# The Poems of William Dunbar/Volume 2/The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy

The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie was a battle of poetic insults (c. 1500) between William Dunbar and Walter Kennedy, and was likely performed.
See also the Notes to the Flyting.
Layout 2
THE FLYTING
OF
DUNBAR AND KENNEDY.
THE FLYTING OF DUNBAR AND KENNEDY.
DUNBAR TO SIR JOHN THE ROSS
Schir Johne the Ross, Ane thing thair is compilit In generale be Kennedy and Quinting, Quhilk hes thame self aboif the sternis stylit; Bot had thay maid of mannace ony mynting In speciall, sic stryfe sould ryse but stynting; 5 Howbeit with bost thair breistis wer als bendit As Lucifer, that fra the Hevin discendit, Hell sould nocht hyd thair harnis fra harmis hynting.
The erd sould trymbill, the firmament sould schaik, And all the air in vennamus suddane stink, 10 And all the divillis of hell for redour quaik, To heir quhat I sould wryt, with pen and ynk; For and I Flyt sum sege for schame sould sink, The fé sould birn, the mone sould thoill ecclippis, Rochis sould ryse, the warld sould bald no grippis, 15 Sa loud of cair the commoun bell sould clynk.
Bot wondir laith wer I to be ane baird, Flyting to use, for gritly I eschame; ​For it is nowthir wynning nor rewaird, Bot tinsale baith of honour and of fame, 20 Incress of sorrow, sklander, and evill name; Yit mycht thay be sa bald, in thair bakbytting, To gar me ryme, and rais the feynd with Flyting, And throw all cuntreis, and kinrikis thame proclame.
KENNEDY TO DUNBAR.
Dirtin Dunbar, quhome on blawis thow thy boist? 25 Pretendand thé to wryte sic skaldit skrowis; Ramowd rebald, thow sall doun att the roist, My laureat letters at thé and I lowis; Mandrag, mymmerkin, maid Maister bot in mowis, Thryse scheild trumpir, with ane threid bair goun, 30 Say, "Deo mercy," or I cry thé doun, And leif thy ryming, rebald, and thy rowis.
Dreid, dirtfast dearch, that thow lies dissobeyit My cousing Quintene and my Commissar; Fantastik fule, trest weill thow salbe fleyit, 35 Ignorant elf, aip, owll irregular, Skaldit skaitbird, and commoun skameiar; Wan [thriven] sunling, that Natour maid ane yrle, Baith Johne the Ross and thow, sall squeill and skirle, And evir I heir ocht of your making mair. 40
Heir I put syleuce to thé in all partis, Obey and ceis the play that thow pretendis; ​Waik walidrag, and verlot of the cairtis, Sé sone thow raak my Commissar amendis, And lat him lay sax leichis on thy lendis, 45 Meikly in recompansing of thy scorne, Or thow sall ban the tyme that thow wes borne, For Kennedy to Thé this cedull sendis.
DUNBAR TO KENNEDY.
Ersche brybour baird, vyle beggar with thy brattis, [Carrybald] crawdoun Kennedy, coward of kynd, 50 Evill farit and dryit, as Denseman on the rattis, Lyk as the gleddis had on thy gule snowt dynd; Mismaid monstour, ilk mone owt of thy mynd, Renunce, rebald, thy ryming, thow bot royis, Thy trechour tung lies tane ane Heland strynd; 55 Ane Lawland erse wald mak a bettir noyis.
Revin, raggit ruke, and full of rebaldrie, Scarth fra scorpione, scaldit in scurrilitie, I sé thé haltane in thy harlotrie, And in to uthir science no thing slie, 60 Off every vertew voyd, as men may sie; Qnytclame clergie, and cleik to thé ane club, Ane baird blasphemar, in brybrie ay to be; For wit and wisdome ane wisp fra thé may rub.
Thow speiris, dastard, gif I dar with thé fecht? 65 Ye Dagone, dowbart, thairof haif thow no dowt! ​Quhairevir we meit thairto, my hand I hecht To red thy rebald ryming with a rowt: Throw all Bretane it salbe blawin out, How that thow, poysonit pelour, gat thy paikis; 70 With ane doig leich I schepe to gar thé schowt, And nowthir to thé tak knyfe, swerd, nor aix.
