The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie Edited by James Cranstoun |
 |
|
 |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. | VI.
A LESONE HOU TO LEIRNE TO DIE. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
|
|
 | The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie |  |
VI. A LESONE HOU TO LEIRNE TO DIE.
Be war, be war, leist it be war;
The dreidfull day drauis to the duris.
Exame ȝour selfis; sie vhat ȝe ar,
And spy hou Death comis at the spurris;
Whais sharpe seveirest summond sayis:
Without contineuing of dayis.
The dreidfull day drauis to the duris.
Exame ȝour selfis; sie vhat ȝe ar,
And spy hou Death comis at the spurris;
Whais sharpe seveirest summond sayis:
Without contineuing of dayis.
He keepis no dyet, day, nor table;
Bot vhen he calis thou mon compeir;
Euen vhen thou art vnmetest, able.
Then fruitles faith is fraught with feir;
That message so thy mynd dismayis:
Without contineuing of dayis.
Bot vhen he calis thou mon compeir;
Euen vhen thou art vnmetest, able.
Then fruitles faith is fraught with feir;
That message so thy mynd dismayis:
Without contineuing of dayis.
Quhen all thy sensis the forsaikis,
And thou persaivis no dome bot dead,
Then courage lyk a couart quaikis;
Vane hope dar not hold vp his head;
Thy sinfull saull astonisht stayis,
Bot no contineuing of dayis.
And thou persaivis no dome bot dead,
Then courage lyk a couart quaikis;
Vane hope dar not hold vp his head;
Thy sinfull saull astonisht stayis,
Bot no contineuing of dayis.
235
Fra conscience brings furth his books,
Into thy stomok is a stryfe.
It is no laughter, vhen thou looks
Vpon the legend of thy lyfe;
Vharin ar writtin all thy wayis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
Into thy stomok is a stryfe.
It is no laughter, vhen thou looks
Vpon the legend of thy lyfe;
Vharin ar writtin all thy wayis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
That register may mak thee rad,
Reveiling both thy good and evill.
Thy saull sall sie, to mak hir sad,
Hir vgly enemie the Divill;
Quhilk all that lybel to hir layis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
Reveiling both thy good and evill.
Thy saull sall sie, to mak hir sad,
Hir vgly enemie the Divill;
Quhilk all that lybel to hir layis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
Fra sho haif gaȝed in that glasse,
Sho hes a gesse vhair sho suld gang.
Be sho provydit, or sho passe—
It's weill; if not—all will be wrang.
To lait for pardon then sho prayis,
Quhen no contineuing of dayis.
Sho hes a gesse vhair sho suld gang.
Be sho provydit, or sho passe—
It's weill; if not—all will be wrang.
To lait for pardon then sho prayis,
Quhen no contineuing of dayis.
A bitter battell sall sho byde
Betuixt quick hope and dead dispair,
Quhen sho sall trimble to be tryde,
Remembring on long Euermair;
Quhair peirles pain or plesur ay is
Without contineuing of dayis.
Betuixt quick hope and dead dispair,
Quhen sho sall trimble to be tryde,
Remembring on long Euermair;
Quhair peirles pain or plesur ay is
Without contineuing of dayis.
Thoght, word, and deid, all sall be weyde,
Befor thy lingring lyf disluge.
Vhat ferly, freind, thoght thou be fleyd
To go befor so grit a Judge,
Vhais feirfull face the wicked frayis,
Without contineuing of dayis?
Befor thy lingring lyf disluge.
Vhat ferly, freind, thoght thou be fleyd
To go befor so grit a Judge,
Vhais feirfull face the wicked frayis,
Without contineuing of dayis?
236
Thy beutie, riches, wit, and strenth,
Quhilk God thee, to his glory, gaive,
Sall caus the cry, Alace! at lenth,
Quhen he thy checker compt sall craive;
Vho will allou the no delayis,
Nor ȝit contineuing of dayis.
Quhilk God thee, to his glory, gaive,
Sall caus the cry, Alace! at lenth,
Quhen he thy checker compt sall craive;
Vho will allou the no delayis,
Nor ȝit contineuing of dayis.
Thair thou, that in this warld wes wont
To griev thy God without regaird,
Sall be compeld to give account,
And as thou thoght resave rewaird
Of him vho presently repayis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
To griev thy God without regaird,
Sall be compeld to give account,
And as thou thoght resave rewaird
Of him vho presently repayis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
Then prayers, almesdeids, and tearis,
Vhilks ȝit to skorne ȝee skantly skar,
Sall mair availl than jaks and spearis,
For to debait thee at that bar
Quhair nane rebelis, bot all obeyis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
Vhilks ȝit to skorne ȝee skantly skar,
Sall mair availl than jaks and spearis,
For to debait thee at that bar
Quhair nane rebelis, bot all obeyis,
Without contineuing of dayis.
Quhen Justice halds the ballance evin,
Sho mettis no inshis with the ell.
The hevy saulis ar had to hevin;
The light, alace, ar hoyde to hell,
Quhair Belȝebub in burning brayis
In wter darknes vhair no day is.
Sho mettis no inshis with the ell.
The hevy saulis ar had to hevin;
The light, alace, ar hoyde to hell,
Quhair Belȝebub in burning brayis
In wter darknes vhair no day is.
Quhat wald thou give, if God wold grant
Thee longer licience for to leive?
Wald thou not sueir to be a sant,
And all thy goods for God's saik give;
Ȝea, and instruct all sik as strayis
Without contineuing of dayis?
Thee longer licience for to leive?
Wald thou not sueir to be a sant,
And all thy goods for God's saik give;
Ȝea, and instruct all sik as strayis
Without contineuing of dayis?
237
Quhy art thou miserable, O Man?
Quhy pretermits thou tyme and place?
Quhy art thou ydler nou nor than?
Quhy speids thou not vhill thou hes space?
Quhy tyins thou tyme, that the betrayis?
Quhy dreeds thou not these duilfull dayis?
Quhy pretermits thou tyme and place?
Quhy art thou ydler nou nor than?
Quhy speids thou not vhill thou hes space?
Quhy tyins thou tyme, that the betrayis?
Quhy dreeds thou not these duilfull dayis?
Ȝit, hear vhill Chryst knokis at thy hairt,
And open it to let him in:
Or thou sall abill efteruard
Crave entrie vhair thou sall not win;
As the fyve folish virgins playis:
Then with the wyse redeme thy dayis.
And open it to let him in:
Or thou sall abill efteruard
Crave entrie vhair thou sall not win;
As the fyve folish virgins playis:
Then with the wyse redeme thy dayis.
| The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie | |