Bothwell Lines.  

1  
O Woe be unto Prelacy,  
That ever it did stand,  
And woe be to your new made Laws,  
but and your cursed Bands.   

2  
And woe be to you Prelates all  
if you do not repent,  
For ye have banished Christ away  
and broken his Covenant   

3  
You Prelates ay when that you look  
you do mistake the Figure,  
You think it service good enough  
to press the Poor with Rigour.   

4  
Our whorish Council apostates  
hath made a foul Defection,  
For they have shed the righteous Blood  
since Prelates their Election.   

5  
Our Teachers they have banished,  
from City and from Town,  
And raised up a perjured pack  
to trade the Gospel down.   

6  
When they appear at the latter day  
their Tales will have no bearing,  
I hope its be their hinder end,  
their Covenants Menswearing.   

7  
When we drew up into the West  
against those Insurrections,  
At Pentlandhills there we did fight,  
to Witness against Defections.   

8  
They buried Christ at Pentlandhills,  
that day at Rullein green,  
But yet the Lord will rise again,  
and reign in Zion King.   

9  
For there a King in Zion was,  
when Man that there was none,  
And there shall be a King in it,  
when this King shall be gone.   

10  
When this was done they did us turn  
back into Edinourgh Town,  
Our cursed Council did command  
to put the Prisoners down.   

11  
Both Heads and Hands they did stick up  
in every public Town,  
The reason was we would not yield  
to every Bishop Lown.   

12  
But evermore the Martyers' Blood  
the Church's seed doth prove,  
But and the Church found on a Rock  
nothing shall her remove,   

13  
For in that time the seed was sown  
that ever since hath grown,  
That all the powers of Prelacy  
shall never get overthrown.   

14  
Our whorish Council did devise,  
an other evil Design,  
An hellish band they did contrive,  
which was a devilish thing.   

15  
And for to bring this thing about,  
some Lords out of the North,  
Came with a drift of Amorites,  
out o'er the Water of Forth.   

16  
And for this End they did draw up,  
their whole mischievous Troops,  
And brought them in be Lenrick Town,  
to search the Land throughout.   

17  
And killed all that they did find,  
the Gospel that did preach;  
And made a final End of all,  
that would not serve the Beast.   

18  
And then they came to such a Height,  
to persecut the Band,  
And never to hear the Gospel preached  
almost into this Land.   

19  
And now they are not settled yet,  
for all the Wrongs they did,  
They think for to disthrone our King,  
the Crown take off his Head.   

20  
It would take up now too much Time,  
to set down all Things here,  
How Prelates have us perescute  
this more than Twenty Year.   

21  
But now to crown all their Mischief  
which they have further done,  
They think to make an end and lay  
on him a Burial stone.   

22  
They did discharge us for to hear  
his honest Servanes Preach,  
And threatened Death unto all those  
the Gospel that did teach.   

23  
They were so mad against the Truth  
that they would give no bield,  
To Christ nor to his followers  
in City nor in Field.   

24  
These perjured Troops did still go on  
in bloody Cruelty,  
And took our Friends at Glasgow Town  
to send beyond the Sea.   

25  
When we drew up into the West  
our dearest blood to spill,  
And for our Covenants we fought  
that day at Lowdin-hill.   

26  
Although that Clevers should go mad  
and all his Men had sworn,  
The Lord did order us and he,  
our Foes then back did turn.   

27  
We were assembled for to hear  
the joyful sound I say,  
But we were ne'er amind to fight,  
upon a Sabbath-day.   

28  
This Clavers now of whom I speak,  
a Tirent stout was he,  
A sudden deed him overtake,  
for he began the Plea.   

29  
He came full far to seek a Plea,  
he met with one that day,  
His Men were killed in open Field,  
himself won ill away.   

30  
He ran a long way on his Foot,  
his Horse did him forlorn,  
Dismounted was his Trumpeter  
that blew the brazen horn.   

31  
And then they fled to Glasgow Town,  
with many wounds and Pricks  
They made a Trench about the Cross  
with many Board's and Sticks.   

32  
When we had gathered our Prisoners  
was left in Evendail.  
Then we pursued to Glasgow-town  
the morn, yea without fail.   

33  
We entered into Glosgow town  
at all the enteries four,  
The timber Trenches was so high  
that we could not win o'er.   

34  
But yet we put them in a fear  
and then returned again,  
Unto the gliming streams of Clyde,  
and Camped on the Plain.   

35  
Upon the blooming Braes of Clyde  
we laid our Ligour down,  
Our Friends resorted unto us  
from City and from Town.   

26  
For to defend in our God's Name,  
the Gospel in our Land,  
The which we solemnly had sworn,  
yea with uplifted Hand.   

37  
We were engaged in Covenant  
Christ and his Cause to win,  
And for to bring the banished home,  
and ding the Prelates down.   

38  
For we had rather loss our Lives  
and die in open Field,  
Before we would perjure our souls,  
to Prelacy to yield.   

39  
For they did lie at Glasgow-town  
and we in open Field,  
Until the time they fled away  
to Stirling to get bield.   

40  
They marched east throw Lithgow-town  
for to enlarge their Forces,  
And sent for all the North-Country,  
to come both Foot and Horses.   

41  
Montrose did come and Athole both,  
and with them many more,  
And all the Highland Amorites,  
that had been there before.   

42  
The Lowdien-Mallisha they  
came with their Coats of Blue,  
Five hundred Men from London came  
claid in a reddish hue.   

