A Dialogue Betwixt Experience and a Courtier, Book 2
In the First the Beildyng of Babilone be Nemrod. And quhow kyng Nynus began ye first Monarche. And of thare Ydolatrye. And Quhow Semeramis, Gouernit the Impyre, Efter hir Husbande Kyng Nynus. As Followis.
❧ FATHER I pray ȝow to me tell.Cour.
The First Infortune that befell
Immediatlye efter the Flude
And quho did first, sched saikles blude
And quho Ydolatrye began
¶ (Quod he) I sall do as I canExpe.
Efter the Flude, I fynde no Storye
Worthy to putt in Memorye
Tyll Nemrod, began to RyngGene. x.
Aboue the Peple, as ane Kyng
Quhilk wes the Principall man of one
That beilder was, of Babilone
☞ That Story Maister, wald I knawCour.
(Quod I) geue ȝe the suthe wald schaw
Quhy, and for quhat occasioun
Thay beildit sic ane strang Dungeoun?
¶Than said to me ExperienceExpe.
I sall declare with Deligence
Those Questionis at thy command
Bot first Sonne, thow mon vnderstand
Off Nemrod, the Genologie
His strenth, Curage, and Quantitie
Quhowbeit Moyses, in his first Buke
That Story, lychtlye did ouer Luke
Off hym no more, he doith declare
Except he was ane strang Huntare
Bot vtheris Clerkis Curious
As Oroce doith, and Iosephus
Discryuis 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 Gyane, stout and strang
Perforce wyld beistis, he doun thrang
The peple of that hole Regioun
Come vnderunder his Dominioun
No man thare wes in all that land
His stalwartnes that durst ganestand
No maruell 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 Ydolatrye began
Than gart he all the peple call
To his presens, boith gret and small
And in that gret conuentioun
Gene. xi.Did propone his Intentioun
My Freindis (said he) I mak it knawin
The gret wengeance 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
Quhov we maye make one strang defence
Aganis sick walteris violence
For to resyste his furious Yre
Contraye boith to flude and fyre
Latt ws go spye sum plesand feilde
Quhare one strang biggyng we maye beilde
One Cityie with ane strang Dungeoun
That none Ingyne may ding it doun
So heych, so thike, so large, and lang,
That Gode tyll ws sall do no wrang
Itt sall surmonte the Planetis, sewin
That we frome Gode, may wyn the hewin
Those peple with one ferme intent
All tyll his counsell did consent
And did espy one plesand place
Harde on the flude of Euphratace
The peple thare did thame prepair
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 groune
All fell to warke boith man and chylde
Sum holkit claye, sum brynt the tylde
Nembroth, that curious Campioun
Deuysar wes of that Dungeoun
No thyng thay sparit thare laubouris
Lyke besy beis vpone the flouris
Or Emettis trauelling in to Iune
Sum vnderunder wrocht, and sum aboue
With strong Ingenious masonrye
Vpwarte thare weir did fortifye
With …rynt tylde stonis, large and wycht
That Towre thay rasit to sic hycht
Abufe the airis Regioun
And Iunit of so strong fassioun
With Syment maid of pyk and tar
Thay vsit none vther mortar
Thocht fyre or walter it assalit
Contrare that Dungeoun nocht aualit
The land aboute wes fair and plane
And it rose lyke one heych montane
Those fuliche peple did intende
That to the Hewin, it sulde ascende
So gret one strenth wes neuir 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 th…n of more stature
Nor two be now thareof be sure.
¶Iosephus haldis opinioun
Sayand the heycht of this Dungeoun
Off large pasis of mesure bene
Fyue thousande, aucht score, and fourtene
Be this raknyng, it is fuil rycht
Sax 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 Cetie of stagis
Foure houndreth, and four score I wys
And be this nommer in compas
Aboute, three score of mylis It was
And as Orotius reportis
Thare wes fyue score of brasin portis.
¶ The translatour of Orotius
In tyll his Cronicle wryttis thus
That quhen the Sonne is at the hycht
Att nonne quhen it doith schyne most brycht
The schaddow of that hydduous strenth
Sax myle and more, it is of lenth
Thus maye ȝe Iuge in to ȝour thocht
Gyfe Babilone be heych or nocht.
IFNIS.
Quhov god maid the Dyuersitie of Languagis. And maid Impediment to the Beildaris of Babilone
Expe.THAN the gret God Omnipotent
To quhom al thingis bene p̄sent
That wer, and is, and euir salbe
Ar present tyll his Maiestie
The hid secretis of mānis hart
From his p̄sens may not depart
He seand the Ambitioun
And the prydefull Presumptioun
Quhov thir proude peple did pretende
Vpe throuch the heuinnis, tyll ascende
Quhilk wes gret folye tyll deuyse
Sick one presumptuous interpryse
For quhen thay wer moste delygent
Gode 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 vthir said
Quhare wos bot ane Language affore
Gode send thame Languagis three schore
¶ Affore that tyme all spak Ebrew
Than sum began for to speik Grew
Sum Duche, 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 stoks, and stonis.
¶ And Nembroth, thare gret Campioun
Ran rageand lyke one wylde Lyoun
Manassyng thame with wordis rude
Bot neuir one worde thay vnderstude
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 quhov God wes so gratious
To thame quhilk wer so outtragious
He nother braik thare leggis nor armis
Nor ȝit did thame none vther harmis
Except of toungis diuysioun
And for fynall conclusioun
Constranit thay wer for tyll depart
Ilke cumpanye in one syndrie arte
Sum paste in to the Orient
And sum in to, the Occident
Sum south, sum north, as thay thocht best
And so thare poleysie left west
Bot quhov that Citie wes reparit
Heir efter it salbe declarit.
FINIS.
Of the first inuentiōn of Ydolatrie. Quhow Nembroth, compeld the Peple tyll adore the Fyre in Caldia.
Cour.NOVV Schir (said I) schaw me the man▪
Quhilk first Ydolatrie began
That sall I do with all my hart
Expe.My Sonne (said he) or we depart
Quhen Nembroth saw his purpose falit
And his gret laubour nocht aualit
In maner of contemptioun
Departit furth of that regioun
And as Orotius, doith rehers
He past in to the land of Pers
And mony one ȝeir, did thare remane
And syne to Babilone come agane
And fand huge peple of Caldie
Remanand in that gret Citie
That wer glaid of his returnyng
And did obey hym as thare kyng
Nembroth his name for tyll auance
Amang tham maid new ordinance
Sayand I think ȝe 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 commmand
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 Monne, ar baith obscu…e
His he winlie brychtnes doith indure
Quhen mennis memberris sufferit calde
Fyre warmyth thame ewin as thay walde
¶Than cryit the Peple at his desyre
Thare is no God, except the fyre
Or thare was ony Ymagerie
Began this first Ydolatrie
Att that tyme, thare wes none vsage
To carue, 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 vther
Quhilk dwelland war, in that cuntre
With thare Father callit Thaire
Thir brether Nembroth, did repreue
Sayand tyll hym, Lord with ȝour leue
This fyre, is bot ane Element
Praye ȝe to God Omnipotent
Quhilk maid the Heuinnis, be his mycht
Sonne, Monne, 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 euermore.
