STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 4
[English harshness to prisoners]
In Rawchryne leve we now the king In rest foroutyn barganyng, And off his fayis a quhile speke we That throu thar mycht and thar powste 5 Maid sic a persecucioune Sa hard, sa strayt and sa feloune On thaim that till hym luffand wer Or kyn or freynd on ony maner That at till her is gret pite. 10 For thai sparyt off na degre Thaim that thai trowit his freynd wer Nother off the kyrk na seculer, For off Glaskow Byschop Robert And Marcus off Man thai stythly speryt 15 Bath in fetrys and in presoune, And worthy Crystoll off Seytoun Into Loudoun betresyt was Throu a discipill off Judas Maknab, a fals tratour that ay 20 Wes off his dwelling nycht and day Quhom to he maid gud cumpany. It wes fer wer than tratoury For to betreys sic a persoune So nobill and off sic renoune, 25 Bot tharoff had he na pite, In hell condampnyt mocht he be. For quhen he him betrasyt had The Inglismen rycht with him rad In hy in Ingland to the king, 30 That gert draw him and hede and hing Foroutyn pete or mercy. It wes gret sorow sekyrly That so worthy a persoune as he Suld on sic maner hangyt be, 35 Thusgat endyt his worthynes. Off Crauford als Schyr Ranald wes And Schyr Bryce als the Blar Hangyt intill a berne in Ar. The queyn and als Dame Marjory, 40 Hyr dochter that syne worthily Wes coupillyt into Goddis band With Walter Stewart off Scotland, That wald on na wys langar ly In the castell off Kyldromy 45 To byd a sege, ar ridin raith With knychtis and squyeris bath Throu Ros rycht to the gyrth off Tayne. Bot that travaill thai maid in vayne, For thai off Ros that wald nocht ber 50 For thaim na blayme na yeit danger Out off the gyrth thame all has tayne And syne has send thaim everilkane Rycht intill Ingland to the king, That gert draw all the men and hing, 55 And put the ladyis in presoune Sum intill castell sum in dongeoun. It wes gret pite for till her The folk be troublyt on this maner.
[The siege of Kildrummy Castle]
That tyme wes in Kyldromy 60 Wyth men that wycht and hardy Schyr Neile the Bruce and I wate weile That thar the erle was off Adheill. The castell weill vittalyt thai And mete and fuell gan purvay 65 And enforcyt the castell sua That thaim thocht na strenth mycht it ta. And quhen it to the king was tauld Off Ingland how thai schup till hauld That castell, he wes all angry 70 And callyt his sone till hym in hy The eldest and aperand ayr A young bacheler and stark and fayr Schyr Edward callyt off Carnauerane, That wes the sterkast man of ane 75 That men fynd mycht in ony countre Prynce of Walys that tyme wes he. And he gert als call erlys twa Glosyster and Harfurd war tha And bad thaim wend into Scotland 80 And set a sege with stalwart hand To the castell off Kyldromy. And all the halderis halyly He bad distroy for-owtyn ransoun Or bryng thaim till him in presoune. 85 Quhen thai the commaundment had tane Thai assemblyt ane ost onane And to the castell went in hy And it assegyt vigorusly And mony tyme full hard assaylyt. 90 Bot for to tak it yeit thai failyt For thai within war rycht worthy And thaim defendyt douchtely And ruschyt thair fayis oft agayne Sum beft sum woundyt sum alslayne 95 And mony tymys ische thai wald And bargane at the barrais hald And wound thar fayis oft and sla. Schortly thai thaim contenyt sua That thai withoute disparyt war 100 And thocht till Ingland for to far For thai sa styth saw the castell And with that it wes warnyst weill And saw the men defend thaim sua That thai nane hop had thaim to ta, 105 Nane had thai done all that sesoune Gyff it ne had bene fals tresoun For thar with thaim wes a tratour. A fals lourdane a losyngeour Hosbarne to name maid the tresoun, 110 I wate nocht for quhat enchesoun Na quham with he maid that conwyn Bot as thai said that war within He tuk a culter hate glowand That yeit wes in a fyr brynnand 115 And went him to the mekill hall That then with corn wes fyllyt all And heych up in a mow it did, Bot it full lang wes nocht thar hid For men sayis oft that fyr na prid 120 But discovering may na man hid, For the pomp oft the prid furth schawis Or ellis the gret boist that it blawis, Na thar may na man fyr sa covyr Than low or rek sall it discovyr. 125 Sa fell it her, for fyr all cler Son throu the thak-burd gan apper Fyrst as a stern syne as a mone And weill bradder tharefter sone The fyr out syne in bles brast 130 And the rek rais rycht wondre fast. The fyr our all the castell spred That mycht na force of man it red. Than thai within drew to the wall That at that tyme wes bataillit all 135 Within rycht as it wes withoute That bataillyne withoutyn dout Savit thar lyvis, for it brak Bles that thaim wald ourtak. And quhen thar fayis the myscheiff saw 140 Till armys went thai in a thraw And assaylyt the castell fast Quhar thai durst come for fyris blast, Bot thai within that myster had Sa gret defence and worthy mad 145 That thai full oft thar fayis rusit For thai nakyn perall refusyt, Thai travaillyt for to sauff thar lyffis Bot werd that till the end ay dryvis The warldis thingis sua thaim travaillyt 150 That thai on twa halfys war assailyt, In with fyr that thaim sua broilyit And utouth with folk that thaim sua toilyit That thai brynt magre thaim the yat That, for the fyre that wes sua hate 155 Thai durst nocht entyr sua in hy, Tharfor thar folk thai gan rely And went to rest for it wes nycht Till on the morn that day wes lycht.
[The surrender of Kildrummy and the death of Edward I]
At sik myscheiff as ye her say 160 War thai within, the-quhethyr ay Thai thaim defendyt douchtely And contenyt thaim sa manlily That or day throu mekill payn Thai had muryt up thar yat agayn. 165 But on the morn quhen day wes lycht And sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht Thai without in hale bataill Come purvayt redy till assaill, Bot thai within that sua war stad 170 That thai vitaill na fewell had Quhar-with thai mycht the castell hald Tretyt fyrst and syne thaim yauld To be in-till the kingis will, Bot that to Scottis men wes ill 175 As sone eftyr weill wes knawin For thai war hangyt all and drawyn. Quhen this cunnand thus tretyt wes And affermyt with sekyrnes Thai tuk thaim of the castell sone 180 And in-till schort tyme has done That all a quarter of Snawdoun Rycht till the erd thai tummyllyt doun Syne towart Ingland went thar way. Bot quhen the king Edward hard say 185 How Neill the Bruce held Kildromy Agayne his sone sa stalwartly, He gadryt gret chevalry And towart Scotland went in hy, And as in-till Northummyrland 190 He wes with his gret rout ridand A sekness tuk him in the way And put him to sa hard assay That he mycht nocht ga na ryd. Him worthit magre his abid 195 In-till ane hamillet tharby A litill toun and unworthy, With gret payne thidder thai him brocht. He wes sa stad that he ne mocht His aynd bot with gret paynys draw 200 Na spek bot giff it war weill law The-quhether he bad thai suld him say Quhat toun wes that that he in lay. 'Schyr,' thai said, 'Burch-in-the-sand Men callis this toun in-till this land.' 205 'Call thai it Burch, als,' said he. My hop is now fordone to me For I wend never to thole the payne Of deid till I throu mekill mayn The burch of Jerusalem had tane, 210 My lyff wend I thar suld be gayne. In burch I wyst weill I suld de Bot I wes nother wys na sle Till other burch kep to ta. Now may I na wis forther ga.' 215 Thus pleynyeit he off his foly, As he had mater sekyrly Quhen he covyt certante Off that at nane may certan be, The-quhether men said enclosit he had 220 A spyryt that him answer maid Off thingis that he