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EBBA 30365

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
Kingis Complaint

WIth havie hart on Snadoun hill,
Ane young King I hard schout and schill
With reuthfull rair he did record:
Prayand as I haif writ this bill
Judge and Revenge my cause O Lord.

He sayis this causles I not craif,
Hor he is now gone to his graif
My commoun weill that maist decorde,
Na merwell albeit my hart claif
For sorrow of his deith O Lord.

Hard is my chance all tyme and houris
And harder to my Governouris,
The hardest (bot wo am I forde)
To him hes felt of deith the schouris,
And only for thy cause O Lord.

Quhen I was not yit ane yeir auld,
Bothwell that bludy Bouchour bauld,
My Father cruelly devorde,
He him betrayit and his blude sauld,
Judge and Revenge my cause O Lord.

Than Father slaine, Mother was schent
My Gudschir flemit Incontinent,
My self to poysoun it was schorde,
Me to betray was summis Intent
Judge and Revenge my cause O Lord.

Than up thow rasit to reule my Ring,
In to my tender yeiris ying,
My Faithfull freind that maid him forde,
James Regent my Uncle ding,
Judge and Revenge my cause O Lord

He was my Buckler and my beild,
He was my Targe, my speir and scheild,
My stait maist hie for to restorde:
He futtit ever mair the feild,
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

For me he left Kyn, Freind and wyfe,
For me he sufferit daylie stryfe,
For me he was haill Indevorde,
For me now he hes loist his lyfe,
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

For me that Nobill of Renoun,
With ane Tyke Tratour Hammiltoun,
Was schot, and throw the body borde,
For the mantening of my Crowne
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

Peloure thow peirst him, gaif ye peace,
Tratoure to him that gaif the grace,
Behind his bak thy Gunne him gorde:
Quhome thow nor nane of thyn[e dur]st face,
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

Lord sen my gratious gyde is gone,
And I am left as Byrd allone,
This thing maist eirnistly I Implorde:
That Instantly thow steir up one
For to Revenge his cause O Lord.

Sen for my saik now he is slane,
Lord for thy grace grant me agane,
That deith my lyfe never devorde,
Quhill that fals tressonabill trane
Be with my hand Revengd O Lord.

O Scotland thy Josias trew,
That first Idolatrie overthrew
He was, and Christs trew Kirk restorde,
Throw him in my Realme grace ay grew,
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

He Abrahamis Faith but feir profest,
He Davidis mercy manifest
With Salomonis wit he was decorde,
Sampsonis strenth to him accrest
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

Theif and Rever he did dant,
Justice and vertew he did plant,
Quhair thair was mys he gart remorde,
My Faithfull servand and thy Sanct,
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.

As his Renoun is all overblawin,
And now his deith plainly furthschawin,
Sa sall all blyithnes be abhorde
Quhill his Revenge be alswa knawin,
Throw thy help and support O Lord.

All ye my trew Nobilitie,
That favourit him, and servit me,
Lat not his duilfull deith be smorde,
Bot it Revenge maist cruellie
For it is the will of the Lord.

And quha his deith dois sair regaird,
And it to puneis will not spaird
I wow to the in quhome he glorde,
That sall not mys ane riche rewaird
For to Revenge his cause O Lord.

Now sall appeir in wark and nature,
Quha is the trew man, quha is the trature
Quha fittis the feild, quha cuiris not forde,
The trew liege be the Rubiature
In this cause sal be kend O Lord.

And think that thay that did this deid,
With lyke effect dois seik my heid,
For to be beatin downe and smorde
All Faithfull hartis quyte thair meid,
And thow Revenge my cause O Lord.

For surely thair will and Intent,
That seikis of me the Government,
Be fraudfull factiounis, I stand forde,
Wald me forfault in Parliament,
Gif thow withstude thame not O Lord.

My Coronatioun thay deny,
And dois maist spytefully defy
All thame that faithfully restorde,
Me to my Crowne and Seignorie
Thy michtie hand requyte thame Lord.

Last Lord now him of me hes cure,
And in quhais handis I think me sure,
Thy puissant power I Implorde,
That he with me lang dayis Indure
For to Revenge his cause O Lord.

With this the Babe he gifis ane rair,
Quhilk maid my hart to sich sa sair,
That farther I culd not recorde,
Bot with him sall cry ever mair,
Judge and Revenge his cause O Lord.


FINIS.

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