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<f 96v>
Quhou the thrid
sone of this fayr lady callit laubir ansuert vitht ane lamentabil complaynt.
Chap. XV.
O MY dolorus mother, quhilk
sum tyme aboundit in
prosperite and nou thou art spulzet fra al felicite,
trocht grit affliction of langorius tribulatione
resaif thy repreif in paciens for ane correctione, and
nocht for ane inuectyf dispyit, i knau that thy complaynt
is nocht disrasonabil nor vitht out cause zit
nochtheles my displeseir is vondir bittir in sa far as i
hef baytht the domage and the reproche of thy myscheif
the quhilk i deserue nocht til hef be rason of my
innocens. Allace the aduersite of ane innocent is mair
nor cruel quhen he induris punitione for ane cryme
that ane transgressor committis. i may be comparit to
the dul asse in sa far as i am compellit to bayr ane importabil
byrdyng, for i am dung and broddit to gar me
do & to thole the thing that is abuif my pouer. allace
i am the merk of the but contrar the quhilk euere man
schutis arrous
<f 97r> of tribulatione allace quhou is iustice
sa euil trettit quhilk is occasione that euere man vsis al
extreme extorsions contrar me as far as ther pouer can
exsecut allace i laubyr nycht and day vitht my handis
to neureis lasche and inutil idil men, and thai recompens
me vitht hungyr and vitht the sourd. i susteen
ther lyif vitht trauel & vitht the suet of my body, and
thai parsecut my body vitht oultrage and hayrschip
quhil i am be cum ane begger. thai lyf trocht me and
i dee trocht them allace o my natural mother thou
repreifis & accusis me of the faltis that my tua brethir
committis daly, my tua brethir nobilis and clergie
quhilk suld defend me tha ar mair cruel contrar me
nor is my ald enemes of ingland. tha ar my natural
brethyr bot thai ar my mortal enemes of verray deid.
Allace quhou can i tak paciens considerand that ther
can na thing be eikkyt to my parsecutione bot cruel
dede. i dee daly in ane transe trocht the necessite
that i hef of the gudis that i van vitht my laubyrs, my
cornis and my cattel ar reft fra me, i am exilit fra my
takkis and fra my steddyngis, the malis and fermis of
the grond that i laubyr is hychtit to sic ane price that
it is fors to me
<f 97v> & vyf and bayrns to drynk vattir, the
teyndis of my cornis ar nocht alanerly hychtit abufe
the fertilite that the grond maye bayr, bot as veil thai
ar tane furtht of my handis be my tua tirran brethir.
and quhen i laubyr be marchandres or be mecanik
craftis i am compellit to len and to fyrst it to my tua
cruel brethir, and quhen i craif my dettis quhilk suld
sustene my lyif, i am bostit hurt and oft tymis i am
slane ther for laubereris to burtht & land and be see
burd, thai indure daly sic violence that it is nocht possibil
that esperance of releif can be ymagynit for ther is
nay thing on the lauberaris of the grond to burtht and
land bot arrage carage taxationis violent spulze and
al vthyr sortis of aduersite, quhilk is onmercifully exsecut
daly. the veyr is cryit contrar ingland, bot the
actis of the veir is exsecutit contrar the lauberaris and
consumis ther miserabil lyif O my natural mother,
my complaynt is hauy to be tald, bot it is mair displesand
to susteen my piteous desolatione. i am banest fra
my house, i am boistit and manniest be my frendis,
and i am assailzit be them that suld defend me, the
lauberaris ar ane notabil membyr of ane realme, vitht
out the quhilk the nobillis
<f 98r>& clergie can nocht sustene
ther stait nor ther lyif, zit notheles thai ar baytht be
cum my mortal enemeis, the quhilk vil be the final
euersione of ther auen prosperite. therfor i may compair
them til ane man in ane frenyse quhilk bytis his auen
membris vitht his techt, throuch the quhilk his body
be cummis consumit, the romans in ald tymes prouidit
prudentlie for the deffens of the comont pepil contrar
the nobillis, the senat and al vtheris of grit stait or
dignites and contrar ther extorsions for thai institut
ane nobil man of office callit tribunus plebis quha
deffendit the fredum and liberte of the comont pepil
contrar the crualte of the hie senat or ony vthir grit
man of grit stait. bot allace it is nocht nou of that sort
vitht me for i am left desolat vitht out supple or deffens
amang the handis of vrangus oppressours quhilk
professit them to be my brethir and defendouris for i
indure mair persecutione be them nor be the cruel veyr
of ingland, for my takkis steyding and teyndis ar
