The essayes of a prentise, in the diuine art of poesie

ANE SCHORT TREATISE, CONTEINING SOME REVLIS and cautelis to be obseruit and eschewit in Scottis Poesie.

A QVADRAIN OF ALEXANDRIN VERSE, DECLARING TO QVHOME THE Authour hes directit his labour.

To ignorants obdurde, quhair vvilfull errour lyis, Nor ʒit to curious folks, quhilks carping dois deiect thee, Nor ʒit to learned men, quha thinks thame onelie vvyis, Bot to the docile bairns of knavvledge I direct thee.

THE PREFACE TO the Reader.

THE cause why (docile Reader) I haue not dedicat this short treatise to any particular personis, (as cō∣mounly workis vsis to be) is, that I esteme all thais quha hes already some beginning of knawledge, with ane earnest desyre to atteyne to farther, alyke meit for the reading of this worke, or any vther, quhilk may help thame to the atteining to thair foirsaid desyre. Bot as to this work, quhilk is intitulit, The Reulis and caute∣lis to be obseruit & eschevvit in Scottis Poesie, ʒe may mar¦uell paraventure, quhairfore I sould haue writtin in that mater, sen sa mony learnit men, baith of auld and of late hes already written thairof in dyuers and sindry langua∣ges: I answer, That nochtwithstanding, I haue lyke∣wayis writtin of it, for twa caussis: The ane is, As for thē that wrait of auld, lyke as the tyme is changeit sensyne, sa is the ordour of Poesie changeit. For then they obser∣uit not Flovving, nor eschewit not Ryming in termes, besydes sindrie vther thingis, quhilk now we obserue, & eschew, and dois weil in sa doing: because that now, quhē the warld is waxit auld, we haue all their opinionis in writ, quhilk were learned before our tyme, besydes our awin ingynis, quhair as they then did it onelie be thair

awin ingynis, but help of any vther. Thairfore, quhat I speik of Poesie now, I speik of it, as being come to mannis age and perfectioun, quhair as then, it was bot in the infancie and chyldheid. The vther cause is, That as for thame that hes written in it of late, there hes neuer ane of thame written in our language. For albeit sindrie hes written of it in English, quhilk is lykest to our language, ʒit we differ from thame in sin∣drie reulis of Poesie, as ʒe will find be experience I haue lykewayis omittit dyuers figures, quhilkis are necessare to be vsit in verse, for twa causis. The ane is, because they are vsit in all languages, and thairfore are spokin of be Du Bellay, and sindrie vtheris, quha hes writtē in this airt. Quhairfore gif I wrait of thame also, it sould seme that I did bot repete that, quhilk thay haue written, and ʒit not sa weil, as thay haue done already. The vther cause is, that they are figures of Rhetorique and Diale∣ctique, quhilkis airtis I professe nocht, and thairfore will apply to my selfe the counsale, quhilk Apelles gaue to the shoomaker, quhē he said to him, seing him find falt with the shankis of the Image of Venus, efter that he had found falt with the pantoun, Ne sutor vltra crepidam.

I will also wish ʒow (docile Reidar) that or ʒe cūmer ʒow with reiding thir reulis, ʒe may find in ʒour self sie a beginning of Nature, as ʒe may put in practise in ʒour verse many of thir foirsaidis preceptis, or euer ʒe sie them as they are heir set doun. For gif Nature be nocht the cheif worker in this airt, Reulis wilbe bot a band to Na∣ture,

and will mak ʒow within short space weary of the haill airt: quhair as, gif Nature be cheif, and bent to it, reulis will be ane help and staff to Nature. I will end heir, lest my preface be langer nor my purpose and haill mater following: wishing ʒow, docile Reidar, als gude succes and great proffeit by reiding this short treatise, as I tuke earnist and willing panis to blok it, as ʒe sie, for ʒour cause. Fare weill.

I Haue insert in the hinder end of this Treatise, maist kyndis of versis quhilks are not cuttit or brokin, bot alyke many feit in euerie lyne of the verse, and how they are commounly namit, with my opinioun for quhat subiectis ilk kynde of thir verse is meitest to be vsit.

