Heire begynnis the traitie of Orpheus kyng and how he yeid to hewyn: to hel to seik his quene and ane othir ballad in the lattir end.

  • by Orpheus
  • Translated by Robert Henryson
  • 1508
  • Orpheus, Greek mytyhology, English poetry

Heire begynnis the traitie of Orpheus kyng and how he yeid to hewyn: to hel to seik his quene And ane othir ballad in the lattir end.



[illustration]
Walterus chepman


THe nobilnes and grete magnificence
Off prince or lord quha list to magnify
His grete ancester and linyall descente
Suld first extoll and his genology
So that his hert he my• enclyne tha•e by
The more / to vertu and to worthynes
Herand reherse his eldirs gentilnes

It is contrair the lawis of nature
A gentill man to be degenerate
Noucht folowing of his progenitoure
The worthy reule / and the lordly estate
A ryall renk for to be rusticate
Is bot a monster in compison̄
Had in despyte and foule derision̄

I say this be the grete lordis of grewe
Quhilk sett thair hert / and all than •hale curage
Thair fadirs stepp•• iustly to persewe
Eking the wor•chip of thair hye lynage
The ancient and sad wyse men of age
War tendour•s to the yong and insolent
To mak thame in all vertu excellent

Lyke as a strand of water or a •pring
Haldis the sapour• of his font all weil
So did in grece ilk lord• and worthy king.
Off forebea•s thay tuke tarage and smell
Amang the quhilk of ane I think to tell
Bot first his gentill gene•ation̄
I sall reherse with yo•e correction̄

Apon the mountane of Eli•one
The most famouse of all Arabia
A godesse duelt excellent of beautee
Gentil of blude callit memoria.
Quhilk iupiter that god to wyf can ta
And carnaly hir knew• quhilk estir syne
Apon a day bare hym fair douch•is nyne.

The first in grew was callit Eu•pe.
In oure langage gude delectacioun̄
the secund maide namyt melpomene
As hony suete in modulacion̄
Tersitor quhilk is gude instruction̄
Of ewiry thing the thrid sister I wis
Thus out of grewe in latyne translate is

Caliope that maidyn m̄uailus
the ferde sister of all musilk maistresse
And moder to the king sir Orpheus
Quhilk throu his wyf was efter king of trace
Cleo the fyft that now is a goddesse
In latyne callit meditacion̄
Of ewiry thing that has creacion̄

The sext lady was callit herat•
Quhilk drawis lyke to lyke in ewiry thing.
The sevynt lady was fair pollymy•
Quhilk coud a thousand sangis suetly syng
thelya syne quhilk can oure saulis bring
To profund wit and grete agilitee.
To vnderstand, and haue capacitee

Wrany a the ix• and last of all
In oure langage quha coud it wele expound



To mend my murnyng and my drery mone
Thou geve me for•e that I noucht faynt nor fall
Quhill I hir fynd for leke hir su•h I •all
And nouthir stynt nor stand for stok no stone
Throu thy god hede gyde me quhare scho is gone
Ger hir appere / and put my hert in pes
thus king orpheus with his harp allone
Sore wepi• for his wyf Erudices

Quhen endit was the sangis lamentable
He tuke his harp / and on his brest can •yng
Syne pas•it to the hevin• as sais the table
To seke his wyf / b•• that auaili• no t•ing
By wa•lyng st•ete he went but •arying
Syne com• do•• th•ou the spere of •aturn ald
Quhilk fader is of all thir sternis cald

Quhen scho was soucht out throu that cald region̄
To Iupiter his grant sir can he wend.
Quhilk •ewi• saie his lamentation̄
And gert his spere he soucht fra end to end
Scho was noucht thare / than doun̄ he •an des•end
To mars the god of bataill. & of stryf
And s•ucht his spere / y•t gat he noucht his wyf

