Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, 1490-1555 > Volume 4, 1936

NOTES TO ANE SATYRE OF THE THRIE ESTAITIS 22Q
Cf. the Responsio Regis to The Petition of the Gray Horse, Auld Dunbar
[Dunbar, S.T.S., II. 217] :
Efter our wrettingis, thesaurer,
Tak in this gray horss, Auld Dunbar, , , .
Gar howss him now aganis this ^uill,
And busk him lyk ane beschopis muill.
Certain orders were not allowed to ride on horseback, in imitation of
Christ’s entry into Jerusalem on an ass. The Ellesmere MS., however,
depicts the religious on horseback, while the monk " Ful many a deyntee
hors hadde he in stable ” [Prologue, 167].
3734. We cure nocht to remaine with %ow all %eir : we care not to remain
with you all year [i.e., always), which is exactly the opposite of what
he wants to say, since he is downcast when Sensualitie, failing to recog¬
nise him in his fool’s garb, will have none of him. The line is therefore
corrupt, and perhaps the best emendation is "We cure bot [= only]
to remaine . .
3737-3740. Borrowed from fool literature, but made serious. The
correct thing occurs in Satyre, 4486-89.
3760-3762. Chalmers, II. in, “ The allusion here is to a very common
practice, in that unindustrious age.”
3770. Sergeants. A sergeant was originally an armed officer in the
service of a lord, especially one of knightly rank, in attendance on the
king, to arrest traitors ; also an officer of Parliament, as here, to enforce
the commands of the House, and to arrest offenders.
3771. Sating, Damais, or of the Velvot fyne : satin damask, or fine
velvet, the richest cloths obtainable.
3780. Blist is that Realme that hes ane prudent king. A maxim from
the De Regimine Principum literature, and perhaps a reversion of the
biblical and proverbial " Wo to the realme that hes ouir ijoung ane
king " [Dreme, ion ; see note].
3792 st. dir. The proclamation is performed in true heraldic fashion.
3793. The First Act: lines 3794-3800 only. The remaining acts are
numbered 2-15. Chalmers, II. 113, draws attention to the formal
passing of a declaration of belief in the Church at the beginning of each
session.
3801. For Als read [And] als. Cf. line 3809, "And als.” This
emendation will restore “ Act[i]s ” to " Acts.”
3801-3808. See introductory notes to Ane Satyre, under " Date."
3809-3816. Chalmers, II. 113, " This seems to have been a very favourite
conceit of Lyndsay : That the lands of France were all freehold, and not
leasehold, I doubt. It is a fact, which the prejudice of our satirist did