The Secund Buke

IN THE FIRST, THE BEILDYNG OF BABILONE BE NEMROD ; AND QUHOW KYNG NYNUS BEGAN THE FIRST MONARCHIE ; AND OF THARE IDOLATRYE; AND QUHOW SEMIRAMIS GOVERNIT THE IMPYRE, EFTER HIR HUSBANDE KYNG NYNUS.

COURTEOUR.
Father, I pray yow to me tell
The first infortune that befell,
Immediatlye efter the Flude ;
And quho did first sched saikles blude ?
And quho Idolatrye began !

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, I sall do as I can :
Efter the Flude I fynde no storye
Worthy to putt in memorye,
Tyll Nemrod began to ryng
Above the Peple as ane Kyng,
Quhilk wes the principall man of one,
That beildar was of Babilone.

COURTEOUR.
That story, Maister, wald I knaw,
Quod I, geve ye the suthe wald schaw,
Quhy and for quhat occasioun
Thay beildit sic ane Strang dungeoun.

EXPERIENCE.
Than said to me Experience,
I sall declare, with diligence,
Those questiounis at thy command.
Bot first, Sone, thow mon understand
Of Nemrod the Genealogie,
His strenth, curage, and quantitie ;
Quhowbeit Moyses, in his first Buke,
That storye lychtlye did ouer luke :
Of him no more he doith declare,
Except he was ane Strang huntare.
Bot utheris Clerkis curious,
As Orose doith, and Josephus,
Discryvis Nemrod at more lenth,
Boith of his stature and his strenth.
This Nemrod was the fourt persoun
Frome Noye be lyne discendyng doun :
Noye generit Cham, Cham generit Chus,
And Chus, Nemrod : the suthe bene thus. '
This Nemrod grew ane man of mycht ;
That tyme in erth wes none so wycht :
He wes ane gyand stout and strang ;
Perforce wyld beistis he doun thrang.
The peple of that hole Regioun
Come under his dominioun ;
No man thare wes, in all that land,
His stalwartnes that durst ganestand.
No marvell wes thocht he wes wycht,
Ten cubitis large he wes of hycht,
Proportionat, in lenth and breid,
Afferand to his hycht, we reid.
He grew so gret and glorious,
So prydefull and presumptuous,
That he come inobedient
To the gret God Omnipotent.
This Nemrod was the principall man
That first Idolatrye began.
Than gart he all the peple call
To his presens, boith gret and small,
And, in that gret conventioun,
Did propone his intentioun.
My Freindis, said he, I mak it knawin
The gret vengeance that God hes schawin,
In tyme of our fore father Noye,
Quhen he did all the Warld distroye,
And dround thame in ane furious flude :
Quharefor I thynk we sulde conclude
Quhow we maye make one Strang defence
Aganis sic watteris violence,
For to resyste his furious ire,
Contrare boith to flude and fyre.
Lat us go spye sum plesand feilde,
Quhare one Strang biggyng we may beilde,
One Citie, with ane Strang dungeoun,
That none ingine may ding it doun ;
So heych, so thyke, so large, and lang,
That God tyll us sall do no wrang ;
It sall surmonte the Planetis sevin,
That we frome God may wyn the hevin.
Those peple, with one ferme intent,
All tyll his counsell did consent,
And did espy one plesand place
Hard on the flude of Euphratace.
The peple thare did thame repair,
In to the plane feilde of Synear,
Quhilk now of Caldie beryth the name,
Quhilk did lang tyme flureis in fame.
Thare gret Fortres than did thay founde,
And kaiste tyll thay gat souer grounde :
All fell to warke, boith man and chylde,
Sum holkit clay, sum brynt the tylde.
Nembroth that curious campioun,
Devysar wes of that dungeoun.
No thyng thay sparit thare laubouris,
Lyke besy beis upone the flouris,
Or emottis travelling in to June :
Sum under wrocht, and sum abone :
With strong ingenious masonrye,
Upwarte thare werk did fortifye.
With brynt tylde, stonis large and wycht,
That Towre thay rasit to sic hycht
Abufe the airis regioun,
And junit of so strong fassioun,
With syment maid of pyk and tar,
Thay usit none uther mortar,
Thocht fyre or watter it assalit,
Contrare that dungeoun nocht avalit.
The land aboute wes fair and plane ;
And it rose lyke one heych montane.
Those fuliche peple did intende
That to the Hevin it sulde ascende.
So gret one strenth wes nevir sene,
In to the warld, with mennis eine.
The wallis of that wark thay maid
Two and fyftye faldome braid.
One faldome than, as sum men sayis,
Mycht bene two faldome in our dayis :
One man wes than, of more stature
Nor two be now : thareof be sure.
Josephus haldis opinioun,
Sayand the heycht of this dungeoun
Of large pasis of measure bene
Fyve thousande, aucht score and fourtene.
Be this raknyng, it is full rycht
Fyve mylis and ane half in hycht :
Ane thousande pais tak for ane myle,
And thow sall fynd it neir that style.
This towre, in compass round aboute,
Wer mylis ten, withouttin doute :
Aboute the cietie of stagis
Foure houndreth and four score, I wys ;
And, be this nommer, in compas,
Aboute three score of mylis it was :
And, as Orosius reportis,
Thare wes fyve score of brasin portis.
The translatour of Orosius
In tyll his Cronicle wryttis thus :
That, quhen the Sonne is at the hycht,
Att none quhen it doith schyne most brycht,
The schaddow of that hydduous strenth
Sax myle and more it is of lenth.
Thus maye ye juge, in to your thocht,
Gyfe Babilone be heych, or nocht.

QUHOW GOD MAID THE DYVERSITIE OF LANGUAGIS AND MAID IMPEDIMENT TO THE BEILDARIS OF BABILONE.

EXPERIENCE.
Than the gret God Omnipotent,
To quhom al thingis bene present ;
That wer, and is, and evir salbe,
At present tyll his Majestie ;
The hid secretis of mannis hart
From his presens may not depart ;
He, seand the ambitioun,
And the prydefull presumptioun,
Quhow thir proude peple did pretende
Up throuch the hevinnis tyll ascende,
Quhilk wes gret folye tyll devyse
Sick one presumptuous interpryse :
For, quhen thay wer moste delygent,
God maid thame sick impediment,
Thay wer constranit, with hartis sore,
Frome thyne depart, and beild no more.
Sick languagis on thame he laid,
That none wyste quhat ane uthir said :
Quhare wes bot ane language affore,
God send thame languagis three score.
Affore that tyme all spak Ebrew ;
Than sum began for to speik Grew,
Sum Dutche, sum language Sarazyne,
And sum began to speik Latyne.
The Maister men gan to go wylde :
Cryand for treis, thay brocht thame tylde :
Sum said, Bryng mortar heir atonis
Than brocht thay to thame stokis and stonis.
And Nembroth, thare gret campioun,
Ran rageand lyke one wylde lyoun,
Manassyng thame with wordis rude :
Bot nevir one worde thay understude.
Affore thay fand hym gude and kynde ;
Bot than thay thocht hym by his mynde,
Quhen he so furiouslie did flyte.
Than turnit his pryde in to dispyte,
So dirk eclipsit wes his glore,
Quhen thay wald wyrk for him no more.
Beholde quhow God wes so gratious
To thame, quhilk wer so outragious :
He nother braik thare leggis nor armis,
Nor yit did thame none uther harmis,
Except of toungis divysioun.
And, for fynall conclusioun,
Constranit thay wer for tyll depart,
Ilke cumpanye in one syndrie arte :
Sum past in to the Orient,
And sum in to the Occident,
Sum South, sum North, as thay thocht best,
And so thare poleysie left wast.
Bot quhow that cietie wes reparit
Heir efter it salbe declarit.

OF THE FIRST INVENTIOUN OF YDOLATRIE; QUHOW NEMBROTH COMPELD THE PEPLE TYLL ADORE THE FYRE IN CALDEA.

COURTEOUR.
Now, Schir, said I, schaw me the man
Quhilk first Ydolatrie began.

