Our life, our giding, and our aventuris Dependis from thir hevinlie creaturis Apperandlie be sum necessite. For thoucht[594] ane man wald set his besy curis[595], So far as laboure and his wisdome furis, To fle hard chance of infortunite; Thoucht he eschew it with difficulte, The cursit weird yit ithandlie enduris[596], Gevin to him first in his nativitie.
Of erdlie[597] stait bewaling thus the chance, Of fortoun gud I had na esperance. So lang I swomit[598] in hir seis deip That sad avising[599] with hir thochtful lance Couth find na port to ankir hir firmance; Quhill Morpheus, the drery god of sleip, For very reuth did on my curis weip, And set his sleuth[600] and deidly contenance With snorand vanis throw my body creip.
Me-thocht I was in-to ane plesand meid, Quhare Flora maid the tender blewmis spreid Throw kindlie dew and humouris nutrative, Quhen goldin Titan, with his flammis reid, Abone the seis rasit up his heid, Diffounding[601] down his heit restorative To every frute that nature maid on live, Quhilk wes afore in-to the winter deid, For stormis cald and frostis penitrive[602].
Ane silver fontane sprang of watter cleir In-to that place quhare I approchit neir, Quhare I did sone espy ane fellown reird[603] Of courtly gallandis in thair best maneir Rejosing thaim in season of the yeir, As it had bene of Mayis day the feird[604]. Thair gudlie havingis maid me nocht affeird; With thaim I saw are crownit King appeir, With tender downis rising on his beird.
Thir courtlie gallandis settand thair intentis To sing, and play on divers instrumentis, According to this Princis appetit; Two plesand ladyis come pransand ouir the bentis[605]; Thair costlie clethin schew thair michty rentis[606]. Quhat hart micht wis, thay wantit nocht ane mit; The rubeis schone apone thair fingaris quhit; And finalie I knew, be thair consentis, This ane Virtew, that other hecht[607] Delite.
Thir goddesses arrayit in this wise, As reverence and honoure list devise, Afore this Prince fell down apon thair kneis, Syne dressit thaim in-to thair best avise[608], So far as wisdome in thair power lyis, To do the thing that micht him best appleis, Quhare he rejosit in his hevinly gleis[609]; And him desirit, for his hie empryis[610], Ane of thaim two unto his lady cheis[611].