¶ Than Nembroth in his furious yre
Thir brether boith keste in the the fyre
Habraham be God, he wes preseruit
Bot Aram in the fyre he staruit
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 Caldia
And paste to Mesopotamia
And dwelt in Tharan all his dayis
And deit thare, as the story sayis
The lyfe of Habraham, I supose
No thyng langith tyll our purpose
In to the Bibyll thov may reid
His verteous lyfe in worde and deid
Now to the I hauehave schawin the man
That firste Ydolatrie began.
FINIS.
Of ye gret misere and skaythis that cumis of Weris. And quhow king Nynꝰ began the first weris, and straik the first Battell.
FATHER I pray ȝov with my hart
Declair to me or we depart
Quho first began thir mortall Weris
Quhilk euerilk faithfull hart efferis
And euere polesye doun thrawis
Express agane the Lordis lawis
Sen Christe, our kyng omnipotent
Left Peace, in tyll his Testament
Quhov doith proceid this creueltie
Aganis Iustice, and Equitie
In lande quhare ony Weris bene
Gret Miserrie thare may be sene
All thyng on erth, that God hes wrocht
Weir, doith distroye and puttis at nocht
Ceteis, 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 spulȝeit
Pure Orphelenis vnderunder feit ar fulȝeit
Mony auld men maid childerles
And mony childer fatherles
Off famous Sculis the Doctryne
Boith natural science and Diuyne
And euerilk vertew trampit doun
No reuerence done to relegioun
Strenthis distroyit alluterlie
Fair Ladyis forcit schamefullie
Ȝoung Wedowis spulȝeit of thare spousis
Pure Lauborars, houndit frome thare housis
Thare dar no Merchand tak on hand
To trauell nother be sey 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 commonnis slane
The land but lauboring doith remane
Off Pollesye, the perfyte warkis
Beildingis, Gardyngis, and plesand parkis
Alluterlie distroyit bene
Gret graingis brynt thare may be sene
Ryches bene turnit to powertie
Plentie in tyll penuritie
Deith, Hounger, Darth, it is weill kende
Off Weir, this is the Fatell ende
Iustice turnit in tyrrannye
All plesour in aduersitye
The Weir, alluterlie doun thrawis
Boith the Ciuill, and Cannoun lawis
Weir, generit Murthour, and myscheif
Sore lamentyng withoute releif
Weir, doith distroye Realmes and kyngis
Gret Princis, weir to presoun bryngis
Weir, scheddis mekle saikles blude
Cour.Sen I can saye of weir no gude
¶ Declare to me Schir gyf ȝe can
Quho first this Miserrie began
FINIS.
❧ Heir followith ane Schorte Discriptioun of the Four Monarchis. ☞ And quhow Kyng Nynus, began the First Monarchie.
OF Weris (said he) the gret outtrage
Began in to the secunde aigeExpe.
Be creuell prydefull, couytous, kyngis
Reuarris but rycht of vtherꝭ ryngis
Quhowbeit Cayam 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 battell
And first Inuentit Imagerye
Quhare throw came gret Idolatrye
¶We moste knaw or we forthair wend
Off 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, Bellus,
And Bellus, Nynus, but lesing
Off Assiria, the secund king
And beildar of thar gret Citie
The quhilk was callit Nyniue
And wes the first and principall man
Quhilk the first Monarchie began.
Cour.¶ Father (said I) declaire to me
Quhat signifyis one Monarchie
Expe.The suith (said he) sonne gyfe thov knew
Monarchie bene one terme of Grew
As quhen one Prouince principall
Had hole power Imperiall
During thare Dominationis
Abufe all Kyngis and Nationis
One Monarchie that men doith call
Off quhome I fynd four principall
Quhilk heth rong sen the warld began
Cour.Than (said I) Father gyf ȝe can?
Quhilk four bene thay, schaw me I pray ȝow
My sone (said he) that sall I say ȝow
Expe.¶ First rang the kings of Asserianis
Secundlye rang the Persianis
The Grekis thridlye with swerd and fyre
Perfors optenit the thrid Impyre
The fourte Monarche as I heir
The Romanis brukit mony one ȝeir
Latt vsus first speik of Nynus king
Quhov he began his Conquessing
¶The auld Greik Historitiane
Diodorus he wryttis plane
Att rycht gret lenth of Nynus king
Off his Impyre and conquessing
And of Semeranus his wyfe
That tyme the lustyest one lyfe
Itt wer to lang to putt in wryte
Quhilk Diodore heth done indyte
Bot I sall schaw as I suppose
Quhilk maist belangith thy purpose,
¶Quhen Nembroth, Prince of Babilone
Oute of this wrechit warld wes gone
And his Sonne Bellus deid alswa
The first Kyng of Asseria
This Nynus, quhilk wes secunde kyng
Tryumphandlie began tyll ryng
And wes nocht satifyit nor content
Off his awin Regione, nor his rent
Thynkand his glore for tyll aduance
By his gret peple and puissance
Throuch Pryde, Couatyce, and vaine glore
Did hym prepare to conques more
And gadtherit furth ane gret Armie
Contrare Babilone, and Caldie
Quhareof he had ardent desyre
Tyll Iune that land tyll his Impyre
Quhowbeit he had thareto no rycht
Bot by his tyrranry 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
To gidther with the Caldianis
Hard tell Kyng Nynus, wes cumand
Maid proclamationis throuch the land
That ilke man efter thare degre
Sulde cum and saif thare awin cuntre
Quhowbeit thay had no vse of weir
Thay past fordwart withouttin feir
And pat thame selfis in gude order
To meit king Nynus on the border
In that tyme ȝe sall vnderstande
Thare wes no harnes in the lande
For tyll defende nor tyll Inuaid
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 hydduous cry
Thay ruschit to gidther rycht rudly
With hardy hart, and strenth of handis
Tyll thousandis deid, lay on the landis
Quhare men in battell nakit bene
Gret slauchter sone thare may be sene
Thay faucht so lang and creuellie
And with vncertane victorie
No man mycht Iuge, 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 strykkin wes in erth, but faill
And peceably of that Regioun
Did tak the hole Dominioun
Than wes he king of Caldia
Alsweill as of Asseria
As for the king of Arrabie
In his conquest maid hym supplie
¶Off this ȝit wes he nocht content
Bot to the Realme of Mede he went
Quhare Farnus king of that cuntre
Did meit hym with one gret armie
Bot king Nynus, the battell wan
Quhare slane wer mony nobyll man
And to that king wald gyf no grace
Bot planelie in one publict place
With his se win Sonnis, and his Ladie
Creuellie did thame Crucifie
Off that tryumphe he did reiose
Syne fordwart to the feilde he gose
Than conquest he Armenia
Perce, Egypt, and Pamphelia
Capadoce, Leid and Maritane
Gaspia, Phrigia▪ and Hyrcane,
All Affrica, and Asia,
Except gret Ynde, and Battria,
Quhilk he did conques efterwart
As ȝe sall heir or we depart
Now wald I or we forthee mend
That his Ydolatrye wer kend
Syne efter that withoute sudiorne
Tyll our purpose we sall returne.