EXPERIENCE.
That sall I do, with all my hart,
My Sonne, said he, or we depart
Quhen Nembroth saw his purpose failit,
And his gret laubour nocht availit,
In maner of contemptioun
Departit furth of that regioun,
And, as Orosius doith rehers,
He past in to the land of Pers,
And mony one yeir did thare remane,
And syne to Babylone come agane,
And fand huge peple of Caldie
Remanand in that gret cietie,
That wer glaid of his returnyng,
And did obey hym as thare kyng.
Nembroth, his name for tyll avance,
Amang tham maid new ordinance,
Sayand I thynk ye ar nocht wyce,
That to none God makis sacrifyce.
Than, to fulfyll his fals desyre,
He gart be maid ane flammand fyre,
And maid it of sic breid and hycht,
He gart it byrn boith day and nycht.
Than all the peple of that land
Adorit the fyre, at his command,
Prosternit on thare kneis and facis,
Beseikand thare new God of gracis.
To gyf thame more occasioun,
He maid thame gret perswasioun :
This God, said he, is moist of mycht,
Schawand his bemys on the nycht :
Quhen Sonne and Mone ar baith obscure,
His hewinlie brychtnes doith indure :
Quhen mennis memberis sufferit calde,
Fyre warmyth thame, evin as thay walde.
Than cryit the Peple, at his desyre,
Thare is no God except the Fyre.
Or thare was ony imagerie,
Began this first Idolatrie.
At that tyme thare wes none usage
To carve, nor for to paynt Image.
Than maid he proclamatioun,
Quho maid nocht adoratioun
To that new God, without remede
In to that fyre sulde suffer dede.
I fynd no man, in to that lande,
His tyrannie that durste ganestande,
Bot Habraham, and Aram his brother,
That disobeyit, I fynd none uther ;
Quhilk dwelland war in that countre,
With thare Father, callit Tharie.
Thir brether Nembroth did repreve ;
Sayand tyll hym, Lord, with your leve,
This fyre is bot ane Element,
Praye ye to God Omnipotent,
Quhilk maid the Hevinnis be his mycht,
Sonne, Mone, and Sterris,. to gyf lycht :
He maid the fyschis in the Seis,
The Erth, with beistis, herbis, and treis :
And, last of all, for to conclude,
He maid Man, to his similitude :
To that gret God gyfe pryse and glore,
Quhose ring induris evermore.
Than Nembroth, in his furious ire,
Thir brether boith keste in the fyre :
Habraham be God he wes preservit,
Bot Aram in the fyre he stervit.
Quhen Thara harde his sonne wes dede,
He did depart out of that stede,
With Habraham, Nachor, and thare wyffis,
As the Scripture at lynthe discryffis,
And left the land of Caldea,
And past to Mesopotamia,
And dwelt in Tharan all his dayis,
And deit thare, as the story sayis.
The lyfe of Habraham, I suppose,
No thyng langith tyll our purpose :
In to the Bibyll thou may reid
His verteous lyfe in worde and deid.
Now to thee I have schawin the man
That firste Idolatrie began.

OF THE GREIT MISERIE AND SKAYTHIS THAT CUMMIS OF WEIRIS, AND QUHOW KING NYNUS BEGAN THE FIRST WEIRIS, AND STRAIK THE FIRST BATTELL.

COURTEOUR.
Father, I pray you, with my hart,
Declair to me, or we depart,
Quho first began thir mortall weiris,
Quhilk everilk faithfull hart effeiris,
And everie polesye doun thrawis,
Express agane the Lordis lawis ;
Sen Christe, our Kyng omnipotent,
Left peace in tyll his Testament.
Quhow doith proceid this creueltie
Aganis Justice and Equitie !
In lande quhare ony weiris bene,
Gret miserie thare may be sene :
All thyng on erth that God hes wrocht
Weir doith distroye, and puttis at nocht :
Cieteis, with mony Strang dungeoun,
Ar brynte, and to the erth doung doun ;
Virginis and matronis ar deflorit ;
Templis that rychelie bene decorit
Ar brynt, and all thare Preistis spulyeit ;
Pure orphelenis under feit ar fulyeit,
Mony auld men maid childerles,
And mony childer fatherles ;
Of famous Sculis the doctryne,
Boith natural science and divyne,
And everilk vertew, trampit doun
No reverence done to relegioun ;
Strenthis distroyit alluterlie ;
Fair ladyis forcit schamefullie,
Young wedowis spulyeit of thare spousis,
Pure laborars houndit frome thare housis.
Thare dar no merchand tak on hand
To travel nother be sea nor land,
For boucheouris, quhilk dois thame confounde :
Sum murdrist bene, and sum ar drounde :
Craftis men of curious ingyne
Alluterlie put to rewyne :
The bestiall reft, the commounis slane,
The land but lauboring doith remane.
Of pollesye the perfyte warkis,
Beildingis, gardyngis, and plesand parkis,
Alluterlie distroyit bene :
Gret graingis brynt thare may be sene :
Ryches bene turnit to povertie,
Plentie in tyll penuritie.
Deith, hounger, darth, it is Weill kende,
Of weir this is the fatell ende :
Justice turnit in tyrranye,
All plesour in adversitye.
The weir alluterlie doun thrawis
Boith the civill and cannoun lawis :
Weir generit murthour and myschief,
Sore lamentyng without releif.
Weir doith distroye realmes and kyngis ;
Gret princis weir to presoun bryngis ;
Weir scheddis mekle saikles blude.
Sen I can saye of weir no gude,
Declare to me, Schir, gyf ye can,
Quho first this miserie began.

HEIR FOLLOWITH ANE SCHORTE DISCRIPTIOUN OF THE FOUR MONARCHEIS : AND QUHOW KYNG NYNUS BEGAN THE FIRST MONARCHIE.

EXPERIENCE.
Of Weiris, said he, the gret outtrage
Began into the secunde aige,
Be creuell, prydefull, covetous kyngis,
Revaris, but rycht, of utheris ryngis.
Quhowbeit Cayan, afore the Flude,
Wes first schedder of saikles blude,
Nynus was first and principall man
Quhilk wrangus conquessing began,
And was the man, withouttin faill,
In erth that straik the first bataill.
And first inventit imagerye,
Quhare throw cam gret Idolatrye.
We most knaw, or we forther wend,
Of quhome king Nynus did discend.
Nynus, gyf I can rycht defyne,
He was frome Noye the fyft, be lyne :
Noye generit Cham, Cham generit Chus.
And Chus, Nembroth, Nembroth, Belus,
And Belus, Nynus, but lesing.
Of Assyria the secund king,
And beildar of that gret Citie,
The quhilk was callit Nynevie,
And wes the first and principall man
Quhilk the First Monarchie began.

COURTEOUR.
Father, said I, declaire to me
Quhat signifyis one Monarchie.

EXPERIENCE.
The suith, said he, Sonne, gyf thou knew,
Monarchie bene one terme of Grew :
As, quhen one Province principall
Had hole power imperiall,
During thare dominationis,
Abufe all Kyngis, and Nationis,
One Monarchie, that men doith call ;
Of quhome I fynd Four principall
Quhilk heth rong sen the Warld began.

COURTEOUR.
Than said I, Father, gyf ye can,
Quhilk Four bene thay, schaw me, I pray yow.

EXPERIENCE.
My Sone, said he, that sall I say yow :
First rang the Kings of Assyrianis ;
Secundlye, rang the Persianis ;
The Greikis, thridlye, with swerd and fyre
Perfors obtenit the Thrid impyre ;
The Fourte Monarchie, as I heir,
The Romanis bruikit mony one yeir.
Latt us first speik of Nynus King,
Quhow he began his conquessing.
The auld Greik historiciane
Diodorus he wryttis plane'
At rycht gret lenth of Nynus king,
Of his impyre and conquessing ;
And of Semiramis, his wyfe,
That tyme the lustyest on lyfe.
It wer too lang to putt in wryte
Quhilk Diodore had done indyte ;
Bot I sall schaw, as I suppose,
Quhilk maist belangith thy purpose.
Quhen Nembroth, Prince of Babylone,
Oute of this wrechit warld wes gone,
And his sonne, Belus, deid alswa,
The first Kyng of Assyria,
This Nynus, quhilk wes secunde Kyng,
Tryumphandlie began tyll ryng,
And wes nocht satifyit nor content
Of his awin Regione, nor his rent :
Thynkand his glory for tyll avance
By his gret peple and pussiance,
Throuch pryde, covatyce, and vaine glore,
Did hym prepare to conques more,
And gatherit furth ane gret armie
Contrare Babilone, and Caldie,
Quhareof he had ardent desyre
Tyll june that land tyll his Impyre,
Quhowbeit he had thareto no rycht :
Bot, by his tyranny and mycht,
Withouttin feir of God or man,
His conquessing thus he began.
His peple beand in arraye,
To Caldia tuke the reddy waye ;
Quhen that the Babilonianis,
Togither with the Caldianis,
Hard tell Kyng Nynus wes cummand,
Maid proclamationis through the land,
That ilka man, efter thare degrie,
Sulde cum, and saif thair awin countrie.
Quhowbeit thay had no use of weir,
Thay past fordwart withouttin feir,
And pat thame selfis in gude order,
To meit kyng Nynus on the border.
In that tyme, ye sall understande,
Thare wes no harnes in the land,
For tyll defende nor tyll invaid,
Quharethrow more slauchter thare wes maid :
Thay faucht, throw strenth of thare bodeis.
With gaddis of irne, with stonis, and treis.
With sound of horne, and hyddeous cry,
Thay ruschit togither rycht rudely,
With hardy hart and strenth of handis,
Tyll thousandis deid lay on the landis.
Quhare men in battell naikit bene,
Gret slauchter sone, thare may be sene.
Thay faucht so lang and creuellie,
And with uncertane victorie,
No man mycht juge, that stude on far,
Quho gat the better nor the war :
Bot, quhen it did approche the nycht,
The Caldianis thay tuke the flycht.
Than the Kyng and his cumpanye
Wer rycht glaid of that victorye.
Because he wan the first battell
That strykken wes in erth, but faill ;
And peceably of that regioun
Did tak the hole dominioun.
Than wes he king of Caldia,
Alsweill as of Assyria.
As for the king of Arabie,
In his conquest, maid hym supplie.
Of this yit wes he nocht content,
Bot to the realme of Mede he went,
Quhare Farnus, king of that cuntrie,
Did meit hym, with one gret armie.
Bot king Nynus the battell wan,
Quhare slane were mony nobyll man ;
And to that Kyng wald gyf no grace,
Bot planelie in one publict place,
With his sevin sonnis and his ladye,
Creuellie did thame crucifie.
Of that tryumphe he did rejoise ;
Syne fordwart to the feilde he gois :
Than conquest he Armenia,
Perse, Egypt, and Pamphilia,
Capadoce, Leid, and Mauritane,
Caspia, Phrigia, and Hyrcane ;
All Affrica, and Asia,
Except gret Ynde ane Bactria,
Quhilk he did conques eftérwart,
As ye sall heir, or we depart.
Now wald I, or we further wend,
That his Ydolatrye wer kend ;
Syne, efter that, withoute sudjorne,
Tyll our purpose we sall returne.

