Quho hes this seid amang us sawin ?
And quhy we ar condampnit to dede ?
may get remede I

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, The Scripture hes concludit
Men frome felicitie wer denudit
Be Adam, our progenitour,
Umquhyle of Paradyse possessour ;
Be quhose most wylfull arrogance
Wes Mankynd brocht to this myschance ;
Quhen he was inobedient,
In breking Godis commandiment.
Be solystatioun of his wyfe
He loste that hevinlye plesand lyfe ;
Etand of the forbiddin tre,
Thare began all our miserie.
So Adam wes cause radicall
That we bene fragyll synnaris all.
Adam brocht in this natioun
Syn, Deith, and als dampnatioun.
Quho wyll say he is no synnar,
Christ sayis, he is ane gret lear.
Mankynde sprang furth of Adamis loynis,
And tuke of hym flesche, blude, and bonis ;
And so, efter his qualytie
All ar inclynit synnaris to be.
Bot yit, my Sonne, dispare thow nocht ;
For God, that all the warld hes wrocht,
Hes maid ane Soverane remede,
To saif us boith frome syn and dede,
And frome etarne dampnatioun :
Tharefore tak consolatioun.
For God, as Scripture doith recorde,
Haveyng of man misericorde,
Send doun his onelye Sonne, Jesu,
Quhilk lychtit in one Virgin trew,
And cled his heych Divynitie
With our pure vyle Humanytie ;
Syne frome our synnis, to conclude,
He wysche us with his precious blude.
Quhowbeit throw Adam we mon dee,
Throuch that Lord we sall rasit bee ;
And everilk man he sall releve
Quhilk in his blude doith ferme beleve ;
And bryng us all into his glore
The quhilk throw Adam bene forlore ;
Without that we, throw laik of faith,
Of his Godheid incur the wraith :
Bot quho in Christ fermely belevis
Sall be relevit frome all myschevis.

COURTEOUR.
Quhat Faith is that that ye call ferme ?
Schir, gar me understand that terme.

EXPERIENCE.
Faith without Hope and Charitie
Avalit nocht, my Sonne, said he.

COURTEOUR.
Quhat Charitie bene, that wald I knaw.

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, My Sonne, that sall I schaw :
First, lufe thy God above all thyng,
And thy nychtbour but fenzeyng ;
Do none injure nor villanie,
Bot as thow wald wer done to thee :
Quyk faith but cheritabyll werkis
Can never be, as wryttis Clerkis,
More than the fyre, in tyll his mycht,
Can be but heit, nor Sonne but lycht ;
Geve Charitie into thee failis,
Thy Faith nor Hope no thyng availis.
The Devyll hes Faith, and trymlis for dreid ;
Bot he wantis Hope and Lufe in deid.
Do all the gude that may be wrocht,
But Charitie, all availis nocht.
Quharefor pray to the Trinitie
For tyll support thy Charitie.
Now have I schawin thee as I can,
Quhow Father Adam, the first man,
Brocht in the warld boith Syn and Dede,
And quhow Christ Jesu maid remede,
Quhilk, on the day of Jugement,
Sall us delyver frome torment,
And bryng us to his lestyng glore,
Quhilk sall indure for ever more.
Bot in this warld thow gettis no rest,
I mak it to thee manifest ;
Tharefore, my Sonne, be diligent,
And lerne for to be patient :
And in to God sett all thy traist :
All thyng sall than cum for the best.

COURTEOUR.
Father, I thank yow hartfullye
Of your conforte and cumpanye,
And hevinlye consolatioun ;
Makand yow supplicatioun,
Geve I durst put yow to sic pyne,
That ye wald pleis for to defyne,
And gar me cleirlye understand,
Quhow Adam brak the Lordis command ;
And quhow, throw his transgressioun,
Wer punyst his successioun.

EXPERIENCE.
My Sonne, quod he, wald thow tak cure
To luke on the Divyne Scripture,
In to the Buke of Genesis
That storye thare thow sall nocht mis.
And alswa syndrie cunnyng Clerkis
Hes done rehers, in to thare werkis,
Of Adamis fall, full ornatly,
Ane thousand tymes better nor I
Can wrytt of that unhappy man.
Bot I sall do the best I can
Schortlie to schaw that cairfull cace,
With the support of Goddis grace.

ANE EXCLAMATIOUN TO THE REDAR, TWYCHEYNG THE WRYTTING OF VULGARE AND MATERNALL LANGUAGE.

Gentyl Redar, haif at me non dispyte.
Thynkand that I presumptuously pretend,
In vulgair toung so heych mater to writ ;
Bot quhair I mys I pray ye tyll amend.
Tyll unlernit I wald the caus were kend
Of our most miserabyll travell and torment,
And quhow, in erth, no place bene permanent.

Quhowbeit that divers devote cunnyng Clerkis
In Latyne toung hes wryttin syndrie bukis,
Our unlernit knawis lytill of thare werkis,
More than thay do the ravyng of the rukis.
Quharefore to colyearis, cairtaris, and to cukis,
To Jok and Thome, my rhyme sall be directit,
With cunnyng men quhowbeit it wylbe lackit.

Thocht every Commoun may nocht be one Clerk,
Nor hes no leid except thare toung maternall,
Quhy suld of God the marvellous hevinly werk
Be hid from thame ? I thynk it nocht fraternall.
The Father of Hevin, quhilk wes and is Eternall,
To Moyses gaif the Law, on Mont Senay,
Nocht into Greik nor Latyne, I heir say.

He wrait the Law, in Tablis hard of stone,
In thare awin vulgare language of Hebrew,
That all the bairnis of Israell, every one,
Mycht knaw the Law, and so the same ensew.
Had he done wryt in Latyne or in Grew,
It had to thame bene bot ane sawrles jest :
Ye may weill wytt God wrocht all for the best.