nocht alanerly tane fra me or ellis hychtit til ane
onrasonabil price bot as veil i am maid ane slaue of
my body to ryn and rashe in arrage & carraige, ther for
i am constrenzet to cry on god for ane vengeance
<f 98v> contrar
them for the importabil afflictione quhilk thai constrenze
me til indure the quhilk i beleif sal cum
haistyly on them be the rycht iugement of god, conformand
to the vordis of the prophet, propter miseriam
inopum & gemitum pauperum nuc exurgam
dicit dominus that is to say be the expositione of
the doctoris. for the misere of mistirful men, and for
the vepyng of pure men, the diuyne iustice sal exsecut
strait punitione. therfor thir potestatis and men of stait
that dois extorsions to the pure pepil thai hef mistir to
be verra var and to abstrak them fra the violence quhilk
tha parpetrat on the pure pepil, for it is to be presumit
that the lamentabil voce and cryis of the affligit pepil
complenant to the hauyn vil moue to pitie the clemens
of the maist merciful and puissant diuyne plasmator
the quhilk trocht his eternal iustice, vil succumb in
confusione al violent vsurpatours quhilkis parpetratis
sic cruel iniquiteis on the desolat pure pepil. Therfor
(o thou my mother) sen i am in dangeir of the deitht
and disparit of my lyif, necessite pulsis and constrenzes
me to cry on god and to desire vengeance on them that
persecutis me, in
<f 99r> hope that he vil releif me or els to
tak me furtht of this miserabil lyif, for the ingratitude
of my tua brethir, ther dissolutione, and the mysknaulage
of god, and ther disordinat misgouernance, is the
cause of my impatiens, and cause of al my afflictione,
for as ther euil conquest reches multiplies, ther disordinat
pompe and ther delicius ydilnes vitht misknaulage
of god augmentis, quhilk is occasione that tha ar ambitius
in ther stait, couetuse of gudis and desirus to be
gouernouris of the realme, i suld hef said misgouernouris
of the realme, the quhilk foliful affectionis vil be
ther auen confusione quhen god pleysis, be rason that
nane of ther verkis ar conformand to the command of
god. bot al the mannessing that is maid to them nor
zit the grit promes that is maid to them be the holy
scripture altris nocht ther couetyse desyre, therfor thai
may be comparit to the edropic the quhilk the mair
that he drynk the mair he hes desire to drynk. my tua
brethir nobillis and clergie ar in sic melancole be cause
that i complein and murmyris ther crualte bot zit nane
of them decistis fra the vice quhilk gifis me occasione
to murmyr. it is nocht possibil to gar extorsione be
vitht out murmur
<f 99v> nor murmur, to be vitht out rumour,
of the pepil nor rumour to be vitht out diuisione, &
diuisione vitht out desolatione and sklandyr, therfor
my impaciens suld be supportit be cause that the occasione
of it hes suppedit my rason. o my desolat mother
thou suld nocht reproche al thy thre childir in general
bot rathere to reproche sa mony in special that ar occasione
of thy afflictione. thou vait that ane man vil haue
childir of deferent conditionis sum gude and sum euil
the patriark Iacob hed tuelf sonnis of the quhilk his
zongest sone beniemyn vas indole and innocent and
iosept vas faitful and merciful, and ruben vas pieteabil
and humain, and the tothir nyne brethir var cruel and
dissaitful, quhen thai condampnit there brothere Iosept
to dee in ane cesterne, & there eftir thai sellit hym to
the egiptiens to be ane sklaue. Siklik amang al sortis
of pepil and amang al facultes and staitis, there is sum
gud and sum euil, and fyrst to speik of the defferens
of kyngis, dauid that roial prophet, vas ane holy kyng,
and kyng saul vas cruel & vicius, and amang the staitis
of preistis mathathias vas gude, and obnias vas euil,
and amang the staitis of prophetis daniel vas gude, and
<f 100r>balaam vas euil, & amang the vedous, iudicht vas
gude, and Ihesabel vas euil, amang the pastoirs and
hirdis, abel vas gude and abimelech vas euil, amang
the staitis of reche men Iob vas gude and nabal was
euil, and amang the religion of the apostolis Sanct
petir vas gude and iudas vas euil. ther for o my
dolorus mother thou erris in thy accusatione, in sa far
as thou makis na acceptione of personis nor puttis
defferens betuix qualites of conditionis of men. it is
concludit be al lauis, diuyne and humain, that euere
person sal bayr his auen birding, and that euere person
sal be commendit or detestit efferand for his conuersatione.
