The Complaynt of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Complaynt of Scotland is a book printed in 1549 and is an important work of the Scots language
.
The book is a continuation of the war of words between Scotland
and England
in the sixteenth century. The so-called "Rough Wooing
" of Mary, Queen of Scots, by Henry VIII of England
as a wife for his son Edward
, which Edward VI continued, had included the publication of books in England asserting the idea of uniting the two countries, with England dominant. The Complaynt was an answer to these works. Another Scottish work, a dialogue similar in outlook, Ane Resonyng, by William Lamb
from the same period was abandoned unpublished.
The Complaynt is anonymous, probably due to its controversial political content, and is variously ascribed to Robert Wedderburn
, James Inglis
and David Lyndsay
, though the editor of the 1979 Scottish Text Society edition of the work and the National Library of Scotland
support the Wedderburn attribution. It was once thought to have been among the first books printed in Scotland but it is now believed to have been published in Paris
. The contention of a Paris printing is supported by the discovery that the book owes much of its structure, and some of its content, to the Quadrilogue-invectif
, a similar political work in part attacking England, by Alain Chartier
. The close ties between Scotland and France at that time, the Auld Alliance
, are attested by the fact that the Complaynt is dedicated to Mary of Guise
, the effective queen of Scotland of the time, rather than the Governor, Regent Arran.
The book itself, subtitled "wyth ane exortatione to the thre estaits to be vigilante in the deffens of their public veil", is rather a miscellany of stories, ballad
s and allegorical
tales emphasising Scotland's separateness. The English works it was aimed against included the pagan
prophecies of Merlin to back up their claim of a united Great Britain
, whilst the Complaynt stuck to Christian
ideals. In Chapter 10, the author declares the English have more confidence in the Merlin's prophecies than the Gospel;
The Complaynt is an important source for information on Border ballad
s and it contains some of the first references to important ballads such as Tam Lin
, Froggy would a-wooing go and The Ballad of Chevy Chase
. The names of these songs and poems are narrated in the Chapter 6, which is called the. Monologue Recreative. The book is also a significant example of Middle Scots
, and the Oxford English Dictionary
cites The Complaynt of Scotland as the earliest source for numerous words, including: axis, barbarian, buffoon, cabinet, crackling, decadence, excrement, heroic, humid, imbecile, moo, parallel, robust, suffocation, superb, timid and water-lily. A passage in the Monologue Recreative describes a Scottish warship
and its crew and their calls, supplying maritime vocabulary and an insight to seamanship of the period.
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
.
The book is a continuation of the war of words between Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the sixteenth century. The so-called "Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing
The War of the Rough Wooing was fought between Scotland and England. War was declared by Henry VIII of England, in an attempt to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between his son Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots. Scotland benefited from French military aid. Edward VI continued the war until...
" of Mary, Queen of Scots, by Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
as a wife for his son Edward
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, which Edward VI continued, had included the publication of books in England asserting the idea of uniting the two countries, with England dominant. The Complaynt was an answer to these works. Another Scottish work, a dialogue similar in outlook, Ane Resonyng, by William Lamb
William Lamb alias Paniter
William Lamb, or William Paniter alias Lamb, was a Scottish cleric, lawyer, and author.-Life:William Lamb was the son of a sister of Patrick Paniter, and a cousin of David Panter. In his early career he adopted his uncle Patrick Paniter's name. His clerical appointments included the Prebendaries...
from the same period was abandoned unpublished.
The Complaynt is anonymous, probably due to its controversial political content, and is variously ascribed to Robert Wedderburn
Robert Wedderburn (poet)
Robert Wedderburn , the third son of James Wedderburn and Janet Barrie, was born in Dundee, and attended St Andrews University. Having entered St Leonard's College in 1526 he graduated BA in 1529 and MA in 1530, with his name listed at the head of the roll of graduates...
, James Inglis
James Inglis
James Inglis was a British man executed for murder at the age of 29.Having confessed to strangling Alice Morgan, a 50-year-old prostitute in Kingston upon Hull on 1 February 1951 after a quarrel over payment, Inglis opted to plead insanity at his trial...
and David Lyndsay
David Lyndsay
Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, was a Scottish Lord Lyon and poet of the 16th century, whose works reflect the spirit of the Renaissance.-Biography:...
