The Digital Index of Middle English Verse
Found Records:Cambridge UK, Magdalene College Pepys 2553
Number 4868-3
Number 3781-2
Number 2680-2
Number 2267-2
Number 1447-2
Number 4859-2
Number 4151-2
Number 929-2
Number 6003-2
9. pp. 9-10
To speak of science craft or sapienceWilliam Dunbar, ‘Learning vain without guid lyfe’ or ‘Dunbar
at Oxenfurde’ — three 8-line stanzas with refrain, ‘A paralous lyfe is
vain prosperitie’
Number 4865-2
Number 2660-2
Number 4164-2
Number 1064-2
Number 3782-2
14. p. 18
Now loves comes with largess loudWilliam Dunbar, ‘The Petition of the Gray Horse, Auld Dunbar’
— eleven 6-line stanzas including 2-line refrain, ‘…Schir lat It neuer
In toume be tald / That I suld be ane ȝowllis ȝald’, and a concluding
‘Responsio Regis’ in four couplets
Number 5739-2
15. pp. 51-53
This night in my sleep I was aghastWilliam Dunbar, ‘The Devillis Inquest’ — thirteen or
seventeen 5-line stanzas (aabab) with refrain, ‘Renunce ȝour god and cum to
me’.
Number 4495-2
Number 4868-2
Number 4493-1
Number 6134-1
Number 4483-3
Number 4290-1
Number 726-1
22. pp. 113-129
At Tweeds mouth there stands a noble town‘The Freiris of Berwick’, sometimes ascribed to William Dunbar
— 589 lines in couplets (with introductory couplet: ‘As it befell and
happinit into deid &c.’)
Number 6158-1
Number 2224-2
24. pp. 135-138
I Master Andro KennedyWilliam Dunbar, ‘The Testament of Mr Andro Kennedy’ —
thirteen 8-line macaronic stanzas and a concluding 12-line stanza
Number 4164-3
Number 3692-1
Number 2536-1
27. pp. 165-168
In May as that Aurora did upspringWilliam Dunbar, ‘The Merle and the Nichtingaill’ — fifteen
eight-line stanzas with alternating refrains, ‘A lusty lyfe in luves seruice
bene’ and ‘All luve is lost bot vpone god allone'’
Number 3578-1
28. pp. 168-170
Musing alone this ender night‘Of deming’, possibly by William Dunbar — eleven 5-line
stanzas with refrain, ‘So sall I nocht vndemit be’
Number 390-2
Number 3938-2
Number 6298-1
31. pp. 176-178
When fair Flora the goddess of all flowersRobert Henryson, ‘The Ressoning Betuix Aige and Yowth’ — nine
8-line stanzas, ababbcbc including alternate refrains, ‘O ȝowth be glaid into
þi flouris grene’ and ‘O ȝowth þi flouris sedis fellone
sone’
Number 5876-2
Number 5855-2
33. pp. 186-187
Thou that in heaven for our salvationWilliam Dunbar, ‘Ane orisoun quhen the governour past into France’
— five eight-line stanzas with refrain, ‘For but thy helpe this kynrick is
forlorne’
Number 1124-1
34. pp. 187-189
Devoured with dream devising in my slumber‘A general satyre’ ascribed to William Dunbar (and also to James
Inglis) — sixteen 5-line stanzas (aabab) with internal rhyme in first four lines
(so ababcdcbb) including refrain, ‘Within þis land wes neuir hard nor
sene’
Number 2291-1
Number 6319-1
Number 3464-1
37. pp. 193-194
Memento homo quod cinis me‘Of manis mortalite’ by William Dunbar — six 8-line stanzas
with refrain: ‘Quod tu in cinerem reverteris’
Number 4863-1
38. pp. 194-195
Sir for your grace both night and dayWilliam Dunbar, To the King, ‘That he war Jhone Thomsonnis man’
— eight quatrains with refrain, ‘God ȝif ye war Johne Thomsonnis
man’
Number 4101-1
Number 4874-1
Number 6021-1
41. pp. 199-203
To Thee O merciful saviour mine JesuWilliam Dunbar, ‘The tabill of confessioun’ — 19 stanzas,
usually of 8 lines, ababbcbc, two of 10 lines, abababbcbc, with refrain, ‘I cry
the mercy and lasar to repent’
Number 467-1
Number 3488-1
Number 707-1
Number 1247-1
45. pp. 210-211
Fain would I with all diligence‘The Danger of Wryting’, attributed to William Dunbar — seven
5-line stanzas with refrain, ‘Thus wait I nocht quhairof to
wryt’
Number 1859-1
46. pp. 212-213
