English Satires Part 7

[Footnote 110: Mahoun, or the devil, proclaimed a dance of sinners that had not received absolution.]

[Footnote 111: The evening before Lent, usually a festival at the Scottish court.]

[Footnote 112: go prepare a show in character.]

[Footnote 113: gambols.]

[Footnote 114: Holy harlots (hypocrites), in a haughty manner. The term harlot was applied indiscriminately to both s.e.xes.]

[Footnote 115: Names of spirits, like Robin Goodfellow in England, and Brownie in Scotland.]

[Footnote 116: Pride, with hair artfully put back, and bonnet on side: "vaistie wanis" is now unintelligible; some interpret the phrase as meaning "wasteful wants", but this seems improbable, considering the locality or scene of the poem.]

[Footnote 117: His ca.s.sock for the nonce or occasion.]

[Footnote 118: a cheat or impostor.]

[Footnote 119: groans.]

[Footnote 120: bear.]

[Footnote 121: Boasters, braggarts, and bullies.]

[Footnote 122: Arrayed in the accoutrements of war.]

[Footnote 123: In coats of armour, and covered with iron network to the heel.]

[Footnote 124: Wild was their aspect.]

[Footnote 125: brands beat.]

[Footnote 126: many strong dissemblers.]

[Footnote 127: With feigned words fair or white.]

[Footnote 128: spreaders of false reports.]

[Footnote 129: usurers.]

[Footnote 130: Misers.]

[Footnote 131: a great quant.i.ty.]

[Footnote 132: gold of every coinage.]

[Footnote 133: his grunt.]

[Footnote 134: Many a lazy glutton.]

[Footnote 135: served with care.]

[Footnote 136: loins.]

[Footnote 137: quicker of apprehension.]

[Footnote 138: neighing like an entire horse.]

[Footnote 139: corpse.]

[Footnote 140: grease.]

[Footnote 141: Their reward, or their desire not diminished.]

[Footnote 142: No minstrels without doubt--a compliment to the poetical profession: there were no gleemen or minstrels in the infernal regions.]

[Footnote 143: letter of right.]

[Footnote 144: Pageant.]

[Footnote 145: By the time he had done shouting the coronach or cry of help, the Highlanders speaking Erse or Gaelic gathered about him.]

[Footnote 146: croaked like ravens and rooks.]

[Footnote 147: deafened.]

[Footnote 148: smothered.]

SIR DAVID LYNDSAY.

(1490-1555.)

VI. SATIRE ON THE SYDE TAILLIS--ANE SUPPLICATIOUN DIRECt.i.t TO THE KINGIS GRACE--1538.

The specimen of Lyndsay cited below--this satire on long trains--is by no means the most favourable that could be desired, but it is the only one that lent itself readily to quotation. The archaic spelling is slightly modernized.

Schir! though your Grace has put gret order Baith in the Hieland and the Border Yet mak I supplicatioun Till have some reformatioun Of ane small falt, whilk is nocht treason Though it be contrarie to reason.

Because the matter been so vile, It may nocht have ane ornate style; Wherefore I pray your Excellence To hear me with great patience: Of stinking weedis maculate No man nay mak ane rose-chaplet.

Sovereign, I mean of thir syde tails, Whilk through the dust and dubis trails Three quarters lang behind their heels, Express again' all commonweals.

Though bishops, in their pontificals, Have men for to bear up their tails, For dignity of their office; Richt so ane queen or ane empress; Howbeit they use sic gravity, Conformand to their majesty, Though their robe-royals be upborne, I think it is ane very scorn, That every lady of the land Should have her tail so syde trailand; Howbeit they been of high estate, The queen they should nocht counterfeit.

Wherever they may go it may be seen How kirk and causay they soop[149] clean.

The images into the kirk May think of their syde taillis irk;[150]

For when the weather been maist fair, The dust flies highest in the air, And all their faces does begarie.