Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


A CARMAN'S ACCOUNT OF A LAWSUIT by DAVID LYNDSAY

Poet Analysis

First Line: MARRY, I LENT MY GOSSIP MY MARE, TO FETCH HAME COALS
Last Line: BUT I GOT NEVER MY GOOD GREY MARE AGAIN.
Subject(s): LAW & LAWYERS; TRIALS;

MARRY, I lent my gossip my mare, to fetch home coals,
And he her drowned into the quarry holes;
And I ran to the Consistory, for to 'plain,
And there I happened among a greedy meine.
They gave me first a thing they call Citandum;
Within eight days, I got but Libellandum;
Within a month, I got Ad oppenendum;
In half a year, I got Interloquendum;
And then I got -- how call ye it? -- Ad replicandum.
But I could never one word yet understand them;
And then, they caused me cast out many placks,
And made me pay for four-and-twenty acts.
But, ere they came half gait to Concludendum,
The fiend one plack was left for to defend him.
Thus they postponed me two years, with their train,
Then, hodie ad octo, bade me come again,
And then, these rooks, they roupit wonder fast,
For sentence silver, they cried at the last.
Of Pronunciandum they made me wonder fain;
But I got never my good grey mare again.



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