|
Aut ridenda omnia, aut
flenda sunt.
THYR exemplis of thir tua
philosophours makkis
manifest that al our varldly byssynes is bot vane
& detestabil, there for it is na meruel thocht heralites
regrettit and vepit our folyful conuersatione and
that democrites leucht and scornit our solist abusione,
considerand that quhen baytht thir philosophours past
throucht the varld tha culd persaue nay thing bot
vanite. the prudent Saloman confermis this sammyn in
the sycond cheptor of his ecclesiastes sayand, that
quhen he hed socht and gottyn al the varldly feliciteis
that culd be deuisit al vas bot vanite and afflictione of
the spreit. Therfor o ze my thre sonnis nobilis,
clerge, and lauberaris i exort zou to retere fra vanite
& til adhere to vertu & ony of zou that thynkis zou of
maist reputation throucht zour superfle veltht ze suld
be solist to ken zour selfis, & to be humil to zour
nychtbours or ellis al zour gloire veltht and dignite
sal
<f 135r>change in vilite. ze haue grit occasione to fle thir
varldly caduc honouris, the quhilkis can nocht be possest
vitht out vice, and alse as vincentius says in his 34
beuk, the mair eleuat that ane person be in superfleu
digniteis his fal & ruuyn sal be the hauyar. quanto
gradus altior, tanto casus grauior. for the gritest
green tre that standis hiest on the montane is haistyar
blauen doune vitht the vynd, nor is the smallest treis
that grouis in the valeyse. summa petit liuor perfluant
altissima venti. i haue rehersit thir vordis
be cause of the vane arrogance that ringis in the hartis
of my tua eldest sonnis nobillis and clergie, quhilk vil
be occasione of there ruuyne bot gif thai mittygat and
mortife there detestabil pride, inuy, and auereis. i
meruel that thai considir nocht that god behaldis al
there obhominatioun it aperis that thai beleue that god
sleipis and seis them nocht, for there conuersation is, as
ther var nocht ane detht to sla ther bodeis nor ane hel
to puneis ther saulis. Iam viuunt homines tanquam
mors nulla sequatur, Et velud infernus
fabula ficta foret. God seis al thing & there is
nay thing obscure fra hym as is vrityn in Mathou
Marc, and Luc. Nihil enem est tectum quod
<f 135v>non sit retegendum & nihil occultum, quum
futurum sit vt sciatur there for it is grit folye to
my thre sonnis to couuer there vice vitht dissymilit
vertu, for ther is na thing that is hid or sylit, bot the
tyme sal mak it manifest for euerye thing is subieckit
to the proces of the tyme, and the tyme consumis al
thing, as it consumis the quhyt fleureis of green treis
except the verite and vertu quhilk sal neuyr consume
bot rather augmentis in euerye tyme. It vas sperit at
the philosophour tales, gyf that the goddis kneu the
verkis that men dois in this varld, he ansuert, quod
he the goddis knauis nocht alanerly the verkis of men,
bot as veil thai ken the thochtis and intentions of men.
Thir exemplis suld be applyit to the pepil that ar dissymilit
in ther conuersations, and that cullurs and
couuers ther false hartis vitht verkis aperand to be verteous
& faythtful. bot there is na dissymilation. O ze
my thre sounis amang zou considerand that zour hartis
& zour verkis condiscendis on ane purpos bot rather til
euil nor to gude. O my thre sonnis sen god kennis
that zour hartis ar euil, and that men kennis that zour
verkis ar euyl i exort zou that ze gar zour hartis consaue
the comandis
<f 136r>of god and that zour verkis be conformand
to the sammyn & than doutles god sal schau
his mercy and sal releue zou of the grit afflictione of
the thre plagis that hes almaist succumbit zour cuntre
in extreme ruuyne that is to saye fra veyr fra pest
and fra hungir. and sic gude pollice sal neuyr cum til
effect quhil that ze haue treittit pace and concord amang
zour selfis, the quhilk concord amang zour selfis vil be
ane mair auful scurge til ingland nor that the realme
of France and the empire hed tane querrel contra
ingland, zour croniklis makkis manifest that the
inglis men van neuyr na thing at zour handis bot
rather lossit quhen thai intendit veyr contrar zou, ze
beand of ane accord. there is ane exempil of cirillus
qukilk vas ane nobil prince, in his grit aige he be cam
seik to the detht he hed iiij scoir of sonnis the
quhilkis he gart compeir in his presens, than he delyurit
to them ane certan of smal green treis bundyn to
giddir extendand to the numer of iiij scoir. fyrst he
ordand his eldest soune to brak that bunche of treis at
ane tyme the quhilk he culd nocht, than he gart al the
remanent of his sonnis ilk ane be them self tak the
said bunche of green treis and to
<f 136v>brak them al to
giddir, the quhilk nane of them culd do it than he
lousit the bunche of green treis and gaue til euerye and
of his sonnis ane of the said green treis to brak, the
quhilk thai did eysylye, than he said til his iiij scoir
of sonnis, i exort zou that ze remane al to giddir in gude
accord amang zour selfis but diuisione and than zour
enemeis sal nocht venqueis zou. & in opposit gyf that
contentione and diuisione cummis amang zou zour
enemeis sal venqueis zou as eysylye as ony of zou hes
brokyn ane of the green treis syklyik O ze my thre
sonnis gif that ze remane to giddir & beis nocht
seperat nor deuidit fra vthirs it sal be as onpossibil to
inglis men to venqueis zou as it vas onpossibil til ane
of the sonnis of cirillus to brac the hail bunche of green
treis at ane tyme ze suld al tak exempil quhou that
grit Alexander conqueist mekil of al the varld and he
left the gouuernyng of his cuntre on his dede bed to be
gouernit eftir his deceis be four of the prencipal barrons
of his court bot sune eftir his decese, auareis, inuy,
ambitione, and particular proffet seperat and deuidit
them fra vthirs quhilk vas occasione that the barbariens
the persiens and mediens and the grecians
conqueist
<f 137r>al the grit empire of Alexander and maid
sklauis of his pepil. syklyik the romans that var dominatours
of al the varld, fra tyme that discentione and
diuisione raise amang the prencipal romans and speciale
the discentione that raise betuix Iulius cesar and grit
pompeus for Iulius vald nocht hef ane marrou in
rome, and pompeus vald nocht hef ane superior the
quhilk discentione vas occasione of the ciuil and intestine
veyrs that rang vniuersale in ytalie. & for that
cause the romans that hed dominion athort al the varld
be cam subiect to them quhom thai hed dantit of befor
siclyik the triumphand cite of cartage quhilk dantit al
affrica, spangze, & cecil and did mony vailzeant actis
contrar the romans, it be cam subiect to them that it
hed venqueist of befor, fra tyme that discentione and
diuisione raise amang the nobillis of that toune.
Quhar for i exort zou my
thre sonnis that ze
expel discentione discord, and ald fede that ringis
amang zou, quhil the veyris be dune, and than zesal
triumphe contrar zour enemeis. i vald ze tuke exempil
of diuerse nobil romans and grecians, that hed mortal
fede
<f 137v>contrar vthiris zit nochtheles quhen there enemeis
assailzet there natiue cuntre, than al thir nobillis concurrit
in ane accord, and set there particular rancor and
fede on syde, as did the tua vailzeant consulis of rome,
ane vas callit marcus emilius lepedus, the tothir fuluius
flaccus, quha hed mortal heytrent & deidly fede contrar
vthirs. At that instant tyme Annybal conqueist
cannes, at the dolorus battel quhar that the consul
emelius Paulus vas slane, quhar that Annibal gat at
the spulze of the romans, thre muis ful of gold ringis
that var on the fingaris of the romans that var slane.
