Page:Bonny bridge of Findhorn.pdf/4

O many a parent their children thou drown’d,
Both lifeleſs and ſtiff on thy ſhore they were found;
And many were ſaved juſt nigh their laſt breath,
Altho’ thou deſign’d for to put them to death.

Why should thou delight in the ſpilling of blood,
And drowning mankind in thy mercileſs flood?
But now for to vex thee, I always ſhall be,
The ſafety of all that ſhall croſs upon me.

For ſince I am rais’d for the good of the place,
I fear not the ſnow though it blows in my face;
I’ll ſtand in the river tho’ never ſo cold,
And be a conductor to both young and old.

O many a paſſenger here thou made ſtay,
Some times in the night, and ſome times in the day;
When thou was paſt croſſing, thou hinder’d them all,
And forc’d them to wait till thy billows would fall.

But both early and late I’ll be now at their call,
For I was ſet here for the ſafety of all:
To wide through the river there none needs to try,
Let them walk upon me, and I’ll take them o’er dry.

You ſtrangers that paffes upon me each day,
Walk on me et leiſure, there is nothing to pay :
My price it is paid, and my paſſage is free.
But give thanks unto them that ſubſcribed for me.

Now cloſing my ſtrains, I wiſh ſucceſs to all,
That gave their aſſiſtance in rearing my wall;
The deed was moſt uſeful no man can deny,
So I wiſh them all pleaſure and proſperity.