QUHOW KING NYNUS INVENTIT THE FIRST IDOLATRIE OF IMAGIS.

Nynus one Image he gart mak
For King Belus his fatheris saik,
Moist lyke his father of figoure,
Of quantitie, and portratoure :
Of fyne golde wes that figoure maid ;
Ane crafty croun apone his haid,
With precious stonis, in toknyng
His father Belus wes ane Kyng.
In Babilone he ane tempyll maid,
Of crafty work, boith heych and braid,
Quharein that image gloriouslie
Wes thronit up trumphandlie.
That Nynus gaif ane strait command
Tyll all the peple of that land,
Alsweill in tyll Assyria
As in Synear and Caldia,
Under his dominatioun,
Thay suld make adoratioun,
Apone thare kneis, to that figour,
Under the pane of forfaltour.
Thare wes no Lorde, in all that land,
His summonding that durst ganestand :
Than young and auld, boith gret and small,
Tyll that Image thay prayit, all,
And cheangit his name, as I heir tell,
Frome Belus to thare greit god Bell.
In that tempyll he did devyse
Preistis, for tyll mak sacrifyse.
Be consuetude than come one law,
None uther God that thay wald knaw ;
And als, he gaif to that Image
Of Sanctuarie the privilege ;
For, quhatsumever transgressour,
Ane homicede, or oppressour,
Seand that Image in the face,
Of thare gylt gat the Kyngis grace.

COURTEOUR.
Declare to me, sweit Schir, said I,
Wes thare no more Idolatry,
Efter that this fals idole Bell
Wes thronit up, as ye me tell ?

EXPERIENCE.
My Sonne, said he, incontinent.
The novellis throuch the warld thay went,
Quhow king Nynus, as I haif said,
One curious Image he had maid,
To the quhilk all his natioun
Maid devote adoratioun.
Than everye cuntrie tuke consait,
Thay wald king Nynus contrafait :
Quhen ony famous man wes deid,
Sett up one Image in his steid,
Quhilk thay did honour frome the splene,
As it Immortall God had bene.
Imagis sum maid, for the nonis,
Of fyne gold, sum of stockis and stonis,
Of sylver sum, and evyr bone,
With divers namis tyll every one :
For sum thay callit Saturnus,
Sum Jupiter, sum Neptunus ;
And sum thay callit Cupido,
Thare god of lufe, and sum Pluto :
Thay callit sum Mercurius,
And sum the wyndie Eolus ;
Sum Mars, maid lyke ane man of weir,
Inarmit weill with sword and speir ;
Sum Bacchus, and sum Appollo,
Of namis, thay had ane houndreth mo.
And quhen one Lady of gret fame
Wes dede, for tyll exalt hir name,
One Image of hir portratour
Wald set upe in one oratour,
The quhilk thay callit thare goddess :
As Venus, Juno, and Palles,
Sum Cleo, sum Proserpina,
Sum Ceres, Vesta, and Diana ;
And sum the greit goddess Minarve
With curious collouris thay wald carve.
Amang the Poetis thow may see
Of fals Goddis the genalogee.
So thir abhominationis,
Did spred ouerthort all nationis,
Except gude Habraham, as we reid,
Quhilk honourit God in word and deid ;
For Habraham had his beginnyng
In to the tyme of Nynus king.
Nynus began with tyrranie,
And Habraham with humylitie :
Nynus began the first Impyre ;
Habraham of weir had no desyre :
Nynus began Idolatrye,
Habraham, in spreit and veritye,
He prayit to the Lorde allone,
Fals imagery he wald have none.
Of hym discendit, I heir tell,
The twelf gret Trybis of Israell
Those peple maid adoratioun,
With humyll supplicatioun,
Tyll hym quhilk wes of kyngis King,
That hewin and erth maid of no thyng :
Dede Imagis thay held at nocht,
That wer with mennis handis wrocht,
Bot the Almychtie God of lyve.
My Sonne, now haif I done discryve
Thir questionis, at thy command,
The quhilkis thow did at me demand.

COURTEOUR.
Quhat wes the cause, Schir, mak me sure,
Idolatrye did so lang indure
Out throuch the warld so generalie,
And with the Gentilis, specialie ?

EXPERIENCE.
Quod he, Sum causis principall
I fynd in my memoriall.
First, wes throuch princis commandiment,
Quhilk did Idolatrie invent :
Syne, singulaire proffeit of the preistis,
Payntours, goldsmythis, maisonis, wrychtis :
Those men of craft full curiouslie
Maid imagis so pleasandlie,
And sauld thame for ane sumptuous pryce,
So, be thare crafty merchandyce,
Thay wer maid ryche abone mesure.
As for the Preistis, I thee assure,
Large proffeit gat, ouerthort all landis,
Throuch sacrifyce and offerandis,
And be thair fayned sanctitude,
Abusit mony one man of gude ;
As, in the tyme of Daniell,
The preistis of this idoll Bell.
Quhen Nabuchodonosor king
In Babilone royallie did ring,
Those priestis the kyng gart understand,
That Image, maid be mennis hand,
He wes one glorious God of lyfe
And had sic ane prerogatyfe,
That, by his gret power devyne,
Wald eait beif, muttone, breid and wyne :
And so the King gart, every daye,
Affore Bell, on his aulter laye,
Fourty fresche wedderris, fatt and fyne,
And sax gret rowbourris of wycht wyne,
Twelf gret loavis of bowtit floure,
Quhilk wes all eaitin in one houre,
Nocht be that Image, deif and dum,
Bot be the preistis all and sum,
As in the Bibill thow may ken,
Quhose nummer wer thre score and ten :
Thay and thare wyfis, everilk day,
Eait all that on the aulter lay.
Than Daniell, in conclusioun,
Schew the King thare abusioun,
And of thare subtlety maid hym sure,
Quhow onderneth the tempyll flure,
Throuch ane passage thay cam, be nycht,
And eait that meit with candell lycht.
The Kyng, quhen he the mater knew,
Those preistis, with all thare wyffis, he slew :
Thus subtellie the Kyng was sylit,
And all the peple wer begylit.
My Sonne, said he, now may thow ken
Quhow, by the Preistis and craftismen,
And by thare craftines and cure,
Idolatrye did so lang indure.
Behauld quhow Johne Boccatious
Hes wryttin workis wonderous
Of Gentilis superstitioun,
And of thare great abusioun,
As in his gret Buke thow may see,
Of fals Goddis the Geneologie,
Of Demagorgon, in speciall,
Fore-grandschir tyll the Goddis all,
Honourit amang Archadience,
And of the fals Philistience,
With thare gret devilische god Dagone,
With utheris idollis mony one.
Bot I abhor the treuth to tell
Of the Princis of Israell,
Chosin be God Omnipotent,
Quhow thay brak his commandiment :
Kyng Salomone, as the Scripture sayis,
He doitit in his latter dayis ;
His wanton wyffis to compleis,
He curit nocht God tyll displeis,
And did committ idolatrye,
Wyrschipyng carvit imagerye,
As Moloch, god of Ammonitis,
And Chamos, god of Moabitis,
Astroth, god of Sydonianis.
So, for his inobediens
And fowle abhominatioun,
Wer puneist his successioun :
His Sonne Roboam, I heir tell,
Tynt the Ten Trybis of Israell,
For his Fatheris idolatrye :
As in the Scripture thow may see.

OF IMAGEIS USIT AMANG CHRISTIN MEN.

