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

220
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
LAING MS.]
suppois of thais J?e science be profound, 5
surppassing far our gros & sillie sens,
The pregnant spreittis jit of ]?e leirnit hes fund,
by age, by tyme, & lang experience,
Thair pitche, thair powir, and Inflvvence,
the cowrs of natwre & hir mowingis all; 10
Sa }>at we neid no^t now be in suspence
off erthelie thingis, nor jit celestiall;
Bot onlie of ]ns monstwre luif we dout,
quhais craftie cowrs no owning can find out.
XXV.
[THE TENDER SNOW, OF GRANIS SOFT
& QUHYT.]
F. 78 b. The tender snow, of granis soft & quhyt,
Is nockt so sone nwswmit vith phebus heit,
As is my breist, beholding my delyte,
Pyneit vith ]?e presence of my lady sueit.
The surgeing seyis, vfith stormie streameis repleit, 5
Tormoylit iw/^t ]>e wandring shipis sa sair,
As absence dois torme«t my werie spreit,
fleitting a flor/rt betuixt hoip & dispair.
My cative corps consumis with cursed cair;
Mistrust & dreid hes baneist esperance, 10
That I am forceit to perische quhae sould mair,
& trast }>e wyte vpo^ rememberance;
Than absence, presence, remembrance, all thre,
Torment me for hir saik eternallie.1
1 Underneath this sonnet are scribbled the names ‘goirg hay,’ ‘lames
Arnot,’ ‘Ihone Hay,’ ‘ loannes Arnot.’