Blyth Aberdein

Blyth Aberdein, thow beriall of all tounis,
The lamp of bewtie, bountie, and blythnes ;
Unto the heaven ascendit thy renoun is,
Off vertew, wisdome, and of worthines ;
He nottit is thy name of nobilnes,
Into the cumming of oure lustie quein,
The vall of velth, guid cheir, and mirrines :
Be blyth, and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

And first hir mett the burgess of the toun,
Richelie arrayit as become thame to be,
Of quhom they cheset four men of renoun,
In gounes of veluot, ȝoung, abill, and lustie,
To beir the paill of veluet cramase
Abone hir heid, as the custome hes bein ;
Gryt was the sound of the artelȝerie :
Be blyth, and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

Ane fair processioun mett hir at the Port,
In a cap of gold and silk, full pleasantlie,
Syne at hir entrie, with many fair disport,
Ressauet hir on streittis lustilie ;
Quhair first the salutatioun honorabilly
Of the sweitt Virgin, guidlie mycht be seine ;
The sound of menstrallis blawing to the sky :
Be blyth and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

And syne thow gart the orient kingis thrie
Offer to Chryst, with benyng reuerence,
Gold, sence, and mir, with all humilitie,
Schawand him king with most magnificence ;
Syne quhow the angill, with sword of violence,
Furth of the joy of paradice putt clein
Adame and Eve for innobedience :
Be blyth and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

And syne the Bruce, that euir was bold in stour,
Thow gart as roy cum rydand vnder croun,
Richt awfull, Strang, and large of portratour,
As nobill, dreidfull, michtie campioun :
The nobill Stewarts syne, of great renoun,
Thow gart upspring, with branches new and greine,
Sa gloriouslie, quhill glaided all the toun :
Be blyth and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

Syne come thair four and twentie madinis ȝing,
All claid in greine of mervelous bewtie,
With hair detressit, as threidis of gold did hing,
With quhyt hattis all browderit rycht bravelie,
Playand on timberallis, and syngand rycht sweitlie ;
That seimlie sort, in ordour weill besein,
Did meit the quein, hir saluand reverentlie :
Be blyth and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

The streittis war all hung with tapestrie,
Great was the press of peopill dwelt about,
And pleasant padgeanes playit prattelie ;
The legeiss all did to thair lady loutt,
Quha was convoyed with ane royall routt
Off gryt barrounes and lustie ladyis schene ;
Welcum, our quein ! the commoness gaif ane schout :
Be blyth and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

At hir cuming great was the mirth and joy,
For at thair croce aboundantlie rane wyne ;
Vntill hir ludgeing the toun did hir convoy;
Hir for to treit thai sett thair haill ingyne,
Ane riche present thay did till hir propyne ;
Ane costlie coup that large thing wald contene,
Couerit and full of cunȝeitt gold rycht fyne :
Be blyth and blisfull, burgh of Aberdein.

O potent princes, pleasant and preclair,
Great caus thow hes to thank this nobill toun,
That for to do the honnour, did not spair
Thair geir, riches, substance, and persoun,
The to ressaue on maist fair fasoun ;
The for to pleis thay socht all way and mein ;
Thairfoir, sa lang as quein thow beiris croun,
Be thankfull to this burgh of Aberdein.

Quod Dumbar.