A Compendious Book of Psalms and Spiritual Songs

H >V,n . v^ -^ > :P> *^ ^ <$>V -A o V * . c - THE GUDE AND GODLIE BALLATES. Edinburgh: W. PATERSON. Dundee: FREDERICK Shaw. London: J. RUSSELL SMITH. COMPENDIOUS BOOK OF PSALMS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS " THE GUDE AND GODLIE BALLATES." I R EDINBURGH: Reprinted from the Edition of 1578. m.dccc.lxviii. I*;*-c 1 0/80 — PREFACE. /. The Gude and Godlie Ballates, and the reputed Authors. Garden of Spiritual Flowers, to adopt one of the quaint Eng- lish titles of an early date, might have been quite as appropriate for this collection as that of A Compendious Bqok, &c. The flowers it exhibits may not be remarkable either for poetical fragrance or beauty, although varie- gated both as to form and colour. But whatever estimate we may form of the collection, it has its own peculiar value, in connexion with the literature of the Reformation period in Scotland; and vi Preface. being the only one of its kind, this little volume deserves to be better known than it is at the present day. Its history, indeed, is rather sin- gular. Having passed through several editions, of which hundreds of copies were printed to- wards the close of the sixteenth century, it may seem strange to add, that the book itself had a somewhat narrow escape ever to have reached our times. During the last century no public library was known to possess a copy ; and the only one discovered in any private collection was that of Andro Hart's, with the date of printing cut off. It was from this solitary copy that Lord Hailes printed selections as a 1 'Specimen" of the work in 1765; and that further selections were included in Sibbald's " Chronicle of Scottish Poetry," in 1802; while a literal reprint of the entire book (thus affording some security for its future preservation) formed the chief portion of Dalyell's " Scotish Poems of the Sixteenth Century," in 1 80 1. A few years later a second copy of Hart's edition, with the title-page entire, dated 162 1, and also the earlier edition by Smyth in 1 600, chanced to make their appearance, and have since passed through the hands of successive collectors. Still Preface. vii more recently, a copy of the hitherto unknown edition of 1 57 8 occurred in a London sale, and was purchased for a late zealous collector of early poetical literature. Having, for the purpose of col- lation or transcription, obtained from Mr Christie Miller of Craigentinny the liberal use of this unique copy, preserved in the library at Britwell House, Bucks, I found that the three known " editions of these " Gude and Godlie Ballates were essentially the same; yet it occurred to me that a good service would be rendered by re- printing it verbatim, in a small convenient form, so that copies, at a moderate price, might be placed within reach of many persons who take an interest in such remains of Popular Poetry, but who know nothing of DalyelFs collection, which, besides, has now become scarce, and expensive. The present volume, accordingly, is a literal reprint, page for page, of the 1578 edition, but supplying some of its defects, correcting the punctuation and several obvious typographical errors, while adopting the common form of type, instead of the black-letter, as best suited for ordinary readers. The Collection, it will be observed, divides itself naturally into three separate parts or divi- viii Preface. sions. The first is Doctrinal, including a Cate- chism, the Creed, &c, in metre, with various Spiritual Songs. The second contains versions of twenty-two Psalms, and a number of Hymns, chiefly translations from the German. The third, which gives its peculiar character to the collection, consists of secular Songs, but converted from profane into religious poetry. This mode of adapting popular rhymes and tunes to sacred subjects, but often clothed in a very incongruous form, was not unknown in other countries. But before considering this matter in relation to the present volume, although it is obviously impos- sible to ascribe the contents, either in whole or in part, to the respective Authors, we may inquire what is known or reported on this head. This "Compendious Book" should properly be regarded as a Poetical Miscellany by various authors, yet tradition, and the concurrent testimony of some old writers, assign the author- ship to two brothers, John and Robert Wed- derburn, of Dundee, who flourished about the year 1 540. That either of them was the collector or editor of the volume, or that any con- siderable portion of it was printed in Scotland prior to the Reformation, are points which seem — Preface. ix to be highly improbable. We find no reference to the book earlier than to an impression about 1570, and " the