therfor thou suld nocht condamp innocentis and
trangressouris baytht to giddir, sic punitione excedis
the limitis of discretione and of iustice. it is vrytin in
the 7 cheptor of genesis that god sauit lotht and his
famile be cause of there obediens quhen he distroyit
the vicius pepil of sodome and gomore. O my velbelouit
mother, thou knauis that i am innocent of thy inuectiue
accusatione, and that my tua cruel brethir ar the cause
of thy desolatione, & of my distructione. for i am sa
violently ouerset be them, that throcht pouerte of gudis
and
<f 100v>trocht debilite of my persone, i can nothir do gude
to my frendis nor euil to my enemes. quharfor i exort
the til altir thy seueir accusatione in ane cheritabil consolatione.
ther is ane prouerb that sais, parce sepulto,
that is to saye, spair hym that is in his sepulture this
prouerb maye be applyit to my dolorus fortoune, for i
maye be comparit til hym that is dede in his sepulture
considerand that ther can be na dolour eikit to my aduersite,
except cruel deitht. there for thou suld abstrak
thy inuectiue reprocha, quhilk is rather crualte nor
correctione, conformand til ane adagia of ane of the
seuyn sapientis of rome callit minus publianus that
said, crudelis in re aduersa est obiurgatio.
Allace my deir mother thou consideris nocht quhou
that my brethir ar becum onmerciful tirrans touart me.
i am haldyn be the vlgar pepil for there zongest
brother, bot i am there eldest brother in verra deid. for
i vas gottyn and borne lang befor them, and it vas i
that first instituit there faculteis. for the pollice that
vas inuentit be me & my predecessouris eftir the creatione
of the varld hes procreat the stait of my brethir.
the faculteis and the begynnyng of nobillis and
<f 101r>spiritualite hed bot pure lauboraris to there predecessouris.
bot nou sen thai ar cum to stait and digniteis
trocht me, thai ar be cum ingrat and lychtleis me. my
tua brethir professis them to be gentil men, and reputis
me and al lauberaris to be rustical and inciuile ondantit
ignorant dullit slauis. thai vil nocht consider that al
there gentreis hes proedit and discendit fra me, ther
for quhair thai compt the degreis of there genologie,
thai suld fyrst begyn at adam oure foir father and
quhen thai pryde them and ascribis in there reches
faculteis or digniteis, thai suld fyrst begyn at the successouris
of ouer foir father Adam, quhilkis var lauberaris
of the grond and be there prudent inuention and
pollice hes procreat the stait that thai posses therfor
thai haue na cause to gloir in them seluis bot rather
thai suld gloir in me and in al lauberaris of the grond
quhilkis var fundatouris of al there triumphand prosperite.
bot there affectione and there vane ignorant
consaitis garris them ymagyn & beleif that there predecessouris
and al there nobillite and digniteis hes discendit
fra the angellis and archangellis & nocht fra
ouer for father adam quhilk is the speciale cause that
<f 101v>thai lychtlie the lauberaris that fundit them. i meruel
that thai considir nocht the gentris & genologe of kyng
dauid that hed ane pure scheiphird til his father. tulius
hostilius the thrid kyng of rome vas the sone of ane
pure lauberar of the grond. tarquinius priscus the fyift
kyng of rome vas the sone of ane pure marchant varro
that prudent consul and dictatur of rome vas the
sone of ane flaschar. the vailzeant consul of rome perpenna
quha reuengit the slauchtir of crassus vas the
sone of ane pure greik marcus cato vas the sone of ane
pure man of tuscan. the philosophour socrates quhilk
vas iugit to be the maist prudent man in the vniuersal
varld, vas the sone of ane pure man callit sophomistus
quhilk vas ane grauer of imagis of marbyr stone, and
his mother vas ane meyd vyf. euripedes vas the sone of
ane pure man that sellit frut & eirbis. demostenes that
prudent duc of athenes vas the sone of ane pure marchant
that sellit ald knyuis. agathocles kyng of cecille
vas the sone of ane pottar that formit clay pottis. marcus
tulius cicero vas the sone of ane pure lauberar of arpyne.
