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

298
THE FREIRIS OF BERWIK.
And eik of pluveris se that 30 bring ws tvva. 380
The gudwyf wist it wes no variance;
Scho knew the Freir had sene hir govirnance ;
Scho saw1 it wes no bute for to deny;
With that scho went2 vnto the almery,
And oppinnit it, and than scho fand thair3 385
All that the Freir had spokin of befoir.
Scho stert abak, as scho wer in a fray,
And sanyt hir, and smyland cowd scho 4 say,
“ Ha, banedicitie, quhat may this bene?
Quha evir afoir hes sic a fairly sene? 390
Sa grit a mervell5 as now hes apnit heir,
Quhat sail I say? He is ane haly Freir,
He said full swth of all that he did say.”
Scho brocht all furth, and on the burd cowd lay
Baith breid and wyne, and vthir thingis moir, 395
Cunyngis and caponis, as 30 haif hard befoir;
Pertrikis and pluveris befoir thame hes scho brocht.
The Freir knew weill and saw thair wantit nocht,
Bot all wes furth brocht, evin at his 6 devyiss.
And7 Symone saw it appinnit8 on this wyiss, 400
He had grit wondir, and sweris be the mone
That Freir Robert weill his dett9 had done;
He may be callit ane man of grit science,
Sa suddanly maid all this purviance
Hes brocht ws heir throw his grit10 subteltie, 405
And throw his knawlege in11 filosophie :
In ane gud tyme it wes quhen12 he come bidder;
Now fill the cop that we ma drink togidder,
And mak gud cheir eftir this langsum13 day,
For I haif riddin ane woundir wilsome way. 410
Now God be lovit, heir is suffisance
1
s
9
12
M. wist. 2 M. ;eid.
M. farlie. 6 M. as him list.
M. devoir. 10 M. all throw his.
M. It was in gude tyme that.
3 M. richt joir. 4 M. to Symon can.
7 M. Fra. 8 M. ferd upon.
11 M. his arte and his.
13 M. us mirrie efter this ewil.