Page:Poems of William Dunbar (1834) Vol 1.djvu/99

---

This Lady liftit up his cluvis cleir,
And leit him listly lene upone hir kné, 100
And crownit him with dyademe full deir,
Off radyous stonis, most ryall for to sé;
Saying, The King of Beistis mak I thé,
And the cheif protector in woddis and schawis;
Onto thy leigis go furth, and keip the lawis. 105

Exerce justice with mercy and conscience,
And lat no small beist suffir skaith na scornis,
Of greit beistis that bene of moir piscence;
Do law elyk to aipis and unicornis,
And lat no bowgle with his busteous hornis 110
The meik pluch-ox oppress, for all his pryd,
Bot in the yok go peciable him besyd.

Quhen this was said, with noyis and soun of joy,
All kynd of beistis in to thair degré,
Atonis cryit, lawd, Vive le Roy, 115
And till his feit fell with humilité;
And all thay maid him homege and fewté;
And he did thame ressaif with princely laitis,
Quhois noble yre is parcere prostratis.

Syne crownit scho the Egle King of Fowlis, 120
And as steill dertis scherpit scho his pennis,
And bawd him be als just to awppis and owlis,
As unto pacokkis, papingais, or crennis,

And mak á law for wycht fowlis and for wrennis;