John Barbour (1330 – 1395)
Poet and churchman, sometimes called the father of Scottish poetry.
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Na thar may na man fyr sa covyr
Than low or rek sall it discovyr.
He maid thaim na gud fest perfay
And nocht-forthi yneuch had thai.
Na he that ay has levyt fre
May nocht knaw weill the propyrte
The angyr na the wrechyt dome
That is couplyt to foule thyrldome,
Bot gyff he had assayit it.
Than all perquer he suld it wyt,
And suld think fredome mar to prys
Than all the gold in warld that is.
A! Fredome is a noble thing!
Fredome mays man to haiff liking.
Fredome all solace to man giffis,
He levys at es that frely levys!
Luff is off sa mekill mycht,
That it all paynys makis lych.
Thai eyt it with full gud will
That soucht na nother sals thar-till
Bot appetyt.
Men suld mak mirrie quhill thay mocht.
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