The complaynte and testament of a popiniay which lyeth sore wounded and maye not dye, tyll euery man hathe herd what he sayth: wherfore gentyll readers haste you yt he were oute of his payne.

¶The complaynte and testament of a Popiniay

Which lyeth sore wounded and maye not dye, tyll euery man hathe herd what he sayth:

Wherfore gentyll readers haste you yt he were oute of his payne.

❧

Incipit prologus. _ •• ppose I had ingyne angelicall • ith sapience super salomonicall • not what mater put in memory The poetis olde in stile heroycall In breue subtile termes rethoricall Of euerylk mater tragedie and story So ornatly to their hie laude and glory Hath done indite whose supreme sapience Transcendeth fer, the dull intelligence. Of poetis now in tyll oure vulgar toung For why the bell of retorik is roung By Chaucer Goweir and Lidgate laureate Who dare presume these poetis till impoung Whose swete sentence through Albion bene soung Or who can now the werkes contrefate Of kennedy with termis aureate Or of dumbar whylk language had at large As may be sene in till his goldin targe Quintyne / Me ••••• r / • wle / Henderson / Hay / & holland Though they bene deed her libellis bene lyuand Whilke to reherse makes reders to reioyse Alas for one whilk lampe was of this land Of eloquence the flowyng balmy strand And in our Inglysshe rethoryk the roise As of rubeis the charbuncle bene choise And as Phebus doth sinthea precell So Gawane douglase byshop of dunkell, Had when he was in to this lande on lyue Aboue vulgare poetes prerogatyue Both in practik and speculation I saye no more good reders may descryue His worthy werkes in nomber mo than fyue And specially in the true translation Of Uirgyll whilk bene consolation To cunnyng men to knowe his great ingyne As well in naturall science as diuyne And in the court bene present in this dayes That balletes breuis lustely and layes Whylkes to our prince dayly they do present Who can say more than syr Iames Inglysshe sayes In ballattes farssis and in plesand playes But Culrose has his pen made impotent Kid in cunnyng and practik ryght prudent And steward whilk desiris a stately style Full ornate werkes dayly doth compyle. Steward of lorn wyll carp ryght curiously Galbrayt kinloch when they lyst them apply In to that art ar crafty of ingyne But now of late is stert vp hastely A cunnyng clerk whilk wryteth craftely A plant of poetes callid ballantyue Whose ornate werkes my wyt can not defyne Get he in the court auctorite He wyll precell Quintyne and kenedy. So though I had ingyne as I haue none I wote not what to write be sweit saynt Iohane 〈…〉 y in all the garth of eloquence 〈◊〉 nothing lefte but barayne stok and stone The polit termes / are pullid euery one Be these fornamid poetis of prudence And seing I find none other new sentence I shall declare or I depart you fro The complant of a woundid papingo. Wherfore because my mater bene so rude Of sentence and of rethorik denude To rurale folk my dityng bene direct Fer flemit frome the sight of men of gud For cunning men I know will sone conclude It dow nothing but for to be deiect And when I here my mater bene detract Than shall I swere I made it but in mowes To vplandishe lassis whilk kepeth kye and yowes Here endis the prologue And begynnis the complant.

Who clymmis to hyghe ꝑforce his fete 〈◊〉 Expresse I shall that by experience Yf that ye please to here a pituouse tale How a faire bird by fatale violence Deuourid was and myght make no defence Contrary the deth so fayleth naturall strength As after I shall shewe you at more length A papingo ryght pleasant and perfyte Presentid was to our most noble kyng Of whom his grace long tyme had great delite More faire of forme I wote flew neuer with whing This proper bird he gaue in gouerning To me whylk was his semple seruiture On whom I did my deligence and cure To lerne her language artificiall To play plat fote and whissill fot before But of her inclination naturall She countrefeted all foulis lesse and more Of her corage she wolde with out my lore Sing like the merle / and kraw like the cocke Pew like the gled / and chant like the lauerocke. Bark like a dog / and kekill like a ka Blait like a hog / and buller like a bulle Gaile like a gock / and great when she was wa Clyme on a cord / synge laughe and play the fule She myght haue bene a menstrell agaynst youle This blisfull bird was to me so pleasand Where euer I went / I bare her on my hand.