Syne went he doun̄ to his fader phebus
God of the son wyth bemes bryt and clere
Bot quhen that he •aw his sone Orpheus
In sik a plyte• it changit all his chere
He gert anon̄ go seke throu all his spere
Bot all in wayn that lady com̄ nouc•t thar•
Than tuke he leve / and to venus can fare

Quhen he hir saw• he knelit and said thus
Wate ye noucht wele. I am your avin trewe kny•
In lufe nane lelare than sir Orpheus
And ye of lufe goddesse / and most of my•
Off my lady help me to get a sicht
For such quod scho. ye mon seke nethir mare
Than fra venus he tuke his leve but mare

To mercury but tary is he gone
Quhilk callit is the god of eloquence
Bot of his wyf thare• knaulage gat he non̄
Wyth wofull hert than passit he doun̄ fro thens
Wnto the mone he maid na residence
Thus fra the hevyn he went doun̄ to the erde
yit by the way sum melody he lerde

In his passage amang the planetis all.
He herd a hevynly melody. and sound
Passing all instrumentis musicall.
Causid be rollyng of the speris round
Quhilk armony throu all this mappamound
Qu•ill moving cesse vnyt perpetuall
Quhilk of this warld pluto the saul can call

Thare lerit he tonys proportionate
As duplar triplar and emetricus
Enoleus and eke the quadruplate
Epodyus ry• hard and curius
And of thir sex suete and dilicius
Rygth consonant / fyve hevynly symphonyis
Compony• a• / as clerkis can deuise

First dyatesseron full suete I wis

And dyapason symple and duply•ate
And dyapente componyt with a dys
This mak .v. of thre multiplicate
This mery musik and mellifluate.
Complete and full wyth now••s o• ••vyn
Is ca•sit be the moving of the h•vyn

Off sik musik to wryte I do bot dote
Tha• for at this ma• a stra I lay
For in my lyf I coud newir syng a note
Bot I will tell how orpheus tuke the way
To seke his wyf atour the grains gray
Hungry and cald our mony will•m w•ne
Wyth outyn gyde• he and his ha•p alla•e

He passit furth the space of xx. dayis
Fer and full ferther than I can tell
And ay he fand stre••s and redy way•s
Tyll at the last vnto the yett of hell
He com̄• and thare he fand a port a• t•ll
With thre hedis was callit •erberus
A hund of hell a monster me••a••s

Than Orpheus began to be agast
Quhen he beheld that vgly hellis •und
He tuke his harp• & on it playit fast
Till at the last throu suetenes of the •ound
The dog slepit and fell vnto the g•ound
And Orpheus a tour his wame in stall
And nethir mare he went as ye he•e •all

Than come he till ane ryw• wond depe
Our it a br•h / and on it siste•s thre

Quhilk had the entree of the brig to kepe.
Alecto / megera / and Thesiphonee
Turnand a quhele was vgly for to see
And on it spred a man hecht ixione
Rowit about ry• wonder wo begone.

Than Orpheus •layit a ioly spryng
The thre sistirs full fast thay fell on slepe
The vgly quhele sessit of hir quhirlyng
Thus left was non̄ the entree for to kepe.
Than ixion out of the quhele can crepe
And stall away• than Orpheus ano•e
With out stoping atour the brig is gone
Syne come he till a wond grisely flud
Droubly and depe that rathly doun̄ can •yn
Quhare Tantalus nakit full thristy stude
And yit the wa• yede abone his chyn
Touch he gapit thare wald na drop cum in
Quhen he dulkit the water wald descend
Thus gat he noucht his tri•• to slake no mend

Before his face ane a pill hang also
Fast at his mouth apon a to•• threde
Quhen he gapit it rokkit •o and fro
And fled / as it refusit hym to fede
Than Orpheus had reuth of his grete nede
Tuke out his harp / and fast on it can clink
The wa• stude / and Tantalus gat drink

Syne our a mure wyth thornis thik & schary
Weping allone a wilsum way he went
And had noucht be•e throu suffrage of his harp

•yth scharp pikis he had bene schorne & schent
And as he •lent besyde hym on the bent
He saw spel•it a wond wofull wiche
Nailit full fast and Theseus he hi•ht