Arristotyll nor Plato, I heir sane,
Wrait nocht thare hie Philosophie naturall
In Duche, nor Dence, nor toung Italiane,
Bot in thare most ornate toung maternall,
Quhose fame and name doith ryng perpetuall.
Famous Virgill, the Prince of Poetrie,
Nor Cicero, the flour of Oratrie,

Wrait nocht in Caldye language, nor in Grew,
Nor yit into the language Sarazene,
Nor in the naturall language of Hebrew,
Bot in the Romane toung, as may be sene,
Quhilk wes thair proper language, as I wene.
Quhen Romanis rang dominatoris in deid,
The ornat Latyne wes thare proper leid.

In the mene tyme, quhen that thir bauld Romanes,
Over all the warld had the dominioun,
Maid Latyne scolis thare glore for tyll avance,
That thair language mycht be over all commoun ;
To that intent, be my opinioun,
Traisting that thare Impyre sulde ay indure :
Bot of fortune alway thay wer nocht sure.

Of Languagis the first diversytie
Wes maid be Goddis maledictioun.
Quhen Babilone was beildit in Calde,
Those beildaris gat none uther afflictioun :
Affore the tyme of that punyssioun
Wes bot one toung, quhilk Adam spak hym self,
Quhare now of toungis thare bene thre score and twelf.

Nochtwithstandyng, I thynk it gret plesour,
Quhare cunnyng men hes languagis anew,
That, in thare youth, be deligent laubour,
Hes leirnit Latyne, Greik, and ald Hebrew :
That I am nocht of that sorte sore I rew ;
Quharefore I wald all bukis necessare
For our faith were in tyll our toung Vulgare.

Christ, efter his glorious Ascentioun,
Tyll his Disciplis send the Holy Spreit,
In toungis of fyre, to that intentioun,
Thay, beand of all languagis repleit,
Throuch all the warld, with wordis fair and sweit,
Tyll every man the faith thay suld furth schaw
In thare awin leid, delyverand thame the Law.

Tharefore I thynk one gret dirisioun,
To heir thir Nunnis and Systeris nycht and day
Syngand and sayand Psalmes and Orisioun,
Nocht understandyng quhat thay syng nor say,
Bot lyke one Stirlyng or ane Papingay,
Quhilk leirnit ar to speik be lang usage :
Thame I compair to byrdis in ane cage.

Rycht so childreyng and ladyis of honouris
Prayis in Latyne, to thame ane uncuth leid,
Mumland thair Matynis, Evinsang, and thair Houris,
Thare Pater Noster, Ave, and thare Creid.
It wer als plesand to thare spreit, in deid,
God have mercy on me, for to say thus,
As to say, Miserere mei Deus.

Sanct Jerome in his propir toung Romane
The Law of God he trewlie did translait,
Out of Hebrew and Greik, in Latyne plane,
Quhilk hes bene hid from us lang tyme, God wait,
Onto this tyme : bot, efter myne consait,
Had Sanct Jerome bene borne in tyll Argyle,
In to Yrische toung his bukis had done compyle.

Prudent Sanct Paull doith mak narratioun
Twycheyng the divers leid of every land,
Sayand, thare bene more edificatioun
In fyve wordis that folk doith understand,
Nor to pronounce of wordis ten thousand
In strange langage, sine wait not quhat it menis :
I thynk sic pattryng is not worth twa prenis.

Unlernit peple, on the holy day,
Solemnitlye thay heir the Evangell sung,
Nocht knawyng quhat the Preist dois sing nor say,
Bot as ane bell quhen that thay heir it rung :
Yit, wald the Preistis in to thare mother toung
Pas to the pulpitt and that doctryne declare
Tyll lawid pepyll, it wer more necessare.

I wald Prelattis and Doctouris of the Law
With us lawid peple wer nocht discontent,
Thocht we in to our vulgare toung did knaw
Of Christ Jesu the lyfe and Testament
And quhow that we sulde keip commandiment ;
Bot in our language lat us pray and reid
Our Pater Noster, Ave, and our Creid.

I wald sum Prince of gret discretioun
In vulgare language planelye gart translait
The neidfull Lawis of this Regioun :
Than wald thare nocht be half so gret debait
Amang us peple of the law estait.
Geve every man the verytie did knaw,
We nedit nocht to treit thir Men of law.

Tyll do our nychtbour wrang we wald be war,
Gyf we did feir the lawis punysment :
Thare wald nocht be sic brawlyng at the bar,
Nor Men of law loup to sic royall rent.
To keip the law gyf all men war content,
And ilk man do as he wald be done to,
The Jugis wald get lytill thyng ado.

The Propheit David, Kyng of Israell,
Compyld the plesand Psalmes of the Psaltair
In his awin propir toung, as I heir tell ;
And Salomone, quhilk wes his sone and air,
Did mak his buke in tyll his toung Vulgare.
Quhy suld nocht thare saying be tyll us schawin
In our language I wald the caus wer knawin.

Lat Doctoris wrytt thare curious questionis,
And argumentis sawin full of sophistrye,
Thare Logick, and thare heych opinionis,
Thare dirk jugementis of Astronomye,
Thare Medecyne, and thare Philosophye ;
Latt Poetis schaw thare glorious ingyne,
As ever thay pleis, in Greik or in Latyne ;

Bot lat us haif the Bukis necessare
To Commoun weill and our Salvatioun
Justlye translatit in our toung Vulgare.
And als I mak thee Supplicatioun
O gentyll Redar, haif none indignatioun,
Thynkand I mell me with so hie matair.
Now to my purpose fordwart wyll I fair.

HEIR FOLLOWIS THE CREATIOUN OF ADAM AND EVE.

