Classic Poem

1

This waverand warldis wretchidnes,
The failyeand and frutles bissines,
The mispent tyme, the seruice vane,
For to considder is ane pane.

2

The slydand ioy, the glaidnes schort,
The feynyeid luif, the fals confort,
The sweit abayd, the slichtfull trane,
For to considder is ane pane.

3

The sugvrit mouthis with myndis thairfra,
The figurit speiche with faceis tua,
The plesand toungis with hartis vnplane,
For to considder is ane pane.

4

The labour lost and liell seruice,
The lang availl on humill wyse,
And the lytill rewarde agane,
For to considder is ane pane.

5

Nocht I say all be this cuntre,
France, Ingland, Ireland, Almanie,
Bot als be Italie and Spane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

6

The change of warld fro weill to wo,
The honorable vse, is all ago,
In hall and bour, in burgh and plane,
For to considder is ane pane.

7

Beleif dois liep, traist dois nocht tarie,
Office dois flit and courtis dois wary,
Purpos dois change as wynd or rane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

8

Gud rewle is banist our the Bordour,
And rangat ringis but ony ordour,
With reird of rebaldis and of swane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

9

The pepill so wickit ar of feiris,
The frutles erde all witnes beiris,
The ayr infectit and prophane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

10

The temporale stait to gryp and gather,
The sone disheris wald the father,
And as ane dyuour wald him demane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

11

Kirkmen so halie ar and gude
That on thair conscience, rowme and rude,
May turne aucht oxin and ane wane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

12

I knaw nocht how the kirk is gydit,
Bot beneficis ar nocht leill devydit.
Sum men hes sewin and I nocht ane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

13

And sum vnwourthy to browk ane stall
Wald clym to be ane cardinall.
Ane bischoprik may nocht him gane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

14

Vnwourthy I, amang the laif,
Ane kirk dois craif and nane can haue.
Sum with ane thraif playis passage plane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

15

It cumis be king, it cumis be quene,
Bot ay sic space is ws betwene,
That nane can schut it with ane flane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

16

It micht haue cuming in schortar quhyll
Fra Calyecot and the New Fund Yle,
The partis of transmeridiane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

17

It micht be this, had it bein kynd,
Cuming out of the desertis of Ynde,
Our all the grit se occeane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

18

It micht haue cuming out of all ayrtis:
Fra Paris and the orient partis,
And fra the ylis of Aphrycane,
Quhilk to consydder is ane pane.

19

It is so lang in cuming me till,
I dreid that it be quyt gane will,
Or bakwart it is turnit agane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

20

Vpon the heid of it is hecht
Bayth vnicornis and crownis of wecht.
Quhen it dois cum, all men dois frane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

21

I wait it is for me provydit,
Bot sa done tyrsum it is to byd it,
It breikis my hairt and birstis my brane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

22

Greit abbais grayth I nill to gather
Bot ane kirk, scant coverit with hadder,
For I of lytill wald be fane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

23

And for my curis in sindrie place,
With help, schir, of your nobill grace,
My sillie saule sall never be slane,
Na for sic syn to suffer pane.

24

Experience dois me so inspyr,
Off this fals failyeand warld I tyre,
That euermore flytis lyk ane phane,
Quhilk to considder is ane pane.

25

The formest hoip yit that I haue
In all this warld, sa God me saue,
Is in your grace, bayth crop and grayne,
Quhilk is ane lessing of my pane.