And on his breste thare sat a gri•ely gripe
Quhilk wyth his bill his bally throu can bore
Bath maw mydred• hertly wir and tryp•
He ruggit out his paynis war the more
Quhen Orpheus saw hym this suffer sore
Has tane his harp• & maid suete melody
The grype is filed Theseus left his ••y

Beyond this more he fan• a ferefull strete
Myrk as the ny• to pas ry• dangerus
For slydnes scant my• he hald his fete
In quhilk tha•e was a ••ynk ry• odiouse
That gydit hym to hydouse hellis house
Quhare rodomantus & proserpina
Were king and quene / Orpheus in coud ga.

O dolly place and grondles depe dungeon̄
Furnes of fyre wyth stynk •ntolle•able
Pit of dispair wyth out remission̄
Thy mete venym thy drink is poysonable
Thy grete paynis to compt vnnow•abil
Quhat creature cūmys to duell in the
Is ay deyand / and newir more may dee

Thare fand he mony carefull king & quene
Wyth croun̄ on hede of brasse full hate b••and,
Quhilk in thair lyf ry• maisterfull had bene
Conquerour of gold richesse & of land

Ector of Troy• and Priam thare he fand
And Alexander for his wrang conquest
Anthiotus thare for his foule incest

Tha•e fand he Iulius cesar• for his crueltee
And herode wyth his brotheris wyf he sawe
And Nero for his grete iniquitee
And pilot for his breking of the lawe
Syne vnd that he lukit and coud knawe
Cresus the king non̄ •ith••ar on mold
For co•atise yett full of byrn and gold

Thare fand he pharo• for oppression̄
Off goddis folk / on quhilk the p•agis fell
And Saul eke for the grete a•usion̄
Off iustice / to the folk of israell
Thare fand he Acab• and quene iesabell
Quhilk sely nabot was a prophet t•ewe.
For his wyne yarde wyth outyn pitee slleue

Thare fand he mony pape / and cardinall
In haly kirk / quhilk do•s abusion̄
And bischopis in thair pontificall
Be symony for wrang ministration̄
Abbotis a•d men of all religion̄.
For euill disponyng of thair placis rent
In •lambe of fyre were bitterly turment

Syne nethir mare he went quhare pluto was.
And proserpine / and thider ward he drewe
Ay play and on his harp as he coud pas
Till at the last Erudices he knewe.
•ene and dedelike pitouse and pale of hewe

Ry• warsch and wa• & walow•• 〈◊〉 a wede
Hir lily ly•e was l•ke vnto the l•d•.

Quod he my lady lele and my delyte
Full wais me• to •e yow chang•• thus
Quhare is thy •ude as rose wyth •he••s quhit•
Thy cristall eyne with blenkis ••ou•e
Thi lippis rede to kis diliciou•e
Qd scho as now • da• noucht •ell p•ay
Bot ye •all wit the •ause 〈…〉

Quod pluto •ir thouch scho be li•e an̄ el•
Thare is na cause to plenye and for quh••
Scho fure als wele dayly as did myself
Or king he•ode for all his cheual•y
It is langour y• puttis hir in •ik ply
Were scho at hame in hir conti•e of T•a•e
Scho wald •efete full sone in •ar & fa•e

Than Orpheus before pluto sat doun̄
And in his handis quhite his ha•p can 〈◊〉
And playit mony suete proporcion̄
With base tonys in ypodor••a
With gemynyng in ypole•••a
Till at the last for re•th & grete pi•••
Thay wepit sore that •oud hym he•e and •ee

Th•n proserpyne and pluto •ad hym •s
His wa•••on̄ and he w•ld as• •y• nou•h•
Bot licence wyth his wyf away to pa•
Till his contree / that he so f•• had sou•ht
Quod proserpyne sen •h• •idir brou•••
We sall no•cht part bo• wyth cond••ion̄

Qd he thare to• I ma• 〈◊〉.

