[A composite volume : containing The ballads and songs of Ayrshire ...

J
'',
indulged
—
;
;
!
;
writings are extant, seems to have occupied a prominent place among the
earlier poets of Scotland.
He is spoken of both by Douglas and Lindsay
as an eminent contemporary. The former, in his " Court of the Muses,"
|
i styles him " The Greit Kennedie." He is now chiefly known, however,
\
I
by his Flyting with Dunbar; which was published so early as 1508, and
] became very popular. This was a speci«s of poetical amusement frequently
in both before and after his time. At a much later period, the
\
practice continued amongst the Highland Bards, and gave rise occasionally
|
|
|
\ to no small local irritation. It must have been, at best, a dangerous pas- i
X time. The great obj ect was to excel in ribaldi'y ; and he who could say \
\ the most biting and derogatory things of his opponent, carried away the
|
\
palm of victory. The " Flyting between Dunbar and Kennedie" affords }
\
a favourable specimen of the railing powers of both : indeed, it would be \
difficult to determine on which side the mastery lies. The language, i
however, is in many instances, too gross for modern ears. A single verse
\
from each may serve as a specimen. The orthography is somewhat \
modernised :
\
(DuNBAB TO Kennedy.)
|
Thou speirs, dastard, if I dare with tliee fecht \
Ye dagone, dovrbart, thereof have thou no doubt \
Wherever we meet thereto my hand I hecht
|
To red thy ribbald rhymings with a route
Through all Britain it shall be blawn out,
How that thou, poisoned pelour,* gat thy paiks
With ane dog-leech I shape to gar thee shout.
And neither to thee take knife, sword, nor ax
!
(Kennedy to
Ddnbae.)
'.
Insensate sow, cease false Eustace air
And knaw, keen scald, I hald of Alathia,
And cause me not the cause lang to declare
Of thy curst kin, Deulbeir and his Allia ;
Come to the cross on knees, and mak a cria
Confess thy crime, hald Kennedy thy king.
And with a hawthorn scourge thyself and ding ;
Thus dree thy penance with ' Deliquisti quia.'
* Thief.
84