Series 3 > Papers from the collection of Sir William Fraser

246
SIR WILLIAM FRASER’S PAPERS
Debauchd by them they thought did teach & Reull them
And now they find, did ruin & befooll them
Our meining still wes honest but allace
Wee neuer dreamd of what since cum’d to Passe
T’was Neuer our intent to violate
The setled orders of the Church and State
To throw down rullers from their Lawfull Seat
Mirrely to make Ambitious small things great
Or to subwert the Lawes, bot we thought then
The Lawes wer good, if managed by good men
And so we doe think still, and fynd it trw
Old Lawes doe moir good, and lesse harm then new
And t’was the plague of Countries and of Cityes
When that great bellied house did spawn Comityes
We fought not for Religion, for t’is known
Poore men haue litle, and some great ones non
The few that Loue it, trwly doe weill know
Non can tak’t from us whither we will or no
Nor did we fight for lawes nor haue we neid
For if we had bot gold enough to feid
Our taking Lawers, we had Lawes enough
Without addressing to ye sword or Ruffe
Or yet for Liberties, for these things
Haue cost us moire in Keipers, nor in Kings.
Nor yet for Peace, for iff we hade done so
The soldiers had beat us long ago.
Yet we did fight and we did sie for what
To shufle mens Estats ; these owners, that
Befor these warres, could call estates yr owne
Ar beaten out by others that had non,
Both Law and Gospell ourthrown togither
By those who ner beleiud in, nor lou’d either
Our truth our trade, our Peace our wealth our freedome
And our full Parliaments that did get and breid them
Ar all devor’d & by a monster fell
Whom non bot yow could satisfy or quell
You ’r great, you ’r gude, you ’r valiant, you ’r wise
Yow haue Briarias’ hands and Argo’s eyes.
Yow are the English Champion, you ’r the trew