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For this by rules severe his life he squar'd,
That all might see the doctrine which they heard:
For priests, he said, are patterns for the rest
(The gold of heaven, who bear the God impress'd):
But when the precious coin is kept unclean,
The sovereign's image is no longer seen.
If they be foul on whom the people trust,
Well may the baser brass contract a rust.
The prelate, for his holy life he priz'd;
The worldly pomp of prelacy despis'd.
His Saviour came not with a gaudy show;
Nor was his kingdom of the world below.
Patience in want, and poverty of mind,
These marks of church and churchmen he design'd,
And living taught, and dying left behind.
The crown he wore was of the pointed thorn;
In purple he was crucify'd, not born.
They who contend for place and high degree,
Are not his sons, but those of Zebedee.

Not but he knew the signs of earthly power
Might well become Saint Peter's successor;
The holy father holds a double reign,

The prince may keep his pomp, the fisher must be plain.

Such was the saint, who shone with every grace. Reflecting, Moses-like, his Maker's face.

God saw his image lively was express'd;

And his own work, as in creation bless'd.

ROBERT HENRYSOUN.

BORN 1425-DIED 1495.

LITTLE is known of the private history of "Gude Master Robert Henrysoun," except that he was a schoolmaster at Dunfermline, and is supposed to have been preceptor in the Benedictine Convent of that place. His poetry is

above mediocrity, and in various styles. MS. copies of many of his pieces are preserved in the Advocates' Library. The abbey mentioned in the following fine moral poem is probably the abbey of Dunfermline.

THE ABBEY WALK.*

I.

ALONE as I went up and down
In an abbey was fair to see,
Thinkand what consolation
Was best into adversity;

On case (a) I cast on side mine ee, (b)
And saw this written upon (c) a wall :
"Of what estate, man, that thou be,

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Obey, and thank thy God of (d) all !

II.

Thy kingdom, and thy great empire,
Thy royalty, nor rich array,
Shall nought endure at thy desire,

But, as the wind, will wend away.

* Lord Hailes gave this title to the succeeding poem

from one mentioned in "The Complaynt of Scotland. (a) By chance. (b) Eye. (c) So MS. not on.

(d) For.

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Thy gold, and all thy goodis gay,
When fortune list, will fra thee fall:
Sen thou sic (e) samples sees ilk day,
Obey, and thank thy God of all!

III.

Though thou be blind, or have an halt,
Or in thy face deformit ill,

Sa it come not through thy default,

Na man should thee repreif (ƒ) by skill. Blame not thy Lord, sa is his will!

Spurn not thy foot against the wall; But with meek heart, and prayer still, Obey, and thank thy God of all.

IV.

God, of his justice, mon (g) correct;
And, of his mercy, pity have;
He is ane judge, to nane suspect,

To punish sinful man and save.
Though thou be lord attour the laif, (h)

And afterward made bound and thrall, Ane poor beggar, with scrip and staiff (i) Obey, and thank thy God of all.

V.

This changing, and great variance
Of earthly statis, up and down,

Is not but (k) casualty and chance,
(As some men sayis without ressown,) (1)

(e) Such.

(f) Reprove.

(g) Must.

(h) Above the rest: literally, beside the rest. Fr.

(i) Staff.

(k) Only.

(4) Reason.

But by the great provisioun

Of God above, that rule thee shall ! Therefore, ever thou make thee boun (m) To obey, and thank thy God of all.

VI.

In wealth be meek, heich (n) not thyself;
Be glad in wilful poverty;

Thy power, and thy worldis pelf,

Is nought but very vanity.
Remember, him (0) that died on tre (p)
For thy sake tastit the bitter gall:
Wha heis (q) low hearts, and laweis he, (r)
Obey, and thank thy God of all.

LORD VAUX.

THOMAS LORD VAUX, second baron of the name, lived in the time of Henry VIII., and attended Cardinal Wolsey on his splendid embassy to Francis I. On the coronation of Anne Boleyn he received the order of the Bath; and was afterwards made governor of the island of Jersey. He died in the reign of Mary. His pieces, which are few in number, breathe a genuine spirit of piety.

UPON HIS WHITE HAIRS.

THESE hairs of age are messengers

Which bid me fast, repent, and pray;

(m) Ready.

(n) Exalt. (9) Exalts.

(p) On the cross.

(0) He.
(r) Lowers high,

They be of death the harbingers,

That do prepare and dress the way: Wherefore I joy that you may see Upon my head such hairs to be.

They be the lines that lead the length
How far my race was for to run;
They say my youth is fled with strength,
And how old age is well begun ;
The which I feel: and you may see
Upon my head such lines to be.

They be the strings of sober sound,
Whose music is harmonical:
Their tunes declare-a time from ground
I came and how thereto I shall:
Wherefore I joy that you may see
Upon my head such strings to be.

God grant to those that white hairs have, No worse them take than I have meant ; That after they be laid in grave,

Their souls may joy, their lives well spent. God grant, likewise, that you may see Upon your head such hairs to be.

THE AGED LOVER RENOUNCETH LOVE.

I LOATH that I did love

In youth that I thought sweet,
As time requires for my behove,
Methinks they are not meet.

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