The merry wives of Douglas or the Douglas garland. In two parts. Written by a young Gentleman [i.e. Robert Colvill] |
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 | The merry wives of Douglas |  |
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THE MERRY WIVES OF DOUGLAS, &c.
PART I.
With bells and with bone-fires, the village around,With claret in flaggons, and trumpets to sound.
With claret in flaggons, and trumpets to sound.
Carousing, triumphing, we come to proclaim,
That Douglas in battle, and law, is the same,
That Douglas in battle, and law, is the same.
Chorus.
Come a health to Great Douglas, and health to her Grace,All blessings below, that mortals can know,
Or heav'n can confer on our brave Scottish race.
Or heav'n can confer, &c.
Thro' Scotland, thro' England, thro' France, and thro' Spain,
They bang'd ay their foes that they ne'er rose again,
They bang'd ay their foes, &c.
In fight they ne'er lost Scotland's standard so glorious,
And now they're come off with their own all victorious.
And now they're come off, &c.
They bang'd ay their foes that they ne'er rose again,
They bang'd ay their foes, &c.
In fight they ne'er lost Scotland's standard so glorious,
And now they're come off with their own all victorious.
And now they're come off, &c.
Chorus.
For listen good neighbours, I'll tell you a story,
The like never heard yet by whig or by tory;
There fell out a change in the year sixty-one,
A change all so right should be wonder to none.
The like never heard yet by whig or by tory;
There fell out a change in the year sixty-one,
A change all so right should be wonder to none.
Chorus.
Without son or daughter, a Peer of great fame
Gave his lands to another to bear up his name,
While his Sister, calumniate, excluded, forgot,
Was left with two brave Boys to beg for a groat.
Gave his lands to another to bear up his name,
While his Sister, calumniate, excluded, forgot,
Was left with two brave Boys to beg for a groat.
Chorus.
4
It makes my heart bleed yet how this gentle Lady,
Oppressed by foes, and by friendships unsteady,
Deny'd to her brother, cast forth from his gate,
Heart-broken and starving expir'd by sad fate.
Oppressed by foes, and by friendships unsteady,
Deny'd to her brother, cast forth from his gate,
Heart-broken and starving expir'd by sad fate.
Chorus.
O curs'd love of riches! Foul source of worst crimes,
That e'er soil'd the glory of Scotland's best times;
All virtue effacing, like an infernal flood,
Deep dying oppression with innocent blood!
That e'er soil'd the glory of Scotland's best times;
All virtue effacing, like an infernal flood,
Deep dying oppression with innocent blood!
Chorus.
Both Parents long struggling their Offspring to save,
Were laid with the younger to rest in the grave;
O shield heav'n the helpless, when strangers of pow'r,
The orphan's inheritance wait to devour!
Were laid with the younger to rest in the grave;
O shield heav'n the helpless, when strangers of pow'r,
The orphan's inheritance wait to devour!
Chorus.
The cry of the orphan, the cause of the just,
Prevailed on high, tho' below in the dust;
And as you know others by Judith of old;
So the Douglas was sav'd by a Douglas so bold.
Prevailed on high, tho' below in the dust;
And as you know others by Judith of old;
So the Douglas was sav'd by a Douglas so bold.
Chorus.
Our noble Peer wedded a nymph of great name,
For wisdom and spirit far sounded by fame;
The cause of the Douglas she try'd in the Hall,
And aliens and strangers she banished them all.
For wisdom and spirit far sounded by fame;
The cause of the Douglas she try'd in the Hall,
And aliens and strangers she banished them all.
Chorus.
She sought out his Nephew, received him to favour,
And fed at his table with princely demeanour;
He wept when his Sister's sad story was told,
And, dying, bequeath'd him his lands and his gold.
And fed at his table with princely demeanour;
He wept when his Sister's sad story was told,
And, dying, bequeath'd him his lands and his gold.
Chorus.
Thus when oft in the world the good seem to stray,
Kind providence guides them, and points out their way;
The rugged grows smooth, and on others retorted,
The proud are confounded, the humble comforted.
Kind providence guides them, and points out their way;
The rugged grows smooth, and on others retorted,
The proud are confounded, the humble comforted.
Chorus.
Now mark us, good neighbours! How it did befal,
In Douglas's right in the Parliament-hall;
These judges impartial, and jury-men clear,
Serv'd him heir to a dukedom, ten thousand a-year.
In Douglas's right in the Parliament-hall;
These judges impartial, and jury-men clear,
Serv'd him heir to a dukedom, ten thousand a-year.
Chorus.
5
Then think what our strangers and aliens did say,
They roared like lions new robb'd of their prey;
They ship'd off, they spur'd off, they sailed to France,
And all to learn how to play Douglas a dance!