Than eftir this dolorus discumfiture of the romans,
diuerse citeis and castellis of Italie randrit them til
Annibal, sum be forse, and sum be trason, and in
speciale the toune of capes vas randrit be trason, be the
prencipal citinaris of the toune. Than thir tua nobil
consulis Marcus emilius lepedus, & fuluius flaccus
quhilkis hed mortal fede betuix them, for particular
occasions, and thai persauand al ther natiue cuntre in
dangeir of ruuyne, thai said til vthirs. It is necessair
that ve forzet and put on syde the lange dedly fede
that hes bean betuix vs for our particular veil,
<f 138r>for
gyf Annibal conqueis al Italie, our particular veil sal
nocht be saue. of this sort thir tua nobil consulis past
in ane accord vitht xxxiij legions of men of veyr, and
conqueist vailzeantly the toune of capes, & sleu al the
chartagien sodiours, that annibal hed left in garnison
vitht in the toune of capes, and alse tha gart iustifie to
the detht xxv of the prencipal citinaris be cause of
there trasonabil seditione committit contrar ther comont
veil. There is ane vthir exempil of the grit hatrent &
mortal fede that vas betuix tua nobil consulis of rome,
ane vas callit Claudius nero, the tothir vas callit liuius
salsinator, the senat send claudius contrar Annibal
vitht ane grit armye, at that instant tyme the post
cam to the senat declarand, that hasdrubal, quha vas
the bruther of Annibal, vas cum fra affrica, and past
throcht spangze and France and cumand our the alpes
of ytalie vitht ane grit armye to succur his brothir
Annibal in hope to distroye al ytalie. for that cause
the senat send liuius salsinator contrar hasdribal. quha
hed nocht ane sufficient nummer of men. of veyr to resist.
hym quhar for the consul Claudius nero heffand
dreddor that liuius salsinator and his armye
<f 138v> suld be
deffait be hasdrybal, he forzet the ald fede that vas betuix
them, and he send ane roman captan callit emilius
hostilius vytht the half of his armye contrar Annibal,
quha sleu xxx thousand of Annibal men of veyr and
claudius nero past vitht the tothir half of his armye to
help and to reskeu liuius contrar hasdribal. than thir
tua armes past to githir in gude accord nocht rememorant
of there deidly ald fede that vas betuix them and
thai vailzeantly sleu hasdribal and xlvi thousand of his
men, and alse thai tuke viij thousand presoners, and
thai cuttit the hede fra hasdribal. & in there returnyng
to rome thai keist the heyde befor them on the gait &
playt vitht it vitht there feit as it hed been ane fut
bal, fra that tyme furtht Annibal tynt curage in sic
ane sort that his men of veyr var daly deffait. There
is ane vthir exempil of the dedly fede and hatrent that
vas betuix Munitius maister of the hors men and the
consul fabius, thir tua romans hed the gouernyng of
ane grit armye of romans contrar Annibal. Munitius
the maister of the hors men vas verra proud in hym
self, and alse in his veyrs he vas mair furius nor prudent,
bot his collig fabius
<f 139r>vas cald graif and pacient
in his bissynes Munitius in his furour vald haue oft
gyffin battel til Annibal, bot fabius vald neuyr consent
be cause he sau the aperand danger that vas to succed
throucht the subtilite of Annibal, than Munitius desirit
at fabius that he vald thole hym to haue the hail gouuernyng
of the armye ane daye, and fabius to hef it ane
vthir daye and sa euerye ane of them to haue the
gouuernyng of the armye his day about to the quhilk
fabius vald nocht consent sayand i vil nocht thole zou
til haszard al the grit armie of rome in dangeir throucht
zour ignorant furius consait bot i am content that the
grit armye be partit in tua partis, and ze to haif the
half of the armye, and i sal haue the tothir half in
gouernyng than ze maye haszard and fecht quhen that
ze think zour comodius tyme. Munitus vas verra glaid
of this ansuer, on this accord thai partit and diuidit
there legions and campis in tua equal partis. this debait
and discention vas reportit til Annibal be his spyis and
his exploratours, quhilk vas til hym doubil ioye, and
cause of his ioye vas be cause he thocht to venqueis
the furius
<f 139v>fule hardynes of munitius, euyn as he vald
hym self, the tothir cause of his ioye vas, be raison
that the half of the stryntht of fabius vas dymynischid,
be cause of the parting of the tua hostis in tua partis.
