Bothwell BANKS IS BONNY: OR, A Description of the New Mylne of Bothwell.  
To the Tune of, Who can blame my woe.  

I Waking by the crystal streams  
of Clyd, at all good leisure:  
〈…〉 e Month which keeps the name  
〈…〉 at brave second Cesar.  
Th●●●●h bonny blooming Bothwel banks,  
〈…〉 (to paint truth on Paper)  
M●●●●…ose with all his martial ranks,  
victoriously did vapour.   

And passing b● a pat. did lead  
by A●di●s Br 〈…〉 ●ost feitly.  
A 〈◊〉 which mov●d me to take heed,  
did sing and say most sweetly.  
Since Ceres with her golden arts,  
hath now begun t● haunt thee:  
We shall consent, with joyful hearts,  
we cannot live and want thee.   

Which voice itself could no soon bound,  
though solemnly it sounds it:  
Till at the very just rebound,  
the vocal Nymph resounds it.  
Which as upon Apollo's harp,  
doth strike upon the waters.  
And friddouns there both flat and sharp,  
then musing on such matters.   

I went straightway to Meggats stone,  
and there without cessation  
I found of 〈◊〉 these things eachone,  
To 〈…〉 d demonstration:  
〈…〉 〈…〉 hius 〈…〉 his daughter fair  
〈…〉 〈…〉 pe did 〈…〉  
In a ●●●course with me just there,  
of Clyds delights the centre:   

And said they were to go about  
to clear the sum for certain,  
Of ●uture things was to fall out,  
till now, which seemed uncertain.  
Then to 〈◊〉 conform to what's before,  
they had a ●ong contrived,  
The Nymphs that Bothwel Banks decore,  
to prompt the same subscribed.   

Unto the pleasant Birds in Banks,  
as Organs fit to vent it;  
With cheerful notes than gave they thanks,  
in token they assented.  
The subject a prime edifice  
of stately stamp and model:  
Was never seen such rare device,  
within the Banks of Bothwel.   

This house they straightway consecrate  
to Ceres her devotion,  
To hold here choicest Courts thereat,  
against all contrare motion,  
To which the Dame gave her parole,  
and said this sentence smyland,  
This shall be my chief capital,  
within all Britain's island.   

And there anon within a space,  
s●a she had once possessed it;  
Great pontifex unto that place,  
the noble Cors invested  
A Knave f● Vicar, to allot,  
she was 〈…〉 g a-granting.  
For ●●ew M●lls want a jot  
of 〈…〉 never wanting.   

This suffragan must wear one form,  
still after his installing:  
A Cap and Cassick both conform,  
and proper to his Calling.  
His Orbs, his spheres, his Font, his Fire,  
still art by arte advancing:  
All run, turn, burn at his desire,  
his Sirp clothes white and glancing.   

Nest Robin they create off hand,  
their herald with commission,  
Who fairly took it off their hand,  
and that with low submission.  
Then Robin with his Crimson breast,  
on tops of Trees doth venture,  
For to proclaim a Christmas Feast  
to all the Birds in Winter.   

For largesse, says he, of that lot  
wherewith Dame Ceres serv●d us,  
That we have found an Antidote  
against our foes that starved us:  
For when these Tyrants, scant and cold,  
makes us to chirp and chitle,  
we'll find some Cordials at this Hold  
more prized by us then Pearl.   

This service done, the Birds resort  
to Robin, and can thank him:  
And singing to his praise a port,  
among the best they rank him.  
Yet for all that, the fowls of rief  
has Robin smally thanked,  
For why, no kind of Flesh or Beef  
was to be at that Banquet.   

For lacking that all kind of Grain  
by them is much abhorred:  
And so they count his song in vain,  
but Robin cared not for it.  
Yet woe to hear poor Progne flyte,  
with Tunes not very pleasant:  
He knew, the cause was of her spite  
that she could not be present.   

To suage fair Progne's wrath, just now  
when fruits are ripe in season:  
To make an In-fare they all vow,  
as best becomes, and reason.  
The which they hold with merry jest,  
and all to show their breeding.  
The Lark was minstrel to the Feast  
all time they were afeeding.  
Bacchus and Ceres both, no doubt  
were there but for surprises:  
To John Cors gave strait warrants out,  
just at the next assizes,  
Hunger to hang, that cutthroat loon,  
unworthy their tuition:  
And drought without delay to drown,  
by legal execution.   

Then each Bird descant some new spring,  
each other still outstripping:  
In dance, the Partridge led the ring,  
that never tires of tripping.  
The Merle, for more Ale he cries,  
Says preaed, Brew-thick, who'll vent it:  
When ostlers hears of that brave guise,  
we hope they shall resent it.   

This Feast to crown, the Cock so shrill,  
as Trumpeter elected:  
He blew a blast, which to the Mill  
made head, as he directed.  
With which there's few can be compared  
for double Grist, or Gradȝean:  
Her Clap, with ease, may well be heard  
through East and West Moormadzean.   

Much folk foretell, that of her good  
they will be much the better:  
Both Fowl in Wood, and Fish in Flood,  
Confess to be her debtor.  
To her all Bothwell Nymphs cry out,  
our blessing still do haunt thee:  
So long as thou may turn about,  
we cannot live and want thee.   

Then who can think this edifice  
were not worth our description:  
Not wanting a rare frontispiece,  
Fixed with a fair inscription.  
So surely situate on a Rock,  
that no deluge can daunt her:  
Still casting up a stately Dock  
against the braes of Blantyre.   

The double streams comes her upon,  
at first which runs compactly:  
Divided by a native stone,  
which cuts the same exactly.  
Such branching sure is not in vain,  
which (if I prove leill guesser)  
Serves both for him that flowers the Grain,  
and for the fine Cloth dresser.   

All this cries up the Crafts-man still,  
and that in all discourses:  
Who, both in fireworks has fine skill,  
and als in watercourses.  
There's none beholds his plots, needs strive  
in any thing to check him:  
Timantus, though he were alive  
would scorn for to correct him.   

Who's gifted with (as the case stands)  
to many's apprehension,  
For quick dispatch, Briareus hands,  
and for his rare invention:  
A Daedalus may well be called,  
who, which did cause great mournings  
At Athens; built in Crete that Hold,  
with many doubtsome turnings.   

As he knows how (no doubt) with ease  
like Daedalus, to manage  
His soaring flight, safe o'er the seas,  
of skaith, or any damnage:  
For his landlord, we play, like things  
that envies heat eschewing:  
May safely, with well soddered wings,  
all perils pass of ruin.   

In sixteen hundreth fifty eight,  
of our most blessed Redeemer:  
The foresaid Month, the Muses taught  
this song; let no misdeemer  
Sinisterly construct our mind,  
since that our prime intention  
To sport and peace are still inclined,  
abhorring all dissent on.   
FINIS.