AN ENGLISH CHALLENGE AND A REPLY FROM SCOTLAND.
Question.
OH how now Mars what is thy humour?
That thou on us begins to frowne
What is the meaning of this rumor
Of warres that flieth up and downe?
Or to what end does thou intend
Twixt friend and friend to make debate,
And cause the one the other hate?
Answere.
You English Poetes hearken I pray
I tell why Mars doth on you frowne,
Because like men you'l not assay you,
To pull the Romish myter downe.
Since ye want hearts to act your parts,
Mars called hath the valiant Scots,
To make the Bishops quite their coats.
Quest.
Hath Vulcane any wise displeased thee?
Or Cupid that unhappy Lad?
That Venus smyles cannot appease thee,
Or is it Bacchus makes thee mad?
What Planet darre move Iove to warre?
Durst ever Luna, Sol withstand,
Or Iuno Iupiter command?
Ans.
We are not planets but fixed starres,
We prove not wandering from the right,
Our light with darknesse is not mixt,
As yours that shines but in the night
Of Vulcanes Ire or Cupids fire
Or Venus toyes no compt we make,
From Bacchus we no courage take.
Quest.
Then paughty Scot what does thou mean,
Presumptuously thus to attempt?
You'll better let these warres alone,
Then thus from us thy selfe exempt
Thou does not well for to rebell
And stand against so good a King
Whose fame throughout the world does reigne.
Ans.
May we not justly for our nation
Prevein all dangers may ensue,
Should we not make a separation,
When God commands from Babels crew
Then with our King gainst Romes off-spring,
And all their trash we'l stoutly fight
And to the death maintaine our right.
Quest.
We that together in one nation,
So long have been great Britane called
Why does thou seek a separation,
Art thou from us securely walled,
Oh do not so lest that thy woe
And sorrows more and more do bried
If once we passe the river Tweid.
Ans.
We love all English loyall Subjects.
From them we'll not exempted be,
But of all Bishops popish projects
We stand no fear to make us free
Tho wales we lack to hold you bake
I wish our joyes may still abide
Untill you passe the river Tweid.
Quest.
What does thou thinke the English powers
So weak, that thou canst make us flee:
Who will not fuffer any Gowries,
For to performe conspiracie.
Art thou so strong to profer wrong
Seditiously to worke such plots
And thus become rebellious Scots.
Ans.
In vain ye boast your English powers
As if your Gyhoes and great horses
Your walled towns and fenced towres
Were able to resist our forces
While as you Blot the valiant Scot,
With treacherous doings, without reason,
You may thinke on the powder treason.
Quest.
Ther's not a coward so faint-hearted
I thinke which will not dar to fight,
But into valour will be converted
And stand up for his Countreyes right
When Canons rattle into Battell,
And Billots thick amongst us flee
St George for England still we cry.
Ans.
I'm sure when any Popish faisart
For prelats quarrels dar to sight,
There is not a Scots-man but he'll haizart
For to defend his Countreys right
When Canons rumble and Billots tumble
And English-men before us flee,
The Covenant for Scots we cry.
Quest.
The Welch-men in his Princes honour
Hath vowed he will not be to seek,
But will display St Davids banner,
And unto him present a liek-
Both men and boy that springs from Troy
Doth swear if once they set upon it.
They'l make the Scots-man waile his bonnet,
Ans.
The Welch-men vowes he no way feareth
To make the Scots-man wail his bonnet
But he performes not what he sweareth,
At Newburne so was seen upon it.
When Trumpets blew and billots flew
The Welch mens courage was to seek,
Where was St David with his liek?
Quest.
The French the Irish and Italian,
Also the Danes and Spaniard too,
The Persian Pagan and each alian,
Doth seek rebellion to subdue.
Then seek thy peace let rumors cease
And not attempt to doe such thing,
Or move to wrath so good a King.
Ans.
The Irish French and Danes asist you
And Rome with all her bastard blood:
Through GOD we are able to resist you
Because our quarrell is just and good,
We wish our King ay still may reigne,
While Scots prove false and papists true,
And Antichrist CHRISTS truth subdue.
Quest.
Lest paughty Scot we cry have at thee
The mark's so fair we cannot misse,
Yet never since thy Dady gat thee
Thou could have fairer play nor this
Which we will show to thee our foe
Thou can not hold us much to blame
For thou thy self have wrought the same.
Ans.
Your crying will no wheit dismay us
For tho ye shoote ye may well misse,
Come when ye will ye may assay us,
To fight we will not be misse
Ye shall see Ladies got [...]f Scots Dadies,
Will make the Pope curse his mishape,
And Prelats wail their [...]er cap.
Q [...].
And if the officers [...]esse me,
I will be ready for the [...],
And not seek any to re [...] me,
But boldly fight for Countries fame,
Or if not so then will I goe,
A voluntire among the [...]est,
If otherwise I be not [...].
Ans.
Since brain sick P [...] [...] but pratle
I would advise you [...] [...]ght
Lest if they presse [...] the battell
You turne a volunt [...] [...] flight
Since it is so, friend do not goe,
To fight, lest ye [...]en Canons rumble
With shame for [...]ar cry barlafumble.
Quest.
Thus to conclude my resolution,
As willing for to fight as sing
I'll drinke a health to his confusion,
That beareth armes against our King,
Whom I do love and still will prove,
A loyall subject to his Grace,
In England or in any place.
Ans.
Then to conclude that Poet lyar,
That fayes he will not sing but fight
But Poets fighting away fleeth,
Except with pottles in the night.
For me I'l sing God save our King,
And drinke a health to all true Scots
That loves the truth and hates false.
FINIS