Quhen God had maid the hevinis brycht,
The Sone and Mone for to geve lycht,
The Sterry Hevin and Christellyne,
And, be his Sapience Divyne,
The Planetis, in thair circlis round
Quhirling about with merie sound,
Of quhome Phebus was principall,
Juste in his lyne Eclipticall ;
And gave, be Divyne Sapience,
Tyll every Ster thare influence,
With motioun continuall,
Quhilk doith indure perpetuall ;
And, farrest frome the Hevin impyre.
The Erth, the Walter, Air, and Fyre :
He cled the Erth with herbis and treis ;
All kynd of fysches in the seis,
All kynd of beist, he did prepair,
With fowlis fleying in the air.
Thus, be his word all thyng was wrocht
Without materiall, maid of nocht :
So, be His wysedome infinyte
All wes maid plesand and perfyte.
Quhen Hevin and Erth, and thare contentis,
Wer endit, with thare ornamentis,
Than, last of all, the Lord began
Of most vyle erth to mak the Man.
Nocht of the lillie, nor the rose,
Nor syper tre, as I suppose,
Nother of gold, nor precious stonis ;
Of erth he maid flesche, blude, and bonis.
To that intent God maid hym thus,
That man sulde nocht be glorious,
Nor in hym selfe no thyng suld se
Bot matere of humylitie.
Quhen Man wes maid, as I have tald,
God in his face did hym behald,
Breithand in hym ane lyflie spreit.
Quhen all thir werkis wer compleit,
He maid Man, to his simylitude,
Precelland in to pulchritude,
Dotit with giftis of Nature
Above all erthlye creature ;
Syne plesandlye did hym convoye
To ane regioun repleit with joye,
Of all plesour quhilk bair the pryce.
And callit Erthly Paradyce ;
And brocht, be Divyne providence,
All beistis and byrdis tyll his presence.
Adam did craftely impone
Ane speciall name tyll every one,
And to all thyngis materiall,
He namyt thame in speciall :
Quhow he thame namyt yitt bene kend,
And salbe to the warldis end.
In to that Gardyng of plesance
Two treis grew most tyll avance,
Above all uther quhilk bair the pryce,
In myddis of that Paradyce.
The one wes callit the Tre of lyfe ;
The uther tre began our stryfe,
The tre to knaw boith gude and evyll,
Quhilk, be perswatioun of the Devyll,
Began our misarie and wo.
Bot lat us to our purpose go.
Quhow God gave Adam strait commande
That tre to twyche nocht with his hand :
All uther fructis of Paradyce
He bad hym eit at his devyce ;
Sayand, Gyf thow eit of this tre,
With dowbyll deith than sall thow dee :
Tharefor I thé command, be war,
And frome this tree thow stand afar.
Yitt Father Adam wes allone,
But cumpanye of ony one :
Than thocht the Lord it necessare
Tyll hym to creat ane helpare.
God putt in Adam sic sapour
That for to sleip he tuke plesour,
And laid hym down apone the grounde ;
And quhen Adam wes slepand sounde,
He tuke ane rib furth of his syde,
Syne fyld it up with flesche and hyde,
And maid ane Woman of that bone :
Fairar of forme wes never none.
Than tyll Adam incontinent
That fair Ladye he did present,
Quhilk schortlye said, for to conclude,
Thow art my flesche, my bonis, and blude ;
And Virago he callit hir, than,
Quhilk is, interpreit, maid of man,
Quhilk Eva efterwart was namyt,
Quhen, for hir falt, sche was diffamyt.
Than did the Lord thame sanctyfie,
Saying, Incres and multiplie.
Be this men suld leif all thair kyn,
And with thare wyffis mak dwellyn,
And, for thare saik, leif Father and Mother,
And lufe thame best above all uther :
For God has ordanit thame, trewlye,
To be two saulis in one bodye.
My wytt is waik for tyll indyte
Thaire heavinlye plesouris infinyte,
Wes never none erthlye creature
Sen syne had sic perfyte plesoure.
Thay had puyssance imperiall
Above all thyng materiall.
Als cunnyng Clerkis dois conclude,
Adam preceld in pulchritude
Most naturall, and the farest Man
That evir wes, sen the warld began,
Except Christ Jesu, Goddis Sonne,
To quhome wes no comparisone ;
And Eva, the fairest Creature
That ever wes formit be nature.
Thocht thay wer nakit as thay wer maid,
No schame ather of uther haid :
Quhat plesour mycht ane man haif more
Nor haif his Lady hym before,
So lustye, plesand, and perfyte,
Reddy to serve his appetyte )
Thay had none uther cure, I wys,
Bot past thare tyme with joye and blys.
Wyld beistis did to thame repair ;
So did the fowlis of the air,
With noyis most angelycall
Makand thame myrthis musicall ;
The fyschis soumand in the strandis
Wer holelye at thair commandis :
All Creaturis, with ane accorde,
Obeyit hym as thare soverane Lorde.
Thay sufferit nother heit nor cald,
With every plesour that thay wald.
Als, to the deith thay wer nocht thrall ;
And rychtso suld we have bene all :
For he and all his successouris
Suld have possedit those plesouris,
Syne frome that joye materiall
Gone to the glore imperiall.
Thay had, geve I can rycht discryve,
Gret joy in all thare wyttis fyve,
In heiryng, seying, gustyng, smellyng,
Induryng thare delytesum dwellyng ;
Heiryng the byrdis armoneis,
Taistyng the fructis of divers treis,
Smellyng the balmye dulce odouris
Quhilk did proceid frome fragrant flowris,
Seying so mony hevinlye hewis
Of blomes brekyng on the bewis ;
Of twycheyng, als thay had delyte
Of utheris bodeis soft and quhyte ;
But doute, induryng that plesour,
Thay luffit uther Paramour ;
No marvell bene thoucht swa suld be,
Consyderyng thare gret bewte.
Als, God gave thame command expres
To multiplie and tyll incres,
That thare seid and successioun
Mycht pleneis every Natioun.
I lyst nocht tary tyll declare
All properteis of that place preclare ;
Quhow herbis and treis grew ay grene,
Nor of the temperat air serene ;
Quhow fructis indeficient,
Ay alyke rype and redolent ;
Nor of the fontane, nor the fludis,
Nor of the flowris pulchritudis.
That mater Clerkis dois declare ;
Quharefore I speik of thame na mare.
The Scripture makis no mentioun
Quhow lang thay rang in that Regioun ;
Bot I beleve the tyme wes schorte,
As divers Doctouris dois reporte.

