The works of Allan Ramsay edited by Burns Martin ... and John W. Oliver [... and Alexander M. Kinghorn ... and Alexander Law] |
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ADDRESS of Thanks from the Society of Rakes. [1735]
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 | The works of Allan Ramsay |  |
128
ADDRESS of Thanks from the Society of Rakes. [1735]
We Noblemen, Barons and Burgesses of the foresaid Class, to the Reverend Philosark, Greeting.
Thanks and Renown be ever thine,
O daring sensible DIVINE,
Who in a few learn'd Pages,
Like great Columbus, now discovers
A pleasing Warld to a' young Lovers,
Unkend to by-past Ages.
O daring sensible DIVINE,
Who in a few learn'd Pages,
Like great Columbus, now discovers
A pleasing Warld to a' young Lovers,
Unkend to by-past Ages.
Down, down with your Repenting-Stools,
That gart the Younkers look like Fools
Before the Congregation;
Since thou, learn'd Youth, of rising Fame,
Proves that there's neither Sin nor Shame
In simple FORNICATION.
That gart the Younkers look like Fools
Before the Congregation;
Since thou, learn'd Youth, of rising Fame,
Proves that there's neither Sin nor Shame
In simple FORNICATION.
Now Lads laugh a', and take your Wills,
And scowp around like Tups and Bulls,
Have at the bony Lasses:
For Conscience has nae mair to say,
Our Clergy-man has clear'd the Way,
And proven our Fathers Asses.
And scowp around like Tups and Bulls,
Have at the bony Lasses:
For Conscience has nae mair to say,
Our Clergy-man has clear'd the Way,
And proven our Fathers Asses.
Our Donard Dads, snool'd with their Wives,
To girn and scart out wretched Lives
Till Death, bound to a fixt ane.
But now as free as Cocks and Sparrows,
We lawfully may shift our Marrows,
And wheel round to the next ane.
To girn and scart out wretched Lives
Till Death, bound to a fixt ane.
But now as free as Cocks and Sparrows,
We lawfully may shift our Marrows,
And wheel round to the next ane.
129
Thus any mettled Man may have,
Between his Cradle and his Grave,
By lawfu' Fornication,
Bairns mony mae, with far less Din,
Thus free, and be mair usefu' in
His Day and Generation.
Between his Cradle and his Grave,
By lawfu' Fornication,
Bairns mony mae, with far less Din,
Thus free, and be mair usefu' in
His Day and Generation.
Thus we may PATRIOTISM shaw,
And serve our Country ane and a',
By fruitfu' Propagation:
Thus will we bravely Man our Fleet,
Thus make our Regiments a' complete,
And clear frae Debts the Nation.
And serve our Country ane and a',
By fruitfu' Propagation:
Thus will we bravely Man our Fleet,
Thus make our Regiments a' complete,
And clear frae Debts the Nation.
Hence shall we never mair hear tell
Of Lasses leading Apes in Hell,
Like them wha aften harl'd
Ane useless Life up to Fourscore,
Leal Maids, and scarcely kend wherefore
They were sent to the Warld.
Of Lasses leading Apes in Hell,
Like them wha aften harl'd
Ane useless Life up to Fourscore,
Leal Maids, and scarcely kend wherefore
They were sent to the Warld.
The Mimmest now, without a Blush,
May speer, if any Billy sprush
Has Fancy for her Beauty:
For since the Awband's tane away,
The bony Lass has nought to say
Against a moral Duty.
May speer, if any Billy sprush
Has Fancy for her Beauty:
For since the Awband's tane away,
The bony Lass has nought to say
Against a moral Duty.
ADULTERY is the warst of Crimes,
And calls for Vengeance on these Times,
As practis'd in this Nation:
But that vile Sin can be no more,
When Marriage is turn'd out of Door,
By franker Fornication.
And calls for Vengeance on these Times,
As practis'd in this Nation:
But that vile Sin can be no more,
When Marriage is turn'd out of Door,
By franker Fornication.
130
Peace be to you in Daughters rife,
Since nane needs now to be a Wife;
Their Tochers winna fash ye:
That universal ane of Crammond,
That gaes alang with a good Gammond,
Will set aff ilka Lassie.
