Scots_, by G. Gregory Smith, Edinburgh and London,
1902. These specimens include extracts from such famous authors as
Henryson, Dunbar, Gawain (or Gavin) Douglas, Sir David Lyndesay, John
Knox, and George Buchanan. Perhaps it is well to add that "Scottis"
or "Scots" is the Northern form of "Scottish" or "Scotch"; just as
"Inglis" is the Northern form of "English."

"Middle Scots" implies both "Old Scots" and "Modern Scots." "Old
Scots" is, of course, the same thing as Northumbrian or Northern
English of the Middle English Period, which may be roughly dated as
extant from 1300 to 1400 or 1450. "Modern Scots" is the dialect (when
they employ dialect) illustrated by Allan Ramsay, Alexander Ross,
Robert Tannahill, John Galt, James Hogg (the Ettrick Shepherd),
Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and very many others.

I conclude this chapter with a characteristic example of Middle Scots.
The following well-known passage is from the conclusion to Dunbar's
_Golden Targe_.

And as I did awake of my sweving{1},
The ioyfull birdis merily did syng
For myrth of Phebus tendir bem{e}s schene{2};
Swete war the vapouris, soft the morowing{3},
Halesum the vale, depaynt wyth flouris ying{4};
The air attemperit, sobir, and amene{5};
In quhite and rede was all the feld besene{6}
Throu Naturis nobil fresch anamalyng{7},
In mirthfull May, of eviry moneth Quene.

O reverend Chaucere, rose of rethoris{8} all,
As in oure tong ane flour{9} imperiall,
That raise{10} in Britane evir, quho redis rycht,
Thou beris of makaris{11} the try{'u}mph riall;
Thy fresch anamalit term{e}s celicall{12}
This mater coud illumynit have full brycht;
Was thou noucht of oure Inglisch all the lycht,
Surmounting eviry tong terrestriall
Als fer as Mayis morow dois mydnycht?

O morall Gower, and Ludgate laureate,
Your sugurit lippis and tongis aureate{13}
Bene to oure eris cause of grete delyte;
Your angel mouthis most mellifluate{14}
Oure rude langage has clere illumynate,
And faire our-gilt{15} oure speche, that imperf{'y}te
Stude, or{16} your goldyn pennis schupe{17} to wryte;
This ile before was bare, and desolate
Of rethorike, or lusty{18} fresch endyte{19}.

{Footnotes:
1: _dream_
2: _bright_
3: _morn_
4: _young_
5: _pleasant_
6: _arrayed_
7: _enamelling_
8: _orators_
9: _flower_
10: _didst rise_
11: _poets_
12: _heavenl