¶The discription of her murnyng. And so befell vpon a mirthfull morowe In to my garth I past me to repose This bird and I as we were wont afforowe Among the floures fresshe fragrant & formose My vitall sprete duly did reioyse When phebus rose and raise the cloudis sable Through bryghtnes of his bemes amiable Without vapoure was well purificate The temperat ayre soft sober and serene The erth by nature so edificate With holsome herbes blewe / white / reed / and grene Whilkis eleuate my spretis frome the splene That day Saturne nor Mars did not appere Nor Eol out of his caue durst not stere. That day perforce behoued to be fayre By influence and course celestiall No planet pressid for to perturbe the ayre For Mercurius be mouing naturall Exalted was in to the trone triumphall Of his mansion vnto the fyftene gre In his owne souerayn signe of virginye That day did phebus plesantly depart From Gemini and enterid in Cancer That day cupido did extend his dart Uenus that day communed with Iupiter That day Neptunus hid him like a sker That daye dame nature with gret besines Furth ••• d flora to proue hir craftines And retrograid was Mars in Capricorne And sinthea in sagittar assesid That day dame Ceres goddes of the corne Full ioyfully Iohan vpland applesid The bad aspect of Saturne was appesid That day by Iuno of Iupiter the Ioy Perturbynge spretis caused to hold coy. The sound of birdis surmounted all the skyes With melody of notis musicall The balmy droppis of dew Tytan vp dryis Hanging vpon the tender twystis small The heuenly hewe and sound angelicall Sik perfyte plesure prentid in my hart That with great payne from thens I myght depart So still among the herbis amyable I did remayn a space for my pastance But wordly pleasure bene so variable Mixid with sorowe, drede and inconstance That founde therin is no contynuance So myght I say my short solace alas Was dryuen in dolour in a lytle space. For in that garth among the fragrant floures Walkyng alone none but my bird and I Unto the tyme that I had said my houres This birde I set apon a branche me by But she began to clymbe ryght spedely And in that tre she did so hie ascend That by no way I myght hir apprehend 〈…〉 de I sayd beware, mount not ouer hye • in tyme, perchaunce thy fete may fayle Thou art ryght fat, and not well vsed to fle The gredy glede, I drede shall the assayle I wyll ascende ꝙ she, chaunce what be chaunce me It is my kynde to clym ay to the hyght Of fether and bone, I wote wele I am wyght So on the hyghest lytell tender twyst With whynges displayde she sate full wantonly But Boreas blewe a blast or euer she wyst Whylk brake the braunche, and blewe her sodeynly Downe to the ground with many a carefull crye Upon a stub she lyght on her breest The bloode russhed out, and she cryed for a preest God wote yf than my hert was wo begone To se that foule flytter amonge the floures Whylk with great mournyng gan to make her mone Now are come sayd she my fatale houres Of bytter deth now must I suffre the shoures O dame nature I pray the of thy grace Lende me leysure to speke a lytell space For to complayne my fate infortunate And bequeth my naturall gere or I departe Seynge of all comfort I am desolate Alone excepte the deth with his darte With awfull chere redy to perse my harte And with that worde she toke a passion Syne flatiynges fell and swapped in to swowne With sory hert persed with compassion And salt teres distelling from mynt eyne To heare that birdis lamentation I did approche vnder a hauthorne grene Where I myght here and se, and not be sene And when this bird had swowned twyse or thryse She gan to speke sayeng on this wyse O false fortune why hast thou me begyled This day at morne who knewe this carefull case Uayne hope in the my reason hath exiled Hauing sik trust in to thy feyned face That euer I was brought to the court alas Had I in forest flowne amonge my feres I myght full well haue lyued many yeres. Wyse and true counsell alas I dyd refuse Agayne reason vsyng my appetite Ambition did so my hert abuse That Eolus had me in great dispite Poetis of me hath mater to indyte Whylk clam so hye and wo is me therfore Not doubtyng that deth durst me deuore. This day at morne my forme and fetheren fayre Aboue the proude pecok were prece land And nowe a caytyfe carion full of care Bathing in blode downe from my hert distelland And in my eare the bell of deth bene knelland O false world fy on thy felicite Thy pryde, auarice, and immundicite. In the I se nothing bene permanent Of thy short solace sorow is the ende Thy false infortunate gyftes bene but lent This day full proude the morne nothing to spend O ye that dothe pretende ay till ascend My fatale end haue in remembraunce And you defend frome sik vnhappy chaunce. Whether I was stryken in extasy Or through a stark ymagination But it appereth in my fantasy I herd this dolent lamentation Thus dullid in to desolation Me thought this bird dyd discriue in hyr manere Her counssall to the king as ye shall here.

¶Here begynnes the first Epistell of the papingo derect tyll hyr souerane lord king Iames the fift. PRepotent prince pereles of pulchritude Glorie / honour / laude / triumphe / and victory Be to thy hie excellent celsitude With merciall dedis digne of memory Seyng Atropos consumed has my glory And dolent deth alas muste vs depart I bequeth to the my true vnfayned hart To gidder with this cedull subsequent • ith most reuerend recommendacyon I grant thy grace gettis many a document Be famouse faders predication With many notable narracyon Be pleasand poetis in stile heroycall How thou sholde guyde thy seat imperiall. Some doth deplore the great calamities Of diuers realmes transmutation Some petiusly doth trete of tragedies All for thy graces informacyon So I intende without adulacyon In my barbarous rusticall indite Among others syr, somthynge for to write Souerayne conceyue this syple similitude Of officeres seruing thy segnory • ho guydes them well gettis of thy grace great gud • ho bene iniust degraded ar of glory And cauncelled out of thy memory Prouiding syne more pleasand in theyr place Beleue, ryght so shall god do with thy grace Considering well thou bene but officiare And va •• ell to that kynge incomparable haest the to please that puissant prynce preclare Thy ryche rewarde shall be inestimable Exalted hye in glory