THE COMPLAYNT OF SCOTLAND.

ONLY four copies of this very curious work were known to be extant till Dr. Leyden published his excellent edition in 1801. It has been attributed to Wedderburn and to sir James Inglis, on insufficient authority. Dr. Leyden supposes sir David Lindsay was the author. All that is certain is, that it was written in 1548.

The extract is remarkable, as containing a greater number of imitative words than can be found elsewhere. As the book is in the Scottish dialect, there would be a singular impropriety in much changing the orthography.

1

There eftir I heard the rumour of rammasche 1 foulis and of beystis that made grite beir", quhilk past beside burnis and boggis on green bankis to seek their sustentation. Their brutal sound did redond to

1 collected, Fr. ramasse. VOL. II.

2 a shrill noise.

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THE COMPLAYNT OF SCOTLAND.

the high skyis, quhil the deep hou1 cauernis of cleuchis and rotche craggis ansuert vitht ane high note of that samyn sound as thay beystis hed blauen. It aperit be presumyng and presuposing, that blaberand eccho had been hid in ane hou hole, cryand hyr half ansueir, quhen Narcissus rycht sorry socht for his saruandis, quhen he was in ane forrest, far fra ony folkis, and there efter for love of eccho he drounit in ane drau vel. Nou to tel treutht of the beystis that maid sic beir, and of the dyn that the foulis did, ther syndry soundis hed nothir temperance nor tune. For fyrst furtht on the fresche fieldis the nolt maid noyis vitht mony loud lou. Baytht horse and meytis did fast nee, and the folis neckyr. The bullis began to bullir, quhen the scheip began to blait, because the calfis began till mo, quhen the doggis berkit. Than the suyne began to quhryne quhen thai herd the asse tair, quhilk gart the hennis kekkyl quhen the cokis creu. The chekyns began to peu when the gled quhissillit. The fox follouit the fed geise and gart them cry claik. The gayslingis cryit quhilk quhilk, and the dukis cryit quaik. The ropeen of the rauynis gart the cras crope. The huddit crauis cryit varrok varrok, quhen the suannis murnit, because the gray goul mau pronosticat ane storme. The turtil began for to greit, quhen the cuschet zoulit. The titlene fol

1 hollow. 2 cloughs, deep valleys or ravines in the hills. 3 forced, caused.

THE COMPLAYNT OF SCOTLAND.

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lowit the goilk,' and gart hyr sing guk guk. The dou croutit hyr sad sang that soundit lyik sorrou. Robeen and the litil oran var hamely in vyntir. The jargolyne of the suallou gart the jay angil, than the meveis maid myrtht, for to mok the merle. The laverok maid melody up hie in the skyis. The nychtingal al the nycht sang sueit notis. The tuechitis cryit theuis nek, quhen the piettis clattrit. The garruling of the stirlene gart the sparrou cheip. The lyntquhit sang counterpoint quhen the oszil zelpit. The grene serene sang sueit, quhen the gold spynk chantit. The rede schank cryit my fut my fut, and the oxee' cryit tueit. The herrons gaif ane vyild skrech as the kyl hed bene in fyir, quhilk gart the quhapis for fleyitnes fle far fra hame.

1 cuckoo. 2 dove.

6

3 jangle. 4 lapwing. 5 fieldfare. small hedge sparrow.

SIR WILLIAM BARLOWE.

SIR William Barlowe was a descendant of the ancient family of the Barlowes in Wales, and born in the county of Essex. He was at first a monk in the Augustine monastery of St. Osith in Essex; and was educated at Oxford, where he took the degree of doctor in divinity. He was afterwards friar of the canons of his order at Bisham in Berkshire; though at the dissolution of the monasteries, he resigned his house, and prevailed upon several other abbots and friars to follow his example.

He was promoted successively to the sees of. St. Asaph, St. David's, Chichester, and finally to that of Bath and Wells. He died in 1568.

Sir William Barlowe was the author of several compositions; as "The Godly and Pious Institution of a Christian Man," commonly called the "Bishop's Book;" 1537, London.

During this reign, he is said to have translated into English the "Apocrypha," as far as the Book of Wisdom. But the work whence I have taken the following short extracts is entitled A Dialogue describing the original ground of these Lutheran factions, and many of their abuses. Compiled by Sir William Barlowe chanon, late bishop of Bath. Anno 1553." A MS. note adds-" Mariæ I. the second dition (which appears by the preface). This author sir William Barlowe was first bishop of St. Asaph, then bishop of St. David's, then bishop of Chichester, lastly bishop of Bath and Wells. In Edward VI. days began heresy, and in queen Elizabeth's days established."

There can be no question that this is the doctor William Barlowe of the Biog. Brit.; and it is as certain, that that article is very erroneous. For, it is there stated, and likewise in Dr. Rees's new Cyclopedia on that authority, that upon Mary's accession in 1553, he was deprived of his bishopric of Bath and Wells, and committed to the Fleet prison, on account of his attachment to the protestant religion, and his being married; but escaping to Germany, that he remained there till the