¶ Pithy pleasaunt and profitable workes of maister Skelton, Poete Laureate. Nowe collected and newly published. ANNO 1568.
❧ Imprinted at London in Fletestreate, neare vnto saint Dunstones churche by Thomas Marshe.
Salue plus decies (quam) sunt momenta dierum,
Quot generū species, quot res quot nomina rerū,
Quot prati flores, quot sunt in orbe colores,
Quot Pisces, quot aues, quot sunt in equore naues,
Quot volucrū penne, quot sunt tormenta gehēne,
Quot coeli stelle, quot sunt in orbe puelle,
Quot sancti rome, quot sunt miracula thome,
Quot sunt virtutes, tot vobis mitto salutes.
IF slouth and tract of time, (that wears eche thing away)
Should rust and canker worthy artes, Good works would soen decay.
If suche as present are, For goeth the people past:
Ourselus should soen in silence slepe, And loes renom at last.
No soyll nor land so rude, But som odd men can shoe:
Than should the learned pas vnknowne, whoes pen & skill did floe.
God shéeld our sloulth wear sutch, Or world so simple nowe:
That knowledge scaept without reward, Who sercheth vertue throwe
And paints forth vyce a right, And blames abues of men:
And shoes what lief desarues rebuke, And who the prayes of pen.
You sée howe forrayn realms, Aduance their Poets all:
And ours are drowned in the dust, Or flong against the wall.
In Fraunce did Marrot raigne, and neighbour thear vnto:
Was Petrark, marching full with dantte, Who erst did wonders do
[Page] Among the noble Grekes, Was Homere full of skill:
And where that Ouid norisht was, The soyll did florish still.
With letters hie of style, But Uirgill wan the fraes,
And past them all for deep engyen, And made them all to gaes
Upon the bookes he made, Thus eche of them you sée
Wan prayse and fame and honor had, Eche one in their degrée.
I pray you then my friendes, Disdaine not for to vewe:
The workes and sugred verses fine, Of our raer poetes newe
Whoes barborus language rued, Perhaps ye may mislike,
But blame them not that ruedly playes If they the ball do strike.
Nor skorne not mother tunge, O babes of englishe breed,
I haue of other language séen, And you at full may reed.
Fine verses trimly wrought, And coutcht in comly sort,
But neuer I nor you I troe, In sentence plaine and short.
[Page] Did yet beholde with eye, In any forraine tonge:
A higher verse a staetly style, That may be read or song.
Than is this daye in déede, Our englishe verse and ryme:
The grace wherof doth touch ye gods, And reatch the cloudes somtime.
Thorow earth and waters déepe, The pen by skill doth passe:
And featly nyps the worldes abuse, And shoes vs in a glasse,
The vertu and the vice, Of eury wyght a lyue:
The hony combe that bée doth make, Is not so swéete in hyue.
As are the golden leues, That drops from poets head:
Which doth surmoūt our cōmō talke As farre as dros doth lead.
The flowre is sifted cleane, The bran is cast aside.
And so good corne is knowen from chaffe, And each fine graine is spide.
Peers plowman was full plaine, And Chausers spréet was great:
Earle Surry had a goodly vayne, Lord Uaus the marke did beat.
[Page] And Phaer did hit the pricke, In thinges he did translate:
And Edwards had a special gift, And diuers men of late.
Hath helpt our Englishe toung, That first was baes and brute
Ohe shall I leaue out Skeltons name, The blossome of my frute
The trée wheron in deed, My branchis all might groe,
Nay skelton wore the Lawrell wreath, And past in schoels ye knoe,
A poet for his arte, Whoes iudgment suer was hie,
And had great practies of the pen, His works they will not lie.
His terms to taunts did lean, His talke was as he wraet:
Full quick of witte, right sharp of words, And shilfull of the staet.
Of reason riep and good, And to the haetfull mynd:
That did disdain his doings still, A skornar of his kynd.
Most pleasant euery way, As poets ought to be:
And seldom out of Princis grace, And great with eche degre.
[Page] Thus haue you heard at full, What Skelton was in deed:
A further knowledge shall you haue, If you his bookes do réed.
I haue of meer good will, Theas verses written heer:
To honour vertue as I ought, And make his fame apéer.
That whan the Garland gay, Of lawrel leaues but laet,
Small is my pain, great is his prayes, That thus sutch honour gaet.
Finis
ꝙ Churchyarde.
Workes of Skelton newly collected by I. S. as folovveth.
- 1 The crowne of lawrel.
- 2 The bouge of court.