FINIS.
Quhov king Nynꝰ, Inuentit the First Ydolatrie of Ymagis.
NYNVS one Ymage he gart mak.
For King Bellus, his Fatheris saik
Moist lyke his Father of figoure
Off quantite and portratoure
Off fyne Golde wes that figour maid
Ane crafty Croun apone his haid
With precious stonis in toknyng
His father Bellus wes ane Kyng
In Babilone he ane tempyll maid
Off crafty work boith heych and braid
Quharein that Ymage gloriouslie
Wes thronit vpe tryumphandlie.
¶Than Nynus gaif ane strait command
Tyll all the peple of that land
Alsweill in tyll Asseria
As in Synear, and Caldia
VnderUnder his Dominatioun
Thay suld make Adoratioun
Apone thare kneis to that figour
VnderUnder the pane of forfaltour
Thare wes no Lorde in all that land
His summonding that durst ganestand
Than ȝoung, and auld, boith gret and small
Tyll that Ymage thay prayit all
And cheangit his name as I heir tell
Frome Bellus to thare gret God Bell
In that tempyll he did deuyse
Preistis for tyll mak sacrifyse
Be conswetud than come one law
None vther God that thay wald knaw
And als he gaif to that Ymage
Off Sanctuarie the Priuilage
For quhat sum euer transgressour
One homicede or oppressour
Seand that Ymage in the face
Off thare gylt gat the kyngis grace.
¶Declare to me sweit schir (said I)Cour.
Wes thare no more Ydolatry
Efter that this fals Idole Bell
Wes thronit vp as ȝe me tell
¶ My Sonne (said he) incontinent
The nowellis throuch the warld thay wentExpe.
Quhow king Nynus, as I haif said
One curious Image he had maid
To the quhilk all his natioun
Maid deuote adoratioun
Than euerye cuntre tuke consait
Thay wald king Nynus contrafait
Quhen ony famous man wes deid
Sett vp one Image in his steid
Quhilk thay did honour frome the splene
As it Immortall God had bene
Imagis sum maid for the nonis
Off fyne gold, sum of stokis and stonis
Off syluer sum, and Euyr bone
With diuers namis tyll eueryone
For sum thay callit Saturnus
Sum Iupiter, 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 Apollo
Off 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 vpe in one oratour
The quhilk thay callit thare goddes
As Venus, Iuno, and Palles
Sum Cleo, sum Proserpina
Sum Ceres, Vesta, and Diana
And sum the gret goddes Mynarue
With curious collouris thay wald carue
Amang the Poetis, thow may see
Off fals godꝭ the genologee
¶So thir abhominationis
Did spred ouerthort all nationis
Except gude Habraham, as we reid
Quhilk honourit God, in …
For Habraham had his beginny…
In to the tyme of Nynus king
Nynus began with tyrranrie
And Habraham with humy…itie
Nynus began the first Impyre
Habraham of weir, had no d…syre
Nynus began Idolatrye
Habraham, in spreit and veritye
He prayit to the Lorde allone
Fals Imagry he wald hauehave none
Off 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 thing
Dede Ymagis, thay held at nocht
That wer with mennis handis wrocht
Bot the almychtie God of lyue
My sonne now haif I done discryue
Thir questionis at thy command
The quhilkis thow did at me demand
¶Quhat wes the cause (schir mak me sure)Cour.
Ydolatrye did so lang indure
Outthrouch the warld so generalie
And with the Gentilis specialie
(Quod he) sum causis principall
I fynd in my memoriall
First wes throuch princis commandiment
Quhilk did ydolatrye inuent
With thare gret deuilische god Dagone
With vtheris Idolis mony one
Bot I abhore the treuth to tell
Off the Princis of Israell
Chosin be God Omnipotent
Quhow thay brak his commandiment
iii. Reg. xi.Kyng Salomone, as the scripture sayis
He doitit in his latter dayis
His wantoun wyffis, to compleis
He curit nocht God, tyll displeis
And did committ Idolatrye
Wyrschipyng caruit Ymagerye
As Moloch, god of Ammonitis
And Chamos, god of Moabitis
Astaroth, god of Sydoniains
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 Ydolatrye
As in the scrpture thow may see.
FINIS.
¶ Off Imageis vsit amang cristin men.
FATHER ȝit ane thyng I wald speirCour.