quhar for i meruel of the vanete of my tua
brethir that ascribis and professis them
<f 102r>gentil men be
successione of ther predecessouris. and thai vil nocht
considir that the stok of the fyrst genologe of al the
nobillis that hes bene sen the varld began hes been
pure lauberaris and mecanik craftis men, therefor it is
grit abusione to them to gloir in there nobil blude, for
i trou that gif ane cirurgyen vald drau part of there
blude in ane bassyn it vald hef na bettir cullour nor
the blude of ane plebien or of ane mecanik craftis man.
the vane gloir that my tua brethir takis in sic vane
gentilnes is the cause that thai lichtlye me trocht the
quhilk arrogant mynde that thai hef consauit thai
mysken god and man, quhilk is the occasione that i and
thou sal neuyr get releif of our afflictione. quharfor i
pray to god to grant them grace to ken them selfis, for
as lang as thai ken nocht them selfis thai sal neuyr
ken god nor zit sal hef pitie of pure affligit pepil. the
quhilk misknaulege of themself and of god sal be occasione
of there auen ruuyne bot gif thai correct them
selfis haistyle. O my dolorus mother, this prolixt
lamentabil complaynt procedis fra ane affligit hart,
quhar for i exort the to mettigat thy inuectiue vehement
accusatione, and to considir the
<f 102v>verite of my innocens.
the prudent seneque gyuis cummand to repreif
vitht out iniure, and to loue vitht out flattery, bot
thou passis the limitis of baytht thir documentis for
thy vordis ar verra iniurius vitht out perspectione to
the verite thou accusis me ouer rigourouslie of conspiratione
and trason, thou knauand veil that trason is
neuyr generit nor inuentit in the hartis of the pure
comontis, & quhou beit that there ignorance culd gar
them cansaue ane grondit maleis contrar ane prince
that hes perpetrat exactionis on the pepil, zit notheles
thai hef nothir prudens nor knaulege til conuoye and
til exsecut ony point of trason. there for quhen the
committaris of trason ar tryit furtht, it sal be fundyn
that i and al vthir of my faculte sal be clene and innocentis
of that foule cryme, be rason that it is nocht
possibil that ane pure man can haue oportunite til exsecut
ane traisonabil act contrar ane prince be cause of
sa mony dificil impedimentis that maye impesche hym,
as pouerte dreddour ignorance and notht hefand
familiarite vitht ane prince, and the perellis & dangers
that maye succed fra coniurationis ar vondir grit nocht
alanerly in the conuoyng
<f 103r>and in the diuising diuerse
consaitis to bring there purpos til effect, bot as veil the
dangeir and perrel is as grit in the exsecutione of it
and na les danger and perrel eftir that it be exsecut
therefor i think that ane pure man can commit na
trason contrar ane prince, bot gif that he vald haszard
his lyif in ane disparit vilfulnes and quhar ony man
takis hardynes to commit trason of that sort it is rycht
seyndil sene that he eschapis the deitht in the present
tyme of his exsecutione. ther for i can nocht beleif that
ony person vil offir hym self til ane certan detht vilfully,
for quhou beit that pausanias sleu philip kyng
of macedon passand to the tempil quhar he hed ane
thousand of his men of armis about hym in the presens
of his sone and of his gude sone, zit noththeles that act
culd neuyr hef been exsecut hed nocht been that pausanias
hed familiarite vitht kyng philip. and siklyik
ane spangzard of ane pure stait strak ferrand kyng of
spangze vitht ane knyf on the crag quhilk vound vas
nocht mortal zit noththeles this spangzard culd nocht
hef dune it, hed nocht been that he hed ane hardy hart
and alse heffand commodite and tyme oportune to commit
that act.