- 3 The duke of Albany
- 4 Speake parrot.
- 5 Edward the fourth.
- 6 Against the Scottes
- 7 Ware the hauke.
- 8 Howe euery thinge must haue a time.
- 9 A prayer to the father of heauen.
- 10 To ye second person.
- 11 To the holy ghost.
- 12 The tunning of Elinour Rumming.
- 13 The relucēt mirror
- 14 Why come ye not to court.
- 15 Colyn Clout.
- 16 Philip sparowe.
- 17 Of a comly Coystrowne.
- 18 Upō a deadmās héed
- 19 To maistris Anne.
- 20 Of thre fooles.
- 21 En parlement a Paris.
- 22 Epitaphes of two knaues of dise.
- 23 Lamentation for Nor wiche.
- 24 Against ye Scottes.
- 25 Praise of ye palmtre
- 26 Bedel quōdā Belial.
- 27 The dolorus death of the Lord Percie Erle of Northumberlande.
- 28 Epitaphium Margarete countisse de Derbi.
- 29 Epita. Hen. septi.
- 30 Eulogium pro suorum temporum.
- 31 A parable by William Cornishe in yt Fléete.
- 32 Against venemous tongues.
- 33 Of Calliope.
The crowne of Lawrell
ARrectynge my syght towarde the zodiake
The signes. xij. for to beholde a farre
Whan Mars retrograunt reuersed his backe
Lorde of the yere in his orbicular
Put vp his sworde, for he coude make no warre
And whan Lucina plenary dyd shyne
Scorpion ascendynge degrees twyse nyne
¶ In place alone, than musynge in my thought
How all thing passeth, as doth the somer flowre
On euery halfe my reasons forthe I sought
Howe often fortune varyeth in an howre
Now clere wether, forth with a stormy showre
All thyng compassed, no perpetuyte,
But nowe in welthe, nowe in aduersyte.
¶ So depely drowned I was in this dumpe
Encraumpysshed so sore was my conceyte
That me to rest, I lent me to a stumpe
Of an oke, that somtyme grewe full streyghte
A myghty tre and of a noble heyght
whose beaute blasted was wt the boysturs winde
His leaues loste, the sappe was from the rynde.
¶ Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres
Ensowked with sylt of the myry mose
Where hartes belluyng embosed with distres
Ra [...]on the raunge so longe, that I suppose
Fewe men can tell where the hynde calfe gose.
F [...]re fal ye forster that so wel can bate his hoūde
But of my purpose now turne we to the groūde
¶ Whylis I stode musynge. in this meditacion
In slumbrynge I fell, and halfe in a slepe
And whether it were of ymaginacion
Or of humors superflue, that often will crepe
In to the brayne by drynkyng ouer depe
Or it proceded of fatall perswasion
I can nat tell you what was the occasion
¶ But sodaynly at ones as I me aduysed
(As one in a trans or in an extasy)
I sawe a pauylion wondersly disguised
Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy
Enhachyde with perle and stones preciously
The groūde engrosed and bet with bourne gold
That passynge goodly it was to be holde
¶ Within that a princes excellente of porte
But to recounte her riche abilyment
And what estates to her dyd resorte
Therto am I full insuffycient
A goddesse immortall she dyd represent
As I harde saye Dame Pallas was her name
To whom supplyed the royall quene of fame
¶ The quene of Fame to dame Pallas.
PRinces most pusant of hygh preeminence
Renowned lady aboue the sterry heuyn
All other transcendynge of very congruence
Madame regent of the sciences seuyn
To whose astate all noblenesse most lenen
My suppitcacion to you I arrecte
Wherof I beseche you to tendre the effecte.
¶ Nat vnremembred it is vnto your grace
Howe ye gaue me a ryall commaundement
That in my courte Skelton shulde haue a place
Bycause that he his tyme studiously hath spent
In your seruice: and to the accomplysshement
Of your request, regestred is his name
With laureate triumphe in the courte of Fame
But good madame the accustome and vsage
Of auncient poetes ye wote full wele hath bene
Themselfe to embusy with all their hole corage
So that theyr workes myght famously be sene
In figure wherof they were the laurell grene
But howe it is, Skelton is wunder slacke
And as we dare we fynde in hym a lacke
¶ For ne were onely he hath your promocion
Out of my bokes full soone I shulde hym rase
But sithe he hath tasted of the sugred pocion
Of Heliconis well: refresshed with your grace
And wyll nat endeuour hymselfe to purchace
The fauour of ladys with wordes electe
It is syttynge that ye must hym correcte.
¶ Dame Pallas to the quene of Fame.
