Classic Poem

The grit blythnes, and joy inestimabil,
For to set furth the Scottis ar nocht abil;
Nor for to mak condigne solemnitie,
For the gude news, and tythings comfortabil,
Of the contract of maryage honorabil,
Betwix the Quene's maist nobil majestie,
And the gritist young prince in christentie,
And alsua to us the maist prositabil,
Of France the Dolphin, first son of King Henrie.

All lustie wowars, and hardie chevaleris,
Go dress your hors, your harnes, and your geiris,
To rin at lists, to just, and to turnay;
That it may run onto your ladeis ciris
Quha in the field maist valiantlie him beris.
And ye, sair ladeis! put on your best array.
Requeist young men to ryd in your lev'ray,
That, for your saik, thai may breik twentie speiris
For luf of you, young lustie ladeis gay.

All burrowstownis, everilk man yow prayis
To maik bainfyris, fairseis, and clerk-playis
And, throw your rewis, carrels dans, and sing:
And at your croce gar wyn rin sindrie wayis:
As wes the custome in our eldars' dayis,
Quhen that thai maid triumphe for ony thing.
And all your stairs with tapestrie gar hing.
Castels, schut gunnis, schippis, and galayis;
Blaw up your trumpats, and on your drums ding.

Preistis, and clerkis, and men of [that professioun,]
With devote mynd gang to processioun,
And in your queiris sing with melodie.
To the grit God mak intercessioun
To send our Princess gud successioun
With her young Spous, to our utilitie;
That eftir hir may governe this cuntrie;
And us defend from all oppressioun;
And it conserve in law and libertie.

Ye lordis all, and barouns of renowne,
And all the staitis of this natioun,
Mak grit triumphe; mak banket, and gud chere;
And everilk man put on his nuptial gowne.
Lat it be sein into the burrowstowne
That in your coffers hes lyn this mony yeir.
Sen that your Quene hes chosin hir ane feir,
Ane potent Prince for to mantein your crown,
And enterteinye yow in peax and weir.

Lat all the world, be your proceding, see
That thair is fayth, and treuthe in your cuntrie;
Luif, lawtie, law, and a gud conscience;
Concord, concurrand in peax and unitie;
Obedience to the authoritie;
Foirsicht, provisioun, and experience;
Honour, manheid, justice, and prudence;
Quhilk, gif ye have, ye sall estemit be,
And be ilk man haulden in reverence.

O michtie Prince, and Spous to our Maistres!
Resave this realme in luis and hartlines:
Set furth our laws, mantein our libertie.
Do equal justice bayth to mair and les:
Reward vertew; and punisch wickitnes:
Mak us to leif in gude tranquillitie.
Defend our commouns: treit our nobilitie.
And be thy mein our commounweil incres,
That we tak plessour to mak politye.

Scottis and French, now leif in unitie,
As ye war brether borne in ane cuntrie,
Without all maner of suspicioun.
Ilkane to uther keip trew fraternitie,
Defendand uther bayth be land and see.
And gif that ony man of evil conditioun,
Betwix yow twa would mak seditioun,
Scottis, or French, quhat man that ever he be,
With all rigour put him to the punitioun.

O nobil Princes, and Moder to our Quein!
With all thy hairt to God lift up thy ein,
And gif him thanks for grace he hes thé send;
That he hes maid thé instrument, and mein,
With maryage to coupill in ane chein
Thir tua realmis, ather to defend.
Think weil warit the tyme thow hes done spend;
And the travale that thow hes done sustein;
Sen it is brocht now to sa gude ane end.