<f 103v> Siklyik ane preist of turque callit deruis
schot ane bolt befoir the port of tempil contrar basit
quhilk vas fathere to solomanuis the grit turk that
ringis nou presentlye, that schot sleu nocht basit bot
zit the exsecutione of that act culd nocht hef been vitht
out hardynes and oportunite therfor O my desolat
mother ve that ar pure lauberaris suld neuir be suspekkit
of trason, considerand that ve haue nothir tyme,
oportunite, reches, credens, hardynes, prudens, nor
familiarite vitht ane prince, therfor al historiographours
rehersis that al coniurations hes been exsecut be
grit personagis of ane realme or ellis be the familiaris
seruandis of ane prince. there for ve that ar pure comontis
distitut of credit, prudens, and autorite, and
nocht heffand familiarite vitht the maieste of ane
prince, ve can hef na comodite of the necessair thingis
that ar requirit to put ane trasonabil act til exsecutione,
for quhou beit that our ignorance vald gar vs consaue
ane malicius intent contrar our prince, ve behufit fyrst
to reueil it til diuerse men to gar them be participant
vitht vs, troucht the quhilk reuelatione sum of them
vald accuse vs til our prince. for it is nocht possibil
<f 104r>to
gar thresum keip consel and speciale in causis of
trason, for euere person hes sum frend that he louis as
veil as hym self, and that frende hes ane vthir frende,
and that tothir frend hes the thrid frende, and the
thrid frend hes the feyrd frende and of this sort there
intrepricis is manifest, fra the quhilk succedis perdition
of body and gudis. for there is nocht mony men in this
varld bot sum vil schau there secret to ther brother, or
to there companzone, or to there vyfe or to there
familiar seruandis, and alsa indiscretione of sum coniuratours
causis there entreprisis to be discouuert be
there seruandis or childir troucht suspectione and
coniecture that occurris quhen thir coniuratours ar ouer
ample and plane in ther deliberatione of there purpos
ande of there entreprice in the presens of there seruandis
and childir, as is rehersit in the fyrst beuk of
titus liuius that quhen the sonnis of brutus var makand
ane sedicius pactione vitht the imbassadours of
tarquinus quhilk there father brutus hed bannest fra
rome, at that tyme ane seruand of the sonnis of brutus
herd al the pactione of the coniuratione the quhilk
seruand accusit them of trason to there fathere
<f 104v> brutus,
and to the senat quilk vas occasione that brutus vsit
extreme iustice on his tua sonnis nocht heffand regarde
to the pitie that fathers hes touuart there natural sonnis,
bot rather he did preffer the public veil befor natural
loue quhen he gart strik the heydis fra his tua zong
sonnis. Sum tyme coniuration is reuelit throucht
facilnes of the coniuratours that schauis there secret til
ane voman or til ony frende that thai loue hartfully, as
did ane gentil man callit dinus quha vas participant
of the coniuratione that philotes intendit til exsecut
contrar kyng allexander, this foirsaid dinus reuelit his
secreit til ane zong child that he louit callit nicomacus,
ande nicomacus reuelit that samyn secret til his brother
ciballinus, and ciballinus reuelit it til kyng alexander
quhilk vas occasione that the coniuratiours suffrit the
detht. Therefor (o my dolorus mothere) thou may consider
that the defeculte of the comitting of trason is
vondir grit, and the perrel and the dangeir that succedis
is na les, quharfor grit men and alse the familiaris of
princis that coniuris, ar affligit in there hart vitht ane
thousand deffeculteis or tha tak on hand til exsecute
there entreprice.
