Blair Collection > Book of Common Order, commonly called John Knox's Liturgy

Notices of Bishop Carswell. xxiii
executed with an accuracy and propriety altogether
remarkable for the time. The language is the ancient
dialect employed by literary men, in both Scotland and
Ireland, which some writers designate Irish, but which
was equally cultivated by the Scottish Celt. The book
is the first existing specimen of the Gaelic language
printed in either Scotland or Ireland.
Carswell had considerable poetical gifts. In this
volume there are some lines apparently composed by
himself, and in addition to this, there is a hymn, given
in a collection of Hymns, by D. Kennedy, Kilmelfort,
published in 1786, and republished in 1836, which is
attributed to him. This composition is usually called
Carswell's advice to his son. As the work in which
it appears is scarce, the hymn is here reproduced, as
affording an opportunity of comparing the language of
the same author in 1567, and as it appears in 17S6.
LAOIDH.
Leis an Easpuic Carsuel (in MS.)
La do bhitheamsa gu mear, uaibhreach
A Mhacaidh ud is guinne suil ;
Aon fhocal air leas an anama,
Gur seirbhe bhlas no'm fearrn ur.
Eoin a bhaile so shuas,
Gur truagh nach tuigeadh tu am bus :
Nach faic thu fear na h-uaille shios,
'Us am feur uaine trid roi' fas.
Ge mòr leat do ghiùdhrain Mhuc,
'S do bhuaile bhuar bhallach breac :
Uibhir an ubhail gc beag,
Cha teid do'n uaigh chumhainn leat.