Thow crop and rute of traitouris tressonable, The fathir and moder of murthour and mischeif, Dissaitfull tyrand, with serpentis tung, unstable; 75 Cukcald crawdoun, cowart, and commoun theif; Thow purpost for to undo our Lordis cheif In Paislay, with ane poysone that wes fell, For quhilk, brybour, yit sall thow thoill a breif; Pelour, on thé I sall it preif my sell. 80
Thocht I wald lie, thy frawart phisnomy Dois manifest thy malice to all men; Fy! tratour theif; Fy! glengoir loun, fy! fy! Fy! feyndly front, far fowlar than ane fen. My freyndis thow reprovit with thy pen? 85 Thow leis, tratour! quhilk I fall on thé preif, Suppois thy heid war armit tymis ten, Thow sall recryat, or thy croun sall cleif.
Or thow durst move thy mynd malitius, Thow saw the saill aboue my heid updraw; 90 But Eolus full woid, and Neptunus, Mirk and moneless, wes met with wind and waw, ​And mony hundreth myle hyne cowd us blaw By Holland, Seland, Zetland, and Northway coist, In desert [place] quhair we wer samist aw; 95 Yit come I hame, fals baird, to lay thy boist.
Thow callis thé Rethory with thy goldin lippis: Na, glowrand, gaipand fule, thow art begyld, Thow art bot Gluncoch with thy giltin hippis, That for thy lounry mony a leisch hes fyld; 100 Wan visaged widdefow, out of thy wit gane wyld, Laithly and lowsy, als lathand as ane leik, Sen thow with wirschep wald sa fane be styld, Haill, soverane senyeour! thy bawis hingis throw thy breik
Forworthin fule, of all the warld refuse, 105 Quhat ferly is thocht thow rejoys to Flyte? Sic eloquence as thay in Erschry use, In sic is sett thy thraward appetyte; Thow hes full littill feill of fair indyte: I tak on me ane pair of Lowthiane hippis 110 Sall fairar Inglis mak, and mair parfyte, Than thow can blabbar with thy Carrik lippis.
Bettir thow ganis to leid ane doig to skomer, Pynit pyk purse pelour, than with thy Maister pingill. Thow lay full prydles in the peise this Somer, 115 And fane at evin for to bring hame a single, Syne rubb it at ane uthir auld wyfis ingle; Bot now, in Winter, for purteth thow art traikit; ​Thow hes na breik to latt thy bollokis gyngill; Beg thé ane club, for baird thow sall go naikit. 120
Lene larbar, loungeour, baith lowsy in lisk and lunyé; Fy! skolderit skyn, thow art bot skyre and skrumple; For he that rostit Lawrance had thy grunyé, And he that hid sanct Johnis ene with ane wimple, And he that dang sanct Augustine with ane rumple, 125 Thy fowll front had, and he that Bartilmo flaid; The gallowis gaipis eftir thy graceles gruntill, As thow wald for ane haggeis, hungry gled.
Commirwald crawdoun, na man comptis thé ane kerfe, Sueir swappit swanky, swynekeper ay for swaittis; 130 Thy Commissar Quintyne biddis thé cum kiss his erse, He luvis nocht sic ane ferlane loun of laittis; He sayis, Thow skaffis and beggis mair beir and aitis Nor ony cripill in Karrik land abowt; Uthir pure beggaris and thow ar at debaittis, 135 Decrepit Karlingis on Kennedy eryis owt.
Mater annuch I haiff, I bid nocht fenyie, Thocht thow, fowll trumpour, thus upoun me leid; Corrupt carioun, hé sall I cry thy senyie; Thinkis thow nocht how thow come in grit neid, 140 Greitand in Galloway, lyk to ane gallow breid, Ramand, and rolpand, beggand ky and ox; I saw thé thair, in to thy wathemanis weid, Quhilk wes nocht worth ane pair of auld gray fox. ​Erfch Katherane, with thy polk breik, and lulling, 145 Thow and thy Quene, as gredy gleddis, ye gang With polkis to mylne, and beggis baith meill and fchilling; Tliair is bot lyfe, and lang- nailis yow aniang: Fowll keggirbald, for hennis thus will ye hang, Thow lies ane perrellus face to play with lambis; 150 Ane thowfand kiddis, wer thay in faldis full ftrang, Tliy lymmerfull luke wald fie tharae and thair danimis.
