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

Notices of Bishop Carswell. xxv
By Bishop Carswell.
On the day in which I am merry, happy,
Thou my son of bluest eye ;
One word about the good of the soul
Is of more bitter taste than the fresh cut aid
John, who Iivest in this town above,
It is sad that thou understandest not death ;
Seest thou not the man of pride below,
With the green grass growing through him.
Though thou esteemest thy herd of swine,
Thy fold of cows, spotted, speckled ;
So much as an apple, however little,
Shall not go with thee to the narrow grave.
Miserable man, wilt thou not fear,
Seest thou death hastening towards thee ?
Thou art just as if on the brink of the grave,
Even although thou shouldst live longest of ;
When the pillow is taken away from thee,
And thine eyes have been closed ;
They shall place thee stretched upon wood,
And not upon a bed of down.
They shall put thee in a narrow chest,
One fold of linen around thy body ;
The roof of thy house close to thy nostril,
A narrow dwelling place it is.
Three yards of linen from the market
Shall go round thy body, little is its value ;
And thy friends and companions shall be
Cutting it at the soles of thy feet.
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