Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, COMPLAINT OF THE COMMON WEILL OF SCOTLAND, by DAVID LYNDSAY


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COMPLAINT OF THE COMMON WEILL OF SCOTLAND, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: And thus as we were talking to and fro
Last Line: To rule thy realm in unity and peace.
Alternate Author Name(s): Lindsay, David; Lyndsay, Sir David Of The Moiunt
Subject(s): Scotland


AND thus as we were talking to and fro
We saw a busteous berne come owre the bent,
But horse, on fute, as fast as he micht go,
Whose raiment was all raggit, riven and rent,
With visage lean, as he had fastit Lent:
And forwart fast his wayis he did advance,
With ane richt malancolious countenance.

With scrip on hip, and pykestaff in his hand,
As he had purposit to pass fra hame.
Quod I: "Gude man, I wald fain understand,
Gif that ye plesit, to wit what were your name?"
Quod he: "My son, of that I think great shame;
Bot sen thou wald of my name have ane feill,
Forsooth, they call me John the Common weill".

"Schir Common weill, who has you so disguisit?"
Quod I: "or what makis you so miserabill?
I have marvel to see you so supprysit,
The whilk that I have seen so honorabill.
To all the warld ye have been profitable,
And weill honorit in everilk natioun:
How happenis, now, your tribulatioun?"

"Allace!" quod he, "thou sees how it does stand
With me, and how I am disherisit
Of all my grace, and mon pass of Scotland,
And go, afore whare I was cherisit.
Remain I here, I am bot perisit;
For there is few to me that takis tent,
That garris me go so raggit, riven and rent.

"My tender friendis are all put to flycht;
For Policy is fled again to France.
My sister, Justice, almost hath tint her sicht,
That she can nocht hold evenly the balance.
Plain wrang is plain capitane of Ordinance,
The whilk debarris Lawtie and Reason,
And small remeid is found for open treason.

"Into the South, allace, I was near slain:
Owre all the land I culd find no relief;
Almost betwixt the Merse and Lochmabane
I culd nocht knaw ane leill man be ane thief.
To schaw their reif, thift, murder, and mischief,
And vicious werkis, it wald infect the air:
And als langsum to me for to declare.

"Into the Highland I culd find no remeid,
Bot suddenly I was put to exile.
Tha sweir swyngeoris they took of me none heed,
Nor amangs them let me remain ane while.
Als, in the out Ilis and in Argyle,
Unthrift, sweirness, falset, poverty and strife
Put Policy in danger of her life.

"In the Lawland I come to seek refuge,
And purposit there to mak my residence;
Bot singular profit gart me soon disluge,
And did me great injuries and offence,
And said to me: 'Swith, harlot, hie thee hence:
And in this country see thou tak no curis,
Sa lang as my auctoritie enduris.

"'Therefore, adieu, I may no langer tarry.'"
"Fare weill", quod I, and with Sanct John to borrow.
Bot wit ye weill my heart was wonder sarye,
When Common weill so sopit was in sorrow.
Yit after the nicht comis the glad morrow;
"Wharefore, I pray you, shaw me in certain,
When that ye purpose for to come again."

"That questioun, it sall be soon decidit",
Quod he: "thare sall na Scot have comforting
Of me, till that I see the country guidit
By wisdom of ane gude, auld prudent king,
Whilk sall delight him maist abune all thing,
To put justice till executioun,
And on strang traitouris mak punitioun.

"Als yet to thee I say ane other thing:
I see richt weill that proverb is full true.
Woe to the realm that has owre young a king."
With that he turnit his back and said "adieu".
Over firth and fell richt fast fra me he flew,
Whose departing to me was displesand.
With that, Remembrance took me by the hand.

And soon, me thocht, she brocht me to the roche,
And to the cove where I began to sleep.
With that ane ship did speedily approach,
Full plesandlie sailing upon the deep;
And syne did slack her sailis, and gan to creep
Towart the land, anent where that I lay:
Bot, wit you weill, I gat ane felloun fray.

All her cannounis she let crack off at onis:
Down shook the streameris from the top-castell;
They sparit nocht the poulder nor the stonis;
They shot their boltis and doun their anchoris fell;
The marineris they did so youte and yell,
That hastily I stert out of my dream,
Half in ane fray, and speedily past hame.

And lichtly dinit, with lyste and appetite,
Syne efter, past intil ane oritore,
And took my pen, and than began to write
All the visioun that I have shawin before.
Sir, of my dream as now thou gettis no more,
Bot I beseik God for to send thee grace
To rule thy realm in unity and peace.





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