Hymns or Sacred Songs, To the reader – Poem
To the Scottish youth.
AS It is a thing verie customable vntounto thee, O curious youth, greatūly to delite in poesie, ather by playing the parte of a poet thy selfe, or by exercising thy spirit in reading and proclaiming the compositions of other men: So is it as common to thy indiscreit age to make a chuse of that naughtie subiect of fleshly and vnlawfull louelove. In such sort that in Princes courts, in the houses of greate men, and at the assemblies of yong gentilmen and yong damesels, the cheife pastime is, to sing prophane sonnets, and vaine ballats of louelove, or to rehearse some fabulos faits of Palmerine, Amadis, or other such like raueries & such as ather hauehave the art or vaine poetike, of force they must shew themselnes cunning followers of the dissolute ethnike poets, both in phrase and substance, or else they shall be had in no reputation. Alas for pittie! Is this the right vse of a Christians talent to incense the burning lustes of licentions persons by such euill ex amples and allurements? Art thon (O miserable man) well occupied, that day & night busies thy braine to invent these things which may foster the filthie vice and corruption that naturallie is seased in the harts of all men? Was ii to this end, that thy maker sent thee in the world, to be an instrument of wickednes? or hes he giuen thee such gifts, and viuacitie of spirit, to be exercised in vanitie, and prouoking others to vncleannes? knowes thou not that thou must render account of euerie idle word that proceedes out of thy mouth? And that thy vngodlie conuersation banishes the spirit of GOD from thee? suffocats thy gude giftes, rottis thy conscience, and makis thy GOD to become ane Enemie against thee, What count thinkes thou to giuegive vntounto the, iust and fearefull iudge of the world (who doubtles will craue it of thee, thou knowes not how suddainely) that hath employed thy time, and abused his good giftes after this manner? I think the cōsideration of it the more terrible, because sometime I delighted in such fantasies my selfe, after the maner of riotous young men: and vvere not the Lord in merciemercy pulled me a backe, & wrought a great repentance in me, I had doubtlesse run forward and employed my time & studie in that prophane and vnprofitable exercise, to my owne perdition. For vvhat seekes man by that kind▪ of studie? nothing but a name, but a vaine praise, and an vndeserued commendation. Why shuld thou not then (aspiring youth) rather bestowe thy gude gifts to the right vse, to wit, to the glory of god, and to the weil of thy brethren? which thow sall do when by thy poesie or prose thow declares the merciemercy, the iustice, the power, the providence, the wisedome, the holines, the gudenes, or wondrous works of thy God vntounto the world: Whereof thow may hauehave so large a field in the scriptures, that al thy pithie words, thy figures of Rhetoricke, thy subtile argumentes, thy skill in physicke, metaphysicke, mathematicke, or morall philosophie, shal not be sufficient to expres the dignitie thereof. Would thou intreat of prodigious miracles? luke the bookes if Genesis and Exod, or the workes of our sauiour, of the Prophets and Apostles? Would thow hauehave a subiect of valiant deids of armes? read the buikes of Iosua and the Iudges. And of the Kings of Israel & Iudah? Wald thou hauehave store of wise sentences, read the Prouerbs, and Ecclesiastes? walde thou hauehave a subiect of louelove? looke the song of songs, of the louelove betuixt Christ and his kirk. Would thow reioyce, or lament praise or disprais; comfort, or threaten; pray, or vse imprecation Imitat the ald Hebrew Dauid in his Psalmes, as a paterne of all heavinly poesie. In a word, the high & holy mysteries, & felicitie of the life to come, conteined in the auld & new testament, may be a more noble and worthie subiect, vvhere vponupon the hole cunning and Eloquence of mans loftie Spirite should be employed nor vponupon these trifles, & sensuall villanies. But thou will peraduenture say, that such a subiect is ouer graue, and that a light & merrie matter were more agreable to yong folks: I answere thee, that indeede vanitie and corruption are most agreeable to a corrupted nature: But let that mirrines wherein is sinne, be far from all good Christians. But if thou would meditate on this spirituall subiect, and exercise thy selfe in the Law of the Lord with continuance, thou should with time alter thy fleshlie affectiones, and nourish thy spirituall gifts: In such sorte, that thou shal detest that which is sensuall and brutish, and delight in that which is holie and pleasant in the sight of the Lord, and by thy example shall sturre vp others to doe the like: Heirefore, I hauehave heere set downe before thee, a few spirituall songs, begun in my youth, and prosecuted in my wraslings with the world, and the flesh, whereby thou may cleerely see what aboundance of good matter is offered, which the most parte of Poets foolishlie reiectes, and dedicates their hole studie to things moste vile and contemptible. Farther, I contemne not the moderate and trew commendation of the vertuous, & noble actes of good men: nor yet the extolling of liberall sciences: But thou hast notable examples in the French toong set foorth by Salust of Bartas. OnelyOnly thus much hauehave I written in rude Scottish and hask verses, to prouoke the more skilfull in that art to flee higher, and to encourage the meaner sort to follow. To the effect, that the spirits of men in all their actions may be applyed to the right end, euen to glorifie God, who must euer sanctifie & prosper the interprises of his owne. At Edinburgh the 9 day of december. 1594.
Thy louing friend,
Alexander Hume
A Sonnet of LoueLove.
NOt lawfull louelove, bot lecherie I lacke:
Not women wise, but witlesse I disdaine:
Not constant trueth, but tromperie I detract:
Not innocence, but insolence prophaine:
Not blessed bands, but secreite working vaine:
As Pyramus and Thisbe tuike on hand,
As Iason and Medea made their traine,
As Daemophon and foolish Phillis fand,
As Hercules at Iolëes command,
Which like a wife for louelove sat downe to spin.
And finally all follie I gainstand,
Which may allure the heart to shame or sin:
Beware with vice, be not the cause of ill,
Sine speak, & sport, look, laugh, & louelove your fill.