TO knaw the quantitie of ʒour lang or short fete in they lynes, quhilk I haue put in the reule, quhilk teachis ʒow to knaw quhat is Flovving, I haue markit the lang fute with this mark,—and abone the heid of the shorte fute, I haue put this mark v.

SONNET OF THE AVTHOVR TO THE READER.

SEn for ʒour saik I vvryte vpon ʒour airt, Apollo, Pan, and ʒe ô Musis nyne And thou, ô Mercure, for to help thy pairt I do implore, sen thou be thy ingyne, Nixt efter Pan had found the quhissill, syne Thou did perfyte, that quhilk he bot espyit: And efter that made Argus for to tyne (quha kepit Io) all his vvindois by it. Concurre ʒe Gods, it can not be denyit: Sen in your airt of Poësie I vvryte. Auld birds to learne by teiching it is tryit: Sic docens discam gif ʒe help to dyte. Then Reidar sie of nature thou haue pairt, Syne laikis thou nocht, bot heir to reid the airt.

SONNET DECIFRING THE PERFYTE POETE.

ANe rype ingyne, ane quick and vvalkned vvitt, VVith sommair reasons, suddenlie applyit, For euery purpose vsing reasons fitt, VVith skilfulnes, vvhere learning may be spyit, With pithie vvordis, for to expres ʒovv by it His full intention in his proper leid, The puritie quhair of, vveill hes he tryit: With memorie to keip quhat he dois reid, With skilfulnes and figuris, quhilks proceid From Rhetorique, vvith euerlasting fame, With vthers vvoundring, preassing vvith all speid For to atteine to merite sic a name. All thir into the perfyte Poëte be. Goddis, grant I may obteine the Laurell trie.

THE REVLIS AND CAV∣TELIS TO BE OBSERVIT and eschewit in Scottis Poesie.

CAP. I.

FIRST, ʒe sall keip iust cullouris, quhair of the cautelis are thir.

That ʒe ryme nocht twyse in ane syllabe. As for exemple, that ʒe make not proue and reproue ryme to∣gether, nor houe for houeing on hors bak, and behoue.

That ʒe ryme ay to the hinmest lang syllabe, (with ac∣cent) in the lyne, suppose it be not the hinmest syllabe in the lyne, as bakbyte ʒovv, & out flyte ʒovv, It rymes in byte & flyte, because of the lenth of the syllabe, & accent being there, and not in ʒovv, howbeit it be the hinmest syllabe of ather of the lynis. Or question and digestion, It rymes in ques & ges, albeit they be bot the antepenult syllabis, and vther twa behind ilkane of thame.

Ʒe aucht alwayis to note, That as in thir foirsaidis, or the lyke wordis, it rymes in the hinmest lang syllabe in the lyne, althoucht there be vther short syllabis behind it, Sa is the hinmest lang syllabe the hinmest fute, sup∣pose there be vther short syllabis behind it, quhilkis are eatin vp in the pronounceing, and na wayis comptit as fete.

Ʒe man be war likewayis (except necessitie compell yow) with Ryming in Termis, quhilk is to say, that your first or hinmest word in the lyne, exceid not twa or thre syllabis at the maist, vsing thrie als seindill as ye can. The cause quhairfore ʒe sall not place a long word first in the lyne, is, that all lang words hes ane syllabe in them sa ve∣rie lang, as the lenth thair of eatis vp in the pronouncing euin the vther syllabes, quhilks ar placit lang in the same word, and thairfore spillis the flowing of that lyne. As for exēple, in this word, Arabia, the second syllabe (ra) is sa lang, that it eatis vp in the prononcing [a] quhilk is the hinmest syllabe of the same word. Quhilk [a] althocht it be in a lang place, ʒit it kythis not sa, because of the great lenth of the preceding syllabe (ra). As to the cause quhy ʒe sall not put a lang word hinmest in the lyne, It is, because, that the lenth of the secound syllabe (ra) eating vp the lenth of the vther lang syllabe, [a] makis it to serue bot as a tayle vnto it, together with the short syllabe pre∣ceding. And because this tayle nather seruis for cullour nor fute, as I spak before, it man be thairfore repetit in the nixt lyne ryming vnto it, as it is set doune in the first: quhilk makis, that ʒe will scarcely get many wordis to ryme vnto it, ʒea, nane at all will ʒe finde to ryme to sin∣drie vther langer wordis. Thairfore cheifly be warre of inserting sic lang wordis hinmest in the lyne, for the cause quhilk I last allegit. Besydis that nather first nor last in the lyne, it keipis na Flovving. The reulis & cau∣telis quhairof are thir, as followis.