Erudices than be the hand thou tak
And pas thy way bot vnderneth this payne
Gyf thou turnis or blenkis behind thy bak
We sall hir haue forewir till hell agayn
Thouch this was hard / yit Orpheus was fayn
And on thai went talk and of play and sport
Quhill thay alma•st co• to the v•• port

Thus orpheus wyth in wart lufe replete
So blyndit was in grete affection̄
Penlif apon his wyf and lady su••e
Remēbrit noucht his hard con•icio••
Quhat will ye more in schort conclusion̄
He blent bak ward & pluto com̄ anon̄
And vnto hell agayn with hir is gone.

Allace It was ry• grete hertsare to here
Of Orpheus the weping and the wo
Quhen that his wyf / quhilk he had hocht so dere
Bot for a luke sa sone was hynt hym fro
Flatlyng is he fell• & my• no forthir go
And lay a quhile in suoun̄ and extasy
Quhen he our come thus out on lufe can cry

Quhat art thou lufe / how •all I the dy••yne.
B•t• and suete cruel and merciable
Plesand to sum / til othir playnt & pyne
To sum constant / till othir variabil
Hard is thy law / thi bandis vmbrekable
Quha seruis the / thouch he be newir sa trewe
Perchance sum tyme• he sall haue cause to rewe

Now fynd I wele• this p•oue•be ••ew qd he
Hert is on the hurd• and hand is on the sore
Quhare lufe gois on for•e turnis •he e•
I am expert and wo is me tha• fore
Bot for a luke / my lady is forlore
Thus chyd and on• with lufe our b••n & •e••
A wofull wedow hame wart is he went

Moralitas fabule 〈◊〉
LO worthy fulk / Bo••e that •ena••••
To wryte this feym• table tuk• 〈…〉
In his gay buke of con•ola•ion.
For oure doctryne• and g•de inst•u••i••
Quhilk in the self suppose it •eny•• be
And hid vnder the cl•ke of poene
yi• maister trowit doctour Nicholas
Quhilk in his tyme a noble the•log was
Apply is it to gude moralitee
〈◊〉 full of frute• and serio•itee
Faire phebus is the god of •apien•e.
•aliopee his wyf is eloquen•e.
Thir twa maryit gat orphe•s belyve
Quhilk callit is the part intelle•t•••
Of mānis •aule in vnder standing 〈◊〉
And sepa•e f•• sensualitee
Erud••es is oure affection̄
Be fantasy oft movit vp & doun̄
Quhile to •eloū•• cas•is the dely•e
Quhile to the flesch settis the appe•ite
Arestyns this •ird that coud plewe
Erudices, is noucht bo• gude ve•tewe
Quhilk bely is ay• to ke•e come myndis 〈◊〉

Bot quhen we flee out throu the medow grene
Fra vertu / to this warldis wayn plesance
Myngit wyth care / and full of variance.
The serpent stangis that is dedely syn
That poysons the saule wyth out & in
And than is dede & eke oppressit doun̄
To warldly lust all oure affection̄
Than {per}fyte reson̄ wepis wondir sare
Seand oure appetite thusgate mys fare
And pa••is vp to the hevyn belyue
Schawand till vs the lyf contemplatyve.
The {per}fyte will and als the feruent lufe
We suld haue alway to the hevyn abufe
Bot seldyn thare oure appetite is found
It is so fast in to the body bound
Thar for dounwart we cast oure myndis 〈◊〉
Blyndit wyth lust / and may noucht vpward flee
Suld oure desyre be soucht ••in the speris.
Quhen it is fedit / on this warldis breris
Quhile on the flesch / quhile on this warldis wrak
And to the hevyn small entent we tak
Sir Orpheus thou sekis a•l in vayn
Thy wyf so hie / thar for cū doun̄ agayn
And pas vnto yone mons•ir meruailus
With thre hedis that we call Cerberus
Quhilk feyn it is• to haue sa mony hedis
For to betakyn thre manir of dedis
The first is in the tend yong ba••age
The secund dede is in the medil• age
The thrid is• in grete elde quhen men a• tane.
Thus Cerberus to swelly sparis nane
Bot quhen that reson• and intelligence
Plais apon the harp of eloquence