vnterminable Aboue archangels vertus and potestates Pleasantly placid among the principates. Of thy vertue poetes perpetually Shall make mencyon vnto the worlde be ended So thou exercyse thy office prudently In heuen and erth thy grace shall be commended Wherfore beware that he be not offended Whilk has exalted the to sik honour Of this people to be a gouernour. And in the erth hath made sik ordinance Under thy fete all thing terrestriall Are subiect to thy pleasure and pastance Bothe foule and fishe and bestes pastorall Men to thy seruice and wemen they bene thrall Hawkyng / huntyng / iustyng / and laufull amour Preordinate ar by god for thy pleasour. Maysters of musik to recreate thy sprete With dauted voyce and pleasant instrument Thus may thou be of all pleasure replete So that in thy office thou be diligent But be thou founde sleuthfull or necligent Or els iniust in thyne execution Thou shalt not fayle deuyne punycyon. Wherfore seyng thou has sik capacite To lerne to play so pleasantly and sing Ryde horses / ryue speres with great audacite Shote with handbow crossebow and culuering Among the rest, syr, lerne to be a kyng Proue on that craft thy pregnant freshe ingine Graunted to the by influence deuyne And seyng the diffinicion of a kyng Is for to haue of people gouernaunce Adresse the, first aboue all other thyng To put thy body to suche ordinaunce That thy vertue thyne honour may auaunce For how shulde pryncis gouerne great regions That can not onely guyde theyr owne persons. And thy grace wolde lyue ryght pleasantly Call thy counsell and cast on them the cure Theyr iust decretis defend and fortefy Without good counsell may no prince longe indure Wyrke with counsell then shall thy werke be sure Chose thy counsell of the most sapient Without regarde to blode, ryches or rent Among all other pastyme and pleasure Nowe in thy adolescent yeres yenge Wolde thou euery day study but half an houre The regiment of princely gouernynge To thy people it were a pleasaunt thynge Theyr myght thou fynd thy owne vocation How thou sholde vse thy scepture swerd and crown. The cronicles to know I the exhort Whiche may be myrrour to thy maieste There shalte thou fynd bothe good and euyll report Of euery prince after his qualite Thoughe they bene deed theyr dedes shall not dye Trust will thou shalte be styled in that storye As thou deseruest put in memorye. Request that roy whiche rent was on the roode The to defend frome dedes of defame That no poete report of the but good For princes dayes endures but a dreame Seyng fyrst kyng Fergus bare a diadeame Thou arte the last kynge of fiue score and fiue And all ar deed and none but thou on lyue. Of whose nombre fyftye and fyue bene slayne And most parte in theyr owne mysgouernaunce Wherfore I the beseche my souerayne Consyder of theyr lyues the circumstaunce And when thou knowest the cause of theyr myschaunce Of vertue than exalte the sayles on hye Trustynge to scape that fatall destenye Entreate euery true baron as he were thy brother Whiche mon at nede the and thy realme defende When sodeynly one dothe oppresse an other Let iustice myxed with mercy them amende Haue thou theyr hertes, thou hast ynough to spende And by the contrary, thou art but kyng of bone From tyme thyne heres hettes be from the gone. I haue no leysure for to wryte at length My hole entent vnto thyne excellence Decreassed so I am in wyt and strenth My mortall wound doth me such violence People of me may haue experience Bycause alas I was incounsolable Now mou I dye a caytyue miserable.

¶Here begynneth the seconde epistle of the Papingo, dyrecte to her brether of the Court. BRether of court with mynde precordiall To the great god hertely I commende you Imprent my fall in your memoryall Togyther with this cedull that I sende you To preysse ouer hye I pray you not pretend you The vayne ascence of court who wyll consydder Who syttes most hye, shall fynde the seat most slydder So ye that now bene lansing vp the ledder Take tent in tyme holding your fyngers fast Who clymmeth most hye, most dynt hath of the wedder And leest defence agaynst the bytter blast Of fals fortune whylke takes neuer rest But most redoubted dayly she downe thrynges Not sparing papes, emperours, nor kynges. Though ye bene mounted vp aboue the skyes And hath both kynge and court in gouernaunce Some was as hye whylk now ryght low lyes Complaning sore the courtes variaunce Theyr preterit tyme may be experience Whylk through vayne hope of court dyd clyme so hye Syne wanted whingis when they wend best to flye Seyng ylk court bene vntrust and transitorye Chaungyng as oft as wether cocke in wynde Some makynge glad and other som ryght sorye Formest this day the morne may go behynde Let not vayne hope of court your reason blynde Trust well some men wyll gyue you lande as lordes Whylkes wolde be glad to se you hang in cordes I durst declare the miserabilite Of dyuers courtes were not my tyme to shorte The dredfull chaunge vaynglory and vilite The paynefull pleasures as poetes doth report Somtyme in hope somtyme in disconfort And how som men doth spend theyr youthed all In court, syne, endeth in the hospitall. How som in court bene quiete counsalours Without regarde to commen welth or kynges Castynge theyr cure for to be conquerours And when they bene hye raysed in theyr rynges How chaunge of court them dolefully downe thrynges And when they bene frome theyr estate deposed How many of theyr fall bene ryght well resioysed And how fonde fayned fules and flatterars For small seruice opteyneth great rewardes Pandars pikthankes custrouns and clatterars Loupes vp frome laddes, syne lyghtes among lordes Blasphematours braggars and common bardes Somtyme in court hath more auctorite Than well lerned doctours in diuinite. How in some court be barnes of Beliall Full of dissimuled paynted flattery Prouokynge by intoxicate counsall Princes to hooredome and tyll hasardry Who dothe in prynces prent syk harlotry I say for me suche pert prouocatours Sholde punissed be aboue all stronge traytours. What trauars, trouble, and calamite Hath ben in court within this hundreth yeares What mortall chaunges, what myserite What noble men be brought vpon theyr beares Trust well my frendes folow ye mon your feares So seynge in court is no tranquilite Set not on it your hole felicite The court chaungeth somtyme