43  
When they were assembled one and all  
a full Bragade were they.  
Like to a pack of hellish hounds,  
roreing after their prey.   

44  
When they were all provided well,  
in Armour and Amonition  
Then thither wester did they come  
most cruel of Intention.   

45  
When they came in by Blackburn Town,  
and there lay down to rest them;  
And then to plunder they began  
of all they had they reft them.   

46  
When they came in by the Whitebu●●  
and be Pockemet Town:  
Upon the height of the Moorhead  
they laid their Ligour down.   

47  
And there they lay until the time  
that Ordinance was ready;  
Both Knight and Knave and Musquiti●●  
must have a Ligour Lady.   

48  
Then Monmouth down from Lond●● cam●  
for to govern the Battle,  
On Saturday late they took the Gate:  
with many Droves of Cattle.   

49  
They marched Closely in the Night,  
and had their Soldiers ranked  
I trow their talls they were right bra●●  
with bulls and open sanked.   

50  
They marched closely by Tuck of Dru●…  
in that most worldly Gaise;  
And then drew near to Bothwell Tow●  
while as the Sun did raise.   

51  
When as we saw them first appear  
and for the Battle dressed,  
To keep the Entries of the Bridge:  
we thought it was the best.   

52  
Some Men were set to keep the Bridge,  
who played their part full well;  
While Amonition did remain  
they made their foes to reel:   

53  
When the Enemies came near the Bridge,  
into their full bragades  
Stilling their Cannons us before,  
Discharging at our Lads.   

54  
And then the Battle it did Join,  
each one did charge the other:  
The longest Gun a volley gave,  
aloud like Musket smother.   

55  
It would have made a Coward feared  
to hear such Cracks of war  
For many Saddles were made toom,  
the shooting was so sore.   

56  
And many Grooms were in agast,  
that were stout Men before:  
This was a day of sad reproach,  
and of Great Lamentation.   

57  
The Laws of God, were broken down  
the Glory of our Nation;  
Then Mr. Hamilton did Command  
some says he was to blame.   

58  
Because he was not Valiant,  
in battle for God's Name;  
But whether Gild or Ignorance  
God knoweth and himself.   

59  
For whether of the two it was  
my Author does not tell;  
The Men who at the Bridge did stan●  
did Amonition laike.   

60  
And no relief at all they got;  
and so they did draw back  
The Horse Men they did flee away  
and left the Foot behind.   

61  
●he enemy did seize on them,  
for all the rest were gone:  
●hen the Enemy had won the Bridge  
the westland Men did flee.  
●he Englishmen and Clavers both  
did kill them Grievously:  
●nd all along throw Hamilton Town  
they did both kill and wound.   

62  
●ntil the Streets with Bodies Dead,  
was Covered in the Town  
●ome were dead and some were sick,  
and some were sorely wounded.  
●hey drove them East like unto sheep,  
before the Dogs were hounded.  
●hen some were dead & some were sick,  
and some for Quarters Cried.   

63  
●nd many a brave Gallants Blood,  
upon the Ground there lied  
●hey took twelve Hundred Prisoners:  
when fight it was done.  
●nd on the morn when it was Day  
●hey gathered all right soon  
●hey drove them to the Grey friar's Yard  
and there they were Enclosed.   

64  
It would have made an whole Heart sore  
to see them so abused;  
And there they lay for many a day,  
Starving for Hunger and Cold.  
Our Cursed Council did command  
they over the Seas were sold;  
Then Arazion did undertake,  
to go to new plantations.   

65  
And to remove them far away,  
one of their Native Nations;  
But Judgement shall him overtake  
either here or hereafter.  
When Lords of Council shalt not then  
be able him to shelter,   

66  
They did not send them to the Sea,  
not only for their Lives  
For two they hanged in Edinburgh town  
and five of them in Fife.  
For such a hellish pack as they  
I think shall never renown;  
That sent the wounded Prisoners,  
into the Sea to drown.   

67  
●or of two hundred Prisoners,  
that to the Sea did go,  
Was never Man returned at all  
but only fifty two.  
And now they are not settled yet,  
though they be Inbrewed in Blood;  
They are begun a new again  
to prsecute most rude.   

68  
With Fining and with Roberie,  
the Poor they did oppress,  
And all that on God's Name do Call,  
either in more or less.  
When they send out their hellish hounds  
an Inventor to take.  
Although the Man be never so poor,  
the fine they will not lake.   

69  
They call us rebels to the King,  
and traitors to the Crown:  
Because we'll not Menswear ourselves  
for every Bishop Lown.  
But we will not acknowledge them,  
nor own them as our head,  
Nor will embrace no mortal Man,  
into our Master's stead.   

70  
We shall prove Loyal to the King,  
throw City and throw Town,  
If they will place our Ministers,  
and ding the Bishops down  
The Bishops they are high in power,  
and sets themselves as Lords,  
But when the wheel of fortune turns,  
beware of sharp rewards.   

71  
The Bishops they betrayed the Church  
of God within this Land:  
And they have set themselves as heads,  
above the Church to stand,  
But yet I hope to see the day,  
when he will it recall.  
And bring us back from Babylon,  
in spite of Prelates all.   

72  
The Prelates they are but bastard weeds  
and wounde● at the root,  
There's nothing grows on them but  
or then some withered fruit.  
But when the Master Gardiner comes leaves  
and sees how blait they are like,  
He'll neither dig nor delve no more  
but cast them o'er the Dyke.   
FINIS.