Editor’s NoteEditor’s Note23. The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus1Schir Johine the Ros, ane thing thair is compild

2  In generale be Kennedy and Quinting

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus3Quhilk hes thame self aboif the sternis styld;

4  Bot had thay maid of mannace ony mynting

5  In speciall, sic stryfe sould rys but stynting;

Critical Apparatus6Howbeit with bost thair breistis wer als bendit

Editor’s Note7As Lucifer that fra the hevin discendit,

Critical Apparatus8  Hell sould nocht hyd thair harnis fra harmis hynting.

pg 779The erd sould trymbill, the firmament sould schaik,

Critical Apparatus10  And all the air in vennaum suddane stink,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus11And all the divillis of hell for redour quaik,

12  To heir quhat I suld wryt with pen and ynk:

Critical Apparatus13  For and I flyt, sum sege for schame sould sink,

Critical Apparatus14The se sould birn, the mone sould thoill ecclippis,

Critical Apparatus15Rochis sould ryfe, the warld sould hald no grippis,

Editor’s Note16  Sa loud of cair the commoun bell sould clynk.

Editor’s Note17Bot wondir laith wer I to be ane baird,

Critical Apparatus18  Flyting to use for gritly I eschame;

Critical Apparatus19For it is nowthir wynnyng nor rewaird

Editor’s Note20  Bot tinsale baith of honour and of fame,

Critical Apparatus21  Incres of sorrow, sklander and evill name:

Critical Apparatus22Ȝit mycht thay be sa bald in thair bakbytting

Critical Apparatus23To gar me ryme and rais the Feynd with flytting

Critical Apparatus24  And throw all cuntreis and kinrikis thame proclame.

Quod Dumbar to Kennedy.

Editor’s Note25Dirtin dumbar, quhome on blawis thow thy boist,

26  Pretendand the to wryte sic skaldit skrowis?

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus27Ramowd rebald, thow fall doun att the roist

28  My laureat lettres at the and I lowis:

Editor’s Note29  Mandrag, mymmerkin, maid maister bot in mows,

30Thrys scheild trumpir with ane threid bair goun,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus31Say Deo mercy, or I cry the doun,

32  And leif thy ryming, rebald, and thy rowis.

33Dreid, dirtfast dearch, that thow hes dissobeyit

34  My cousing Quintene and my commissar;

35Fantastik fule, trest weill thow salbe fleyit;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus36  Ignorant elf, aip, owll irregular,

Editor’s Note37  Skaldit skaitbird and commoun skamelar,

pg 78Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus38Wan fukkit funling that natour maid ane yrle—

39Baith Johine the Ros and thow sail squeill and skirle

40  And evir I heir ocht of ȝour making mair.

41Heir I put sylence to the in all pairtis;

Critical Apparatus42  Obey and ceis the play that thow pretendis;

Editor’s Note43Waik walidrag and verlot of the cairtis,

44  Se sone thow mak my commissar amendis,

45  And lat him lay sax leichis on thy lendis

Critical Apparatus46Meikly in recompansing of thi scorne,

47Or thow sail ban the tyme that thow wes borne;

Critical Apparatus48  For Kennedy to the this cedull sendis.

Quod Kennedy to Dumbar. Juge in the nixt quha gat the war.

Editor’s Note49Iersche brybour baird, vyle beggar with thy brattis,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus50  Cuntbittin crawdoun Kennedy, coward of kynd;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus51Evill farit and dryit as Denseman on the rattis,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus52  Lyk as the gleddis had on thy gulesnowt dynd;

53  Mismaid monstour, ilk mone owt of thy mynd,

54Renunce, rebald, thy rymyng; thow bot royis;

Editor’s Note55  Thy trechour tung hes tane ane heland strynd—

56Ane lawland ers wald mak a bettir noyis.

Critical Apparatus57Revin, raggit ruke, and full of rebaldrie,

Critical Apparatus58  Scarth fra scorpione, scaldit in scurrilitie,

59I se the haltane in thy harlotrie

60  And in to uthir science no thing slie,

61  Of every vertew void, as men may sie;

62Quytclame clergie and cleik to the ane club,

Critical Apparatus63  Ane baird blasphemar in brybrie ay to be;

Editor’s Note64For wit and woisdome ane wisp fra the may rub.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus65Thow speiris, dastard, gif I dar with the fecht:

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus66  Ȝe dagone, dowbart, thairof haif thow no dowt.

pg 7967Quhair evir we meit, thairto my hand I hecht

Critical Apparatus68  To red thy rebald rymyng with a rowt.

69  Throw all Bretane it salbe blawin owt

Critical Apparatus70How that thow, poysonit pelour, gat thy paikis;

71  With ane doig leich I schepe to gar the schowt,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus72And nowther to the tak knyfe, swerd nor aix.

73Thow crop and rute of tratouris tressonable,

Critical Apparatus74  The fathir and moder of morthour and mischeif,

Critical Apparatus75Dissaitfull tyrand with serpentis tung unstable,

76  Cukcald cradoun, cowart, and commoun theif:

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus77  Thow purpest for to undo our lordis cheif

78In Paislay with ane poysone that wes fell,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus79  For quhilk, brybour, ȝit sail thow thoill a breif:

80Pelour, on the I sail it preif my sell.

Editor’s Note81  Thocht I wald lie, thy frawart phisnomy

Critical Apparatus82Dois manifest thy malice to all men;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus83  Fy, tratour theif; fy, glengoir loun, fy, fy!

Editor’s Note84  Fy, feyndly front far fowlar than ane fen!

Critical Apparatus85My freyindis thow reprovit with thy pen;

Critical Apparatus86Thow leis, tratour: quhilk I sail on the preif.

87  Suppois thy heid war armit tymis ten

Critical Apparatus88Thow sail recryat, or thy croun sail cleif.

