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EBBA 31452

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
An Excellent New Song upon the House and Gardens
of DRUMLENRIG.

UPon the pleasant Water of Nith there pleasantly doth stand
A royal Palace beautiful as is in all the Land:
For Situation rare and fair and lovely to the Eye,
With Woods and [B]oures and pleasant Groves around it all doth ly.
Before this royal Palace there a pleasant Court is seen,
A pleasant gravel Walk about a famous oval Green.
Upon the Palace Front doth stand the Coat of Arms most fair,
With flying Horses Heart and Crown just mounting in the Air:
And just above the Coat of Arms its there the Cloke doth stand,
That every one may know the Hour by looking to the Hand:
Also upon this royal Front there Adam and Eve doth ly,
With them a Guard of Angels great who wait continually;
And down below there Satan stands a Serpent in his Hand,
Still tempting Eve the Fruit to pull and answer his Command.
And there upon the Pavement stands two Gloudeators rare,
With Sword and Targe most curiously acoutred for the War;
And there the War goes boldly on betwixt these Men most strong,
But when this War will have an End there is none can tell how long.
But in the middle of this Place a Pavement Court doth ly,
With Marbles rare cut out in Square most lovely to the Eye:
And all around this royal Court the Carvings are most bright,
With Gold and Glass that there doth shine turns Darkness into Light.
And now unto the Top Ill climb and walk a little there,
And take a View of every Thing that lovely is and fair:
Ill put my Prospect to my Eye and first Ill take a View,
And then the Beauties of this Place Ill plainly to you shew.
And here it is youll plainly see most pleasant to the Eye,
How all around the Bartison the Cannon they doth ly.
And here it is on the east Hand that pleasant Nith youll see,
On the west Hand with Woods and Boures where Birds sing pleasantly,
And on the north Part of this Place there is the Mountains high,
And on the south Part of the House the Gardens they doth ly.
But yet before I do come down Ill take another View,
And if any Beauties I espy Ill tell them all to you:
And when I turned myself about some Rarity to see,
Then Beauties rare from every where did dazle in mine Eye.
And on this royal Palace there is sixteen Towrs most high,
And all upon the Bartison the great lead Barrs doth ly.
But of the outside of the House I think Ill say no mare,
For Art and Nature joind in one none can with it compare:
And now Ill go within this Place, O who will go with me
To see the Beauties rare and fair and hear the Melody?
For there the Musick-Bells doth play most pleasant for to hear,
Their Wisdom, Nature, Art and all doth in its Prime appear.
And from this Musick I will go unto the Gallery,
Where Beauties rare from every where did dazle in mine Eye:
And all around this Gallery there Majesties doth stand,
With Kings and Queens and crowned Heads the People who command;
Yea all the Nobles of our Land most pleasant to behold,
Doth stand around this Gallery in Robes of purest Gold:
And there his royal Grace doth stand with him her Grace also,
A nobel Court attending them on their Command to go:
Yea all within this Palace rare with Silks and Velvets fine.
With Gold embroidered and wrought that makes the Place to shine.
And still within this Palace rare the Waters you may see,
That still doth play most pleasantly and lovely to the Eye;
That from the Fountain still doth run all Seasons of the Year,
Though from afar by Pipes are brought unto your Hand most near,
Yea hear the French Court it doth stand as you may plainly see,
With Kings and Emperors who appear in Robes of Majesty.

And still the Beauties of this Place they are so rare and fair,
That Time would fail me them to tell therefore Ill say no mair,
And now Ill take a Walk without anon to take the Air,
And view the pleasant Gardens now that lies both fine and fair:
And there it is youll plainly see all Beauties at a Glance,
The seeing of which unto the Blind would make them all to dance.
Just as I went the Door without there stands a Dyal rare,
And still two Men upholding it upon a pleasant Stair:
And down below the Vollry is where pleasantly youll see
The charming Birds most pleasantly doth sing their Melody:
And just before this Stair there stands two great Pavilions high,
Two heathen gods with out-spread Wings just ready are to fly.
And all around this pleasant Place there is a Taris high,
With Flour-pots many set in Store the Wall to beautify.
And down below this Taris Wall there is two pleasant Boures,
Which shades you from the scorching Sun and from tempestuous Showrs.
And here another Taris is with Grass and Gravel rare;
And down below this Taris grows both Fruits and Flowrs most fair,
Upon the Right-hand of this Place the east Garden doth ly,
Where nothing there is to be heard but charming Melody.
For there the Harper he doth stand assoon as he doth hear,
Hell tune his Harp and play a Spring the Price hell neer spire.
And here it is Diana doth with her Gray-hound make sport,
And Neptune great the god of Seas the Rivers who resort.
And on the Left-hand of this Place the west Garden doth stand,
Where Herelds great is to be seen the Woods who do command.
And there it is the Mar-maid stands with three Men at her Call,
And Phoebus rare and Venus fair the Beauty of them all.
And just above this pleasant Place the bouling Green doth ly,
Where Nobles fine appear in State for bouling curiously.
And there it is the Ladies doth appear in Robes of Gold,
Also with them the Damsels young the Sport for to behold.
And just beside this bouling Green there stands a pleasant Grove,
Where Nymphs resort and Maidens fair for to rehearse their Love.
And on the Left-hand of this Place the Wilderness doth ly,
With Walks and Groves and pleasant Greens where Birds sing pleasantly.
In middle of this Wilderness there stands a Bason rare,
And one at every Corner set, few can with them compare,
And here the Water-works doth play most pleasant for to see,
With every Thing that pleasant is and lovely to the Eye.
And down below this Wilderness theres the Partare most rare,
Where Boras great the Water draws and plays it in the Air.
And down below this pleasant Place all Kinds of Flowrs appear,
In Summer and in Winter both all Seasons of the Year.
Yea here it is youll plainly see all Beauties in Array,
With the Caskcade most pleasantly who do the Waters play.
And down below this fine Caskade there is the Kinnale most rare,
With Carpts and Tinch and other Fish both small and great are there
Yea all about this royal Place nothing but Wonders are,
The Fame of which hath filld the Land, brings many from afar
To see the Beauties of this Place and Gardens that doth ly,
With every Thing that pleasant is and lovely to the Eye.
Now by this Time youll wonder much where such a Place can be,
In fair Scotland and Nithisdale there this Palace rare youll see.
Here is a Health to Charles our Duke of princely Majesty,
And whoever wants to know who made these Lines most rare,
Robert Simson is my Name I am Gardner there.


FINIS.

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