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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 LADIE
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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120

TO ANE HONORABILL LADIE

The varians of this vorld so vaine
Vith pen quhat Poet may furthschaw?
So great diuersetie for gaine
Dois ring, And eik so litle law,
That happie ar thay quho may knaw
Ane faythfull freind from fenȝeit fo,
And from thair dowbill deilling draw
That sueitlie sayis, And thinks not so.
Thus far, Madam, I do declair,
Sen God hes plesit to restoir
Ȝour ladischip throch meikill cair,
The quhilk I vat hes vext ȝow soir,
And ay hes done ȝour state decoir
By expectation of ȝour fois;
Quhois guidnes ȝit vill grant ȝow moir
Gif dewlie in him ȝe repois.
for lyk as vofull Hester queine
Vith sorrow reuthfullie arrayit,
Quhan hir peuple sould perist beine,
And all hir kingdome cleine decayit:
So vas ȝour vordines assayit
Vith great distres deiectit doune,
Quhill God restoird ȝour velth delayit
In veill deserwit guid renoune.

121

Althocht in stormie blast of raine
Sum clouddis syle Apollo cleir,
His birnand beams moir brycht againe
Than birnist gould will fair appeir:
So thois, quho flout dois perseueir
for to resist the vinter schours,
In seimlie sesone of the ȝeir
Sall smell againe the symmer flours.
In trubill thay ar comptit vyse,
Quho dois thair paine in patience tak;
And thay are vordiest of pryse
That suffers vo, And vill not vrak.
Ȝour fois that faschrie did ȝow mak,
Thocht monie did agains ȝow ryis,
Vith prudent hart ȝe pat abak,
And pourchast hes ȝour Interpryis.
In God heirfoir vith eis reiois,
Quho euir hes beine ȝour supplie,
And in him constantlie Repois;
He vill ay ȝour reliwar bie.
I hoip his guidnes vill aggrie
To grant the thing ȝe maist requyre,
And ȝow extoll, that I may sie
According to my harts desyre.