Robert Henryson's The minor poems of Robert Henryson

The ressoning betuix aige and zowth

Zowth Quhen fair flora the godes of the flouris Line 1 Baith firth and feildis freschly had ourfrete Line 2 And perly droppis of the balmy schouris Line 3 Thir widdis grene had with thair watter wete Line 4 Movand allone in mornyng myld i mete Line 5 A mirry man that all of mirth cowth mene Line 6 Singand this sang that suttellie wes set Line 7 O zowth be glaid in to thi flouris grene Line 8

Aige I lukit furth a litill me before Line 9 I saw a cative on a club cumand Line 10 With cheikis lene and lyart lokis hore Line 11 His ene wes how his voce wes hes hostand Line 12 Wallowit and wan and waik as ony wand Line 13 Ane bill he bure vpoun his breist abone Line 14 In letteres leill but les with this legend Line 15 O zowth thi flouris fedis ferly sone Line 16

Zowth This zungman lap vpoun the land full lycht Line 17 And mervellit mekle of his misdome maid Line 18 Waldin i am quod he and windir wycht Line 19 With bran as bair and breist burly and braid Line 20 Na grwme on grund my gardoun may degraid Line 21 Nor of my pith may pair wirth half a prene Line 22 My face is fair my figour will nocht faid Line 23 O zowth be glaid in to thi flouris grene Line 24

Aige This senzeour sang bot with a sobir stevin Line 25 Schakand his berd he said my bairne lat be Line 26 I wes within thir sexty zeiris and sevin Line 27 Ane freik on fold bayth frak forsy and fre Line 28 Als glad als gay als zung als zaip as ze Line 29 Bot now that day is ourdrevin and done Line 30 Luk thow my laythly lycome gif i le Line 31 O zowth thy flouris fadis ferly sone Line 32

Zowth Ane vthir vers his zungman zit cowth sing Line 33 At luvis law a quhyle i think to leite Line 34 In court to cramp clenely in my clething Line 35 And luke amangis thir lusty ladeis sueit Line 36 Of marriege to mell with mowis meit Line 37 In secreitnes quhair we may nocht be sene Line 38 And so with birdis blythlie my baillis beit Line 39 O zowth be glaid in to thi flowris grene Line 40

Aige This austryne man gaif ansuer angirly Line 41 For thi crampyn thow sall bayth cruk and cowr Line 42 And thy fleschly lust thow sall defy Line 43 And pane the sall put fra parramour Line 44 Than will no bird be blyth of the in bour Line 45 Quhen thi manheid sall mynnis as the mone Line 46 Thow sall assay gif that my sang be sour Line 47 O zowth thy flouris fadis farlie sone Line 48

Zowith This myrry man of mirth zit movit moir Line 49 My cors is clene without corruptioun Line 50 My self is sound but seiknes and but soir Line 51 My wittis fyve in dew proportioun Line 52 My curage is of clene complexioun Line 53 My hairt is haill my lever and my splene Line 54 Thairfoir to reid this rowll i haif ressoun Line 55 O zowth be glaid in to thy flouris grene Line 56

Aige The bevar hoir said to this berly berne Line 57 This breif thow sall obey.sone be thow bald Line 58 Thy stait thy strenth thocht it be stark and sterne Line 59 The feveris fell and eild sall gar the fald Line 60 Thy corps sall clyng thy curage sall wax cald Line 61 Thy helth sall hynk and tak a hurt but hone Line 62 Thy wittis fyve sall vaneis thocht thow not wald Line 63 O zowth thy flowris fedis fellone sone Line 64

This go(w) and grathit with (sic) grit greif Line 65 He on his wayis wrethly went but wene Line 66 This lene awld man luche not bot tuk his leif Line 67 And i abaid undir the levis grene Line 68 Of the sedullis the suthe quhen i had sene Line 69 Of trewth me thocht thay triumphit in thair tone Line 70 O zowth be glaid in to thy flowris grene Line 71 O zowth thy flowris faidis fellone sone Line 72