 | Satirical poems of the reformation |  |
52
VI. Ane Exhortatiovn derect to my Lord Regent and to the Rest of the Lordis accomplisis.
Oian
[OMITTED] with hir Court of Poyetis cleir,
Qu[OMITTED]is land now plesandly dois sing,
In sin[OMITTED]gis that plesoure is to heir
For io[OMITTED]nes our fair ȝoung tender King.
Quho[OMITTED]hes set aboue vs for to Ring,
Will [OMITTED] quhat I am, hes tane on hand,
Sa b[OMITTED]re, rashely in thair Court to thring,
By th[OMITTED]omission lyke Johne vpaland.
Qu[OMITTED]is land now plesandly dois sing,
In sin[OMITTED]gis that plesoure is to heir
For io[OMITTED]nes our fair ȝoung tender King.
Quho[OMITTED]hes set aboue vs for to Ring,
Will [OMITTED] quhat I am, hes tane on hand,
Sa b[OMITTED]re, rashely in thair Court to thring,
By th[OMITTED]omission lyke Johne vpaland.
T---aine thair plesand flowre of Poyetrie
With rurall termis, and sentences denude
Of trym figuris, and painted oratrie:
From airt poetick heir I it exclude,
Desyrand ȝour Lordshippes to be sa gude
To mark the sentence rather nor the style,
And take it in gude pairt, thocht it be rude:
Will God the nixt sall haue ane sharper fyle.
With rurall termis, and sentences denude
Of trym figuris, and painted oratrie:
From airt poetick heir I it exclude,
Desyrand ȝour Lordshippes to be sa gude
To mark the sentence rather nor the style,
And take it in gude pairt, thocht it be rude:
Will God the nixt sall haue ane sharper fyle.
53
To call to mynde, I think not necessair,
The warkes of God within this cuntrie shawin,
Within thir seuin ȝeiris or lytill mair,
Sen Christis trumpet throw this lād was blawin.
Unto baith pure and riche it is weill knawin,
And als ȝour selfes, my Lordis, may cleirly se
That God wil haue the pride of mā doune thrawin,
Thocht he war neuer exalted so hie.
The warkes of God within this cuntrie shawin,
Within thir seuin ȝeiris or lytill mair,
Sen Christis trumpet throw this lād was blawin.
Unto baith pure and riche it is weill knawin,
And als ȝour selfes, my Lordis, may cleirly se
That God wil haue the pride of mā doune thrawin,
Thocht he war neuer exalted so hie.
Ȝit with myself considdering the estate
Off ȝow, my Lord Regent, quhome God preserue!
And all the rest, I thocht gude to repeate
Sum thingis that to ȝoure interprise mycht serue,
Knawing that man is reddy for till swerue,
Without continuall admonitionis be:
Man of his awin nature is so proterue,
Thairfoir I pray ȝoure Lordshippes, beir with me.
Off ȝow, my Lord Regent, quhome God preserue!
And all the rest, I thocht gude to repeate
Sum thingis that to ȝoure interprise mycht serue,
Knawing that man is reddy for till swerue,
Without continuall admonitionis be:
Man of his awin nature is so proterue,
Thairfoir I pray ȝoure Lordshippes, beir with me.
How potent was that hornit byke of hell
Into this land, quhen God did ȝow vpsteir,
It is weill knawin; ȝe will confesse your sell
Ȝour strength to thairis on na way mycht be peir.
Ȝit God Almychtie did ȝour baner beir,
And all thair mycht and prydfull pomp ouerthrew.
Because the Lord of Hostis they did not feir,
Thairis did decay, and ay ȝoure honour grew;
Into this land, quhen God did ȝow vpsteir,
It is weill knawin; ȝe will confesse your sell
Ȝour strength to thairis on na way mycht be peir.
Ȝit God Almychtie did ȝour baner beir,
And all thair mycht and prydfull pomp ouerthrew.
Because the Lord of Hostis they did not feir,
Thairis did decay, and ay ȝoure honour grew;
Quhill that, allace! ȝe begouth to neglect
The gloir of God, and sa did seik ȝour sell;
The maist pairt, I mein, that did infect,
From feruencie within proces ȝe fell.
Quhilk Godis seruandis from tyme to tyme did tel,
And shew that God wald not sic thingis ouerse.
Ȝe gaif deif earis, bot God did ȝow compell
To find his worde effectuall to be.
