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Poems of John Stewart of Baldyneiss

From the MS. in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh: Edited by Thomas Crockett

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TO ANE HONORABILL AND DISTRESSIT LADIE.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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110

TO ANE HONORABILL AND DISTRESSIT LADIE.

Ane guid and hardie hart,
To thois that dolor drie,
Consums the half of smart
And makith great supplie.
Heirfoir lat langor bie,
And on the lord depend,
So sall ȝe schortlie sie
Ȝour trubill brocht to end.
The Isralits in thrall
Lang vexit vas vith vo,
Bot God veill fred tham all
At last from bondage So
That Pharo thair fell fo
Thair drownit did remaine,
Quhair thay againe did go
Saif fro all perrile plaine.
The Vofull hester Queine,
Opprest vith miserie,
Hir cairfull cause did meine
Vnto the lord maist hie,
Quho of his mercie frie
Soone grantit hir desyre,
So that hir eis did sie
The thing Scho did requyr.

111

Quhan Innocent Susan
Vas damnit to the deed,
God mychtelie began
To mak hir than remeed,
Rewengeing all hir feed
To the false Iudgeis paine,
And lyf and vomanheed
Restorde to hir againe.
Heirfoir vith guid Intent
Cast all thy cair now hens
On God maist radie bent
To pitie thy pretens:
Quhan that all mortall sens
Leist help can understand,
His pouer and defens
Is radiest at hand.
He vill navayis ȝow lawe
In sic perplexit paine:
He bringith doune to grawe
And hich exalts againe:
The proud he dois desdaine,
Quhois force but dout sall faill,
And the meik mind humaine
At lenth be him prewaill.
Did not Iudith depart
And meed the toune remeed,
Quhan men grew fant in hart
for to susteine the feed?
Hir beutie quhyt and reed
Did Holifern alluir,
Quhill scho strack aff his heed
Be Gods assistans suir:

112

Quhois pouer ȝow preserwe
from ewerie kynd of greife,
fro quhom now neuir suerwe,
So sall ȝe find releife;
The quhilk I hoip in breife
for to sie cum ȝow till,
And vnto thair mischiefe
That dois ȝow onie ill.