COURTEOUR.
Father, yit ane thyng wald I speir.
Behald, in every kirk, and queir,
Throch Christindome, in burgh and land,
Imageis maid with mennis hand,
To quhome bene gyffin divers names :
Sum Peter, and Paull, sum Jhone, and James ;
Sanct Peter, carvit with his keyis ;
Sanct Mychaell, with his wyngis and weyis ;
Sanct Katherine, with hir swerd and quheill ;
Ane hynde set up besyde Sanct Geill,
It war too lang for tyll discryve
Sanct Francis, with his woundis fyve ;
Sanct Tredwall als, thare may be sene,
Quhilk on ane prik heth boith hir eine ;
Sanct Paull, weill payntit with ane sworde,
As he wald feycht at the first worde ;
Sanct Apolline on altare standis,
With all hir teithe in tyll hir handis ;
Sanct Roche, weill seisit, men may se,
Ane byill new brokin on his thye ;
Sanct Eloye he doith staitly stand,
Ane new hors schoo in tyll his hand ;
Sanct Ringane, of ane rottin stoke ;
Sanct Duthow boird out of ane bloke ;
Sanct Androw, with his croce in hand ;
Sanct George, upone ane hors rydand ;
Sanct Anthone, sett up with ane sow ;
Sanct Bryde, -weill carvit with ane kow ;
With coistlye collouris fyne and fair,
Ane thousand mo I mycht declair,
As Sanct Cosma, and Damiane,
The sowtars Sanct Crispiniane :
All thir on altare staitly standis,
Preistis cryand, for thare offerandis,
To quhome, we Commounis, on our kneis ;
Doith wyrschip all thir Imagereis ;
In kirk, in queir, and in the closter,
Prayand to thame our Pater Noster ;
In pylgramage frome town to toun,
With offerand, and with orisoun,
To thame aye babland on our beidis,
That thay wald keip us in our neidis.
Quhat differis this, declare to me,
From the Gentilis Idolatrye !

EXPERIENCE.
Gyff that be trew that thow reportis.
It goith rycht neir thir samyn sortis :
Bot we, be counsall of Clergye,
Hes lycence to mak Imagerye,
Quhilk of unlernit bene the buikis ;
For, quhen lawit folk upone thame luikis,
It bryngith to rememberance
Of Sanctis lyvis the circumstance ;
Quhow, the faith for to fortifye,
Thay sufferit pane rycht pacientlye ;
Seand the Image of the Rude,
Men suld remember on the blude.
Quhilk Christ, in tyll his passioun,
Did sched for our salvatioun ;
Or, quhen thow seis ane protrature
Of blyssit Marie, Virgen pure,
One bony Babe upone hir kné,
Than, in thy mynde, remember th,
The wordis quhilk the Propheit said,
Quhow sche suld be boith mother and maid.
Bot quho that sittis doun on thare kneis,
Prayand tyll ony imagereis,
With orisoun, or offerand,
Kneland with cap in to thare hand,
No difference bene, I say to thé,
Frome the Gentilis idolatrye.
Rycht so, of divers Nationis
I reid abominationis,
Quhow Grekis maid thare devotioun haill
To Mars, to saif thame in battaill ;
Tyll Jupiter sum tuke thare voyage,
To saif thame frome the stormys rage ;
Sum prayit to Venus frome the splene,
That thay thair luffis mycht obtene ;
And sum to Juno, for ryches,
Thare pylgramage thay wald addres.
So doith our commoun populare,
Quhilk war too lang for tyll declare
Thare superstitious pylgramageis
To mony divers Imageis ;
Sum to Sanct Roche, with deligence,
To saif thame frome the pestilence ;
For thare teith, to Sanct Apolleine ;
To Sanct Tredwell, to mend thare eine :
Sum makis offrande to Sanct Eloye,
That he thare hors may weill convoye :
Thay ryn, quhen thay haif jowellis tynte,
To seik Sanct Syith, or ever thay stynte ;
And be Sanct Germane, to get remeid
For maladeis in to thare heid ;
Thay bryng mad men, on fuit and horsse,
And byndis thame to Sanct Mongose crosse :
To Sanct Barbara thay cry full faste,
To saif thame frome the thonder blaste :
For gude novellis, as I heir tell,
Sum takis thare gait to Gabriell ;
Sum wyffis Sanct Margaret doith exhort
In to thare byrth thame to support :
To Sanct Anthony, to saif the sow ;
To Sanct Bryde, to keip calf and kow :
To Sanct Bastien thay ryn and ryde,
That frome the schote he saif thare syde ;
And sum, in hope to get thare haill,
Rynnis to the auld rude of Kerrail.
Quhowbeit thir simpyll peple rude
Think thare intentioun be bot gude,
Wo be to Preistis, I say for me,
Quhilk suld schaw thame the veritie,
Prelatis, quhilk hes of thame the cure,
Sall mak answeir thareof, be sure,
On the gret day of Jugement,
Quhen no tyme beis for to repent,
Quhare manyfest Idolatrye
Sall puneist be perpetuallye.

HEIR FOLLOWIS ANE EXCLAMATIOUN AGANIS IDOLATRYE.

EXPERIENCE.
Imprudent Peple, ignorant and blynd,
By quhat reasone, law, or authoritie,
Or quhat autentyck scripture, can ye fynd
Leifsum for tyll commyt Idolatrie !
Quhilk bene to bow your body, or your kne,
With devote humyll adoratioun,
Tyll ony idoll maid of stone or tre,
Geveand thame offerand, or oblatioun.

Quhy did ye gyf the honour, laude, and glore,
Pertenyng God, quhilk maid all thyng of nocht,
Quhilk wes, and is, and sall be evirmore,
Tyll imagis by mennis handis wrocht !
Of follysche folke, quhy haif ye succour socht
Of thame quhilk can nocht help yow in distres !
Yit reasonably revolve, into your thocht,
In stok nor stone can be none holynes.

In the desert, the peple of Israell,
Moyses remanyng in the Mont Synaye,
Thay maid one moltin calf of fyne mettell,
Quhilk thay did honour as thare God verraye :
Bot, quhen Moyses descendit, I heir saye,
And did consydder thare Idolatrye,
Of that peple thre thousand gart he slaye,
As the Scripture, at lenth, doith testifye.

Because the holye propheit Daniell
In Babilone Idolatrie reprevit,
And wald nocht worschip thare fals idoll Bell,
The hole peple at hym wer so aggrevit,
To that effect that he suld be myschevit,
Delyverand hym tyll rampand lyonis sevin :
Bot, of that dangerous den, he wes relevit
Throuch myrakle of the gret God of Hevin.

Behald quhow Nabuchodonosor, king,
In to the vaill of Duran did prepare
One Image of fyne gold, one mervallous thing,
Thre score of cubyts heych, and sax in square,
As more cleirlye the Scripture doith declare,
To quhome all peple, by proclamatioun,
With bodeis bowit, and on thare kneis bare,
Rycht humelye maid adoratioun.

Ane gret wounder, that day, wes sene also,
Quhow Nabuchodonosor, in his ire,
Tuke Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago,
Quhilkis wald nocht bow thare kné, at his desyre,
Tyll that Idoll, gart kast thame in the fyre,
For to be brynt, or he sterit of that steid :
Quhen he belevit thay wer brynt, bone and lyre,
Wes nocht consumit one small hair of thair heid.

The Angell of the Lord wes with thame sene,
In that hait furneis passing upe and doun,
In tyll ane rosye garth, as thay had bene,
None spott of fyre distenyng cote nor goun,
Of victorie thay did obtene the croun ;
And wer, to thame that maid adoratioun
To that idoll, or bowit thare body doun,
One wytnessing of thare dampnatioun.

Quhat wes the cause, at me thow may demande,
That Salomone usit none imagerye
In his tryumphand Tempyll for tyll stande,
Of Abraham, Isaac, Jacobe, nor Jesse,
Nor of Moyses thare savegarde throuch the see,
Nor Josue, thare valyeant campioun :
Because God did command the contrarye
That thay sulde use sic superstitioun.

Behald quhow the gret God Omnipotent,
To preserve Israell frome Idolatrye,
Derectit thame one strait commandiment,
Thay suld nocht mak none carvit imagrye,
Nother of gold, of sylver, stone, nor tre,
Nor gyf worschip tyll ony similytude
Beand in hevin, in erth, nor in the see,
Bot onelye tyll his Soverane Celsitude.

The Propheit David planely did repreve
Idolatrye, to thare confusioun
In gravit stok or stone that did beleve,
Declaryng thame thare gret abusioun ;
Speakand, in maner of dirysioun,
Quhow dede idolis, be mennis handis wrocht,
Quham thay honourit with humyll orisioun,
Wer in the markat daylie sauld and bocht.

The Devyllis, seand the evyll conditioun
Of the Gentylis, and thare unfaithfulnes,
For tyll agment thare superstitioun,
In those idolis thay maid thare entres,
And in thame spak, as storyis doith expres :
Than men belevit of thame to gett releif,
Askand thame help in all thair besynes ;
Bot finallye, that turnit to thare mischeif.

Traist weill, in thame is none Divinitie,
Quhen reik and rowst thare fair colour doith faid :
Thocht thay have feit, one foot thay can not flee,
Quhowbeit the tempyll byrn abone thair heid :
In thame is nother freindschip nor remeid.
In sic fyguris quhat favour can ye fynd !
With mouth, and eris, and eine, thocht thay be maid,
All men may se thay are dum, deif, and blynd.

Quhowbeit thay fall doun flatlyngis on the flure,
Thay haif none strenth thare self to rais agane :
Thocht rattonis ouir thame ryn, thay tak no cure :
Quhowbeit thai breik thare neck, thay feill no pane.
Quhy sulde men psalmes to thame sing or sane ?
Sen growand treis that yeirly berith frute
Ar more to pryse, I mak it to thé plane,
Nor cuttit stockis wanting boith crope and rute.