THe sum of your purpose, as we are aduysed
Is that our seruaunt is some what to dull
Wherin this answere for hym we haue cōprised
Howe ryuers ren nat till the sprynge be full
Be [...]er a dūme mouthe than a brayneles scull
For if he gloriously publysshe his matter
Tha [...] men wyll saye howe he doth but flatter.
¶ And if so him fortune to write true and plaine
As somtyme he must vices remorde
Than some wyll say he hath but lytell brayne
And how his wordes with reasō wil nat accorde
Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde
Displease nat an hūdred for one mānes pleasure
Who wryteth wysely hath a great treasure.
¶ Also to furnysshe better his excuse
Ouide was banysshed for such a skyll,
And many mo, whom I coude enduce.
Iuuenal was thret parde for to kyll
For certayne inuectiues: Yet wrote he none yll
Sauynge he rubbed some vpon the gall,
It was not for hym to abyde the triall.
In general wordes I say nat greatly nay
A poet somtyme may for his pleasure taunt
Spekyng in parables, howe the fox, the grey
The gander, the goose, and the huge oliphant
Went with the pecocke agaynst the fesaunt
The lesarde came leaping and sayd that he must
With helpe of the ram lay all in the dust.
¶ Yet druerse there be industriouse of reason
Som what wolde gadder in their coniceture
Of suche an endarked chaptre some season
Howe be it, it were harde to cōstrue this lecture
Soyhisticated craftely is many a confecture
An other mannes mynde diffuse is to expou [...]e
Yet harde is to make but some faute be fou [...]e.
☞ The quene of Fame to dame Pallas
MAdame with fauor of your benigne suffraūce
Unto your grace thā make I this motiue
Wherto made ye me hym to auaunce
Unto the rowme of laureat promotyue?
Or wherto shulde he haue the prerogatiue
But yf he had made some memoriall
Wherby he myght haue a name immortall?
¶ To passe the tyme in sloughtfull ydelnesse
Of your royall palais it is nat the gyse
But to do somwhat eche man doth hym dresse
For howe shulde Cato els be called wyse
But that his bokes, whiche he dyd deuyse
Recorde the same? Or why is had in mynde
Plato, But for that he lefte wrytynge behynde
¶ For men to loke on? Aristotille also
Of philosophers called the principall.
Olde Diogines, with other many mo
Demosthenes that oratour royall
That gaue Eschines suche a cordiall
That banisshed was he through his proposicion
Agaynst whom he coude make no contradiction.
¶ Dame Pallas to the quene of Fame
SOft my good syster, & make there a pauses
And was Eschines rebuked as ye say?
Remembre you well, poynt well that clause
Wherfore than rased ye nat away
His name? Or why is it I you praye,
That he to your court is goynge and commyng
Sith he is sklaundred for defaute of counnynge?
¶ The Quene of Fame to dame Pallas.
MAdame your apposelle is well inferred
And at your auauntage quickely it is
Touched: and harde for to be barred
Yet shall I answere your grace as in this
With your reformacion if I say amis
For but if your bounte dyd me assure
Myne argument els could nat longe endure
¶ As touchyng that Eschines is remembred
That he so shulde be, me semeth it syttynge
All be it great parte he hath surrendred
Of his honour, whose dissuasyue in wryttynge
To corage Demosthenes was moche excitynge
In settynge out fresshely his crafty persuasion
From whiche Eschines had none euasion
¶ The cause why Demosthenes so famously is bruted
Onely proceded, for that he did outray
Eschines: whiche was nat shamefully confuted
But of that famous oratour I say
Whiche passed all other: wherfore I may
Amonge my recordes suffre him named.
For though he wer vāquished yet was he nat shamed
¶ As Hierome in his preāble frater Ambrosius
From that I haue sayd in no poynt doth vary
Wherin he reporteth of the coragious
Wordes, that were moche consolatory
By Eschines rehersed, to the great glory
Of Demosthenes, that was his vtter fo
Fewe shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so.
Dame Pallas to the quene of Fame.
A Thanke to haue ye haue well deserued,
your mynde yt can maynteyne so apparētly:
But a great parte yet ye haue reserued
Of that must folow than consequently
Or els ye demeane you inordinatly
For if ye laude hym, whom honour hath opprest
Than he that dothe worst is as good as the best.