ther vas ane hil betuix Anniballis hoste and the hoste
of munitius quhilk hil, quha euyr hed gottyn it, he
suld haue been able to do mekil displeseir til his enemeis,
bot zit Annibal desyrit it to mak occasione of
battel to munitius, quhome he kneu veil that throucht
his furor and fule hardines, vald gane stand and stop
hym fra the takkyng of the said hil. than Annibal persauit and
spyit at the fut of the said hil quhair ther
vas diuerse cauis and cauernis and grit holis, vitht in
the rocche craggis, vitht in the quhilk he pat fiue
thousand fut men and horse men, nocht persauit be the
romans. on the morne Annibal send ane feu nummir
of men to tak the forsaid hil. Munitius persauand
that ane feu nummer of chartagiens var in purpos to
tak that hil, than the romans brak there arraye to ryn
to impesche the takyng of the said hil, for fyrst Munitius
send lycht harnessied zong men, and syne he send
ane grit numir of horse men contrar Anniballis men. &
<f 140r> Annibal send syklyik fut men & horse men to reskeu
his men that he hed send to the hil than Munitius in
grit furor cam vitht the remanent of his armye contrar
the hil takkaris than Annibal seand occasion and
tyme oportune to gyf battel he past forduart vitht his
armye contrar the romans. on the tothir syde al the
fiue thousand men that var hid in the cauis and holis
of the hil ischit furtht on the bakkis of the romans
vitht mony hiddeous cryis. the romans beand in this
grit perplexite, beand closit betuix tua armeis, thai be
cam discuragit, quhilk gart them fle fra the battel, bot
Anniballis armye follouit and sleu mony romans. At
this instant tyme fabius the collig of Munitius persauand
the grit discumfytur of the romans throucht the
misgouuernance and furor of Munitius, he said, fortoune
hes schauen hir folie na soner nor i beleuit. Munitius
throcht his fule hardines hes lossit the half of the gryt
armye of rome he hes euyr been my mortal enemie
and nou i haue tyme oportune to reuenge me on hym.
bot at this tyme i vil nocht thole the comont veil to
perreise for my vendicatyue particular affectione there
for i vil conteneu our querrel
<f 140v>and ald fede til ane moir
oportunite than fabius causit his men to display ther
baners and standardis and syne cam forduart in gude
arraye contrar Annibal to succur & reskeu munitius
and his men that var fled than the romans that var
fast fleand persuand fabius armye cummand to help
them, thai returnit fra there fleyng and cam and iunit
vitht the armye of fabius in Arraye, & rycht vailzeantly
thai venqueist and sleu the maist part of Anniballis
men and chaissit hym self to tuscan.
O my thre sonnis nobilis
clergie and lauberaris,
thir exemplis of thir nobil romans that hed mortal fede
betuix them, quhilkis concurrit to giddir in accord for
defens of there natyue cuntre suld prouoke zou to forzet
the hatrent and rancour that mony of zou hes contrar
vthirs, and to gar zou tak curage til accord vitht
ane consent to resist zour ald enemeis of ingland. for
doutles ze heffand as mekil gold as cresus or medas
possest, and beand in as grit numir of men as exerxes
of perse quhen he cam to conqueis greice vitht sex
hundretht thousand men of veyr, and ze heffand as
gude captans as grit alexander or Iudas Machebeus,
and ze heffand al the munitions for
<f 141r>veyr that is in
europa al thir thingis be for rehersit sal be confusione
to zou, rather nor supple, as lang as ze haue hatrent
and secret fede amang zour seluis quhar for i exort zou
to concur to giddir in vnite for the deffens of zour
cuntre as did thir romans befoir rehersit and in
apposit gyf zour particular fede contrar vthirs remanis
in zour hartis than doutles tuenty thousand of zour
enemeis sal venqueis ane hundretht thousand of zou, &
thai sal put zour generatione and ther posterite furtht
of rememorance, and zour mortal enemeis sal inhabit
and ocupe zour placis.