89Or thow durst move thy mynd malitius—

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus90  Thow saw the saill abone my heid up draw;

91Bot Eolus full woid and Neptunus,

Critical Apparatus92  Mirk and moneles, us met with wind and waw

Critical Apparatus93  And mony hundreth myll hyne cowd us blaw

Critical Apparatus94By Holland, Seland, Ȝetland, and Northway coist

Critical Apparatus95  In sey desert quhill we wer famist aw:

96  Ȝit come I hame, fals baird, to lay thy boist.

pg 80Critical Apparatus97Thow callis the rethory with thy goldin lippis;

Critical Apparatus98  Na, glowrand, gaipand fule, thow art begyld.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus99Thow art bot gluntoch with thy giltin hippis,

Critical Apparatus100  That for thy lounry mony a leisch hes fyld.

Critical Apparatus101  Wan visaged widdefow, out of thy wit gane wyld,

Critical Apparatus102Laithly and lowsy, als lathand as ane leik,

103  Sen thow with wirschep wald sa fane be styld—

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus104Haill, soverane senȝeour! Thy bawis hingis throw thy breik.

Editor’s Note105Forworthin fule, of all the warld reffuse,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus106  Quhat ferly is, thocht thow rejoys to flyte?

Critical Apparatus107Sic eloquence as thay in Erschry use,

Critical Apparatus108  In sic is sett thy thraward appetyte.

Editor’s Note109  Thow hes full littill feill of fair indyte:

110I tak on me ane pair of Lowthiane hippis

111  Sail fairar Inglis mak, and mair parfyte,

Editor’s Note112Than thow can blabbar with thy Carrik lippis.

Editor’s Note113Bettir thow ganis to leid ane doig to skomer,

Critical Apparatus114  Pynit pykpuris pelour, than with thy maister pingill.

Critical Apparatus115Thow lay full prydles in the peis this somer

Critical Apparatus116  And fane at evin for to bring hame a single,

Critical Apparatus117  Syne rubbit at ane uthir auld wyfis ingle:

118Bot now in winter for purteth thow art traikit—

Critical Apparatus119  Thow hes na breik to latt thy bellokis gyngill;

Critical Apparatus120Beg the ane club for, baird, thow sail go naikit.

Critical Apparatus121Lene larbar loungeour, baith lowsy in lisk and lonȝe;

Critical Apparatus122  Fy, skolderit skyn, thow art bot skyre and skrumple;

Editor’s Note123For he that rostit Lawarance had thy grunȝe,

Critical Apparatus124  And he that hid sanct Johnis ene with ane wimple,

125  And he that dang sanct Augustyne with ane rumple

pg 81126Thy fowll front had, and he that Bartilmo flaid:

Critical Apparatus127  The gallowis gaipis eftir thy graceles gruntill

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus128As thow wald for ane haggeis, hungry gled.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus129Commirwald crawdoun, na man comptis the ane kers;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus130  Sueir swappit swanky, swynekeper ay for swaittis,

Editor’s Note131Thy commissar Quintyne biddis the cum kis his ers—

Critical Apparatus132  He luvis nocht sic ane forlane loun of laittis.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus133  He sayis thow skaffis and beggis mair beir and aitis

Critical Apparatus134Nor ony cripill in Karrik land abowt;

Critical Apparatus135  Uther pure beggaris and thow ar at debaittis—

136Decrepit karlingis on Kennedy cryis owt.

Critical Apparatus137Mater annuche I haif, I bid nocht fenȝie,

138  Thocht thow, fowll trumpour, thus upoun me leid;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus139Corruptit carioun, he sall I cry thy senȝie.

Critical Apparatus140  Thinkis thow nocht how thow come in grit neid

Critical Apparatus141  Greitand in Galloway lyk to ane gallow breid,

Critical Apparatus142Ramand and rolpand, beggand koy and ox?

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus143  I saw the thair in to thy wathemanis weid

144Quhilk wes nocht worth ane pair of auld gray sox.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus145Ersche katherene, with thy polk breik and rilling,

146  Thow and thy quene, as gredy gleddis ȝe gang

Critical Apparatus147With polkis to mylne and beggis baith meill and schilling.

148  Thair is bot lys and lang nailis ȝow amang.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus149  Fowll heggirbald, for henis thus will ȝe hang;

150Thow hes ane perrellus face to play with lambis;

Critical Apparatus151  Ane thowsand kiddis, wer thay in faldis full Strang,

Critical Apparatus152Thy lymmerfull luke wald fle thame and thair damis.

153In till ane glen thow hes owt of repair

Editor’s Note154  Ane laithly luge that wes the lippir menis;

pg 82155With the ane sowtaris wyfe off blis als bair,

156  And lyk twa stalkaris steilis in cokis and henis—

Critical Apparatus157  Thow plukkis the pultre and scho pullis of the penis.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus158All Karrik cryis, God gif this dowsy be drownd!

159  And quhen thow heiris ane guse cry in the glenis

Critical Apparatus160Thow thinkis it swetar than sacrand bell of sound.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus161Thow lazarus, thow laithly lene tramort,

Critical Apparatus162  To all the warld thow may example be

163To luk upoun thy gryslie peteous port;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus164  For hiddowis, haw and holkit is thyne ee,

Critical Apparatus165  Thy cheik bane bair, and blaiknit is thy ble;

Critical Apparatus166Thy choip, thy choll, garris men for to leif chest;

167  Thy gane it garris us think that we mon de:

Critical Apparatus168  I conjure the, thow hungert heland gaist!

Critical Apparatus169The larbar lukis of thy lang lene craig,

170  Thy pure pynit thrott peilit and owt of ply,

Editor’s Note171Thy skolderit skin hewd lyk ane saffrone bag

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus172  Garris men dispyt thar flesche, thow spreit of Gy:

Critical Apparatus173  Fy, feyndly front! fy, tykis face, fy, fy!

174Ay loungand lyk ane loikman on ane ledder;

Critical Apparatus175  With hingit luik ay wallowand upone wry

Critical Apparatus176Lyk to ane stark theif glowrand in ane tedder.

177Nyse nagus, nipcaik, with thy schulderis narrow,

Critical Apparatus178  Thow lukis lowsy loun of lownis aw;

Critical Apparatus179Hard hurcheoun, hirpland hippit as ane harrow,

Critical Apparatus180  Thy rigbane rattillis and thy ribbis on raw;

Critical Apparatus181  Thy hanchis hirklis with hukebanis harth and haw,

Critical Apparatus182Thy laithly lymis ar lene as ony treis.

