252
Scottish Border, vol. iii. p.119. In a strange allegorical poem, called the Houlat, written by a dependant of the house of Douglas about 1452-3, the jay, in an assembly of birds, plays the part of the juggler. His feats of glamour are thus described.
He gart theme see, as it semyt, in samin houre,
Hunting at herdis in holtis so hair;
Soune sailand on the see schippis of toure,
Bernis batalland on burd brim as a bare;
He could carye the coup of the kingis des,
Syne leve in the stede,
Bot a blak bunwede;
He could of a henis hede,
Mak a man mes.
Hunting at herdis in holtis so hair;
Soune sailand on the see schippis of toure,
Bernis batalland on burd brim as a bare;
He could carye the coup of the kingis des,
Syne leve in the stede,
Bot a blak bunwede;
He could of a henis hede,
Mak a man mes.
He gart the Emproure trow, and trewlye behald,
That the corncraik, the pundare at hand,
Had poyndit all his pris hors in a poynd fald,
Because thai eite of the corn in the kirkland.
He could wirk windaris, quhat way that he wald;
Mak a gray gus a gold garland,
A lang spere of a bittile for a berne bald,
Nobillis of nutschelles, and silver of sand.
Thus joukit with juxters the janglane ja,
Fair ladyes in ringis,
Knychtis in caralyngis,
Bayth dansis and singis,
It semyt as sa.
That the corncraik, the pundare at hand,
Had poyndit all his pris hors in a poynd fald,
Because thai eite of the corn in the kirkland.
He could wirk windaris, quhat way that he wald;
Mak a gray gus a gold garland,
A lang spere of a bittile for a berne bald,
Nobillis of nutschelles, and silver of sand.
Thus joukit with juxters the janglane ja,
Fair ladyes in ringis,
Knychtis in caralyngis,
Bayth dansis and singis,
It semyt as sa.
