 | Satirical poems of the reformation |  |
221
XXXII. The lamentatiō of the Cōmounis of Scotland.
Quhat thift, quhat reif, quhat murther & oppressioū,
Quhat saikless slauchter, quhat mortall meserie,
Quhat pouertie, quhat derth and Tribulatioun
Dois Ring be Grange, all leidis on lyfe may se!
The schame is thyne, thocht we the sorrow drie,
Curst Nemrod, richt of Babilone the cheif!
We Commounis all lowd vengeance cryis on the,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our greif.
Quhat saikless slauchter, quhat mortall meserie,
Quhat pouertie, quhat derth and Tribulatioun
Dois Ring be Grange, all leidis on lyfe may se!
The schame is thyne, thocht we the sorrow drie,
Curst Nemrod, richt of Babilone the cheif!
We Commounis all lowd vengeance cryis on the,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our greif.
We, sillie pure anis, quhair we wer wont to gang
With Coillis and Cokillis, with Fische, & sicklyke wair,
Upon our bakis, als mekill as we micht fang,
With mirrie sang all tripping into pairis,
To wyn our leuing in mercat at sic Fairis,
Now we, allace! but reuth, ar reft with theif;
Haue we ane lyart, na baid bot all is thairis:
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our reif.
With Coillis and Cokillis, with Fische, & sicklyke wair,
Upon our bakis, als mekill as we micht fang,
With mirrie sang all tripping into pairis,
To wyn our leuing in mercat at sic Fairis,
Now we, allace! but reuth, ar reft with theif;
Haue we ane lyart, na baid bot all is thairis:
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our reif.
222
Na vther lyfe we pure men bade of better
Nor with our Naiggis to gane to Edinburgh sone,
With Peittis, with Turuis, and mony turse of Hedder;
Ay gat gude saill, syne lap, quhen we had done,
For mirrynes; and with the licht of Mone
We wald ga hame but outher fray or chace,
Quhair now in sorrow fra dure to dure we clune,
Blaming thy tressoun of all our cair, allace!
Nor with our Naiggis to gane to Edinburgh sone,
With Peittis, with Turuis, and mony turse of Hedder;
Ay gat gude saill, syne lap, quhen we had done,
For mirrynes; and with the licht of Mone
We wald ga hame but outher fray or chace,
Quhair now in sorrow fra dure to dure we clune,
Blaming thy tressoun of all our cair, allace!
We Coilȝearis, Cadgearis, and Carteris, in ane rout,
Be bludie Wolfis, that Grange hes maid to steir,
Our hors is reft, our selfis ar doung, but dout;
Quhair we did trauell, we dar not now appeir
Out of our Ludge, we tak of thame sic feir,
Thocht it wald vs ten thousand Crownis auance:
With morning Prayer we curse thame maid this we[ir,]
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of our mischance.
Be bludie Wolfis, that Grange hes maid to steir,
Our hors is reft, our selfis ar doung, but dout;
Quhair we did trauell, we dar not now appeir
Out of our Ludge, we tak of thame sic feir,
Thocht it wald vs ten thousand Crownis auance:
With morning Prayer we curse thame maid this we[ir,]
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of our mischance.
Allace! we Chapmen may with Creilmen murne
Thay sillie men that brocht thair butter and egges
To Edinburgh Croce, and did na vther turne;
And we, agane, wald by ane Fraer of Fegges,
Baith prenis and nedillis, and sell to landwart Megges:
Than micht we trauell quhair we dar not this day,
Bot lyis at hame, but meit—na drink bot dregges,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our fray.
Thay sillie men that brocht thair butter and egges
To Edinburgh Croce, and did na vther turne;
And we, agane, wald by ane Fraer of Fegges,
Baith prenis and nedillis, and sell to landwart Megges:
Than micht we trauell quhair we dar not this day,
Bot lyis at hame, but meit—na drink bot dregges,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our fray.
Quhat wicht on lyfe will not vs pure pietie,
That wont to bring the woll, the skin, and hyde
To Edinburgh Towne, in peice and Cheritie,
Fra Selkirk, Hawik, and the partis of Clyde,
Quhair now, allace! in hoill and boir we byde?
