A! Fredome is a noble thing!
Fredome mays man to haiff liking;
Fredome all solace to man giffis,
He levis at ese that frely levis!
A noble hart may haiff nane ese,
Na ellys nocht that may him plese,
Gyff fredome fail'th; for fre liking
Is yharnit ouer all othir thing.
Na he that ay has livit fre
May nocht knaw well the propyrté,
The angyr, na the wretchit doom
That is couplit to foule thraldome.
But giff he had assayit it,
Than all perquer he suld it wit;
And suld think fredome mar to prise
Than all the gold in warld that is.
Thus contrar thingis evermar
Discoweringis of the tothir ar.
— John Barbour
d. 1395
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