Aganis the Theivis of Liddisdaill

Of Liddisdaill the commoun theifis
Sa pertlie steillis now and reiffis,
That nane may keip
Hors, nolt, nor scheip,
Nor yit dar sleip
For thair mischeifis.

Thay plainlie throw the countrie rydis;
I trow the meikill devill thame gydis:
Quhair thay onsett
Ay in thair gait
Thair is na yett
Nor dure thame bydis.

Thay leif richt nocht; quhairever thay ga
Thair can na-thing be hid thame fra;
For, gif men wald
Thair housis hald,
Than waxe they bald
To burn and slay.

Thay theifis have neirhand herreit haill
Ettrick forest and Lauderdaill;
Now ar they gane
In Lothiane,
And spairis nane
That thay will waill.

Thai landis ar with stouth sa socht
To extreme povertie ar brocht;
Thai wicked schrowis
Has laid the plowis,
That nane or few is
That are left ocht.

Bot commoun taking of blak-maill,
Thay that had flesche and breid and aill
Now ar sa wraikit,
Maid puir and naikit,
Fane to be staikit
With watter-caill.

Thai theifis that steillis and tursis hame,
Ilk ane of thame hes ane to-name--
Will of the Lawis,
Hab of the Schawis.
To mak bair wawis
Thay think na schame.

Thay spuilye puir men of thair pakis;
Thay leif thame nocht, on bed nor bakis;
Bayth hen and cok,
With reill and rok,
The Landis Jok
All with him takis.

Thay leif not spendill, spoone, nor speit,
Bed, bowster, blanket, sark, nor scheit;
Johne of the Parke
Rypis kist and ark;
For all sic wark
He is richt meit.

He is weill kend, Johne of the Syde;
A gretar theif did never ryde:
He nevir tyris
For to brek byris;
Our muir and myris
Our gude ane gyide.

Thair is ane, callit Clements Hob,
Fra ilk puir wyfe reiffis hir wob,
And all the laif,
Quhatever thay haif:
The deuil resave
Thairfoir his gob!

To sic grit stouth quha-eir wald trow it
But gif sum greit man it allowit?
Rycht sair I rew,
Thocht it be trew,
Thair is sa few
That dar avow it.

Of sum grit men they have sic gait
That redy ar thame to debait,
And will up weir
Thair stolin geir,
That nane dar steir
Thame, air nor lait.

Quhat causis theifis us our-gang
Bot want of justice us amang?
Nane takis cair
Thocht all forfair:
Na man will spair
Now to do wrang.

Of stouth thocht now thay cum gud speid
That nather of men nor God hes dreid,
Yit, or I die,
Sum sall thame sie
Hing on a trie
Quhill thay be deid.