He that has gold and great richesWilliam Dunbar, ‘Ane his awin ennemy’ — five 5-line stanzas
with alternating refrains, ‘He wirkis sorow to him sell’ and ‘I gif
him to the dewill of hell’
Number 1316-1
47. pp. 220-221
First largess my king my chiefWilliam Stewart, ‘Largess of this New Year Day’ — ten 5-line
stanzas (aabab) and burden: ‘Lerges lerges lerges ay / Lerges of this new
yeirday’
Number 767-1
Number 4523-1
Number 2478-1
Number 3375.5-1
51. pp. 225-226
Man sen thy life is ay in weir‘Advice to spend anis awin gude’ by William Dunbar — ten
quatrains with refrain: ‘man spend thy gude quhill thow hes
space’
Number 2995-1
Number 4161-2
53. pp. 259-260
Of every asking follows noughtWilliam Dunbar, ‘Of discretioun in asking’ — nine 5-line
stanzas with refrain, ‘In asking sowld discretioun be’
Number 6002-2
54. pp. 260-261
To speak of gifts of almsdeedsWilliam Dunbar, ‘Of discretioun in geving’ — twelve 5-line
stanzas with refrain, ‘In geving sowld discretioun be’
Number 230-2
55. pp. 261-262
After giving I speak of takingWilliam Dunbar, ‘Of discretioun in taking’ — ten 5-line
stanzas including refrain: ‘In taking sowld discretioun be’
Number 6176-2
Number 5799-3
Number 3076-1
Number 6396-2
59. p. 293
When pride is in priceA political prophecy for Scotland’s prosperity in A.D. 1581,
incorporating a version of the Abuses of the Age — 14 lines in
couplets
Number 5112-2
Number 6554-3
Number 2994-7
Number 6330-2
Number 2757-2
Number 3789-1
Number 5058-2
66. pp. 295-296; pp. 309
Sure ye remember as of beforeWilliam Dunbar, To the King — seventeen 5-line stanzas with refrain:
‘Exces of thocht dois me mischeif’
Number 468-1
67. pp. 305-306
An aged man twice forty yearsWalter Kennedy, ‘Ane Aigit Manis Invective against Mouþ
þankless’ — seven 8-line stanzas, ababbcbc, including refr. phrase,
‘…mowth thankless’
Number 6584-2
Number 2574-2
69. pp. 308; pp. 311
In secret place this hinder nightWilliam Dunbar, ‘Ane Brash of Wowing’ — nine 7-line stanzas
including alternating refrains, ‘ȝe brek my hart my bony ane’ and
‘ffull leifis me ȝour graceles gane’
Number 1255-1
Number 449-1
Number 6235-1
Number 4512-2
73. pp. 311-312
Rolling in my remembraunceStewart, ‘The Variance of Court’ — ten 5-line stanzas aabab,
including refrain phrase ‘gud seruys’
Number 3578-2
74. pp. 313-314
Musing alone this ender night‘Of deming’, possibly by William Dunbar — eleven 5-line
stanzas with refrain, ‘So sall I nocht vndemit be’
Number 494-2
Number 2267-3
Number 4859-3
Number 929-3
Number 6003-3
79. pp. 317-318
To speak of science craft or sapienceWilliam Dunbar, ‘Learning vain without guid lyfe’ or ‘Dunbar
at Oxenfurde’ — three 8-line stanzas with refrain, ‘A paralous lyfe is
vain prosperitie’
Number 845-1
80. p. 317
Betwix twelve hours and elevenWilliam Dunbar, ‘þe amendis to þe telyouris and sowtaris for
the turnament maid on thame’ — ten quatrains with refrain,
‘Teȝouris and sowtaris blist be ȝe’
Number 2680-3
Number 4179-1
Number 5087-1
Number 4151-3
Number 3614-1
Number 2090-2
Number 5614-2
Number 5201-2
Number 4785-2
Number 3783-1
Number 4047-1
Number 4990-3
Number 4496-2
Number 6593-2
Number 5737-2
Number 3295-2
Number 5685-2
97. pp. 335-337
This ender night in DumfermlineWilliam Dunbar, ‘The Wooing of the King quhen he wes in
Dumfermeling’ (The Tod and the Lamb) — ten seven-line stanzas
Number 1481-2
Number 1170-7
Number 5093-1
Number 5519-2
Number 3928-2
102. pp. 339-340
O gracious Princess good and fairWilliam Dunbar, ‘Of the same James [Dog, keeper of the Queen’s
Wardrobe] quhen he hed plesett him’ — six quatrains (aabb) including
refrain: ‘He is na dog he is a lam’
Number 4867-2
Number 3166-2
Number 3319-2
Number 406-2