Broadside ballad entitled 'The Knights of the Horn Order's Address to the Fruit Maids of Edinburgh'

Transcription

The Knights of the Horn,

Orders Address to the

Fruit Maids of

Edinburgh.

This Nations Sins are many fold,
And Scotland has no name,
Since Honours cast in a new Mould,
And Chastities a Stain.
How Men and Woomen did behave,
I'le tell you Sir's the manner,
When Wallace and the Bruce did live,
And l was a Dame of Honour.

The Country to all men was Dear,
who pities our Condition,
No Rogue his Conscience durst Gain Swear,
No Lady's Kiss'd at Random,                     
The Horn Order were not made.
Each one keept in his manner,
And no Equivolents were pay'd,
When I was a Dame of Honour.

From Bannockburn our Hero's came,
Could not sit with a Flewit,
But as a Broad just so at Home.
When first they Durst stand to it,
These Champions did never Fight,
As Cowards do now in Armour,
Plain Dealing was the Scots Delight.
When I was a Dame of Honour.

Cockhold was then a Scurvie Name,
Good Lord who could Abide it,
No Man durst play an others Game;
But did take pains to Hide it
The Cannongate knew no Cabals,
Of Knights of the Horn Order,
And Lights were never put out at Balls;
When I was a Dame of Honour,

The Fruit Maids Casting up their Limes.
Were things unknown to use,
We Ladays then thought shame, to Sins
It Cost some pains unto us,
We wore no Ribbans on our Thys.
No smoake Leafs on our Shoulders,
We keeped close by our first Tyes,
When I was Dame of Honour.

Our Gallants needed no Supplyes,
But such as was their pleasure
They did think Contra Radacie,
Could ad no strength to Leasure,
Cockholds no Brandie Possits got;
At least in Solemn manner.
What was done, man knew it not,
When I was a Dame of Honour.

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