wald inquer. Bot he fulyt foroutyn wer That gaiff throuth till that creatur, For feyndys ar off sic natur 225 That thai to mankind has invy For thai wate weill and witterly That thai that weill ar liffand her Sall wyn the sege quharoff thai wer Tumblyt throuch thar mekill prid. 230 Quharthrou oft-tymys will betid That quhen feyndys distrenyeit ar For till aper and mak answar Throu force of conjuracioun That thai sa fals ar and feloun 235 That thai mak ay thar answering Into doubill understanding To dissaiff thaim that will thaim trow. Insample will I set her now Off a wer as I herd tell 240 Betwix Fraunce and the Flemyngis fell. The erle Ferandis modyr was Nygramansour, and Sathanas Scho rasyt and him askyt syne Quhat suld worth off the fechtyn 245 Betwix the Fraunce king and hyr sone, And he, as all tyme he wes wone, Into dissayt maid his answer And said till hyr thir thre vers her, 'Rex ruet in bello tumilique carebit honore 250 Ferrandus comitissa tuus mea cara Minerva Parisius veniet magna comitante caterva.' This wes the spek he maid perfay And is in Inglis toung to say, 'The king sall fall in the fechting 255 And sall faile honour off erding, And thi Ferand Mynerve my der Sall rycht to Parys went but wer, Folowand him gret cumpany Off nobill men and off worthy.' 260 This is the sentence off this saw That the Latyn gan hyr schaw. He callyt hyr his Mynerve For Mynerve ay wes wont to serve Him, till scho leffyt, at his divis 265 And for scho maid the samyn service His Mynerve hyr callyt he, And als throu his sutelte He callyt hyr der hyr till dissaiff That scho the tyttar suld consaiff 270 Off his spek the undyrstanding That mast plesyt till hyr liking. This doubill spek sua hyr dissavit That throu hyr feill the ded ressavit, For scho wes off hyr answer blyth 275 And till hyr sone scho tald it swyth, And bad him till the batell sped For suld victory haiff but dred. And he that herd hyr sermonuyng Sped him in hy to the fechting 280 Quhar he discomfyt wes and schent And takin and to Paris sent, Bot in the fechting nocht-forthi The king, throu his chevalry, Wes laid at erd and lawit bath, 285 Bot his men helpyt him weill rath. And quhen Ferandis moder herd How hyr sone in the bataill ferd And at he wes sua discomfyt, Scho rasyt the ill spyryt als tyt 290 And askyt quhy he gabyt had Off the answer that he hyr mad, And he said he had said suth all. 'I said ye that the king suld fall In the bataill, and say did he, 295 And failyeid erding, as men may se. And I said that thi sone suld ga To Paris, and he did rycht sua, Folowand sic a mengye That never in his lyff-tyme he 300 Had sic a mengye in leding. Now seis thou I maid na gabbing.' The wyff confusyt wes perfay And durst no mar than till him say Thusgat throu doubill understanding 305 That bargane come till sic ending That the ta part dissavyt was. Rycht sagat fell yt in this cas. At Jerusalem trowit he Gravyn in the burch to be, 310 The-quhethyr at Burch-into-the-sand He swelt rycht in his awn land. And quhen he to the ded wes ner The folk that at Kildromy wer Come with presoneris that thai had tane, 315 And syne to the king ar gane And for to comfort him thai tald How thai the castell to thaim yauld And how thai till his will war brocht, To do off thame quhatever he thocht, 320 And askyt quhat men suld off thaim do. Than lukyt he angyrly thaim to And said grynnand, 'Hangis and drawys.' That wes wonder off sik sawis, That he that to the ded wes ner 325 Suld answer apon sic maner Foroutyn menyng and mercy. How mycht he traist on Hym to cry That suthfastly demys all thing To haiff mercy, for his criying, 330 Off him that throu his felony Into sic point had na mercy. His men his maundment has done And he deyt thatefter sone And syne wes brocht till berynes. 335 His sone syne king efter wes.