CHAP. II.

FIRST, ʒe man vnderstād that all syllabis are deuy∣dit in thrie kindes: That is, some schort, some lang, and some indifferent. Be indifferent I meane, thay quhilk are ather lang or short, according as ʒe place thame.

The forme of placeing syllabes in verse, is this. That ʒour first syllabe in the lyne be short, the second lang, the thrid short, the fourt lang, the fyft short, the sixt lang, and sa furth to the end of the lyne. Alwayis tak heid, that the nomber of ʒour fete in euery lyne be euin, & nocht odde: as four, six, aucht, or ten: & not thrie, fyue, seuin, or nyne, except it be in broken verse, quhilkis are out of reul and daylie inuentit be dyuers Poetis. Bot gif ʒe wald ask me the reulis, quhairby to knaw euerie ane of thir thre foir∣saidis kyndis of syllabes, I answer, Ʒour eare man be the onely iudge and discerner thairof. And to proue this, I remit to the iudgement of the same, quhilk of thir twa lynis following flowis best,

Ĭntō thĕ Seāthĕn Lūcĭfēr v̆psprāng. Ĭn thē Seăthēn Lŭcīfĕr tō v̆psprāng.

I doubt not bot ʒour eare makkis ʒou easilie to per∣saue, that the first lyne flowis weil, & the vther nathing at all. The reasoun is, because the first lyne keips the reule abone written, To wit, the first fute short, the secound lang, and sa furth, as I shewe before: quhair as the vther is direct contrair to the same. Bot specially tak heid, quhen

ʒour lyne is of fourtene, that ʒour Sectioun in aucht be a lang monosyllabe, or ••llis the hinmest syllabe of a word alwais being lang, as I said before. The cause quhy it mā be ane of thir twa, is, for the Musique, because that quhen ʒour lyne is ather of xiiij or xij fete, it wilbe drawin sa lang in the singing, as ʒe man rest in the middes of it, quhilk is the Sectioun: sa as, gif ʒour Sectioun be nocht ather a monosyllabe, or ellis the hinmest syllabe of a word as I said before, bot the first syllabe of a polysylla∣be, the Musique sall make ʒow sa to rest in the middes of that word, as it sall cut the ane half of the word fra the vther, and sa sall mak it seme twa different wordis, that is bot ane. This aucht onely to be obseruit in thir foir∣said lang lynis: for the shortnes of all shorter lynis, then thir before mentionat, is the cause, that the Musique ma∣kis na rest in the middes of thame, and thairfore thir ob∣seruationis seruis nocht for thame. Onely tak heid, that the Sectioun in thame kythe something langer nor any vther feit in that lyne, except the secound and the last, as I haue said before.

Ʒe man tak heid lykewayis, that ʒour langest lynis exceid nocht fourtene fete, and that ʒour shortest be nocht within foure.

Remember also to mak a Sectioun in the middes of euery lyne, quhether the lyne be lang or short. Be Se∣ctioun I mean, that gif ʒour lyne be of fourtene fete, ʒour aucht fute, man not only be langer then the seuint, or v∣ther short fete, bot also langer nor any vther lang fete in

the same lyne, except the secound and the hinmest. Or gif your lyne be of twelf fete, ʒour Sectioun to be in the sext Or gif of ten, ʒour Sectioun to be in the sext also. The cause quhy it is not in syue, is, because fyue is odde, and euerie odde fute is s••ort. Or gif your lyne be of aucht fete, ʒour Sectioun to be in the fourt. Gif of sex, in the fourt also. Gif of four, ʒour Sectioun to be in twa.