¶ But whom yt ye fauour, I se well hath a name
Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce
And whom ye loue nat, ye wyll put to shame
Ye counterwey nat euynly your balaunce
As well foly as wysdome oft ye do auaunce
For reporte ryseth many dyuers wayes
Some be moche spoken of for makyng of frayes
¶ Some haue a name for thefte and bribery
Some be called crafty, that can pyke a purse
Some men be made of for their mockery
Som careful cokolds, sōe haue their wiues curse
Som famous witwoldes, & they be moche wurse
Som lidderons, som losels, som naughty packes
Som facers, som bracers, som make gret cracks.
¶ Some dronkē dastards with their drye soules
Some sluggysshe slouens ye slepe day and night
Ryot and Reuell be in your courte roules
Maintenaūce & Mischefe these be men of myght
Extorcion is counted with you for a knyght
These people by me haue none assignement
Yet they ryde and renne from Carlill to Rent.
¶ But lytell or nothynge ye shall here tell
Of them that haue vertue by reson of counnyng
Whiche soueraynely in honoure shulde excell
Men of suche matters make but mummynge
For wysdome and sadnesse be set out a sunnyng
And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promoted
One faute or other in them shalbe noted
¶ Eyther they wyll say he is to wyse
Or elles he can nought but whan he is at scole
Proue his wytte sayth he at cardes or dyce
And ye shall well fynde he is a very fole
Twyshe, set hym a chayer or reche hym a stole
To syt hym vpon, & rede Iacke a thr ūmis bibil
For truly it were pite that he sat idyll.
☞ The quene of Fame to dame Pallas.
TO make repugnāce againe that ye haue said
Of very dutie it may nat well accorde
but your benigū suffrāce for my discharge I laid
For that I wolde nat with you fall at discorde
But yet I beseche your grace that good recorde
May be brought forth suche as can be founde
wt laureat triūphe why Skeltō shulde be croūde.
¶ For elles it were to great a derogacion
Unto your palais our noble courte of Fame
That any man vnder supportacion
Without deseruing shulde haue the best game
If he to the ample encreace of his name
Can lay any warkes that he hath compiled
I am content that he be nat exiled
From the laureat senate: by force of proscripcion
Or elles ye knowe well I can do no lesse
But I must bannysshe hym frō my iurisdiction
As he that aqueynteth hym with Idelnesse
But if that he purpose to make a redresse
What he hath done let it be brought to syght
Graunt my peticion, I aske you but ryght.
¶ Dame Pallas to the quene of Fame
¶ To your request we be well condiscended
Call forth, let se where is your clarionar
To blowe a blaste with his longe breth extended
Eolus your trumpet that knowen is so farre
That bararag bloweth in euery marciall warre
Let hym blowe nowe, that we may take a vewe
What poetes we haue at our retynewe.
¶ To se if Skelton wyll put hymselfe in prease
Amonge the thickest of all the hole route
Make noise ynoughe, for claterars loue no peace
Let se my syster, nowe spede you, go aboute
Anone I say this trumpet were founde out
And for no man hardely let hym spare
To blowe bararag, tyll both his eien stare.
¶ Skelton poeta.
FOr the with there rose among the throng
A wonderfull noyse, and on euery syde
They presed i fast, some thought thei wer to lōg
Some were to hasty, and wolde no man syde
Sue whispred, sūe rowned, sūe spake, & som cride
with heuyng and shouyng, haue in and haue out
Some ran the next waye, some ran about.
¶ There was suynge to the quene of Fame
He plucked him backe, and he went afore.
Nay hold thy tūge ꝙ an other let me haue yt nāe
Make rowme said an other ye prese all to sore
Som sayd, holde thy peas yu gettest here no more
A thousande thousande I sawe on a plumpe
With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe
¶ That longe time blew a full tymorous blaste
Like to the Boriall wyndes, whan they blowe
That towres, and townes, and trees downe cast
Droue clowdes to gether like dryftes of snowe
The dredeful dinne droue all the route on a row
Som trēbled, som girned, som gasped, som gased
As people halfe peuissh or men that were mased
¶ Anone all was whyshte, as it wer for ye nones
And eche man stode gasyng & staryng vpō other
With that there come in wonderly at ones
A murmur of minstrels, that suche an other
Had I neuer sene, some softer some lowder
Orpheus the Thracian harped melodiously
With Amphion, and other musis of Archady.