with sik outrage That fewe or none may make resistence And spareth not the prynce more than the page As well appereth by experyence The duke of Rosey myght make no defence Whylke was pertenand roy of this region But dulefully deuored in pryson What drede, what dolour, had that noble kynge Robert the thyrde from tyme he knewe the case Of his two sonnes the dolent departynge Prynce Dauid deed, and Iames capityue alas Tyll true scottes men, whylk was a carefull case Thus may ye knowe the court bene varyand When bloode ryall the chaunge myght not gaynstand. Who clam in court more hye and tryumphand Nor duke Murdok, whyle that his dayes endured Was he not great protectour of Scotland Yet of the court he was not well assured It chaunged so his lange seruyce was smured He and his sone fayre walter without remeed Forfalted were, and put to dulefull deed Kynge Iames the fyrst, patrone of prudence Gem of angyne, and perle of polecy Well of iustyce, and floode of eloquence Whose vertue doth transcende my fantasy For to discryue yet when he stode most hye By false exhorbitant conspyracyoun That prudent prynce was pituously put doun Als Iames the seconde, roy of great renoun Beynge in his super excellent glore Through rerheleffe shotyng of one great cannoun The dolent deth alas dyd hym deuore One thynge there is, of whylk I meruayle more That fortune had at hym syk mortall feed Through fyfty thousande to wale hym by the heed My hert is persed with paynes for to paunce Or wryte that courtes variacyon Of Iames the thyrde when he had gouernaunce The dolour, drede, and desolacyon The chaunge of court and conspiracion And how that cochrane with his company That tyme in court clam so presumptuously It had ben good those barons had bene vnborne By whome that noble prynce was so abused They grewe as dyd the wede aboue the corne That prudent lordes counsell was refused And helde hym quiet as he had bene inclused Alas that prynce by theyr abusyon Was finally brought vnto confusyon They clam so hye, and get suche audience And with theyr prynce grewe so famylyar His germane brother myght get no presence The duke of Albane, nor the erle of Mar Lyke banysshed men were holden at the bar Tyll in the kynge there grewe syk mortall feed He flemit the duke, and put the erle to deed This cochrane with his caytyue companye Forced them to fle, but yet they wanted tedders Aboue the hyelyders of Libanye They clam so hye tylt they lap ouer the ledders On Lauder brig syne kepped were in tedders Strangled to deth, they got none other grace Theyr kynge captyue, whiche was a carefull case Tyll put in forme that fate infortunate And mortall chaunge perturbeth myne ingyne My wyttes ben weyke / my fyngers fatigate To dyte or wryte the rancour ruyne The ciuyll warre, the battell intestyne How that the sone with banner brode displayed Agayne the father in batayle came arayed Wolde god that prince had bene that day comfortid With sapience of the prudent Salomone And with the strengh of strong Sampsone supportid With the bolde oste of great Agamennone What shuld I wishe remedy was there none At morne a kynge with ceptour swerde and croun At euen a deed deformed carioun Alas where is that ryght redouted roy That potent prynce gentill kynge Iames the ferd I pray to Chryst his saule for to conuoy One greater noble raygned not in erd O Atropos wary we may thy werd For he was myrrour of humilite Lood ster and lamp of liberalite During his tyme so iustice did preuayle The sauage ylis trubled for terrour Eskdaile emsdaile liddisdaile and anuerdaile Durst not rebell doutyng his dintis dour And of his lordes had sik perfit sauour So forte shawe that he fered no fone Out through his realme he wold ride him alone. And of his court through Ewrop sprang the fame Of lusty lordes and lufsome ladyes yeng Triumphant tornays Iusting and knyghtly gaine With all pastyme according for a kynge He was the glory of pryncely gouernynge Tyll through the ardent loue he had to Fraunce Agaynst Ingland dyd moue his ordinaunce Of Flowdon felde the ruyne to reuolue O • that most dolent daye for to deplore Inyn, for drede that dolour you desolue Shew • how that prynce in his tryumphant glore Destroyed was, what nedes proces more Not by vertue of the Englysshe ordinaunce But by his owne wylfull mysgouernaunce Alas that day had he ben consolable He had opteyned laude, glory, and victory Whose petuous proces bene so lamentable Ine w • ll, at length it put in memory I neuer red in tragedye nor story At one iourney so many nobles slayne For the defence and loue of theyr souerayne Now brether make in your remembraunce A myrrour of theyr mutabilities So may ye knowe the courtes inconstaunce When prynces bene thus pulled from theyr sees After whose deth whose straunge aduersitees What great mysrule in to this region rang When our yonge prynce couth neyther speke nor gang Durynge his tender youthe and innocence What slouth, what stelth, what murther & myschaunce There was nought elles but werkynge of vengence In that courte there range syk varyaunce Dyuers rulers, made dyuers ordinaunce Somtyne our quene reygned in auctoritie Somtyme the prudent duke of Albanie Somtyme the realme was ruled by regentes Somtyme leeftenauntes ledars of the law Than reygned so mony inobedientes That few or none of an other stode in awe Oppression dyd so loude his bugle blawe That none durst ride but in the feyr of weir Iak vpland that tyme dyd mysse his meir. Who was more hye in honour eleuate Nor was Margarete our hye and mithty prynces Such power was to her appropriate Of kyng and realme she was gouernores Yet came one chaunge within a short proces That perle preclare that lusty pleasand quene Long tyme durst not in the corut be sene The archebisshop of saynt Androus Iames Beton Chancellar and primate in power pastorall Clam next the kyng / most hye in this region The ledder shooke he lap and gat a fall Auctoritie nor power spirituall Riches frendiship myght not that tyme preuayle When dame Curia began to stere her tayle. His hygh prudence preuayled hym not a myte That tyme the court bare hym syk mortal feed As presoner they kepte hym in despite And somtyme wyst not where to hide his heed But disguysed lyke Iohn̄ the reif he raed Had not bene hope that bare hym company He had bene strangled by melancoly What cummet and care was in the court