The gloir of God, and sa did seik ȝour sell;
The maist pairt, I mein, that did infect,
From feruencie within proces ȝe fell.
Quhilk Godis seruandis from tyme to tyme did tel,
And shew that God wald not sic thingis ouerse.
Ȝe gaif deif earis, bot God did ȝow compell
To find his worde effectuall to be.
54
Ȝe knaw my minde; I neid not be mair plane;
Ȝe se all warldly gloir for to be slidder:
Quhen God is greuit, than he spairis nane:
King, Quene, and Lord, thay pas into ane fidder.
Thairfoir I warne ȝow, ane and all togidder,
To put ȝour stay vpone the leuing Lord,
And all his warkis into this land considder,
Continuing in obeying of his word.
Ȝe se all warldly gloir for to be slidder:
Quhen God is greuit, than he spairis nane:
King, Quene, and Lord, thay pas into ane fidder.
Thairfoir I warne ȝow, ane and all togidder,
To put ȝour stay vpone the leuing Lord,
And all his warkis into this land considder,
Continuing in obeying of his word.
Ȝe doing this, ȝe neid not for till feir
The boisting of ȝour ennemeis without:
The Lord will blis ȝow baith in peace and weir,
And all ȝour enemeis rudely ruit out.
Ȝe sall haue freindis of them that dwellis about,
Bot, gif that ȝe grow slak or negligent,
The clene contrare sall cum to pas but dout:
Thairfoir, I pray ȝow, to ȝour selfis tak tent.
The boisting of ȝour ennemeis without:
The Lord will blis ȝow baith in peace and weir,
And all ȝour enemeis rudely ruit out.
Ȝe sall haue freindis of them that dwellis about,
Bot, gif that ȝe grow slak or negligent,
The clene contrare sall cum to pas but dout:
Thairfoir, I pray ȝow, to ȝour selfis tak tent.
Sa lang as Juda, in King Asais dayis,
Did seik the Lord with all thair hartis desyre,
Baith King and people prosperit in thair wayis,
Bot how sone Asa Benhadad did hyre,
That he in battell mycht with him conspyre,
And vsit meanis as God did not allow,
The Propheit threitnit, during his impyre,
That war and battell sould his land pas throw.
Did seik the Lord with all thair hartis desyre,
Baith King and people prosperit in thair wayis,
Bot how sone Asa Benhadad did hyre,
That he in battell mycht with him conspyre,
And vsit meanis as God did not allow,
The Propheit threitnit, during his impyre,
That war and battell sould his land pas throw.
Als by King Saull I think ȝe may attend,
Not for till spair quhome God commandis to slay,
Gif that ȝe do, I say, behauld the end:
Reid quhat the buik of Kingis of him dois say.
Siclyke, of Salamon behauld the way,
And als Jehu with mony vther ma,
That throuchly with the Lord walkit not ay,
Thocht thay begouth weill: luik ȝe do not sa.
Not for till spair quhome God commandis to slay,
Gif that ȝe do, I say, behauld the end:
Reid quhat the buik of Kingis of him dois say.
Siclyke, of Salamon behauld the way,
And als Jehu with mony vther ma,
That throuchly with the Lord walkit not ay,
Thocht thay begouth weill: luik ȝe do not sa.
55
Fall to stoutly, all fantnes set asyde,
And throw this land mak reformation:
Remember thir examp[i]lls, tyme and tyde,
Quhilkis war amang the Jewis nation,
Quhairof partly is maid narration.
Dissaue not vs pure people of this land,
Quha with ane gredie expectation
Lukis for gude reformation at your hand.
And throw this land mak reformation:
Remember thir examp[i]lls, tyme and tyde,
Quhilkis war amang the Jewis nation,
Quhairof partly is maid narration.
Dissaue not vs pure people of this land,
Quha with ane gredie expectation
Lukis for gude reformation at your hand.
To heidis politick se ȝe geue na care
Into reforming of this pure cuntrie;
Bot Godis buik se that with ȝow ye beare,
With godlie men of wit and feruencie.
Abuif all thingis haue syc in cumpanie,
Obeying thame quhen they command a rycht,
Without respect of blude or dignitie:
Ȝe doing sa, the Lord sall mak yow wycht.
Into reforming of this pure cuntrie;
Bot Godis buik se that with ȝow ye beare,
With godlie men of wit and feruencie.