Since nane needs now to be a Wife;
Their Tochers winna fash ye:
That universal ane of Crammond,
That gaes alang with a good Gammond,
Will set aff ilka Lassie.
Yet some by your New Light will lose;
For those wha Kirk-Affairs engross,
Their Session-Books may burn all.
Since Fornication's Pipe's put out,
What will they have to crack about,
Or jot into their Journal?
For those wha Kirk-Affairs engross,
Their Session-Books may burn all.
Since Fornication's Pipe's put out,
What will they have to crack about,
Or jot into their Journal?
Even fell K.T. that gart us ban,
And eke, that setting Dog, his Man,
May turn Italian Singers;
Or use a teugh St. Johnston Ribbon;
For now the Gain they were sae glib on,
Is slipt out of their Fingers.
And eke, that setting Dog, his Man,
May turn Italian Singers;
Or use a teugh St. Johnston Ribbon;
For now the Gain they were sae glib on,
Is slipt out of their Fingers.
Nae mair at early Hours, and late,
Shall they round Bawdy-houses wait,
Like Cats for stragling Mice;
Departed is that Fund of Fending,
When Fornicators, for offending,
They gart pay ony Price.
Shall they round Bawdy-houses wait,
Like Cats for stragling Mice;
Departed is that Fund of Fending,
When Fornicators, for offending,
They gart pay ony Price.
Rejoice, ye Lads of little Rent,
Who loo'd the Game, but did lament,
Your Purses being skranky,
The Dearth of Phorny's now away,
Since lawfu', ye have nought to pay,
But welcome, and we thank ye.
Who loo'd the Game, but did lament,
Your Purses being skranky,
The Dearth of Phorny's now away,
Since lawfu', ye have nought to pay,
But welcome, and we thank ye.
131
Poor
Fornicators, now grown auld,
Whase Blood begins to creep but cauld,
Will grumble with Reflection,
To think what Fashry they gade throw,
Dear DOCTOR, wanting ane like you,
To give them right Direction.
Whase Blood begins to creep but cauld,
Will grumble with Reflection,
To think what Fashry they gade throw,
Dear DOCTOR, wanting ane like you,
To give them right Direction.
What say ye for your sells, ye Priests,
For naming kind Whoremasters Beasts,
When using of their Freedom?
We hope ye'll cease to take Offence
At worthy Wives, like Lucky Spence,
Or usefu' Mother Needham.
For naming kind Whoremasters Beasts,
When using of their Freedom?
We hope ye'll cease to take Offence
At worthy Wives, like Lucky Spence,
Or usefu' Mother Needham.
Look up, ye Matrons, if ye can,
And bless the Reverend pious Man,
Who proves that your procuring,
Is now sae far frae being a Crime,
That Devotees, when past their Prime,
May lend a Hand to Whoring.
And bless the Reverend pious Man,
Who proves that your procuring,
Is now sae far frae being a Crime,
That Devotees, when past their Prime,
May lend a Hand to Whoring.
The Fair ane, frighted for her Fame,
Shall, for her Kindness, bear nae Blame,
Or with Kirk-censure grapple;
Whilk gart some aft, their leev alane,
Bring to the Warld the luckless Wean,
And sneg its Infant Thrapple.
Shall, for her Kindness, bear nae Blame,
Or with Kirk-censure grapple;
Whilk gart some aft, their leev alane,
Bring to the Warld the luckless Wean,
And sneg its Infant Thrapple.
For which, by rude unhallow'd Fallows,
They were surrounded to the Gallows,
Making sad reufu' Murgeons,
“'Till their warm Pulse forgot to play:
They sang, they swang, and sank away,
Syne were gi'en to the Surgeons.”
They were surrounded to the Gallows,
Making sad reufu' Murgeons,
“'Till their warm Pulse forgot to play:
They sang, they swang, and sank away,
Syne were gi'en to the Surgeons.”
132
O
Leader, see that ye be sure
That 'tis nae Sin to play the Whore;
For some in haly Station,
The contrair threep, and sair abuse ye:
But we'll aft drink your Health and ruse ye,
For rusing Fornication.
That 'tis nae Sin to play the Whore;
For some in haly Station,
The contrair threep, and sair abuse ye:
But we'll aft drink your Health and ruse ye,
For rusing Fornication.
