Address to Bellona and King James V.
From the “Proloug apoun the Traduction of Titus Livius.”702
Armipotent lady, Bellona serene,
Goddes of wisdome and jeoperdyis of were703,
Sister of Mars, and ledare of his rene.
And of his batallis awfull messingere!
Thy werelyke trumpett thounder in mine ere—
The horribill battellis and the bludy harmes—
To write of Romanis, the nobil men of armes.
And bricht Appollo with thy cours eterne,
That makis the frutis spring on every ground,
And with thy mychty influence dois governe
The twynkland sternes about the mappamound704!
Thy fyry visage on my vers diffound705,
And quikin the spretis of my dull ingine706
With rutiland707 beme of thy low708 divine.
And ye my soverane be line continewall,
Ay cum of kingis your progenitouris,
And writis in ornate stile poeticall
Quik-flowand vers of rethorik cullouris,
Sa freschlie springand in youre lusty flouris
To the grete comforte of all trew Scottismen,
Be now my muse and ledare of my pen!
That be youre helpe and favoure gracius
I may be abill, as ye commandit me,
To follow the prince of storie, Livius,
Quhais curious ressouns tonit ar so hie.
And every sens sa full of majeste
That so he passes uther stories all,
As silver Diane dois the sternis709 small.
For I intend of this difficill werk
To mak ane end or I my lauboure stint710,
War not the passage and stremes ar sa stark711,
Quhare I have salit, full of crag and clynt712,
That ruddir and takillis of my schip ar tynt713;
And thus my schip, without ye mak support
Wil peris lang or714 it cum to the port.