Behald in eueryevery kirk and queir
Throuch Christindome in burgh and land
Imageis maid with mennis hand
To quhome bene gyffin diuers names
Sum Peter, and Paull, sum Ihone, & Iames,
Sanct Peter caruit with his keyis
Sanct Mychaell with his wyngꝭ and weyis
Sanct Katherine, with hir swerd and quheill
Ane hynde sett vp besyde sanct Geill
It war to lang for tyll discryue
Sanct Frances with his woundis fyue
Sanct Tredwall, als thare may be sene
Quhilk on ane prik heth boyth hir eine
Sanct Paull weill payntit with ane sworde
As he wald feycht, at the first worde
Sanct Apollin on altare standis
With all hir tethe in tyll hir handis
Sanct Rochoe weill seisit men may se
Ane byill new brokin on his thye
Sanct Eloy 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 vpone ane hors rydand
Sanct Anthone sett vp with ane soow
Sanct Bryde, weill caruit with ane koow
With coistlye colouris fyne and fair
Ane thousand mo I mycht declair
As sanct Cosma and Damiane
The Sowtars sanct Crispaniane
All thir on altare staitly standis
Preistis cryand for thare offrandis
To quhome we Communnis 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 offrand, and with orisoun
To thame aye babland on our beidis
That thay wald help ws in our neidis
Quhat differꝭ this, declare to me
Frome the Gentilis Idolatrye
Expe.¶Gyff that be trew that thow reportis
Itt goith rycht neir thir samyn sortis
Bot we be counsall of Clargye
Hes lycence to mak Imagerye
Quhilk of vnleirnit bene the buikis
For quhen lauid folk vpone thame luikis
Itt bryngith to rememberance
Off Sanctis lyuis 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 Saluatioun
Or quhen thow seis ane portrature
Off blyssit Marie Virgen pure
One bony Babe vpone hir kne
Than in thy mynde remember the
The wordis quhilks the Propheit said
Quhow sche suld be boith Mother and Maid
¶Bot quho that sittis doun on thare kneis
Prayand tyll ony Imagereis
With oritioun or offerand
Kneland with cap in to thare hand
No difference bene, I say to the
Frome the Gentilis Idolatrye
¶Rycht so of diuers nationis
I reid abominationis
Quhow Grekis maid thare deuotioun haill
To Mars, to saif thame in battaill
Tyll Iupiter, sum tuke thare vayage
To saif thame frome the stormys rage
Sum prayit to Venus, frome the splene
That thay thare luffis mycht obtene
And sum to Iuno, for ryches
Thare pylgramage thay wald addres
¶So doith our commoun populare
Quhilk war to lang for tyll declare
Thare superstitious pylgramageis
To mony diuers Imageis
Sum to sanct Rochee with deligence
To saif thame frome the pestilence
Forthare teith, to sanct Apollene
To sanct Tredwell, to mend thare eine
Sum makis offrande to sanct Eloye
That he thare hors may weill conuoye
Thay ryn, quhen thay haif Iowellis tynte
To seik sanct Syith, or euer thay stynte
And to 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 nouellis as I heir tell
Sum takis thare gait to Gabriell
Sum wyffis sanct Margret doith exhort
In to thare byrth thame to support
To sanct Anthony to saif the soow
To sanct Bryde to keip calf, and koow
To sanct Bastien, thay ryn and ryde
That frome the schote he saif thare syde
And sum in hope to gett thare haill
Rynnis to the auld Rude of Kerraill
Quhowbeit thir simpyll peple rude
Think thare intentioun be bot gude
Wo be to Preistꝭ, I say for me
Quhilk suld schaw thame the verratie
Prelatis quhilkis hes of thame the cure
Sall mak answeir thareof be sure
On the gret day of Iugement
Quhen no tyme beis for to repent
Quhare manyfest Idolatrye
Sall puneist be perpetuallye.
❧ Heir followis … Exclamatioun aganis Idolatrie,
IMPRVDENT Peple, Ignorant and blynd
By quhat reasone, law, or authoritie
Or quhat attentyck scripture can ȝe fynd
Leifsum for tyll commyt Idolatrie
Quhilk bene to bow ȝour body or ȝour kne
With deuote humyll adoratioun
Tyll ony Ydoll maid of stone or tre
Geueand thame offerand or oblatioun
Quhy did ȝe gyf the honour laude and glore
Pertenyng God (quhilk maid all thyng of nocht
Quhilk wes, and is, and salbe euirmore)
Tyll Ymagis by mennis handis wrocht
O fulysche folke, quhy haif ȝe succour socht
Off thame quhilk can nocht help ȝow in distres
Ȝit reasonably reuolfe in to ȝour thocht
In stok, nor stone can be non 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 verrayeExodi. xxxii.
Bot quhen Moyses discendit I heir saye
And did consydder thare Ydolatrye
Off that peple, thre thousand gart he slaye
As the scripture at lenth doith testifye.
Daniell .xiiii.¶ Because the holye propheit Daniell.
In Babilone Ydolatrie, repreuit
And wald nocht worschip thare fals Idoll Bell
The hole peple at hym wer so aggreuit
To that effect, that he suld be myscheuit
Delyuerit hym tyll rampand Lyonis sewin
Bot of that dangerous den, he wes releuit
Throuch myrakle of, the gret God of hewin
¶ Behald quhow Nabuchodonosor king
Dan. iii.In to the vaill of Duran, did prepare
One Image of fyne Gold, one meruallous thing
Thre score of cubyts, heycht and saxin square
As more cleirlye thescripture 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 yre
Tuke Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago,
Quhilks wald nocht bow thare kne at his desyre
Tyll that Idoll, gart kast thame in the fyre
For to be brynt, or he sterit of that steid
Quhen he beleuit, thay wer brynt bone and lyre
Wes nocht consumit, one small hair of thair heid
¶ The Angell of the Lord wes wt thame sene.
In that hait furneis passing vpe and doun
In tyll ane rosye Garth, as thay had bene
None spott of fyre, distenyng cote, nor goun
Off victorie, thay did obtene the croun
And wer to thame, that maid adoratioun
To that Ydoll, or bowit thare body doun
One wytnessing of thare dampnatioun
Quhat wes the cause, at me? thow may demande
That Salomone. vsit none Ymagrye
In his tryumphand Tempyll for tyll stande
Off Abraham, Ysac, Iacobe, nor Iesse
Nor of Moyses, thare sauegarde throuch the see
Nor Iosue, thare valȝeant Campioun
Because God did command the contrarye
That thay sulde vse sic superstitioun
¶Behald quhow the gret God Omnipotent
To preserue Israell, frome IdolatryeExodi. xxDeut. v.
Derectit thame one strait commandiment
Thay suld nocht mak, none caruit ymagrye
Nother of gold, of syluer, stone, nor tre
Nor gyf worschip tyll ony simlytude
Beand in hewin, in erth, nor in the see
Bot onelye tyll his souerane celsitude
¶The Propheit Dauid, planely did repreueBaru. vi.
Ydolatrye to thare confutioun
In grauit stok, or stone, that did beleue
Declaryng thame thare gret abutioun
Spekand 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 Deuyllis seand the euyll conditioun
Off the Gentylis, and thare vnfaithfulnes
For tyll agment, thare superstitioun
In those Ydolis, thay maid thare entres
And in thame spak, as storyis doith expres
Than men beleuit of thame to gett releif
Askand thame help, in all thare besynes
Bot finallye that turnit to thare myscheif
¶ Traist weill in thame, is none Diuinitie
Quhen reik, & rowst, thare fair colour doith faid
Thocht thay hauehave feit, one fute thay can not flee
Quhowbeit the tempyll byrn aboue thair haid
In thame is nother freindschip nor remaid
In sic fyguris, quhat fauour can ȝe fynd
With mouth and eris, & eine thocht thay be maid
All men may se. thay ar dum, deif, and blynd
Quhowbeit thay fal doun flatlyngis on the flure
Thay haif none strenth thare self to rais agane
Thocht Rattonis ouir yame ryn thay tak no cure
Quhowbeit yai breik yare neck, thay feil no pane
Quhy sulde men psalmes to thame sing or sane
Sen growand treis, that ȝeirly berith frute
Ar more to pryse, I mak it to the plane
Nor cuttit stockis, wanting boith crope and rute
☞ Off Edinburgh, the gret Idolatrye.
And manifest abominatioun
On thare feist day, all creature may se
Thay beir ane auld stock Image throuch ye toun
With talbrone, troumpet, schalme, and Clarioun
Quhilk hes bene vsit mony one ȝeir bigone
With preistis, and freris, in to processioun
Siclyke as Bell wes borne throuch Babilone.