In till ane glen thow lies, owt of repair, Ane laithly luge that wes the lippir mennis; With the ane fowtaris wyfe, off blifs als bair, 155 And lyk twa ftalkaris fteilis in cokis and hennis, Thowplukkis the pultre, and fcho pullis off the penuis; All Karrik cryis, God gif this dowfy be drownd; And cpihen thow heiris ane gufe cry in the glennis, Thow thinkis it i'wetar than facrand bell of found. 100
Thow Lazarus, thow laithly lene tramort, To all the world thow may example be; To luk upoun thy gryllie peteous port, For hiddowis, haw, and holkit is thyne ee; Thy cheik bane bair, and blaiknit is thy ble; 165 Thy choip, thy choll, garris men for to leif cheft; Thy gane it garris us think that we mon de: I conjure the, thow huugert Heland gaift.
The larbar lukis of thy lang lene craig, Thy pure pynit thrott, peilit and owt of ply, 170 ​Thy fkolderit fkin, hewd lyk ane faffrone bag, Garris men difpyt thar flei'che, thow fpreit of Gy: Fy! feyndly front; fy! tykis face, fy! fy! Ay loungand, lyk ane loikman on ane ledder; [Thy ghaiftly hike fleys folkis that pas the by,] 175 Lyke to ane ilark theif glowrand in ane tedder.
Nyfe nagus, nipcaik, with thy fchulderis narrow, Thow lukis lowfy, lonn of lownis aw; Hard hurcheonn, hirpland, hippit as ane harrow, Thy rigbane rattillis, and thy ribbis on raw, 180 Thy hanchis hirklis, with hukebanis hartb and haw, Thy laithly lymis ar lene as ony treis; Obey, theif baird, or I fall brek thy gaw, Fowll carrybald, cry Mercy on thy kneis.
Thow pure hippit, ugly averill, 185 With hurkland banis, holkand throw thy hyd, Reiftit and crynit as hangit-man on hill, And oft beiwakkit with ane our hie tyd, Quhilk brewis mekle barret to thy Bryd; Hir cair is all to clenge thy cabroch howis, 190 Quliair thow lyis fawfy in faphron, bak and fyd, Powderit with prymrofs, l'awrand all with clowifs.
Forworthin wirling, I warne the it is wittin, How, fkytterand ikarth, thow bos the hurle behind; Wan wraiglane walp, ma worm is lies thow bef'chittin, 195 Nor thair is gerfs on grund, or leif on lind; ​Thocht thow did firft fie foly to me fynd, Thovv fall agane with ma witnefs than I; Thy gulfoch gane dois on thy hack it hind, Thy hofland hippis lattis nevir thy hofs go dry. 200
Thow held the Burch lang with ane borrowit goun, And ane caprowfy barkit all with fweit And quhen the laidis faw the fa lyk a loun, Thay bickerit the witb mony bae and bleit: Now Upaland thow leivis on rabbit quheit, 205 Oft for ane caufs thy burdclaith neidis no fpredding, For thow hes nowthir for to drink nor eit, Bot lyk ane berdles baird, that had no bedding.
Strait Gibbonis air, that nevir ourftred ane horfe, Bla berfute berne, in bair tyme wes thow borne; 210 Thow bringis the Carrik clay to Edinburgh Corfe, Upoun thy botingis, hobland hard as home; Stra wifpis hingis owt, quhair that the wattis ar worne: Cum thow agane to fkar us with thy ilrais, We fall gar fcale ouv fculis all the to fcorne, 215 And flane the up the calfay qubair thow gais.
Off Edinburgh, the boyis as beis owt thrawis, And cryis owt ay, Heir cumis our awin queir Clerk! Than fleis thow, lyk ane howlat cheft with crawis, Quhill all the bichis at thy botingis dois bark: 220 Thau carlingis cryis, Keip curches in the merk, Our gallowis gaipis ; lo ! quhair ane graceles gais. ​Ane uthir fayis, I fe him want ane fark, I reid yow, cummer, tak in your lynning clais.
Than rynis thow doun the gait, with gild of boyis, 225 And all the toun tykis hingand in thy heilis; Of laidis and lownis thair ryffis fie ane noyis, Quhill runfyis rynnis away with cairt and quheilis And eager aviris ealiis bayth coillis and creilis, For rerd of the, and rattling of thy butis; 230 Fifche wyviscryis, Fy ! and callis dounlkillis and fkeilis; Sum clafchis the, fum cloddis the on the cutis.
