“And thoucht na frute wer eftir consequent Of mortall life, bot for this warld present Ilk man to have allanerlie[673] respect, Yit virtew suld fra vice be different As quik fra deid, as rich fra indigent. That ane to glore and honour ay direct, This othir, saule and body, to neclect; That ane of reason most intelligent, This othir of beistis following the affect.
“For he that nold[674] aganis his lustis strive, Bot leiffis as beist of knawlege sensitive[675], Eildis[676] richt fast, and deith him sone ouir-halis[677]. Thairfore the mule is of ane langar live Than stonit hors; also the barant wive[678] Apperis young quhen that the brudie falis[679]. We se also, quhen nature nocht prevalis, The pane and dolour ar sa pungitive No medicine the pacient avalis.
“Sen thow hes hard baith our intentis thus, Cheis of us two the maist delitius; First, to sustene ane scharp adversite, Danting the rage of youtheid furius, And sine posseid[680] triumphe innumerus, With lang empire and hie felicite; Or haif, ane moment, sensualite Of fuliche youth, in life voluptuous, And all thy dayis full of miserie.”
Be than, Phebus his firy cart did wry Fra south to west, declinand besaly To dip his steidis in the occeane, Quhen he began ouirsile[681] his visage dry With vapouris thik, and cloudis full of sky, And Notus brim[682], the wind meridiane With wingis donk and pennis full of rane, Awalkenit me, that I micht nocht aspy Quhilk of thaim two was to his lady tane.
Bot sone I knew thay war the goddesses That come in sleip to vailyeant Hercules Quhen he was young and fre of every lore To lust or honour, poverte or riches, Quhen he contempnit lust and idilnes That he in virtew micht his life decore[683], And werkis did of maist excellent glore. The more incressit his panefull besines, His hie triumphe and loving[684] was the more.
Thair, throw this morall eruditioun Quhilk come, as said is, in my visioun, I tuke purpos, or I forthir went, To write the story of this regioun, With dedis of mony illuster campioun[685]. And, thoucht the pane apperis vehement, To mak the story to the redaris more patent I will begin at the discriptioun Of Albion, in maner subsequent.
[631] shires, _lit._ districts sheared off.