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

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
227
[laing ms.
I am abaysed how I dar be sa bauld,
Befoir thy godlie presens till appeir; 1 o
Or hajaret anis the heavinis for to behauld,
Quha am nocht wourdie that ]?e earth suld beir.
jit damne me nocht, quhome thow hes boc/fct so deir;
Sed saluum me fac, dulcis fili dei,
For out of luke J>is leasing now I leir, 15
Peccaui, pater, miserere mei.
Gif thow, o lord, wz't/z rigour wald reuenge,
quhat flesche befoir pe fades suld be fund ?
Or quho is he quhais conscience culd him clenge,
Bot by his brother is to sathan bund?1 20
3it, of thy grace, thow tuke away )>at ground,
And send thy sone our penulties to pay,
To saif ws from ]>e hideous, hellische hund :
Peccaui, pater, miserere mei.
F. 80 6. I houpe for mercie, thocht my sinnis be hudge : 25
I grant my guilt, and gronis to J>e for grace.
Thocht I wald flie, cpihair suld I find refuge ?
Till heavin? o lord, ]?air is thy duelling place :
The earth, thy futestule, jea, in hels palace,2
doun wzt/fc }>e deid; bot all most }>e obey. 30
Thairfoir I cry, (\uhi\\ I haif tyme and space,
Peccaui, pater, miserere mei.
0 gracious god, my guiltines forgeve,
In sinneris deith sen thow dois nozv^t delyte,
Bot rather ]?at }mi suld convert and leive 35
as witnes for thy sacret holy wryte.
1 pray the, thnnne, thy promeis to perfyte
Wzth me, and I sail wzth ]>e psalmes3 say,
To pen thy prais, and wondrous workis Indyte,
Peccaui, pater, miserere mei. 40
1 ‘ Bot by his birth to Satan he is bund ? ’—Drummond MS.
2 ‘ alace,’Drummond MS. 3 ‘ Psalmist,’ Drummond MS.