Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Treatise callit The court of Venus

82
THE COURT OF VENVS.
The proude Progne, quhilk gart hir awin Sone die
Seruit him on plait t/iat hir husband micht se
The Poetris and Maistres eik Sappho:
Octauia quhilk spous was to Nero, 25
Quhom he did sla in his crudelitie :
And Saturnus dochter was thair luno.
Subtill Scylla quhilk the hair Aureat
Fra hir Father throw slicht scho depilat.
The Quene Phillis, and luif to Demophoon, 30
And in ane tre scho was transfigurat,
[Q]uhen he on sey be storme was tribulat.
[Mjedea eik most pleasant to lason
1 Quene Niobe spous to Amphion.
Dames the quhilkes luppiter violat: 35
And Dalida, and Deuill to force Samson.
Thair was Biblis : and thair was Canace ;
Helen, Pirrha, and als the May Thisbe,
Quhilk spilt hir self for luif of Pyramus
locasta Quene the quhilk in greit folie, 40
Spousit her son efter hir King culd die.
Deianira with ane sark venemous.
Brint Hercules was sa anterous.
Hippolyte and eik Pandora sle
That with hir sliches al men dois vincous. 45
Orpheus wist the Quene Euridece :
Alcmena als Mother to Hercules :
And Hecuba vmquhile of Troy the Quene
Thir Ladeis all war chosin as I wis
On the assyis of quhome the number is, 50
Twentie and hue quhew thay war red but wene :
And sworne also for to gif sentence clene,
For fauour or feid, contract or 3it promeis.
Bot the lust way, that lustice micht be sene.
1 Lf. 36, back.