Christs Kirk on the Green,
Composed (as is supposed) by King James V. Newly Corrected,
according to the Original Copy.
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WAS never in Scotland heard nor seen
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such Dancing nor Deray,
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Neither on Faulkland on the Green,
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nor Peebles at the play;
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As was of Wooers as I ween,
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at Christs Kirk on a day:
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For there came Kittie washen clean,
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with her new Gown of Gray,
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Full gay that day.
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To Dance these Damosels them dight,
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these Lasses light of laits,
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Their Gloves were of the Raffall right,
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their shoes were of the Straits,
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Their Kirtles were of Lincoln light,
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well drest with many plaits,
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They were so nice when Men them neigh'd,
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they squiel'd like any Gaits.
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Full loud that day
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Of all these Maidens mild as meed,
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was none so gimp as Gillie;
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As any Rose her rude was red,
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her Lure was like the Lillie,
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But yellow, yellow was her Head,
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and she of Love so silly,
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Though all her Kin had sworn her dead,
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she would have none but Willie
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Alone that day.
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She scorned at Jack, and scripp'd at him,
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and murgeon'd him with mocks;
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He would have lov'd her, she would not let him,
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for all his yellow locks;
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He cherisht her, she bad go chat him,
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she counted him not two cloaks,
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So shamefully his short Jack set him,
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his Legs were like two Rocks,
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Or Rungs that day.
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Tom Lutter was their Minstrell meet,
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good Lord, how he could lance,
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He play'd so shrill, and sang so sweet,
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while Tousie took a Trance:
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Old Lightfoot there he could forlet,
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and counterfitted France:
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He held him like a Man discreet,
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and up the Morice dance
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He took that day.
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Then Stephen came stepping in with stends,
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no Rink might him arrest,
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Splayfoot did bob with many bends,
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for Masie he made Request.
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He lap while he lay on his lends,
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and rising was so preast,
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While he did boast at both the ends,
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for honour of the Feast,
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And danc'd that day.
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Then Robin Roy began to Revel,
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and Tousie to him drugged:
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Let be quoth Jack, and call'd him Jevel,
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and by the Tail him Rugged:
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Then Kensie Clicked to a Kevel,
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God wots as they two lugged,
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They parted there upon a Nevel,
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Men say their hair was rugged
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Between them twa.
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With that a Friend of his cry'd Fy,
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and forth an Arrow drew,
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He forged it so forcefully,
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the Bow in flenders flew,
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Such was the Grace of GOD, trow I,
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for had the Tree been true,
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Men said, who knew his Archery,
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that he had slain anew,
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Belyve that day.
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A Yap Young Man that stood him niest,
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soon bent his Bow in ire,
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And Etled the Brain in at the Breast,
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the Bolt flew o're the Bire,
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And cry'd Fy, he had slain a Priest,
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a mile beyond the mire:
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Both Bow and Bag from him he kiest
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and fled as fast as Fire
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From Flint that day.
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An hafty Kins-man called Hary,
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that was an Archer keen,
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Tyed up a Tackle without tarry,
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I trow the Man was tane:
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I wote not whether his hand did vary,
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or his Foe was his Friend,
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But he escaped by the Mights of Mary,
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as one that nothing mean'd,
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But good that day.
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Then Lawrie like a Lyon lap,
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and soon a slain can fedder,
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He height to pierce him at the pape,
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thereon to wed a Wedder:
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He hit him on the wamb a wap,
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It bust like any bladder,
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He 'scaped so, such was his hap,
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his dowblet was of leather.
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full fine that day.
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The buss so boisterously abaist him,
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that he to the Earth cusht down,
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The other Man for dead he left him,
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and fled out of the Town;
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The Wives came forth, and up they rest him
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and found life in the Lown,
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Then with three routs there they rais'd him,
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and Cur'd him out of sound,
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Free hand that day.
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The Miller was a Manly Make,
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to meet with him it was no moves.
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There durst not ten some there him take,
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so cowed he their powes:
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The bushment whole about him brake,
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and bickered him with bows,
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Then traiterously behind his back;
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they hoch'd him on the howes;
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Behind that day
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Then Hutchen with a Hazel Rice,
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to red gan through them rummil,
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He muddl'd them like any M[i]ce,
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he was no betty bummil:
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Though he was wight he was not wise,
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with such Jutters to jummil,
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For from his thumb there flew a slice
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while he cry'd barlafummil,
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I'm slain this day.
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When that he saw his blood was red,
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to flee might no Man let him:
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He trou'd it had been for old feed,
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he thought and bad have at him.
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He made his feet defend his head,
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the far fairer it set him,
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While he was past out of their plead,
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They must be swift that gat him
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Through speed that day,
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Two that were Headsmen of the Herd,
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they rusht on other like Rams,
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The other four which were Unrear'd,
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beat on with barrow Trams,
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And where their Gobs were Ungear'd,
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they got upon the Gams,
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While that all bloody was their beards,
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as they had worried Lambs,
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Most like that day.
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They girn'd and glowred all at anes,
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each Gossip other grieved;
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Some striked stings, some gathered stanes,
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some fled, and some relieved,
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Their Minstrels used quiet means,
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that day he wisely prieved,
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For he came hame with unbruis'd banes,
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where Fighters were mischieved,
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Full ill that day.
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With Forks and Flails they lent them flaps,
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and flew together like Frigs,
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with bougers of Barns they pierc'd blew cap,
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and of their Bairns made Brigs,
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The Rare rose rudly with their Raps,
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then Rungs were laid on Rigs:
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The Wives came forth with cryes and claps,
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see where my Liking ligs
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Full low that day.
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The black Soutter of Braith was bowden,
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his Wife hung at his Waist,
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His body was in black all browden,
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he girn'd like any Ghaist,
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Her glittering Hair that was so bowden,
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her Love fast from him laist,
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That for his sake she was Unyawden,
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while he a mile was chaste,
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And mair that day.
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When they had beir'd like baited Bulls,
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the Bone Fires burnt like bails,
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Then they grew as meek as Mules,
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that wearied were with Mails,
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For these forsoughten tyred Fools
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fell down like slaughtered Frails,
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Fresh Men came in and hail'd the Dools,
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and dang them down in dails,
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Bedeen that day.
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The Wives then gave a hideous yell,
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when all these Yonkiers yoked,
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As fierce as flags of Fire flaughts fell,
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fricks to the field they flocked.
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Then Carles with Clubs did other Quel
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on breast while blood out boaked;
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So rudely Rang the Common Bell,
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that all the Steeple rocked,
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For dread that day.
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By this Tom Tailor was in his Gear,
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when he heard the Common Bell,
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He said he should make all on stear,
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when he came there himsel,
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He went to fight with such a fear,
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while to the Ground he fell,
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A Wife that hit him on the Ear
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with a great knocking Mell,
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Feld him that day.
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The Bridegroom brought a Pint of Ale,
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and bad the Piper drink it,
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Drink it, quoth he, and it so stail,
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ashrew me if I think it,
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The Bride her Maidens stood her by,
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and said it was not blinked,
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And Bartagesie the Bride so gay,
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upon him fast she winked,
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Full soon that day.
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When all was done, Dick with an Ax
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came forth to fall a Fother,
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Quoth he, where are you, whoorson smaiks,
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right now that hurt my Brother?
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His Wife bade him, go home, Gib-glaiks,
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and so did Meg his Mother,
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He turn'd and gave them both their Paiks,
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for he durst ding no other,
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But them that day
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