¶Aschame ȝe nocht, ȝe seculare prestis and freris
Tyll so gret superstitioun to consent
Ydolateris ȝe hauehave bene mony ȝeris
Expresse agane the Lordis commandiment
Quharefor brether, I counsall ȝow repent
Gyff no honour, to caruit stock, nor stone
Geue laude and glore, to God Omnipotent
Allanerlie, as wyselie wryttis Ihone.
¶ Fy on ȝow Freris, that vsis for to preche.
And dois assist to sic Idolatrye
Quhy do ȝe nocht, the Ignorant peple teche
Quhow ane dede Image, caruit of one tre
As it wer holy, suld nocht honourit be
Nor borne on Burges backis vp and doun
Bot ȝe schaw planely ȝour Ipocrasie
Quhen ȝe passe formest in processioun
¶Fy on ȝow fostraris of Idolatrye
That tyll ane dede stock dois sic reuerence
In presens of the peple, publykelie
Feir ȝe nocht God, to commit sic offence
I counsall ȝow do ȝit ȝour diligence
To gar suppresse, sic gret abusioun
Do ȝe nocht so, I dreid ȝour recompence
Salbe nocht ellis, bot clene confusioun
Had sanct Frances, bene borne out throuch ye toun
Or sanct Domnick, thocht ȝe had nocht refusit
With thame tyll haif past in processioun
In tyll that cais, sum wald haif ȝow excusit
Now men may see, quhow that ȝe hauehave abusit
That nobyll town, throuch ȝour Ipocrasye
Those peple trowis, that thay may rycht weil vsit
Quhen ȝe pas with thame in to cumpanye.
¶Sum of ȝow hes bene quyet counsallouris.
Prouocand princis, to sched saikles blude
Quhilk neuir did ȝour prudent predecessouris
Bot ȝe lyke furious Phariceis denude
Off charitie, quhilk rent Christ on the rude
For Christis floke, without malyce or yre
Conuertit fragyll faltouris I conclude
Be Goddis worde, withouttin sweird or fyre
Reid ȝe nocht quhow, yt Christ hes gyffin cōmand
Math. xviii.Gyff thy brother doith oucht the tyll offend
Than secretlye correct hym hand for hand
In freindly maner, or thow forther wend
Gyff he wyll nocht heir the, than makit 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 ȝit 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 vnmerciable
Bot hym ressaue agane rycht tenderlye
¶Bot our dum Doctoris, of Diuinitie
And ȝe of the last fonde religioun
Off pure Transgressouris, ȝe hauehave no petie
Bot cryis to put thame to confusioun
As cryit the Iowis, for the effusioun
Off Christis blude in to thare byrnand yre
Crucifige, so ȝe with one vnioun
Cryis, fy, gar cast that faltour in the fyre
Vnmercifull memberis, of the AntichristRoma. xvi.
Extolland ȝour humane traditione
Contrar the Institutione of ChristEphe. v.
Effeir ȝe nocht, Diuine punytione
Thocht sum of ȝow be gude of conditione
Reddy for to ressaue new recent wyne
I speik to ȝow, auld bosis, of perditione
Returne in tyme, or ȝe ryn to rewyne.
.iii. Reg. xviii.¶As ran the peruerst Prophetis of Baall.
Quhilkis did consent, to the Idolatrye
Off wickit Achab king of Israell
Quhose nommer wer, four hundreth and fyftie
Quhilkis honourit that Idoll opinlye
Bot quhen Elias, did preue thare abusioun
He gart the peple sla thame creuellye
So at one hour, came thare confusioun.
☞I pray ȝow prent in ȝour remembrance.
Quhow the reid Freris, for thare Idolatrye
In Scotland, Ingland, Spane, Italy, & France
Vpone one day, wer puneissit pietuouslye
Behald quhow ȝour awin brether now laitlye
In Duchelād, Inglād, Dēmark, and Norowaye
Ar trampit doun, with thare Ipocrasye
And as the snaw, ar meltit clene awaye
I maruell yat our Byschoppis thynkꝭ no schame
To gyf ȝow freris sic preheminens
Tyll vse 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 self, boith in to buigh and land,
¶ I traist to se gude reformatione
Frome tyme we gett ane faihfull 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 planely doith maling
Tyll that kyng cum, we mon tak paciens.
Now fairweill freindis, because I can nocht flyte
Quhowbeit I culde, ȝe mon hald me excusit
Thocht I agane Ydolatrye Indyte
Or thame dispyte that wyl nocht ȝit refusit
I praye to God, that it be no more vsit
Amang the rewlaris of this Regioun
That commoun peple, be no more abusit
Bot gyf hym glore, that bair the creuell croun
Quhilk techeit ws, be his deuine 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 euerilk day
Most proffitabyll, for boith body and saull
The quhilk is nocht derectit I heir say
To Ihone, nor Iames, to Peter nor to Paull.
¶Nor none vther of the Apostlis twelf.
Nor to no Sanct, nor Angell in the Hewin
Bot onelyonly tyll our Father God hym self
Quhilk orisione, it doith contene full ewin
Most proffitabyll, for ws petetionis sewin
Quhilk we lawid folk, the Pater Noster call
Thocht we say Psalmis, nyne ten or alewin
Off all prayer, this bene the principall
Be reasoun of the makkar, quhilk it maid
Quhilk wes the Sonne of God, our Saluiour
Be reasoun als, to quhome it suld be said
Tyll the Father of hewin, our Creatour
Quhilk dwellis nocht, in tempyll nor in tour
He cleirlye seis our thocht, wyll, and intent,
Quhat nedith ws, at vtheris seik succour
Quhen in all place, his power bene present
¶Ȝe princis of the preistis that suld preche
Quhy suffer ȝe so gret abutionn
Quhy do ȝe nocht the sempyll peple teche
Quhow, and to quhome, to dresse thare orisoun
Quhy thole ȝe thame, to ryn frome toun to toun
In Pylgramage, tyll ony Ymagreis
Hopand to gett thare sum Saluatioun
Prayand to thame, deuotlye on thare kneis.
☞This wes the prettike of sum pylgramage,
Quhen fillokis in to Fyfe, began to fon
With Ioke, & Thom, thā tuke thay yare vayage
In Angusse, tyll the feild Chapell of Dron
Than Kyttoke thare als cadye as ane Con
Without regarde, other to Syn or schame
Gaiff Lowre leif, at layser to loupe on
Far better had bene, tyll haif biddin at hame.
¶ I hauehave sene pass, one meruellous multytude.
Ȝong men and wemen flyngand on thare feit
VnderUnder 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 ȝe this abominatioun
¶ Off Fornicatioun and Idolatrye
Apperandlye ȝe tak bot lytill cure
Seand the maruellous Infelicitye
Quhilk heth so lang done in this land indure
In ȝour defalt, quhilk heth the charge and cure
This bene of treuth, my Lordis wt ȝour leue
Sic pylgramage heth maid mony one hure
Quhilk gyf I plesit, planelye I mycht preue.