Critical Apparatus183  Obey, theif baird, or I sall brek thy gaw;

Editor’s Note184Fowll carrybald, cry mercy on thy kneis.

pg 83Critical Apparatus185Thow pure pynhippit ugly averill

Critical Apparatus186  With hurkland banis holkand throw thy hyd,

Editor’s Note187Reistit and crynit as hangitman on hill

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus188  And oft beswakkit with ane ourhie tyd

189  Quhilk brewis mekle barret to thy bryd:

190Hir cair is all to clenge thy cabroch howis

Critical Apparatus191  Quhair thow lyis sawsy in saphron bak and syd,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus192Powderit with prymros, savrand all with clowis.

Editor’s Note193Forworthin wirling, I warne the it is wittin

Editor’s Note194  How, skyttand skarth, thow hes the hurle behind;

Critical Apparatus195Wan wraiglane wasp, ma wormis hes thow beschittin

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus196  Nor thair is gers on grund or leif on lind.

Critical Apparatus197  Thocht thow did first sic foly to me fynd

198Thow sall agane with ma witnes than I;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus199  Thy gulsoch gane dois on thy bak it bind,

Critical Apparatus200Thy hostand hippis lattis nevir thy hos go dry.

201Thow held the burch lang with ane borrowit goun

Critical Apparatus202  And ane caprowsy barkit all with sweit,

Critical Apparatus203And quhen the laidis saw the sa lyk a loun

204  Thay bickerit the with mony bae and bleit:

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus205  Now upaland thow leivis on rubbit quheit;

206Oft for ane caus thy burdclaith neidis no spredding,

Critical Apparatus207  For thow hes nowthir for to drink nor eit

208Bot lyk ane berdles baird that had no bedding.

Editor’s Note209Strait Gibbonis air that nevir ourstred ane hors,

210  Bla berfute berne, in bair tyme wes thow borne;

Editor’s Note211Thow bringis the Carrik clay to Edinburgh cors

Editor’s Note212  Upoun thy botingis hobland, hard as horne;

Critical Apparatus213  Stra wispis hingis owt quhair that the wattis ar worne:

214Cum thow agane to skar us with thy strais,

215  We sall gar scale our sculis all the to scorne

216And stane the up the calsay quhair thow gais.

pg 84Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus217Off Edinburch the boyis as beis owt thrawis

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus218  And cryis owt ay, Heir cumis our awin queir clerk!

Editor’s Note219Than fleis thow lyk ane howlat chest with crawis,

Critical Apparatus220  Quhill all the bichis at thy botingis dois bark.

Editor’s Note221  Than carlingis cryis, Keip curches in the merk—

Critical Apparatus222Our gallowis gaipis—lo! quhair ane greceles gais!

223  Ane uthir sayis, I se him want ane sark—

224  I reid ȝow, cummer, tak in ȝour lynning clais.

Editor’s Note225Than rynis thow doun the gait with gild of boyis

Critical Apparatus226  And all the toun tykis hingand in thy heilis;

227Of laidis and lownis thair rysis sic ane noyis

Critical Apparatus228  Quhill runsyis rynis away with cairt and quheilis,

229  And caiger aviris castis bayth coillis and creilis

230For rerd of the and rattling of thy butis;

Critical Apparatus231  Fische wyvis cryis, Fy! and castis doun skillis and skeilis,

232  Sum claschis the, sum cloddis the on the cutis.

233Loun lyk Mahoun, be boun me till obey,

234  Theif, or in greif mischeif sall the betyd;

Critical Apparatus235Cry grace, tykis face, or I the chece and fley;

Editor’s Note236  Oule, rare and ȝowle—I sall defowll thy pryd;

237  Peilit gled, baith fed and bred of bichis syd

238And lyk ane tyk, purspyk—quhat man settis by the!

239  Forflittin, countbittin, beschittin, barkit hyd,

Critical Apparatus240Clym ledder, fyle tedder, foule edder: I defy the!

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus241Mauch muttoun, byt buttoun, peilit gluttoun, air to Hilhous,

Critical Apparatus242  Rank beggar, ostir dregar, foule fleggar in the flet,

Editor’s Note243Chittirlilling, ruch rilling, lik schilling in the milhous,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus244  Baird rehator, theif of nator, fals tratour, feyindis gett,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus245  Filling of tauch, rak sauch—cry crauch, thow art oursett;

pg 85246Muttoun dryver, girnall ryver, ȝadswyvar—fowll fell the;

Critical Apparatus247  Herretyk, lunatyk, purspyk, carlingis pet,

Editor’s Note248Rottin crok, dirtin dok—cry cok, or I sall quell the.

Quod Dumbar to Kennedy.

Editor’s Note249Dathane deivillis sone and dragone dispitous,

Editor’s Note250  Abironis birth and bred with Beliall,

251Wod werwoif, worme and scorpion vennemous,

Critical Apparatus252  Lucifers laid, fowll feyindis face infernall,

253  Sodomyt, syphareit fra Sanctis celestiall:

254Put I nocht sylence to the, schiphird knaif,

Critical Apparatus255And thow of new begynis to ryme and raif,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus256  Thow salbe maid blait, bleir eit, bestiall.

Editor’s Note257How thy forbearis come, I haif a feill,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus258  At Cokburnis peth, the writ makis me war,

259Generit betuix ane scho beir and a deill:

Critical Apparatus260  Sa wes he callit Dewlbeir and nocht Dumbar.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus261  This Dewlbeir, generit of a meir of Mar,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus262Wes Corspatrik erle of Merche, and be illusioun

263The first that evir put Scotland to confusioun

264  Wes that fals tratour, hardely say I dar.

265Quhen Bruce and Balioll differit for the croun

266  Scottis lordis could nocht obey Inglis lawis;

267This Corspatrik betrasit Berwik toun

Critical Apparatus268  And slew sevin thowsand Scottismen within thay wawis;

269  The battall syne of Spottismuir he gart caus,

Editor’s Note270And come with Edwart Langschankis to the feild

Critical Apparatus271Quhair twelve thowsand trew Scottismen wer keild

Critical Apparatus272  And Wallace chest, as the carnicle schawis.

