Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Mar Lodge translation of the history of Scotland by Hector Boece

28 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ' BOECE '
M.I/.T. 29&
Quhay did thair kingrik in maist honour joyis
And with thair blood our liberties has coft.
Regarding nocht to de amang thair foes,
So that they micht in memory be brocht.
Schaw be quhat danger and difficill wayis
Our antecessoris at thair utter michtis
Has brocht this realme with honour to our dayis.
Ay fechtand for thair liberties and richtis
With Romanis, Danis, Inglishmen and Pichtis,
As curtas redans may throw thy proces ken,
Thairfore thou ganis for na catyve wichtis,
Allennarly but unto nobyll men.
And to sic personis as covettis for to heir
The valzeand dedis of our progenitouris,
And how this countre baith in peace and weir
Bene govemit unto thir present houris,
How forcy cheiftanis in mony bludy stouris
(As now is blawin be my vulgar pen)
Maist valzeantly wan landis and honouris,
And for thair virtew callit nobyll men ;
For nobylnes sometyme the loving is
That cumis be mentis of owr eldaris gone.
As Arystotyll writis in his Rhetorikis,
Amang nobillis, quhay castin thaym repone,
Mon dres thair lyfe and dedis one be one
To make thaym worthy to have memore,
For honour to thair prince or nation,
To be in glore to thair posterite.
Ane othir kind there is of nobylnes,
That cumis be infusion naturall,
And makes ane man sa full of gentylnes,
Sa curtes, pleasand and sa liberall,
That evry man dois him ane nobyll call:
The lyon is so nobyll (as men tellis),