Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE GUDE AND GODLIE BALLATES, SELECTION, by JAMES I


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE GUDE AND GODLIE BALLATES, SELECTION, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Sen throw vertew incressis dignitie
Last Line: And for ilk inche he will the quyte ane span.
Alternate Author Name(s): James Vi, King Of Scotland; James I Of England


Sen throw vertew incressis dignitie,
And vertew is flour and rute of nobles ay,
Of ony wit, or quhat estait thou be
Ris steppis few, and dreid for none effray:
Exill al vice, and follow treuth alway;
Lufe maist thy God, that first thy lufe began,
And for ilk inche He will the quyte ane span.

Be not ouir proude in thy prosperitie,
For as it cummis, sa will it pass away;
The tyme to compt is schort, thou may weill se,
For of grene gress sone cummis wallowit hay.
Labour in treuth, quhilk suith is of thy fay;
Traist maist in God, for He best gyde the can,
And for ilk inche He will the quyte ane span.

Sen word is thrall, and thocht is only fre,
Thou dant thy toung, that power hes and may,
Thou steik thy ene fra warldis vanitie,
Refraine thy lust, and harkin quhat I say;
Graip or thou slyde, and keip furth the hie way,
Thou hald the fast upon thy God and man,
And for ilk inche He will the quyte ane span.






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