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Thomas D Hill, Bishops are 77 Times Better: ‘How Dumbar was Desyrd to be Ane Freir’, Lines 21–25, Notes and Queries, Volume 71, Issue 3, September 2024, Pages 295–297, https://doi.org/10.1093/notesj/gjae069
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Extract
In his mock vision poem ‘How Dumbar was Desyrd to be ane Freir’, Dunbar rejects the visionary appearance of Francis (actually a demon) who urges him to assume the ‘religieus abbeit’ of a friar. Among the various reasons Dunbar gives for refusing this request is that bishops (who are not committed to poverty and whose standard of living is much higher) are also much more likely to be canonized as saints than Franciscan friars.
In haly legendis haif I hard allevin
Ma sanctis of bischoppis nor freiris be sic sevin.
Off full few freiris that hes bene sanctis I reid;
Quhairfoir ga bring to me ane bischopis weid,
Gife evir thow wald my sawle ȝeid vnto hevin.1
In the holy legenda of the saints I have heard of eleven [multiplied] by
seven [i.e. seventy-seven] more bishop saints than friar [saints].
Of very few friars who have been saints [do] I read.
Therefore, go bring to me the garments of a bishop,
If ever you wished that my soul should go to heaven.
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