of Fraunce When kyng Francys was takin presonere The duke of Bourbon and his ordinaunce Deed at one stroke ryght balefully brought on bere The court of Rome that tyme ran all arere When pape Clement was put in strong preson The noble citie put to confusion In England who had greater gouernaunce Nor theyr tryumphand courtly cardinall The common weale some sayes he dyd auaunce By equall iustice both to great and small There was no prelate to hym peregall Englysshe men sayth, had he raygned long space He had deposed saynt Peter of his place His pryncely pompe, nor papale grauite His palace royall ryche and radious Nor yet the flude of superfluite Of his ryches nor trauayle tedious From tyme dame Curia held hym odious Preuayled hym not nor prudence most profounde The ledder brake and and he fell to the grounde Where bene the doughty erles of douglas Whylkes ryally in to this region rang Forfayt and slayne what nedeth more proces The erle of Marche was marchelled them amang Dame Curia them dolefully downe thrang And now of late who clam more hye amang vs Nor dyd archbald vmwhyle erle of angus. Who with his prynce was more familiar Nor of his grace had more auctorite Was he not great wardeyn and chauncellar Yet whan he stode vpon the hyghest gre Trustyng no thyng but perpetuite Was sodaynly deposed from his place Forfayt and flemit, he gat non other grace Wherfore trust not in auctorite My dere brethren I pray you hartely Presume not in your vayne prosperite Conferme your trust in god all hooly Syne, serue your prynce with entier hert truly And when ye se the court bene at the best I counsall you than draw you to your rest Where bene the hye tryumphant court of troy Of Alexandre with his twelue prudent peres Or Iulius that ryght redoubted roy Agamemnon most whorthy in his weres To shew theyr fyne my frayed hert efferes Some murdred were, some poysoned petiously Theyr carefull courtis disparsid dolefully Trust well m • frendes there is no constāt court but one Where Chryst is kynge whose tyme interminable And hygh tryumphant glory is neuer gone That quiete court mirthful and vmmutable Without varyaunce standith ay ferme and stable Dissimilance flatery nor fals report In to that court shall neuer get resort Trust well my frendes this is no fayned fare For who that bene in the extreme of deed The verite without doubte they sholde declare. Without regarde to fauour or to feed Whyle ye haue tyme dere brether make remede Adue for euer, of me ye get no more Besekand god to brynge you to his glore Adue Edinburgh, you hygh triumphant towne Within whose boundes ryght blythfull haue I bene Of true marchauntes the rote of this regiowne Moost redy to receyue court kynge and quene Thy polecye and iustyce maye be sene Were deuotion wysdome and honeste And credence tint, they myght be founde in the Adue fayre Snadowne, with thy toures hye Thy chappell, ryall, parke, and table rounde Maye, Iune, and Iuly, wolde I dwell in the Were I a man to heare the byrdes sounde Whylke doth agayne thy ryall rocke redounde Adue Lythko, whose palayse of pleasaunce Myght be a patron in Portingale or Fraunce Farewell Falklande, the forteres of of Fyfe Thy polyte parke vnder the lowmonde lawe Somtyme in the, I led a lusty lyfe The followe dere to se them reke on rawe Court men to come to the, they stande great awe Sayenge thy burgh ben of all burrowes vale Because in the they neuer get good ale

¶Here begynneth the commonynge betwyxte the Papingo and hyr Executours. THe pye p • rceyued the Papingo in payne • ed downe and feyned hym to grete Syster sayd he alas who hath you slayne I pray you make prouision for your sprete Go test your gere and you confesse complete I haue power by your contrition Of all your mysse to gyue you full remission I am sayth he a channon regulare And of my brether pryour pryncipall My white rochet, my clene lyfe doth declare The blake bene of the deth memoriall Wherfore I thynke your goodes naturall Shold be submytted hole in to my cure Ye know I am a ryght holy creature The rauin came raupand when he herd the rare So dyd the gledde with mony a petuous pew And feynedly they counterfeyted great care Syster sayd they, your retchlesnes we rew Now best it is our iust counsell ensew Seyng we pretend tyll hye promotion Religious men of great deuotion I am a blak monke sayd the rutland rauine So sayd the gledde I am a cordilere And hath power to bryng you quyk to heauin It is well knowen my conscience bene full clere The blak bible prounce I shall perquere So tyll our brether ye wyll gyue some good God wate if we haue nede of lyues food The Papingo sayd fader be the rood Howbeit your rayment be religious lyke Your conscience I suspect be not good I did perceyue when preuely ye dyd pike A chykyn from a hen vnder a dyke I grant sayd he, that hen was my good frende And I that chekyn toke but for my teynde Ye know the sayth by vs men be susteynde So by the kyrk it is preordinate That sprituall men shold lyue vpon theyr teynde But well wote I ye bene predestinate In your extreme to be so fortunate To haue syk holy consultation Wherfore we make you exhortation Sen dame nature has graunted you syk grace Leysure to make confession generall Showe forth your synne in haste whill ye haue space Then of your gere make a memoriall Whe thre shall make your feestes funerall And with great blysse bury we shall your bones Syne trentalles tuenty / trattle all at ones The rukes shall rair that men shall on them rew And crye commemoratio ammarum We shall gar chyckens chepe, and geslynges pew Suppose the gese and heanes shol • crye alarum And we shall serue secundum vsum Sarum And make you safe we fy • d saynt Blase to borgh Cryand for you the carefull corynogh And we shall syng aboute your sepulture Saynt Mungoise matyns and the mekill creed And syne deuoutly say I you assure The olde placebo bakwart and the beed And we shall were for you the mournyng weed And though your sprete with Pluto were profest Deuoutly shall your dirige be adorest ¶Fader sayd she your facound wordes fayre Full sore I dreed be contrary to your dedes The wyues of the village cryes with care When they perseyue you moue ouer theyr medes Your fals consayt both ducke and drake sore dredes I meruell shorthly ye be not ashamed For your defaltes beyng so defamed. It doth aborre my pore perturbed spryte To make