Scottish Text Society publications > New series > Kingis quair; together with A ballad of good counsel

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THE KINGIS QUAIR.
With billis In thaire handis, of one assent
Vnto the luge thaire playntis to present.
83 And there-wz't^-all apperit vnto me
A voce, and said, “ tak hede, man, and behold
fonder1 thou seis the hiest stage and gree
Off agit folk, with hedis hore and olde;
3 one were the folke that neuer change wold
In lufe, bot trewly seruit him alway,
In euery age, vnto thaire ending-day.
84 For fro the tyme that thai coud vnderstand
The exercise, of lufis craft the cure,
Was non on lyve that toke so moch on hand
For lufis sake, nor langer did endure
In lufis semice ; for man, I the assure,
Quhen thay of ijouth ressauit had the fill,
3 it In thaire age tham lakkit no gude will.
85 Here bene also of suich as In counsailis
And all thar dedis, were to venae trewe;
Here bene the princis, faucht the grete batailis,
In mynd of quhom ar maid the bukz'r newe,
Here ben the poetA that the sciencA knewe,
Throwout the warld, of lufe in thain? suete layes,
Suich as Guide and Omen? in thaire dayes.
86 And eftzr thame down In the next[e] stage,
There as thou seis the jongje] folkA pleye:
Lo ! thise were thay that, in thaire myddill age,
Seruandis were to lufe in mony weye,
And diuersely happianit for to deye;
Sum soroufully, for wanting of thare makA,
And sum in armes for thaire ladyes sakA.
1 MS. fonder there ; but there is not wanted.