Christs Kirk on the Green.
Composed (as is supposed) by King James V. Newly Corrected according to the Origi-
nal Copy.
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WAs never in Scotland heard nor seen
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such dancing and deray;
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Neither at 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 Raffal 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 Lire 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 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 clocks:
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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 Minstrel meet,
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good Lord, how he could lance:
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He play'd so shril, and sang so sweet
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while Tousie took a Trance,
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Old Lightfoot there he could foreleet
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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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Splay-foot 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 hoast 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 Taill 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 knaw 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 neist,
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soon bent his Bow in ire.
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And etled the Bairn in at the Breast:
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the Bolt flew ov'r the Bire:
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And cry'd fy, he hath slain a Priest
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a Mile beyond the Mire:
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Both Bow and Bag from him he keist
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and fled as fast as Fire
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From Flint that day
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An hasty 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 teen:
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I wot not whether his hand did vary
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or his Foe was his Friend:
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But he espayt 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 could 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 Doublet was of Leather,
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Full fine that day.
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The buff so boisteriously abaist him.
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that he to th' Earth dusht 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 reft 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 sown.
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Frae hand that day
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The Miller was of a manly make.
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to meet with him it was no mowes:
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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 down like any Mice,
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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 jutors 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 bade 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 untear'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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The Minstrel 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 thay lent them flaps,
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and flew together like frigs:
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With bougers of Barns they pierc'd blew caps
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and of their bairns made Brig:
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The rare rose rudely with their raps,
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then Rungs were laid on Rigs:
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The Wives came forth with crys and claps,
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see where my likeing ligs,
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Full low this day.
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The black Souter of Braith was bowden,
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his Wife hang at his Waist:
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His Body was in black all browden;
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he girned like a Ghaist,
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Her glittering hair 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 chast,
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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 those forfoughten 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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The Carles with Clubs did others 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 nearby,
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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 fell a Fother,
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Quoth he, where are you whorson smaiks;
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right now that hurt my Brother.
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His Wife bade him, go hame, 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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