Scottish Text Society publications > New series > Kingis quair; together with A ballad of good counsel

THE KINGIS QUAIR.
Till certeyne courszj endit be and ronne,
Quhill of trew smiis thow have hir graice I-wone.
109 And jit, considering the nakitnesse
Bothe of thy wit, thy persone, and thy my^t,
It is no mach, of thyne vnworthynesse
To hir hie birth, estate, and beautee bryght:
Als like je bene, as day is to the nyg^t;
Or sek-cloth is vnto fyne cremesye ;
Or doken1 to the fresche dayesye.
no Vnlike the mone Is to the sonne schene ;
Eke lanuarye is [vnjlike to 2 may;
Vnlike the cukkow to the phylomene ;
Thaire tabartis ar noght bothe maid of array ; 3
Vnlike the crow is to the pape-Iay ;
Vnlike, In goldsmythis werk, a fischis eye
To preise4 with peril, or maked be so heye.
in As I haue said, [now] vnto me belangith
Specialy the cure of thy seknesse ;
Bot now thy matere so in balance hangith,
That It requerith, to thy sekfrness*?,
The help of othir mo that 5 bene goddes,
And haue In thame the menes and the lore,
In this matere to schorten with thy sore.
112 And for thou sail se wele that I entend,
Vn-to thy help, thy welefare to presume,
The streight[e] weye thy spirit will I send
To the goddesse that clepit is Mynmie,
And se that thou hir hestis wele construe,
MS. doken, with foule on written above it.
MS. vnto. 3 For maid of read of on.
MS. peres<r; with r above first e. 5 MS. than.