Abuif all thingis haue syc in cumpanie,
Obeying thame quhen they command a rycht,
Without respect of blude or dignitie:
Ȝe doing sa, the Lord sall mak yow wycht.
From officis se that ye first depois,
But feid or fauour of Kindred or blude,
All wicket papistis proud, and Christis fois;
And Jak on baith the sydis will neuer do gude.
All ignorantis, and sic men ye exclude,
Syne plat me godly men into thair place,
Quha equally can Judge the people rude,
And rychtly reule ouer thame in euerie cace.
But feid or fauour of Kindred or blude,
All wicket papistis proud, and Christis fois;
And Jak on baith the sydis will neuer do gude.
All ignorantis, and sic men ye exclude,
Syne plat me godly men into thair place,
Quha equally can Judge the people rude,
And rychtly reule ouer thame in euerie cace.
Let na Idolater your handis eschaip,
Or ocht that dois Idolatrie mantene;
Leif nathing that belangis to the Paip;
Unrutit out as it had neuer bene.
Anis of thay Locustis mak this cuntrie clene;
Ȝour foulishe pietie did thame spair befoir;
Thairfoir ye fand thame prickis vnto your ene,
And, gif ye spair thame, yit sall find thame moir.
Or ocht that dois Idolatrie mantene;
Leif nathing that belangis to the Paip;
Unrutit out as it had neuer bene.
Anis of thay Locustis mak this cuntrie clene;
Ȝour foulishe pietie did thame spair befoir;
Thairfoir ye fand thame prickis vnto your ene,
And, gif ye spair thame, yit sall find thame moir.
56
Nixt principallie, I pray yow, set your cure
For till relief the greit penuritie
Off laubouraris, and of your tennentis pure,
Quha sair opprest hes bene in this cuntrie,
This mony ȝeir, by the Nobilitie.
Let thame anis knaw the defference betwene
Ȝow and the Papistis, by your charitie,
Quhilk heirtofoir amang yow was not sene.
For till relief the greit penuritie
Off laubouraris, and of your tennentis pure,
Quha sair opprest hes bene in this cuntrie,
This mony ȝeir, by the Nobilitie.
Let thame anis knaw the defference betwene
Ȝow and the Papistis, by your charitie,
Quhilk heirtofoir amang yow was not sene.
Thir thingis to do, luik no way ye neglect,
Gif ye think lang in honour for till ring;
Bot, principallie, I pray yow to eiect
Ane cursit byke that cheiflie dois maling,
In Abirdene, of Sophistis the welspring;
And in thair place put learnit men of God:
I pray God blis James Stewart our yoūg King,
And mak him rychtly reule vs with his rod.
Gif ye think lang in honour for till ring;
Bot, principallie, I pray yow to eiect
Ane cursit byke that cheiflie dois maling,
In Abirdene, of Sophistis the welspring;
And in thair place put learnit men of God:
I pray God blis James Stewart our yoūg King,
And mak him rychtly reule vs with his rod.
To thee, my Lord Regent, I turne my sang:
I pray thee now for till be circumspect;
In thy default se that na thing be wrang,
For Godis seruandis thair eyis to thee direct,
Thinking on na wayis that thow will neglect
The gloir of God in Scotland to vpreir,
Seing he hes the rasit for that effect,
That the Lord Jesus baner thow should beir.
I pray thee now for till be circumspect;
In thy default se that na thing be wrang,
For Godis seruandis thair eyis to thee direct,
Thinking on na wayis that thow will neglect
The gloir of God in Scotland to vpreir,
Seing he hes the rasit for that effect,
That the Lord Jesus baner thow should beir.
To yow, my Lordis, als I direct my pen;
Proceid into your Godlie interpryse,
As ye begouth, curagiously, lyke men:
For quhy greit help into your handis lyis.
Thairfoir stoutlie se ye assist and ryse,
Hauing Godis gloir alwayis befoir your eine;
Than sall ye be haldin hardie and wyse,
Sa lang as men sall on the earth be seine.
Proceid into your Godlie interpryse,
As ye begouth, curagiously, lyke men:
For quhy greit help into your handis lyis.
Thairfoir stoutlie se ye assist and ryse,
Hauing Godis gloir alwayis befoir your eine;
Than sall ye be haldin hardie and wyse,
Sa lang as men sall on the earth be seine.
Finis.
| Satirical poems of the reformation | |