Robert Henryson: Orpheus and Eurydice with Robert Henryson: The Want of Wise Men (Page 3 of 20)
(p.151) The nobilnes and grete magnificence
Off prince or lord quha list to magnify
His grete ancester and linyall descense
Suld first extoll and his genology
So that his hert he myt enclyne thare by
The more / to vertu / and to worthynes
Herand reherse his eldirs gentilnes
It is contrair the lawis of nature
A gentill man to be degenerate
Noucht folowing of his progenitoure
The worthy reule / and the lordly estate
A ryall renk for to be rusticate
Is bot a monster in comparisoun
Had in despyte / and foule derisioun
I say this be the grete lordis of grewe
Quhilk sett thair hert / and all thair. hale curage
Thair fadirs steppis iustly to persewe
Eking the worschip of thair hye lynage
The ancient and sad wyse men of age
War tendouris to the yong and insolent
To mark thame in all vertu excellent
Lyke as a strand of water or a spring
Haldis the sapour. of his fontall well
So did in grece ilk lord. and worthy king.
Off forebearis thay tuke carage and smell
Amang the quhilk of ane I think to tell
Bot first his gentill generatioun
I sall reherse with youre correctioun
Apon the mountane of Elicone