tyll you ony confession I here men sayen ye be an ypocryte Exempt from the syse and the session To put my gere in your possession That wyll I not so help me dame nature Nor of my corps I wyll you gyue no cure But had I here the noble nyghtyngale The gentyll iaye▪ the merle / and turtour terwe My obsequies and feestes funerale Order they wo • d with notes of the newe The pleasand panne most angelik of hewe Wold god I were with hym this day confest And my deuyse duly by hym addrest. The mirthfull mauis with the gay gold spynke The lusty larke wold god they ware present My infortune forsoth they wold forthynke And comfort me that is so impotent The swyft swallow in practyk most prudent I wote she wold my bledyng stent belyue With hyr most vertuous stone restringitiue ¶Counte me the case vnder confession The glede sayd proudly to the Papingo And we shall swere by our profession Counsell to kepe and shaw it to no mo We the beseke or thou depart vs fro Declare tyll vs some cause reasonable Why we bene holden so abhominable. By thy trauell thou hast experience Fyrst beinge bred in to the orient Syne, by thy good seruice and diligence To prynces made here in the occident Thou knowest the vulgare peoples iugement Where thou transcurred the hote meridionale Syne, next the pole the plage septentrionale So by thy hygh ingyne superlatise Of all countreys thou knowest the qualityes Wherfore I the coniure by god of lyfe The verite declare without in lyes What thou hast herde be landes and by seis Of vs kyrk men both good and euill report And how they iudge shawe vs we the exhort. ¶Fader sayd she I caytiue creature Dare not presume with syk mater to mell Of your cases ye know I haue no cure Demande them, wilk in prudence doth precell I may not pew my paynes bene so fell And also perchaunce ye wyll not stand content To know the vulgars peoples iugement Yet wyll the deth alyte withdraw his dart All that lyes in my memoriall I shall declare with trew vnfeyned hart And first I say to you in generall The commone people says ye bene all Degenerate from your holy primitiuis As testifyes the proces of your liuis Of your perelese prudent predecessours The begynnyng I graunt was veray gude Appostles, martyrs, virgyns, and confessours The sounde of theyr excellent sanctitude Was herd ouer all the world by land and flude Planting the faith by predication As Chryst had made to them narration To fortefy the fayth they toke no fere Afore princes prechyng full prudently Of dolorous deth they doubted not the dere The verite declaryng feruently And materdome they suffered paciently They toke no cure of land, ryches, nor rent Doctrine and dede ware both equiuolent To shewe at length theyr werkes were great wunder Theyr myracles they were so manyfest In name of Chryst they heled many hunder Raysyng the deed / and purgyng the possest With peruest spretes whiche had bene opprest The croked ran the blynde men gate theyr eyen The defe men herd, the lyppres were made cleen The prelates spoused were with pouerte The dayes when so they florysshed in fame And with hyr companed lady chastite And dame deuotion notable of name Humble they were semple and full of shame Thus chastite and dame deuotion Was principall cause of theyr promotion. ¶Thus they contynued in this life deuyne Ay tyll there raygnyd in Romes great cite A potent prynce whose name was Constantyne Perceyued the kyrke had spoused pouerte With good entent and moued of pite Cause of dyuorse / he fand betwyxt them two And parted them withouten wordes mo Syne shortly with a great solempnite Withouten ony dispensacyon The kyrke he spoused with dame properte Whylke hastely by proclamacyon To pouerte garte make narracyon Under the payne of persynge of her eyne That with the kyrke sholde no more be sene Syluester that tyme was pape in Rome Whiche fyrst consented to the maryage Of properte the whylke began to blome Takynge on her the cure with hye corage Deuotion drewe her tyll an hermytage When she consydered lady properte So hyghe exalted in to dignite ¶O Syluester where was thy discrecyon Whylk Peter dyd renounce, thou dyd recayf Androwe and Iohn̄ dyd leaue theyr possession Theyr shyppes, theyr nettes, lynes, & all the layf Of temporall substaunce nothyng wolde they hayf Contraryous to theyr contemplacyon But soberly theyr sustentacyon Iohn̄ the Baptyst went to the wyldernesse Lazarus, Martha, and mary Magdalaine Lefre heritage and goodes more and lesse Prudent saynt Paule, thought properte prophaine From towne to towne he ran in wynde and rayne Upon his fete, techynge the worde of grace And neuer was subiecte to ryches The gled sayd yet I heare nothynge but good Procede shortly and thy mater auaunce The Papingo sayd fader by the rood It were to lang to shew the circumstaunce How properte with her new alliaunce Grew great with chylde as true men to me tolde And bare two douthers goodly to beholde The eldest doughter named was ryches The seconde syster sensualite Whiche dyd encreace within a short proces Preplesaunt to the spiritualite In great substaunce and excellent beaute These ladyes two grewe so within few yeres That in the worlde ware none myght be theyr peres This ryall ryches and lady sensuall From that tyme forth toke hole the gouernaunce Of the most part of the state spirituall And they agayne with humble obseruaunce Amorously theyr wyttes dyd auaunce As true louers theyr ladyes for to please God wote gyf than theyr hertes were at ease Soone they forgate to studye, pray, and preche They grewe so subiect to dame sensuall And thought it but payne pore people for to teche Yet they decreed in theyr great counsall They wolde no more to maryage be thrall Trusting surely to obserue chastite And albegyled quod sensualite Apperandly they dyd expell theyr wyues That they myght lyue at large without bondage At liberte to leade theyr lusty lyues Thynkyng men thrall that bene in mariage For new faces prouoketh new corage Thus chastite they turne in to delyte Wantyng of wyues bene cause of appetyte

