Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Poems of William Dunbar > Volume 2, 1893

296
THE FREIRIS OF BERWIK.
Than Symon anschirit, “Now, be the1 Rud,
3 it wald I gif ane croun of gold for 2 me,
For sum gud meit and drink amangis ws thre.”
Freir Robert said, “ Quhat drinkis wald je craif,
Or quhat meitis desyre ^e for to haif? 320
For I haif mony sindry practikis seir,
Beyond the sey in Pareiss did 3 I leir,
That I wald preve 4 glaidly for jour saik,
And for jour demys 6 that harbry cowd ws maik.
I tak on hand, and je will counsale keip, 325
That I sail gar jow se, or ever 16 sleip,
Of the best meit that is in this cuntre;
Off Gascone wyne, gif ony in it be;
Or, be thair ony within ane hundreth myle,
It salbe heir within a bony 7 quhyle.” 330
The gudman had grit mervell8 of this taill,
And said, “ My hairt [will] neir be haill
Bot gif je preve that practik or je pairte,
[Be quhat kin science, nigromansy, or art.”
Freir Robert said, “ Of this je haue no dreid, 335
For I can do fer mair, and thair be neid.”
Than Symon said, “ Freir Robert, I jou pray,
For my saik that science je wald assay,]
To mak ane sport.” And than the Freir [vprais,]9
He tuk his buk and to the flure10 he gais; 340
He tumis it our, and reidis it a littill space,
And to the eist direct he turnis11 his face,
[And maid ane croce, and than the freyr cuth lout]
Syne to the west he turnit [him ewin about,] 12
[Than in the north he turnit and lowtii down] 345
And tuk his buk and red ane orisoun;
And ay his eyne wer on the almery,
I M. swere tham be the halie. 2 M. fra. 3 M. cuth.
4 M. preif, schir. 5 M. our dame. 6 M. that je.
7 M. littil. 8 M. mervalls meikill.
9 B. vpstart. 10 B. MS. has freir, evidently a mistake.
II M. turnit ewin. 13 From M. MS.; B. and lukit doun.