Poems (1830) :: :: University of Virginia Library

Sumtyme to court I did repair,
Thairin sum errandis for to dress;
Thinkand I had sum freindis thair
To help fordwart my buseness;
Bot, nocht the les,
I fand nathing bot doubilness;
Auld kyndnes helpis nocht ane hair.

To ane grit court-man I did speir;
That I trowit my freind had bene,
Becaus we war of kyn sa neir;
To him my mater I did mene;
Bot, with disdene,
He fled as I had done him tene;
And wald nocht byd my taill to heir.

I wend that he, in word and deid,
For me, his kynsman, sould have wrocht;
Bot to my speiche he tuke na heid;
Neirnes of blude he sett at nocht;
Than weill I thocht,
Quhan I for sibnes to him socht,
It wes the wrang way that I geid.

My hand I put into my sleif,
And furthe of it ane purs I drew;
And said I brocht it him to geif;
Bayth gold and silver I him schew;
Than he did rew
That he unkindlie me misknew;
And hint the purs fest in his neif.

Fra tyme he gat the purs in hand,
He kyndlie cousin callit me,
And baid me gar him understand,
My buseness all haillalie;
And swair that he
My trew and faythfull freind sould be
In courte as I pleis him command.

For quhilk better it is, I trow,
Into the courte to get supplé,
To have ane purs of fyne gold fow;
Nor to the hiest of degré,
Of kyn to be,
Sa alteris our nobilitie
Grit kynrent helpis lytill now.

Thairfoir, my freinds, gif ye will mak
All courte men youris as ye wald,
Gude gold and silver with you tak;
Than to get help ye may be bald;
For it is tauld,
Kyndness of courte is coft and sald,
Neirness of kyn, na thing thai rak.