Classic Poem

O gracious God! almichtie, and eterne,
For Jesus saike, thi sone, we ask at the
Us to defend. Consarve us, and guberne.
And tak fra us, Lord, for thi grit mercie,
Thir plaigis that apperis presentlie;
Pest, povertie, and most unkindlie weir;
Hungir, and darthe, that now is lyk to be,
Throw deid of beists, and skant of corne this yeir.

Bot, Lord, this cumis, of thi just jugement,
For puneisment of our iniquitie;
That never of our synnis will repent;
Bot persaveris in impietie.
We ar so sowpit in sensualitie,
Bayth spiritual, and temporal estate,
The pepil ar misgy dit haillelie.
Nochte regueth now, bot Troubil and Debait.

Sumtyme the preistis thocht that thai did weil,
Quhone that thai maid thair beirds, and shuif thair croun;
Usit round caps; and gounis to thair heil:
And mes, and mateyns, said of thair sassoun.
Thoch at all vyces rang in thair persoun,
Lecherie, gluttunrie, vain-gloire, avarice;
With swerd and syre, for rew of relegioun,
Of christin peple oft maid sacrefice.

For quhilk God hes thame puneist richt scharplie.
Bot had thai left thair auld abusioun,
And turnit thame fra vyce to God trewlie;
And syne forthocht thair wrang intrusioun
Into the kirk be fals elusioun;
The word of God syn preitchit faythfullie;
Thai had nocht cum to sic confusioun,
Nor tholit had as yit sic miserie.

Now is Protestains rysin us amang.
Sayand thai wil mak reformatioun;
Bot yet as now ma vyces never rang,
[In ony former tyme, nor ony natioun]
As pryd, invy, and fals dissimulation;
Thift, reif, slauchtir, oppressioun of the puir;
Of polecy a plaine [ill] alteratioun:
Of wrangous geir now na man takis cuir.

Thai think it weil (and thai the Paip do call
The Antechryst ; and mess, idolatrie:
And syne eit flesche upon the frydays all;)
That thai serve God rycht than accordinglie:
Thoch in all thing thai leif maist wickitlie.
Bot God commandis us his law to keip;
Fyrst honour him; and syne have cheretie
With our neichbours; and for our synnis weip.

Think weil that God, that puneist the papeists,
Is yet on lyve, and yow to puneis abil,
(As he did thame;) that in your syns insists
As Godis word war halden bot ane fabil.
Bot gif your hairt on God be ferme and stabil,
(Thoch that his worde into your mouthe ye have)
Except your lyf thairto be conformabil
In word, and wark; ye bot yourself dissave.

I mene nocht here of faythful christianis;
Nor ministers of Godis word trewlie;
Quha at the samen stedfastlie remains,
In word, and wark, without hypocrisy.
Bot I do mene of thame allenarlie
That callit ar the fleschlie gospellaris ;
Quha in thair words apperis rycht godlie,
Bot yit thair warks the plain contrair declaris.

Bot, thoch of papists, and protestans, sum
Hes bayth gane wrang, and Godis law transgrest;
Keip us, gud Lord, that never mair we cum
To sic errour; bot grace to do the best.
That with all men thi trew fayth be consest;
That christane folk may leif in unetie;
(Vertu set up, and all vycis supprest,)
That all the warld, gud Lord, may honour thie.