O my thre sonnis, i hef oft
tymis rehersit of befor
of the trason that occurris in scotland. and quhou
beit that ther be mony trasonabil actis manifest in
scotland, zit nochtheles i can nocht condiscend in
special on na man that hes committit ony trason, and
alse i vait for certan that there is mony nobil men in
scotland that ar suspekkit of trason and ar sklandrit
for the samyn be the vulgar pepil quhou beit that thai
be innocent of that foule cryme. the occasione of the
samyn suspitione hes procedit of the subtilite of zour
ald enemeis, for ane dispyt that tha haue ymaginet
contrar
<f 141v>zou, be cause that thai dreid zour vailzeantnes,
and for that cause thai haue gart ane secret brute pas
in scotland that sum of zou hes intelligens vitht them,
and to gar ther inuentit subtil cauteil contrar zou entir
mair large in the vulgaris hartis, thai haue gart ther
borderaris mak incursions and forrais far vitht in scotland
quhar thai haue spulzeit and reft grit multiplie of
mouiabil gudis, as scheip nolt, and horse and thai haue
dune na domage nor hayrschipis to sum of zour stedingis
and takkis, the quhilk thing thai haue dune to
that effect that ze maye be haldin odius and suspetius
be zour prince, throucht the quhilk suspitione zour
prince maye gar preson zour bodeis, than ze beand in
varde or in preson, ze can nothir resist nor deffend
zour cuntre fra the onmerciful inuasions of zour ald
enemeis. Quhair for it is necessair for zour veilfayr
that ze commit sum vailzeant act contrar zour enemeis,
to that effect that the prince and superioris, and alse the
comont pepil of the realme maye knau zour innocens.
Ther is ane exempil
conformand to this samyn
purpos in the feyrd cheptor of the sycond beuk of
tucidides quhou that pericles of athenes
<f 142r> knauand
that the armye of the lacedemoniens vas to cum contrar
athenes and that archidamas vas captan to the said
armye quha at vthir tymis of befor the begyning of
the veyr vas verra familiar vitht perecles, than perecles
heffand suspitione that archedamas vald do na domage
til his villagis, and steydingis to that effect that the
atheniens suld suspect hym of trason, he past to the
senat of athenes, sayand, i suspect that the lacedemonyens
vil reserue my villagis and steydingis fra
birnyng and fra domage and that thai vil be cruel contrar
my nythtbours to that effect that ze maye suspect
that i haue intelligens vitht archedamas, throucht the
ald familiarite that vas betuix vs: therfor to purge me
of sic suspetione heir i renunce ouer my takkis and
steydingis and resingis them to be in proprite to the
comont veil of athenes and alse i sal be the fyrst person
that sal entir in plane battel contrar the lacedemoniens
to that effect that the pepil maye knau my innocens.
there is ane vthir exempil of Annibal that vrocht ane
grit subtilite to cause the romans to haue ane euil consait
contrar the nobil fabius.
