Na Kyndnes at Court Without Siller
Sumtyme to court I did repair,
Thairin sum errandis for to dress1145,
Thinkand I had sum freindis thair
To help fordwart my buseness:
Bot, nocht the les,
I fand nathing bot doubilness;
Auld kyndnes helpis nocht ane hair.
To ane grit court-man I did speir1146,
That I trowit my friend had bene
Becaus we war of kyn sa neir;
To him my mater I did mene1147;
Bot, with disdene,
He fled as I had done him tene1148,
And wald nocht byd my taill to heir.
I wend1149 that he in word and deid
For me, his kynsman, sould have wrocht;
Bot to my speiche he tuke na heid;
Neirnes of blude he sett at nocht.
Than weill I thocht
Quhan I for sibnes1150 to him socht1151
It wes the wrang way that I geid1152.
My hand I put into my sleif,
And furthe of it ane purs I drew,
And said I brocht it him to geif1153.
Bayth gold and silver I him schew;
Than he did rew
That he unkindlie me misknew;
And hint1154 the purs fest in his neif.1155
Fra tyme he gat the purs in hand
He kyndlie ‘Cousin’ callit me,
And baid me gar him understand
My buseness all haillalie,
And swair that he
My trew and faythfull friend sould be
In courte as I pleis him command.
For quhilk, better it is, I trow;
Into the courte to get supplé1156,
To have ane purs of fyne gold fow1157,
Nor to the hiest of degre
Of kyn to be.
Sa alteris our nobilitie:
Grit kynrent1158 helpis lytill now.
Thairfoir, my freindis, gif ye will mak
All courte men youris as ye wald,
Gude gold and silver with you tak;
Than to get help ye may be bald;
For it is tauld
Kyndness of courte is coft and sald1159;
Neirnes of kyn na-thing thai rak1160.