<f 105r>than be mair rycht ve that ar poure
comontis can nothir hef oportunite nor comodite to virk
trason contrar our prince. and quhou beit that sum
tyme ve resaue iniuris throucht exactions that ane euil
gouuernit prince exsecutis on the pepil, zit nochtheles
ve indure tha exactions patientlye and exsecutis no traisonabil
vengeance, be cause ve hef nothir knaulage
reches nor subtilite to conuoye vs til exsecut sic trason,
there for quhen ve commit no traison our ignorance
deseruis mair louyng nor dois our prudens the maist
cruel vengeance that pure comontis can exsecut contrar
ane eueil prince is to gar our vyuis & bayrnis pray
nycht and daye to send ane mischeif on hym and to
send hym schort lyue dais & to send ane vthir gude
prince in his place conformand to the prayer of sanct
dauid in the 108 psalme of his psalter quhilk sais
etenem occidantur qui nor perturbant, fiant
filij eius orphani, & episcopatum eius accipiet
alter, as is contenit at mair lyntht in the psalme callit
deus laudem, bot ve nor our vyuis and bayrnis dar
neuyr pray appynly to send sic vengeance on ane euil
prince in drede that sum curtician alege trason on vs
and thereftir to
<f 105v>by our eschet. ther for ve praye for
vengeance quhen ve ly doune at euyn, and quhen ve
ryise in the mornyng. bot al the remanent of the daye
quhen ve happyn to cum in ony straynge companye, ve
pray deuotly vitht ane fenzet hart to saue his grace and
to keip hym in lang lyue dais and in gude prosperite.
as valerius maximus rehersis ane exempil quhou there
vas ane vyfe of syracuse in cecille quhilk prayt daly in
the tempil in presens of the pepil to saue and to keip
dionisius the kyng of cecille quha vas ane prince that
committit mony exactions on the pure pepil. the deuotione
of this ald vyif vas reportit to kyng dionisius
quha culd nocht meruel aneucht of the gude mynde
that sche hed touuart hym considerand that al the
remanent of the pepil of siracuse heytit hym to the
detht for the exactions insupportabil that he exsecutit
on the pepil. than to be satefeit of his admiratione he
send for that ald vyif and inquirit hyr of the cause of
the gude mynde that sche bure touuart hym, considerand
that he neuyr merit nor deseruit sic kyndnes
touuart hyr. the ald vyif ansuert to kyng dionisius,
quod sche my souuerane prince i vse nocht sic deuotione
<f 106r>to desir zour lang lyif dais bot for ane grit rason
as i sal reherse. in the begynnyng quhen i vas ane
zong damysel zour gudscheir molestit the pepil vitht
intollerabil exactions. quhar for i prayt to the goddis of
the tempil to schort his lyif dais, than sune ther eftir
he vas slane. than eftir hym succedit his sone quha
vas zour father, and he did mair extorsions to the pepil
nor did his father, quharfor i prayt to the goddis of the
tempil to send hym schort lyif dais, than sune there
eftir he vas stikkit in his secret chalmyr. and nou ze
succed to zour fatheris heretage and til al his vicis, for
ze commit dayly mair insupportabil exactions nor did
zour father or zour gudscheir, quhar for i pray dayly to
the goddis to send zou lang lyif dais, for i vait veil sen
that iniquiteis and vicis succedis gre be gre fra princis
vitht augmentation of the samyn, doutles i suspect that
zour successour sal be the master deuyl, there for i hed
leuyr indure zour exactions nor til hef ane var prince in
zour place. Of this sort (O my dolorus mother) ve that
ar comont pepil vsis na vthir trason bot murmuris and
bannis our prince secretlye quhen he gouuernis nocht
veil the realme
<f 106v>vitht iustice and puneissis trangressouris.