Loun lyk Mahoun, be boun me till obey, Theif, or in greif mifcheif fall the betyd; Cry grace, tykis face, or I the chace and fley; 235 Oule, rare and yowle, I fall defowll thy pryd; Peilet gled, baith fed, and bred of bichis fyd, And lyk ane tyk, purfpyk, quhat man fettis by the! Forflittin, [flae] bittin, befchittin, barkit hyd, Gym ledder, fyle tedder, foule edder, I defy the. 240
Maucli muttoun, byle buttoun, peilit gluttoun, ah- to Hilhouse; Rank beggar, oltir dregar, foule fleggar, in the flet; Chittir-lilling, ruch-rilling, lik-fchilling in the milhoufs; Baird rehator, theif of natour, fals tratour, feyndis gett Filling of tauch,rak fauch, cry crauch, thow art our fett Muttoun dryver, girnall ryver, yadfwy var, fowll fell the Herretyk, lunatyk, purfpyk, carlingis pet, Rottin crok, dirtin dok, cry cok, or I fall quell the.
KENNEDY TO DUNBAR.
Dathane devillis fone, and dragon difpitous, Abironis birth, and bred with Beliall; 250 Wod werwolf, worme, and fcorpion vennemous, Luciferis laid, fowll feyndis face infernall; [Sarazene,] fyphareit, fra fanctis celeftiall, Put I nocht fylence to the, fchiphird knaif, And thow of new begynis to ryme and raif, 255 Thow falbe maid blait, bleir eit, beitiall.
How thy forbearis come, I haif a feill, At Cokburnis-peth, the writ makis me war, Generit betuix ane fche beir and a deill; Sa wes he callit Dewlbeir, and nocht Dunbar: 200 This Dewlbeir, generit of a meir of Mar, AVes Corfpatrik, Erie of Merche ; and be illufioun The firft that evir put Scotland to confufioun, Wes that fals tratcur, hardely fay I dar.
Quhen Bruce and Balioll differit for the croun, 265 Scottis Lordis could nocht obey [the] Inglis lawis; This Corfpatrick betrafit Berwick toun, And flew fevin thoufand Scottifmen within thay wawis, The battall fyne of Spottifmuir he gart caufe, And come with Edwart Langfchankis to the feild, 270 Quhair twelve thowfand trew Scottifmen wer keild, And Wallace chert, as the Cornicle fchawis. ​Scottis Lordis cliiftanes lie gart hald andcheflbne In firmance faft, quliill all the feild wes done, Within Dunbar, that auld fpelunk of treffoun; 275 Sa Inglis tykis in Scotland wes abone Than fpulyeit thay the Haly Stane of Scone, The Croce of Halyrudhonfe, and nthir jowellis. He birnis in hell, body, banis, and bowellis, This Corfpatrik that Scotland lies midone. 280
Wallace gart cry ane counfale in to Perth, And callit Corfpatrick tratonr be his iiyle; That dampnit dragone drew him in dilerth, And l'ayd, He kend bot Wallace, King in Kyle: Out of Dunbar that theif he maid exyle 285 Unto Edward, and Inglis grund agane: Tigris, ferpentis, and taidis will remane In Dunbar wallis, todis, wolffis, and beiftis vyle.
Na fowlis of effect amangis thay binkis Biggis, nor abydis, for no thing that may be; 290 Thay ftanis of trefibne as the bruntftane ftinkis. Deidbeiris moder, caffin in by the fe, The wariet apill of the forbiddin tre, That Adame eit, quhen he tynt Paradyce, Scho eit invennomit lyk a cokkatryce, 295 Syne marreit with the Devill for dignite.
Yit of new treffone, I can tell the tailis, That cumis on nycht in vifioun in my lleip; ​Archbald Dunbar betrafd tbe honfe of Hailis, Becaus the young Lord bad Dunbar to keip; 300 Pretendand throw that to tbair rowmis to creip, Rycbt crewaly bis caftell be perfewit, Brocht bim forth boundin, and tbe place refkewit, Sett bim in fetteris in ane dungeoun deip.
It war aganis bayth natur and gud reflbun, 305 That Deulbeiris bairnis were trew to God or man; Qubilkis wer baitb gottin, borne, and bred witb treflbun, Belzebubbis oyis, and curft Corfpatrikis clan: Thow wes preftyt, and ordanit be Satban For to be borne to do thy kyn defame, 310 And gar me fchaw thy Antecefiburis fchame; Thy kyn that leivis may wary the and ban.
