CHRIST'S KIRK ON THE GREEN, Composed (as is supposed) by King JAMES the fifth.  

WAS never in Scotland heard nor seen  
sick dancing nor deray,  
Neither at Faulkland on the green,  
nor Pebbles at the play,  
As was (of wooers as I ween)  
at Christ's Kirk on a day:  
For there came Kittie washen clean,  
in her new gown of grey  
so gay that day.   

To dance these Damosels them dight,  
these Lasses light of laits:  
Their gloves were of the Raffall right,  
their shoes were of the straits:  
Their kirtles were of Lincoln light,  
well pressed with many plaits,  
They were so nice when men them neight,  
they squieled like any gaits,  
full loud that day.   

Of all these maidens mild as meed,  
was nane so gimp as Gillie:  
As any rose her rude was red,  
her lyre was like the Lily;  
But yellow, yellow was her head,  
and she of love so silly,  
Though all her kin had sworn her dead,  
she would have nane but Willie,  
alane that day.   

She scorned Jock, and skripped at him  
and murgeoned him with mocks:  
He would have loved her, she would not let him,  
for all his yellow locks;  
He cherished her, she bade go chat him,  
she counted him not twa clocks:  
So shamefully his short Jack set him,  
his legs were like twa rocks,  
or rungs that day.   

Tom Luter was their Minstrel meet,  
good Lord, how he could launce?  
He played so shrill, and sang so sweet,  
while Towsie took a trance.  
Ald Lightfoot there he could forleet,  
and counterfitted France.  
He held him like a man discreet,  
and up the Morris dance  
he took that day.   

Then Stein came stepping in with stends,  
na rink might him arrest,  
Splay-foot did bab with many bends,  
for Masie he made request.  
He lap while he lay on his lends,  
and rising sa was pressed  
While he did host at baith the ends  
for honour of the feast,  
and dance that day.   

Then Robin Roy began to revel,  
and Towsie to him drugged:  
Let be (quoth Jock) and called him Jevel,  
and by the tail him tugged.  
Then Kensie cleiked to a kevell,  
God wots if they twa lugged:  
They parted there upon a nevell,  
men say, that hair was rugged  
between them twa.   

With that a friend of his cried Fie,  
and forth an arrow drew,  
He forged it so forcefully,  
the bow in flinders flew.  
Such was the grace of God, trow I,  
for had the tree been true,  
Men said, wha knew his archery,  
that he had slain anew  
belyve that day.   

A yape young man, that stood him niest,  
soon bend his bow in ire,  
And etled the bairn in at the breast;  
the bolt flew o'er the byre,  
And cried, Fie, he had slain a Priest  
a mile beyond the mire:  
Baith bow and bag from him he kiest,  
and fled as fast as fire  
fra flint that day.   

A hasty kinsman, called Harry,  
that was an archer keen,  
Tied up a tackell without-en tarry,  
I trow the man was tien.  
I wot not whether his hand did vary  
or his fae was his friend,  
But he escaped by the mights of Mary,  
as ane that nothing meant  
but good that day.   

Then Lawrie like a Lion lap,  
and sune a flain can fedder:  
He height to pierce him at the pap,  
thereon to wad a wedder:  
He hit him on the waim a wap,  
it buff like any bladder,  
He scaped so, sick was his hap,  
his doublet was of leather  
full fine that day.   

The buff so boisterously abaist him  
that he to th'eird dusht down,  
The other man for dead then left him,  
and fled out of the town.  
The wives came forth, and up they rest him,  
and found life in the lown,  
Then with three routs there they raised him,  
and cured him out of swoon  
fra hand that day.   

The Miller was of a manly make,  
to meet with him it was no mows,  
There durst na ten some there him take,  
sa cowed he their powes.  
The ambushment hail about him broke,  
and bickered him with bows;  
Then traitorously behind his back  
they hacked him on the howes  
behind that day.   

Then Hutchen, with a hazel rice,  
to red 'gan through them rummill,  
He muddled them down like any mice,  
he was na betty bummil:  
Though he was wight, he was not wise  
with sick suitors to jummil,  
For fra his thumb there flew a slice,  
while he cried Barla fummil,  
I'm slain this day.   

When that he saw his blood was red,  
to fly might na man let him:  
He trowed it had been for ald feed,  
he thought, and bade have at him:  
He made his feet defend his head,  
the far fairer it set him:  
While he was passed out of their plead,  
they must be swift that got him  
through speed that day.   

Twa that were heads-men of the herd  
they rushed on other like rams:  
The other four which were unfeared  
beat on with barrow trams.  
And where their gobs were ungeared,  
they got upon the gams,  
While that all blood burn was their beard  
as they had worried lambs  
mayst like that day.   

They girned and glowred all at anes,  
ilk Gossip other grieved.  
Some striked stings, some gathered stanes,  
some fled, and some relieved.  
Their Minstrel used quiet means,  
that day he wisely prieved:  
For he came hame with unbirsed banes,  
where fighters were mischieved  
full ill that day.   

With forks and flails than let they flappes,  
and flew together with frigs:  
With bougers of barns they pierced blue caps,  
while of their bairns they made brigs.  
The rear raise rudely with their raps,  
than tongues were laid on rigs:  
The wives came forth with cries and claps,  
see where my liking ligs  
full law this day.   

The black Sutar of Braith was bowden,  
his wife hung by his waist:  
His body was in bleck all browden,  
he girned like a ghaist.  
Her glittering hair that was so gowden  
her love fast for him layst,  
That for her sake he was unyouden,  
while he a mile was chaste,  
and more that day.   

When they had blered like baited bulls,  
the bane-fires burnt like bails,  
They grew as meek as any Mules,  
that wearied are with mails:  
For that for fought tired fules  
fell down like slaughtered flails,  
Fresh men came in and hailed their dules,  
and dang them down in dails  
bedeen that day.   

The wives than gave a hideous yell,  
when all thaes yeounkiers yocked,  
As fierce as flags of fireflaughts fell  
frieks to the field they flocked:  
Then Karles with clubs did other quell  
on breast while blood out-bocked:  
So rudely rang the common Bell,  
that all the Steeple rocked  
for dread that day.   

By this Tom Tailyour was in his gear  
when he heard the common Bell,  
He said he should make them all on star  
when he came their himself:  
He ged to feght with such a fear,  
while to the ground he fell,  
A wife that hit him on the ear,  
with a great knocking mell,  
field him that day.   

The Bridegroom brought a pint of ail  
and bade the Pyper drink it:  
Drink it (said he) and it so staile,  
a shrew me if I think it.  
The Bride her Maidens stood near by,  
and said it was not blinked;  
And Bartagasie the Bride so gay  
upon him fast she winked  
full sune that day.   

When all was done Dick with an axe  
come forth to fell a father,  
Quoth he, where are yond whoreson smaiks  
right now that hurt my brother?  
His wife bade him, ga haime, Gib glaiks,  
and sa did Meg his mother:  
He turned and gave them baith their paiks,  
for he durst ding na other  
but them that day.   
THE END.   

Printed for Richard Royston by command. 1663.