¶ Whose heuenly armony was so passing sure
So truly proporcioned, and so well dyd gree
So duly entuned with euery measure
That in the forest was none so great a tre
But that he daunced for ioye of that gle
The huge myghty okes themselfe did auaunce
And lepe from the hilles to lerne for to daunce
¶ In so muche the stumpe, wherto I me lente
Sterte all at ones an hundred fote backe
With that I sprange vp towarde the tent
Of noble dame Pallas, wherof I spake
Where I sawe came after I wote full litel lacke
Of a thousande poetes assembled to gether
But Phebus was formest of al that came theder
¶ Of laurell leaues a cronell on his heed
With heares encrisped yolowe as the golde
Lamētynge Daphnes, whom wt the darte of leed
Cupide hath stryken so that she ne wolde
Concente to Phebus to haue his harte in holde
But for to preserue her maydenheed clene
Transformed was she into the laurell grene.
Medled with murning yt most part of his muse
O thou gatfull harte, was euer more his songe
Daphnes my derlynge why do you me refuse?
Yet loke on me, that loued you haue so longe
Yet haue compassion vpon my paynes stronge
He sange also, howe the tre as he did take
Betwene his armes he felte her body quake
¶ Than he assurded into this exclamacion
Unto Diana the goddes immortall
O merciles ma dame harde is your constellacion
So close to kepe your cloyster virginall
Enharded adyamant the sement of your wall
Alas what ayle you to be so ouerth wart
To banysshe pite out of a maydens harte?
¶ why haue the goddes shewed me this crueltte
Sith I contryued first principles medycinable
I helpe all other of their infirmyte
But nowe to helpe myselfe I am not able
That profitteth all other is nothinge profitable
Unto me, alas that herbe nor gresse
The feruent axes of loue can not represse.
¶ O fatall fortune what haue I offended?
Odious disdayne why raist yu me on this facyon?
But sith I haue lost nowe that I entended
And may nat atteyne it by no mediacion
Yet in remembraūce of Daphnes trāsformation
All famous poets ensuynge after me
Shall we are a garlande of the laurell tre
¶ This said, a great nombre folowed by and by
Of poetes laureat of many diuerse nacions
Parte of their names I thynke to specifie
First olde Quintilian with his Declamations
Theocritus with his bucolicall relacions
Hesiodus the Icononucar,
And Homerus the fresshe historiar.
¶ Prince of eloquence Tullius Cicero,
With Salust agaynst Lutius Catiline
That wrote the history of Iugurtha also,
Ouide enshryned with the Musis nyne,
But blessed Bacchus the pleasant god of wyne
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotes
These orators & poetes refresshed their throtes.
¶ Lucan with stacius in Achilliedos
Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse
Uirgill the mantuan with his enridos
Inuenall satirray that men makythe to muse
But blessed Bacchus the pleasant god of wyne
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotes
These oraters & Poetes refreshed their throtes
¶ There Titus Liuius hymselfe dyd auaunce
With decadis historious which that he mēgleth
with maters yt amoūt the Romayns in substaūce
Ennius that wrote of marciall warre at length
But blessed Bacchus potenciall god of strengthe
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropes
These orators & poetes refresshed their throtes.
¶ Aulus Gellius that noble historiar,
Orace also with his newe poetry
Maister Terence the famous comicar,
With Plautus that wrote many a comedy
But blessed Bacchus was in their company
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropes
These orators & poetes refresshed their throtes.
¶ Senec full sobrely with his tragedies,
Boece recomforted with his philosophie,
And Marimiane with his madde dities,
Howe dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly
But blessed Bacchus most reuerent and holy
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy dropes
These orators & poetes refresshed their throtes.
¶ There came Iohn Boccas wt his volūes grete
Quintus Cursius full craftely that wrate
Of Alexander: And Macrobius that did treate
Of Scipiōs dreame what was the true probate
But blessed Bacchus that neuer man forgate
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropes
These orators & poetes refresshed their throtes.
¶ Pogius also that famous florentie
Mustred there among thē with many a mad tale
With a frere of Fraunce men call syr Gaguine
That frowned on me full angerly and pale
But blessed Bacchus, that bote is of all bale
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropes
These orators & poetes refresshed theyr throtes.
¶ Plutarke and Patrarke two famous clarkes
Lucilius and Ualerius Marimus by name
with Uincētius in speculo yt wrote noble warkes
Propercius and Pisandros poetes of noble fame
But blessed Bachus that mastrise oft doth frame
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropes
These notable poetes refresshed theyr throtes.
¶ And as I thus sadly among them aduysed
I saw Gower, ye first garnished our ēglishe rude
And maister Chaucer, that nobly entreprised
How ye our englishe myght freshely be ennewed
The monke of Bury than after them ensued
Dane Iohn̄ Lydgate: these englishe poetes thre
As I ymagened repayred vnto me.