Sen thow on me thus, lymmer, leis and trattillis, And fyndis fentence foundit of invy, Thy elderis banis ilk nycht ryflis and rattillis, 315 And on thy corfs Vengeance, vengeance! thay cry. Thow art the caufe thay may nocht reft, nor ly; Thow fayis for thame few plaltaris, pfalmis, or creidis, Bot garis me tell tbair trentallis, and mifdeidis, And tbair auld fyn with new fchame certify. 320
Infenfuat fow, ceifs fals Euftace air! And knaw, kene fkald, I bald of Alathia, And caufs me nocht the caufe lang to declair Of thy curft kyn, Deulbeir and his Allia: ​Cum to the Crofs, on kneis, and mak a cria; 325 Confefs tliy cryme, hald Kennedy thy king, And with ane hauthorne fkurge thy felf and ding: Thus dre thy pennance with "Deliquitti quia."
Pafs to my CommhTar, and be confeft, Cour befoir him on kneis, and cum in will; 330 And fyne gar Stobo for thy life proteft; Renunce tliy rymis, baith ban and birn thy bill; Heive to the hevin thy handis, and hald the ftill: Do thow nocht thus, brigane, thow falbe brint, With pik, fyre, tor, gun powlder, and lint, 335 On Arthouris Sait, or on ane hyar hill.
I perambulit of Pernafo the montayne, Infpirit with Mercury fra his goldin fpheir; And dulcely drank of eloquence the fontayne, Quhen it wes purefeit with frofl, and flowit cleir: 340 And thow come, Fide ! in Merche or Februeir, Thair till ane pule, and drank the paddok rude, That garris the ryme in to thy tenuis glude, And blabbaris that, noyis mennis eiris to heir.
Thow luvis nane Erifche, elf, I undirdand, 345 Bot it fowld be all trew Scottis mennis leid; It wes the gud langage of this land, And Scota it caufit to multiply and fpreid, Quhill Corfpatrik, that we of treifoun reid, Tliy forefader, maid Erfche and Erfchmen thin, 350 ​Throw his treflbun hrocht Inglis rumpillis in, So wald thy felf, mycht thow to him fucceid.
Ignorant fule ! in to thy mowis and mokkis, It may be verifeit that thy wit is thin; Qnhair thow wryttis Denfmen dryit on the rattis, 355 Denfmen of Denmark ar of the Kingis kin. The wit thow fowld haif had, wes caflin in Evin at thyne erfs, bakwart, with ane ftalf flung. Heirfoir, fals harlott, hurfone, hald thy tung: Deulbeir ! thow deivis the devill, thy erne, with din. 360
Qnhair as thow faid, I ft all biennis and lammis, I lat the wit, I haif landis, ftoir, and ftakkis. Thow wald be fane to gnaw, lad, with thy gammis, Undir my burde, fmoch banis behind doggis bakkis: Thow lies ane tome purfs, I haif fteidis and takkis, 365 Thow tynt culter, I haif culter and pleuch; For fubftance and geir thow lies a widdy tench On Mont Falcone, about thy craig to rax.
And yit Mont Falcone gallowis is our fair, For to be fylit with fie ane frutlefs face; 370 Cum hame, and hing on our gallowis of Air, To erd the undir it I fall purchefs grace; To eit thy flefch the doggis fall haif na fpace, The revynis fall ryfe na thing bot thy tung rutis, For thow fik malice of thy Maifter mutis, 375 It is weill fett that thow fie barret brace. ​Small fynance amangis thy freyndis thow beggit, To ftanche thy florae, with haly muldis thow loft; Thow falit to get a dowkar for to dregg it, It lyis clofit in ane clowt on Northway cofl: 380 Sic rewll garris the be fervit with cauld rofl, And fitt onfoupit oft beyond the fe, Cryand at durris, " Caritas amore Dei," Bairfute, breiklefs, and all in duddis npdoft.
Denlbeir lies nocht ado with ane Dunbar, 385 The Erie of Murray bure that furname rycht, That evir trew and conftant to the Kingis grace war And of that kin cam Dunbar of Wefifeild knycht; That fucceffioun is hardy, wyfe, and wicht, And lies na thing ado now with the, devill: 390 Bot Deulbeir is thy kin, and kennis the weill, And hes in hell for the ane chalmer dycht.
