William Dunbar: The Goldyn Targe

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184	1	Ryght as the stern of day begouth to schyne,
	2	Quhen gone to bed war Vesper and Lucyne,
	3	I raise and by a rosere did me rest.
	4	Wp sprang the goldyn candill matutyne,
	5	With clere depurit bemes cristallyne,
	6	Glading the mery foulis in thair nest.
	7	Or Phebus was in purpur cape reuest
	8	Wp raise the lark, the hevyns menstrale fyne,
	9	In May in till a morow myrthfullest.
	10	Full angellike thir birdis sang thair houris
	11	Within thair courtyns grene in to thair bouris,
	12	Apparalit quhite and rede wyth blomes suete;
	13	Anamalit was the felde wyth all colouris.
	14	The perly droppis schuke in silvir schouris,
	15	Quhill all in balme did branch and leuis flete.
	16	Depart fra Phebus did Aurora grete - 
	17	Hir cristall teris I saw hyng on the flouris,
	18	Quhilk he for lufe all drank vp wyth his hete.
	19	For mirth of May wyth skippis and wyth hoppis
	20	The birdis sang vpon the tender croppis
	21	With curiouse note, as Venus chapell clerkis.
	22	The rosis yong, new spreding of thair knopis,
	23	War powderit brycht with hevinly beriall droppis,
	24	Throu bemes rede birnyng as ruby sperkis.
	25	The skyes rang for schoutyng of the larkis,
	26	The purpur hevyn, ourscailit in silvir sloppis,
	27	Ourgilt the treis branchis, lef and barkis.
185	28	Doun throu the ryce a ryuir ran wyth stremys,
	29	So lustily agayn thai lykand lemys
	30	That all the lake as lamp did leme of licht,
	31	Quhilk schadovit all about wyth twynkling glemis.
	32	The bewis bathit war in secund bemys
	33	Throu the reflex of Phebus visage brycht.
	34	On every syde the hegies raise on hicht,
	35	The bank was grene, the bruke vas full of bremys,
	36	The stanneris clere as stern in forsty nycht.
	37	The cristall air, the sapher firmamament,
	38	The ruby skyes of the orient,
	39	Kest beriall bemes on emerant bewis grene.
	40	The rosy garth, depaynt and redolent,
	41	With purpur, azure, gold and goulis gent
	42	Arayed was by dame Flora, the quene,
	43	So nobily that ioy was for to sene
	44	The roch agayn the riwir resplendent,
	45	As low enlumynit all the leues schene.
	46	Quhat throu the mery foulys armony
	47	And throu the ryueris soun, rycht ran me by,
	48	On Florais mantill I slepit as I lay;
	49	Quhare sone in to my dremes fantasy
	50	I saw approch agayn the orient sky
	51	A saill als quhite as blossum vpon spray,
	52	Wyth merse of gold brycht as the stern of day,
	53	Quhilk tendit to the land full lustily,
	54	As falcoun swift desyrouse of hir pray.
	55	And hard omn burd vnto the blomyt medis
	56	Amang the grene rispis and the redis
	57	Arrivit sche; quharfro anon thare landis
	58	Ane hundreth ladyes, lusty in to wedis,
186	59	Als fresch as flouris that in May vp spredis,
	60	In kirtillis grene, withoutyn kell or bandis.
	61	Thair brycht hairis hang gleting on the strandis,
	62	In tressis clere wyppit wyth goldyn thredis,
	63	With pappis quhite and mydlis small as wandis.
	64	Discriue I wald, bot quho could wele endyte
	65	How all the feldis, wyth thai lilies quhite
	66	Depaynt war brycht, quhilk to the hevyn did glete?
	67	Noucht thou, Omer, als fair as thou coud wryte,
	68	For all thine ornate stilis so perfyte.
	69	Nor yit thou, Tullius, quhois lippis suete
	70	Off rethorike did in to termes flete.
	71	Your aureate tongis both bene all to lyte
	72	For to compile that paradise complete.
	73	Thare saw I Nature and Venus, quene and quene,
	74	The fresch Aurora and lady Flora schene,
	75	Iuno, Appollo and Proserpyna,
	76	Dynae, the goddesse chaste of woddis grene,
	77	My lady Cleom that help of makaris bene,
	78	Thetes, Pallas and prudent Minerua,