Ʒe aucht likewise be war with oft composing ʒour haill lynis of monosyllabis onely, (albeit our language haue sa many, as we can nocht weill eschewe it) because the maist pairt of thame are indifferent, and may be in short or lang place, as ʒe like. Some wordis of dyuers syllabis are likewayis indifferent, as

Thairfore, restore. I thairfore, then.

In the first, thairfore, (thair) is short, and (fore) is lang: In the vther, (thair) is lang, & (fore) is short, and ʒit baith flowis alike weill. Bot thir indifferent wordis, composit of dyuers syllabes, are rare, suppose in monosyllabes, cō∣moun. The cause then, quhy ane haill lyne aucht nocht to be composit of monosyllabes only, is, that they being for the maist pairt indifferent, nather the secound, hin∣mest, nor Sectioun, will be langer nor the other lang fete in the same lyne. Thairfore ʒe man place a word cō∣posit of dyuers syllabes, and not indifferent, ather in the secound, hinmest, or Sectioun, or in all thrie.

Ʒe man also tak heid, that quhen thare fallis any short syllabis efter the last lang syllabe in the lyne, that ʒe re∣peit thame in the lyne quhilk rymis to the vther, evin as ʒe set them downe in the first lyne: as for exempill, ʒe man not say

Then feir nocht Nor heir ocht. Bot Then feir nocht Nor heir nocht.

Repeting the same, nocht, in baith the lynis: because this syllabe, nocht, nather seruing for cullour not fute, is bot a tayle to the lang fute preceding, and thairfore is re∣petit lykewayis in the nixt lyne, quhilk rymes vnto it, e∣uin as it set doun in the first.

There is also a kynde of indifferent wordis, asweill as of syllabis, albeit few in nomber. The nature quhair∣of is, that gif ʒe place thame in the begynning of a lyne, they are shorter be a fute, nor they are, gif ʒe place thame hinmest in the lyne, as

Sen patience I man haue perforce. I liue in hope vvith patience.

Ʒe se there are bot aucht fete in ather of baith thir lynis aboue written. The cause quhair of is, that pa∣tience, in the first lyne, in respect it is in the beginning thairof, is bot of twa fete, and in the last lyne, of thrie, in

respect it is the hinmest word of that lyne. To knaw & discerne thir kynde of wordis frō vtheris, ʒour eare man be the onely iudge, as of all the vther parts of Flovving, the verie twichestane quhairof is Musique.

I haue teachit ʒow now shortly the reulis of Ryming, Fete, and Flovving. There restis yet to teache ʒow the wordis, sentences, and phrasis necessair for a Poete to vse in his verse, quhilk I haue set doun in reulis, as efter fol∣lowis.

CHAP. III.

FIRST, that in quhatsumeuer ʒe put in verse, ʒe put in na wordis, ather metri causa, or ʒit, for filling furth the nomber of the fete, bot that they be all sa necessare, as ʒe sould be constrainit to vse thame, in cace ʒe were speik∣ing the same purpose in prose. And thairfore that ʒour wordis appeare to haue cum out willingly, and by na∣ture, and not to haue bene thrawin out constrainedly, be compulsioun.

That ʒe eschew to insert in ʒour verse, a lang rable of mennis names, or names of tounis, or sik vther names. Because it is hard to mak many lang names all placit to∣gether, to flow weill. Thairfore quhen that fallis out in ʒour purpose, ʒe sall ather put bot twa or three of thame in euerie lyne, mixing vther wordis amang thame, or ellis specifie bot twa or thre of thame at all, saying (VVith the laif of that race) or (VVith the rest in thay pairtis,) or sic vther lyke wordis: as for exemple,

Out through his cairt, quhair Eous vvas eik VVith other thre, quhilk Phaëton had dravvin.

Ʒe sie thair is bot ane name there specifeit, to serue for vther thrie of that sorte.