[Douglas and Boyd go from Rathlin to Arran]
To the King Robert agayne ga we That in Rauchryne with his menye Lay till wynter ner wes gane And off that ile his mete has tane 340 James off Douglas wes angry That thai langar suld ydill ly And to Schyr Robert Boid said he, 'The pure folk off thys countre Ar chargit apon gret maner 345 Off us that idill lyis her, And ik her say that in Arane Intill a styth castell off stane Ar Inglis men that with strang hand Haldys the lordschip off the land 350 Ga we thidder, and weill may fall Anoy thaim in sum thing we sall.' Schir Robert said, 'I grant thar-till, Till her mar ly war litill skill. Tharfor till Aran pas will we, 355 For I knaw rycht weill the countre And the castell rycht sua knaw I We sall cum thar sua prevely That thai sall haiff na persavyng Na yeit witting off our cummyng, 360 And we sall ner enbuschyt be Quhar we thar outecome may se. Sa sall it on na maner fall Na scaith thaim on sum wis we sall.' With that thai buskyt thaim on-ane 365 And at the king thar leiff has tane And went thaim furth syne on thar way. Into Kyntyr sone cummyn ar thai, Syne rowyt alwayis by the land Till that the nycht wes ner on hand, 370 Than till Arane thai went thar way And saufly thar aryvyt thai, And in a glen thar galay drewch And syne it helyt weill ineuch. Thar takyll ayris and thar ster 375 Thai hyde all on the samyn maner And held thar way rycht in the nycht Sua that or day wes dawyn lycht Thai war enbuschyt the castell ner Armyt apon thair best maner 380 And thoucht thai wate war and wery And for lang fastyng all hungry Thai thocht to hald thaim all preve Till that thai weill thar poynt mycht se.
[Douglas plunders the provisions being brought to Brodick Castle]
Schir John the Hastingis at that tid 385 With knychtis off full mekill prid And squyeris and yemanry, And that a weill gret cumpany, Wes in the castell off Brathwik And oftsys quhen it wald him lik 390 He went huntyng with his menye And sua the land abandounyt he That durst nane warne to do his will. He wes into the castell still The tyme that James off Douglas 395 As Ik haiff tald enbuschit was. Sa hapnyt that tyme throu chance That with vittalis and purvyaunce And with clething and with armyng The day befor in the evynning 400 The undyr-wardane arivyt was With thre batis weill ner the place Quhar that the folk I spak off ar Prevely enbuschyt war. Syne fra tha batis saw thai ga 405 Off Inglismen thretty and ma Chargit all with syndry thingis. Sum bar wyne and sum armyngis, The remanant all chargit wer With thingis off syndry maner, 410 And other syndry yeid thaim by As thai war maistrys ydilly. Thai that enbuschyt war that saw All foroutyn dreid or aw Thar buschement on thaim thai brak 415 And slew all that thai mycht ourtak. The cry rais hidwysly and hey For thai that dredand war to dey Rycht as bestis gan rar and cry. Thai slew thaim foroutyn mercy. 420 Sua that into the samyne sted Weill ner fourty thar war dede. Quhen thai that in the castell war Hard the folk sa cry and rar Thai ischyt furth to the fechting, 425 Bot quhen the Douglas saw thar cummyng His men till him he gan rely And went till meit thaim hastily. And quhen thai off the castell saw Him cum on thaim foroutyn aw 430 Thai fled foroutyne mar debate And thai thaim folowit to the yate And slew of thaim as thai in past, Bot thai thair yate barryt fast That thai mycht do at thame na mar. 435 Tharfor thai left thaim ilkane thar And turnyt to the se agayne Quhar that the men war forouth slayn. And quhen thai that war in the batis Saw thar cummyng and wyst howgatis 440 Thai had discumfyt thar menye In hy thai put thaim to the se And rowyt fast with all thar mayne, Bot the wynd wes thaim agayne That sua hey gert the land-bryst rys 445 That thai moucht weld the se na wis. Then thai durst nocht cum to the land, Bot held thaim thar sa lang hobland That off the thre batis drownyt twa And quhen the Douglas saw it wes sua 450 He tuk armyng and cleything Vittalis wyne and other thing That thai fand thar and held thar way Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray.