, though the editor of the 1979 Scottish Text Society edition of the work and the National Library of Scotland
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
support the Wedderburn attribution. It was once thought to have been among the first books printed in Scotland but it is now believed to have been published in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The contention of a Paris printing is supported by the discovery that the book owes much of its structure, and some of its content, to the Quadrilogue-invectif
Quadrilogue-invectif
The Quadrilogue invectif is a work of allegorical prose written by Alain Chartier in 1422 in which the author, through the use of a fictional dialogue between the Three Estates and France, personified as a woman, exposes the suffering and oppression of the lower classes.It was originally published...
, a similar political work in part attacking England, by Alain Chartier
Alain Chartier
Alain Chartier was a French poet and political writer.He was born at Bayeux, into a family marked by considerable ability. His eldest brother Guillaume became bishop of Paris; and Thomas became notary to the king. Jean Chartier, a monk of St Denis, whose history of Charles VII is printed in vol. III...
. The close ties between Scotland and France at that time, the Auld Alliance
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance was an alliance between the kingdoms of Scotland and France. It played a significant role in the relations between Scotland, France and England from its beginning in 1295 until the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh. The alliance was renewed by all the French and Scottish monarchs of that...
, are attested by the fact that the Complaynt is dedicated to Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, the effective queen of Scotland of the time, rather than the Governor, Regent Arran.
The book itself, subtitled "wyth ane exortatione to the thre estaits to be vigilante in the deffens of their public veil", is rather a miscellany of stories, ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s and allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
tales emphasising Scotland's separateness. The English works it was aimed against included the pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
prophecies of Merlin to back up their claim of a united Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, whilst the Complaynt stuck to Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ideals. In Chapter 10, the author declares the English have more confidence in the Merlin's prophecies than the Gospel;
"the prophesies of merlyne, to the quhilk the inglishmen giffis more confidens nor thai gif to the evangel, be cause that there ald prophane prophesis sais, that ingland and scotland sal be baitht undir ane prince, on this misteous prophesis, thai have intendit weyris contrar scotland, ..."
The Complaynt is an important source for information on Border ballad
Border ballad
The English/Scottish border has a long and bloody history of conquest and reconquest, raid and counter-raid . It also has a stellar tradition of balladry, such that a whole group of songs exists that are often called "border ballads", because they were collected in that region.Border ballads, like...
s and it contains some of the first references to important ballads such as Tam Lin
Tam Lin
Tam Lin is the hero of a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies...
, Froggy would a-wooing go and The Ballad of Chevy Chase
The Ballad of Chevy Chase
There are two extant English ballads known as The Ballad of Chevy Chase, both of which narrate the same story. As ballads existed within oral tradition before being written down, other versions of this once popular song may also have existed....
. The names of these songs and poems are narrated in the Chapter 6, which is called the. Monologue Recreative. The book is also a significant example of Middle Scots
Middle Scots
Middle Scots was the Anglic language of Lowland Scotland in the period from 1450 to 1700. By the end of the 13th century its phonology, orthography, accidence, syntax and vocabulary had diverged markedly from Early Scots, which was virtually indistinguishable from early Northumbrian Middle English...
, and the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
cites The Complaynt of Scotland as the earliest source for numerous words, including: axis, barbarian, buffoon, cabinet, crackling, decadence, excrement, heroic, humid, imbecile, moo, parallel, robust, suffocation, superb, timid and water-lily. A passage in the Monologue Recreative describes a Scottish warship
Royal Scots Navy
The Royal Scots Navy was the navy of the Kingdom of Scotland from its foundation in the 11th century until its merger with the Kingdom of England's Royal Navy per the Acts of Union 1707.- Origins :...
and its crew and their calls, supplying maritime vocabulary and an insight to seamanship of the period.
External links
- Text of The Complaynt of Scotland
- The Complaynt of Scotlande, 1549, Early English Text Society, (1872) includes appendix of English works.