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

100
THE CHERRIE AND THE SLAE.
wreittoun] 57.
“ Wei,” quoth Experience, “ifhee 785
Submits himselfe to you and mee,
I wote what I should say :
Our good advise he shall not want,
Providing alwayes that hee grant
To put yon Will away, 790
And banish both him and Despare,
That all good purpose spils ;
So he will mell with them no mare,
Let them two flyte their fils :
Such cossing, but lossing, 795
All honest men may use.”
“ That change now vvere strange now,”
Quoth Reason, “ to refuse.”
58.1
Quoth Will, “ fy on him, when he flew,
That powde not Cherries then anew 2 800
For to have staide his hurt.”3
Quoth Reason, “ though he beare the blame,
He never saw nor needed them,
While 4 he himselfe had hurt.
First when he mistred not, he might, 805
He needs, and may not now :
Thy folly, when he had his flight,
Empashed him to pow.
Both hee now, and we now,
Perceives 5 thy purpose plaine, 810
To turne him, and burne him,
And blow on him againe.”
1 Stanzas 58-66 first appear in the revised version of 1615.
2 Orig. a new. 3 E. start. 4 E. Till. 5 E. Perceiv.