Curft croapand craw, I fall gar crop thy tung, And thow fall cry "Cor mundum," on thy kneis; Duerch, I fall ding the, quhill thow bayth dryte and dung, 395 And thow fall lik thy lippis, and fueir thow leis: I fall degraid the, gracelefs, of thy greis; Scale the for fcorne, and fear the off the fcule, Gar round thy heid tranfforme the as a fule, And fyne with treffone trone the on the treis. 400
Raw mowit rebald, rannegald rehatour, My lynnage and forbearis vrer ay leill; ​It cumis the of kynde to be ane tratour, To ryd on nycht, to rug, to reif, to fteill. Quhen thow puttis poyfone to me, I appeill 405 The in that parte, and preif it on thy perfoun; Clame nocht to clergy, for I defy the garfoun, Thow fall by it deir, Avith me, duerch, and thow dele.
In Ingland, owle, fould be thy habitatioun, Homage to Ed wart Langfchankis maid thy kyn, 410 In Dunbar reffavit him thy fals natioun, Thay fowld be exylit Scotland mair and rayn. Ane ftark gallowis, ane vviddy, and ane pyn, The heid poynt of thy eldeiis armis ar; Writtin in poyfie abone "Hang Dunbar, 415 Quarter and draw, and mak that furname thin."
I am the Kingis blude, his trew fpeciall Clerk, That nevir yit imaginit his offence, Conftand in mynd, in thocht, word, and werk, Only dependand upoun his excellence; 420 Treftand to baif of his magnificence Guerdoun, reward, and benefyce bedene; Quhen that the revynnis fall ryfe out bayth thy ene, And on the rattis falbe thy refidence.
Fra Atrik Forreft furth ward to Drumfreifs 425 Thow beggit with ane pardoun in all kirkis, Collapis, crudis, meill, grottis, gryce, and geifs, And undir nycht quhylis thow ltall ftaigis and ftirkis. ​Becaufs that Scotland of thy begging irkis, Thow fchaipis in France to he a knycht of the feild; 430 Thow lies thy clamfchellis, and thy burdoun keild, Unhoneft wayis all, wolronn, that thow wirkis.
Thow may nocht pafs Mont Bernard for wyld beillis, Nor win throw Mont Scarpry for the fnaw; Mont Nicholace, Mont Godard the arreiftis, 435 Sic beis of briggand blindis thame with ane blaw. In Paris with thy Maifter bnrreaw Abyd, and be his prenteifs neir the bank, And help to hang the pece for half ane frank, And, at the laft, thy felf mon thoill the law. 440
Haltand harlott, the devill a glide thow hes! For fait of puiflance, pelour, thow mon pak the; Thow drank thy thrift, and als wodfett thy clais, Thair is na Lord in fervice that will tak the. Ane pak of fla-ikynis, fynance for to mak the, 445 Thow fall reflaif, in Danikyn, of my tailye; With "De profundis" fett the, and that felye, And I fall lend the blak Devill for to bak the.
Into the Katherene thow maid ane fowll kahnte, For thow bedrait hir, donn fra ftern to fteir; 450 Uponn hir fyddis wes lene that thow cnld fchute, The dirt cleivis till hir towis this twenty yeir: The firmament nor firth wes nevir cleir, Quhill thow, devillis birth, Denlbeir, wes on the lee, ​The fawlis had funkin throw the fin of the, 455 War nocht the pepill maid fie grit prayeir.
Quhen that the fchip was faynit, and undir faill, Foule brow, in hoill, thow purpoft for to pafs, Thow fchott, and wes nocht ficker of thy taill, Befchait the fteir, the cumpafs, and the glafs; 460 The Skippar bad, gar land the at the Bafs: Thow fpewit, and keft owt mony laithly lump, Fafter nor all the marineris cowd pump; And yet thy wame is war nor evir it was.
Had thay bene fo provydit of fchott of gun 465 Be men of weir but perrell thay had paft; As thow wes lowfs, and reddy of thy bun, Thay micht naif tane na tollum at the lafl; For thow wald cuke ane cairtfull at the caft; Thair is no fchip that the will now reflaif; 470 Thow fylit falter nor fyftenefum mycht laif, And myrit thame with thy muk to the midmall.
