Quhen ane of thaime susteinis wrang We cry for justice, heid and hang; Bot when our neichbouris we our-gang[1101] We laubour justice to delay: Affectioune blindis us sa lang, All equitie is put away.
To mak actis we haive sum feill[1102]; God watt gif that we keip tham weill! We cum to bar with jak of steill[1103] As we wald bost the judge and fray[1104]. Of sic justice I have na skeill[1105], Quhair reull and ordour is away.
Our lawis ar lichtleit for abusioune[1106]; Sumtyme is clokit with collusioune; Quhilk causis of bluid the great effusioune, For na man spairis now to slay. Quhat bringis cuntreis to confusioune, Bot quhair that justice is away?
Quha is the wyte[1107], quha can schew us? Quha bot our nobillis, that sould know us, And till honorabill deidis draw us! Let never comouneweill decay, Or els sum mischief will befaw us, And nobillnes we put away.
Put our awin lawis to executioune; Upon transgressouris mak punitioune; To cruell folk seik na remissioune; For peace and justice let us pray, In dreid sum strange new institutioune Cum, and our custome put away.
Amend your lyfis, ane and all, And be war of ane suddan fall, And pray to God, that maid us all, To send us joy that lesteis ay; And let us nocht to sin be thrall, Bot put all vyce and wrang away.
[1083] The hospitality of the religious houses was from time to time greatly abused by the nobles. Upon one occasion an Earl of Douglas compelled the Abbot of Aberbrothock to entertain him and a thousand of his followers for a considerable time.
[1084] The performance of these mediæval masquerades, containing traces of the ancient miracle-plays and allusions to the exploits of the Knights Templar, is still a favourite pastime in rural districts on Hallowe’en.
[1085] Churchmen made no scruple of appearing armed, like lay barons, on the battlefield. Thus two bishops and two abbots fell among the Scottish nobles at Flodden.
[1097] For our prodigality some blame plays.
[1103] This was a common abuse of the time. The Earl of Bothwell, when called to answer for the murder of Darnley, appeared in Edinburgh with a following of five thousand men.
[1104] overbear and intimidate the judge.
Sum wyfis of the burrows-toun Sa wondir[1108] vane ar, and wantoun, In warld thay watt[1109] not quhat to weir. On claythis thay wair[1110] mony a croun; And all for newfangilnes[1111] of geir.