Quhen ane of thame sustenis wrang,
We

cry for justice heid and hang: Bot, quhen our neighbours we our-gang,

We lawbour justice to delay. Affectioun blindis us sa lang,

All equitie is put away.

To mak actis we have sum feil ;
God wait gif that we keip thame weil !
We cum to bar with jak of steil,

As we wald boíst the juge and 'fray,
Of sic justice I have na skeil;

Quhair rewle, and order, is away.

Our laws ar lichtleit, for abusioun
Sumtyme is clokit with colusioun.
Quhilk causis, of blude grit effusioun,

For na man sparis now to slay.
Quhat bringis cuntries to confusioun,

Bot quhair that justice is away?

Quha is to wyte, quha can schaw us? Quha, bot our nobils, that suld knaw uis, And till honourabil deidis draw us?

Lat never comoun weil decay; Or els sum mischief will befaw us,

And nobilnes we put away.

Put our awn law's to execution;
Upon trespasses mak punitioun:
To crewel folk seik na remission.
For
реас

and justice lat us pray;
In dreid sum strange new institutioun

Cum, and our custome put away.

Amend your lyvis, ane, and all;
Els bewar of ane suddane fall.
And pray to God, that maid us all,

To send us joy that lestis ay;
And lat us nocht to sin be thrall;

Bot put all vyce, and wrang, away.

SATIRE ON THE TOUN LADYES.

Sum wyfis of the burroustoun
Sa wondir vane ar, and wantoun,

In warld thay wait not quhat to weir:
On claythis thay wair monye a croun;

And all for newfangilnes of geir.
Thair bodyes bravelie thay attyir,
Of carnal lust to cik the fyir.

I fairlie quhy thai have no feir
To gar men deime quhat thay desyre;

And all for newfangilnes of geir.
Thair gouns (fou] coistlie trimlie traillis;
Barrit with velvous, sleif, nek, taillis.

And thair foirskirt of silkis seir :
Of fynest camroche thair fuk saillis;

And all for newfangilnes of geir. And of fyne silk thair furrit cloikis, With hingeand sleivis, lyk geill poikis.

Na preiching will gar thame foirbeir
To weir all thing that sinne provoikis ;

And all for newfangilnes of geir.
Thair wylecots man weill be hewit,
Broudrit richt braid, with pasments sewit.

I trow, quha wald the matter speir,
That thair gudmen had caus to rew it,

That evir thair wyfes wair sic geira

Thair worin hois of silk ar schawin,
Burrit abone with tasteis drawin:

With gartens of ane new maneir;
To

gar thair courtlines be knawin; And all for newfangilnes of geir.

Sumtyme thay will beir

up
thair

gown, To chaw thair wylecot hingeand down;

And sumtyme bayth thay will upbeir, To schaw thair hois of blak or broun;

And all for newfangilnes of geir.

Thair collars, carcats, and hals beidis !-
With velvet hats heich on thair heidis,

Coirdit with gold lyik ane younkeir,
Broudit about with goldin threidis;

And all for newfangilnes of geir.

Thair schone of velvot, and thair muillis ! In kirk thai ar not content of stuillis,

The sermon quhen thay sit to heir; Bot caryis cuschings lyik vaine fuillis :

And all for newfangilnes of geir.

I mein of nane thair honour dreidis,
Quhy sould thay not have honest weidis,

To thair estait doand effeir ?
I mein of thame thair stait exceidis;

And all for newfangilnes of geir.

For sumtyme wyfes sa grave hes bein,
Lyk giglets cled wald not be sein.-

Of burges' wyfes thoch I speik heir,
Think weil of all wemen I mein

On vanities that waistis geir.

Thay say wyfis ar so delicat
In feiding, feisting, and bankat,

Sum not content ar with sic eheir
As weill may suffice thair estait,

For newfangilnes of cheir, and geir.

And sum will spend mair, I heir say,
In spyice and droggis, on ane day,

Nor wald thair mothers in ane yeir. Quhilk will gar monye pak decay,

Quhen thay sa vainlie waist thair geir.

Thairfoir, young wyfis speciallie,
Of all sic faultis hald yow frie:

And moderatly to leif now leir
In meit, and clayth accordinglie;

And not sa vainlie waist your geir.

Use not to skift athort the gait;
Nor na mum chairtis, air nor lait.

Be na dainser, for this daingeir
Of Yow be tane an ill consait

That ye ar habill to waist geir.

Hant

ay

in honest cumpanie; And all suspicious places flie.

Lat never harlot cum yow neir; That wald yow leid to leicherie,

In houp to get thairfoir sum geir.

My counsell I give generallie
To all wemen, quhat ever thay be;

This lessoun for to quin per queir;
Syne keip it weill continuallie,

Better nor onye warldlie geir.

Leif, burges men, or all be loist,
On your wyfis to mak sic cost,
Quhilk may gar

all
your

bairnis bleir.
Scho that may not want wyne and roist,

Is abill for to waist sum geir.

Betwene thame, and nobils of blude,
Na difference bot ane velvous huid !

Thair camroche curcheis ar als deir ;
Thair uther claythis ar als guid;

And thai als costlie in uther geir.

Bot, wald grit ladyis tak gud heid
To thair honour, and find remeid;

Thai suld thole na sic wyfis to weir,
Lyk lordis wyfis, lady's weid,
As dames of honour in thair geir.

ye

I speik for na despyt trewlie,
(Myself am not of faultis frie,)

Bot that sould not perseveir
Into sic folische vanitie,

For na newfangilnes of geir.
Of burges' wyfis thoch I speik plaine,
Sum landwart ladyis ar als vain,

As be thair clething may appeir;
Werand gayer, nor thame may gain;

On ouir vaine claythis waistand geir.

The foregoing two very curious Poems, are the work of Sir Richard Maitland, who was born in 1496, was educated at St. Andrews, went to France to study law, and on his return became a favourite of James V. Before his sixty-fifth year, it appears he had lost his sight. He was not. withstanding made a Senator of the College of Justice, by the title of Lord Lethington, 12th November, 1561, and on the 20th of December, 1562, one of the council, and Lord Privy Seal; which office he held till 1567, when he resigned it in favour of his second son John. He continued a Lord of Session till 1584, when he resigned, and died, March 20th, 1586.

He appears to have been a man of great amiability of disposition. The following yery pleasant portrait of the venerable bard, was drawn by him. self when he had attained his eightieth year.