J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular rhymes of Scotland

92 POPULAR RHYMES OF SCOTLAND.
Campbell has g-iven a translation, in his edition of Mcintosh'' s
Gaelic Proverbs : —
Slioclid nan righribh duchaisach
Bha sliios an Dun staiphnis
Aig an robh crun na h' Alb' o thus
'S aig a bheil duchas fathasd ris.
The royal hereditary family,
Who lived dowTi at Dunstaffnage,
To whom at first the cro-nTi of Albin belonged,
And who have still a hereditary claim to it.
BARCLAY OF MATHERS'S TESTAMENT.
This may be the most appropriate place to introduce a
fragment of ancient wisdom, which tradition ascribes to
one of the family of Barclay of Mathers, who flourished
early in the sixteenth century.* The rhymes, which seem
to have some claim upon a place in this collection, though
they do not strictly fall under any of the heads into which
it has been divided, are usually called by the above title,
being" designed by the composer as an advice to his son
and heir : —
If thou desire thy house lang stand.
And thy successors brook thy land.
Above all things, love God in fear,
Intromit not mth wTangous gear ;
Nor conquesst naething ^vi-angously ;
"With thy neighbour keep charity :
See that thou pass not thy estate ;
Duly obey the magistrate ;
Oppress not, but support the puir ;
To help the commonweal take cure.
Use nae deceit — mell not with treason,
And to all men do right and reason.
Both mito word and deed be true.
All kind of wickedness eschew.
Slay nae man, nor thereto consent : J
Be not cruel, but patient.
Ally aye in some guid place,
"With noble, honest, godly race.
* This was the family which, a hundred years later, produced the celebrated
author of the ' Apology for the Quakers.'
f Acquire, specially applicable to land.
+ An ad\'ice highly characteristic of the age of the author.