Schir, Ȝit remembir as of befoir

Schir, ȝit remembir as of befoir,
How that my ȝowth I done forloir
In ȝour seruice, with pane and greif ;
Gud consciens cryis reward thairfoir ;
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Ȝour clerkis ar seruit all about,
And I do lyk ane reid halk schout,
To cum to lure that hes no leif,
Quhair my plummyis begynis to brek out :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Fforsett is ay the falconis kynd,
Bot euir the mittane is hard in mynd,
Of quhome the gled dois prettikis preif;
The gentill goishalk gois vndynd :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

The pyet with hir pretty cot
Fenȝeis to sing the nychtingalis not ;
Bot scho can nevir the corchat cleif,
Ffor harsknes of hir carlich throt :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Ay farest faderis hes farrest fowlis ;
Suppois thay haif no sang bot ȝoulis,
In siluer caigis thai sit at cheif ;
Kynd natyve nest dois clek bot owlis :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

O gentill egill ! how may this be ?
That of all fowlis dois heest fle,
Ȝour legis quhy will ȝe nocht releif,
And chereiss eftir thair degre ?
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Quhen seruit is all vdir man,
Gentill and semple of euery clan,
Kyne of Rauf Colȝard and Johnne the Reif,
Na thing I get, na conquest than :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Thocht I in court be maid refuss,
And haif few vertewis for to russ,
Ȝit am I cumin of Adame and Eif,
And fane wald leif as vderis doiss ;
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Or I suld leif in sic mischance,
Gife it to God war no grevance,
To be a pykthank I wald preif,
Ffor thay in warld wantis no plesans :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

In sum parte on my self I plenȝe,
Quhen vdir folkis dois flattir and fenȝe;
Allace ! I can bot ballattis breif,
Sic baimeheid biddis my brydill renȝe :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

I grant my seruice is bot licht ;
Thairfoir of mercy, and nocht of richt,
I ask ȝow, schir, no man to greif,
Sum medecyne gife that ȝe micht :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

May nane remeid my melady
Sa Weill as ȝe, schir, veraly;
Ffor with a benifice ȝe may preif,
And gif I mend nocht hestely :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif,

I wes in ȝouth on nureiss kne,
Dandely, bischop, dandely,
And quhen that ege now dois me greif,
Ane semple vicar I can nocht be :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Jok, that wes wont to keip the stirkis,
Can now draw him ane cleik of kirkis,
With ane fals cairt in to his sleif,
Worth all my ballattis vndir the birkis :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Twa curis or thre hes vpolandis Michell,
With dispensationis bund in knitchell,
Thocht he fra nolt had new tane leif ;
He playis with totum and I with nichell :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

How suld I leif that is nocht landit,
Nor ȝit with benifice am I blandit?
I say nocht, schir, ȝow to repreif ;
Bot doutles, I ga rycht neir hand it :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

As saule is heir in purgatory,
Leving in pane and houp of glory,
Seand my self I haif beleif
In houp, schir, of ȝour adiutory :
Excess of thocht dois me mischeif.

Ffinis quod Dumbar.