¶Quhy mak ȝe nocht, the scripture manifest.
To pure peple, twyching Idolatrye
In ȝour precheing, quhy haif ȝe nocht exprest
Quhow mony kyngꝭ of Israell creuellye
Wer puneissit be God so rigorouslye
As Ieroboam, and mony mo but doute
For wyrschippyng, of caruit Imagerye
War frome thare realmes rudlye rutit outeiii. Reg. xiii.
¶Quhy thole ȝe onder ȝour Dominioun.
Ane craftye preist, or fenȝeit fals armeit
Abufe the peple of this Regioun
OnelyOnly for thare perticular profeit
And speciallye that Heremeit of Lawreit
He pat the comoun peple in beleue
That blynd gat seycht, and crukit gat thare feit
The quhilk that palȝard no way can appreue.
Ȝe maryit men, that hes trym wantoun wyffis,
And lusty dochteris, of ȝoung tender aige
Quhose honestie, ȝe suld lufe as ȝour lyffis
Permyt thame nocht, to passe in pylgramage
To seik support, at ony stok Image
For I hauehave wyttin, gud wemen passe fra hame
Quhilk hes bene trappit, with sic lustis rage
Hes done returne, boith wt gret syn and schame
¶Gett vpe thow slepist all to lang, O Lorde
And mak one haistie reformatioun
On thame quhilk doith tramp doun yi gratious worde
And hes ane deidly Indignatioun
Att thame quhilk makith trew narratioun
Off thy Gospell, schawing the verytie
O Lord I mak the supplicatioun
Supporte our Faith, our Hope, and Charytie.
FINIS.
Heir follouis quhov Kyng Nynus Beildit the gret Citie of Nyniue, And quhow he Vincuste ȝoroastes, the Kyng off Bactria.
THIS Nynus of Asseria king
Quhē he had maid his ꝯquessīg
To beild one Citie he hym drest
Chosīg ye place quhare he thocht best
Quhare he had first dominioun
In Asseria his awin regioun
Thocht Assur as ye scriptur saysGene. x.
Quhilk come affore king Nynus dayis
And foundit that famous Citie
The quhilk was callit Nyniue
Bot as rehersis Diodore
Nynus that Citie did decore
So maruellous tryumphantlye
As ȝe sall heir Immedeatlye
Vpone the flude of Euphrates
Quhilk to behauld gret wounder wes
One hundreth and fyftye stagys
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
Thre cartis mycht sydlingꝭ on thame pas
Four hundreth stageis and four score
In circuit but myn or more
Off towris aboute those wallis I wene
Ane thousand, and fyue hundreth bene
Off heycht two hundreth fute and more
As wryttis famous Diodore
The scripture makis mentioun
Iona. iii.¶ Qhen God send Ionas to that toun
To schaw thame of his puneisment
Outthrouch the Citie quhen he went
Thre dayis Iornay, tyll hym it wes
The Bybill sayis it wes no les
Expe.My Sonne, now haif I schawin to the
Off the beildyng of Nyniue
For the agmentyng of his fame
Nynus gart call it efter his name
☞Quhen he that gret Citie had endit
To conques more ȝit he intendit
And did depart frome Nyniue
And rasit vp one gret arme
Off the most stalwarte men and stoute
Off all his Regionis rounde aboute
In gret ordour tuke thare Iorna
Towarte the realme of Bactria
Off wycht fute men, I vnderstande
He had sewintene hundreth thousande
Withoute hors men and weirlyke cairtis
Quhome he ordourit in sindry partis
Quhilk tyll discryue I am notht abyll
Quhose nummer bene so vntrowabyll.
¶ Zoroastes, that nobyll kyng.
Quhilk Bactria, had in gouernyng
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 vailȝantlie, 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 rest that chapit wer vnslane
To Nynus gret oiste, fled agane
¶Off that king Nynus wes so noyit
He restit neuir tyll he distroyit
All hoill that Regioun vpe and doun
And frome the King, did reif the croun
And maid the realme of Bactria
Subiectit tyll Asseria
And in that samyn land I wys
He tuk to wyfe Semeramis
Quha (as myne Author dois discryue
Was than the lustiest on lyue
That beand done without sudgeorne
Tyll Nyniue he did returne
With gret tryumphe of victorie
As myne Authore dois specifie
Boith Occident, and Orient
War all tyll hym obedient
It wald abhore the tyll heir red
The saikles blude that he did sched
Quhen he had roung, as thow may heir
The space of thre and fourtye ȝeir
Beand in his excelland glore
The dolent deith, did hym deuore
In quhat sorte, I am nocht certane
Sum Author sayis that he wes slane
And left tyll bruke his Heretage
One lytill Babe of tender aige
Ȝoung 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.
FINIS
Heir followis sum of the vvounderfull dedis of the lustie quene Semeramis
NYNVS luffit so Ardentlye
Semeramis, 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
Fyue dayis to gouerne his Impyre
And he of his beneuolence
Did grant hir that preheminence
With Sceptour, Crown, and Robroyall
And hole power Imperiall
Tyll fyue dayis wer cum 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 seruyce 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 delyuering
Quhow euir 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 Concreoure
Quhose Conquessing, for to conclude
Wes nocht bot gret schedding of blude
Now hauehave ȝe hard of Nynus king
Quhow he began, and his ending
Quhowbeid myne Author Diodore
Off hym haith wryttin mekle more
Princis for wrangus conquessing
Doith mak oft tymes ane euyll ending
Thocht he had lang prosperitie
He endit with miseretie.
FINIS.
❧Off kyng Nynus Sepulture.