<f 142v> Annibal send ane grit
nummer of lycht horse men to spulze the territoris
and villagis pertenand to rome, resaruand the villagis
and stedingis pertenand to fabius quha vas captan of
the romans armye. this crafty subtel act of Annibal
causit the romans to consaue ane vehement suspetione
of trason contrar fabius. Than fabius beand aduerteist
of this byssynes and desyrand til haue his innocens
knauen, he send his sone to rome to sel al his villages
and stedingis for reddy monye and alse vrit ane lettir
to the senat of rome of this effect. fathers conscript i
am suspekkit of trason throucht the machinatione of
Annibal bot doutles my innocens sal be haistyly manifest
to zou al for as sone as i see oportunite and conuenient
tyme & place i sal gif hym battel. on the
feyrd daye there eftir fabius gef battel til Annibal
quhen he reskeuit. Munitius the master of the horse
men as is befor rehersit. this vailzeant act pat hym
nocht alanerly furtht of suspetione, bot as veil it augmentit
his honour and gloir. (O ze my thre sonnis)
ony of zou that is suspekkit of trason suld do sum
vailzeant act contrar zour enemeis as did perecles
<f 143r>and fabius befor rehersit, to that effect that the remanent of
the pepil maye gyf confidens to zou, quhilk vil be
occasione that the hail body of the realme vil haszard
there lyuis and there gudis in zour companye for the
iust defens of zour comont veil and zour natyue cuntre
Allace the suspetione that the pepil hes contrar sum of
zou is nocht causles for men of smal experiens maye
persaue that ther is diuerse men of scotland, that ar be
cum neutral that is to say, thai vil nothir tak ane
plane part vitht ingland nor vitht scotland, for quhen
thir neutral men speikis vitht inglis men thai lament
hauyly the inconstance of the lordis of scotland that
hes brokyn ther promit & band the quhilk vas honestly
contrakkit to compleit ane mariage betuix our nobil
princes heretour of scotland and eduard the zong kyng
of ingland, the quhilk contract beand fulfillit, vald hef
beene the cause of ane perpetual vnite betuix the tua
said realmis, and quhen thir said neutral men speikis
vitht scottis men thai regret and lamentis hauylye the
discentione and diuisione that ringis amang the nobilis
of scotland quhilk is occasione that the
<f 143v> inglis men be
ther falsed and subtilite persecutis our realme vith out
ony iust titil. Of this sort the neutral scottis men
entretenis baytht the realmis quhil on to the tyme that
ane of the realmis conqueis the tothir. and than thai
vil adhere til his opinione that conquesis the victore.
bot sic dissymilit and subtyl neutral men at the end of
the veyrs vil be reuardit as the cordinar of rome vas
reuardit be augustus cesar as i sal rehers. The beuk
of the annales of rome rehersis, that in the tyme of the
ciuil veyris that vas betuix Augustus Cesar, and Anthonius,
quhilkis tua contendit for the empire. the
iugement of the victore that vas aperand to be betuix
them, vas verray incertan to teh vniuersal pepil of
ytalie, be rason that thai var profond hie spretit vailzeant
men anndd verray opulent in reches & of grit
allya, quhilk vas occasione that the romans var deuidit
in tua aduerse parteis. at that tyme ther vas ane cordinar
of rome ane verray subtil riche villane, quha be
cam neutral, induring the tyme of the veyris betuix
Augustus and Anthonius, tariand quhil on to the tyme
that ane of them var superior
<f 144r> of the tothir, zit he
nocht beand certan quha suld be superior of rome, and
alse beand desirus to haue the grace and fauouris of
hym that hapnit to be imperiour, he be grit subtilite
neurissit tua zong corbeis in tua cagis, in tua syndry
housis, and he leyrnit them baytht to speik. he leyrnit
ane of them to saye, god saue thy grace nobil victoreus
augustus cesar. and he leyrnit the tothir to saye god
saue thy grace nobil victoreus empriour anthonius,
than this subtel cordinar set ane of his corbeis that gef
louyng til augustus furtht at his vindo on the plane
reu, quhen he beheld ony gentil men of augustus allya
pas or repas befor his house. and siklyik he set furtht
his tothir corbe at his vindo quhen he beheld ony of
the allya of Anthonius pas or repas befor his house.
the quhilk thing he did to that effect that he mycht
vyn the fauoir of augustus & nocht to tyne the fauoir
of anthonius. of this sort he vas lyik to the sourd vitht
the tua edgis than quhen Augustus cesar venquest
anthonius, & vas pacebil empriour, this subtel cordonar
presentit the corbe til Augustus quhilk gef hym louyng
in hyr artificial speche, of
<f 144v>the quhilk cesar vas verray
glaid, quhar for he gef to the cordonar fyftene hundretht
peces of gold, bot sune there eftir it vas reportit
to augustus cesar, that the said subtel cordonar hed and
corbe that gaue as grit louyng til anthonius, than
augustus causit the said corbe and the cordonar to be
brotht in his presens and quhen he persauit that the
cordonar vas ane astuce subtel falou & dissmymilit, he
gart hang hym on ane potent befor the capitol & his
tua corbeis be syde hym.
