Works, Letter
✿ The Epiſtil Nū cupatorie of Schir Dauid Lyndeſay of the Mont Knicht, on his Dialog of the Miſerabill eſtait of the warld.
THow lytill quair, of mater Miſerabill,
Weill aucht thow, couerit for to be with ſabill
Renunceand grene, the purpur, reid, and quhyte
To delicat men thow art not delectabill,
Nor ȝit till amorous folkis amyabill,
To reid on the thay will haif na delyte.
Warldlie pepill, will haif at the diſpyte,
Quhilk fixit hes thair hart, and haill intentis
On ſenſuall luſt, on dignitie, and Rentis.
¶We haif na King, the to preſent allace,
Quhilk to this countrie bene ane cairfull cace.
And als our Quene of Scotland heritour,
Scho dwellis in France, I pray God ſaif hir grace,
It war to lang, for the to rin that race.
And far langer, or that ȝoung tender flour,
Bring hame till vsus ane King and Gouernour.
Allace thairfoir, we may with ſorrow ſing,
Quhilk muſt ſa lang remane, without ane King.
☞I not quhome to thy ſimpilnes to ſend,
With cunning men from tyme that thow be kend,
Thy vaniteis na way thay will auance,
Thinkand the proud ſic thingis to pretend.
Nochtwithſtanding, the ſtraucht way ſall thow wend,
To thame quhilk hes the Realme in gouernance.
Declair thy mynd to thame with circumſtance.
Ga firſt till Iames, our Prince, and Protectour,
And his brother, our ſpirituall Gouernour,
¶And Prince of Preiſtis in this natioun,
Efter Reuerend Recommendatioun
VnderUnder thair feit, thow lawlie the ſubmit,
And mak thame humill ſupplicatioun,
Gif thay in the find wrang narratioun,
That thay wald pleis, thy faltis to remit.
And of thair grace, gif thay do the admit,
Than ga thy way, quhair euer thow pleiſis beſt.
Be thay content, mak reuerence to the reſt.
¶To faithfull prudent Paſtouris ſpirituall,
To Nobill Erlis, and Lordis temporall,
Obedientlie, till thame thow the addres,
Declairing thame this ſchort memoriall,
How mankynd bene to miſerie maid thrall.
At lenth to thame the cauſe planelie confes.
Beſeikand thame all lawis to ſuppres,
Inuentit be mennis traditioun,
Contrair to Chriſtis Inſtitutioun.
¶And cauſe thame cleirlie for till vnderſtand,
That for the breking of the Lordis command,
His thrinfald wand of Flageliatioun,
Hes ſcurgit, this pure Realme of Scotland,
Be mortall weiris, baith be ſey and land,
With mony terribill tribulatioun.
2. Re. 24 1. Cor. 2.Thairfoir mak to thame trew narratioun,
That all thir weiris, this derth, hunger, and peſt,
Was nocht, bot for our Sinnis manifeſt.
¶Declair to thame, how in the tyme of Noy,Gen. 7.
Alluterlie, God did the warld diſtroy.Gen. 19.
As haly Scripture makis mentioun,
Sodom, Gomor, with thair Regioun and Roy,
God ſpairit nouther man, woman, nor boy,Mat. 23. Luc. 13.
Bot all war brint for thair offenſioun.
Ieruſalem, that maiſt tryumphand town
Deſtroyit was, for thair Iniquitie.
As in the Scripture planelie thay may ſe.
¶Declair to thame this mortall Miſerie,Iere. 15.
Be ſword and fyre, derth, peſt, and pouertie,
Proceidis of Syn, geue I can richt deſcryue,
For laik of Faith, and for Idolatrie,
For Fornicatioun, and for Adulterie
Of Princes, Prelatis, with mony ane man and wyue.
Expell the cauſe, than the effect belyue
Sall ceis quhen that the pepill dois repent,
Than God fall flak his bow, quhilk ȝit is bent.
¶Mak thame requeiſt, quhilk hes the gouernance,
The Sinceir word of God for till auance,
Conforme to Chriſtis Inſtitutioun,
Without Hypocriſie or diſſimulance,
Cauſing Iuſtice hald euinlie the Ballance,
On Publicanis making punitioun.
Commending thame of gude conditioun.
That being done, I dout not bot the Lord,
Sall of this cuntrie haif Miſericord.
¶Thocht God with mony terribill effrayis,
Hes done this cuntrie ſcurge, be diuers wayis,
Be Iuſt Iugement for our greuous offence,
Declair to thame, thay ſall haif mery dayis
Efter this trubill, as the Propheit ſayis.
Quhen God ſall ſe our humill repentence,
Till ſtrange pepill, thocht he hes geuin licence,
To be our ſcurge, Induring his deſyre,
Will quhen he liſt, that ſcurge caſt in the fyre.
¶Pray thame,Pſal. 118 that thay put not thair eſperance
In mortall men, onlie thame till aduance,
Bot principallie in God Omnipotent.
Than neid thay not, to charge the Realme of France,
With gunnis, galayis, nor vther ordinance.
Sa that thay be to God obedient.
In thir premiſſis, be thay nocht negligent,
Diſplay and Chriſtis Baner, hie on hicht,
Thair enemyis of thame ſall haif na micht.
¶Ga hence pure buke, quhilk I haif done Indyte
In rurall ryme, in maner of diſpyte,
Contrare the warldis variatioun.
Of Rethorik heir I proclame the quyte.
Idolatouris, I feir, fall with the flyte,
Becauſe of thame thow makis narratioun.
Bot cure thow nocht the Indignatioun
Ot Hypocritis, and fals Phariſience,
Howbeit on the, thay cry ane loud vengeance.
¶Requeiſt the gentill Reidar, that the reidis,
Thocht ornate termes into thy Park not ſpreidis.
As thay in the may haif experience.
Thocht barrane feildis, beiris nocht bot weidis,
Ȝit brutall beiſtis ſweitlie on thame feidis.
Deſyre of thame nane vther recompence,
Bot that thay wald reid the with pacience.
And gif thay be in ony way offendit,
Declair to thame, it ſalbe weill amendit.
☞FINIS.