THE Quene a sepultur sche maid
Quhar sche kīg Nynꝰ body laid
Off curiꝰ crafty wark & wycht
The quhilk had stagis ix. of hyt
& 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, als and one stage of hycht
Except the Towre of Babilone
So heych one wark, I reid of none
¶Semiramis, this lustye Quene
Consyddring quhat dainger bene
To haif on King of tender aige
Quhilk mycht nocht vse no vassalage
Scho tuke one curagious consait
Thinkand that scho wald mak debait
Geue 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 valȝeantlye 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 Citie, the Fundiment
To quhome God maid Impediment
Quhare Nemrod left, thare scho began
And pat to wark mony one man
Off all the Realmes round aboute
Off most Ingyne, scho socht thame oute
Scho had wyrkand with tre and stonis
Twell hundreth thousand men at onis
Go reid the buke of Diodore
And thow sall fynd the nummer more
On euerilk syde of Euphrates
That nobyll Citie beildit wes
And so that ryuer of renown
Ran throuch the mydpart of the town
Ouerthort that flude scho bryggis maid
Off maruellous strenth, boith lang and braid
Thay wer fyue stagis large of lenth
On euerilk bryg, scho maid ane strenth
The circuit as I said affore
Foure hundreth stagis, and four score
The wallis hycht quho wald discryue
Thre hundreth fute thre score and fyue
Sax Cairtis mycht pas rycht easalie
Abufe the wallis of that Citie
Sydlingis withoute Impediment
Consydder be ȝour Iugement
Geue those wallis wer hie or nocht
And also curiouslye wer wrocht
As Diodore hes done defyne
Quhilk doith transcend my rude Ingyne
Off Babilone the magnificens
To quhome ȝe wald gyf no credens
Geue I at lenth, wald put in wryte
Quhilk Diodore, hes done indyte
Compare of Cities fynd I none
Tyll Nyniue, and Babilone
Frome Nyniue, in Asseria
Tyll Babilone in Caldia
By Bryggis plesandlye ȝe may pas
Vpone 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 proude Quene Pantasilia
The Princes of Amasona
With hir Ladyis tryumphandlye
Att Troye, quhilk faucht so wailȝeantlye
Nor ȝit the fair Madin of France
Danter of Inglis Ordinance
To Semeramis in hir dayis
Wer no compare as bukis sayis
Except tryumphand Iulyus
Strong Hanniball, or Pompeyus
Or Allexander the Concreoure
I fynd no gretter Werioure
¶Wald I rehers as wryttis Clerkis
Hir wounderfull and vailȝeand werkis
It wer to me one gret laubour
And tiddious to the Auditour
Quhat scho did in Ethopia
And in the lande of Medea
Beildand Cities, Castellis, and Towris
Parkis, and Gardyngꝭ, of plesouris
For the exaltyng of hir name
And Immortall to mak hir fane
Off Iarcieus, the heych Montanis
Scho gart ryue down, and mak thame planis
Gret Orontes, that Montane wycht
Twenty and fyue 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 hauehave bene one A. perse
Quhen scho had ordorit hir Impyre
Off Venus wark, scho tuke desyre
One secreit Mansioun scho gart mak
Quhare scho maist plesandlye mycht tak
Ȝoung Gentyll men, for hir plesour
The quhilk scho vsit abufe mesour
One man allone, mycht nocht be abyll
To stanche hir luste insaciabyll
Quhen scho wes satifyit of one
Scho gart ane vther cum anone
The Lustiest of all the land
Come quyetlye at hir command
Quhen thay at lenth had lyin hir by
Scho slew thame all rycht creuelly
Quhen hir Sone come tyll aige perfyte
Off 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 in to Mariage
And held hym vnderunder tutorye
To vphald hir auctoritye.
✚FINIS.*
❧Quhov the Quene Semeramis, with one gret Armie, Past to Yade, And Faucht with the Kyng Stawrobates, And of hir Miserrabyll end.
QVHEN Scho had lang tyme leuit in rest
To cōques more scho hir addrest
Because of diuers scho hard tell
Quhow that the Ynde Orientell,Expe.
Preceld in gret commoditeis
As Bestiall. Cornis, and fructfull treis
Alkynde of Spyce, delicious
Golde, Syluer, stonis, precious
And quhow that plentuous land did beir
Corne, Frute, and Wyne, twyse in the ȝeir
With Oliphantis Innumerabyll
In Battell wounder tetrabyll
Scho herand this, and mekle more
Beleuand tyll agment hir glore
Gart mak strait Proclamationis
In all, and syndrie Nationis
Schawand quhow it wes hir desyre
All Princis vnderunder hir Impyre
In Egypt, and Arrabia
In Perce, in Mede, and Caldia
In Grece, in Caspia, and Hyrcane
In Capadoce, Leid, and Maritane
In Armanie and Phrigia
In Pamphilie, and Asseria
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 Bactriay
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 myned
Than be thare selfꝭ, 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 neuer sene
In Battell ray so mony one Man
Att onis, sen God the warld began
Bot Spanȝe, France, Scotland, Ingland,
Ducheland, Denmark, nor ȝit Yrland,
War nocht Inhabit in those dayis
Nor lang efter, myne Author sayis
¶ Ethesias, he dois specifie
The noumber of this gret Armie
Sayand thare come at hir command
Fute men, threttye hundreth thousand
Off hors men montit galȝeardlye
Fyue hundreth thousand veralye
One hundreth thousand Camelis wycht
On euerilk Cameill, raid ane knycht
Preparit tyll passe in to all partis
Thare wes ane hundreth thousand Cairtis
Twoo thousand boittis with hir scho careis
On Hors, Camelis, and Dromodareis
Bryggis for to mak, scho did conclude
Ouerthort Yndus, that furious flude
Quhilk bene of Ynde, the vtmoist bordoure
On the quhilk flude, with rycht gude ordoure
Off hir Bairgis. sche bryggis maid
Quhareon hir gret Oiste, saifly raid
¶ Father I wald men vnderstude
Quhow sic ane maruellous multytudeCour.
Mycht be attonis, brocht to the feild
Reddy to feycht, with speir and scheild
Sum men wyll Iuge, this be ane fabyll
The mater bene so vntrouabyll
¶Itt may weill be my Sonne (said he)
As be exempyll we may seExpe.
Quhow Dauid king of Israell
His peple gart nummer and tell
Be Ioab, his cheif Capitane
As holy Scripture schawis plane
Off feychtand men, in to that land
He fand threttyne hundreth thousand
Sen Dauid in that small countre
Mycht hauehave rasit sic ane Armie
To this Lady, it wes no wounder
The quhilk had greter Realmes ane hunder
Nor Dauidis lytill Regioun
Thocht scho had mony A Legioun
Off men, mo nor I tauld affore.
Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray
Apnoe Camelis, 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 neuir sene
Gyff naturall beistis thay had bene
The Kyng hym self wes rycht afferit
Tyll he the veritie had sperit
And knew be his exploratouris
Thay wer bot fenȝeit fals figouris
¶ Than manfullye lyke men of weir
Fordwart thay came withouttin feir
Rycht so Semeramis the Quene
Quhilk for one man wes aye fyftene
Thir two Armeis full creuellye
Thay ruscheit to gydder so rudlie
With hyddous cry and trumpettis sound
Tyll thousandis dede laye on the ground
Semeramis had sic one nummeir
Tyll order thame it wes gret cummeir
Than the gret Elephantis of ynde
Rycht strang and hardy of thare kynde
Ford wart thay came and wald nocht ceis
Tyll throcht the myddis of the preis
Off the gret oist, thay rudlye ruscheit
That men and horsse, tyll erth, trabuscheit
Those fenȝeit beistis withouttin spreit
Wer fruschit and fulȝeit vnderunder feit
The king of Ynde with curage kene
Mett with Semeramis 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 neuir in sic affraye
To stryke at hym, scho tuke no feir
So weill sche vsit wes in weir
His strakis scho had bot lytill comptit
Wer nocht the king wes so weill montit
Athir at vther straik so faste
Tyll thay wer tyrit at the laste
¶The king he thocht hym self 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 vpone the quene
And throuch the arme gaif hir ane wound
Quhilk tyll hir hart gaif sic one stound
That sche constranit wes to fle
Than all the rest of hir Armie
Quhen thay persauit that scho wes gone
Tyll yndus flude, thay fled ilk one
The Quene ouerthort the flude sche raid
On bryggis quhilkis 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 prace
Off fleand folkis, quhilk wes gret wounder
So that the Bargis krake in schonder
Sum sank, sum doun the reuar ran
Than drownit thare mony one nobyll man
Quhilk wer gret piete tyll deplore
As wryttis famous Diodore.
