The Abbay Walk

Allone as I went up and doun
In to ane abbay, fair to se,
Thinkand quhat consolatioun
Was best in to adversitie,
On caiss I kest on syde myne e,
And saw this writtin on a wall:
" Of quhat estait, man, that thow be,
Obey, and thank thy God of all.

" Thy kingdome and thy grit einpyre
Thy ryaltie, nor riche array,
Sail nocht endeur at Thy desyre,
Bot as the wind will wend away;
Thy gold and all thy gudis gay,
Quhen fortoun list will fra the fall;
Sen thow sic sampillis seis ilk day,
Obey, and thank thi God of all.

" Job wes maist riche, in Writ we find,
Thobe maist full of cheritie:
Job woux pure, and Thobe blynd,
Bath temptit with adversitie.
Sen blindness wes infirmitie
And poverty wes naturall,
Rycht patiently bath he and he
Obeyid, and thankit God of all.

" Thocht thow be blind, or haif ane halt,
Or in thy face deformit ill,
Sa it cum nocht throw thy defalt,
Na man suld the repreif by skill.
Blame nocht thy Lord, sa is His will;
Spurn nocht thy fute aganis the wall;
Bot with meik hairt and prayer still
Obey, and thank thy God of all.

" God of His justice mon correct,
And of His mercy petie haif;
He is ane Juge to nane suspect,
To puneiss synfull man and saif.
Thocht thow be lord attour the laif,
And eftirwart maid bund and thrall,
Ane pure begger, with skrip and staif,
Obey, and thank thy God of all-.

" This changeing and grit variance
Of erdly staitis up and doun
Is nocht bot casualitie and chance,
As sum men sayis without ressoun,
Bot be the grit provisioun
Of God aboif, that rewl the sail;
Thairfoir evir thow mak the boun
To obey, and thank thy God of all.

" In vvelth be meik, heich nocht thyself;
Be glaid in wilfull povertie;
Thy power and thy warldly pelf
Is nocht bot verry vanitie.
Remember Him that deit on tre,
For thy saik taistit the bittir gall;
Quha heis law hairtis and lawis he;
Obey, and thank thy God of all."