Of Edinburgh the gret idolatrye
And manifest abominatioun,
On thare feist day, all creature may se :
Thay beir ane auld stock Image throuch the toun,
With talbrone, troumpet, schalme, and clarioun,
Quhilk hes bene usit mony one yeir bigone ;
With preistis and freris in to processioun,
Siclyke as Bell wes borne throuch Babilone.

Aschame ye nocht, ye seculare prestis and freris,
Tyll so gret superstitioun to consent ?
Idolateris ye have bene mony yeris,
Expresse agane the Lordis commandement :
Quharefor, brether, I counsall yow, repent :
Gyff no honour to carvit stock nor stone ;
Geve laude and glore to God Omnipotent
Allanerlie, as wyselie wryttis Jhone.

Fy on yow, Freris ! that usis for to preche,
And dois assist to sic idolatrye,
Quhy do ye nocht the ignorant peple teche
Quhow ane dede image, carvit of one tre,
As it were holy sulde nocht honourit be,
Nor borne on Burges backis up and doun !
Bot ye schaw planely your ipocrasie,
Quhen ye passe formest in processioun.

Fy on yow, fosteraris of idolatrye !
That tyll ane dede stock dois sic reverence,
In presens of the peple, publykelie !
Feir ye nocht God, to commit sic offence !
I counsall yow, do yit your diligence
To gar suppresse sic gret abusioun.
Do ye nocht so, I dreid your recompence
Salbe nocht ellis but clene confusioun.

Had Sanct Frances bene borne out throuch the toun,
Or Sanct Dominick, thocht ye had nocht refusit
With thame tyll haif past in processioun,
In tyll that cais sum wald haif yow excusit.
Now men may see quhow that ye have abusit
That nobyll Town, throuch your ipocrasye :
Those peple trowis that thay may rycht weill use it,
Quhen ye pas with thame into cumpanye.

Sum of yow hes bene quyet counsallouris
Provocand princis to sched saikles blude,
Quhilk nevir did your prudent predecessouris :
Bot ye lyke furious Phariceis, denude
Of charitie, quhilk rent Christ on the rude :
For Christis floke, without malyce or ire,
Convertit fragyll faltouris, I conclude,
Be Goddis worde, withouttin sweird or fyre.

Reid ye nocht quhow that Christ hes gyffin command,
Gyff thy brother doith oucht thé tyll offend,
Than secretlye correct hym, hand for hand,
In freindly maner, or thow forther wend :
Gyff he wyll nocht heir thé, than mak it kend
Tyll one, or two, be trew narratioun ;
Gyf he, for thame, wyll nocht his mys amend,
Declare hym to the congregatioun :

And, gyf he yit remanith obstinat,
And to the holy Kirk incounsolable,
Than lyke ane Turke hald hym excomminicat,
And with all faithfull folk abhominabyll ;
Banysing hym, that he be no more able
To dwell amang the faithfull cumpanye :
Quhen he repentis, be nocht unmerciable,
Bot hym resave agane rycht tenderlye.

Bot our dum Doctoris of Divinitie,
And ye of the last fonde religioun,
Of pure transgressouris ye have no petie,
Bot cryis to put thame to confusioun :
As cryit the Jowis, for the effusioun
Of Christis blude, in to thare byrnand ire,
Crucifige, so ye, with one unioun,
Cryis, Fy ! gar cast that faltour in the fyre.

Unmercifull memberis of the Antichrist,
Extolland your humane traditione
Contrar the Institutione of Christ,
Effeir ye nocht Divyne punytione !
Thocht sum of yow be gude of conditione,
Reddy for to ressave new recent wyne ;
I speik to yow auld boisis of perditione,
Returne in tyme, or ye ryn to rewyne ;

As ran the perverst Prophetis of Baall,
Quhilkis did consent to the idolatrye
Of wickit Achab, king of Israell,
Quhose nommer wer four hundreth and fyftie,
Quhilkis honourit that Idoll opinlye :
Bot, quhen Elias did preve thare abusioun,
He gart the peple sla thame creuellye ;
So at one hour came thare confusioun.

I pray yow, prent in your remembrance
Quhow the reid Freris, for thare Idolatrye,
In Scotland, Ingland, Spane, Italy and France,
Upone one day wer puneissit pietuouslye ;
Behald quhow your awin brother, now laitlye,
In Ducheland, Ingland, Denmark, and Norowaye,
Ar trampit doun, with thare ipocrasye,
And, as the snaw, ar meltit clene awaye.

I marvell that our Byschoppis thynkis no schame
To gyf yow freris sic preheminens,
Tyll use thare office, to thare gret diffame,
Precheing for thame in opin audiens :
Bot, mycht a Byschope eik tyll his awin expens,
For ilk Sermone, ten Ducatis in his hand,
He wald, or he did want that recompens,
Go preche hym selfe, boith into burgh and land.

I traist to se gude reformatione
Frome tyme we gett ane faithfull prudent King
Quhilk knawis the treuth and his vocatione :
All Publicanis, I traist, he wyll doun thring,
And wyll nocht suffer in his realme to ring
Corruppit Scrybis nor fals Pharisiens.
Agane the treuth quhilk plainlye doith maling :
Tyll that kyng come, we mon tak paciens !

Now Fairweill, Freindis ! because I can nocht flyte
Quhowbeit I culde ye mon hald me excusit,
Thocht I agane Idolatrye indyte,
Or thame dispyte that wyl nocht yit refuse it.
I pray to God that it be no more usit
Amang the rewlaris of this Regioun.
That commoun peple be no more abusit,
Bot gyf Hym glore that bair the creuell croun ;

Quhilk techeit us, be his Devine Scripture,
Tyll rycht prayer the perfyte reddy way ;
As wrytith Matthew, in his sext chepture,
In quhat maner and to quhome we suld pray
One schort compendious orisone, everilk day,
Most proffitabyll for boith body and saull ;
The quhilk is nocht derectit, I heir say,
To Jhone nor James, to Peter nor to Paull,

Nor none uther of the Apostlis twelf,
Nor to no Sanct, nor Angell in the Hevin,
Bot onely tyll our Father, God hym self ;
Quhilk orisioune it doith contene, full evin,
Most proffitabyll for us, petitionis sevin ;
Quhilk we lawid folk the Pater Noster call.
Thocht we say Psalmis nyne, ten, or alevin,
Of all prayer this bene the principall ;

Be reasoun of the makkar quhilk it maid,
Quhilk wes the Sonne of God, our Salviour ;
Be reasoun, als, to quhome it suld be said,
Tyll the Father of Hevin, our Creatour,
Quhilk dwellis nocht in tempyll nor in tour.
He cleirlye seis our thocht, wyll, and intent :
Quhat nedith us at utheris seik succour,
Quhen in all place his power bene present ?

Ye princis of the preistis, that suld preche,
Quhy suffer ye so gret abusioun ?
Quhy do ye nocht the sempyll peple teche
Quhow and to quhome to dresse thare orisoun ?
Quhy thole ye thame to ryn frome toun to toun,
In pylgramage, tyll ony imagereis,
Hopand to gett thare sum saluatioun,
Prayand to thame devotlye on thare kneis !

This wes the prettike of sum pylgramage :
Quhen fillokis, in to Fyfe, began to fon,
With Joke and Thom than tuke thay thare vayage
In Angusse, tyll the feild chappel of Dron :
Than Kyttoke thare, als cadye as ane con,
Without regarde other to syn or schame,
Gaiff Lowrie leif at layser to loupe on :
Far better had bene tyll haif biddin at hame.

I have sene pass one mervellous multytude,
Yong men and wemen, flyngand on thare feit,
Under the forme of feynit sanctytude,
For tyll adore one image in Loreit.
Mony came with thare marrowis for to meit,
Committand thare fowll fornicatioun :
Sum kyst the claggit taill of the Armeit :
Quhy thole ye this abominatioun ?

Of Fornicatioun and Idolatrye
Apperandlye ye tak bot lytill cure,
Seand the marvellous infelicitye
Quhilk heth so lang done in this land indure,
In your defalt quhilk heth the charge and cure.
This bene of treuth, my Lordis, with your leve,
Sic pylgramage heth maid mony one hure,
Quhilk, gyf I plesit, planelye I mycht preve.

Quhy mak ye nocht the Scripture manifest
To pure peple, twyching Idolatrye !
In your precheing quhy haif ye nocht exprest
Quhow mony kyngis of Israell creuellye
Wer puneissit, be God, so rigorouslye ?
As Jeroboam, and mony mo, but doute,
For wyrschippyng of carvit Imagerye,
War frome thare realmes rudlye rutit oute.

Quhy thole ye, under your dominioun,
Ane craftye preist, or fenyeit fals armeit,
Abufe the peple of this regioun,
Onely for thare perticular profeit,
And, speciallye, that Heremeit of Lawreit !
He pat the comoun peple in beleve
That blynd gat seycht, and crukit gat thare feit,
The quhilk that palyard no way can appreve.