OF THE MISERABILL TRANSGRESSIOUN OF ADAM.

COURTEOUR.
Father, How happinit that mischance ?
Quod I ; schaw me the circumstance,
Declaryng me that carefull cace.
Quhow Adam lost that plesand place
Frome hym and his successioun.
Quhow did proceid that transgressioun ?

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, Efter my rude ingyne
I sall rehers thee that rewyne.
Quhen God, the Plasmatour of all,
In to the Hevin imperiall
Did creat all the Angellis brycht,
He maid one Angell most of mycht,
To quhome he gave preheminence,
Above thame all, in sapience.
Becaus all uther he did prefer,
Namit he wes brycht Lucifer.
He wes so plesand and so fair
He thocht hymself without compair,
And grew so gay and glorious
He gan to be presumptuous,
And thocht that he wald sett his sait
In to the North, and mak debait
Agane the Majestie Divyne ;
Quhilk wes the cause of his rewyne.
For he incurrit Goddis ire,
And banyst frome the Hevin impyre,
With Angellis mony one legioun,
Quhilkis wer of his opinioun,
Innumerabyll with hym thare fell :
Sum lychtit in the lawest Hell,
Sum in the Sey did mak repair,
Sum in the Erth, sum in the Air,
That most unhappy cumpanye
At Father Adam had invye,
Parsaveyng Adam and his seid
In to thare places to succeid.
The Serpent wes the subtellest
Above all beistis and craftyest.
Than Sathan with ane fals intent,
Did enter in to that Serpent ;
Imagenyng sum craftye wyle,
Quhow he mycht Adam best begyle,
And gar hym brek commandiment.
Bot to the Woman first he went ;
Traistyng the better to prevaill,
Full subtellye did hir assaill.
With facund wordis, fals and fair,
He grew with hir familiair,
That he his purpose mycht avance ;
Belevand in hir inconstance.
Quhat is the cause, Madame, said he,
That ye forbeir yone plesand tre,
Quhilk bene, but peir, moste pretious,
Quhose fruct bene moste delytious ?
I nyll, quod sche, thare to accord :
We ar forbyddin be the Lord,
The quhilk hes given us lybertie
Tyll eit of every fruct and tre
Quhilk growis in to Paradyse :
Brek we command, we ar nocht wyse.
He gave tyll us ane strait command
That tre to twyche nocht with our hand ;
Eit we of it, without remede,
He said, but dout, we sulde be dede.
Beleve nocht that, said the Serpent :
Eit ye of it, incontinent
Repleit ye sall be with science,
And haif perfyte intelligence,
Lyke God hym self, of evyll and gude.
Than, haistellye for to conclude,
Heiryng of this prerogatyve,
Sche pullit doun the fruct belyvé,
Throw counsall of the fals Serpent,
And eit of it to that intent,
And patt hir Husband in beleve,
That plesand fruct gyf he wald preve,
That he suld be als sapient
As the gret God Omnipotent.
Thynk ye nocht that ane plesand thyng,
That we, lyke God, suld ever ryng !
He, herand this narratioun,
And be hir solistatioun,
Movit be prydefull ambitioun,
He eit, on that conditioun.
The principall poyntis of this offence
War pryde and inobedience,
Desyring for to be equall
To God, the Creatour of all.
Allace ! Adam quhy did thow so ?
Quhy causit thow this mortall wo ?
Had thow bene constant, firme, and stabyll,
Thy glore had been incomparabyll.
Quhare wes thy consyderatioun,
Quhilk had the dominatioun
Of every levyng creature
That God had formit be Nature,
Tyll use thame at thy awin devyse ?
Wes thow nocht prince of Paradyse ?
Wes never man, sen syne, on lyve
That God gave sic prerogatyve :
He gave thee strenth above Sampsone,
And sapience more than Salomone ;
Young Absolone, in his tyme moste fair,
To thy bewtie wes no compair ;
Arestotyll thow did precall
In to phylosophie naturell ;
Virgill, in tyll his poetrye,
Nor Cicero, in tyll oratrye,
War never half so eloquent.
Quhy brak thow Goddis commandiment ?
Quhare wes thy wytt, that wald nocht flee
Far frome the presens of that tree ?
Gaif nocht thy Maker thee free wyll
To take the gude and leif the evyll !
Quhow mycht thy forfalt be excusit,
That Goddis commandiment refusit,
Throuch thy wyfis perswasioun !
Quhilk hes bene the occasioun,
Sen syne, that mony nobyll men,
Be the evyll counsall of wemen,
Alluterlye distroyit bene,
As in the Storeis may be sene,
Quhilk now we neid nocht tyll declair,
Bot fordwart tyll our purpose fair.
Quhen thay had eaitin of the frute,
Of joye than wer thay destitute.
Than gan thay boith for to thynk schame,
And to be naikit thocht defame,
And maid thame breikis of levis grene,
That thair secreitis suld nocht be sene.
Bot in the stait of Innocence
Thay had none sic experience ;
Bot, quhen thay war to Syn subjectit,
To schame and dreid thay war coactit.
And in ane busk thay hid thame clois,
Aschamit of the Lordis voice,
Quhilk callit Adam be his name.
Quod he, My Lord, I thynk gret schame
Naikit to cum to thy presence.
Thow had none sic experience,
Quod God, quhen thow wes innocent :
Quhy brake thow my commandiment ?
Allace ! quod Adam to the Lorde,
The veritie I sall recorde ;
This Woman that thow gaif to me
Gart me eit of yone plesand tre.
Rycht so the Woman hir excusit,
And said, the Serpent me abusit.
Than to the Serpent God said thus,
thow Dissaver venimous,
Because the Woman thow begylit,
Frome thynefurth sall thow be exylit :
Curst and waryit sall thow be,
So sall thy seid be, efter thee :
Cauld erth salbe thy fude, also,
And creipand on thy breist sall go :
Als, I sall put inamitie
Betuix the woman ever and thee :
Betuix thy seid and womanis seid
Salbe continuall mortall feid.
Quhowbeit thow hes wrocht thir myschevis,
It sall nocht be as thow belevis :
Sic seid salbe in woman sawin,
That thy power salbe doun thrawin ;
Treddyng thy heid that thow may feill,
And thow sall tred hym on the heill.
This was his promys and menyng,
That the Immaculat Virgyng
Sulde beir the Prince Omnipotent,
Quhilk suld tred doun that fals Serpent,
Sathan, and all his companye,
And thame confunde alluterlye.