¶The banyshyng of chastite. Dame chastite dyd steale away for shame From tyme she dyd perceyue theyr puruyance Dame sensuall one letter gart proclame And her exiled Ytaly and Fraunce In Englande coude she get none ordinaunce Than to the kyng and court of Scotlande She marked her wi • houten more demande Trustyng in to that court to get comfort She made her humble supplication Shortly they sayd she shold get no support But boosted her with blasphemation To preestes go make you protestation It is, sayd they, many an hundred yere Sen chastite had ony enteres here Tyred for trauell she to the preestes past And to the rulars of religyon Of her presens shortly they were agast Sayeng they thought it but abusion Her to receyue so with conclusion With one aduyse decreed and gaue dome They wolde receyue no rebell out of Rome Sholde we receyue that Romains has refused And banisshed England / Ytaly and Fraunce For your flattery than were we well abused Passe hens sayd they and fast your way auaunce Among the nunnes go seke your ordinaunce For we haue made othe of fidelite To dame ryches and sensualite Than paciently she made progression Toward the nunnes with herte syghyng full sore They gaue her presens with procession Receyued her with honour, laude, and glore Purposyng to preserue her euermore Of that nouelles came to dame properte To ryches and so to sensualite Whylkes sped them at the post ryght spedely And set one syege proudly about the place The selly nunnes dyd yelde them hastely And humbly of theyr gylt asked grace Syne gaue theyr bandes of perpetuall peace Receyu and them they kept open wyckettes wyde Than chastite wold no longer abyde ¶So for refuge fast to the freres she fled Which sayd they wolde of ladyes take no cure Where is she now than sayd the gredy gled Not among you sayd she I you assure I trust she bene vpon the burrow mure By south Edynburgh and so full many menes Profest among the systers of the senes There hath she founde her moder pouerte And deuotion her owne syster cordiall There hath she founde fayth, hoope, and charite Togyther wich the vertuous cardinall There hath she founden one couent yet vnthrall To Sensualite nor with ryches abused So quietly those ladyes bene inclused. The pyote sayd, I dreed, be they assayled They wyll render them as dyd the holy nunnes Doubt not sayd she for they bene so artayled They purpose to defend them with theyr gunnes Redy to shote they haue six great cannouns Perseuerance, constance, and conscience, Austerite, labour, and abstinence Tyll resist, subtyll Sensualite Strongly they bene armed feete and handes By abstinence, and kepeth pouerte Contrary ryches and all her false seruandes They haue one bumbard brased vp in bandes To kepe theyr port in myddes of theyr close Whilk is called domine custodinos. Within whose shote, there dare no enemyes Approche theyr place, for dreed of dyntes doure But nyght and day, they warke lyke besy bees For theyr defence reddy to stand in stoure And hath syk watchis on theyr vtter toure That Sensualite with siege dare not assayle Nor come within the shot of theyr artayle The pyote sayd wherto shold they presume For to resyst swete sensualite Or dame ryches wich rulers bene in Rome Are they more constant in theyr qualite Than the captayns of the spiritualte Whylkes pleasandly withouten obstakle Has them reseyued in theyr habitakle. How longe trowe ye, those ladyes shall remayne So solitary in suche perfection The Papingo sayd brether in certayne So long as they obey correction Chosyng theyr heedes by election Unthrall to ryches or to properte But as requires theyr necessite O prudent prelates where was your prescience That toke on hande tyll obserue chastite Without austere lyfe / labour / and abstinence Perseyued ye not the great prosperite Apperandly tyll come of properte Ye knew good chere, great ease, and ydelnes To lechery was moder and maystres Thou raues vnroked the rauyn sayd by the roode For to repreue ryches or properte Abraham and Isaac / were ryche and ay good Iacob and Ioseph had prosperite The Papingo sayd, that is verite Ryches I graunt is not to be refused Prouydyng alwaye it be not abused. Than made the rauen a replicacion Syne, sayde thy reason is not worth a myte As I shall proue with protestacyon That no man take my wordes in despyte I say the temporall prynces has the wyte That in the kyrk syk pastours doth drouyde To gouerne soules that not them selfe can guyde Longe tyme after the kyrke toke properte The prelates lyued in great perfection Unthrall to ryches or Sensualite Under the holy spretes protection Orderly chosynge by election As Gregore, Ierome, Ambrose, and Angustyne Benedict, Bernard, Clement, Clete, & Lyne Syk pacient prelates entred by the porte Pleasynge the pepole by predication Now dyke lowpers, dothe in the kyrk resorte By symonye and supplicacyon Of patrons by theyr presentacyon So sely soules that bene Chrystes shepe Are gyuen to hungry gormond wolues to kepe No meruayle is though we religious men Degenerat be and in our lyues confused But synge and drynke, none other crafte we ken Our spirituall faders has vs so abused Agayne our wyll they trukours bene intrused Lay men has now religious men in cures Profest virgyns in kepynge of stronge hures Prynces prynces, where bene your hye prudence In disposition of your benefyces The guerdonyng of your courticience Is some cause of your great enormiteis There is one sort waytand lyke hungry fleis For spirituall cure though they be nothyng able Whose gredy thrystes bene insaciable Prynces I pray you be no more abused To vertuous men hauyng so small regarde Why sholde vertue through flattery be refused That men for cunnyng can get no rewarde Alas that euer a braggar or a barde An hoore mayster or a common hasature Shold in the kyrk get ony kynde of cure Were I a man worthy to were a crowne Ay when there vaked ony benefyse I shold gar call a congregation Of principals of all the prelacyse Most cunnyng clerkes of vniuersyties Most famous faders of religion With theyr aduyse make disposition I shold dispone all offices pastorayles Tyll doctours of diuinite or iure And cause dame vertue pull vp all her sayles When cunnyng men had in the kyrk most cure Garlordes send theyr sonnes I you assure To seke science and famous scholes frequent Syne, them promote that were most sapient Great plesure were to here a bysshop preche A deane, or a doctour in diuinitie An abbot whylk couth well his couent teche A parsone flowyng in philosophie I tyne my tyme tyll wyshe whylk wyll not be, Were not the prechyng of certeyn beggyng freres Tint were the fayth amange the seculeres. ¶As for theyr prechyng ꝙ the Papingo I them