Throw England, theif, and tak the to thy fute, And boun to haif with the ane fals botwand; Ane horfs Merchell thow call the at the mute, 475 And with that craft convoy the throw the land: Be na thing airch, tak ferely on hand, Happin thow to be hangit in Northumbir, Than all thy kyn ar weill quyt of thy cumbir, For that mon be thy dome, I undirltand. 480 ​Hie Soverane Lord, lat nevir this finfull fot Do fchaine, fra hame, unto your Natioun! That nevir nane, fie ane, be callit a Scot, Ane rottin crok, lowfs of the dok, thair doun. Fra honeft folk devoyd this laithly loun: 485 On fura defert, quhair tliair is no repair, For fyling and infecking of the air, Caul's cary this cankerit corruptit carioun.
Thow wes confavit in the grit ecclippis, Ane monftour maid he grit Mercurius; 490 Na liald againe, nor lioo is at thy hippis, Infortunate, [foull,] falfe, and furius, Evill fchryvin, wanthryvin, nocht clene nor curius; Ane myting, fule of flyting, the flyrdome maid lyk, Ane crahbit, fkabbit, evill facit meflane tyk; 495 Ane fchitt, but witt, fchrevit and injurius.
Grit in the glaikis gud Maifter Guilliame gukkis, Our imperfyte in poetrie, or in proifs, All clofs undir clud of nycht thow cukkis. Rymifs thow of me, of Rethory the Rofs, 500 Lunatyk, lymmar, lufchbald, lowfs thy hoifs, That I may twich thy tone with tribulatioun, In recompanfing of thy confpiratioun, Or turfs the owt of Scotland: tak thy choifs.
Ane Benefice quha wald gif fie ane beift, 505 Dot gif it Avar to jvngill Judal's bellis; ​Tak the ane fidill, or a floyt to jeift, Undocht, thow art ordanit to nocht ellis! Thy clowtit cloik, thy fkrip, and thy clamfckellis, Cleik on thy corce, and fair on in to France, 510 And cum thow nevir agane but ane mifchance; The feynd fair with the, fordwart our the fellis.
Cankerit Cayne, tryit trowane, tutevilloufs, Marmadin, mymmerkin, monftour of all men, I fall gar bake the to the laird of Hilhoufs, 515 To fwelly the in fteid of ane pullit hen. Fowmart, fazart, fofterit in filth and fen, Fowle fellone, flend fule, upoun thy philhom fy! Thy dok ay dreipis of dirt, and will nocht dry, To tume thy tone it wald tyre carlingis ten. 520
Confpiratour, curfit kokatrice, hellis ka, Turk, trumpour, tratour, tyrrane intemperat; Thow irefull attircop, Pylat appoftata, Judafs, jow, juglour, Lollard lawreat; Sarazene, fymonyte, prowd Pagane pronunceat, 525 Mahomeit, manefworne, [rebald] abhominable, Devill, dampnit doig, [in evill] unfatiable, With Gog and Magog greit glorificat.
Nero thy nevoy, Golias thy grantfchir, Pharo thy fadeir, Egipya thy dame, 530 Deulbeir, thir ar the cauffis that I confpyre, Termygantis temptis and Vefpafius thy erne; ​Belzebub thy full brodir will clame To be thy air, and Cayphafs thy fectour; Pluto the heid of thy kyn, and protectour 535 To leid the to hell, of licht day and leme.
Herod thy uthir erne, and grit Egeafs, Marciane, Mahomeit, and Maxentiufs, Thy trew kynifmen, Antenor and Eneafs, Throp thy neir neice, and awfierne Olibrius, 540 Puttidew, Baall, and Eyobulufs; Thir freyndis ar the flour of thy four braynchis, Steirand the pottis of hell, and nevir ftenchis, Dout nocht, Deulbeir, Tu es Diabolus.
Deulbeir, thy fpeir of weir, but feir, thow yeild, 545 Hangit, mangit, eddir llangit, ftryndie ftultornm, To me, maift he Kentxydie, and flie the feild, Pickit, wickit, ftickit, convickit, lamp Lollardorum. Diffamit, fchamit, blamit, Primus Paganorum. Out ! out ! I fchowt, upon that fnout that fnevillis. 550 Taill tellar, rebellar, indwellar with the divillis, Spink, fink with ftink ad Tartara Termagorum.