273Scottis lordis chiftanis he gart hald and chessone

274  In firmance fast quhill all the feild wes done

pg 86275Within Dumbar, that auld spelunk of tressoun;

Critical Apparatus276  Sa Inglis tykis in Scottland wes abone.

Editor’s Note277  Than spulȝeit thay the haly stane of Scone,

Critical Apparatus278The croce of Halyrudhous, and uthir jowellis.

279He birnis in hell, body, banis and bowellis,

280  This Corspatrik that Scotland hes undone.

Editor’s Note281Wallace gart cry ane counsale in to Perth

282  And callit Corspatrik tratour be his style;

Critical Apparatus283That dampnit dragone drew him in diserth

284  And sayd, he kend bot Wallace, king in Kyle:

285  Out of Dumbar that theif he maid exyle

Critical Apparatus286Unto Edward and Inglis grund agane;

Critical Apparatus287  Tigiris, serpentis and taidis will remane

288In Dumbar wallis, todis, wolffis and beistis vyle.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus289Na fowlis of effect amangis tha binkis

Critical Apparatus290  Biggis nor abydis for no thing that may be;

291Thay stanis of tressone as the bruntstane stinkis.

292  Dewlbeiris moder, cassin in by the se,

293  The wariet apill of the forbiddin tre

Critical Apparatus294That Adame eit quhen he tynt Parradyce

Critical Apparatus295Scho eit, invennomit lyk a cokkatryce,

296  Syne merreit with the Divill for dignite.

297Ȝit of new tressone I can tell the tailis

Critical Apparatus298  That cumis on nycht in visioun in my sleip:

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus299Archbald Dumbar betrasd the hous of Hailis

300  Becaus the ȝung lord had Dumbar to keip;

Critical Apparatus301  Pretendand throw that to thair rowmis to creip,

302Rycht crewaly his castell he persewit,

Critical Apparatus303Brocht him furth boundin and the place reskewit,

Critical Apparatus304  Sett him in fetter is in ane dungeoun deip.

pg 87Critical Apparatus305It war aganis bayth natur and gud ressoun

Critical Apparatus306  That Dewlbeiris bairnis wer trew to God or man,

Critical Apparatus307Quhilkis wer baith gottin, borne and bred with tressoun,

Editor’s Note308  Belgebubbis oyis and curst Corspatrikis clan.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus309  Thow wes prestyt and ordanit be Sathan

310For to be borne to do thy kin defame

311And gar me schaw thy antecessouris schame;

312  Thy kin that leivis may wary the and ban.

313Sen thow on me thus, lymmer, leis and trattillis

Critical Apparatus314  And fyndis sentence foundit of invy,

Critical Apparatus315Thy elderis banis ilk nycht rysis and rattillis:

Critical Apparatus316  Apon thy cors vengeance, vengeance thay cry,

317  Thou art the cause thay may not rest nor ly;

Critical Apparatus318Thou sais for thame few psaltris, psalmis or credis,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus319Bot geris me tell thair trentalis of mysdedis

320  And thair ald sin wyth new schame certify.

Editor’s Note321Insensuate sow, cesse, false Eustase air,

322  And knaw, kene scald, I hald of Alathya,

Critical Apparatus323And cause me not the cause lang to declare

Critical Apparatus324  Off thy curst kyn, Deulber and his allya:

Critical Apparatus325  Cum to the croce on kneis and mak a crya;

Critical Apparatus326Confesse thy crime, hald Kenydy the king,

327And wyth ane hauthorne scurge thy self and dyng;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus328  Thus dree thy penaunce wyth deliquisti quia.

329Pas to my commissare and be confest,

Editor’s Note330  Cour before him on kneis, and cum in will,

Editor’s Note331And syne ger Stobo for thy lyf protest;

Critical Apparatus332  Renounce thy rymis, bath ban and birn thy bill,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus333  Heve to the hevyn thy handis, ande hald the still;

pg 88Critical Apparatus334Do thou not thus, bogane, thou salbe brynt

Critical Apparatus335Wyth pik, fire, ter, gun puldre or lynt

Editor’s Note336  On Arthuris Sete or on ane hyar hyll.

Editor’s Note337I perambalit of Pernaso the montayn,

338  Enspirit wyth Mercury fra his goldyn spere,

Critical Apparatus339And dulcely drank of eloquence the fontayne

Critical Apparatus340  Quhen it was purifit wyth frost and flowit clere;

341  And thou come, fule, in Marche or Februere

342Thare till a pule, and drank the padok rod

Critical Apparatus343That gerris the ryme in to thy termes glod

Critical Apparatus344  And blaberis that noyis mennis eris to here.

345Thou lufis nane Irische, elf, I understand,

Editor’s Note346  Bot it suld be all trew Scottis mennis lede;

347It was the gud langage of this land,

348  And Scota it causit to multiply and sprede

349  Quhill Corspatrik, that we of tresoun rede,

350Thy fore fader, maid Irisch and Irisch men thin,

Editor’s Note351Throu his tresoun broght Inglise rumplis in:

Critical Apparatus352  Sa wald thy self, mycht thou to him succede.

Critical Apparatus353Ignorant fule, in to thy mowis and mokis

354  It may be verifyit that thy wit is thin;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus355Quhare thou writis Densmen dryit apon the rattis,

356  Densmen of Denmark ar of the kingis kyn.

357  The wit thou suld have had was castin in

Critical Apparatus358Evyn at thyne ers, bakwart, wyth a staf slong.

359Herefore, false harlot, hursone, hald thy tong;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus360  Deulbere, thou devis the Devill thyne eme wyth dyn.