	79	Fair feynit Fortune and lemand Lucina.
	80	Thir mychti quenis in crounis mycht be sene,
	81	Wyth bemys blith, bricht as Lucifera.
	82	Thare saw I May, of myrthfull monethis quenes,
	83	Betuix Aprile and Iune hior sistir schene,
	84	Within the gardyng walking vp and doun,
	85	Quham of the foulis gladdith all bedene.
	86	Scho was full tender in hir yeris grene.
	87	Thare saw I Nature present hir a goun,
	88	Rich to behald and nobil of renoun,
	89	Off ewiry hew vnder the hevin that bene,
	90	Depaynt and broud be gude proporcion.
187	91	Full lustily thir ladyes all in fere
	92	Enterit within this park of most plesere,
	93	Quhare that I lay, ourhelit wyth leuis ronk.
	94	The mery foulis blisfulles of chere
	95	Salust Nature, me thoucht, on thair manere;
	96	And ewiry blome on branch and eke on bonk
	97	Opnyt and spred thair balmy leuis donk,
	98	Full low enclynyng to thair quene so clere,
	99	Quham of thair noble norising thay thonk.
	100	Syne to dame Flora on the samyn wyse
	101	Thay saluse and thay thank a thousand syse,
	102	And to dame Wenus, lufis mychti quene,
	103	Thay sang ballettis in lyfe, as was the gyse,
	104	With amourouse notis lusty to devise,
	105	As thay that had lufe in thair hertis grene.
	106	Thair hony throtis opnyt fro the splene
	107	With werblis suete did perse the hevinly skyes,
	108	Quhill loud resownyt the firmament serene.
	109	Ane othir court thare saw I consequent0
	110	Cupide, the king, wyth bow in hand ybent.
	111	And dredefull arowis grundyn scharp and square.
	112	Thare saw I Mars, the god armypotent,
	113	Aufull and sterne, strong and corpolent.
	114	Thare saw I crabbit Saturn, ald and haire -
	115	His luke was lyke for to perturb the aire.
	116	Thare was Mercurious, wise and eloquent,
	117	Of rethorike that fand the flouris faire.
	118	Thare was the god of gardingis, Priapus,
	119	Thare was the god of wildernes, Phanus,
	120	And Ianus, god of entree delytable.
	121	Thare was the god of fludis, Neptunus,
	122	Thare was the god of wyndis, Eolus,
	123	With variand luke rycht lyke a lord vnstable.
	124	Thare was Bacus, the gladder of the table,
188	125	There was Pluto, the elrich incubus,
	126	In cloke of grene – his court vsit no sable.
	127	And ewiry one of thir in grene arayit
	128	On harp or lute full merily thai playit,
	129	And sang ballettis with michty notis clere.
	130	Ladyes to dance full sobirly assayit,
	131	Endlang the lusty rywir so thai mayit,
	132	Thair obseruance rycht hevynly was to here.
	133	Than crap I throu the leuis and drew nere,
	134	Quhare that I was rycht sudaynly affrayt,
	135	All throu a luke, quhilk I haue boucht full dere.
	136	And schortly for to speke, be lufis quene
	137	I was aspyit. Scho bad hir archearis kene
	138	Go me arrest, and thay no tyme delayit.
	139	Than ladyes fair lete fall thair mantillis gren,
	140	With bowis big in tressit hairis schene
	141	All sudaynly thay had a felde arayit.
	142	And yit rycht gretly was I noucht affrayit,
	143	The party was so plesand for to sene.
	144	A wonder lusty bikkir me assayit.
	145	And first of all with bow in hand ybent
	146	Come dame Beautee, rycht as scho wald me schent.
	147	Syne folowit all hir dameselis yfere,
	148	With mony diuerse aufull instrument.
	149	Wnto the pres Fair Having wyth hir went,
	150	Fyne Portrature, Plesance and Lusty Chere.
	151	Than come Reson with schelde of gold so clere,
	152	In plate and maille as Mars armypotent.
	153	Defendit me that nobil cheuallere.
	154	Syne tender Youth come wyth hir virgyns ying,
	155	Grene Innocence and schamefull Abaising,
	156	And quaking Drede wyth humble Obedience.
189	157	The goldyn targe harmyt thay no thing. 