augmentation of ballatis not con- tained in the first edition " may have been made when the volume was reprinted at Edinburgh, in 1578. In adding some notices respecting the reputed Authors, I can, however, do little more than re- capitulate what has previously been gleaned by Dalyell, M'Crie, and others, derived chiefly from Calderwood's MS. History. As this industrious historian obtained his information from manuscript sources, which are not now preserved, his own words, without abridgment, may be quoted. Under the year 1 540 he says : " This yeere James Wedderburne, eldest sonne to James Wedderburne, merchant at Dun- die, called James Wedderburne at the West Kirk Stile, was delated to the King, and letters of captioun directed to take him. He departed se- creetlie to France, and remained at Rowan and Deep till he deceassed. He had beene brought up in Sanct Leonard's Colledge in his youth, in the time of the governement of Johne Duke of Albanie, and was reasonable weill instructed in x Preface. philosophie and humanitie. Thereafter he went to France, where he played the merchant. After his returne, he was instructed in religioun by James Hewat, a Blacke frier at Dundie. He confirmed the doctrine which the other had re- ceaved in his youth, in St Leonard's Colledge, under Mr Gawin Logie. This James had a good gift of poesie, and made diverse comedeis and tragedeis in the Scotish tongue, wherein he nipped the abusses and superstitioun of the time. He composed in forme of tragedie the beheading of Johne the Baptist, which was acted at the West Port of Dundie, wherin he carped roughlie the abusses and corruptiouns of the Papists. He compiled the Historie of Dyonisius the Tyranne, in forme of a comedie, which was acted in the play-feild of the said burgh, wherin he likewise nipped the Papists. He counterfooted also the conjuring of a ghaist, which was, indeed, prac- tised by Frier Laing, beside Kingorne, which Frier Laing had beene Confessor to the King. But after this conjuring the King was constrained, for shame, to remove him. When he was at Deepe the factors at Deepe, Johne Meldrum, Henrie Tod, Johne Mowat, Gilbert Scot, delated him to the Bishop of Rowan ; but the Bishop re- —: Prefcace. xi fused to meddle with him, becaus they could prove nothing against him. They informed the Bishop and Channons of Rowan that he was declared an heretick in Scotland : the Bishop de- sired them to send for the processe, and that being tryed, he sould have no residence there- We heare no farther, but that he remained as factor at Deepe, and deing, said to his sonne, ' We have beene acting our part in the theater you are to succeed; see that you act your part faithfullie.' " Mr Johne Wedderburne, his brother, brought up also in the course of philosophie, under Mr Gawin Logie, being per s waded by his friends, albeit against his will, he tooke on the order of preesthood, and was a preest in Dundie. But soone after he beganne to profess e the (reformed) religioun. Being summouned, he departed to Al- maine [Germany], where he heard Luther and Melancton, and became verie fervent and zealous. He translated manie of Luther's dytements into Scotish meeter, and the Psalmes of David. He turned manie bawdie songs and rymes in godlie rymes. He returned after the death of the King, in December 1 542, but was againe persued by the Cardinall, and fled to England. xii Preface. " Mr Robert Wedderburne, the youngest brother, brought up also under Mr Gawin, ex- celled his brother both in humanitie and know- ledge of the Scriptures. He succeeded to Mr Robert Barrie, Vicar of Dundie. He went to Parise, where he remained cheeflie in companie of those that were instructed in religioun, as Mr Alexander Hay, N. Sandelands, sonne to the Laird of Calder, in West Lothiane, and Lord of Sanct Johne, whose father and whole familie were most zealous in advancing of religioun. After the death of the Cardinall he returned to Scotland. The Vicar, his mother's brother, being departed, he gott possessioun of the vicarage, but remained for the most part with the Laird of Calder. When he was comming home out of the east countreis, in a Danskein ship, the shippe was driven by contrarie winds upon Norway, where the passengers landed at Ripperwicke, and remained certane dayes. In the meane time, upon the Saturday before Whitsonday even, 1546, after continual! disputing and reasoning among the passengers, some Popish, and some Protestants, he, and the rest of his fellowes, tooke the boldnesse, notwithstanding they understood nothing of the Cardinally death, to make his pourtraiture, or Preface, xiii statue, of a great oaken blocke, and therupon write his name in paper affixed theron.

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