Critical Apparatus361Quhare as thou said that I stall hennis and lammys,

Critical Apparatus362  I latt the witt I have land, store and stakkis;

pg 89Critical Apparatus363Thou wald be fayn to gnaw, lad, wyth thy gammys,

Critical Apparatus364  Undir my burd, smoch banis behynd doggis bakkis:

Critical Apparatus365Thou has a tome purs, I have stedis and takkis;

Critical Apparatus366Thou tynt cultur, I have cultur and pleuch,

Critical Apparatus367Substance and gere; thou has a wedy teuch

Editor’s Note368  On Mount Falconn, about thy crag to rax.

369And yit Mount Falconn gallowis is our fair

370  For to be fylde wyth sik a fruteles face;

Critical Apparatus371Cum hame and hyng on oure gallowis of Aire—

372  To erd the undir it I sall purchas grace;

Critical Apparatus373  To ete thy flesch the doggis sall have na space,

374The ravyns sall ryve na thing bot thy tong rutis,

Critical Apparatus375For thou sik malice of thy maister mutis

376  It is wele sett that thou sik barat brace.

Critical Apparatus377Small fynance amang thy frendis thou beggit,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus378  To stanch the storm wyth haly muldis thou loste;

Critical Apparatus379Thou sailit to get a dowcare for to dreg it,

380  It lyis closit in a clout on Seland cost;

Editor’s Note381  Sik reule gerris the be servit wyth cald rost

Critical Apparatus382And sitt unsoupit oft beȝond the sey

Critical Apparatus383Criant caritas at duris amore Dei

384  Barefut, brekeles, and all in duddis updost.

Critical Apparatus385Deulbere has not ado wyth a Dunbar;

Editor’s Note386  The erl of Murray bure that surname ryght

Critical Apparatus387That evyr trew to the king and constant ware,

Critical Apparatus388  And of that kyn come Dunbar of Westfelde knyght.

Critical Apparatus389That successione is hardy, wyse and wycht,

390And has na thing ado now wyth the Devile;

Critical Apparatus391Bot Deulbere is thy kyn and kennis the wele

Critical Apparatus392  And has in hell for thee a chaumir dicht.

pg 90393Cursit croapand craw, I sall ger crop thy tong

Editor’s Note394  And thou sall cry cor mundum on thy kneis;

Critical Apparatus395Duerch, I sall dyng the quhill thou dryte and dong

396  And thou sal lik thy lippis and suere thou leis:

Editor’s Note397  I sall degrade the, graceles, of thy greis,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus398Scaile the for scorne and shere the of the scule,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus399Ger round the hede transforme the till a fule

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus400  And syne wyth tresone trone the to the treis.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus401Raw mowit ribald, renegate rehatour,

Critical Apparatus402  My linage and fore bearis war ay lele;

Critical Apparatus403It cumis of kynde to the to be a traytoure,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus404  To ryde on nycht, to rug, to reve and stele.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus405  Quhare thou puttis poysoun to me, I appelle

Critical Apparatus406The in that part, preve it, pelour, wyth thy persone;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus407Clame not to clergy, I defy the, gersone,

Critical Apparatus408  Thow sall by it dere wyth me, duerche, and thou dele.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus409In Ingland, oule, suld be thyne habitacione;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus410  Homage to Edward Langschankis maid thy kyn,

Critical Apparatus411In Dunbar thai ressavit hym, the false nacione:

412  Thay suld be exilde Scotland mare and myn.

413  A stark gallowis, a wedy and a pyn

Critical Apparatus414The hede poynt of thyne elderis armes ar;

Critical Apparatus415Wryttyn abone in poesie, Hang Dunbar;

Critical Apparatus416  Quarter and draw, and mak that surname thin.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus417I am the kingis blude, his trew speciall clerk

Critical Apparatus418  That nevir yit ymaginit hym offense,

Critical Apparatus419Constant in myn allegeance, word and werk,

Critical Apparatus420  Onely dependand on his excellence;

pg 91421  Traistand to have of his magnificence

422Guerdoun, reward and benefice bedene,

Critical Apparatus423Quhen that the ravyns sall ryve out bath thine ene

Editor’s Note424  And on the rattis salbe thy residence.

Editor’s Note425Fra Etrike Forest furthward to Drumfrese

426  Thou beggit wyth a pardoun in all kirkis,

427Collapis, cruddis, mele, grotis, grisis and geis,

Critical Apparatus428  And ondir nycht quhile stall thou staggis and stirkis.

Critical Apparatus429  Because that Scotland of thy begging irkis

Critical Apparatus430Thou scapis in France to be a knycht of the felde;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus431Thou has thy clamschellis and thy burdoun kelde,

432  Unhonest wayis all, wolroun, that thou wirkis.

Editor’s Note433Thou may not pas Mount Barnard for wilde bestis,

Critical Apparatus434  Nor wyn throu Mount Scarpre for the snawe;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus435Mount Nycholas, Mount Godart thare arestis

Critical Apparatus436  Brigantis sik bois and blyndis thame wyth a blawe.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus437  In Parise wyth the maister buriawe

438Abyde, and be his prentice nere the bank

439And help to hang the pece for half a frank,

Critical Apparatus440  And at the last thy self sall thole the lawe.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus441Haltane harlot, the devill have gude thou hais!

Critical Apparatus442  For fault of puissance, pelour, thou mon pak the;

Critical Apparatus443Thou drank thy thrift, sald and wedsett thy clais;

Critical Apparatus444  Thare is na lorde that will in service tak the.

445  A pak of flaskynnis, fynance for to mak the,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus446Thou sall ressave in Danskyn of my tailye;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus447With de profundis fend the, and that failye,

Critical Apparatus448  And I sall send the blak devill for to bak the.

Editor’s Note449In to the Katryne thou maid a foule cahute,

450  For thou bedrate hir doune fra starn to stere;

pg 92Critical Apparatus451Apon hir sydis was sene that thou coud schute—

Critical Apparatus452  Thy dirt clevis till hir towis this twenty yere:

Critical Apparatus453  The firmament na firth was nevir cler

Critical Apparatus454Quhill thou, Deulbere, devillis birth, was on the see;

Critical Apparatus455The saulis had sonkyn throu the syn of the

Critical Apparatus456  War not the peple maid sa grete prayere.