¶And fynallie for to conclude
Wes neuer 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
Off this ambitious wyckit Quene
Sick one wes neuir hard nor sene
¶Staurobates the king of Ynde
Gretlye Reioysit in his mynde
Off this tryumphe and victorye
Semeramis with hart full sorye
Seand sa mony tane and slane
Tyll hir countre, 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
Consyddrand his subiectioun
His lybertie he did desyre
That he mychte gouerne his Impyre
Seand his Mother vitious
And with that so ambitious
As myne Author doith speci…ye
He slew his Mother creuellye
Quhat vther cause, or Intentioun
I fynd no speciall Mentioun
Sum sayis, to be at Lybertie
Sum sayis, for hir Adultrie
None vther cause, I can defyne
Except punissioun deuyne.
¶ Off this fair Lady coragious
Behald the endyng dolorous
Quhilk wes bot twenty ȝeir of aige
Quhen scho began hir vassalage
And rang tryumphandlye but weir
The space of two and fourtye ȝeir
Quhen scho wes slane, scho was thre score
With ȝeris two, scho wes no more
As Diodore wryttis in his buke
His Cronikle, quho lyste to luke.
¶Off this Lady I mak ane end
Thynkand no way, I can commend
Wemen for tyll be to manlye
Nor men for tyll be womanlye
For quhy, It bene the Lordis mynde
All Creature tyll vse thare kynde
Men for tyll hauehave preheminens
And wemen vnderunder obediens
Thocht all wemen inclynit be
Tyll haif the Soueranite
As this Lady, quhilk wald nocht rest
Tyll scho hir Husband had subprest
Tyll that intent that scho mycht ryng
Allone to haif the gouernyng
¶Ladyis no way I can commend
Presumptuouslye quhilk doith pretend
Tyll vse the office of ane kyng
Or Realmes tak in gouernyng
Quhowbeit thay wailȝeant be and wycht
Goyng in Battell lyke one knycht
As did proude Pantasilia
The Princes of Amasona
In mennis habyte aganis reassoun
Siclyke I think dirisioun
One prince to be effaminate
Of knychtlye corage desolate
Neglectand his auctoritie
Throuch beistlye sensualitie
Accompanyit boith day and nychtis
With wemen more than wailȝeant knychtis
Sic kyngis, I discommend at all
Exempyll of Sardanapall.
Cour.¶Father (said I) schaw me quhow lang
The successioun of Nynus rang
Expe.That sall I do with diligens
My Sonne (said he) or I go hens
Sen I haif schawin at thy disyre
Quhat man began the first Impyre
Now wald I it wer to the kend
Off that Impyre the fatell end.
FINIS
Quhov king Sardanapalus, for his vitious life maid ane mise…abili end.
BETVIX this Conquerour Nynus
And sensuall Sardanapalus
I can nocht fynd no speciall storye
Worthy to put in memorye
Except quhilk I haif done discryfe
Off Semerame king Nynus wyfe
Bot I can fynd no gude at all
To wrytt of kyng Sardanapall
Quhilk wes the saxt and threttye kyng
Be lyne frome Nynus discendyng
At lenth his lyfe for to declare
I thynk it is nocht necessare
Because that mony cunnyng clerkis
Hes hym discryuit in thare werkis
Quhow he wes last of Asserians
Quhilk had the hole preemynans
That tyme of the first Monarche
In Cronicles, as thow may se
The last, and the mo… vitious kyng
Quhilk in that Monarche did ryng
That Prince wes so effeminate
With sensuall luste intoxicate
He did abhor the cumpanye
Off his most nobyll chewalrye
That he mycht hauehave the more delyte
Tyll vse his beistlye appetyte
Conuersit with wemen nycht and daye
And clothit hym, in thare arraye
So that na man that hym had sene
Could Iuge ane man, that he had bene
So in huredome and harlatrye
Did keip hym self so quyetlye
The Princis of Asserience
Off hym thay could gett no presence
Thus leuit he contynualye
Agane nature Inordinatlye
¶Quhen to the Peirsis 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 Arbates, ane Duke of Mede
He Darflye tuke on hand that dede
¶Bot first he come to Nyniue
To see the kyngis Maiestie
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 on sene with ony wycht
Bot he saw nother King nor Knycht
In tyll his maisteris cumpanye
Except wemen allanerlye
And as ane woman he wes cled
With wemen counsalit and led
And schamefullye he wes syttand
With Spindle, and with Rock, spinnand
Quhen Arbates that sycht had sene
His corage rasit frome the splene
And thocht it small difycultie
For tyll depryue his Maiestie
¶Than rasit he the Persianis
With Medis and Babilonianis
Inarmit weill with speir and scheildis
Tryumphantlye thay tuke the feildis
¶The king rasit Asserianis
To gidther with the Caldianis
And thame resystit as he mycht
Bot fynallie he tuke the flycht
To saif hym self in Nyniue
Than segit thay that gret Citie
Contynuallie two ȝeir and more
As wryttis famous Diodore
Tyll that the flude of Euphrates
Arrose with sic one furiousnes
Quhare throuch ane gret part of the toun
By violence wes 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 Iewellis all
With Sceptur, Croun, and Robe Royall,
With all his tender seruituris
That of his Corps, had gretest curis
To gydder with his lustye Quenis
And all his wantoun Concubenis
And in that fyre, he did thame cast
Syne lape 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 vngodly thing
As ȝe maye se be his dyting.
FINIS.
Epitaphium Sardanapali
☞ CVM te mortalem noris, presentibus exple.
Dilitijs animum, post mortem nulla voluptas,
Et venere, & caenis, & plumis SARDANAPALI.
☞ Now haif I schawin with deligence
The Monarche. of Asserience
The quhilk at Kyng Nynus began
And endit at this myscheant Man
And did Indure withouttin weir,
Ane thowsand twa hundreth and fourty ȝeir,
As dois Indyte, Ewsubius,
Reid hym, and thow sall fynd It thus.
FINIS.
Heir endis the secund Part.