As wratches werie the Corenothe we carpe;
Dar not keik out for Rebellis that dois ryde,
Blaming thy tressoun of this our sorrow scharpe.
That wont to bring the woll, the skin, and hyde
To Edinburgh Towne, in peice and Cheritie,
Fra Selkirk, Hawik, and the partis of Clyde,
Quhair now, allace! in hoill and boir we byde?
As wratches werie the Corenothe we carpe;
Dar not keik out for Rebellis that dois ryde,
Blaming thy tressoun of this our sorrow scharpe.
223
We Tinklaris, Tailȝeouris, we craftismen out of nūber,
That be our craft had ay ane honest lyfe,
We wait of nocht bot mekill cair and cummer:
Our Joy is turnit in wo and mortall stryfe.
All our gay garmentis, of sindrie fassounis ryfe,
We thame wedset, our bodyis to sustene:
Na work ado bot beg, baith barne and wyfe,
Blaming thy tressoun that causis vs complene.
That be our craft had ay ane honest lyfe,
We wait of nocht bot mekill cair and cummer:
Our Joy is turnit in wo and mortall stryfe.
All our gay garmentis, of sindrie fassounis ryfe,
We thame wedset, our bodyis to sustene:
Na work ado bot beg, baith barne and wyfe,
Blaming thy tressoun that causis vs complene.
We Merchandis all, that with our Merchand pakkis
Did trauell ay fra Towne to Towne to Fairis,
Thow hes vs baneist, thow hes vs fleit fra crakkis:
We sit at hame, na saill is to our wairis.
Thocht we wald trauell, thy reiffaris sa vs clairis
With reif but reuth, but pietie with extortioun;
But mirth in meserie thay horribill houndis vs tairis,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of our oppressioun.
Did trauell ay fra Towne to Towne to Fairis,
Thow hes vs baneist, thow hes vs fleit fra crakkis:
We sit at hame, na saill is to our wairis.
Thocht we wald trauell, thy reiffaris sa vs clairis
With reif but reuth, but pietie with extortioun;
But mirth in meserie thay horribill houndis vs tairis,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of our oppressioun.
We commounis all, with cair we may lament,
That had sic peice, sic rest, and vnitie;
And now, allace! ar rugit, reuin, and rent;
Our steidis are stowne, our cattell reft trewlie.
With weiping, wallaway, nane may we wyte bot the,
Thou Feind Infernall! thou garris vs walk our so,
Quhair we afoir did sleip richt quyetlie:
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our wo.
That had sic peice, sic rest, and vnitie;
And now, allace! ar rugit, reuin, and rent;
Our steidis are stowne, our cattell reft trewlie.
With weiping, wallaway, nane may we wyte bot the,
Thou Feind Infernall! thou garris vs walk our so,
Quhair we afoir did sleip richt quyetlie:
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our wo.
Bot, sen with sith ȝe Cammounis do complene,
With sob full sair richt trewly sall I tell,
I, James Dalȝell, Indwellar in the Dene,
Be Grange, smaikis, I wait, send be himsell,
Hes schot my wyfe throw birsket, lyre, and fell;
Scho, greit with barne, syne gaif the gaist with plane:
Than cryit my bairnis with mony ȝout and ȝell,
Blaming thy tressoun that had thair Mother slane.
With sob full sair richt trewly sall I tell,
I, James Dalȝell, Indwellar in the Dene,
Be Grange, smaikis, I wait, send be himsell,
Hes schot my wyfe throw birsket, lyre, and fell;
Scho, greit with barne, syne gaif the gaist with plane:
Than cryit my bairnis with mony ȝout and ȝell,
Blaming thy tressoun that had thair Mother slane.
224
Thay reuthles Ruffeis but reuth with crueltie
Did slay my husband but caus into my sicht;
Downie Ros be Name, ane Cuitlar of craft trewlie,
With Gūnis him gord but mercy on the nicht.
I and my bairnis sall craif Goddis plaigues ful richt
To fall the, Grange, thou cruell Cokadraill!
With fourtie ma nor did on Pharo licht:
Blaming thy tressoun that causis vs bewaill.