¶ To gether in armes as bretherne enbrased
Their apparell farre passing beyond yt I can tell
wt diamātes & rubies their taberdes were trased
None so riche stones in Turkey to sell
They wanted nothynge but the Laurell.
And of their bounte they made me goodly chere
In maner and forme as ye shall after here.
¶ Maister Gower to Skelton.
BRother Skelton your endeuorment
So haue ye done, that meretoriously
Ye haue deserued to haue an enplement
In our collage aboue the sterry skye
Bycause that ye encrease and amplifie
The bruted Britons of Brutus Albion
That welnere was lost whā that we were gone
¶ Poeta Skelton to Maister Gower.
MAister Gower I haue nothyng deserued
To haue So laudabyle A commendacion
To yow thre this honor shalbe reserued
Arrectinge vnto your wyse examinacion
How all that I do is vnder Refformation
For only the Substance of that I entend
Is glad to please and loth to offend.
☞ Maister Chaucher Lawreat poete to Skelton.
COunter waying your busy diligence
Of that we beganne in the supplement
Enforced are we you to recompence
Of all our holle collage by the agrement
That we shall brynge you personally present
Of noble Fame before the quenes grace
In whose courte poynted is your place.
❧ Poeta Skelton answereth
O Noble Chaucer, whose pullisshed eloquēcs
Our englisshe rude so freshely hath set out
That bounde are we with all due reuerence
with all our strengthe that we can bryng about
To owe to you our seruice, & more if we mowte
But what shulde I say, ye wote what I entende
whiche glad am to please, and loth to offende.
¶ Maister Lydgate to Skelton.
SO am I preuēted of my bretherne twayne
In rendrynge to you thankes meretory
That welnere nothynge there doth remayns
wherwith to gyue you my regraciatory
But that I poynt you to be protonotory
Of Fames courte, by all our holle assent
Auaunced by Pallas to laurell preferment.
❧ Poeta Skelton answereth.
So haue ye me far passyng my merites extolled
Maister Lydgate of your accustomable
Bounte, and so gloriously ye haue enrolled
My name. I knowe well beyōde that I am able
That but if my warkes therto be agreable
I am elles rebuked of that I entend
whiche glad am to please and loth to offende
¶ So Finally, whā they had shewed their deuise
Under the forme as I sayd before
I made it straūge, and drewe backe ones or twise
And euer they presed on me more and more
Tyll at the last they forced me so sore
That wt them I went where they wold me brīge
Unto the pauylion, where Pallas was syttyng.
Dame Pallas cōmāded ye they shuld me cōuay
In to the riche palace of the quene of Fame,
There shall he here what she to hym will say
Whan he is called to answere to his name,
A crye anone forth with she made proclame,
All orators and poetes shoulde thider go before
With all the prease that there was lesse & more.
Forthwith I say: thus wādring in my thought
Howe it was, or elles within what howres
I can nat tell you, but that I was brought
In to a palace, with turrettes and towres
Engalared goodly with halles and bowres
So curiosly, so craftly, so coūnyngly wrought
That all the worlde I trowe and it were sought
Suche an other, there could no man fynde
Wherof partly I purpose to expounde
Whiles it remayneth fresshe in my mynde
wt turks and grossolites enpaued was the groūd
Of birral enbosed were the pyllers round
Of elephantes tethe, were the palace gates
Enlosenged with many goodly plates
Of golde entached with many a precious stone
An hundred steppes mountynge to the halle
ONe of iasper, an other of whales bone,
Of diamantes poynted, was the Rokky wal.
[Page] The carpettes within and tappettes of pall
The chambres hanged with clothes of Arace
Enuauted with rubies yt v aute was of this
Thus passed we forth. walkyng vnto ye pretory
Wher ye postis wer ēbulioned wt saphirs īdy blew
Englased glitteryng with many a clere story
Iacictes & smaragdes out of yt florth they grew.
Unto this place all poetes there dyd sue
Wherin was set of Fame the noble quene
All other transcendyng most richely besene
Under a glorious clothe of estate
Fret all with orient perles of Garnate
Encrowned as empresse of all this worldly fate
So ryally, so richely, so passyngly ornate
It was excedynge beyonde the cōmune rate
This house enuiron was a myle about
If. xii. were let in. xii. hundred stode without
Thā to this lady and souerayne of this palace
Of purseuātes ther presed ī wc many diuers tale
Some were of Poyle, and some were of Thrace
Of Lymerik, of Loreī, of Spaine, of Portugale
From Napuls, frō Nauern, and frō Koūceuale
Some from Flaunders, some fro the see coste
Some frō the maine lāde, some fro the frēch host
with how doth yt north, what tydīges ī yt south
The west is wyndy, the Eest is metely wele
It is harde to tell of euery mannes mouthe
A slypper holde the tayle is of an ele
And he halteth often that hath a kyby hele
Sūe shewed his safecōduct, sūe shewed his chart
Some loked ful smothely, and had a fals quart.
