(Transcribed from the Maitland MS. 1622-3.)
1 Eird vpoun eird wonderfull is wrocht,
Eird hes gottin vpoun eird ane dignitie for nocht,
Eird vpoun eird hes sett all his thocht
How þat[1] eird vpoun eird till hicht may be brocht. 4
2 Eird vpoun Eird wold fane be ane king, [fol. 44, r^o.]
And how þat eird gois to eird thinkis he nothing.
Quhen eird bidd{is} eird his rentis hame to bring,
Than sall eird haue to eird herd depairting. 8
3 Eird vpoun Eird wins castell{is} and towris;
Than sayis eird vnto eird: 'All now ar ouris'.
Quhen eird vpoun eird hes biggit all his towris,
Than sall eird vpoun eird suffer grit showris. 12
4 Eird vpoun eird and mold vpoun mold,
Lyk as eird vnto eird neuer go sold,
Eird gois vpoun eird glitterand as gold,
[Gh]itt sall eird go to eird sonear nor he wald. 16
5 How þat eird luiffis eird grit wonder I think,
Or quhy þat eird will for eird owther sweit or swink,
Quhen þat eird w{i}t{h}in eird is closit vnder bink,
Than sall eird w{i}t{h} eird haue ane evill stink. 20
6 Lo eird vpoun eird considder thow may
How eird vnto eird gois nakit away,
Quhy sould eird vpoun eird go o{u}r[2] proud or gay,
Sen eird vntill eird sall wend in pure aray? 24
7 I counsall eird vpoun eird þat wondirlie is wrocht,
Q{uhi}ll eird is vpoun eird to turne all his thocht,
And pray to God vponn eird þat maid all of nocht,
That eird vpoun eird to blis may be brocht. 28
Quod dumbar.
[Footnote 1: MS. _yat_; _þ_ regularly written as _y_.]
[Footnote 2: _over_, MS. _o^r_.]