CHASTITY

How Long shall this inconstant World endure, That I should baneist be sa Long alace: Few creatures or nane takes on me cure, Quhilk gars me money Night lie harbrieles. Thought I have passed all ȝeir From place to place, Among the Temporal and Spiritual staits: Nor among Princes I can get nam grace, Bot boustuouslie am halden at the ȝetis. I grant ȝon Lady hes vowit Chastity, For his profession thereto should accord: Scho maid that vow for ane Abesie, Bot nought for Christ Jesus our Lord. From time that they get their vows, I stand for'd, They banische his out of their company, With Chastity they can make nam concord Bot leids their lyfis in Sensuality, I shall observe ȝour counsel give I may, Cum on and heir quhat ȝon Lady will say? Chastity passis to the Lady Priores and says. My prudent lusty Lasty Priores, Remember how ȝe did vow Chastity: Madame I pray ȝow of ȝour gentleness, That ȝe walled pleis to have of me pity: And this ane Night to give me harberie, For this I make ȝow supplication Do ȝe nought sa Madame I dreid perdy, It will because of depravation. Give ȝe walled wit More of the verity, I shall schaw ȝow be sure experience, How that the Lords of Sprituality, Hes baneist me, alace, From their presence. Chastity passes to the Lords of Spritualitie, My Lords, laud, gloir, triumph and reverence, Mote be unto ȝour holy Spiritual stait: I ȝow beseek of ȝour benevolence, To harbry me that am sa desolait * * Lords I have passed throw money uncouth schyre, Bot in this Land I can get nam ludgeing Of my name give ȝe walled have knawledging, Forsuith my Lords they call me Chastity, I ȝow beseek of ȝour graces bening. Give me ludging this Night for charity. Sir, when I was the Nunnis among, Out of their dortour they me dang, And walled nought let me bide sa Long, To say my Pater noster. I see nam grace therefore to get, I hauld it best or it be lait, For till go prove the Temporal stait Give they will me resaif: Gud-day my Lord Temporality, And ȝow merchant of gravity: Full feign walled I have harberie, To ludge among the laif. Ȝe men of craft of great engine Give me barbrie for Christis pine: And win Gods bennesone and mine, And help my hungry heart: Marry Chastity is my name be Sanct Blais. In faith I Found bot ill and war, They gart me stand From Thames askar: Evin Like ane beggar at the bar, And fleimit More and less. Of ȝour counsel I am content, To pass to him in continent, And my service till him present, In hope of sum comfort. They thrie war Flattery and Dissait, And Falset that unhappy loun: Against us thrie quhilk maid debate, And baneischt us from town to town. They gart us twa fallen into sown, When they us lockit in the stocks: That dastart knave Discretion, Full thifte ouslie did steill ȝour Box. My Lords this Abbot and this Priores They scorn their gods, this is my reason quhy, They bear and habit of feinȝeit halines, And in their dead they do the contrary: For to live chaste they vow solemnitly, Bot From that they be sikker of their bowis They live in huirdome and in harlotry, Examine them Sir, how they observe their vowis. My friend their of I neid not to think shame, Dame Chastity baneist from town to town. My lord I have great cause for to complain, I could get nam ludging until this land: The Spiritual stait had me sa at disdane, With Dame Sensual they have maid sic ane band. Among them all nam freindschip sirs I Found, And when I came the noble innis among, My Lusty Lady Priores From hand: Out of his do rtour durlie scho me dang.