Scottish Text Society publications > New series > Poems of John Stewart of Baldynneis

36
ROLAND FURIOVS.
Bot fair ladeis circumspect suld bie
for preseruation of thair vomanheed,
That nane occasion sic vnseimlie sie,
As ons may muife thair famus fame to feed.
for as the recent rubie Rosis reed
May not abyd all bitter blasts that blaws,
So the renoune of beutie lyith deed
Quhan vickit toungs be sum appirans schaws
That vitius liwing honestie ourthraws,
Quhilk causis beutie odius to bie,
And our estait In dalie dainger draws
To disposses vs of our vorschip hie;
Quhairof gif men thair self ons victors sie,
Thocht thay do flatter for ane space and feng3ie,
Thay think ve ar als copius and frie
To all the rest of that decetfull meng3ie ;
Thair teirs distels bot onlie to disteng^ie
Our Chastetie Quhilk cheiflie suld precell.
As to my self I sail vith reson reng^ie
Thocht thay suld raidge lyk Cerberus in hell:
And gif that fortoune creuallie compell
My cairfull corps heir but delay to die,
3it sail my spreit vith daintie Diane duell,
Quhilk is the onlie hoip reconforts me.”
Lyk as the luiflie lustie Emelie
Did celebrat ane sacrafice maist dew
To this Chast goddes, suiting sum supplie
The theban knychtis both for till eschew,
So scho deuote vith palle And blanchit hew
Hir gost commends in Dame Dianas hands,
[Fol. 26 ti.] Attending tym quhan Deth suld hir persew.
Vith trimbling hart And fixt regard scho stands,
And syn, reteiring sumpart from the sands,
Beneth ane rock abowe the sam scho spyis
The foirsaid hermet bound in Cupids bands,
To quhom vith speid for sum supplie scho cryis,
And said, “ O father venerabill vyis
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