 | Poems (1830) |  |
23
SATIRE ON THE AGE.
Quhair is the blythness that hes bein,
Bayth in brugh and landwart sein
Amang lordis, and ladies schein,
Dansing, singing, game, and play?
Bot weill I wat nocht quhat they mein;
All merriness is worne away.
Bayth in brugh and landwart sein
Amang lordis, and ladies schein,
Dansing, singing, game, and play?
Bot weill I wat nocht quhat they mein;
All merriness is worne away.
For now I heir na worde of Yule,
In kirk, on cassay, nor in skuill;
Lordis lettis thair kitchingis cule,
And drawis thame to the Abbay;
And skant hes ane to keip thair mule;
All houshalding is worne away.
In kirk, on cassay, nor in skuill;
Lordis lettis thair kitchingis cule,
And drawis thame to the Abbay;
And skant hes ane to keip thair mule;
All houshalding is worne away.
I saw no gysaris all this yeir,
Bot Kirkmen cled lyk men of weir,
That never cummis in the queir;
Lyk ruffianis is thair array;
To teitche and preitche that will not leir;
The kirk gudis thai waste away.
Bot Kirkmen cled lyk men of weir,
That never cummis in the queir;
Lyk ruffianis is thair array;
To teitche and preitche that will not leir;
The kirk gudis thai waste away.
Kirkmen, affoir, wer gude of lyfe,
Preitchit, teichit, and staunchit stryfe;
Thai feirit nather sword nor knyf,
For luif of God, the faith to say:
All honorit thame, baith man and wyf;
Devotion wes nocht away.
Preitchit, teichit, and staunchit stryfe;
Thai feirit nather sword nor knyf,
For luif of God, the faith to say:
24
Devotion wes nocht away.
Our fatheris wyse were, and discreit,
Thai had bayth honour, men, and meit:
With luif thai did thair tennentis treit;
And had aneuch in press to lay;
Thay wantit nather malt, nor quheit;
And mirrines wes nocht away.
Thai had bayth honour, men, and meit:
With luif thai did thair tennentis treit;
And had aneuch in press to lay;
Thay wantit nather malt, nor quheit;
And mirrines wes nocht away.
And we hald nather Yule, nor Pace,
Bot seik our meit from place to place;
And we haive nather luk nor grace;
We gar our landis dowbill pay;
Our tennentis cry ‘Alace! Alace!
That routh and pittie is away!
Bot seik our meit from place to place;
And we haive nather luk nor grace;
We gar our landis dowbill pay;
Our tennentis cry ‘Alace! Alace!
That routh and pittie is away!
Now we haive mair, it is weill kend,
Nor our forbearis had to spend;
Bot far les at the yeiris end;
And never hes ane mirrie day:
God will na ryches to us send,
Sua lang as honour is away.
Nor our forbearis had to spend;
Bot far les at the yeiris end;
And never hes ane mirrie day:
God will na ryches to us send,
Sua lang as honour is away.
We waist far mair now, lyk vaine fuillis,
We, and our paige, to turs our muillis,
Nor thai did than, that haid grit Yuillis;
Of meit and drink said never nay:
Thay had lang furmes quhair we haive stuillis;
And mirriness wes nocht away.
We, and our paige, to turs our muillis,
Nor thai did than, that haid grit Yuillis;
Of meit and drink said never nay:
Thay had lang furmes quhair we haive stuillis;
And mirriness wes nocht away.
25
Of our wanthrift sum wyttis playes,
And sum thair wantoune vaine arrayis;
Sum the wyt on thair wyfes layes,
That in the court wald gang sa gay;
And care nocht quha the merchand payis,
Quhill pairt of land be put away.
And sum thair wantoune vaine arrayis;
Sum the wyt on thair wyfes layes,
That in the court wald gang sa gay;
And care nocht quha the merchand payis,
Quhill pairt of land be put away.
The Kirkmen keipis na professioune;
The temporall men commitis oppressioune,
Puttand the puire from thair possessioune;
Na kynd of feir of God haive thay:
Thay cummar baith the kirk, and sessioune,
And chasis charitie away.
The temporall men commitis oppressioune,
Puttand the puire from thair possessioune;
Na kynd of feir of God haive thay:
Thay cummar baith the kirk, and sessioune,
And chasis charitie away.
Quhen ane of thaime susteinis wrang,
We cry for justice, heid and hang;
Bot, when our neichbouris we our-gang,
We lawbour justice to delay;
Affectioune blindis us sa lang,
All equitie is put away.
We cry for justice, heid and hang;
Bot, when our neichbouris we our-gang,
We lawbour justice to delay;
Affectioune blindis us sa lang,
All equitie is put away.
To mak actis we haive sum feill;
God watt gif that we keip tham weill!
We cum to bar with jak of steill,
As we wald bost the judge and 'fray;
Of sic justice I have na skeill,
Quhair reull and ordour is away.
God watt gif that we keip tham weill!
We cum to bar with jak of steill,
As we wald bost the judge and 'fray;
Of sic justice I have na skeill,
Quhair reull and ordour is away.
Our lawis ar lichtleit for abusioune;
Sumtyme is clokit with collusioune;
Quhilk causis of bluid the great effusioune,
For na man spairis now to slay:
Quhat bringis cuntreis to confusioune,
Bot quhair that justice is away?
Sumtyme is clokit with collusioune;
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For na man spairis now to slay:
Quhat bringis cuntreis to confusioune,
Bot quhair that justice is away?
Quha is the wyte, quha can schew us?
Quha, bot our nobillis, that sould know us,
And till honorabill deidis draw us!
Let never comouneweill decay;
Or els sum mischeif will befaw us,
And nobillnes we put away.
Quha, bot our nobillis, that sould know us,
And till honorabill deidis draw us!
Let never comouneweill decay;
Or els sum mischeif will befaw us,
And nobillnes we put away.
Put our awin lawis to executioune;
Upon transgressouris mak punitioune
To cruell folk seik na remissioune;
For peace and justice let us pray;
In dreid sum strange new institutioune
Cum, and our custome put away.
Upon transgressouris mak punitioune
To cruell folk seik na remissioune;
For peace and justice let us pray;
In dreid sum strange new institutioune
Cum, and our custome put away.
Amend your lyfis, ane and all,
And be war of ane suddan fall;
And pray to God, that maid us all,
To send us joy that lesteis ay;
And let us nocht to sin be thrall;
Bot put all vyce and wrang away.
And be war of ane suddan fall;
And pray to God, that maid us all,
To send us joy that lesteis ay;
And let us nocht to sin be thrall;
Bot put all vyce and wrang away.
| Poems (1830) | |