BISHOP OF ST ANDREWS

Lord Morton well met: Whereon deems Lord Douglas all this while? If we with patience may attentive gain, Your Grace shall know the cause of all our grief. As fortune mighty Princes rears some, To high estate, and place in Commonweal, So by divine bequest to them is lent, A riper judgement and more searching eye: Whereby they may discern the common harm, For where importunes in the world are most, Where all our profits rise and still increase, There is our mind, thereon we meditate, And what we do partake of good advice, That we employ for to concern the same.) To this intent these nobles and my self, That are (or should be) eyes of Commonweal, Seeing his highness reachless course of youth His lawless and unbridled vain in love, His to intentive trust too flatterers, His abject care of council and his friends, Cannot but grieve, and since we cannot draw His eye or Judgement to discern is faults Since we have spoke and counsel is not herd, I for my partly, (let others as they list) Will leave the Court, and leave him to his will: Least with a ruthful eye I should behold, His over throw which soar I fear is nigh. What Like the Eagle then, With often flight wilt thou thy feathers lose? Oh King canst thou endure to see thy Court, Of finest wits and Judgements dispossessed, While cloaking craft with soothing climbs so high, As each bewails ambition is so bade? Thy father left thee with estate and Crown, A learned council to direct thy Court, These carelessie Oh King thou castest off, To entertain a train of Sycophants: Thou well mayest see, although thou wilt not see, That every eye and ear both sees and hears The certain signs of thine inconstinence: Thou art allied unto the English King, By marriage a happy friend indeed, If used well, if not a mighty foe. Thinketh your grace he can endure and brook, To have a partner in his daughters love? Thinketh your grace the grudge of privy wrongs Will not procure him change his smiles to threats? O be not blind to good, call home your Lords, Displace these flattering Gnato's, driven them hence: Love and with kindness take your wedlock wife. Or else (which God forbid) I fear a change, Sin cannot thrive in courts without a plague. Like to a ship upon the Ocean seas, Tossed in the doubtful stream without a helm, Such is a Monarch without good advice, I am over herd, cast rain upon thy tongue, Andrews beware, reproof will breed a scar. Madam 'tis virtue in your grace to plead, But we that see his vain untoward course, Cannot but fly the fire before it burn, And shun the Court before we see his fallen. O wrack of Counterfeit ̄ mon-weale! O wretched state! Thou God of heave ̄ prevent my countries fallen.