Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Poems of Alexander Montgomerie

THE CHERRIE AND THE SLAE.
114
wreittoun] 85.
“ Thou leaves them not thy selfe alone,
But to their griefe when thou art gone
Gars Courage quite1 them als.”
Quoth Hope, “I would ye understood,
I grip fast if the ground be good,
And fleets 2 where it is false.
There should no fault with mee be found,
Nor I accusde at all.
Wyte such as should have sound 3 the ground
Before the Anchor fall.
Their leede ay, at neede ay,
Might warne them, if they would ;
If they there would stay there,
Or have good anchor-hold.
86.
“ If yee read right, it was not I,
But onely Ignorance, whereby
Their Carvels all were cloven.
I am not for a trumper tane.”
“ All,” quoth Experience, “ is ane;
I have my processe proven,
To wit, that we were cald, each one,
To come before wee came ;
That now obiection ye have none,
Your selfe may say the same.
Ye are now, too 4 farre now,
Come forward, for to flee;
Perceive then, ye have then
The worst end of the tree.”
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1 E. quhat.
2 E. fleet.
s E. plumd.
4 E. owre.