That is to say• makis persuasioun̄
To draw oure will• and oure af•ection̄
In •wiry elde fra lyn / and foule delyte
This dog oure saule has no power to byte
The secund monstris ar the 〈◊〉 thre
Alecto Megera• and The•iphone
Ar noucht ellis in bukis as we rede
Bot w••kit thoucht evill wo•d & 〈◊〉 ded•.
Alecto is the bolnyng of the •e•t
Megera is the wikkit word ou• we••
Thesiphone is operacion̄
That makis fynal execucion̄
Of dedly lyn• & thir thre turnis a•
Ane vgly quhele is noucht ellis to •ay
That wardly men sum tyme ar •astin hie
Apon the quhele in g•ete prospe••tee
And wyth a quhir• •nwarly o• tha• wi•••
Ar th•a•n doun̄ to pure & law estate
Of ••one that in the quhele was sp••d
I •all the •ell sum •t as I haue red
He was on lyve brukle & lecherouse
And in that craft ha•dy and cu•ageouse
That he wald noucht lufe in nal•wa• place
Bot Iuno• quene of nature & godda•e
And on a day he went vp in the sky.
Sek and Iuno think and with hir 〈◊〉
Scho saw hym cum and knew his full enten•
A •any cloud doun̄ fra the fi•mament
Scho gert descend, and kest betuene tha••• wo
And in that cloud his nature vede hym fro
Of quhilk was ge•nt the Centauris
Half man half horse apon a fe••y wyse
Than for the inward crabbing and o••en•e

That Iuno tuke for his grete violence
Scho send hym doun̄ vnto the sisteris thre
Apon thair quhele ay turnyt for to be
Bot quhen that reson̄ and intelligence
Playis apon the harp of conscience
That is to say, the grete sollicitude
Quhile vp quhile doun̄ to wyn this warldis gud
Cessis• furth with and oure complexion̄
Waxis quiete in contemplacion̄
This Tantalus of quham I spak of are
Quhill he lyvit he was a gay hostlare
And on a my• com̄ traualand thare by
The god of riches / and tuke herbery
Wyth Tantalus / and he to the soupere
Slewe his a win so•e / that was hym lef & dere
In till a sewe wyth spicis sodyn wele
And gert the god ete vp his flesch ilk dele
For this despyte quhen he was dede anon̄.
Was dain pnyt in the f•ude of Acheroū
To suffer hunger thrist nakit & cald
Ry• wo begone / as I before haue tald.
This hungry man and thristy Tantalus
Betakenis men gredy and couatouse
The god of riches that ar ay redy
For to ressaue / and call in herbery
And to tham̄ sethe thair sone in pecis smale
That is thair flesch and blude wyth grete trauale
To fill the bag and newir fynd in thair hart
Apon tham̄ self to spend / na tak thair part
Allace in erd quhare is thare mare foly
Than for to want & haue haboundantly
To haue distresse on bak and bed / and burde
And spare till othir men / of gold a hurde

And in the ny• slepe soundly may tha• noucht
To gader gere 〈◊〉 gredy is than thoucht
Bot quhen that re•on̄ and intelligence
Playis apon the harp of eloquence
That is to say• gottyn with g•ete laboure
Kepit with drede•and tynt is with doloure
This auarice be grace quha vnder stud
I trow suld leve thair grete soli••tude
And Ithand touchtis / and than besynes
Go gad gold and syne lyve in dist•es
Bot he suld drink i•euch quhen ewir hym list
Of co•atise• and slake the birn and th•ift
This Theseus lay nailit on the bent
And wyth the grype his bowellis ryvin and rent
Quhill he lyvit sett his entencion̄
To fynd the craft of diuinacion̄
And le•t it vnto the spamen all
To tell before sik thingis as wald fall
Quhat lyt / quhat dede•quhat des•yny & werd
Previdit were to ewery man merde
Apollo than fo• his abusion̄
Quhilk is the god of diuinacion̄
For he vsurpit in his facultee
Put hym till hell / and thare remanis he
Bot Orpheus has won Erud••es
Quhen oure desire wyth reson̄ makis pe•
And sekis vp to contemplacion̄
Off syn detest and the abusion̄
Bot ilk man suld be wa• & wisely see
That he bak wart cast noucht his myndis er
Gevand consent / and dil•ctation̄
Offwardly lust fo• the affection̄
For than go•s bakwa•• to the ••n aga••