With sir I praye you a litell tyne stāde backe
And let me come in to delyuer my letter
An other tolde, howe shyppes went to wracke
There were many wordes smaller and greatter
With I as good as thou, I faith and no better
Some came to tell treuthe, some came to lye.
Some came to flatter, some came to spye,
There were I saye of all maner of sortes
Of dertmouth, of plymouth, of portesmouth also
The burgeis and the bayliues of the. v. portes
With nowe let me come, and nowe let me go
And all tyme wandred I thus. to and fro,
Tyll at the laste these noble poetes thre
Anto me sayd lo syr nowe ye maye se,
Of this hyghecourte the dayly busynes
From you must we, but nat longe to tary
Lo hither cometh a goodly maistres
Occupacion, Fames regestary.
[Page] Whiche shalbe to you a souerayne accessary
With singular pleasures to dryue away y• tyme
And we shall se you agayne or it be pryme.
Whā they wer past, & went forth on their way
This gentilwoman, that called was by name
Occupacion, in ryght goodly araye
Came towarde me, and smyled halfe in game.
I sawe her smyle, and than I dyd the same
With that on me she cast her goodly loke
Under her arme me thought she had a boke.
¶ Occupation to Skelton.
LYke as the larke vpon the somers daye
Whā Titā radiāt burnisheth his bemes bright
Mounteth on hye, with hir melodius laye
Of the son shyne engladed with the lyght
So am I supprised with pleasure and delyght
To se this houre nowe, that I may saye
Howe ye are welcome to this court of araye
Of your aqueyntaūce I was in tymes paste
Of studious doctrine whan at the port salu
Ye fyrst arryued, whan broken was your maste
Of worldly trust, than dyd I you reskew
Your storme dryuen shyp I repared newe
So well entacled, what wynde so euer blow
No stormy tempest your barge shall ouer throw
Welcome to me as hertly as herte can thinke,
Welcome to me with all my holle desyre
And for mysake spare neyther pen nor ynke
Be well assured I shall aquyte your hyre.
Your name recoūtyng beyonde the land o Tire
From Sydony to the mount Olympian
From Babyll towre to the hils Caspian.
¶ Skelton Poeta answereth.
I Thanked her moche of her most noble offer
Affiaunsynge her myne hole assuraunce
For her pleasure to make a large profer
Empryntyng her wordes in my remembraunce
To owe her my seruice with true perseueraunce
Come on with me she sayd, let vs nat stande
And with that worde she toke me by the hande
So passed we forth into the forsayd place.
With such cōmunicacion as came to our mynde
And than she sayd, whyles we haue tyme & space
To walke where we lyst, let vs somwhat fynde
To passe the time with▪ but let vs wast no wynd
For ydell Ianglers haue but lytell brayne
Wordes be swordes and harde to call agayne
Into a felde she brought me wyde and large
Enwalled about with the stony flynt
Strongly enbateld muche costious of charge
To walke on this wal, she bed I should nat stint
[Page] Go softly she said, the stones be full glynt
She went before and bad me take good holde
I sawe a thousande yates newe and olde
Than questioned I her what these yates ment,
Wherto she answered, and bryefly me tolde
Howe from the Est vnto the Occident
And from the South vnto the North so colde,
These yates she said, whiche that ye beholde
Be issues and portes from all maner of nacions
and seriously she shewed me their denominaciōs
They had wrytynge some greke, some ebrew,
Some Romayne letters as I vnderstode
Some were olde writen, some were writē new,
Sūe carectis of Caldy, some frēche was ful good
But one gate specially, where as I stode
Had grauen in it of Calcidony a capitall. A.
What gate call ye this? and she sayd Anglia
The buyldyng therof was passing cōmendable
Wherō stode a lybbard crowned wt gold & stones
Terrible of countinaunce, & passing formidable
As quickly touched as it were fleshe and bones
As gastly that glaris, as grimly that gronis
As fiersly frownyng as he had ben fyghtynge
And wc his forme fote, he shoke forth this writīg.
Cacosinthicon ex industria.
Formidanda nimis Iouis ultima fulmina tollis
Vnguibus ire parat loca singula liuida curuis
Quam modo per Phebes nummos raptura Celenoz
Arma, lues, luctus, fel, uis fraus barbara tellus
Mille modis erras odium tibi querere martis.