Ʒe man also take heid to frame ʒour wordis and sen∣tencis according to the mater: As in Flyting and Inue∣ctiues, ʒour wordis to be cuttit short, and hurland ouer heuch. For thais quhilkis are cuttit short, I meane be sic wordis as thir,

Iis neir cair for I sall neuer cair, gif ʒour subiect

were of loue, or tragedies. Because in thame ʒour words man be drawin lang, quhilkis in Flyting man be short.

Ʒe man lykewayis tak heid, that ʒe waill ʒour wor∣dis according to the purpose: As, in ane heich and learnit purpose, to vse heich, pithie, and learnit wordis.

Gif ʒour purpose be of loue, To vse commoun lan¦guage, with some passionate wordis.

Gif ʒour purpose be of tragicall materis, To vse la∣mentable wordis, with some heich, as rauishit in admi∣ratioun.

Gif ʒour purpose be of landwart effairis, To vse cor∣ruptit and vplandis wordis.

And finally, quhatsumeuer be ʒour subiect, to vse vo∣cabula artis, quhairby ʒe may the mair viuelie represent that persoun, quhais pairt ʒe paint out.

This is likewayis neidfull to be vsit in sentences, als

weill as in wordis. As gif ʒour subiect be heich and lear nit, to vse learnit and infallible reasonis, prouin be ne∣cessities.

Gif ʒour subiect be of loue, To vse wilfull reasonis, proceding rather from passioun, nor reasoun.

Gif ʒour subiect be of landwart effaris, To vse sklen∣der reasonis, mixt with grosse ignorance, nather keiping forme nor ordour. And sa furth, euer framing ʒour rea∣sonis, according to the qualitie of ʒour subiect.

Let all ʒour verse be Literall, sa far as may be, quhat∣sumeuer kynde they be of, bot speciallie Tumbling verse for flyting. Be Literall I meane, that the maist pairt of ʒour lyne, sall rynne vpon a letter, as this tumbling lyne rynnis vpon F.

Fetching fude for to feid it fast furth of the Farie.

Ʒe man obserue that thir Tumbling verse flowis not on that fassoun, as vtheris dois. For all vtheris keipis the reule quhilk I gaue before, To wit, the first fute short the secound lang, and sa furth. Quhair as thir hes twa short, and ane lang throuch all the lyne, quhen they keip or∣dour: albeit the maist pairt of thame be out of ordour, & keipis na kynde nor reule of Flovving, & for that cause are callit Tumbling verse: except the short lynis of aucht in the hinder end of the verse, the quhilk flowis as vther verses dois, as ʒe will find in the hinder end of this buke, quhair I giue exemple of sindrie kyndis of versis.

CHAP. IIII.

MARK also thrie speciall ornamentis to verse, quhilkis are, Comparisons, Epithetis, and Pro∣uerbis.

As for Comparisons, take heid that they be sa proper for the subiect, that nather they be ouer bas, gif ʒour sub∣iect be heich, for then sould ʒour subiect disgrace ʒour Comparisoun, nather ʒour Comparisoun be heich quhen ʒour subiect is basse, for then sall ʒour Comparisoun dis∣grace ʒour subiect. Bot let sic a mutuall correspondence and similitude be betwix thē, as it may appeare to be a meit Comparisoun for sic a subiect, and sa sall they ilkane decore vther.

As for Epithetis, It is to descryue brieflie, en passant, the naturall of euerie thing ʒe speik of, be adding the pro¦per adiectiue vnto it, quhairof there are twa fassons. The ane is, to descryue it, be making a corruptit worde, composit of twa dyuers simple wordis, as

Apollogyde-Sunne

The vther fasson, is, be Circumlocution, as

Apollo reular of the Sunne.

I esteme this last fassoun best, Because it expressis the authouris meaning als weill as the vther, and ʒit makis na corruptit wordis, as the vther dois.

As for the Prouerbis, they man be proper for the sub∣iect, to beautifie it, chosen in the same forme as the Com∣parisoun.

CHAP. V.

IT is also meit, for the better decoratioun of the verse to vse sumtyme the figure of Repetitioun, as

Quhylis ioy rang, Quhylis noy rang. &c.