Oure appetite as It before was slayn
In warldly lust and sensualitee
And makis reson̄ wedow for to be
Now pray we god sen oure affection̄
Is alway prompt & redy to fall doun̄
That he wald help vs wyth his haly land
Of mane temance / and geve vs grace to stand
In {per}fyte lufe / as he is glorius.
And thus endis the tale of Orpheus

ME ferlyis of this grete confusion̄
I wald sum clerk of cōnyng walde declerde
Quhat gerris this warld be turnyt vp so doun̄.
Thare is na faithfull fastnes founde in erd
Now at noucht thre may trai•tly trow the ferde
Welth is away and wit is worthin wrynkis
Now sele is sorow / this is a wofull werde
Sen want of wyse men mak{is} fulis to sit on binkis

That tyme quhen the louit king Saturnus
For gudely go•uernance this warld was goldin cald.
For vntreuth we wate noucht quhare to it turnis
The tyme that Octouian̄ the monarch c•u• hald
Our all was pes wele set as hertis wald.
Than regnyt reule & reson̄ held his rynk{is}.
Now lakkis prudence nobilitee is thralde.
Sen want of wyse men makis fulis to sitt on bynkis.

Arestotill for his moralitee
Anstyn or ambrose for dy••ne scripture
Quha can placebo & noucht half •inge
That practik for to pike & pill the pure
He sall cum in & thay stand at the dure

Forwarldly wyn sik walkis quhen wysar wynk{is}
Wit takis na wo•s•hip likis the auenture
Sen want of wyse men m•kis fulis to sitt on binkis•

Now but defense ry• lyis all desolate
Ry• na •eson̄ vnder na rufe has rest
youth his but ••ddour & age is obstynate
My• but mer•y the pore a• all opprest
Lent folk suld tech the peple of the best
Thouch laie be lytill ferless• in tha•• linkis
It may noucht be this warld ay thus •uld lest
That want of wyse mē makis fulis li•• on bink

For now is e••lde all ald noble co•age
Lautee luf• and liberalitee
Now is stabilitee fundyn in na stage
Nor degest counsele wyth sad maturitee
Peas is away all in {per}plexitee
Prudence and policy ar banyst our al brinkis
This warld is versa may it callit be.
That want of vise men makis fulis sitt on bynkis

Quhare is the balance of iust & equitee
Nothir meryt is pre••it na punyst is •respas•
All ledis lyvis lawles at libertee
Noucht re•lit be •eson mare than o• or asse
Gude faith is flemyt vvorthin fraellat than glas
Trevvlufe is lorū. & lautee haldis no lynkis
Sik gouuernance I call no•cht vvo•th a fasle
Sen vvant of vvise mē makis fulis litt on binkis

O lord of lordis god & gouue•nour
Makar & movar bath of ma•e & lesse

Quh•ls power wisedome & 〈◊〉
Is infynite sal•• & ew•• was w••
As in the principall m•nci••• of the 〈◊〉
All thir sayd thyngis refo•• as thou be•• thinkis
Quhilk ar degradi• for pure pitee 〈◊〉
Sen want of wise maki• ••t in binkis

Androu myllar

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“Lest anyone should therefore err, there are in the veins of lead some fixed grains or particles of fine sol and luna mixed in its substance of nourishment.”

Nicolas Flamel

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