Ye maryit men, that hes trym wantoun wyffis,
And lustie dochteris of young tender aige,
Quhose honestie ye suld lufe as your lyffis,
Permyt thame nocht to passe in pylgramage,
To seik support at ony stok Image :
For I have wyttin gud wemen passe fra hame,
Quhilk hes bene trappit with sic lustis rage,
Hes done returne boith with gret syn and schame.

Gett up ! thow slepist all too lang, O Lord ;
And mak one haistie reformatioun
On thame quhilk doith tramp doun thy gratious Worde,
And hes ane deidly indignatioun
At thame quhilk makith trew narratioun
Of thy Gospell, schawing the Verytie.
O Lord ! I mak thé supplicatioun,
Supporte our Faith, our Hope, and Charytie.

HEIR FOLLOWIS QUHOW KYNG NYNUS BEILDIT THE GRET CITIE OF NYNIVE ; AND QUHOW HE VINCUSTE ZOROASTES, THE KYNG OF BACTRIA.

COURTEOUR.
This Nynus, of Assyria king,
Quhen he had maid his conquessing,
To beild one Citie he hym drest,
Chosing the place quhare he thocht best,
Quhare he had first dominioun,
In Assyria, his awin regioun.
Thocht Assur, as the Scriptur says, .
Quhilk come affore Kyng Nynus dayis,
And foundit that famous Citie,
The quhilk was callit Nynivé.
Bot, as rehersis Diodore,
Nynus that Citie did decore
So mervellous tryumphantlye
As ye sall heir immedeatlye,
Upone the flude of Euphrates,
Quhilk to behald gret wounder wes.
One hundreth and fyftye stageis
That Citie wes of lenth, I wys :
The wallis, one hundreth fute of heycht,
No wounder was, thocht thay wer wycht :
Sick breid, abufe the wallis thare was,
Thré cartis mycht sydlinglis on thame pas :
Four hundreth stageis and four score
In circuit, but myn or more.
Of towris, aboute those wallis, I wene,
Ane thousand and fyve hundreth bene,
Of heycht two hundreth fute and more,
As wryttis famous Diodore.
The scripture makis mentioun,
Quhen God send Jonas to that toun,
To schaw thame of his puneisment,
Out throuch the Citie quhen he went,
Thre dayis jornay tyll hym it wes :
The Bybill sayis it wes no les.
My Sonne, now haif I schawin to thé
Of the beildyng of Nynivé :
For the agmentyng of his fame,
Nynus gart call it efter his name.
Quhen he that gret Citie had endit,
To conques more yit he intendit,
And did depart from Nynivé,
And rasit up one gret armie
Of the most stalwarte men and stoute
Of all his Regionis round aboute :
In gret ordour tuke thare jornay
Towarte the realme of Bactria.
Of wycht fute-men, I understande,
He had sevintene hundreth thousande,
Without hors-men and weirlyke cairtis,
Quhome he ordourit in sindry partis ;
Quhilk tyll discryve I am nocht abyll,
Quhose nummer bene so untrowabyll,
Zoroastes, that nobyll kyng,
Quhilk Bactria had in governyng,
That prudent Prince, as I heir tell,
Did in Astronomye precell,
And fand the Art of Magica,
With naturall science mony ma ;
Seand king Nynus on the feilde,
Fordwart he cam, with speir and scheilde,
Foure hundreth thousand men he wes,
In his Armie thare wes no les ;
And mett king Nynus, on the bordoure,
Rycht vailyantlie, and in gude ordoure,
On the vangarde of his Armie.
On thame he ruscheit rycht rudelie,
And of thame slew, as I heir saye,
One hundreth thousand men, that day :
The reste that chaipit war unslane
To Nynus gret oiste fled agane.
Of that king Nynus wes so noyit,
He restit nevir tyll he distroyit
All hoill that Regioun, upe and doun,
And frome the King did reif the croun,
And maid the realme of Bactria
Subjectit tyll Assyria.
And in that samyn land, I wys,
He tuk to wyfe Semiramis ;
Quha, as myne Author dois discryve,
Was, than, the lustiest on lyve.
That beand done, without sudgeorne,
Tyll Nynivé he did returne,
With gret tryumphe of victorie.
As myne Author dois specifie,
Boith Occident and Orient
War all tyll hym obedient.
It wald abhore thé tyll heir red
The saikles blude that he did sched.
Quhen he had roung, as thow may heir,
The space of thre and fourtye yeir,
Beand in his excelland glore,
The dolent deith did hym devore,
In quhat sorte, I am nocht certane :
Sum Author sayis that he wes slane,
And left, tyll bruke his heretage,
Ane lytill Babe of tender aige :
Young Nynus wes the chyldis name,
Quhilk efter fluryste in gret fame.
Sum sayis that, be his Wyffis treasoun,
Kyng Nynus deit in presoun ;
As I sall schaw, or I hyne fair,
Quhow Diodore hath done declair.

HEIR FOLLOWIS SUM OF THE WOUNDERFULL DEDIS OF THE LUSTIE QUENE SEMIRAMIS.

COURTEOUR.
Nynus luiffit so ardentlye
Semiramis, his fair ladye.
Thare wes no thyng scho wald command
Bot al obeyit wes fra hand.
Scho, seand hym so amorous,
Scho grew proude and presumptuous,
And at the King scho did desyre
Fyve dayis to governe his Impyre ;
And he, of his benevolence,
Did grant hir that preheminence,
With sceptour, crown, and rob royall,
And hole power Imperiall,
Tyll fyve dayis wer come and gone,
That scho, as King, sulde ring allone.
Than all the Princis of the land
Duryng that tyme maid hir ane band :
With bankat royall myrrellie
Scho treatit thame tryumphantlie.
So, the first day, the peple all
Came tyll hir servyce, bound and thrall ;
Bot, or the secunde day wes gone,
Scho tuke sic glore to ryng allone,
Be one decreit, maid thame amang,
The King scho patt in presone Strang.
I reid weill of his presoning,
Bot nocht of his delyvering :
Quhow evir, it wes in tyll his flowris
He did of deith suffer the schowris,
And mycht nocht lenth his lyfe one houre,
Thocht he wes the first conqueroure :
Quhose conquessing, for to conclude,
Wes nocht bot gret schedding of blude.
Now have ye hard of Nynus king,
Quhow he began, and his ending ;
Quhowbeid myne author, Diodore,
Of him haith wryttin mekle more.
Princis, for wrangeous conquessing,
Doith mak, oft tymes, ane evyll ending :
Thocht he had lang prosperitie,
He endit with miseritie.

OF KYNG NYNUS' SEPULTURE.

COURTEOUR.
The Quene a sepultur scho maid,
Quhar sche King Nynus body laid,
Of curius crafty wark, and wycht,
The quhilk had stagis nine, of hycht,
And ten stagis of breid it wes :
Diodore saith it wes no les.
For aucht stagis one myle thow tak,
And thairefter thy nummer mak ;
So, be this compt, it wes, full rycht,
One myle and als one stage of hycht,
Except the Towre of Babilone,
So heych one wark I reid of none.
Semiramis, this lustye Quene,
Consyderyng quhat dainger bene
To haif one King of tender aige,
Quhilk mycht nocht use no vassalage,
Scho tuke one curagious consait,
Thinkand that scho wald mak debait,
Geve ony maid rebellioun
Contrar hir Sonne, or his regioun,
Quhome sche did foster tenderly,
And kepit hym full quyetly.
Scho laid apart hir awin cleithyng,
And tuke the rayment of ane king :
Quhen scho wes in tyll armour dycht,
Mycht no man knaw hir be one knycht.
Scho vailyeantlye went to the weir,
And to gyf battell tuke na feir,
Dantyng all realmes rounde aboute,
That all the warld of hir had doute ;
More fortunat, in hir conquessing,
Nor wes hir husband, Nynus King.
Babilone scho did fortyfie,
Templis and towris, tryumphandlie,
So plesandlye did thame prepair,
Quhilk in the erth had no compair,
Quhowbeid Nemrod, of quhome I spake,
The hydduous dungeoun he gart make,
And of the Ceitie the fundiment,
To quhome God maid impediment :
Quhare Nemrod left, thare scho began,
And pat to wark mony one man
Of all the Realmes round aboute,
Of most ingyne scho socht thame oute.
Scho had, wyrkand with tre and stonis,
Twelf hundreth thousand men at onis ;
Go reid the buke of Diodore,
And thow sall fynd the nummer more.
On everilk syde of Euphrates
That nobyll Cietie beildit wes ;
And so that ryver of renown
Ran throuch the mydpart of the town.
Ouerthort that flude scho bryggis maid
Of marvellous strenth, boith lang and braid :
Thay wer fyve stagis large of lenth,
On everilk bryg scho maid ane strenth.
The circuit, as I said affore,
Foure hundreth stagis and foure score ;
The wallis hycht, quho wald discryve,
Thre hundreth fute, thre score and fyve.
Sax cairtis mycht pas, rycht easalie,
Abufe the wallis of that Cietie,
Sydlingis, without impediment.
Consydder, be youre jugement,
Geve those wallis wer hie, or nocht,
And also curiouslye wer wrocht,
As Diodore hes done defyne,
Quhilk doith transcend my rude ingyne,
Of Babilone the magnificens ;
To quhome ye wald gyf no credens,
Geve I at lenth wald put in wryte,
Quhilk Diodore hes done indyte.
Compare of cieties fynd I none
Tyll Nynivé and Babilone.
Frome Nynivé, in Assyria,
Tyll Babilone, in Caldia,
By bryggis plesandlye ye may pas
Upone the flude of Euphratas.
Amang the fludis of Paradyce
This Euphratas maye beir the pryce.
All warkis quhilkis the Quene began
Transcendit the ingyne of man.
The proud Quene Pantasilia,
The Princes of Amasona,
With hir ladyis tryumphandlye,
At Troy quhilk faucht so vailyeantlye,
Nor yit the fair Madin of France,
Danter of Inglis ordinance,
To Semiramis, in hir dayis,
Wer no compare, as bukis sayis ;
Except tryumphand Julyus,
Strong Hanniball, or Pompeyus,
Or Alexander the Conqueroure,
I fynd no gretter werioure.
Wald I rehers, as wryttis Clerkis,
Hir wonderfull and vailyeand werkis,
It wer to me one gret laubour,
And teddious to the auditour :
Quhat scho did in Ethopia,
And in the lande of Medea :
Beildand citeis, castellis, and towris,
Parkis, and gardyngis of plesouris,
For the exaltyng of hir name,
And immortall to mak hir fame.
Of Jarcieus the heych montanis
Scho gart ryve down and mak thame planis :
Gret Orontes, that montane wycht,
Twenty and fyve stagis of hycht,
Tyll hir Palyce to draw ane louche,
By fors of men scho raif it throche.
Had scho kepit hir chastitie,
Scho mycht have bene one A per se.
Quhen scho had ordourit hir impyre,
Of Venus wark scho tuke desyre ;
One secreit mansioun scho gart mak,
Quhare scho maist plesandlye mycht tak
Young gentyll men, for hir plesour ;
The quhilk scho usit abufe mesour :
One man allone mycht nocht be abyll
To stanche hir luste insaciabyll :
Quhen scho wes satifyit of one,
Scho gart ane uther cum anone :
The lustiest of all the land
Cum quyetlye, at hir command :
Quhen thay, at lenth, had lyin hir by,
Scho slew thame all, rycht creuellye.
Quhen hir Sone come tyll aige perfyte,
Of hym scho tuke so gret delyte,
Scho causit hym with hir to lye,
Amang the rest, rycht quyetlye.
Sum sayis, throuch sensuall lustis rage,
Scho band hym into mariage,
And held hym under tutorye,
To uphald hir auctoritye.

