Poems of Alexander Montgomerie And Other Pieces from Laing MS. No. 447: Supplementary Volume: Edited with Introduction, Appendices, Notes, and Glossary by George Stevenson |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. | XI. [MY FREIND, IF ÞOW WILL CREDEITT ME IN OUCHT.] |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
 | Poems of Alexander Montgomerie |  |
XI. [MY FREIND, IF ÞOW WILL CREDEITT ME IN OUCHT.]
My freind, if þow will credeitt me in oucht,
To quhome þe treuthe in trayall weill appeiris,
Nott worthe is witt quhill it be derlie bocht:
Thair is na wisdome bott in hoirie hairis.
Ȝitt, gif I can of wisdome aucht defyne,
As weill as wþairis hawe of happynes,
Than to may wordis, my freind, þi eris inclyne:
The thingis þat mak þe wyse ar thes I ges:
To quhome þe treuthe in trayall weill appeiris,
Nott worthe is witt quhill it be derlie bocht:
Thair is na wisdome bott in hoirie hairis.
Ȝitt, gif I can of wisdome aucht defyne,
As weill as wþairis hawe of happynes,
Than to may wordis, my freind, þi eris inclyne:
The thingis þat mak þe wyse ar thes I ges:
Feir god, and knaw þi self in eiche degrie;
Be freind to all, familiar bot to few;
to licht of credeit se þow newer be,
for trayall oft in trust dois tresone schawe;
To wthairis faultis cast not to muche þai eir;
Accuse na man of guild, amend þai awin;
of medling muche dois mischeif of[t] aryis,
And oft debaitt by tiekill toung is sawin.
Be freind to all, familiar bot to few;
to licht of credeit se þow newer be,
for trayall oft in trust dois tresone schawe;
To wthairis faultis cast not to muche þai eir;
Accuse na man of guild, amend þai awin;
of medling muche dois mischeif of[t] aryis,
And oft debaitt by tiekill toung is sawin.
211
Quhat thing þow willtt hawe hid, to nane declair,
in word or deid bewer of had I wist;
So spend þai gud þat sum þow ever spair,
For freindis lyk halkis dois soir frome emptie fist.
Cutt outt þai cott according to þai claithe;
Suspectit persounes se þow alwayis flie;
Beleue not him þat anes hes broken his treuth,
Nor ȝitt of gilt without desert be fre.
in word or deid bewer of had I wist;
So spend þai gud þat sum þow ever spair,
For freindis lyk halkis dois soir frome emptie fist.
Cutt outt þai cott according to þai claithe;
Suspectit persounes se þow alwayis flie;
Beleue not him þat anes hes broken his treuth,
Nor ȝitt of gilt without desert be fre.
Tyme quicklie slippis, bewar how thow it spend;
of wantoun ȝouth repentis ane panefull aige;
Begin na thing butt ane eye to þe end,
nor bow þai eir frome counsell of þe saige.
gif thow to far lett out þi fansie sleip,
and wittles will frome reasonnes rewle outstartt,
thy folie sell at lenthe be maid þi quhipp,
And soir þe stryippis of schame sell caus þe smartt.
of wantoun ȝouth repentis ane panefull aige;
Begin na thing butt ane eye to þe end,
nor bow þai eir frome counsell of þe saige.
gif thow to far lett out þi fansie sleip,
and wittles will frome reasonnes rewle outstartt,
thy folie sell at lenthe be maid þi quhipp,
And soir þe stryippis of schame sell caus þe smartt.
To do to muche ffor auld men is bott lost;
Of freindschip had to wemen comes lyik gane;
Bestow not þow on childrene to much cost,
For quhat þow dois for thais is all [in] waine.
The auld man, or he can requyt, he deis;
Vnconstand is þe womanis wauering mynd;
Full sone þe boy thy freindschip will despyis,
And him for luif þow sell ingratfull find.
Of freindschip had to wemen comes lyik gane;
Bestow not þow on childrene to much cost,
For quhat þow dois for thais is all [in] waine.
The auld man, or he can requyt, he deis;
Vnconstand is þe womanis wauering mynd;
Full sone þe boy thy freindschip will despyis,
And him for luif þow sell ingratfull find.
The agit man is lyik þe barrane ground;
The woman lyik þe reid þat waggis with wind;
Thair my na trust in tender age be fund;
And of þe thre the boy is most vnkynd.
Iff þow haif fund ane faithfull freind indeed,
Bewer þow lose not loufe of suche a one;
He sell sumtyme stand þe In better steid,
Than treasure greitt of gould or pretious stone.
The woman lyik þe reid þat waggis with wind;
Thair my na trust in tender age be fund;
And of þe thre the boy is most vnkynd.
Iff þow haif fund ane faithfull freind indeed,
Bewer þow lose not loufe of suche a one;
He sell sumtyme stand þe In better steid,
Than treasure greitt of gould or pretious stone.
| Poems of Alexander Montgomerie | |