The Poems of William Dunbar/Volume 1/Of a Dance in the Quenis Chalmer
OF A DANCE IN THE QUENIS CHALMER.
Schir Jhon Sinclair begowthe to dance,
For he was new cum out of France;
For ony thing that he do mycht,
The ane futt yeid ay unrycht,
And to the tother wald not gree. 5
Quoth ane, Tak up the Quenis knycht:
A mirrear Dance mycht na man see.
Than cam in Maister Robert Schaw:
He luikit as he culd lern tham a;
Bot ay his ane futt did waver, 10
He stakkerit lyke ane strummell aver,
That hap schakkellit abone the kné:
To seik fra Strivilling to Stranaver,
A mirrear Daunce mycht na man see.
Than cam in the Maister Almaser, 15
Ane hommelty-jommelty juffeller,
Lyk a stirk stackarand in the ry;
His hippis gaff mony hiddouss cry.
John Bute the Fule said, Wa is me!
He is bedirtin,—Fy! fy! 20
A mirrear Dance mycht na man see.
Than cam in Dunbar the Makkar;
On all the flure thair was nane frakkar,
And thair he daunsit the Dirrye dantoun;
He hoppet lyk a pillie wantoun, 25
For luiff of Musgraiffe, men tellis me;
He trippet, quhill he tint his pantoun:
A mirrear Dance mycht na man see.
Than cam in Maistriss Musgraiffe;
Scho mycht haiff lernit all the laiffe; 30
Quhen I saw hir sa trimlye dance,
Hir guid convoy and countenance,
Than, for hir saik, I wissit to be
The grytast erle, or duik, in France:
A mirrear Dance mycht na man see. 35
Than cam in Dame Dautiebour;
God waitt giff that scho loukit sour!
Scho maid sic morgeounis with hir hippis,
For lauchter nane mycht hald thair lippis;
Quhen scho was danceand bisselye, 40
Ane blasl of wind soun fra hir slippis:
A mirrear Dance mycht na man see.
Quhen thair was come in fyve or sax,
The Quenis Dog begowthe to rax;
And of his band he maid a bred, 45
And to the danceing soun he him med;
Quhow mastive lyk about yeid he!
He stinckit lyk a tyk, sum said:
A mirrear Dance mycht na man see.