457Quhen that the schip was saynit and undir saile

Critical Apparatus458  Foul brow in holl thou preposit for to pas;

459Thou schot, and was not sekir of thy tayle,

460  Beschate the stere, the compas and the glas;

461  The skippar bad ger land the at the Bas:

462Thou spewit and kest out mony a lathly lomp

Critical Apparatus463Fastar than all the marynaris coud pomp,

Critical Apparatus464  And now thy wame is wers than evir it was.

Critical Apparatus465Had thai bene prouvait sa of schote of gune

466  By men of were but perile thay had past;

467As thou was louse and redy of thy bune

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus468  Thay mycht have tane the collum at the last;

Critical Apparatus469  For thou wald cuk a cartfull at a cast.

Critical Apparatus470Thare is na schip that wil the now ressave;

Critical Apparatus471Thou fylde faster than fyftenesum mycht lave,

Critical Apparatus472  And myrit thaym wyth thy muk to the myd mast.

473Throu Ingland, thef, and tak the to thy fute

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus474  And boune with the to have a false botwand;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus475A horse marschall thou call the at the mute

476  And with that craft convoy the throu the land.

Critical Apparatus477  Be na thing argh, tak ferily on hand—

Critical Apparatus478Happyn thou to be hangit in Northumbir

pg 93479Than all thy kyn ar wele quyte of thy cumbir,

Critical Apparatus480  And that mon be thy dome, I undirstand.

Editor’s Note481Hye souverane lorde, lat nevir this synfull sot

Critical Apparatus482  Do schame fra hame unto your nacioun,

Critical Apparatus483That nevir nane sik ane be callit a Scot,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus484  A rottyn crok, louse of the dok, thare doune.

485  Fra honest folk devoide this lathly lowne;

Critical Apparatus486In sum desert quhare thare is na repaire,

487For fylyng and infecking of the aire,

Critical Apparatus488  Cary this cankerit corrupt carioun.

Editor’s Note489Thou was consavit in the grete eclips,

Critical Apparatus490  A monstir maid be god Mercurius;

Critical Apparatus491Na hald agayn, na hoo is at thy hips,

492  Infortunate, false and furius,

493  Evill schryvin, wan thryvin, not clene na curius;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus494A myten full of flyting, flyrdom like,

Critical Apparatus495A crabbit, scabbit, evill facit messan tyke,

Critical Apparatus496  A schit but wit, schyre and injurius.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus497Greit in the glaykis gude maister Gilliam gukkis,

Critical Apparatus498  Our imperfyte in poetry or in prose,

499All clocis undir cloud of nycht thou cukkis;

500  Rymis thou of me, of rethory the rose?

501  Lunatike, lymare, luschbald, louse thy hose

Critical Apparatus502That I may touch thy tone wyth tribulation

503In recompensing of thy conspiration,

Critical Apparatus504  Or turse the out of Scotland; tak thy chose.

Editor’s Note505Ane benefice quha wald gyve sic ane beste,

506  Bot gif it war to gyngill Judas bellis;

pg 94Critical Apparatus507Tak the a fidill or a floyte, and geste—

508  Undought, thou art ordanyt to not ellis!

509  Thy cloutit cloke, thy skryp and thy clamschellis,

Critical Apparatus510Cleke on thy cors, and fare on in to France

Critical Apparatus511And cum thou nevir agayn but a mischance;

Critical Apparatus512  The fend fare wyth the forthwarde our the fellis.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus513Cankrit Caym, tryit trowane, Tutivillus,

514  Marmaidyn, mymmerken, monstir of all men,

Editor’s Note515I sall ger bake the to the lard of Hill house

516  To suelly the in stede of a pullit hen.

Editor’s Note517  Fowmart, fasert, fostirit in filth and fen,

Critical Apparatus518Foule fond, fiend fule, apon thy phisnom fy!

Critical Apparatus519Thy dok of dirt drepis and will nevir dry;

Critical Apparatus520  To tume thy tone it has tyrit carlingis ten.

Critical Apparatus521Conspiratour, cursit cocatrice, hell caa,

Editor’s Note522  Turk, trumpour, traitour, tyran intemperate;

Editor’s Note523Thou irefull attircop, Pilate apostata,

Editor’s Note524  Judas, jow, juglour, lollard laureate;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus525  Saraȝene, symonyte, provit pagane pronunciate,

526Machomete, manesuorne, bugrist abhominabile,

527Devill, dampnit dog, sodomyte insatiable,

Editor’s Note528  With Gog and Magog grete glorificate.

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus529Nero thy nevow, Golyas thy grantsire,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus530  Pharao thy fader, Egipya thy dame,

531Deulbere, thir ar the causis that I conspire,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus532  Termygantis temptise the, and Vaspasius thine eme;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus533  Belȝebub thy full brothir will clame

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus534To be thyne air, and Cayphas thy sectour;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus535Pluto thy hede of kyn and protectour,

Critical Apparatus536  To hell to lede the on lycht day and leme.

pg 95Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus537Herode thyne othir eme, and grete Egeas,

Editor’s Note538  Marciane, Machomete, and Maxencius,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus539Thy trew kynnismen Antenor and Eneas,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus540  Throp thy nere nece, and austerne Olibrius,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus541Puttidew, Baal and Eyobulus:

Critical Apparatus542Thir fendis ar the flour of thy four branchis

543Sterand the potis of hell, and nevir stanchis;

Critical Apparatus544  Dout not, Deulbere, tu es dyabolus.

545Deulbere, thy spere of were but feir thou yelde,

Critical Apparatus546  Hangit, mangit, eddirstangit, strynde stultorum,

547To me, maist hie Kenydie, and flee the felde,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus548  Prickit, wickit, convickit lamp Lollardorum

Critical Apparatus549  Defamyt, blamyt, schamyt primas paganorum.

Critical Apparatus550Out, out, I schout, apon that snowt that snevillis;

551Tale tellare, rebellare, induellar wyth the devillis,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus552  Spynk, sink wyth stynk ad Tertara termagorum.

Critical Apparatus553               Quod Kennedy to Dumbar: 554               Juge ȝe now heir quha gat the war.