We might forsee, the canker'd Clergy
Wad with vile Hetrodoxy charge ye,
And cast ye out frae 'mang them:
But that has been the common Fate
Of a' Reformers, wha' debate,
Or struggle to o'ergang them.
Wad with vile Hetrodoxy charge ye,
And cast ye out frae 'mang them:
But that has been the common Fate
Of a' Reformers, wha' debate,
Or struggle to o'ergang them.
But letna their ill-word disturb ye;
'Tis but a Blast, they canna curb ye,
Or cramp your new Devotions.
A Briton free thinks as he likes,
And, as his Fancy takes the Fykes,
May preach or print his Notions.
'Tis but a Blast, they canna curb ye,
Or cramp your new Devotions.
A Briton free thinks as he likes,
And, as his Fancy takes the Fykes,
May preach or print his Notions.
Be satisfied, your Doctrine new
Will favour find with not a few,
It being sae inviting.
And tho' they kick ye frae their Kirk,
For that sma' Skaith ye need not irk,
We'll make ye a bra Meeting.
Will favour find with not a few,
It being sae inviting.
And tho' they kick ye frae their Kirk,
For that sma' Skaith ye need not irk,
We'll make ye a bra Meeting.
O had we fifty vacant Kirks,
By Pith, or Slight, or ony Quirks,
And we erected Patrons!
Then shou'd you see the Patron Act
Demolish a' the Marrow Pack,
And Sessions rul'd by Matrons.
By Pith, or Slight, or ony Quirks,
And we erected Patrons!
Then shou'd you see the Patron Act
Demolish a' the Marrow Pack,
And Sessions rul'd by Matrons.
133
The fattest Stipend shou'd be thine,
Thou pious and maist pure Divine,
Thy Right is back'd with Reason:
For wha can doubt your Care of Sauls,
Wha loudly for mae Bodies calls,
In this degenerate Season.
Thou pious and maist pure Divine,
Thy Right is back'd with Reason:
For wha can doubt your Care of Sauls,
Wha loudly for mae Bodies calls,
In this degenerate Season.
But nine and forty Pulpits still
Wou'd then remain, for you to fill,
Wi' Men of mighty Gifts.
Then, Students, there were Hopes for you,
Wha're of the learn'd Free-thinking Crew,
And now are at your Shifts.
Wou'd then remain, for you to fill,
Wi' Men of mighty Gifts.
Then, Students, there were Hopes for you,
Wha're of the learn'd Free-thinking Crew,
And now are at your Shifts.
Your
Essay shaws your Eloquence,
Your courtly Stile and Flow of Sense;
And though some say ye blunder,
Ye do them sae with Scripture pelt,
They will be forc'd to thumb your Belt
At last, and a' knock under.
Your courtly Stile and Flow of Sense;
And though some say ye blunder,
Ye do them sae with Scripture pelt,
They will be forc'd to thumb your Belt
At last, and a' knock under.
Your
Scheme must take; for, let me tell ye,
'Tis a good Trade that fills the Belly,
The Proverb proves it plainly:
And to say Goodness is not good,
Wad shaw a Mind extremely rude,
To argue sae profanely.
'Tis a good Trade that fills the Belly,
The Proverb proves it plainly:
And to say Goodness is not good,
Wad shaw a Mind extremely rude,
To argue sae profanely.
Thou well deservest high Promotion,
Wha'st wrote with sic a lively Motion
Upon Multiplication,
T'enrich a Kingdom, better far
Than that curst Business of War,
That ushers Desolation.
Wha'st wrote with sic a lively Motion
Upon Multiplication,
T'enrich a Kingdom, better far
Than that curst Business of War,
That ushers Desolation.
134
Doctor, farewell, O never stint,
For Love's sweet Sake to preach and print,
Tho' some with Bedlam shore ye;
Do not sma' Punishment regard,
Since Virtue has its ain Reward,
In Persecution glory.
For Love's sweet Sake to preach and print,
Tho' some with Bedlam shore ye;
Do not sma' Punishment regard,
Since Virtue has its ain Reward,
In Persecution glory.
| The works of Allan Ramsay | |