CHRISTS KIRK ON THE GREEN,
Composed (as is suppose[d)] by King JAMES the fifth.
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WAS never in Scotland heard nor seen
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sik dancing nor 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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in her new gown of gray
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so 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 prest with many plaits,
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They were so nice when men them neight,
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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 nane so gimp as Gillie:
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As any rose her rude was red,
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her lyre 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 nane but Willie,
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alane that day.
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She scorned Jock, and skripped 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 bade go chat him:
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she counted him not twa clocks,
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So shamefully his short Jack set him,
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his legs were like twa rocks,
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or rungs that day.
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Tom Luter 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 Towsie took a trance.
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Ald Light-foot there he could forleet,
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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 Stein came stepping in with stends,
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na rink might him arrest,
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Splay-foot did bab 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 sa was preast
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While he did host at baith the ends
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for honour of the feast,
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and dance that day.
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Then Robin Roy began to revell,
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and Towsie to him drugged:
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Let be (quoth Jock) and call'd him Je[?]
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and by the tail him tugged.
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Then Kensie cleiked to a kevell,
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God wots if they twa lugged:
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They parted there upon a nevell,
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men say, that hair was rugged
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between them twa.
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With that a friend of his cry'd Fie,
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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 flinders 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, wha knew his archery,
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that he had slain anew
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belyve that day.
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A yape young man, that stood him niest,
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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 byre,
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And cry'd, Fy, he had slain a Priest
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a myle beyond the myre:
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Baith bow and bag from him he kiest,
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and fled as fast as fire
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fra flint that day.
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A hastie kins-man, called Hary,
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that was an archer keen,
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Tyed up a tackell without-en tary,
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I trow the man was tien.
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I wot not whether his hand did vary
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or his fae was his friend,
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But he escaped by the mights of Mary,
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as ane that nothing mean'd
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but gude that day.
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Then Lawrie like a Lyon lap,
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and sune a slain can fedder:
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He height to pierce him at the pap,
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thereon to was a wedder:
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He hit him on the waim a wap,
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it bufft like any bladder,
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He scaped so, sik 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 boysterously abaist him
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that he to th'eird dusht down,
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The other man for dead then 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 cured him out of swoun
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fra 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 na ten some there him take,
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sa cowed he their powes.
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The Bushment hail about him brake,
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and bickered him with bowes;
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Then traiterously behind his back
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they hacked 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 rummill,
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He muddled them down like any mice,
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he was na bettie bummil:
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Though he was wight, he was not wise
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with sik Sutors to jummil,
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For fra his thumb there flew a slyce,
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while he cry'd Barla fummil,
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I'm slain this day.
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When that he saw his bloud was red,
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to flie might na man let him:
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He trow'd it had been for ald 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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Twa that were heads-men of the herd
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they rusht on other like rams:
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The other four which were unfear'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 gat upon the gams,
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While that all bloud burn was their berd
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as they had worried lambs
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maist like that day.
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They girn'd and glowred all at anes,
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ilk Gossip other grieved.
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Some striked stings, some gathred stanes,
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some fled, and some relieved.
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Their Minstrell used quiet means,
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that day he wisely prieved:
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For he came hame with unbirs'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 then let they flaps,
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and flew together with frigs:
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With bougers of barns they pierc't blew caps,
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while of their bairns they made brigs.
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The reer raise rudely with their raps,
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then tungs 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 law this day.
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The black Sutar of Braith was bowden,
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his wife hung by his waist:
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His body was in bleck all browden,
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he girned like a ghaist.
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Her glittering hair that was so gowden
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her love fast for him laist,
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That for her sake he was unyouden,
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while he a mile was chast,
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and more that day.
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When they had bler'd like baited buls,
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the bane-fires burnt like bails,
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They grew as meek as any Mules,
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that wearied are with mails:
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For thae for foughten tyred fules
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fell down like slaughtered flails,
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Fresh men came in and hail'd their dules,
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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 thae yeounkiers yocked,
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As fierce as flags of fireflaughts fell
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frieks to the field they flocked:
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Then Karles with clubs did other quell
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on breast while blood out-bocked:
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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 Tailyour was in his gear
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when he heard the common Bell,
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He said he should make them all on stear
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when he came their himsell:
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He ged to feght 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 Bride-groom brought a pint of aile
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and bade the Pyper drink it.
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Drink it (said he) and it so staile,
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a shrew me if I think it,
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The Bride her Maidens stood near by,
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and said it was not blinked;
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And Bartagasie the Bride so gay
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upon him fast she winked
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full sune that day.
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When all was done Dick with an ax
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come forth to fell a fother,
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Quoth he, where are yon whoorson smaiks
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right now that hurt my brother?
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His wife bade him, ga haime, Gib glaiks,
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and sa did Meg his mother:
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He turn'd and gave them baith their paiks,
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for he durst ding na other
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but them that day.
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