The Excusation of the Prentar
Prefixed to the Translation of Boece’s History.
Ingyne715 of man be inclinatioun
In sindry wyse is geuin, as we se.
Sum men ar geuin to detractioun,
Inuy, displeseir, or malancolie,
And to thair nychbouris hes no cherite.
Sum ar so nobill and full of gentilnes,
Thay luf no-thing bot joy and merynes.
Sum ar at vndir716, and sum maid vp of nocht:
Sum men luffis peace, and sum desiris weir717.
Sum is so blyth in-to his mery thocht
He curis718 nocht, so he may perseueir
In grace and fauour of his lady deir.
Sum boldin719 at othir in maist cruell feid720,
With lance and dagar rynnis to the deid721.
Ane hes that mycht ane hundreth weil sustene,
And leiffis722 in wo and pennance at his table,
And of gud fallois comptis nocht ane bene723;
His wrechit mynd is so insaciable;
As heuin and hell wer no-thing bot ane fable
He birnis ay, but sycht724 to gud or euil,
And rynnis with all his baggis to the deuil.
And I the prentar, that dois considir weil
Thir sindry myndis of men in thair leuing725,
Desiris nocht bot on my laubour leil726
That I mycht leif, and of my just wynnyng
Mycht first pleis God, and syne our noble Kyng,
And that ye reders bousum and attent727
Wer of my laubour and besynes content.
And in this wark, that I haue heir assailyeit
To bring to lycht, maist humely I exhort
Yow nobill reders, quhare that I haue failyeit
In letter, sillabe, poyntis lang or schort,
That ye will of your gentrice it support728,
And tak the sentence729 the best wyse ye may;
I sall do better, will God, ane-othir day.