Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MUIRKIRK LIGHT WEIGHTS, by ISOBEL (ISABEL) PAGAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MUIRKIRK LIGHT WEIGHTS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: In muirkirk there lives a taylor
Last Line: And aye when 'tis convenient, their standard they should mind.
Subject(s): Duplicity; Money; Deceit


In Muirkirk there lives a taylor,
He scrimpit weight for greed of filler;
He scrimpit weight, he counts not fair,
Till he's made three hundred pounds and mair.

The year the sugar has come down,
Three pounds give less nor half-a-crown,
And a' the dealers round about
Came to the taylor in great doubt,
Whether to hang themselves or no.
Some said they would, and some said no;
Some said, I think we will set a day,
We'll fast and sigh, and read and pray,
Perhaps the gods will please that well,
If we turn to them frae the de'il.

The taylor said, with heart right fair,
I fear for me God will not care,
For I within my coat do wear
Ten thousand curses every year.
There's something I'll confess and tell,
Beside me I do keep a mell,
And now and then my weights do hit,
And whiles break aff a gay wee bit.

The oldest dealer he did say,
What will be said at the last day?

The taylor said, ne'er mind the last,
If we can but make money fast;
There will be large allowance gaun
For every dealer in the land.

Then every one thought to themsell
'Tis good for us to keep a mell,
So they struck a' their weights right fair,
Some broke off less, and some broke mair.
This practice did so long prevail,
Till poor workmen were like to fail.

Some told the Dean of Guild of Ayr
That Muirkirk weights they were not fair;
To try the same was his intent,
The standard to Muirkirk he sent.

The day was short, the road was wet,
For depute, he employ'd C———t,
Who thought it was his only chance
To seize the merchants all at once,
And bring them all unto one place,
And do them justice to their face.

O man, it was a pleasant sight,
The works of darkness brought to light.
How bravely I their names could tell,
Who had been busy with the mell;
But this at present, I will spare,
And hope they will do so nae mair.

Thanks to the gentlemen and judges that were there,
I'm sure they acted honourably, no person they did spare;
Long may they live, and happy be, and aye to good inclin'd,
And aye when 'tis convenient, their standard they should mind.





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