They roared like lions new robb'd of their prey;
They ship'd off, they spur'd off, they sailed to France,
And all to learn how to play Douglas a dance!
Chorus.
Then caballing with papists, with monks, and with friars,
With tumblers, and strumpets, and blackguards, and liars,
They botch'd up law-libels, so frothy and rare,
That the horn of our judges blew all in the air.
With tumblers, and strumpets, and blackguards, and liars,
They botch'd up law-libels, so frothy and rare,
That the horn of our judges blew all in the air.
Chorus.
To swear down the Douglas they muster'd their band,
French rascals and buffoons, the scum of the land;
So thievish, so graceless, you'd swear, to prevail,
They unloaded the gibbets, and press'd the rank jail.
French rascals and buffoons, the scum of the land;
So thievish, so graceless, you'd swear, to prevail,
They unloaded the gibbets, and press'd the rank jail.
Chorus.
They embark'd in such schemes, that the father of lies,
Who marched as usher all the while in disguise;
Foreseeing such knav'ry his credit might blot,
Flew off to Pandemon with the best of the plot.
Who marched as usher all the while in disguise;
Foreseeing such knav'ry his credit might blot,
Flew off to Pandemon with the best of the plot.
Chorus.
And now our good Duchess, appris'd of the snare,
Which aliens and papists had laid for the heir,
Like the Hebrew renowned, all loyal and brave,
Went forth as inspired her people to save.
Which aliens and papists had laid for the heir,
Like the Hebrew renowned, all loyal and brave,
Went forth as inspired her people to save.
Chorus.
O'er winter seas roaring, and the fierce hostile shore,
She rush'd with her friend, their fell foes to explore;
She challeng'd, protected by the sov'reign of France,
And cleft Holofernes's head with a lance.
She rush'd with her friend, their fell foes to explore;
She challeng'd, protected by the sov'reign of France,
And cleft Holofernes's head with a lance.
Chorus.
How happy for some, had they yielded the fight!
Nor contended at random in perfect despite;
But debate drew black legions from the walls of Tournelle,
And all Bedlam supported the fine tale we tell.
Nor contended at random in perfect despite;
But debate drew black legions from the walls of Tournelle,
And all Bedlam supported the fine tale we tell.
Chorus.
It chanc'd a French mountebank lost son or heiress,
The same year the Douglas was born in great Paris,
And they will maintain it, (the devil give them joy),
That our warlike black Douglas is harlequin's boy.
The same year the Douglas was born in great Paris,
And they will maintain it, (the devil give them joy),
That our warlike black Douglas is harlequin's boy.
Chorus.
6
But how, at the bar, they averr'd and defended,
'Till judges were deafen'd, and lawyers throats rended;
'Till clerks knew not what they were jotting and scribbling,
And L--- himself lost the thread of his quibbling.
'Till judges were deafen'd, and lawyers throats rended;
'Till clerks knew not what they were jotting and scribbling,
And L--- himself lost the thread of his quibbling.
Chorus.
On the other side Douglas, with his myrmidons bold,
Knock'd down all their pope's bulls, like Milo of old;
But they roar'd such a peal, and disturb'd all the house,
That both senate and people adjourn'd by a truce.
Knock'd down all their pope's bulls, like Milo of old;
But they roar'd such a peal, and disturb'd all the house,
That both senate and people adjourn'd by a truce.
Chorus.
But then when the day of dread judgment drew near,
Their bold hearts did fail them, thro' guilt and thro' fear,
And they hop'd, like school truants, by jilting the taws,
To ward the fell sentence and lash of the laws.
Their bold hearts did fail them, thro' guilt and thro' fear,
And they hop'd, like school truants, by jilting the taws,
To ward the fell sentence and lash of the laws.
Chorus.
The M---d arose, like good Brutus of old,
Indignant that judgment and right should be sold;
And fixing, with justice, a day for their doom,
Struck iniquity down like the father of Rome.
Indignant that judgment and right should be sold;
And fixing, with justice, a day for their doom,
Struck iniquity down like the father of Rome.
Chorus.
PART II.
Fair dawn'd the bright morning, some fancied full soon,
And impatience, stark naked, knock'd up all the town;
The court gates harsh jarring denounced afar,
Like Janus Portcullis, the evils of war.
And impatience, stark naked, knock'd up all the town;
The court gates harsh jarring denounced afar,
Like Janus Portcullis, the evils of war.
Chorus.
Enthroned in state sat our judges so able,
The lawyers all round, and the clerks at their table;
The parties all eager came posting to places,
With hopeful, with fearful, with red, and pale faces.
The lawyers all round, and the clerks at their table;
The parties all eager came posting to places,
With hopeful, with fearful, with red, and pale faces.
Chorus.
And last came the people all joyful to hear
Our good senate decide for ten thousand a-year;
Great lords and fine ladies as gallant and gay,
As to stare down Glenalvon in Douglas, the play.
