Doun by ane Rever as I red

Doun by ane rever as I red,
Outthrow a forrest that wes fair,
Thynkand how that this warld wes maid ;
Sa suddanly away we fair,
That kingis and lordis sall haif no mair,
Fra tyme that thay be bund on beir ;
Thus spak a fowll, I ȝow declair,
" Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

I marvellit quhat that bird sowld be
That wes so fair, with fedderis gent ;
Scho bownid hir nocht to fle fra me,
But satt, and tald me hir intent, —
" Off thy misdeidis thow the repent,
And of thy synnys confess the cleir,
For Deid he hes his bow ay bent ;
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" Fra he begyn to schute his schot,
Thow wat nocht quhen that it will licht ;
He spairis the nocht, in schip, nor bot,
In coive, nor craig, na castell wicht ;
Bot as the sone that schynis bricht,
Owtthrwch the glass that is so cleir,
To lenth thy lyfe thow hes no micht ;
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" Gif ony man his lyfe micht lenth,
I wat it had bene Salamone ;
Of all wisdome he had the strenth,
He knew the vertew of erb and stone ;
He cowld nocht for him self dispone
Attour his dait, to leif a ȝeir ;
Ane wysar wicht wes never none ;
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" Quhairto sowld I thir sampillis say ?
Thow hes sene mo than I can tell,
Off lordis in to this land perfay,
Sum wyse, sum wicht, sum forss, sum fell,
Thay dowttit nowthir hevin nor hell,
Thay wer so wicht, withowttin weir ;
Now with thair sawle we will nocht mell ;
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" And gif thow beis ane marchand man,
And wynnis thy living be the see,
Spend pairt of the gude that thow wan,
And keip the ay with honestie ;
Fra thow be gane, I tak on me,
Thy wyfe will haif ane vthir feir,
Thy dalie sample thow may se ;
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" Or gif thow hes a benefice,
Preiss nevir to hurde the kirkis gude ;
Do almouss deidis to peure alwayss,
In to this warld ; to win the rude
Thow mon be bwreit in thy hude,
Thy windene scheit is nocht in weir,
Thy airis ar of eild to dwid ;
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" I say this be a preist of pryd,
That wes full wanton of his will ;
Gold and siluer lay him besyd,
The fremmit thairof thair baggis can fill ;
All that thay prayit for him wes ill,
For now thay drink and makis gud cheir ;
Wyismen said, he did nane skill :
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" And of this preist I will speik mair,
That had sa mekle of warldis wrack,
Off all his freindis, less and mair
He wald nocht mend thame worth ane plack ;
Quhill Deid he hint him be the back,
That he micht nowdir stand nor steir,
And lute him nocht his testment mack :
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."

" Sen for no wisdome, nor no strenth,
Nor for no richess in this erd,
That ony man his lyf may lenth,
Naythir for freyndschip agane wanewerd ;
I tak on hand fra thow be berd,
Thy sectouris spendis thy gudis cleir :
Thow may say that a fowle the lerd :
Do for thy self quhill thow art heir."