	158	Curage in thame was noucht begonne to spring,
	159	Full sore thay dred to done a violence.
	160	Suete Womanhede I saw cum in presence -
	161	Of artilye a warld sche did in bring,
	162	Seuit wyth ladyes full of reuerence.
	163	Sche led wyth hir Nurture and Lawlynes,
	164	Contenence, Pacience, Gude Fame and Stedfastnes,
	165	Discrecion, Gentrise and Considerance,
	166	Leuefull Company and Honest Besynes,
	167	Benigne Luke, Mylde Chere and Sobirnes.
	168	All thir bure ganyeis to do me greuance,
	169	Bot Reson bure the targe wyth sik constance,
	170	Thair scharp assayes mycht do no dures
	171	To me, for all thair aufull ordynance.
	172	Wnto the pres persewit Hie Degree:
	173	Hir folowit ay Estate and Dignitee,
	174	Comaprison, Honour and Noble Array,
	175	Will, Wantonnes, Renon and Libertee,
	176	Richess, Fredom and eke Nobilitee.
	177	With ye, thay did thair baner hye display.
	178	A cloud of arowis, as hayle schour, lousit thay
	179	And schot quhill wastit was thair artilye,
	180	Syne went abak reboytit of thair pray.
	181	Quhen Venus had persauit this rebute,
	182	Dissymilance scho bad go mak persute
	183	At all powere to perse the goldyn targe;
	184	And scho that was of doubilnes the rute
	185	Askit hir choise of archeris in refute.
	186	Wenus the best bad hir go wale at large.
	187	Scho tuke Presence, plicht anker of the barge,
	188	And Fair Callyng, that wele a flayn coud schute,
	189	And Cherising for to complete hir charge.
190	190	Dame Hamelynes scho tuke in company,
	191	That hardy was and hende in archery,
	192	Ansd brocuth dame Beautee to the felde agayne
	193	With all the choice of Venus cheualry.
	194	Thay come and nikkerit vnabaisitly,
	195	The schour of arowis rappit on as rayn.
	196	Perilouse Presence, that mony syre has slayn,
	197	The bataill broucht on bordour hard vs by.
	198	The salt was all the sarar, such to sayn.
	199	Thik was the schote of grundyn dartis kene,
	200	Bot Reson with the scheld of gold so schene
	201	Warly defendit, quho so ewir assayit.
	202	The aufull stoure he manly did sustene,
	203	Quhill Presence kest a pulder in his ene,
	204	And than as drunkyn man he all forvayit.
	205	Quhen he was blynd the fule wyth him thay playit,
	206	And banyst hym amang the bewis grene.
	207	That sory sicht me sudaynly affrayit.
	208	Than was I woundit to the deth wele nere
	209	And yoldyn as a wofull prisonnere
	210	To lady Beautee in a moment space.
	211	Me thoucht scho semyt lustiar of chere
	212	(Efter that Reson tynt had his eyne clere)
	213	Than of before, and lufliare of face.
	214	Quhy was thou blyndit, Reson, quhi, allace?
	215	And gert ane hell my paradise appere,
	216	And mercy seme quhare that I fand no grace.
	217	Dissy;ulance was besy me to sile,
	218	And Fair Calling did oft apon me smyle,
	219	And Cherising me fed wyth wordis fair.
	220	New Acquyntance enbracit me a quhile
191	221	And fauouryt me, quhill men mycht go a myle,
	222	Syne tuke hir leve. I saw hir nevir mare.
	223	Than saw I Dangere toward me repair.
	224	I coud eschew hir presence be no wyle,
	225	On syde scho lukit wyth ane fremyt fare.
	226	And at the last Departing coud hir dresse,
	227	And me delyuerit vnto Hevynesse
	228	For to remayne, and scho in cure me tuke.
	229	Be this the lord of wyndis with wodenes
	230	(God Eolus) his bugill blew, I gesse,
	231	That with the blast the leuis all toschuke.
	232	And sudaynly in the space of a luke
	233	All was hyne went, thare was bot wildernes,
	234	Thare was no more bot birdis, bank and bruke.
	235	In twynklyng of ane eye to schip thai went,
	236	And swyth vp saile vnto the top thai stent,
	237	And with swift course atour the flude thai frak.
	238	Thai fyrit gunnis with powder violent,
	239	Till that the reke raise to the firmament.
	240	The rochis all resownyt wyth the rak,
	241	For rede it semyt that the raynbow brak.
	242	Wyth spirit affrayde apion my fete I sprent,
	243	Amang the clewis so carefull was the crak.
	244	And as I did awake of my sueving,
	245	The ioyfull birdis merily did syng
	246	For myrth of Phebus tender bemes schene.
	247	Suete war the vapouris, soft the morowing,
	248	Halesum the vale depaynt wyth flouris ying,
	249	The air attemperit, sobir and amene.
	250	In quhite and rede was all the felde besene,
	251	Throu Naturis nobil fresch anamalyng
	252	In mirthfull May of ewiry moneth quene.
192	253	O reuerend Chaucere, rose of rethoris all
	254	(As in oure tong ane flour imperiall)
	255	Thait raise in Britane ewir, quho redis rycht,
	256	Thou beris of makaris the tryumph riall,
	257	Thy fresch anamalit termes celicall
	258	This mater coud illumynit haue full brycht.
	259	Was thou nocht of oure Inglisch all the lycht,
	260	Surmounting ewiry tong terrestriall,
	261	Alls fer as Mayes morow dois mydnycht?
	262	O morall Gower and Ludgate laureate,
	263	Your sugurit lippis and tongis aureate
	264	Bene to oure eris cause of grete delyte.
	265	Your angel mouthis most mellifluate
	266	Oure rude langage has clere illumynate
	267	And fair ourgilt oure spech, that imperfyte
	268	Stude or your goldyn pennuis schupe to write.
	269	This ile before was bare and desolate
	270	Off rhetorike or lusty fresch endyte.
	271	Thou lytill quair, be ewir obedient,
	272	Humble, subiect and symple of entent
	273	Before the face of ewiry connyng wicht.
	274	I knaw quaht thou of rethorike hes spent.
	275	Off all hir lusty rosis redolent
	276	Is non in to thy gerland sett on hicht.
	277	Eschame tharof and draw the out of sicht.
	278	Rude is thy wede, disteynit, bare and rent,
	279	Wele aucht thou be aferit of the licht.