COURTEOUR.
Quod I, Geve Sathan, prince of Hell,
Spak in the Serpent, as ye tell,
And beistis can no way syn at all,
Quhy wes the Serpent maid so thrall ?
I heir men say, affore that hour
The Serpent had ane fair figour,
And yeid straucht up upone his feit,
And had his membris all compleit,
As utheris beistis upone the bent.

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, For he wes instrument
To Sathan, in this miserie,
Puneist he wes, as ye may se ;
As, be experience, thow may knaw,
Expres in to the Commoun Law,
Ane man convickit for bewgrye,
The beist is brynt, als weill as he,
Quhowbeit the beist be innocent ;
And so befell of the Serpent.
It was the Feynd, full of dispyte,
Of Adamis fall quhilk had the wyte,
As he has had of mony mo :
Bot tyll our purpose let us go.
Than to the Woman, for hir offence,
God did pronunce this sore sentence,
All plesour that thow had afforrow
Sall cheangit be in lestyng sorrow :
Quhare that thow suld with myrth and joy
Have borne thy byrth, but pane or noy,
Now all thy bairnis sall thow bair
With dolour and continuall cair :
And thow salbe, for oucht thow can,
Ever subjectit to the Man.
Be this sentence, God did conclude
Wemen frome lybertie denude,
Quhilk be experience, ye may se,
Quhow Quenis of most hie degre
Ar under moste subjectioun,
And sufferis moste correctioun ;
For thay lyke byrdis in tyll ane cage,
Ar keipit ay under thirlage ;
So all wemen, in thare degre,
Suld to thair men subjectet be.
Quhowbeit sum yit wyll stryve for stait,
And for the maistrye mak debait,
Quhilk gyf thay want, boith ewin and morrow
Thare men wyll suffer mekle sorrow.
Of Eve thay tak that qualitie,
To desyre Soveranitie.
And than tyll Adam, said the Lord,
Because that thow hes done accord
Thy wyll, and harknit to thy wyfe,
Now sall thow lose this plesand lyfe :
Thow wes tyll hir obedient,
Bot thow brake my commandiment ;
Curste and barren the erth salbe,
Quhare ever thow gois, tyll that thow de :
But labour, it sall beir no corne,
Bot thrisyll, nettyll, breir, and thorne :
For fude thow gettis none uther beild,
Bot eait the herbis upone the feild :
Sore laubouryng, tyll thy browis sweit,
Frome thyne furth sall thow wyn thy meit :
I maid thee of the erth, certane,
And thow in erth sall turne agane.
Than maid he thame abilzement,
Of skynnis ane raggit rayment,
Thame to preserve frome heit and cauld :
Than grew thare dolour mony fauld.
Now, Adam, are ye lyke tyll us,
With your gay garment glorious !
To thame thir wordis said the Lorde.
Then cryit thay boith Misericorde,
Quhen frome that Garth, with hartis sore,
Baneist thay wer, for ever more,
On to this wracheit vaill of sorrow,
With daylie laubour, evin and morrow.
Efter quhose dolorous departyng,
The Lorde gave Paradyce in kepying
Tyll ane Angell of Cherubin.
That none sulde have entres thare in ;
Att the quhilk entres he did stand,
With flammand fyrie sweird in hand,
To keip that Adam and his wyfe
Sulde nocht taist of the tre of lyfe :
For, geve thay of that tre had previt,
Perpetuallye thay mycht have levit.
So Adam and his Successioun
Of Paradyce tynt possessioun ;
And be this syn Originall
War men to miserie maid thrall.
My Sonne, now may thow cleirly se,
This Warld began with miserie ;
With miserie it doith proceid,
Quhose fyne sall dolour be and dreid.

COURTEOUR.
Father, quod I, quhat kynd of lyfe
Led Adam with his lusty wyfe,
Efter thare bailfull banesyng )

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, Continuall womentyng :
My heart has yitt compassioun,
Quhow thay went wandryng up and doun,
Weipyng, with mony lowde Allace !
That thay had lost that plesand place ;
In wyldernes to be exilde,
Quhare thay fand nocht bot beistis wylde,
Manesyng thame for tyll devore,
Quhilkis all obedient war affore.

COURTEOUR.
Father, quod I, in quhat countrie
Did leif Adam, efter that he
Was banesit from that delyte !

EXPERIENCE.
Clerkis, quod he, hes put in wryte
Quhow Adam dwelt, with mekle baill,
In Mamber, in that lusty vaill,
Quhilk efter was the Jowis land ;
Quhare yit his Sepulture dois stand.
I lyste nocht tary tyll discryve
The wo of Adam nor his Wyve ;
Nor tell quhen thay had sonnis two,
Cayn and Abell, and no mo ;
Nor quhow curst Cayn, for invy,
Did slay his Brother creuelly ;
Nor of thare murnyng, nor thare mone,
Quhen thay, but sonnis, wer left allone,
Abell lay slane upone the ground,
Curst Cayn flemit and vagabound ;
Nor quhow God, of his speciall grace,
Send thame the thrid sonne, fair of face,
Most lyke Adam of flesche and blude,
Seth was his name, gratious and gude ;
Nor quhow blynd Lameth raikleslye
Did slay Cayn, unhappelye.
Adam, as Clerkis dois discrive,
Begat with Eve, his wofull wyve,
Of men childryng thretty and two,
And of dochteris alyke also.
Be this thow may weill understand
That Adam saw mony ane thowsand
That of his body did discend,
Or he out of the warld did wend.
Adam leifit in erth, but weir,
Compleit nyne hundreth and thretty yeir ;
And all his dayis war bot sorrow,
Rememberyng, boith evin and morrow,
Of Paradyce the prosperitie,
Syne of his gret miseritie :
His hart mycht never be rejosit,
Remembryng quhow the hevin wes closit
Frome hym and his successioun,
And that, be his transgressioun.
Efter his deith, as I heir tell,
His Saul descendit to the hell,
And thare remanit presoneir,
In that dungeoun, thre thousand yeir
And more, so did boith evyll and gude,
Tyll Christ for thame had sched his blude :
Than, be that most precious ransoun,
Thay wer delyverit of presoun.
I have declarit now, as I can,
The miserie of the first man.