Of this sort (O ze my thre
sonnis) ony of zou
that is be cum neutral to scotland and ingland and is
tariand quhil there be ane prince superior to baytht
the realmis, doutles ze sal be recompensit be that prince
for zour astuce dissymilitnes as the cordinar vas recompensit
be augustus cesar. Ther for i exort zou to
reuoke zour neutralite and that ze be cum special vailzeant
deffendours of zour natyue cuntre. it vas sperit
at cicero in the tyme of the ciuil veyris betuix Iulius
Cesar & pompeus quhais querrel and part that he vald
tak. cicero ansuerit, quem fugiam scio, quem
sequar nescio, this is to say i vait quhais part i sal
refuse, bot, vait nocht quhais part i sal tak. this
<f 145r>ansueir of ambiguite declarit that cicero vas be cum
neutral in the ciuil and intestine veyris, that vas betuix
iulius Cesar and grit pompeus, zit nochtheles the
romans murmerit his ansueir of ambiguite to the vrang
part allegend that he hed mair fauoir to pompeus
querrel nor to Iulius Cesar bot it is the natur of
inciuil comont pepil to iuge euirye purpos to the vrang
face. Ane propositione or ane responce of ambiguite
suld be ay interpreit and exponit to the best sens conformand
til ane reul of the lau de vsu L creditor,
cum ibi no C & L fi vsuras. the quhilkis cheptours
sais. Ambigua solutio pro meliori & certiori
parte est interpretunda et intelligenda.
bot nou to proceid in my purpose Cicero hed ane
honest cause to refuse baytht ther querellis and to be
neutral be rason that thai contendit baytht to be
superiours and kyngis of rome, quhilk vas expresse
contrar the antiant lauis of the romans The sophist
logicinaris per chance may argou that tua contrareis
can nocht be baytht false and be this mutulat freuole
reul of logic thai vald infer and allegie that Iulius
and pompeus culd nocht baytht hef ane vrangus titil
in ther debait considerand that the comont prouerb
<f 145v>sais that in euyrie tua contrar opinions ther is ane
rycht and ane vrang thir freuole sophistaris that
marthirs and sklandirs the text of aristotel deseruis
punitione for quhou beit that ther be comparison of
greis in euyrie thyng, that follouis nocht that the
positiue gre and the comparatiue gre ar contrar tyl
vthir, for gude and bettir ar defferent in greis & zit
thai ar nocht contrar til vthirs siklyik euyl and var ar
of defferent greis bot zit thai ar nocht contrar til
vthirs. zit nochtheles ther is tua reulis in the lau that
sais. Aliquid est iustum cuius contrarium est
iustius. L exigendi C. de procu, per glo.
the tothir reul sais. Aliquid est malum cuius contrarium
est deterius. ff. de re in L. quotiens
bot thir tua reulis of the lau makkis no iust titil nothir
to iulius nor to pompeus quhou be it that ther querellis
var baytht contrar til vthirs considerand that baytht
there querellis tendit to the demolitione of the antiant
public veil of the romans ther for ther vas na greis of
comparison in ther debait there for nocht ane of them
hed ane iust titil in ther contrare querellis nor zit the
opinion of Iulius vas na var nor the querrel of pompeus
considerand that ther contraire debait var baytht
<f 146r> of ane euyl equal qualite Nou to mak ane end of this
degressione i vil conclude that the neutralite of cicero
deseruis recommendatione quhen Iulius and pompeus
contendit quhilk of them suld be kyngis of rome. Bot
it is nocht siclyik betuix ingland and scotland. for
quhou be it that forane princis that ar indefferent til
ingland and scotland and al se ther subiectis vil remane
neutral in our veyris contrar inglis men that follouis
nocht that scottis men can hef ony iust titil to remane
neutral quhen our cuntre is inuadit be our dissaitful ald
enemeis.
