Poem by William Dunbar

Sir Thomas Norny

Now lythis of ane gentill knycht,
Schir Thomas Norny, wys and wycht
And full of chevelry,
Quhais father was ane giand keyne,
His mother was ane farie queyne,
Gottin be sossery.

Ane fairar knycht nor he was ane
On ground may nothair ryd nor gane,
Na beire buklar nor brand;
Or comin in this court, but dreid,
He did full mony valyeant deid
In Rois and Murray land.

Full mony catherein hes he chaist,
And cummerid mony Helland gaist
Amang thay dully glennis.
Of the Glen Quhettane twenti scoir
He drawe as oxin him befoir -
This deid thocht na man kennis.

At feastis and brydallis upaland
He wan the gre and the garland,
Dansit non so on deis.
He hes att werslings bein ane hunder,
Yet lay his body never at under -
He knawis giff this be leis.

Was never wyld Robein under bewch
Nor yet Roger of Clekniskleuch
So bauld a berne as he;
Gy of Gysburne, na Allan Bell,
Na Simonis sonnes of Quhynfell
At schot war never so slie.

This anterous knycht, quharever he went,
At justing and at tornament
Evermor he wan the gre;
Was never of halff so gryt renowne
Schir Bevis the knycht of Southe Hamptowne -
I schrew him giff I le.

Thairfoir Quenetyne was bot a lurdane
That callid him ane full plum jurdane,
This wyse and worthie knycht.
He callit him fowlar than a full,
He said he was ane licherous bull
That croynd baith day and nycht.

He wald heff maid him Curris kneff.
I pray God better his honour saiff
Na to be lychtleit sua.
Yet this far furth I dar him prais:
He fyld never sadell in his dais,
And Curry befyld twa.

Quhairfoir ever at Pesche and Yull
I cry him lord of evere full
That in this regeone dwellis;
And verralie that war gryt rycht,
For of ane hy renowned knycht,
He wantis nothing bot bellis.

1. To the King [In hansill of this guid New Yeir]
2. The Ballad of Kynd Kittock
3. The Antichrist
4. To the King [That I suld be ane Yowllis yald]
5. On the Resurrection of Christ [Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro]

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