[The king comes to Arran and is joined by Douglas and Boyd]
Quhen this James off Douglas 455 And his menye throu Goddis grace War relevyt with armyng And with vittaill and clething Syne till a strenth thai held thar way And thaim full manly governyt ay 460 Till on the tend day that the king With all that war in his leding Aryvyt into that countre With thretty small galayis and thre. The king aryvyt in Arane 465 And syne to the land is gane And in a toune tuk his herbery, And speryt syne specially Gyff ony man couth tell tithand Off ony strang man in that land. 470 'Yhis,' said a woman, 'Schyr perfay Off strang men I kan you say That ar cummyn in this countre, And schort quhile syne throu thar bounte Thai haff discomfyt our wardane 475 And mony off his men has slane, Intill a stalwart place her-by Reparis all thar cumpany.' 'Dame,' said the king, 'wald thou me wis To that place quhar thar repair is 480 I sall reward the but lesing, For thai ar all off my dwelling And I rycht blythly wald thaim se And sua trow I that thai wald me.' 'Yhis,' said scho, 'Schir I will blythly 485 Ga with you and your cumpany Till that I schaw you thar repair.' 'That is ineuch my sister fayr, Now ga we forth-wart,' said the king. Than went thai furth but mar letting 490 Folowand hyr as scho thaim led Till at the last scho schawyt a sted To the king in a wode glen And said, 'Schir, her saw I the men That yhe sper after mak logyng. 495 Her I trow be thar reparyng.' The king then blew his horn in hy And gert the men that wer him by Hald thaim still and all preve And syne agayn his horn blew he. 500 James off Douglas herd him blaw And he the blast alsone gan knaw And said, 'Sothly yon is the king, I knaw lang quhill syne his blawyng.' The thrid tym thar-with-all he blew 505 And then Schir Robert Boid it knew And said, 'Yone is the king but dreid Ga we furth till him better speid.' Than went thai till the king in hy And hm inclynyt curtasly, 510 And blythly welcummyt thaim the kimg And wes joyfull of thar meting And kissit thaim and speryt syne How thai had farne in thar outyne, And thai him tauld all but lesing. 515 Syne lovyt thai God off thar meting, Syne with the king till his herbery Went bath joyfull and joly.
[The king sends a man to Carrick to see if he might land there]
The king apon the tother day Gan till his preve menye say, 520 'Ye knaw all weill and ye may se How we are out off our cuntre Banyst throu Inglismennys mycht And that that suld be ouris of rycht Throu thar maistrys thai occupy, 525 And wald alsua foroutyne mercy Giff thai haid mycht destroy us all. Bot God forbeid it suld sa fall Till us as thai mak manassyng For than war thar na recoveryng, 530 And mankind biddis us that we To procur vengeance besy be. For ye may se we haiff thre thingis That makis us oft monestingis For to be worthi wis and wycht 535 And till anoy thaim at our mycht. Ane is our lyffis saufte That on na wys suld sauft be Gyff thai had us at thar liking The tother that makys us eggyng 540 Is that thai our possessioune Haldis strenthly agayn resoun. The thrid is the joy that we abid Giff that it happyn as weill may tid That we wyn victour and maistry, 545 Till ourcum thar felony. Therfor we suld our hartis rais Sua that na myscheyff us abais And schaip us alwayis to that ending That beris in it mensk and loving. 550 And tharfor lordingis gyff ye se Amang you giff that it speidfull be I will send a man in Carrik To spy and sper our kynrik How it is led and freynd and fa. 555 And giff he seis we land may ta On Turnberys snuke he may Mak a fyr on a certane day And mak takynnyng till us that we May thar aryve in saufte. 560 And giff he seis we may nocht sua, Luk on na wys the fyr he ma. Sua may we thar-throu haiff wittring Off our passage or our dwelling.' To this spek all assentyt ar, 565 And than the king withoutyn mar Callyt ane that wes till him preve And off Carrik his countre, And chargyt him in les and mar As ye hard me divis it ar 570 And set him certane day to mai The fyr giff he saw it war sua That thai had possibilite To maynteyme wer in that cuntre. And he that wes rycht weill in will 575 His lordis yharnyng to fullfill As he that worthy wes and leile And couth secreis rycht weill conseil Sad he wes boune intill all thing For to fulfill his commaunding, 580 And said he suld do sa wisely That na repruff suld efter ly Syne at the king his leiff has tane And furth apon his way is gane.