Our good senate decide for ten thousand a-year;
Great lords and fine ladies as gallant and gay,
As to stare down Glenalvon in Douglas, the play.
Chorus.
To a scene all so solemn, grave muses might bring
Minerva, and Hermes, and Phœbus their king;
Paint Justice and Law at the footstool of Jove,
While heav'n in loud thunder assents from above.
Minerva, and Hermes, and Phœbus their king;
Paint Justice and Law at the footstool of Jove,
While heav'n in loud thunder assents from above.
Chorus.
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But as yet not so high: we with caution declare,
How some second-sighted saw dread forms appear;
Fair Truth closs attended by Innocence bright,
Simplicity artless, Conviction all light.
How some second-sighted saw dread forms appear;
Fair Truth closs attended by Innocence bright,
Simplicity artless, Conviction all light.
Chorus.
Grave Justice with candor still poising her scale,
With fortitude, dauntless, and well govern'd zeal;
Then glided aloft o'er the heads of the crowd,
To the Genius of Douglas enthron'd in a cloud.
With fortitude, dauntless, and well govern'd zeal;
Then glided aloft o'er the heads of the crowd,
To the Genius of Douglas enthron'd in a cloud.
Chorus.
But vile Falsehood mask'd in the heart to disguise,
Fell Malice and Envy with Basilisk's eyes;
Loud slander and clamour, hell-hounds in foul plight,
Flew off with mad rage to the regions of night.
Fell Malice and Envy with Basilisk's eyes;
Loud slander and clamour, hell-hounds in foul plight,
Flew off with mad rage to the regions of night.
Chorus.
All was hush; dreadful prelude! as when from a cloud,
Vollied thunder stricks down th'airy tow'rs of the proud;
For the event all trembling the people await,
But Douglas unshaken consided in fate.
Vollied thunder stricks down th'airy tow'rs of the proud;
For the event all trembling the people await,
But Douglas unshaken consided in fate.
Chorus.
In that awful moment the youth second-sighted,
Saw, or fancied the council great Homer indicted;
Fair emblem like this of the council on high,
To decide all things right with an impartial eye.
Saw, or fancied the council great Homer indicted;
Fair emblem like this of the council on high,
To decide all things right with an impartial eye.
Chorus.
The Sov'reign enthron'd, whose vast scepter controuls
Our earth and high heav'n, while his nod shakes the poles;
The divine pow'r of Wisdom, his daughter so bright,
Who presides over senates, and lends them her light.
Our earth and high heav'n, while his nod shakes the poles;
The divine pow'r of Wisdom, his daughter so bright,
Who presides over senates, and lends them her light.
Chorus.
Apollo and Hermes ordain'd to bear rule,
At Virtue's decisions in Cicero's school;
With Mars and Alcides, protectors of old
To Theseus, Achilles and Douglases bold.
At Virtue's decisions in Cicero's school;
With Mars and Alcides, protectors of old
To Theseus, Achilles and Douglases bold.
Chorus.
These wisely conferring, great Jove call'd to bring
Their records eternal; the Fates, on bold wing,
The brazen leaf'd volume unroll'd to the skies,
And read the deep gravings with their starry eyes,
Their records eternal; the Fates, on bold wing,
The brazen leaf'd volume unroll'd to the skies,
And read the deep gravings with their starry eyes,
Chorus.
8
Now in that burnish'd page, where great events to trace,
Old Destiny points out our brave Scottish Race;
'Twas foretold, how a youth from the Douglas descended,
By malice assailed, by heav'n defended;
Old Destiny points out our brave Scottish Race;
'Twas foretold, how a youth from the Douglas descended,
By malice assailed, by heav'n defended;
Chorus.
Should deep wade the floods of Adversity thro',
Preserv'd by a noble Dame, valiant and true;
How in public he shou'd o'er the mighty prevail,
And with glory he crowned the Prince of the Dale.
Preserv'd by a noble Dame, valiant and true;
How in public he shou'd o'er the mighty prevail,
And with glory he crowned the Prince of the Dale.
Chorus.
The Fates read the mandate; the Sire gives the nod,
And stamps the decree with the seal of the God;
Then Justice stood forth in rich purple array'd,
With a bright crown Imperial, and two edged blade.
And stamps the decree with the seal of the God;
Then Justice stood forth in rich purple array'd,
With a bright crown Imperial, and two edged blade.
Chorus.
Aloft she suspends the golden balance of Jove,
To all mortals below, and immortals above;
And poising, presented, as vanity light,
A bundle of lies against DOUGLAS's RIGHT.
To all mortals below, and immortals above;
And poising, presented, as vanity light,
A bundle of lies against DOUGLAS's RIGHT.
Chorus.
FINIS.
| The merry wives of Douglas | |