Classic Poem

O Lamp of licht, and peirles Peirll of pryse,
O kenely Knicht in martiall deidis most ding
O worthy wicht most vailzeant war & wyse,
O Capitane ay constant to the King.
O Lustie Lord, that will na wayis maling,
O Barroun bauld, of Cheualry the floure
O perfyte Prouest, but maik into this Ring
O gudely Grange, but spot vnto this houre,

I the beseik to call to memorie,
The worthie deids done be that Prince sinceir
King James the fyft, quha restis in heuin so hie,
To the quha was his tender seruand deir.
How in the day he vsit the as his peir,
And luifit the so as man culd lufe ane vther
At nicht in bed his fellow and his feir
Esteming the as thow had bene his brother.

And how his Sone our Regent of Renoun
That restis with God, quha did thir thingis persaif,
Thocht he be gone, and with his fais put doun
Zit in his lyfe he luift the by the laif,
Ay geuing the quhat thing that thow wald haif,
Denying nocht that lay into his handis
For thy seruice thy fie was not to craif,
Bot recompancit with gold, with geir and landis.

And quhen the Duke put the to banischment,
And from the held thy landis mony zeir
Thow knawis thy self gif he was diligent
To get thy pear, and slaik the of that weir.
And to the get thy lands thy guds and geir,
Thocht thair was sum that tuik thy rowmis in few
Zit he to the gat thame as is maist cleir,
To preif he was to the ane Maister trew.

Fra tyme the Lord did call him to that cure,
Into this Realme that he suld ring allone
He the estemit of steidfast faith most sure
Thairfoir that hauld, and worthie hous of stone,
He gaif to the with Jowallis mony one,
As vnto him that he luiffit by the rest
The quhilk in deid he wald haue done to none,
Of all his brether that he luiffit best.

Seytoun, Schir James, bot & the Schiref of Air
Efter the feild he gaif thame in thy cure
The Duke him self, and Hereis thow had thair,
For in thy handis he thocht thame ay most sure.
Sum said to him thairin he did Iniure
To put sa mony greit men in thy bandis
His answer was, quhill that he micht Indure,
His lyfe and all, he wald put in thy handis.

Hauing this hauld, as I haue done declair,
In Counsall hous the Toun with ane consent
Cheissit the to be thair Prouest and thair Mair
As man thairto meit and conuenient,
Quhilk office is, in deid richt ancient,
Under the King this Burgh to reull and steir
During thy office, culd thow stand content,
Thow micht to Lordis be perigall and peir.

Thir officis the farther did promote,
It neidis na preif, thy self will testifie
Amang the Lordis thow gat baith place and vote
At Secreit Counsall in materis most hie
Lyke as thame selfis sa thay estemit the,
Into thair caus baith bent Just and vpricht,
Quhen tyme requyris, it suld Reuengit be,
Think on his deith, that brocht the to sic hicht.

In humbill wyse heirfoir I the Exhort,
With tentyue eir vnto my taill attend
I the desyre thre thingis in termis schort
First in Gods caus be constant to the end.
Syne nixt our King, with all thy micht defend
Himself, his lawis, his libertie and Croun,
Thirdly vnto the warld thow mak it kend
He was thy Maister Bothwell hauch put doun.

Into Religioun thow was richt feruent,
God gif the grace thairin to perseueir
That tyme at Leith thair was na man mair bent
During that Seige I saw the prick fall neir,
Of lyfe nor landis that tyme thow tuik na feir,
Ay venturand quhair greitest war the dangeris
For to set furth the word of God most cleir
And for to freith thy Natiue Realme fra strangeris.

And now thow seis, how mony dois maling,
Baith tyme and tyde schawand thair force & micht,
To that Intent that Jesabell sulk Ring
Quha wald suppres the word of God most bricht,
And from our King (allace) wald reif his richt,
Quhome to thay swore thay suld be alwayis trew
Als dois defend with force baith day and nicht
Thay Tratouris strang, our Royall Regent slew,

The word of God, for euer sall preuaill,
And als his kirk sall haue the ouer hand
Pharo and his he brocht in mekill baill
Quhen he led Israell saif throw se and sand.
And als the Kingis Authoritie sall stand
As Dauids did thocht Saull did him molest
Sa sall our King at lenth posses this land
As vtheris hes in quyetness and rest.

This godly caus did euer prosper still
Sen he was King, our Gouernour and gyde
Baith at Carbarry and the Langsyde hill
The michtie God was euer on his syde.
Now in the North his fais thay durst nocht byde
Quhair throw that pak did lois thair men of weir
And quhen thay war the last tyme vpon Clyde
Thair durst na fa into thair sicht appeir.

Murther thow knawis will not vnpuneist be,
Nor neuer was sen Cayn Abell slew
The Scripture plane the same dois testifie
That murtherars Gods wraith sall not eschew.
Sall thay eschaip murdreist our Regent trew?
Of vertewis well, of euerie vice denude
Thocht thair war nane his deith that wald persew
The michtie God he wald Reuenge his blude.

Dois thow not se ye hand of God agane yame
Wirking thair wrak, for breking his command
Thocht Lethingtoun with tratling he do trane thame
Garring thame trow the Frenche men is at hand.
And Duke De Alb ay reddy for to land
With mony Hulk on hicht of Arthure sait
Quhill that tyme cum we sall lay on the wand
And gar our fais gif clene ouir all debait.

Quhat neids ye skar, thocht Ingland do support vs
To puneis sic as proudly dois Rebell
That tyme at Leith thow knawis thay did comfort vs
And maid vs fre quhen strangers did vs quell.
And neuer socht na proffite to thame sell
Thow neids not feir, that hous thay neuer craifit,
The Regent sayis sa far as I heir tell
Wald thow be trew, thair can na better haif it.

Thocht at this tyme, thow haif that warlyke craig,
And is in hart curagious and bald
God will nocht mys to scurge the with a plaig
Gif in his caus thow lat thy curage cald.
As thow may se thick scurgis monyfald,
Lich upon thame that proudly dois disdane
Except the Lord be watche man of the hald
Quha walkis the same, thair laubour is in vane.

Thow hes bene ane, sen first this caus began,
And als hes sene, how God gart it proceid
Heirfoir I pray zit do the thing thow can
Into Gods caus, and to Reuenge his deid.
And gif thow swerue, richt sair in hart I dreid,
That sindrie sall thy doingis discommend
Auise heiron sen now is tyme of neid
Mark weill I pray this Schedull that I send.