[Cuthbert the spy discovers that Percy, in Turnberry Castle,
controls Carrick]
Now gais the messynger his way 585 That hat Cuthbert as I herd say. In Carrik sone aryvyt he And passyt throu all the countre, Bot he fand few tharin perfay That gud wald off his maister say, 590 For fele off thaim durst nocht for dreid, And other sum rycht into deid War fayis to the nobill king, That rewyt syne thar barganyng. Baith hey and law the land wes then 595 All occupyit with Inglismen That dispytyt atour all thing Robert the Bruce the douchty king. Carrik wes giffyn then halyly To Schir Henry the lord Persy 600 That in Turnberyis castell then Was with weill ner three hunder men, And dauntyt sagat all the land That all wes till him obeysand. This Cuthbert saw thar felony, 605 And saw the folk sa halely Be worthyn Inglis baith rich and pur That he to nane durst him discur, But thocht to leve the fyr unmaid, Syne till his maister went but baid 610 And all thar convyne till him tell, That wes sa angry and sa fell.
[The king thinks he sees a fire; he prepares to cross to Carrick; his hostess
predicts his ultimate success, and gives him her two sons]
The king that intill Arane lay Quhen that cummyn wes the day That he set till his messinger 615 As Ik divisit you lang er Eftyr the fyr he lokyt fast And als sone as the none wes past Him thocht weill he saw a fyr Be Turnbery byrnand weill schyr, 620 And till his menye it gan schaw. Ilk man thocht weill that he it saw, Then with blyth hart the folk gan cry, 'Gud king, speid you deliverly Sua that we sone in the evynnyng 625 Aryve foroutyn persayving.' 'I grant,' said he. 'Now mak you yar, God furthyr us intill our far.' Then in schort time men mycht thaim se Schute all thar galayis to the se 630 And ber to se baith ayr and ster And other thingis that myster wer, And as the king apon the sand Wes gangand up and doun, bidand Till that his menye redy war, 635 His ost come rycht till him thar, And quhen that scho him halyst had A preve spek till him scho made And said, 'Takis gud kep till my saw, For or ye pas I sall you schaw 640 Off your fortoun a gret party, Bot our all specially A wyttring her I sall you ma Quhat end that your purpos sall ta, For in this land is nane trewly 645 Wate thingis to cum sa weill as I. Ye pas now furth on your viage To venge the harme and the outrag That Inglismen has to you done, Bot ye wat nocht quhat-kyne forton 650 Ye mon drey in your werraying. Bot wyt ye weill withoutyn lesing That fra ye now haiff takyn land Nane sa mychty na sa strenththi of hand Sal ger you pas out off your countre 655 Till all to you abandounyt be. Within schort tyme ye sall be king And haiff the land at your liking And ourcum your fayis all, Bot fele anoyis thole ye sall 660 Or that your purpos end haiff tane, Bot ye sall thaim ourdryve ilkane. And that ye trowis this sekyrly My twa sonnys with you sall I Send to tak part of your travaill, 665 For I wate weill thai sall nocht faill To be rewardyt weill at rycht Quhen ye are heyit to your mycht.'