HEIR FOLLOWIS QUHOW GOD DISTROYIT ALL LEVEAND CREATURE IN ERTH, FOR SYN, AND DROWNIT THAME BE ANE TERRIBYLL FLUDE, IN THE TYME OF NOYE.

COURTEOUR.
Prudent Father Experience,
Declare to me, or ye go hence,
Quhat wes the cause God did distroye
All Creature, in the tyme of Noye.

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, I trymmyll for to tell
That infortune, quhow it befell ;
The cause bene so abhominabyll,
And the mater so miserabyll.
Bot, for to schaw the circumstance,
Manefestlye, of that myschance,
First I mon gar thee understand
Quhow Adam gaif expresse command
That those quhilkis come of Sethis blude,
Because thay wer gratious and gude,
Suld nocht contract with Caynis kyn,
Quhilkis wer inclynit all to syn.
Tyll observe that commandiment,
Cayn past in the Orient,
With his wyfe, callit Calmana,
Quhilk was his awin syster alswa,
Quhare his ofspryng did lang remane,
Besyde the Montane of Tarbane.
And Seth did lang tyme leid his lyfe ;
With Delbora, his prudent wyfe,
Quhilk wes his syster, gude and fair,
In Damascene maid thare repair ;
In that countrie of Sethis clan
Descendit mony holy man.
So lang as Adam was levand,
The peple did observe command ;
Quhen he wes dede, and laid in ground,
And peple greitly did abound,
And Cayn slane, as I have schawin,
And Sethis dayis all ouer blawin,
The sonnis, than, of Sethis blude,
Seand the plesand pulchritude
Of the ladyis of Caynis kyn,
Quhowbeit thay knew weill it wes syn,
Opprest with sensuall lustis rage,
Did tak thame into mariage :
And so corruptit wes that blude,
The gude with evyll, and evyll with gude.
Than as the peple did incres,
Thay did abound in wickitnes,
As Holy Scripture dois rehers :
Quhilk I abhor to put in vers,
Or tell with toung I am nocht abyll ;
The suthe bene so abhominabyll,
Quhow men and women schamefullye
Abusit thameselfis unnaturallye ;
Quhose foull abhominatioun
And uncouthe fornicatioun
I thynk gret schame to put in wryte :
All that Paull Orose doith indyte ;
Quhilk gyf I wald at lenth declair,
It wer yneuch to fyll the air.
Gret Clerkis of Antiquiteis
Hes writtin mony trew storeis,
Quhilkis ar worthy to be commendit,
Quhowbeit thay be nocht comprehendit
At lenth in the Divyne Scripture :
Bot I sall do my besye cure
To tak the best, as I suppose,
That moste pertenis my purpose ;
And, with support of Christ, our Kyng,
I purpose to confirme no thyng
Of the auld Historicience
Contrarious tyll his excellence.
Quhowbeit, sum mennis traditionis,
Contrar Chrystis institutionis,
Of thame thocht sum thyng I declair.
Now latt us proceid forthermair,
And, with ane language lamentabyll,
Declare this mater miserabyll.

COURTEOUR.
Father, the causis wald I knaw
Quhy thay of Nature brak the Law ?

EXPERIENCE.
I traist, quod he, that wyckitnes
Generith, throw sleuthfull ydilnes.
The Devyll, with all the craft he can,
Quhen he persavis ane ydill man,
Or women gevin tyll ydilnes,
He gettis eisalye entres ;
And so, be this occasioun,
And be the Feindis perswasioun,
The hole warld, universalye,
Corruptit was alluterlye.

COURTEOUR.
Quhat wes the cause thay ydill ware ?
That cace, quod I, to me declare.

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, Be my imaginatioun,
For laik of vertuous occupation :
For of craftis thay had small usage,
Of marchandyce, nor laborage.
The Erth, than, wes so plentuous
Of fruct and spyce delicious ;
The herbis wer so comfortabyll,
Delytesum, and medicinabyll ;
The fontannis, fresche and redolent ;
To laubouryng thay tuke lytill tent
All maner of beistis, at thare plesour,
Did multyplie, without laubour.
The tyme betuix Adam and Noye,
To se the erth it wes gret joye,
Plantit with precious treis of pryce.
Four famous Fludis of Paradyce
Ran throw the erth, in syndrie partis,
Spreddyng thare branchis in all airtis ;
The watter was so Strang and fyne,
Thay wald nocht laubour to mak wyne ;
The fruct and herbis wer so gude,
Thay maid no cair for uther fude :
And so the peple tuke no cure
Bot past thare tyme at thare plesure,
Ay fyndand new inventiounis
To fulfyll thare intentiounis :
So that the Lord Omnipotent
That he maid Man did Hym repent,
And schew ontyll his servand Noye
That he wald all the Warld destroye,
Except hym self and his meinye.
Allace ! quod Noye, quhen sall that be !
Then said the Lord, Sen thow so speris,
I sall prolong sax score of yeris,
Taryng upon thare repentance,
Or I fulfyll my just sentence,
In the mene tyme, fall thow to warke
Incontinent, and beild ane Arke.
Quhilk Noye began, obedientlye,
And wrocht on it continuallye ;
And to the peple daylie precheit ;
To cry for grace he to thame techeit,
And to thame planelye did declair
That God his wand no more wald spair,
Bot on thame he wald wyrk vengence,
To Noye yit gave thay no credence ;
And so they wer incounsolabyll,
Usyng thare luste abominabyll :
And tuke his precheyng in dispyte,
Ay following thare foull delyte,
More and more, tyll that dulefull day
Quhilk all the Warld pat in affray.

