Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, 1490-1555 > Volume 1, 1938

THE COMPLAYNT OF SCHIR DAUID LINDESAY.
And mollet moylie on ane Mule,
[G 56] Thocht thay had neuer sene the scule,
3it, at this day, als weill as than,
Wyll be maid sic ane spirituall man.
Prencis that sic prelatis promofis
Accompt thareof to geue behuffis,
Quhilk sail nocht pas but puneischement,
Without thay mend and sore repent.
And, with dew ministratioun,
Wyrk efter thare vocatioun.
I wys that thyng quhilk wyll nocht be,
Thir peruerst Prelatis ar so hie.
Frome tyme that thay bene callit lordis,
Thay ar occasioun of discordis.
And lairglie wyll propynis hecht,
To gar ilk lord with vther fecht,
Geue for thare part it may auaill.
Swa, to the purpose of my taill.
That tyme, in court, rais gret debait,
And euerilk lord did stryue for stait,
That all the realme mycht mak no reddyng,
Quhill on ilk syde thare was blude scheddyng,
And feildit vther, in land and burgh,
Att Lyithgow, Melros, and Edinburgh.
Bot, to deplore I thynk gret paine
Off nobyll men that thare was slane,
And, als, langsum to be reportit
Off thame quhilk to the court resortit ;
As tyrrannis, tratouris, and transgressouris,
And commoun publict plaine oppressouris,
[G 6a] Men murdresaris, and commoun theiffis,
In to that court gat, all, releiffis
Thair was few lordis, in all thir landis,
Bot tyll new regentis maid thare bandis.
Than rais ane reik, or euer I wyste,
The quhilk gart all thare bandis bryste.
Than thay allone quhilk had the gyding,
Thay culde nocht kelp thare feit frome slyding,