QUHOW THE QUENE SEMIRAMIS, WITH ONE GRET ARMIE, PAST TO YNDE, AND FAUCHT WITH THE KYNG STAUROBATES, AND OF HIR MISERABYLL END.

EXPERIENCE.
Quhen scho had lang tyme levit in rest,
To conques more scho hir addrest ;
Because of divers scho hard tell
Quhow that the Ynde Orientell
Preceid in gret commoditeis,
As bestiall, cornis, and fructfull treis,
Al kynde of spyce delicious,
Gold, sylver, stonis precious ;
And quhow that plentuous land did beir
Corne, frute, and wyne twyse in the yeir ;
With oliphantis innumerabyll,
In battell wounder terrabyll.
Scho, herand this, and mekle more,
Belevand tyll agment hir glore,
Gart mak strait Proclamationis
In all and syndrie Nationis,
Schawand quhow it wes hir desyre,
All Princis under hir impyre,
In Egypt, and Arabia,
In Perce, and Mede, and Caldia,
In Grece, in Caspia, and Hyrcane,
In Capadoce, Leid and Maritane,
In Arminie, and Phrigia,
In Pamphilie, and Assyria,
That ilke Land, efter thare degre,
Sulde bryng tyll hir ane gret armie,
In all the gudlye haist thay may,
And meit hir in tyll Bactria ;
Declaryng thame that hir intent
Was tyll pas to the Orient,
And mak weir on the King of Ynde.
Frome tyme thay knew quhat wes hir mynde,
Than, be thare selfis, ilke regioun
Come fordwart, with thare garnisoun,
Tryumphantlye, in gude array,
Tyll Bactria tuke the reddy way,
And maid thare mostouris to the Quene.
Bot sic ane sycht wes never sene,
In battell ray so mony one man
At onis, sen God the warld began.
Bot Spanye, France, Scotland, Ingland,
Ducheland, Denmark, nor yit Yrland
War nocht inhabit in those dayis,
Nor lang efter, myne Author sayis.
Ethesias he dois specifie
The noumber of the great Armie,
Sayand, thare come, at hir command,
Fute men threttye hundreth thousand,
Of hors men, mountit galyeardlye,
Fyve hundreth thousand, veralye,
One hundreth thousand cameilis wycht,
On everilk cameill raid ane knycht,
Preparit tyll passe in to all partis.
Thare wes ane hundreth thousand cairtis :
Two thousand boittis with hir scho careis,
On hors, cameilis, and dromodareis,
Bryggis for to mak scho did conclude
Ouerthort Yndus, that furious flude,
Quhilk bene of Ynde the utmoist bordoure ;
On the quhilk flude, with rycht gude ordoure,
Of hir bairgis scho bryggis maid,
Quhareon hir gret oiste saifly raid.

COURTEOUR.
Father, I wald men understude
Quhow sic ane marvellous multytude
Mycht be att onis brocht to the feild,
Reddy to feycht with speir and schield.
Sum men wyll juge this be ane fabyll,
The mater bene so untrowabyll.