COURTEOUR.
Father, ye gart me understand,
Quhen Adam brak the Lordis command,
Tyll augment his afflictioun,
God gave his maledictioun
Onto the Erth, quhilk wes so fair,
That it suld barren be, and bair,
And without laubour beir no corne,
Nor fruct, bot thrissyll, breir, and thorne.
Now, say ye, in the tyme of Noye
To se the erth it wes gret joye,
Plantit with fructis gude and fair ;
The suthe of this to me declair :
Thir sayingis two gar me consydder,
Quhow ye mak thame agree togydder.

EXPERIENCE.
God maid that promys sickerlye,
Quhowbeit, it come nocht instantlye,
Quod he, as Clerkis dois conclude ;
Bot efter, quhen the furious Flude
Distroyit the Erth alluterlye,
Than come that promys sickerlye.
Evin siclyke as God gave command
Adam to twyche nocht with his hand,
Nor eit of the forbidden Tree ;
Geve he did so, that he sulde dee :
Quhowbeit, he deit nocht, but weir,
Efter that day nyne hundreth yeir.
Rycht so, the Propheit Esayas,
Speikand of Christ, the gret Messias,
Sayand, the Bairne is tyll us borne,
To saif mankynd, quhilk is forlorne,
As he had bene borne instantlye ;
Yit wes he nocht borne veralye,
Efter that saying, mony one yeir,
As in the Scripture thow may heir :
Ane thousand yeir, quho reknyth rycht,
Is bot one hour in Goddis sycht.
Exemplis mony I mycht tell,
Wer it nocht tedious for to dwell.
Tyll our purpose latt us proceid,
Schawand the heycht, and lenth, and breid,
And qualitie of Noyis Arke ;
Quhilk wes ane rycht excellent warke,
Of pyne tre maid, bound weill about ;
Laid ouer with pik, within and out,
Junit full close with nalis strong,
And wes thre hundreth cubittis long,
Fifty in breid, thretty in heycht ;
Thre chalmeris, junit weill and wycht,
And everilk loft above ane uther ;
Withouttin anker, air, or ruther :
Ane rycht cubeit, as I heir tell,
Of mesour now mycht be ane ell.
In the myd syde ane dur thare wes,
For beistis ane easy entres.
This Ark, quhilk was boith lang and lairge,
Maid in the bodum lyke one bairge,
Coverit with burdis weill abufe,
Moste lyke ane house with sett-on rufe,
Quhose riggyng wes ane cubeit braid,
Quharein thare wes ane wyndo maid,
Sum sayis, weill closit with christall cleir,
Quharethrouch the day lycht mycht appeir.
This work the more wes to be prysit,
Because be God it wes devysit.
The makyng of this Ark, but weir,
Indurit weill ane hundreth yeir.
Quhen Noye had done compleit this wark,
God did hym close within the Ark ;
With hym his Wyfe, and Sonnis thre,
With thare thre Wyfis, but mo meny :
And of all foulis of the air
Of everilk kynd enterit ane pair ;
Rycht so, two beistis of everilk kynde ;
For quhy it wes the Lordis mynde
That generatioun suld nocht faill :
Quharefor of fameill and of maill
Of everilk kynd wer keipit two.
Bot to rehers myne hart is wo
The dolent lamentatioun,
That tyme of everilk Natioun,
Sayand Allace ! ane thousand syis,
Quhen wynd and rane began to ryis :
The roikis with rerd began to ryve,
Quhen uglie cluddis did ouerdryve,
And dirkynnit so the Hevinnis brycht
That Sonne nor Mone mycht schaw no lycht :
The terrabyll trymling of erthquaik
Gart biggyngis bow, and cieteis schaik ;
The thounder raif the cluddis sabyll,
With horrabyll sound appoventabyll ;
The fyreffauchtis flew ouerthorte the fellis ;
Than wes thare nocht bot yowtis and yellis.
Quhen thay persavit without remede
All Creature to suffer dede :
All fontanis from the Erth up sprang,
And frome the Hevin the rane doun dang
Fourty dayis and fourty nychtis,
Than ran the peple to the heychtis ;
Sum clam in cragis, sum in treis,
And sum to heychast montanis fleis,
With more terrour than I can tell,
Bot all for nocht : the fludis fell,
And wynd did rowt with sic ane reird
That everilk wycht waryit his weird,
Cryand, Allace ! that they wer borne,
Into that flude to be forlorne.
Men mycht no help mak to thare wyfis,
Nor yit support thare bairnis lyfis.
The Fludis rose with so gret mychtis
That thay ouer coverit all the heychtis :
Thay mycht no more thare lyvis lenth,
Bot swame so lang as thay had strenth,
And so, with cryis lamentabyll,
Endit thare lyvis miserabyll.
Above montainis that wer moste hie
Fifty cubeitis rose the See.
Men may imagyne, in thare mynd,
All Creature, in to thare kynd,
Boith beistis and foulis in the air,
In thare maneir maid mekle cair.
The fyschis thocht thame evyll begyld,
Quhen thay swame through the woddis wyld ;
Quhalis tumbland amang the treis,
Wyld beistis swomand in the seis.
Byrdis, with mony pietuous pew,
Affeiritlye in the air thay flew
So lang as thay had strenth to flee,
Syne swatterit doun in to the sea.
No thyng on erth wes left on lyve,
Beistis nor foulis, man nor wyve :
God hailelye did thame distroye,
Except thame in the Ark, with Noye,
The quhilk lay fleittand on the flude :
Welterand amang the stremis wode,
With mony terrabyll affrayis,
Remanit ane hundreth and fyfty dayis,
In gret langour and hevynes,
Or wynd or rane began to ceis ;
Sumtyme effectuouslye prayand,
Sumtyme the beistis vesiand :
For, be the Lordis commandiment,
He maid provisioun sufficient.
For Noye dwelt in that Ark, but dout,
Ane yeir compleit, or he come out ;
Quhow, at more lenth in Holy wryte
This dulefull storye bene indyte,
And quhow that Noye gan to rejose,
Quhen conductis of the Hevin did close,
So that the rane no more discendit,
Nor the flude no more ascendit.
Quhen he persavit the Hevinnis cleir,
He send furth Corbie messingeir
In to the air for to espy
Geve he saw ony montanis dry.
Sum sayis the Ravin did furth remane,
And come nocht to the Ark agane.
Furth flew the Dow, at Noyis command,
And quhen scho did persave dry land,
Of ane olyve scho brak ane branche,
That Noye mycht know the watter stanche ;
And thare no more scho did sudjorne,
Bot with the branche scho did returne,
That Noye mycht cleirly understand
That felloun Flude was decressand :
And so it did, tyll at the last
The Ark upone the ground stak fast,
On the tope of ane montane hye,
Into the land of Armanye,
And quhen that Noye had done espye
Quhow that the Erth began to drye,
Than dang he doun the durris all,
And lowsit thame the quhilk wes thrall ;
The Foulis flew furth in the air,
And all the beistis, peir and pair,
Past furth to seik thare pasturages :
Thare wes than, but aucht personages,
Noye, his thre Sonnis, and thare Wyvis,
On Erth that left was with thare lyvis ;
Quhome God did blys and sanctyfie,
Sayand, Incres and multiplie.
God wait geve Noye wes blyith and glaid,
Quhen of that presoun he wes fraid.
Quhen Noye had maid his sacrifyce,
Thankand God of his benefyce,
He standand on Mont Armanye
Quhare he the countrie mycht espye ;
Ye may beleve his hart was sore,
Seying the Erth, quhilk wes affore
The feilde so plesand and perfyte,
Quhilk to behald wes gret delyte,
That now was barren maid, and bair,
Afore quhilk fructuous was and fair ;
The plesand treis beryng fructis
Wer lyand revin up be the rutis ;
The holsum herbis and fragrant flouris
Had tynt boith vertew and cullouris ;
The feildis grene, and fluryst meidis,
Wer spulyeit of thare plesand weidis.
The Erth, quhilk first wes so fair formit,
Wes, be that furious Flude, deformit ;
Quhare umquhyle wer the plesand planis,
Wer holkit glennis, and hie montanis :
Frome clattryng cragis, gret and gray,
The erth wes weschin quyte away.
Bot Noye had gretast displesouris,
Behauldand the dede creatouris,
Quhilk wes ane sycht rycht lamentabyll ;
Men, women, beistis, innumerabyll
Seying thame ly upone the landis,
And sum wer fleityng on the strandis :
Quhalis and monstouris of the seis
Stickit on stobbis, amang the treis ;
And, quhen the Flude was decressand,
Thay wer left welteryng on the land.
Affore the Flude duryng that space,
The Sey wes all in to ane place ;
Rycht so the Erth, as bene desydit,
In syndrie partis wes nocht devydit,
As bene Europe and Asia
Devydit ar from Africa.
Ye se now, divers famous His,
Stand frome the maine-land mony mylis :
All thir gret His, I understand,
War than equall with the ferme land.
Thare wes none Sey Mediterrane,
Bot onely the gret Occeane,
Quhilk did nocht spred sic bulryng strandis
As it dois now ouirthort the landis.
Than, be the ragyng of that Flude,
Tha Erth of vertew wes denude,
The quhilk affore wes to be prysit,
Quhose bewtie than wes dissagysit
Than wes the maledictioun knawin
Quhilk wes be God tyll Adam schawin.
I reid quhow Clerkis dois conclude,
Induryng that moste furious 'Flude
With quhilk the Erth wes so supprest,
The wynd blew furth of the South-west ;
As may be sene, be experience,
Quhow, throw the watteris violence,
The heych montanis, in every Art,
As bair forgane the South-west part :
As the montanis of Pyraneis,
The Alpis, and rochis in the seis ;
Rycht so, the rochis, gret and gray,
Quhilk standis into Narroway.
The heychast hyllis, in every art, '
And in Scotland, for the moste part,
Throuch weltryng of that furious flude,
The cragis of erth war maid denude :
Travellyng men may consydder best
The montanis bair nyxt the South-west.

