William Dunbar: The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy with Robert Henryson: The Praise of Age with Device, Prowess and eke Humility (Page 9 of 12)
(p.145) Bot full smal grace the regeing of his blude
Can none gaynstand. quhill yt he agit be.
Syne of the thing yt tofore ioyit he
Nothing remaynis for to be callit his
For quhy it were bot veray vanitee
The more of age / the nerar hevynnis blisse
Suld no man traist this wrechit warld for quhy
Of erdly ioy ay sorow is the end
The state of it can no man certify
This day a king / to morne na gude to spend
Quhat haue we here bot grace vs to defende
The quhilk god grant vs for to mend oure mys
That to his glore he may oure saulis send
The more of age / the nerar hevynnis blisse
DEvise prowes and eke humilitee
That maidenis haue in euerich wyse
Transmovit is in serpentis crueltee
Fra thay in warld be weddit wyth thir wyis.
No mannis wit to wonder may suffice
Quhare ar becummyn thir maidenis mylde of mude.
Off all thir wyfis yt none ar founde gude
O maidyn hede of vertu nobilest
Flurisching in ioy / and perfyte lawlynes
O wyfhede wariit of wyis wickitest
Moder of vice. and hertis hye distresse
The cause causing of ruyne as i gesse
That all this warld has broght to confusion
Begonnyn was throu thy persuasion
Ensample his how thyne iniquitee
Ourcummyn has wysedome & strenth of
hand
Be salomon the first may provit be
Wisest but were in warld yt was lyfand
