THE NIGHT IS NEIR GONE.[1482]

Hay! nou the day dauis[1483];
The jolie Cok crauis;
Nou shroudis the shauis[1484]
Throu Natur anone.
The thissell-cok[1485] cryis
On louers vha lyis:
Nou skaillis[1486] the skyis:
The nicht is neir gone.
The feildis ouerflouis
With gouans[1487] that grouis,
Quhair lilies lyk lou[1488] is,
Als rid as the rone[1489].
The turtill that treu is
With nots that reneuis
Hir pairtie[1490] perseuis;
The night is neir gone.
Nou hairtis with hyndis
Conforme to thair kyndis
Hie tursis thair tyndis[1491]
On grund vhair they grone.
Nou hurchonis[1492] with hairis
Ay passis in pairis;
Quhilk deuly declairis
The night is neir gone.
The sesone excellis
Thrugh sueetnes that smellis;
Nou Cupid compellis
Our hairtis echone[1493]
On Venus vha vaikis[1494],
To muse on our maikis[1495],
Syn sing for thair saikis—
The night is neir gone.
All curageous knichtis
Aganis the day dichtis[1496]
The breist-plate that bright is
To feght with thair fone[1497].
The stoned steed[1498] stampis
Throu curage, and crampis[1499],
Syn on the land lampis[1500].
The night is neir gone.
The freikis[1501] on feildis,
That wight wapins[1502] weildis,
With shyning bright sheildis,
[As] Titan in trone[1503];
Stiff speiris in reistis
Ouer cursoris cristis
Ar brok on thair breistis:
The night is neir gone.
So hard ar thair hittis,
Some sueyis, some sittis,
And some perforce flittis[1504]
On grund vhill they grone.
Syn groomis[1505] that gay is
On blonkis that brayis[1506]
With suordis assayis:
The night is neir gone.