excuse for why they bene so thrall Tyll properte and her dygne doughters two Dame ryches and fayre lady sensuall They may not vse no pastyme spirituall And in theyr hahytes they take syk delyte They haue renounsed russat and course whyte Clekande to them scarlot and cramosie With meneuer / martrik / grece, and ryche armyne Theyr low hertes exalted are so hye To se theyr papall pompe it is a pyne More ryche arraye is now with frenges fyne Apon the braudryng of a bysshopes mule Nor euer had Paule or Peter agayne youle Seyng fayre ladyes theyr cheyne may not escape Sensualite so such seed has in them sawne Lesse skathe it were with lycence of the Pape That ylk prelate a wyfe had of his awne Then se theyr bastardes throughout the cōtrey blawne For as sone as they be comyn from the scules They fall to werke as they were common bules Pew quod the gled thou preches all in vayne The secular folk has of our cases no cures I graunt quod she yet men wyll speke agayne How ye haue made an hundreth thousande hures Whylkꝭ neuer had bene were not your lychorus lures And gyf I lye hertely I me repent Was neuer byrd I wote more penitent Than she shroue her with deuoute countenaunce To that false gled wylk feyned hym a frere And after he had enioyned her penaunce Full subtelly at her he gan inquere Chose you sayd he, whylk of vs brethren here Shall haue of all your naturall gere the cures Ye know none bene more holy creatures I am content quod the pore Papingo That ye frere gled and corby monke your brother Haue cure of all my goodes and no mo Seyng at this tyme frendsshyp I fynd none other We wyll be to you as true as tyll our mother Quod they and sware to fulfyll her entent Of that sayd she I take an instrument The pyote sayd what shall my offyce be Ouerseer sayd she vnto the other two She rowpand rauyn sayd swete syster lat se Your hole entent for it is tyme to go The gredy gled sayd brother do not so We wyll remayne and holden vp her heed And neuer depart from hyr tyll she be deed The Papingo them thanked tenderly And sayd seyng ye haue tane on you this cure Depart my naturall goodes equally That euer I had or hath of dame nature Fyrst to the howlot indegent and pure Whilk on the day for shame dare not be sene Tyll her I leaue my gay galbert of grene My bryght depured eyen as cristall clere Unto the bak ye shall them both present In Phebus presens whylk dare not appere Of naturall syght she is so impotent My burneshed beik I leaue with good entent Unto the gentill petuous pellicane Tyll help to perse her tender hert in twane I leaue the golk whylk has no songe but one My musyk with my voyce angelicall And to the guse ye gyue when I am gone My eloquence and tonge rethoricall And take and drye my bones great and small Syne, close them in a case of euour fyne And them present vnto the fenix shyne To burne with her when she her lyfe renewes In Arabie ye shall her fynd without fere And shall knowe her by her most heuenly hewes Gold, asure, gowles, purpour, and sinopere Hyr date is for to lyue fyue hundreth yere Make to that bird my commendation And als I make you supplication Seyng of my corps I haue you gyuen the cure Ye spede you to the court without tarying And take my herte of perfyte portrature And it prent vnto my souerayne kyng I wote he wyll it close in to a ryng Commend me to his grace I you exhort And of my passion make hym true report Ye thre my trypes shall haue for your trauell With lyuer and lunge to part equall among you Prayand Pluto the potent prynce of hell Gyf ye fayle that in his fete he fang you Be to me true thoughe I nothyng belang you Sore I suspect your conscience be to large Doubt not sayd they we take it with the charge Adue brether quod the pore Papingo To talkyng more I haue no tyme to tary But sen my sprete mon from my body go I recommende it to the quene of fary Eternally in to her court to tary In wyldernes amonge thyr holtes hore Than she included her heed & spake no more Plunged in tyll her mortall passion Full greuously she grypped to the grounde It were to longe to make narracyon Of syghes sore with many stauke and stounde Out of her wounde the bloode so abounde A compace rounde was with her bloode made reed Without remedy there was nothynge but deed And by she had in manus tuas sayd Extincted were her naturall wyttes fyue Her heed full softly on her shulder she layd Syne yeld the sprete with paynes pungitiue The rauen begane rudely to roug and ryue Full gormondlyk, his empty throte he fed Gate softly brether sayd the gredy gled Whyle she is hote depart her euen amonge vs Take you one halfe and reke to me another In tyll our ryght I wote no wyght dare wrang vs The piot sayd the fynde receyue the sother Why make ye me stepharne and I your brother Ye do me wrang syrgled I shrow your hart Take there sayd he the puddynges for thy part Than wot ye well my hert was wonder sayre For to beholde that dolent departyng Her angell fedders fleyng in the ayre Except the hart was left of her nothyng The piot sayd this perteynes to the kyng Whylk tyll his grace I purpose to present Thou quod the gled shall fayll of thyn entent The rauyn sayd, god nor I rax in a rape And thou get this other to kyng or duke The piot sayd playne I not to the pape Than in one smedy I be smored with smuke With that the gled the pece caught in his cluke And fled his way the layfe with all theyr myght Tyll chace the gled flew all out of my syght ¶Now haue ye herde this lytle tragedye The sore complaynt, the testament & myschaunce Of this poore byrde, whylke dyd ascende so hye Besekyng you excuse myne ignoraunce And rude endyte, whylk is not to auaunce And to the queyre I gyue the commaundement Make no repayre, where poetes bene present Because you bene but rethoryk so rude Be neuer sene besyde none other boke With kyng nor quene, with lorde nor man of gude With cote vnclene, clayme kynred to some coke Stele in a nuke, when men lyst on the loke For smell of smuke men wyll abhorre to bere the Here I mensuer the, wherfore to lurke go lere the.

¶Here endes the complaynt, & testament of the kynge of Scottes Papinpo, compyled by Dauid Lyndesay of the mount, and finysshed the .xiiij. day of Decembre, in the yere of our lord. 1530

¶Imprynted at London in Fletestrete, at the sygne of the Sonne, by Iohn̄ Byddell. The yere of our lorde. M.D.xxxviij.

CVM PRIVILEGIO.