COURTEOUR.
Declare, quod I, or ye conclude,
Quhow lang levit Noye efter the flude.

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, In Genesis thow may heir
Quhow that Noye wes sax hundreth yeir,
The tyme of this gret punysment,
And aye to God obedient ;
And wes the best of Sethis blude ;
And als, he levit efter the Flude
Thre hundreth and fyfty yeris,
As the same Scripture wytnes beris,
And wes, or he randerit the spreit,
Nyne hundreth and fyfty yeris compleit.
To schaw this storie miserabyll
At lenth my wyttis ar nocht abyll :
And als, my Sonne, as I suppose,
It langis nocht tyll our purpose
To schaw quhow Noyis sonnis thre
Gan to incres and multyplie ;
Nor quhow that Noye plantit the wyne,
And drank tyll he wes dronkin syne,
And slepit with his membris bair ;
And quhow Cham maid for hym no cair,
Bot leuch to se his Father so,
Quhowbeit his Brether wer rycht wo ;
Nor quhow Noye, but restrictioun,
Gave Cham his maledictioun,
And put hym under servytude
To Sem and Japhet, that war gude ;
Nor quhow God maid ane covenent
With Noye, to mak no punysment,
Nor be no Flude the peple droun :
In signe of that conditioun,
His rane-bow sett in to the air,
Of divers hevinlye colouris fair,
For to be ane perpetuall sing
Be Flude to mak no punyssing.
This Story geve thow lyste to knaw,
At lenth the Bibyll sall thee schaw.