Let English peeres abandon such contentious strife, It hurtes the publique weale, decayes the state: It reaues the yeares too soone of longer lyfe: It freates the breste with ruste of baend debate: It giues the checke to him that giues the mate: Then thus I ende, that wight of all is bleste Which liues in loue with God, his prince, and country best. 87. So _Higins_, yf thou write, how this my fall befell: Place it in _Baldwine’s_ Miroir with the reste: From crazed scull sith here my mynde I tell, Sith bleedeing hart these ruefull rymes expreste, This mangled tale beseemes my person beste: “Do so?” quoth hee “and let it passe euen thus:“ “_Viuit_” quoth I, “_post funera virtus_.” Iohn Higins.[1881] [“This knight, my maisters,” quoth one, “came somwhat to late in order.” “That is maruaile,” quoth maister _Ferrers_, “it seemes that hee was forwarde enoughe in seruice.” “Yea,” quoth another, “hee came the later home for that, and therefore wee must accept his cause.” “How ere hee came,” quoth M. H.[1882] “hee sayes well, and like a noble gentleman, as no doubt hee was.” “Hee should haue beene placed,” quoth one, “after king _Iames_ the first, king of _Scots_, of whome wee spake in the yeare 1437.” “Now,” quoth I, “that you talke of king _Iames_, I haue king _Iames_ the fourth here, which was slayne at the batayle of _Brampton_, or _Floddon fielde_, but hee is very rude”[1883] “I like him,” quoth one, “the better: for if hee should bee otherwise, it would not well beseeme his person, nor the place whence he comes.” “Reade it,” quoth they, “as it is.” “Thinke then,” quoth I, “that you see him standing all wounded, with a shafte in his body, and, emongst other woundes, one geuen by a byll, both deadly, to say in his rude and faithlesse maner as followeth.”] [The lamentation of King _James_ the fourth, King of Scots, slayne at Brampton, in the fiuthe yeare of King _Henry_ the eight, Anno Christi, 1513. 1. As I lay musing, my selfe alone, In minde not stable, but wauering here and there, _Morpheus_ my frend espyed mee anone, And as hee was wont, whistered in mine eare: Shortly conuyede I was, I wist not where: Mine eyes were closed fast, I could not see: I hearde a man crying[1884] sore, trembling for feare: “_Miserere mei Deus et salua mee._ 2.