Aganis the Theivis of Liddisdaill
Of Liddisdaill the commoun theifis
Sa pertlie1176 steillis now and reiffis1177,
That nane may keip
Hors, nolt, nor scheip,
Nor yit dar sleip
For thair mischeifis.
Thay plainlie throw the countrie rydis;
I trow the meikill1178 devill thame gydis:
Quhair thay onsett
Ay in thair gait1179
Thair is na yett1180
Nor dure thame bydis1181.
Thay leif richt nocht1182; 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 haill1183
Ettrick forest and Lauderdaill;
Now ar they gane
In Lothiane,
And spairis nane
That thay will waill1184.
Thai landis ar with stouth sa socht1185
To extreme povertie ar brocht;
Thai wicked schrowis1186
Has laid1187 the plowis,
That nane or few is
That are left ocht1188.
Bot commoun taking of blak-maill,1189
Thay that had flesche and breid and aill
Now ar sa wraikit1190,
Maid puir and naikit,
Fane to be staikit1191
With watter-caill1192.
Thai theifis that steillis and tursis1193 hame,
Ilk ane of thame hes ane to-name—
Will of the Lawis,
Hab of the Schawis.
To mak bair wawis1194
Thay think na schame.
Thay spuilye1195 puir men of thair pakis1196;
Thay leif thame nocht, on bed nor bakis;
Bayth hen and cok,
With reill and rok1197,
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 kist1198 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 gyide1199.
Thair is ane, callit Clements Hob,
Fra ilk puir wyfe reiffis hir wob1200,
And all the laif1201,
Quhatever thay haif:
The deuil resave
Thairfoir his gob1202!
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 gait1203
That redy ar thame to debait1204,
And will up weir1205
Thair stolin geir,
That nane dar steir1206
Thame, air nor lait.
Quhat causis theifis us our-gang1207
Bot want of justice us amang?
Nane takis cair
Thocht all forfair1208:
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
Quhill1209 thay be deid.