That any sic unworthy wight as he "Ha! how! Hurlybass! now I conjure thée ! That up thou rise, and syne to me appear, To hold you close, and rule you on this Now turn out of the trough, that we may wise. Whatever it be ye either see or hear, Ye speak no word, nor yet make any stear:1 But hold you close, till I have done my cure. And, Symon, ye maun be upon the floor Near beside me, with staff into your hand: Have ye no dread, I shall you aye warrand." And Symon said, "I assent that it be sae. Syne up he gat, and took ane libberlae2 Intill his hand, and on the floor he start, Something affrayed, though stalwart was his heart. Then Symon said unto Friar Robert soon, "Now tell me, master, what ye will have done." "Nothing," he said, "but hold you close, and still; And what I do take ye good tent 3 theretill. And near the door ye hide you privily; And when I bid you strike, strike hardily. Into the neck see that ye hit him right." "I warrand that," quoth he, "with all my might." Thus on the floor I leave him standand still, Bidand his time; and turn again I will To friar Robert, that took his book in hye,4 And turned oure the leavis busily Ane full long space,5 and when he had 2 A baton, or heavy stick, 5 Space of time. 3 Heed. 6 Presently. see And syne till us thou show thèe openly. And in this place see that thou no man grieve; But draw thy handis both into thy sleeve, And pull thy cowl down outour thy face; Thou may thank God thou gettis sic a grace. Therefore thou turss2 thèe to thine ain resett,3 Let this be done, and make nae mair debate. In thy departing, see thou make no deray Unto no wight, but freely pass thy way. And in this place see that thou come no more, But I command thèe, or else charge before; And oure the stair, see that thou gae with speed; Gif thou does not, on thine own peril beid."4 With that the friar under the trough that lay Raxed him soon, for he was in affray ; Then out the trough he tumbled oure the stane, And to the door he shapest him to be gane, With heavy cheer, and dreary counten ance, For never before him happened sic a chance. But when Friar Robert saw him gangand by, Then unto Symon loudly couth he cry, I Stretch. 2 Bundle up. 3 Place of abode. 4 Be it. 5 Direct, prepares. 6 Going. "Strike, strike hardily, for now is time to thee," With that Symon ane fellon flap1 let flee ; Yet gat he up with cleithing 5 naething fair, And oure the wall he clamb right hastily, With that Friar Robert start aback, and saw Down oure the stair, intill a mire he fell, Let him now gae; he is ane graceless ghaist: And boun ye to your bed and take yourrest." Thus Symon's head upon the stone was broken; And oure the stair Friar John in mire has loppen, And tap oure tail he filed was wonder ill: And Alisone on nae ways gat her will. This is the story that happened of that friar ; No more there is, but Christ us keep most dear. THE THREE PRIESTS OF PEEBLES. [THE first notice of these Tales is found Where that the goodman lay so wonder in the Complaint of Scotland, 1548; but law Upon the floor; and bleedand was his head. He start till him, and weend he had been dead; And claught him up, withouten wordis more, And to the door deliverly him bore. the earliest copy that has been traced is an edition printed by Robert Charteris, Edinburgh, 1603. Pinkerton, on the ground that the kingdom of Granada is referred to as not yet Christian, supposes them to have been written before 1492, and assigns their authorship to Dean David Steill, the author of "The Ring of the Roy Robert," a poem of over 200 lines, but of no poetic value, preserved in the Maitland MS. Sibbald refers them to between 1533 and 1540, and attributes their authorship to John Rolland. Dr Laing says that a portion of them, including the title, is contained in a MS. which appears to have been transcribed twenty years earlier than the date assigned them by Sibbald. 1 From top to toe. Their inferiority to "The Friars of Berwick," in the telling as well as in the structure of the stories, is very apparent; yet they bear considerable resemblance to that admirable tale; although it were unwarrantable on this ground alone to assign them to the same authorship. The Prelude and "The First Taile " only, are here given; the second, or Master Archibald's Tale, being somewhat unsuitable; and the third, or Master William's, being a more developed allegory than the others, is somewhat dull.] PREFACE. IN Peebles town sometime, as I heard tell, They loved not nae rangald nor repair.1 say, I trust it was upon saint Brydis day; good cheer; Both with themself what they would tell or crack; Umquhile sadly,1 umquhile jangle and jack;2 Thus sat thir three beside ane felloun fire, Till their capons were roasted limb and lyre.3 Before them was soon set a roundel 4 bright; And with ane clean cloth finely dight, And to his name there called John was he; And said, "Sen that we here are priestis three, Syne wantis nought by him that made the To them there was nae dainties then too "To great clergy I cannot count nor claim; dear, Nor yet I am not travelled, as are ye, With three fed capons on a speet with In many sundry lands beyond the sea. Presumptuously I think not to presume, Then speaks Master John, "Now by the Me to begin ane tale sen ye conclude, THE FIRST TALE, TOLD BY MR JOHN. Sae of thir three estatis all and sum, They fure as well as any folk might fare The king himself come to this burgesses been; And thir words to them carps2 I ween; And says, "Welcome, burgesses, my beild 3 and bliss! When ye fare well I may nae mirthis miss When that your ships (at sea) hold hale and sound. In riches, goods, and welfare I abound. Ye are the cause of all my life and cheer, Out of far lands your merchandise comes here. But ane thing is, for short, the cause (is) why Together here you (now) gart come have I. To you I have ane question to declare A King there was sometime, and eik a Why burgess' bairns thrives not to the Queen ; As many in the land before had been. Thir prelates all right lustily could lodge. third heir? But casts away it that their elders wan: Declare me now this question, gif ye can; To you I give this question, all and sum For to declare, again the morn I come." Unto his lords then comen is the king: Does gladly all he said both old and ying : 4 "My lusty lords, my lieges, and my life I am in sturt 5 when that ye are in strife. When ye have peace, and when ye have pleasance, Then I am. glad, and derfly" may I dance, Ane head on body dow not7 stand alane, Forout memberis, to be of might and main; For to uphold the body and the head, And sickerly9 to gar it stand in stead, 10 Therefore my lordis and my barons bold To me all hale ye are help and uphold. And now I will ye wit, with diligence, Wherefore that I gart come sic confluence: And why ye lordis of my parliament I have gart come, I will tell my intent Ane question I have, ye maun' declare, That in my mind is ever mair and mair, Wherefore, and why, and what can be the cause, Sae worthy lords were in mine elder's days, Sae full of freedom, worship, and honour, Hardy in heart to stand in every stour.2 And now in you I find the hale contrair? Therefore this doubt and question ye declare, And it declare, under the highest pain The morn this time when that I come again." Than till his clergy come this noble king, "Welcome Bishops," he said, "with my blessing; But ane thing is I would ye understood, The cause into this place for to conclude, Wherefore and why I gart you hither come, My clergy and my clerkis all and sum; In auld times and days of ancestry, And through their prayers, made to God of might, The dumb men spake, the blind men gat their sight; The deaf men hearing, the crooked got their feet, Welcome, my beidmen, my bless, and all Were none in bale1 but well they could my beild : them beit.2 To me ye are both helmet, spear, and To sick folks, or into sairness syne, |