Ʒe sie this word quhylis is repetit heir. This forme of repetitioun sometyme vsit, decoris the verse very me∣kle▪ ʒea quhen it cūmis to purpose, it will be cumly to repete sic a word aucht or nyne tymes in a verse.

CHAP. VI.

ƷE man also be warre with composing ony thing in the same maner, as hes bene ower oft vsit of be∣fore. As in speciall, gif ʒe speik of loue, be warre ʒe descryue ʒour Loues makdome, or her fairnes. And siclyke that ʒe descryue not the morning, and rysing of the Sunne, in the Preface of ʒour verse: for thir thingis are sa oft and dyuerslie writtin vpon be Poëtis already, that gif ʒe do the lyke, it will appeare, ʒe bot imitate, and that it cummis not of ʒour awin Inuen∣tioun, quhilk is ane of the cheif properteis of ane Poete.

Thairfore gif ʒour subiect be to prayse ʒour Loue, ʒe sall rather prayse hir vther qualiteis, nor her fairnes, or hir shaip: or ellis ʒe sall speik some lytill thing of it, and syne say, that ʒour wittis are sa smal, and ʒour vtterāce sa bar∣ren, that ʒe can not discryue any part of hir worthelie: re∣mitting alwayis to the Reider, to iudge of hir, in respect sho matches, or rather excellis Venus, or any woman, quhome to it sall please ʒow to compaire her. Bot gif ʒour subiect be sic, as ʒe man speik some thing of the morning, or Sunne rysing, tak heid, that quhat name ʒe giue to the Sunne, the Mone, or vther starris, the ane tyme, gif ʒe happin to wryte thairof another tyme, to change thair names. As gif ʒe call the Sunne Titan, at a tyme, to call him Phoebus or Apollo the vther tyme, and siclyke the Mone, and vther Planettis.

CHAP. VII.

BOT sen Inuention, is ane of the cheif vertewis in a Poete, it is best that ʒe inuent ʒour awin subiect, ʒour self, and not to compose of sene subiectis. E∣specially, translating any thing out of vther language, quhilk doing, ʒe not onely essay not ʒour awin ingyne of Inuentioun, bot be the same meanes, ʒe are bound, as to astaik, to follow that buikis phrasis, quhilk ʒe tran∣slate.

Ʒe man also be war of wryting any thing of materis of cōmoun weill, or vther sic graue sene subiectis (except

Metaphorically, of manifest treuth opinly knawin, ʒit nochtwithstanding vsing it very seindil) because nocht onely ʒe essay nocht ʒour awin Inuentioun, as I spak be∣fore, bot lykewayis they are to graue materis, for a Poet to mell in. Bot because ʒe can not haue the Inuentioun except it come of Nature, I remit it thairvnto, as the cheif cause, not onely of Inuentioun, bot also of all they∣ther pairtis of Poesie. For airt is onely bot ane help and a remembraunce to Nature, as I shewe ʒow in the Preface.

CHAP. VIII.

tuiching the kyndis of versis, mentionat in the Preface.

FIrst, there is ryme quhilk seruis onely for lang histo∣reis, and ʒit are nocht verse. As for exemple,

In Maii vvhen that the blissefull Phoebus bricht, The lamp of ioy, the heauens gemme of licht, The goldin cairt, and the etheriall King, With purpour face in Orient dois spring, Maist angel-lyke ascending in his sphere, And birds vvith all thair heauenlie voces cleare Dois mak a svveit and heauinly harmony, And fragrant flours dois spring vp lustely: Into this season svveitest of delyte, To vvalk I had a lusty appetyte.

And sa furth.

¶For the descriptioun of Heroique actis, Martiall and knichtly faittis of armes, vse this kynde of verse follow∣ing, call it Heroicall, As

Meik mundane mirrour, myrrie and modest, Blyth, kynde, and courtes, comelie, clene, and chest, To all exemple for thy honestie, As richest rose, or rubie, by the rest, VVith gracis graue, and gesture maist digest, Ay to thy honnour alvvayis hauing eye. Were fassons fliemade, they micht be found in the: Of blissings all, be blyth, thovv hes the best, With euerie berne belouit for to be.