Notes Settings

Editor’s Note

23. The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie. This is the earliest surviving example of a 'flyting'—a blend of primitive literary criticism and lampoon apparently popular in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Scotland. It is not the only evidence of lively dispute among Scotch literati: Dunbar rails against Mure, who 'indorsit myn indyting/ With versis off his awin hand wryting' (26), and Gavin Douglas in his Eneados (STS, iv. 192) remarks'detractouris intil every place' who'or evir thai reid the wark, byddis byrn the buke'. Few other 'flytings' have survived: James V 'flyted' Sir David Lindsay (Lindsay, Works, STS, i. 101), and Montgomerie and Polwart's Flyting is cited by James VI in Ane Schort Treatise, 1584 (STS, i. 81), to illustrate 'Rouncefallis or Tumbling verse' for 'flyting or Inuectiues'—which may point to an established fashion. The antecedents of the form are obscure. Suggested models closest to Dunbar in time and place include the Provençal sirvente and tenso (débat; see 16) and partimen (jeuparti); see Smith, pp. 51–7, for a cautious argument in favour of Continental influence; cf. E. K. Chambers on the 'minstrel repertory' in The Medieval Stage, 1903, i. 79–81. Dunbar may well have known the invectives of the Italian humanist Poggio Bracciolini (1380–1459) against Filelfo and Lorenzo Valla, named among the poets in Gavin Douglas, Palice of Honour (c. 1501), ll. 1232–3: 'And Poggius stude with mony girne and grone / On Laurence Valla spittand and cryand fy!' Skelton was probably also writing in a Continental tradition in his exchanges with Garnesche (c. 1515), although Maurice Pollet reads these (John Skelton, 1971, p. 76) as imitations of Scotch 'flyting'; and there is a Latin tradition in invective from S. Jerome to Dunbar's contemporary Erasmus.

Whether or not Dunbar was directly influenced by Continental models, it seems very unlikely that the 'flyting' style and vocabulary used here, rhetorically mature and assured, and linguistically rich and varied, are his invention. Kennedy and his 'cousing Quintene' (l. 34) had 'ane thing … compild', which apparently was not only a 'bost' (ll. 3, 6) but 'bakbytting' (l. 22); and it is Kennedy, not Dunbar, who has the first brutally accomplished innings in the Flyting. It may be plausibly argued that Kennedy (and probably Quintene) wrote not out of Continental but ?ut of Gaelic tradition. Dunbar associates the dubious craft of 'flyting' with bards (ll. 17–21, 49, 120); and although his pejorative use of ba(i)rd is reflected in early acts against vagabond minstrels ('bardis, or sic lik utheris rynnaris aboute', 'sornaris, bardis, maisterfull beggaris or fenȝeit fulys'; 1449, 1457, Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, 1814–75, ii. 36 and 51), there is some evidence that 'bards' were specifically associated with invective. Cf. infra, ll. 105–8; Holland, The Buke of the Howlat (c. 1450), l. 811, 'The bard … bitterlye coud ban'; Aberdeen Ecclesiastical Records, 1562, 'All commoun skoldis, flyttaris, and bardis to be baneist'; the translation of ON skāld, a poet, into English scold. In Holland's Buke of the Howlat (ll. 791–804) the Rook comes as 'a bard out of Irland with "banachadee" [God's blessing]', speaking a gallimaufry of Scots and Gaelic, citing the Irish kings and threatening to ryme (Asloan MS; Bannatyne MS, 'ryve') if he is denied food and drink. Cf. Spenser, View of the Present State of Ireland, 1596, 'None dare displease [the Bardes] for feare to runne into reproch throughe their offence, and to be made infamous in the mouthes of all men'; J. E. Caerwyn Williams, in Proc. Brit. Academy, lvii (1971), 116–17. The Celtic associations were still live in 1574, when an Act was passed that 'na Irische and hieland bairdis and beggaris be brocht … in the lawland' (Acts, iii. 89). The practice of satire by Gaelic bards, in both Ireland and Scotland, is old. Altercations between poets go well back in tradition, and the aoir, a poetical invective, survived from the medieval Irish period down to modern times. The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy 'is as typical of the aoir as any Gaelic example could be' (James Ross, 'A Classification of Gaelic Folk-Song', Scottish Studies, i (1957), 119–21 and 149; cf. John MacInnes, 'The Oral Tradition in Scottish Gaelic Poetry', ibid, xii (1968), 33–40). The Flyting indeed 'reflects a common human resort under passion to improvised abuse' (Mackenzie, p. xxxii); Mackenzie illustrates the 'psychology' of the genre from a novel of 1931, and a jocular but freely abusive 'flyting' habit between a Scot and an Englishman in Burma in the Second World War is recorded in J. H. Williams, Elephant Bill, 1950, ch. 13. But the poetic mode of satire exemplified in the Flyting probably came into the Scottish court from Gaelic tradition before the time of Dunbar.

The Flyting may have been developed in a series of attacks and counter-attacks circulated in manuscript at court; it may, at least in its final form, have been recited before the king as a stylized duel in verse. As it has survived, it consists of Dunbar's initial challenge (ll. 1–24), Kennedy's counter-challenge (ll. 25–48), and a sustained piece of invective from each poet (ll. 49–248, 249–552). The stanza (ababbccb₅) is not used elsewhere in Dunbar's extant poems. Alliterative four-stress patterns are interwoven with the syllabic metre, and the last stanzas of each poet's main contribution (ll. 233–48, 545–52) have additional internal rhyme. There is in Dunbar's sections an astonishing variety of language: melodramatic rhetoric, a 'langage rude' of calculated harshness and fine precision in the caricature of Kennedy, and a wildly vituperative climax which is just as much a tour de force in diction as any passage in the 'aureate poems. For a d?scussion of Schipper's unnecessary but at one time influential rearrangement of the text of the Flyting—an exercise in 'arbitrary ingenuity'—see Baxter, Appendix VI.

