Note 203 — Miscellaneous Historical Documents, RELATIVE TO THE ECCLESIASTICAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS IN SCOTLAND—1639.
Reading edition
The name of the vessel whence this letter bears date, seems to have suggested the following effusion in verse, which, if it do not equal Thomas Campbell’s lines on the same theme, in poetical beauty, has, at least, a priority in point of time to recommend it.
VERSES UPON THE RAINBOW. By Mr Patrick Hamilton, Minister of Cambuslang.
The Rainbow was to man a signe of peace: This doth portend much blood—no sign of grace. God’s Rainbow stayed the floods—O, greatest wonder! This threats to burn us all with fyrie thunder. What greife!—that He was hop’t to grace our land, Should, to destroy it, in his Rainbow stand! Lord, either make his Rainbow like to the, Or, under Thyne, let us sure shaddowed be. Thyne reaches so long owre heaven, air, earth, sea— This but a blast, and bounded is by The: Tyme rotts the ane: Thyne doeth remain for ay, Proclaiming peace unto thy saints alway. Man’s Rainbowe’s collor’s red, and full of fyre; Thine whyte, blew, red—signes of thy quenched ire.