haps have been much more difficult to Lyndesay than the Latin original, may be called fuch: yet Orofius was early translated into French and Italian'. For the ftory of Alexander the Great, our author feems to refer to Adam Davie's poem on that subject, written in the reign of Edward the fecond': a work, which I never remember to have seen cited before, and of which, although deferving to be printed, only two public manuscripts now remain, the one in the library of Lincoln's inn, and the other in the Bodleian library at Oxford. Alexander the conqueror, Geve thou at lenth wald reid his ring", In INGLIS TUNGE IN HIS GREAT BUKE, He acquaints us, yet not from his own knowledge, but on the testimony of other writers, that Homer and Hefiod were the inventors in Greece, of poetry, medicine, mufic, and astronomy *. EXPERIENCE departs from the poet, and the dialogue is ended, at the approach of the evening; which is defcribed with these circumstances. с Behald, quhow Phebus downwart dois difcend, By Philip Le Noir, Paris. 1526. fol. If thou at length would read his reign. iSIGNAT. K. iii. He alfo cites Lucan for Alexander, SIGNAT. L. i. For an account of the riches of pope John, he quotes Palmerius. SIGNAT. N. i. This muft have been Mattheus Palmerius abovementioned, author of the CITTA DI Vita, The dew now donkis' the rofis redolent: Her naturall notis, peirfit throuch the sky °. Many other paffages in Lyndefay's poems deserve attention. Magdalene of France, married to James the fifth of Scotland', did not live to fee the magnificent preparations made for her public entry into Edinburgh. In a poem, called the DEITH OF QUENE MAGDALENE, our author, by a most striking and lively profopopeia, an expoftulation with DEATH, describes the whole order of the proceffion. I will give a few of the stanzas. THEIEF, faw thou not the greit preparativis Thow fawe the peple labouring for thare livis, * Thow fawe makand' rycht costly scaffolding, With fountanis flowing water cleir and wyne: On ilk scaffold to play ane fundrie storie': Thow faw mony ane luftie fresche galland * Syne next in ordour paffing throw the toun, W x Thow fhuld have hard the ornate oratouris, Boith of the clergy toun and counfalouris,] With mony notable narratioun. Thow fuld have fene her coronation, Sic banketting, fic awfull tournamentis On hors and fute, that tyme quhilk fuld have bene, And craftie mufick, &c. Exclufive of this artificial and very poetical mode of introducing a description of these fplendid fpectacles, instead of faying plainly that the queen's death prevented the superb ceremonies which would have attended her coronation, these ftanzas have another merit, that of transmitting the ideas of the times in the exhibition of a royal entertainment *. Our author's COMPLAYNT contains a curious picture, like that in his DREME, of the miferable policy by which Scotland was governed under James the fifth. But he diverfifies and enlivens the fubject, by fuppofing the public felicity which would take place, if all corrupt ministers and evil counsellors were removed from the throne. This is described by striking and picturesque personifications. Juftice holds her fwerd on hie, Dame Riches takes on the fic cure, * The curious reader may compare "The "ordynaunce of the entre of quene Ifabell "into the towne of Paris," in Froiffart. Berners's Tranfl. tom. ii. c. clvii. f. 172. b. a SIGNAT. G. i. I here take occafion to explain the two following lines. Als Jhone Makray, the kingis fule, to wear at Christmas." SIGNAT. G.i. Zule is Christmas. So James the first, in his declaration at an affembly of the Scotch Kirk at Edinburgh, in 1590, "The "church of Geneva keep Pafche and "YULE," that is, Eafter and CHRISTMAS. Calderwood's HIST. CH. Scот. p. 256. Our author, in The COMPLAINT OF THE PAPYNGO, fays that his bird fung well enough to be a minstrel at Christmas. SIGNAT. A. iii. Scho micht have bene ane menftrall at the zule. Thus Sf 2 I know not whether it be worth obferving, that playing at cards is mentioned in this poem, among the diverfions, or games, of the court. Thar was no play but CARTIS and dice ". And it is mentioned as an accomplishment in the character of a bishop. Bot geve thay can play at the CAIRTIS". Thus, in the year 1503, James the fourth of Scotland, at an interview with the princefs Margaret in the castle of Newbattle, finds her playing at cards. "The kynge came " СС prively to the faid caftell, and entred within the chammer [chamber] with a fmall cumpany, whare he founde the "quene playing at the CARDES"." Thus Robert of Brunne, in his chronicle, Speaking of King Arthur keeping Chriftmas at York. On gole day mad he fest With many barons of his gefte. See Hearne's ROB. GLOUC. vol. ii. p. "ULE, ULE, ULE, e Leland. COLL. APPEND. iii. p. 284. ut fupr. In our author's TRAGEDIE of CARDINAL BETOUN, a foliloquy spoken by the cardinal, he is made to declare, that he played with the king for three thousand crowns of gold in one night, at cartis and dice. SIGNAT. I. ii. They are also mentioned in an old anonymous Scotch poem, Of COVETICE. ANC. Sc. P. ut fupr. p. 168. ft. iii. Halking, hunting, and fwift horfe rynning, hawking, |