Classic Poem

It is grit petie for to se
How the comouns of this cuntre,
For thift, and reif, and plane oppressioun,
Can nathing keip in thair possessioun,
Quhairof that thai may mak ane lyfe:
Yit nane will puneis that transgressioun;
Till nocht be left to man nor wyfe.

Sum with deir ferme ar hirreit haill,
That wount to pay bot penny maill.
Sum be thair lordis ar opprest;
Put fra the land that thai possest.
Sair service hes sum hirreit sone.
For carrage als sum hes no rest;
Thoch thair awin wark sould ly undone.

Sum comouns, that hes bene weill stakit
Under kirkmen, ar now all wrakit;
Sen that the teynd, and the kirk landis,
Came in grit temporale mennis handis.
Thai gar the tennents pay sic sowmes,
As thai will ask; or, quha ganestandis,
Thai will be put sone fra thair rowmes.

The teynd, quhilk tennents had befoir
Of thair awin malings, corne, and stoir,
Thair laird hes tane it our thair heid;
And gars thame to his yaird it leid.
Bot thair awin stok thai dar not steir;
Thoch all thair bairnis sould want breid,
Quhill thai have led that teynd ilk yeir.

Sic extortioun and taxatioun
Wes never sene into this natioun,
Tane of the comouns of this land,
Of quhilk sum is left waist liand,
Becaus few may sic chairgis beir.
Mony hes quhips now in thair hand,
That wont to have bayth jak and speir.

Quhairthrow the haill comunite
Is brocht now to sic povertie.
For thai, that had gude hors and geir,
Hes skantlie now ane crukit meir:
And for thair sadils thai have soddis.
Thai have na weipens worthe for weir;
Bot man defend with stanes and cloddis.

Thairfore, my lordis, I yow pray
For the puir comouns find sum way.
Your land to thame for sic pryce geif,
As on thair maling thai may leif
Sufficientlie to thair estait.
Syne thame defend, that nane thame greif;
That thai may serve yow ayre and lait.

Riche comouns ar richt profitable,
Quhan thai, to serve thair lord, ar able
Thair native cuntrie to defend
Fra thame that hurt it wald pretend.
For WE will be ouir few a numer,
Gif commouns to the weir not wend.
Nobils may not beir all the cummer.

Help the comouns bayth Lord and Laird!
And God thairfore sall yow rewaird.
And, gif ye will not thame supplie,
God will yow plaig thairfore justlie.
And your successioun, eftir yow,
Gif thai sall have na mair petie
On the commouns, nor ye have now.