Classic Poem

A Bailfull bird that wantis wingis to fle,
Nureistin a nest richt craftie wylis to hatche:
For fault of feit borne in ane Ark of tre,
In Craftines to Sinon worthie matche
A gylefall grume all gude men to dispatche.
And be a gyde to blind men in a rank:
Zit for sic seruice seruis bot lytill thank.

A Scuruie Schollar of Machiauellus lair,
Inuenting wylis anoyntit Kingis to thrall.
To heis on hicht pure Pesantis full of cair
From base estait, to Throne Imperiall.
And mychtie men lyke wretchit Irus fall,
And ly alaw lyke Loytring lubbers leud:
For feir of storme fall fane thair saillis to schreud.

And Doegis craft richt cunningly Imprent
Quha can in hart pure Dauids Regne to stay:
Achitophell misordour to Inuent.
A proud Haman the faithfull to betray.
Sobney the Scribe fals tressoun to display.
Uproris to rais ane Atheist Abiron,
To Stalwart Knichtis ane gylefull Ganzelon,

Ane flattring face, with outwart schaw serene
Sour Aloes with bitter gall commixt.
Ane luiring bait fond fischis to wirk tene,
Not spying deith till thay on lyne be fixt:
Quhan tyme is tynt, than find yai trew this text:
Ouir lait it is the stabill dure to steik,
Quhen sturdie steid is stollin and far to seik.

To Ciuill weir, and Intestine discord,
This bird can blaw the Trumpet craftelie,
Quhais strenth and force consistis in pratting word
With Serpentis sting, vnder simplicitie.
A wylie wicht to practeis palzardrie.
With warldly wit weill furnissit at will,
Quhais Deuillische dryftis puttis all in poynt to spill.

This birdis counsall confoundit hes yis land
Turnd vp syde doun of richt and equitie:
Displacit peace with discordis feirfull wand,
That mouit hes thift, reif, and crueltie,
Murther but mercy, bludie terrannie,
Wandreth wanrest, feirfull ambitioun:
Aspyring vp with pryde to heich renoun.

This bailfull bird richt beinly can vpbeild
In Castellis strang hir noysum nest to byde,
The feildis plane can not fra schame hir scheild.
Quha heichest clymmis the soner may thay slyde:
In warldly wit (by God) quha dois confyde,
Will be bet doun be duilfull destanie:
And end thair lyfe with wretchet miserie.

O monstrous bird God nor ye gleddis ze get
Or Rauinnis the rug with bludie beik in bittis,
The Pyet pyke thy ene on gallous set,
As Haman hangit hie on hicht with tittis.
The forkit Clauer besyde the Croce that sittis,
Mot be thy beir at thy last funerall,
Quhen Dustifit to dance sall furth the call.

I traist in God, that anis sall cum the day,
Pluk at the Craw quhen barnis sall with yis bird:
Or blind Hary with hir to sport and play,
With fauldit neif and tak hir mony gird.
Keip weill thy taill gude Phillip, I am hird
The to award, from buffettis heir me by,
The bony boy with sounding voice sall cry.

Dirtin bedreidis the Prouerb sayis of auld,
Ane scabbit hors will feill quhair he is sair;
Quha giltie bene of vicis lastly tauld,
Will deme of thame all men speikis lait and air:
Quhairby thair lyfe is ay bot lasting cair,
Fretting with feir in Inward conscience
As hoiplost wichtis without all patience.

Euin so sum man that menis not in his mynd
Bot monstrously for to mantene misordour,
Achitophellis air, ane Ganzelon of strynd:
Falser than theuis that leuis on the bordour.
Quha craftelie his awin affairis to furdour,
Will think I speik of him in this my ryme
Johne Gukstounis Eye to bleir quhen he thinkis tyme.