English

Proaemium.

As in the greatest of societies,
The first beginners, like good natur'd soules,
Beare with their neighbors poore infirmities:
But after, when ambition controules
Theyr calme proceedings, they imperiously
" (As great things still oerwhelme themselues with weight)
Enuy their countrimens prosperity,
And in contempt of poorer fates delight.

Insteede of Ingling termes for thy good will ,
Reader fall to, reade, iest and carpe thy fill.

The Preface.

All fay t ful brether that on the Lord dependis,
Mark weill this schedule that I have send you heir,
Pestiferus prelatis, that Papistrie pretendis,
Sic deuils but dout sall in o r dayis appeir;
Yit God forwairnis you be the weidis they weir,
To ken the lupus in a lamb skyn to appeir,
Makand thair godis of warldlie gudis and geir,
The flock new foundit, and thay in furringis happit.

Veneraill pastoris, in vomiting thair fay t ,

Calling to mynde the mutabiliteis
Of this Inconstant warld sa variabill,
Lyke to ane Schip that saillis on the seis
Tost with winds & wallis Innauigabill.
Bot sen I se na plesure permanabill
Bot as the weid it widderis sone away,
Lat vs go seik the gloir Inestimabill
Quhair we man pas perpetually for ay.

With spreit opprest this plungit in to cair,
Remembring me quhat mater to compyle
Endlang ane Park I past without repair
Be Snawdoun syde the seuint day of Apryle,

Maist loyal lord, ay for yi lawtie lowitt,
Now be not lakkit for deloyaltie!
Thocht to ye princis placethow be promowit,
Be not abusit be authoritie.
Bot schaw thi treuth, and thy integritie.
Sene we sa far ourselfis hes submittit,
And king and contray Lawes and libertie
Unto thy cair, and cradit, haue committit

Thy hous hes ay bene trustie, and inteir;
Defamit nocht with fraud, and fickilnes.
Bot schaw thyself bayth scharp, sage, and sinceir;
Indewit with vertew, wit, and worthines,

Gif wicked vice first sen the warld began
Had age be age, but punishment Increst?
In eirth langsyne yair had been nothing than,
Saif only vice and malice manifest.
Bot to thir dayis sic meanis God ay drest,
Aganis vice that vertew ay hes streuin:
Thoche ather uther be tyme has [ ] opprest
Last Justice bure ay the ballance euin.

Sa of hes plesure it plesit him prouyde
Us to exerce as ship vnder the saill:
Sum tyme in storme, sum tyme in temperate tyde
To let vs knaw this warld is but fraill

The Regentis Tragedie ending with ane
exhortatioun.

James , Earle of Murray, Regent of Renoun,
Now lyis deid, and dulefullie put doun,
Murdreist but mercy, murnand for remeid,
Quha lost his lyfe in Lithquo with ane loun,
Giltles God wait betraist into that toun,
Slane with ane schot, and saikless put to deid,
Feit be our fais throw fellonie and feid;
Hangman to Hary, now Burrio to hir brother,
Weill may this murther manifest the tother!

Quhat leid on lyfe wald nocht lament his lose?

The Deploration of the Cruell Murther of James
Erle of Murray, Vmquhile Regent of Scotland,
togidder with ane admonitioun to the
Dammiltounis Committaris thairof, and to all
thair fortifearis, Mantenaris, or assistence, with
ane Exhortatioun to the Lordis and Nobilitie,
keiparis and defendaris of our Kingis Grace
Maiestie.

Q UHILE as with flesche, and blude we go about
The wondrous warkis of God for to discriue
Pans quhil we pleis, we sal not find yame out

In Januar the thre and twentie day,
Befoir midnycht, in Lythquo as I lay,
Tumbling sum tyme on bed abon the clais,
Now heir, now thair, quhylis doun, quhylis up I rais;
Till at the last, in tumkling of ane ee,
Schir Morpheus the Mair assailzeit me,
With all his sluggische suldarts out of number,
Quhilks led me captiue vnto Maister Slumber,
Quha softly said, Gar keip this pure catiue,
And tak from him his speiche and wittis fiue.
Than come Dame Dreming, all clad in blak sabill,
With sweyning nymphis in cullouris variabill;

TOM T ROATH TO THE ENUIOUS .

I F Momus children seke to knowe my name and where I dwell,
I am Tom Troath and my aboade I list not it to tell
For wise men loue not to enquyre, who where, but what is said
And holde themselves therewith content till further proufe be made.

T HE DOUBLE DEALINGE OF THE R EBELLS IN S
COTLAND .

If tongue could tell or pen could write, the craftie cloaked case
Or yet the treasons to recyte of this newe Regents grace