¶For any heich & graue subiectis, specially drawin out of learnit authoruis, vse this kynde of verse following, callit Ballat Royal, as

That nicht he ceist, and vvent to bed, bot greind Ʒit fast for day, and thocht the nicht to lang: At last Diana doun her head recleind, Into the sea. Then Lucifer vpsprang, Auror as post, vvhome sho did send amang The Ieittie cludds, for to foretell ane hour, Before sho stay her tears, quhilk Ouide sang Fell for her loue, quhilk turnit in a flour.

¶For tragicall materis, complaintis, or testamentis, vse

this kynde of verse following, callit Troilus verse, as

To thee Echo, and thovv to me agane, In the desert, amangs the vvods and vvells, Quhair destinie hes bound the to remane, But company, vvithin the firths and fells, Let vs complein, vvith vvofull ʒoutts and ʒells, A shaft, a shotter, that our harts hes slane: To thee Echo, and thovv to me agane.

¶For flyting, or Inuectiues, vse this kynde of verse fol∣lowing, callit Rouncefallis or Tumbling verse.

In the hinder end of haruest vpon Alhallovv ene, Quhen our gude nichtbors rydis (nou gif I reid richt) Some bucklit on a benvvod, & some on a bene, Ay trottand into troupes fra the tvvylicht: Some sadland a sho ape, all grathed into grene: Some hotcheand on a hemp stalk, hovand on a heicht. The king of Fary vvith the Court of the Elf quene, VVith many elrage Incubus rydand that nicht:

There ane elf on ane ape ane vnsell begat: Besyde a pot baith auld and vvorne, This bratshard in ane bus vvas borne: They fand a monster on the morne, VVar facit nor a Cat.

¶For compendious praysing of any bukes, or the au∣thouris thairof, or ony argumentis of vther historeis, quhair sindrie sentences, and change of purposis are re∣quyrit,

vse Sonet ver••e, of fourtene lynis, and ten fete in euery lyne. The exemple quhairof, I neid nocht to shaw ʒow, in respect I haue set doun twa in the beginning of this treatise.

¶In materis of loue, vse this kynde of verse, quhilk we call Commoun verse, as

Quhais ansvver made thame nocht sa glaid That they sould thus the victors be, As euen the ansvver quhilk I haid Did greatly ioy and confort me: Quhen lo, this spak Apollo myne, All that thou seikis, it sall be thyne.

¶Lyke verse of ten fete, as this foirsaid is of aucht, ʒe may vse lykewayis in loue materis: as also all kyndis of cuttit and brokin verse, quhairof new formes are daylie inuen∣tit according to the Poetis pleasour, as

Quha vvald haue tyrde to heir that tone, Quhilk birds corroborat ay abone Throuch schouting of the Larkis? They sprang sa heich into the skyes Quhill Cupide vvalknis vvith the cryis Of Naturis chapell Clarkis. Then leauing all the Heauins aboue He lichied on the eard.

Lo! hovv that lytill God of loue. Before me then appeard, So myld-lyke VVith bovv thre quarters skant And chyld-lyke So moylie He lukit lyke a Sant. And coylie

And sa furth.

¶This onely kynde of brokin verse abone writtin, man of necessitie, in thir last short fete, as so moylie and coylie, haue bot twa fete and a tayle to ilkane of thame, as ʒe sie, to gar the cullour and ryme be in the penult syllabe.

¶Any of thir foirsaidis kyndes of ballatis of haill verse, and not cuttit or brokin as this last is, gif ʒe lyke to put ane owerword till ony of thame, as making the last lyne of the first verse, to be the last lyne of euerie vther verse in that ballat, will set weill for loue materis.

Bot besydis thir kyndes of brokin or cuttit verse, quhilks ar inuentit daylie be Poetis, as I shewe before, there are sindrie kyndes of haill verse, with all thair lynis alyke lang, quhilk I haue heir omittit, and tane bot onelie thir few kyndes abone specifeit as the best, quhilk may be ap∣plyit to ony kynde of subiect, bot rather to thir, quhairof I haue spokin before.