[A discourse on prophecy]
The king that herd all hyr carping Thankit hyr in mekill thing, 670 For scho confort him sumdeill, The-quhethir he trowyt nocht full weill Hyr spek, for he had gret ferly How scho suld wyt it sekyrly, As it wes wounderfull perfay 675 How ony mannys science may Knaw thingis that ar to cum Determinabilly, all or sum, Bot giff that he inspyrit war Off Him that all thing evermar 680 Seys in his presciens As it war ay in presens, 680* As was David and Jeremy 681 Samuell, Joell and Ysai, That throu His haly grace gan tell 685 Fele thingis that efter fell, 684 Bot the prophetis sa thyn ar sawyn That nane in erd now is knawin. Bot fele folk ar sa curyous And to wyt thingis covatous 690 That thai, throu thar gret clergy 689 Or ellys throu thar devilry, On thir twa maneris makis fanding Off thingis to cum to haiff knawing. Ane of thaim is astrologi, 695 Quhar-throu clerkys that ar witty 694 May knaw conjunctiones of planetis, And quhethir that thar cours thaim settis In soft segis or in angry, And off the hevyn all halyly 700 How that the dispositioun 699 Suld apon thingis wyrk her doun On regiones or on climatis, That wyrkys nocht ay-quhar agatis Bot sumquhar les and sumquhar mar 705 Eftyr as thar bemys strekyt ar 704 Othir all evyn or on wry. Bot me think it war gud maistri Till ony astrolog to say 'This sall fall her and on this day.' 710 For thoucht a man his lyff haly 709 Studyit sua in astrology That on sternys his hewid he brak, The wys man sayis he suld nocht mak All his lyff certane dayis thre, 715 And yeit suld he ay doute quhill he 714 Saw how that it come till ending. Than is that na certane demyng. Or gyff thai men that will study In the craft off astrology 720 Knaw all mennys nacioun 719 And knew the constellacioun That kyndlik maneris gyfis thaim till For till inclyne to gud or ill, How that thai throu science of clergi 725 Or throu slycht off astrology 724 Couth tell quhatkyn perell apperis To thaim that haldys kyndlik maneris, I trow that thai suld faile to say The thingis that thaim happyn may. 730 For quhethir-sa men inclynyt be 729 To vertu or to mavyte, He may rychtg weill refreynye his will Othir throu nurtur or thru skill And to the contrar turne him all. 735 And men has mony tyme sene fall 734 That men kyndly till ivill gevyn Throu thar gret wit away has drevyn Thar ill and worthin off gret renoun Magre the constellacioun, 740 As Arestotill, giff as men redis 739 He had folowyt his kyndly dedis, He had bene fals and covatous Bot his wyt maid him vertuous. And sen men may on this kyn wys 745 Wyrk agayne that cours that is 744 Principaill caus off thar demyng Me think thar dome na certane thing. Nygromancy the tother is That kennys men on syndry wys 750 Throu stalwart conjuracionys 749 And throu exorcizacionys To ger spyritis to thaim apper And giff answeris on ser maner, As quhilum did the Phitones 755 That quhen Saul abaysyt wes 754 Off the Felystynys mycht, Raysyt throu hyr mekill slycht Samuelis spyrite als tite, Or in his sted the ivill spyrite 760 That gaiff rycht graith answer hyr to, 759 Bot off hyr selff rycht nocht wyst scho. And man is into dreding ay Off thingis that he has herd say, Namly off thingis to cum, quhill he 765 Knaw off the end the certante. 764 And sen thai ar in sic wenyng Foroutyne certante off witting, Me think quha sayis he knawis thingis To cum he makys gret gabingis. 770 Bot quhether scho that tauld the king 769 How his purpos suld tak ending Wenyt or wist it witterly, It fell efter halyly As scho said, for syne king wes he 775 And off full mekill renommé 774.