I have followed the Chepman and Myllar print from l. 316, where the fragment begins, as the version contemporary with (and possibly overseen by) Dunbar. For the first part of the poem I have followed Bannatyne, which is not only more legible than the Maitland Folio, but is properly ordered. Maitland's scribe took his text from a copy which had two leaves interchanged (ll. 65–128, 129–192), and so got these sets of stanzas in the wrong order; and when Reidpeth copied the MS he added further confusion (see W. A. Craigie, The Maitland Folio Manuscript, STS, ii. 69–70). Sequence apart, the differences between these two main MSS are numerous; and the many variants in Bannatyne against the Chepman and Myllar print suggest that the first part of the Bannatyne version (11. 1–315) too was not copied, however carelessly, from the lost opening of the print. Bannatyne is not at all points superior to Maitland—sometimes weaker in diction or metre, and sometimes obviously erroneous. Generally, however, the Maitland Folio MS is inferior to Bannatyne: weaker rhetorically or in metre (e.g. ll. 1, 11, 13, 24, 46, 52, 72, 88, 100, 101, 104, 137, 140, 168, 180, 195, 207, 258, 289, 314, 344, 379, 383, 417, 471, 498); weaker in diction or imagery (e.g. ll. 8, 14, 50, 75, 98, 101, 107, 132, 183, 188, 252, 255, 268, 283, 287, 301, 339, 428); simplified (e.g. ll. 18, 66, 88, 94, 106, 115, 129, 135, 172, 202(?), 228, 240, 256, 319, 477; and erroneous (e.g. ll. 19, 21, 27, 36, 83, 93, 117, 121, 127, 130, 161, 179, 192, 242, 260, 289, 328, 340, 343, 373, 415, 416, 434, 437, 452, 497, 498, 520, 521, 539, 540, 541).

Attempts have been made to date the Flyting on internal evidence. The Chepman and Myllar print is of little help; though it must be later than September 1507, when the royal licence was granted to the printers, and is probably earlier than 1510, by when Myllar (whose device ends the print) was apparently dead. But the poem itself cannot be regarded as having been published c. 1508, soon after its success at court, for Stobo (referred to by Kennedy at l. 331) died before 13 July 1505 (see 62. 86 n.). Baxter argues (ch. vi) for a date of composition 1500–5–probably 1500–1–when a prolonged gap in the payments of Dunbar's pension was probably caused by his long sea voyage, made just before his attack on Kennedy (ll. 89–96). M. P. MacDiarmid, reviewing Baxter in SHR (xxxiii, 1954), plausibly identifies the catastrophic voyage on the Katryne (ll. 449–72) as one recorded in July 1490 (Protocol Book of James Young, 1485–1515, Scott. Record Soc, 1952, p. 370); but he injudiciously reads Kennedy's obviously extravagant line, 'Thare is na schip that wil the now ressave' (470), as evidence that the Katryne voyage 'must have been actually Dunbar's latest excursion by sea', and concludes that the Flyting was written c. 1490. This conjecture would force us to read l. 452 as referring to future time, contrary to normal usage. But what decisively rules out MacDiarmid's dating is the portrayal of Kennedy as syphilitic (ll. 50, 52, 190–2); the disease entered Scotland in the late 1490s (see 32, intro. note). Baxter's arguments for 1500–5 stand, if we read l. 452 ('this twenty yere') as an exaggeration in round figures.

Dunbar's adversary was Walter Kennedy, Master of Arts of the University of Glasgow (1478?; third son of Gilbert, first Lord Kennedy of Dunure in Ayrshire; grandson of Sir James Kennedy and Mary, Countess of Angus, who was a daughter of Robert III (cf. l. 417, 'I am the kingis blude'); nephew of James, Bishop of Dunkeld and St. Andrews and founder of St. Salvator's, St. Andrews; and uncle of David Kennedy, privy councillor to James IV and (1509) first Earl of Cassillis. In this context of high rank and family power, Dunbar's representation of Kennedy in the Flyting is bizarre satiric fantasy. A handful of Kennedy's poems—moral and religious—survive in the Bannatyne and Maitland Folio MSS, and in MS Arundel 285; but he is celebrated by Lindsay in the Testament of the Papyngo (1530), between the English Chaucerians and Dunbar, for his excellence in 'termes aureait' (ll. 15–16); he is set in the same company—'Greit Kennedie and Dunbar ȝit vndeid'—in Douglas's Palice of Honour (c. 1501; ll. 922–3); and Dunbar laments his imminent death in 62. 89–92. Dunbar's assault on Kennedy's poetry is no more justified, on what evidence we have, than his account of Kennedy's life-style and (presumably) appearance; conversely, despite the 'biographers', we ought to believe little of what Kennedy says about Dunbar.

Kennedy's 'cousing Quintene and … commissar' (ll. 2, 34) is a ghost now: he was apparently Kennedy's kinsman, but I have not traced a 'cousing' of that name; and his poetry has not survived. He is, however, placed with Kennedy and Dunbar by Douglas in The Palice of Honour (ll. 922–4), obscurely adorned 'with ane Huttok on his heid'; and his work was still read in 1530, when Lindsay put him into the Testament of the Papyngo (ll. 19–21):

Quintyng, Mersar, Rowle, Henderson, Hay and Holland,

Thocht thay be ded, thair libells bene leuand,

Cf. 27. 37. Quhilkis to reheirs makeith redaris to reiose.

The identity of Dunbar's 'commissar', Sir John the Ross (l. 1), is uncertain. He is among the dead poets in 62 (l. 83); the catalogue in that poem is roughly chronological; Sir John the Ross appears with Henryson just before Stobo and Shaw 'tane last of aw', and Stobo died in the summer of 1505. M. P. MacDiarmid (SHR, xxxiii (1954), 50) takes him to be Sir John the Ross of Montgrenan in Ayrshire, who died in 1494 (Exchequer Rolls, x. 416). A more likely alternative, if we accept c. 1500 as the date of the Flyting, is Sir John Ross of Halkhead, sheriff of West Lothian and a convivial companion of James IV's, dead by 1502 (Great Seal Register, ii, no. 2629)—or his grandson of the same name, who succeeded him both in title and in social function at court.

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William Dunbar

James Kinsley (ed.), The Poems of William Dunbar

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Editor’s NoteEditor’s Note23. The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie

Notes