Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Poems of Alexander Montgomerie

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THE CHERRIE AND THE SLAE.
i.
A Bout a Bank with balmie bewes,
xV where nightingals their nots renews,
With gallant Goldspinks gay,
The Mavise, Mirle, and Progne proud,
The Lintwhite, Lark, and Laverock loud,
Saluted mirthful May.
When Philomel had sweetly sung,
To Progne she deplored,
How Tereus cut out her tongue,
And falsely her deflorde;
Which storie, so sorie,
To shew ashamd she seemde,1
To heare her so neare her,
I doubted if I dream’d.
2.
The Cushat crouds, the Corbie cries,
The Cuckow couks, the pratling Byes
To geek her they begin.
The largoun of2 the iangling layes,
The craiking Crawes, the keckling Kayes,
They deav’d me with their din.
The painted Pawne, with Argoes eyes,
Can on his Mayock cal;
The Turtle wailes on withered trees,
And Echo answered 3 all,
Repeiting, with greiting,
How faire Narcissus fell,
By lying, and spying,
His shadow in the Well.
1 E. To schaw hir self scho seimt.
2 Orig, Largoun or. E. Jargoun or. 3 E. answers.