MERCHANT

Sir we ar heir ȝour Burgesses and Merchands, Thanks be to God that we may see ȝour face: Traistand we may now into diverse lands, Convoy our geir with support of ȝour grace. For now I traist we shall get rest and peace, When ̄ misdoars ar with ȝour sword overthrawin Then may leil-merchands live upon their awin. Fit down and give us ȝour counsel, How we shall slaik the great murmell, Of pure peopill, that is well knawin, And as the Common-weill hes schawin. And also we knaw it is the Kings will, That Good remeid be put thairtill. Sir Common-weill keip ȝe the bar, Let nane except ȝour self cum nar. My Lords conclude that all the to ̄ poral lands Be set in few to laboreris with thait hands. With sic restrictiouns as shall be devysit, That they may live and nought to be supprysit. With ane ressonabill augmentatioun, And when they heir ane proclamation: That the Kings grace dois make him for the weit, That they be ready with harness, bow and speir. As for my self my Lord this I conclude. It is of truth sirs, be my christindome, That mekil of our money gais to Room. For we Merchant's I wait within our bounds, Hes furneist Priests ten hundredth thousand punds. For their finnance, nane knawis sa well as we: Therefore my Lords devise sum remedy. For throw their plays and their promotion, More for denners nor for devotion. Sir Simony hes maid with them ane band, The gold of weicht they leid out of the land. The Common-weil, their throch bein sair oppressed Therefore devise remeid as ȝe think best. As ȝe have said my Lord we will consent, Scribe make ane act on this incontinent. Then before God how can ȝe be excusit? To have ane office and waits not how to us it. Quhairfoir war gifin ȝow all the temporal lands? And all their teinds ȝe have among ȝour hands. They war giving ȝow for uther causes I weine, Nor mummil matin's and hold ȝour clayis cleine. Ȝe say to the Appostils that ȝe succeed, Bot ȝe schaw nought that into word nor dead. The law is plain our teinds should furnisch teichours: We mervell of ȝow paintit sepulturis, That was sa bald for to accept sic cuiris. With glorious habit rydand upon ȝour Muillis, Now men may see ȝe ar bot very fuillis. I think for me evin as ȝe first proponit. That the Kings grace shall give nam benefice, Bot till ane peichour that can use that office. The silly sauls that be Christis scheip, Should nought be giving to gourmand wolfis to keip. Quhat be the cause of all the heresies, Bot the abusion of the prelacies? They will correct and will nought be correctit: Thinkand to nam prince they will be subiectit. Quhairfoir I can find nam better remeid, Bot that their kings man take it in their heid. That their be given to nam man bischopries, Except they preich out throch their diosies. And ilk person priech in his parochon, And this I say for final conclusion.