LONG LENT, 1685.
Or a Vindication of the Feasts,
Against those three great Horned Beasts,
John Forbes, Master Duncan Lidel,
With his Son George to tune their fidle.
To the Tune of Robin-hood and the Tanner.
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LEnt fourty Work dayes ever was,
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With just six Sundayes more;
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But three Horn'd Beasts at Aberdeen
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Intends to make three score.
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For now they want but only fix,
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As clearly may appear;
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And if they continue with their old tricks,
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They shall want none nixt year.
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But for to know when Pasch should be,
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Their Errors to discover,
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It still should the first Sunday fall,
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After the Jews Pass'over.
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Which falls this year April the seventh,
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As Jews do reckon all
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The fourteen day of Nisan Month
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It every year must fall.
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The Month of Nisan doth begin
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As best imform'd I am,
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The first change of the Moon each year
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That fall [?]o the Ram.
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On March the twenty fourth this year
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The change doth fall at night;
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Then after that count fourteen dayes,
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April the seventh comes right.
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Then Sunday nixt for Pasch ye'l find
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April the twelfth will be
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Good Friday's still near the full Moon
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All Authors doth agree;
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Which made Dionisius to say,
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The World's at an end:
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Or else the God of nature must
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Suffer; this is well kend.
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Because the darkness that was then
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Did fall near the full Moon,
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Then certainly the Moon he knew,
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Could not Eclips the Sun:
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But all their Feasts are wrong this year,
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Save Argol, which is strange
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For all their Almanacks makes Pasch
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But four dayes from the Change.
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Edinburgh's true Almanack is right
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As all the World may see;
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But those set out at Aberdeen
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Still worse and worse they be,
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For since that Pasch doth Rule the rest,
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As Wing and others show,
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Then six weeks & five dayes count back
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For Fastens even to know.
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Then count just seven Weeks after Pasch
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For to find Whitsunday,
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And ye shall find it fall this year
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On the last day of May:
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But this they do not understand,
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It is for them too deep,
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Although the Ram do bear de Bell
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Amongst a flock of Sheep.
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They do pretend to much learning
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In Latin and in Greek,
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And yet they neither can well writ,
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Nor yet good Latin speak,
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For prima Cornu they do say,
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It is not Latin good,
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Whereas the sense do clearly show
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That stelas understood.
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If Master Duncan understood
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The Gramer Rules aright,
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The Rule Eclipsis he would mind
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And that would set him right;
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And yet of Learning he will boast,
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And unlearn'd others call;
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But he that braggeth most thereof
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Hath oftimes leas[t] of all.
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Now ye that doth intend this year
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To keep your Fairs aright,
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That doth depend upon these Feasts,
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Cause benish from your sight
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These Almanacks of Aberdeen
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With others of that kind,
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Or else your Fairs will err a Week,
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Which ye too true will find.
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For if these who at Fairs do use
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Come but a Week to late,
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And find these Fairs is past and gone
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They will look wonderous blait.
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Since Rabin in Aberdeen deceast
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It is near fourty years,
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And ever since their Almanacks
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Hath still been Jock the liers;
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Yet they'l rely on Aberdeen,
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Because it had the Name:
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But when they see it errs so much
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Thereof they will think shame,
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And say the City Edinburgh is
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The Metropolitan,
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Wherein all Arts is truly taught
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That's for the use of Man.
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If any Man will this deny
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Let him take this Debate,
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And Mr. Duncan now defend,
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Or else he'l come too late.
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For now he stands upon the Stage,
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The day is almost lost;
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Although in London he did teach,
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Which causeth him to boast.
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But such a Master he hath been,
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As Lilly to us show;
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Whom he did first in London meet,
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The like he near did know.
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They alwayes carp at all the Works
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Which other men hath done,
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If they them want; like AEshops Dog,
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They'l bark even at the Moon.
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