Alexander Iii Poem by Sheena Blackhall

Alexander Iii



In Roxburghshire a king wis born
Granson o the Great Lion’s bluid
Crowned as a littlin ower at Scone
Beannachd Dé Righ Alba, God speed

An twice a year twa jusiciars
Traivelled wi him oot throw his lan
Ane at the Sizzen o the girse
Ane fin twis Yule, wi storms at haun

A sheriff chusen for each shire
Held coort at ilkie forty days
Tae keep the law for rich an puir
An keep aa men tae honest wyes

This Alexander ruled richt weel
Spennin his time in equal pairt
In ilkie quarter o his realm
Tae show nae favour swyed his hairt.

The Scottish toons grew fat wi trade
Her merchants thrived. Sailed hyne awa
Dried fish an satt they selt abroad
An bocht fine cloth an spices braw

Ochone! Daith comes tae carl an King
His English queen lay in the clay
An their three bairns, his richtfu heirs
Aa deid, a time o dule an wae

Ten years a widower, this king
A verra lusty man, it’s said
Wi vergins, nuns an matrons aa
Wis niver laith tae share his bed

His secunt waddin bore a curse
Holinshed telt, frae oot a yew
An orra monster at the kirk
Follaed the bride, Yolande de Dreux

His threid o life dwined tae a stran
In Merch, a nicht o derk an storm
At Embro castle, he araise
Vowed tae lie wi his queen ere dawn

Tae Queensferry he rade richt fest
'Tis gyte tae cross the Forth this nicht'
The boatmen warned. The king lauched lang
'Ye’ll set her course bi the meenlicht'

The strang North win near cowped the boat
In pitmirk rain, at Inverkeithin
The Maister o the king’s satt wirks
Quo 'Sire, bide here, we’ll gie safe ludgin'

Bit nae a wird o sense he heard
Ordered twa guides tae lead the wye
Tae Kinghorn, syne he galloped on
Like ane possessed bi deevilry

He tint the guides, an in the derk
Gaed tapsalteerie ower the rock
His ain neck brukk his faa. Daith cams
Tae fowk fa glower at Fate an mock

Dunfermline’s far they laid him doon
A heidstrang king, bit fair an stinch
Fa warred agin a storm an lost
For love o a young Norman wench

Saturday, March 15, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: royalty
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