EXPERIENCE.
It may weill ye, my Sonne, said he,
As, be exempyll, we may se
Quhow David, king of Israell,
His peple gart nummer and tell
Be Joab, his cheif capitane,
As Holy Scripture schawis plane :
Of feychtand men, in to that land,
He fand threttyne hundreth thousand.
Sen David, in that small countre,
Mycht have rasit sic ane armie,
To this Lady it wes na wounder,
The quhilk had greter realmes ane hunder
Nor Davidis lytill regioun,
Thocht scho had mony a legioun
Of men mo nor I tauld affore :
Tharefor, my Sonne, marvell no more.
Staurobates, the king of Ynde,
Gretlie perturbit in his mynd,
Heryng of sic ane multytude,
To mak defens he did conclude,
And send one message to the Quene,
Prayand hir Majestie serene
That scho wald, of hir speciall grace,
Gyf hym licence to leif in peace ;
Failand of that, thocht he suld dee,
That he suld gar hir fecht or flee :
And tyll his god ane vowe he maid,
Gyf no peace mycht of hir be had,
And gyf he wan the victorye,
That he the Quene suld crucifye.
At this bostyng the Queue maid bourdis,
Sayand, it sall nocht be, no wourdis
Sall gar me passe frome my purpose,
Bot mychtie straikis, as I suppose.
The messingeir schew to the Kyng
Of hir presumptuous answeryng,
Than Staurobates, wyse and wycht,
Come fordwart, lyke ane nobyll knycht,
With mony one thousand speir and scheild,
Arrayit royallie on the feild ;
Thynkand he wald his land defend,
Or in the battell mak ane end.
The Quene, apone the uther syde,
Full of presumptioun and of pryde,
Hir banaris plesandly displayit,
With, hardy hart and uneffrayit.
Apone Yndus, that famous flude,
Thay met, quhare sched wes mekle blude.
In bote, in balingar, and bargis,
The twa Armyis on utheris chargis.
Semiramis the battaill wan,
Quhare drownit and slane wer mony one man,
So that the walter of the flude
Ran reid, myxit with mannis blude.
The King of Ynde, with all his mycht,
Frome Yndus flude he tuke the flycht :
Tyll his cheif cietie he reteirit,
Quhare in his presens thare appeirit
In battell raye ane new armye,
Of rycht invincibyll chevalrye,
With elephantis ane hydduous nummer,
Quhilk efterwart maid mekle cummer.
Semiramis and hir cumpanye,
In the mene tyme, full creuellie
Distroyit the bordouris of that land,
Tuke presonaris mo than ten thousand.
Sche tuke one couragious consait,
Gret elephantis to contrafait :
Sche had ten thousand oxin hydis,
Weill sewit togydder, bak and sydis,
With mouth, and nois, teith, eris, and eine,
Quyke elephantis as thay had bene,
Rycht Weill stuft full of stray and hay,
Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray.
Apone cameilis and dromodareis
Those fals figouris with hir scho careis.
Sere Yndianis, quhen thay saw that sycht,
Afferitlye thay tuke the flycht ;
For sic one sycht wes never sene,
Gyff naturall beistis thay had bene.
The Kyng hym self wes rycht affeirit,
Tyll he the veritie had speirit,
And knew, be his exploratouris,
Thay wer bot fenyeit fals figouris.
Than, manfullye, lyke men of weir,
Fordwart thay came withouttin feir ;
Rycht so Semiramis the Quene.
Quhilk for ony man wes aye fyftene.
Thir two armeis full creuellye
Thay ruscheit togydder so rudlie,
With hyddous cry and trumpettis sound,
Tyll thousandis dede laye on the ground.
Semiramis had sic one nummer,
Tyll order thame it was gret cummer.
Than the gret elephantis of Ynde,
Rycht Strang and hardy of thare kynde,
Fordwart thay came, and wald nocht ceis,
Tyll throuch the myddis of the preis
Of the gret oist thay rudlye ruscheit,
That men and horsse tyll erth thay duscheit.
Those fenyeit beistis, withouttin spreit,
Wer fruschit and fulyeit under feit.
The King of Ynde, with curage kene,
Met with Semiramis the quene,
He rydand on ane eliphand :
Bot scho with hym faucht hand for hand,
And gaif the King so gret assaye
That he wes nevir in sic affraye.
To stryke at hym scho tuke no feir,
So Weill scho usit wes in weir.
His straikis scho had bot lytill comptit,
Wer nocht the King wes so weill mountit.
Athir at uther straik so faste
Tyll thay wer tyrit at the laste.
The King he thocht himself eschamit
With one woman to be diffamit,
And wes determit nocht to flee,
Thocht in that battell he suld dee.
As man the quhilk disparit bene,
He rudely ran upone the Quene,
And through the arme gaif hir ane wound
Quhilk tyll hir hart gaif sic one stound
That sche constrainit wes to fle.
Than all the rest of hir armie,
Quhen thay persavit that scho wes gone,
Tyll Yndus flude thay fled, ilke one.
The Quene ouerthort the flude sche raid
On bryggis quhilk is wer of botis maid ;
With hir, one sobir cumpanye,
Quhilk with hir fled affraytlie.
The Yndianis followit on the chace :
Than on the bryggis come sic one praice
Of fleand folkis quhilk wes gret wounder,
So that the bargis krake in schonder.
Sum sank, sum doun the revar ran :
Than drownit thare mony one nobyll man ;
Quhilk wer gret pietie tyll deplore,
As wryttis famous Diodore ;
And, fynallie, for to conclude,
Wes never sched so mekle blude
At one tyme sen the Warld began,
Nor slane so mony one saikles man ;
And all throw the occasioun
And the prydefull perswasioun
Of this ambitious wyckit Quene ;
Sic one wes nevir hard nor sene,
Staurobates, the kyng of Ynde,
Gretlye rejoysit, in his mynde,
Of this tryumphe and victorye :
Semiramis, with hart full sorye,
Seand sa mony tane and slane,
Tyll hir countré returnit agane,
Lamentand fortunis variance
Quhilk brocht hir to so gret myschance,
Affore quhilk wes so fortunat,
And than of confort desolat.
Hir Sonne, one man of perfectioun,
Consyderand his subjectioun,
His lybertie he did desyre,
That he mycht goverane his impyre :
Seand his Mother vicious,
And, with that, so ambitious,
As myne Author doith specifye,
He slew his Mother creuellye :
Quhat uther cause, or intentioun,
I fynd no speciall mentioun :
Sum sayis, to be at libertie ;
Sum sayis, for hir adulterie ;
None uther cause I can defyne,
Except punissioun devyne.
Of this fair Lady coragious
Behald the endyng dolorous ;
Quhilk wes bot twenty yeir of aige,
Quhen sche began hir vassalage,
And rang triumphandlye, but weir,
The space of two and fourtye yeir :
Quhen scho was slane, scho wes thre score,
With yeiris two, scho wes no more ;
As Diodore wryttis in his buke,
His Cronikle quho lyste to luke.
Of this Lady I mak ane end,
Thynkand no way I can commend
Wemen for tyll be too manlye,
Nor men for tyll be womanlye,
For quhy it bene the Lordis mynde
All creature tyll use thare kynde ;
Men for tyll have preheminens,
And wemen under obediens ;
Thocht all wemen inclynit be
Tyll have the soveranitie,
As this lady, quhilk wald nocht rest
Tyll scho hir husband had supprest,
Tyll that intent that scho micht ryng,
Allone to haif the governyng.
Ladyis no way I can commend
Presumptuouslye quhilk doith pretend
Tyll use the office of ane Kyng,
Or Realmes tak in governyng,
Quhowbeit thay vailyeant be and wycht,
Going in battell lyke one knycht,
As did proude Pantasilia,
The Princes of Amasona,
In mennis habyte, aganis reassoun :
Siclyke I think derisioun,
One prince to be effaminate,
Of knychtlye corage desolate,
Neglectand his auctoritie,
Throuch beistlie sensualitie,
Accompanyit, boith day and nychtis ;
With wemen, more than vailyeant knychtis ;
Sic kyngis I discommend at all,
Exempyll of Sardanapall.

COURTEOUR.
Father, said I, schaw me quhow lang
The successioun of Nynus rang.

EXPERIENCE.
That sall I do, with diligens,
My Sonne, said he, or I go hens.
Sen I haif schawin, at thy desyre,
Quhat man began the First Impyre,
Now wald I it wer to thee kend
Of that Impyre the fatell end.

QUHOW KING SARDANAPALUS FOR HIS VITIOUS LIFE MAID ANE MISERABILL END.

COURTEOUR.
Betuix this Conquerour Nynus
And sensuall Sardanapalus
I can nocht fynd no speciall storye
Worthy to put in memorye,
Except quhilk I haif done discryfe
Of Semirame, king Nynus wyfe :
Bot I can fynde no gude at all
To wrytt of kyng Sardanapall,
Quhilk wes the saxt and threttye kyng
Be lyne from Nynus discendyng.
At lenth his lyfe for to declare
I thynk it is nocht necessare ;
Because that mony cunnyng clerkis
Hes hym discryvit in thare werkis :
Quhow he wes last of Assyrians
Quhilk had the hole preemynens,
That tyme of the First Monarchie,
In Cronicles, as thow may se,
The last and the most vitious kyng
Quhilk in that Monarchie did ryng.
That Prince wes so effeminate,
With sensuall luste intoxicate,
He did abhor the cumpanye
Of his most nobyll chevalrye :
That he mycht have the more delyte
Tyll use his beistlye appetyte,
Conversit with wemen nycht and daye,
And clothit hym in thare arraye,
So that na man that hym hed sene
Could juge ane man that he had bene :
So, in huredome and harlotrye
Did keip hym self so quyetlye,
The Princis of Assyrience
Of hym thay could get no presence,
Thus levit he contynuallye,
Agane nature inordinatlye.
Quhen to the Persis and the Medis
Reportit wer his vitious dedis.
With the rewlaris of Babilone,
Thay did conclude, all in tyll one,
Thay wald nocht suffer for tyll ryng
Abufe thame sic ane vitious kyng :
Bot Arbaces, ane Duke of Mede,
He darflye tuke on hand that dede.
Bot first he come to Nynivé,
To see the kyngis Majestie,
And tyll one of the kyngis gaird
He gaif one secreit ryche rewaird,
Tyll put hym in ane quyet place,
Quhare he mycht se the Kyngis grace,
And be ónsene with ony wycht.
Bot he saw nother king nor knycht
In tyll his maisteris cumpanye,
Except Wemen, allanerlye :
And as ane woman he was cled,
With wemen counsalit and led ;
And schamfullye he wes syttand,
With spindle, and with rock spinnand.
Quhen Arbaces that sycht had sene,
His corage raisit from the splene,
And thocht it small difficultie
For tyll depryve his Majestie.
Than raisit he the Persianis,
With Medis and Babilonianis :
Inarmit weill with speir and scheildis,
Tryumphantlye thay tuke the feildis.
The Kyng raisit Assyrianis,
Togither with the Caldianis,
And thame resystit as he mycht ;
Bot, fynallie, he tuke the flycht,
To saif hym self, in Nynivé.
Than seigit thay that gret Cietie,
Contynuallie, two yeir and more,
As wryttis famous Diodore ;
Tyll that the flude of Euphrates
Arose with sic one furiousnes,
Quhare throuch ane gret part of the Toun
By violence was doungin doun.
Than, quhen the Kyng saw no remeid
Bot to be takin, or to be deid,
As man disparit full of yre,
Gart mak ane furious flammand fyre,
And tuke his gold and jowellis all,
With sceptur, croun, and robe royall,
With all his tender servitouris
That of his corps hap gretest curis,
Togydder with his lustye Quenis,
And all his wantoun concubenis,
And in that fyre he did thame cast,
Syne lappe hym self in, at the last,
Quhare all wer brynt in poulder small.
Thus endit Kyng Sardanapall
Withouttin ony repentence,
As may be sene be this sentence,
Heir followyng, quhilk he did indyte
Affore his deith in gret dispyte :
Quhilk is ane rycht ungodly thing,
As ye may se be his dyting.

EPITAPHIUM SARDANAPALI

Cum te mortalem noris, præsentibus exple
Delitiis animum, post mortem nulla voluptas.
Et Venere, et coenis, et plumis Sardanapall.
Now haif I schawin, with deligence,
The Monarchie of Assyrience,
The quhilk at Kyng Nynus began,
And endit at this myscheant man,
And did indure, withouttin weir,
Ane thowsand, twa hundreth, and fourty yeir,
As dois indyte Eusebius :
Reid hym, and thow sall fynd it thus.