Did slay my husband but caus into my sicht;
Downie Ros be Name, ane Cuitlar of craft trewlie,
With Gūnis him gord but mercy on the nicht.
I and my bairnis sall craif Goddis plaigues ful richt
To fall the, Grange, thou cruell Cokadraill!
With fourtie ma nor did on Pharo licht:
Blaming thy tressoun that causis vs bewaill.
Sen not but caus we wyte the of this wa,
With panefull pech, with mony grank and grane,
The curse the wareis, but blys, fra top to ta:
Lat neuer thy freind se oucht of the bot schame,
With cursit deith, that mony man the blame.
Lucifer was heich, bot, Lord, thow threw him downe;
Sa will he the, thow graceles Grange be Name!
Blaming thy tressoun, with sorrow but Renowne.
With panefull pech, with mony grank and grane,
The curse the wareis, but blys, fra top to ta:
Lat neuer thy freind se oucht of the bot schame,
With cursit deith, that mony man the blame.
Lucifer was heich, bot, Lord, thow threw him downe;
Sa will he the, thow graceles Grange be Name!
Blaming thy tressoun, with sorrow but Renowne.
O tenefull Tyrane! O Gyant mekill but micht!
Of vitious deidis thow art the only Fontane;
Quhairfra all vice, but vertew, springis full richt,
As dois the watter out of the Rok or Montane.
We pure sall cry, with erie hartis fast dontane,
To thee, O God! to scurge this wickit wicht,
In Just exempill to all the warld maist certane,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our plicht.
Of vitious deidis thow art the only Fontane;
Quhairfra all vice, but vertew, springis full richt,
As dois the watter out of the Rok or Montane.
We pure sall cry, with erie hartis fast dontane,
To thee, O God! to scurge this wickit wicht,
In Just exempill to all the warld maist certane,
Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our plicht.
Had thow bene trew but tressoun to our Roy,
And to his Regent, gaif the that hauld to keip
As thow did sweir, we had not had this noy:
We micht had peice quhair now in weir we weip,
In wo but weill, but plesure in pane sa deip,
Be the, O Tratour! that Rebellis did ressaif
Into that hauld with the thairin to creip.
Ha! tressoun vntrew will gar ane widdie waif.
And to his Regent, gaif the that hauld to keip
As thow did sweir, we had not had this noy:
We micht had peice quhair now in weir we weip,
In wo but weill, but plesure in pane sa deip,
Be the, O Tratour! that Rebellis did ressaif
Into that hauld with the thairin to creip.
Ha! tressoun vntrew will gar ane widdie waif.
225
Now lat vs all with hart and mynde vs dres,
Baith euin and morne, richt law downe on our kne,
With hyddeous schout all we, baith mair and les,
For vengeance Just, with tene to fall on the.
O thow! O Lord and God in persoun thre!
Consume this wratche with Brinstane, fyre, and thūder,
That persecuitis thy Sanctis with crueltie.
Ha! tressoun vntrew ane tow will Schaik in Schunder.
Baith euin and morne, richt law downe on our kne,
With hyddeous schout all we, baith mair and les,
For vengeance Just, with tene to fall on the.
O thow! O Lord and God in persoun thre!
Consume this wratche with Brinstane, fyre, and thūder,
That persecuitis thy Sanctis with crueltie.
Ha! tressoun vntrew ane tow will Schaik in Schunder.
Preserue with micht, fra slicht of fais defend
Our King, gude Lord! and als his Regent eik:
Lat neuer thair micht, but richt, with hand ay bend,
Haue strenth or power thame for to hurt or wreik.
We, thy pure liegis, sall pray and als beseik
To send the grace, lang space in weilfair wend,
That we may se the puneis vice, but meik,
And tressoun, all sessoun: with this we mak ane end.
Our King, gude Lord! and als his Regent eik:
Lat neuer thair micht, but richt, with hand ay bend,
Haue strenth or power thame for to hurt or wreik.
We, thy pure liegis, sall pray and als beseik
To send the grace, lang space in weilfair wend,
That we may se the puneis vice, but meik,
And tressoun, all sessoun: with this we mak ane end.
Finis.
| Satirical poems of the reformation | |