Quhar for i exort zou (o ze my thre sonnis) that gyf
ony of zou be suspekkit that ze hef bene neutral in
tymis by past that nou ze purge zou vitht sum vailzeantnes
contrar zour enemeis, to that effect that ze
maye reuenge the extreme violent domage that ze hef
sustenit be the oniust veyris of ingland. And qu hou
be it that zour ald enemeis vald decist fra ther oniust
veyris and that thai vald treit pace vitht zou zit nochtheles
ze suld nocht condiscend to sic pace, bot gyf the
kyng of ingland vald restoir ande reforme the domage
& violens that ze haue indurit. And alse doutles the
inglis men vil offir zou no pace, bot ane dissymilit
<f 146v>pace
for ther auen auantage ande to disaue zou eftiruart be
ane mair cruel veyr it is knauen throucht al cristianite
that inglis men socht neuyr pace at scotland and France
at ane instant tyme bot rather quhen thai socht pace
at scotland there purpos vas to mak veyr on France
and quhen thai socht pace of France, ther purpos vas
to mak veyr on scotland ther for sic dissimilit pace
fra the quhilk may succeid veyr, suld nocht be resauit
bot rather veyris suld be maid, in hope that sure pace
maye succeid conformand til ane cheptour in the xxiij
distincione in the fyrst question quhilk sais. Non
pax queritur vt bellum exerceatur, sed bellum
geritur vt pax acquiratur. ther for quhen the
legatis of ingland offris to zou ane dishonest pace fra
the quhilk maye succeid ane mair cruel veyr, ze suld
refuse it, conformand to the vordis of Cicero in his
inuectyue philipiques contrar anthonius, sayand pax
est repudianda, si sub eius nomine latitet
bellum. There for (o ze my thre sunnis) ze haue ane
iust titil, to refuse pace and til intend cruel veyr contrar
zour enemeis. for as tucidides sais in the thretten
cheptour of his fyrst beuk, quod he, as it is conuenient
tyl honest &
<f 147r>prudent men to lyue in pace, quhen there
nychtbours dois them na oultraige nor violens: Siklyike
it is honest and conuenient, to verteous men to
change there pace and rest in cruel veyr fra tyme that
thai haue resauit oultrage and violens fra there nychtbours,
for the changeyng of ane dissymilit pace, in ane
cruel veyr, sal be occasione of ane ferme and faythtful
pace. Cicero confermis this sammyn purpose in the
fyrst beuk of his officis. Suscipienda bella sunt,
vt in pace sine iniuria viuatur. Ande quhou be
it that there is diuers parsons in scotland that sais, that
rest and pace var verray necessair for vs. i confesse that
honest pace suld preffer oniust veyris. for that cause
the empriour traian said, that it var les skaytht to mak
ane iust veyr nor to lyue in dreddour vndir ane dissymilit
pace. Euerie man is oblist to deffend the gudis
heretages and possessions that his antecestres and forbearis
hes left to them. for as tucidides hes said in his
sycond beuk. quod he it is mair dishonour tyl ane
person to tyne the thyng, that his antecestres and forbearis
hes conqueist be grite laubours, nor it is dishonour
quhen he failzeis in the conquessing of ane thing that
be intendit
<f 147v>tyl haue conquesit fra his mortal enemye.
Be this rason, euyrie nobil man suld be verray solist to
deffend his iust querrel, for siklyik as ane man offendis
his consciens quhen he dois violens extorsions and
domage tyl his nychtbour siklyik ane honest man
offendis & hurtis his consciens, quhen he deffendis
hym nocht in his iust querrel contrar his enemeis &
alse reuengis hym nocht of the violens and domage
that his enemeis hes perpetrat contrar hym. Quhar for
i exort zou my thre sonnis, that ze condiscend in ane
faythful accord than doutles god sal releue zou of the
grit afflictione that ze haue indurit be the incredule
seid of ingland, & alse i beleue that he sal mak zou ane
instrament til extinct that false generatione furtht of
rememorance, & sa fayr veil.
Heir endis the complaynt of
scotland.
Nichil est turpius, quam
sapientis vitam, ex insipientium sermone pendere.
Cice. de fini. |