And quhou beit that thou vald alege that ve
can nocht purge vs of trason in sa far as ve hef tane
assurance of inglis men, allace thou suld nocht imput
our assurance for trason nor for ane cryme for thou vait
veil that ve that ar lauberaris of the grond culd nocht
resist the inglis men, for ve that hed our vyuis and
barnis our cattel and corne and our gudis in the
boundis quhilk the inglis men possest violentlye, gart
it be forse til vs to be assurit or ellis ve hed lossit al
our gudis, and our selfis til hef beene slane. for it is
veil knauen that sum of vs vald nocht be assurit in
hope that my tua brethir nobilis and speritualite vald
hef defendit vs and til hef resistit our enemeis, bot sic
vane hope that ve hed of my brethers supple hes gart
mony of vs be hareyt furtht of house and herberye
quhilk is occasion that mony of us ar beggand our meit
athourt the cuntre and there is nocht ane of vs that ar
hereyt be inglis men that can get othir tak or steyding
or kou or ox fra our tua bredir to help vs in this extreme
pouerte, this veil considirit (o my desolat mother)
i suld empesche the to iuge that the assurance that the
pure comontis
<f 107r>hes taine to procede of trason, considerand
that necessite vas the cause of our assurance therfor
doutles quhen the autorite & my tua brethir passis
in gude ordour to resist the inuasions of our ald
enemeis, it sal be maid manifest that the pure comontis
that ar assurit of inglis men thai sal preif as gude
scottis men eftir there qualite as ony scottis man of
scotland that vas neuyr assurit. bot nou at this dolorus
tyme ve ar constrenzet to be assurit the quhilk assurance
is bot ane dissimulatione, tariand quhil the tyme
virk ane bettir chance. and i think that our dissymilatione
is nothir cryme nor syn, considerand as the bissynes
of the cuntre standis presentlye. for ane dissimilatione
that procedis nocht of ane astuce intent suld be
callit ane hie prudens rathere nor dissymilatione. the
dissymilatione of that vailzeant romane iunius brutus
conquest til hym mair reputatione and gloir nor did his
vailzeant actis that he committit quhen he bannest the
tirran kyngis furtht of rome Titus liuius rehersis that
tarquinus superbus the sext kyng of rome vas verra
cruel contrar them that var reput vise and prudent, &
alse he perpetrat daly intollerabil exactions
<f 107v>contrar the
comont pepil. quhen euyr it vas reportit til hym of ony
speciale person that vas reput prudent, he gart put that
person in his beuk of proscriptione quharfor zoung
iunius brutus quha vas sistir sone to tarquinus, heffand
dreddor to be slane be his oncle, and to tyne his patrimone,
he of ane prouidit mynde. dissimilit his prudens,
& changit his outuart verteous conditions in actis of
folye lyke ane natural fule, quhar for it vas beleuit be
al the romans that he vas be cum frenetic and glaykit
quhilk vas occasione that tarquinus vald nocht exsecut
his crualte contrar hym be cause he iugit hym to be
ane fule iunius brutus conteneuit in his dissimilatione
quhil on to the tyme that sextus tarquinus violet be
forse the cheist lucrecia the quhilk vile act generit ane
dispyit and ane rancor vithtin the hartis of the romans.
than iunius brutus persauand the commotione of the
pepil, he thocht it conuenient tyme to leaue his dissimilatione
and to practik his prudens, quhar for he past to
the frendis of lucrecia and til diuerse othir nobil
romans and gart them depone ane serment that thai
suld al concur and conuene togidthir in ane purpose
contrar the crualte of
<f 108r>tarquinus superbus. this serment
vas veil maid & bettir kepit, for brutus and the vailzeand
romans bannest tarquinus fra rome & al them of
that surname quhilk vas occasione that the comont
veil of rome returnit in gude prosperite. be this exemplis
the pure comontis of scotland that hes there vyuis
bayrnis & there gudis lyand vndir the inglis mennis
feit and hes na releif nor deffens to reuenge nor to resist
the inglis mens inuasions thai suld mesure and veye
there auen forse, and gif thai fynd them selfis sterk
aneucht to defend them and there gudis contrar the
inglis men, in that cace thay ar oblist til haszard there
lyifis and there gudis to deffend the cuntre quhou beit
that thai get na supple of the autorite. and in apposit
gif the pure comontis that lyis vithtin the inglis men
handis be nocht of ane qualite to deffend nor to resist
there enemeis thai commit na cryme quhen thai mak
ane dissimulit assurance vitht inglis men, and to tempt
al the consaitis and vays that thai can iuge to be
necessair to gar them be saue of body and gudis fra the
crualte of ingland quhil on to the tyme that thai maye
be strynthit be the autorite to cum to resist the
<f 108v>inglis
men. Quhar for i exort the (o my desolat mother) that
thou imput nocht the assurance of the pure comontis to
proceid of trason, bot rather that thou accuse my tua
sophistic brethir quhilkis suld and culd hane releuit
and restorit the to thy fyrst stait, for god knauis veil
that i am innocent of thy accusatione, and the remeid
of thy afflictione lyis nocht in my possibilite. |
