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

30 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ' BOECE ’
The glore of armies and of forcy dedis,
Quhen they are worthy to be memoriall,
Na les be wit than manheid ay proceids,
As Plinius wrait in Story Naturall.
Ane herd of hertis is more strong at all,
Havand ane lyon againis ge houndis soure.
Then herd of lyonis arrayit in battell,
Havand ane hert to be thair govemour
Quhen fers Achilles was be Paris slane,
Amang ge Grekis began ane subtile plede,
Quhay was maist nobyll and prudent capitane
Into his place and armour to succede ;
Quhay couth them best in evry danger lede,
And saif thair honour as he did afore.
The valzeant Ajax wan not for his manheid,
Quhen wise Ulisses bure away ge glore.
Manhede but prudence is ane fury blind.
And bringis ane man to shame and indegence ;
Prudence but manheid comes oft behind,
Howbeit it have na les intelligence
Of thingis to come, than gone be sapience.
Therfore quhen wit and manheid doth concur,
High honour rises with magnificence,
For glore to noblis is ane groundin spur.
Sen thow contenis moe valzeand men and wise.
Then evir was red in ony book but dout.
Gif ony churle or velane the despise,
Bid hence him harlot, he is not of this rout.
For heir ar kingis and mony nobyls stout.
And nane of thaym pertenand to his clan :
Thou art so full of nobylnes, per tout,
I wald nane red the, bot ane nobylman.
Thus to all noblis sen thou art dedicat,
Schaw breifly how, be my gret diligence,