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

202
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
LAING MS.]
That toung, nor tyme, nocht trewlie can expres;
Bot being drewin throw dolour to distres,
Pane doithe me preis this paper to present,
In my absence, my langour to lament.
For as the seik in dainger oft is sene, 10
lang tyme he hoipis for help of medecein,
his sair to cuir, and dollo«r to remeid ■,
Sua haif I fund aganis my predestene,
The lang dissimulance of my cairis kene,
To my grit greife and sorrow to succeid ; 15
Q^/fomhrow at lenthe, taisting the stoundis of deid,
Forceit I am ^owr mercie to Imploir,
To be my leiche, or dolloar me dewoir.
Oft in deserte I wander myne alone,
From day to nicht in mynd makand my mone, 20
Calling to count J>e caussis of my cair.
Sum tyme guid hoip ^o^r luiff trowis to obtane,
Sum tyme dispair byddis me lat it alane:
3o«r hie estait to myne is na compair.
Suw tyme I think, qu/iahfoir sould I dispair, 25
Sen luiffe is blind, & fleis but Iudgeme«t ?
Quhaix luiffe doith licht sould nane be miscontent.
F. 82 i. Sua esperance my fyrie flameis doith feid,
Prowoiking will in purpois to pwceid,
Dryweand of tyme in rampart of the laife ; 30
And I agre, thocht I sould suffer deid,
Tyme to prowyde, quhill tyme prowyde remeid,
For tyme of tymeis to luiffaris is1 releife;
Quhi\k tyme, I dout nocht, gewe je haid to preife,
And my trew pairt and Fayt/ffull constantnes, 35
Bot sumtyme je wald pitie my distres.
1 MS. ar.