Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, 1490-1555 > Volume 1, 1938

242
THE FIRST BVKE
So lang as thay had strenth to flee,
Syne swatterit doun in to the see.
No thyng in erth wes left on lyue, 1455
Beistis nor Fouhs, Man nor Wyiie.
God holelye did thame distroye.
Except thame in the Ark, with Noye,
The quhilk lay fleittand on the flude,
Welterand amang the stremes wode, 1460
[E 5a] With mony terrabyll affrayis.
Remanit ane hundreth and fyfty dayis.
In gret langour and heuynes,
Or wynd or rane began to ceis.
Sumtyme effectuouslye prayand, 1465
Sumtyme the Beistis vesiand,
For, be the Lordis commandiment.
He maid prouisioun suffecient.
For Noye dwelt in that Ark, but dout,
Ane 3eir compleit, or he come out, 1470
Gen. via. Quhow, at more lenth in holy wryte
This dulefull storye bene Indyte,
And quhow that Noye gan to reiose,
Quhen Conductis of the heuin did close.
So that the Rane no more discendit, 1475
Nor the flude no more ascendit.
Quhen he persauit the heuinnis cleir,
He send furth Corbe, Messingeir,
In to the Air, for to espy
Geue he saw ony montanis dry. 1480
Sum sayis the Rauin did furth remane,
And come nocht to the Ark agane.
Furth flew the Dow, at Noyis command,
And, quhen scho did persaue dry land,
Off ane Olyue scho brak ane branche, 1485
That Noye mycht knaw the waiter stanche,
And thare no more scho did sudiorne,
Bot with the branche scho did retume.
That Noye mycht cleirly vnderstand
[E 56] That felloun Flude was decressand.
1490