Spreto spineto cedat saliunca roseto.
Than I me lent and loked ouer the wall
Innumerable people presed to euery gate
Shet were yt gates, they might wel knocke & cal
And turne home agayn, for they came al to late
I her demaunded of them and their astate
Forsothe ꝙ she, these be haskardes & rybaudes
Dicers, carders, tumblars with gambaudes.
Fordrers of loue, with baudrie a [...]neynted
Brayneles blynkardes that blowe at the cole
False forgers of money for coynnage atteynted
Pope holy hypocrites as they were golde & hole,
Poule hatchettes yt prate well at euery ale pole
Ryot, reueler, rayler, brybery, thefte,
With other condicions that well might be lefte.
Sūe fayne thēself foles, & wold be called wyse
Sōe medling spies, by craft to grope thy minde
Some disdaynous daucockes that al men dispise
False flatterers that faune the, & curres of kynd
[Page] That speke faire before the, & shrewdly behynde
Hither they come crowding to get them a name
But hayled they be homwarde wt sorow & shame
With that I herde gunnes rushe out at ones
Bowns, bowns, bowns, that all they out cryde
It made some limpe legged & broised their bones
Some were made pyuyshe porisshly pynke eyde
That euermore after by it they were aspyde
And one ther was there, I wondred of his hap
For a gunstone I say had all to lagged his cap.
Ragged and dagged and cunnyngly cut
The blast of the brymston blew away his braine
Mased as a marche hare, he ran lyke a scut
And sir amonge all me thought I sawe twayne
The one was a tumblar that afterward agayne
Of a dyssour a deuyll way grewe a ientilman
Persprater the seconde that quarelles began
wc a pellet of peuishenes thei had such a stroke
That al ye dayes of their lyf shal stick by their ribbes
Foo, foisty baudias som smelled of ye smoke
I saw diuers yt were caried away thens ī cribbes
Dasyng after dotrels lyke drunkardes yt dribbes
These titiuils wc taūpins were touched & tapped
moche mischef I hight you amōg thē ther happed
Somtyme as it semeth whan the mone lyght
[Page] By meanes of a grosely endarked clowde,
Sodainly is eclipsed in the wynter nyght
In like maner of wyse, amyst dyd vs shrowde
But wel may ye thinke. I was nothyng prowde
Of that auentures, whiche made me sore agaste
In darkenes thus dwelt we, tyll at the last
The clowdes gon to clere, the mist was rarified
In an herber I sawe brought where I was
There byrdes on the brere sange on euery syde
With aleys ensanded about in compas
The bankes enturfed with singular solas
Enrailed with rosers, and vines engraped
It was a new comfort of sorowes escaped
In the middes a cundite, yt curiously was cast
With pypes of golde, engusshyng out streames
Of cristall, the clerenes these waters far past
Enswimmyng with roches, barbils, & breames,
Whose skales ensilured again the son beames
Englisterd: that ioyous it was to be holde
Than farthermore about me my sight I reuolde
Where I sawe growyng a goodly laurell tre
Enuerdured with leaue, continually grene,
Aboue in the top a byrde of Araby
Men call a phenix: her wynges bytwene
She bet vp a fyre with the sparkes full kene
[Page] With braunches & boughes of the swete olyue
whose flagraunt flower was chefe preseruatiue.
[...]iua spe [...]osa in [...]pis.
A geynst al infections, with rancour enflamed
Ageynst all baratous broisiours of olde
It passed all bawmes that euer were named
Or gummes of Saby so derely that be solde
Nota ex [...]elletiam [...]irtutis [...] oliua.
There blewe in that garden a soft piplyng colde
Enbrethyng of zephirus with his pleasāt wynde
Al frutes & flowres grewe there in their kynde.
Dryades there daunsed vpon that goodly soile
With the nyne muses Pierides by name
Phillis and Testalis there tresses with oyle
Were newly enbybed: & rounde about the same
Grene tre of laurell, moche solacious game
They made wt chapplettes and garlandes grene
And formest of al Dame Flora the quene
Of somer so formally she foted the daunce
Ther Citheus sat twinklyng vpō his harpestriges
An̄d Iopas his instrument dyd auaunce
The poemes and stories auncient in brynges
Of Athlas astrology, and many noble thynges
Of wandryng of the mone the course of the son
Of men and of bestes, and whereof they begone,
What thyng occasioned the showres of rayne
[Page] Of fyre elementar in his supreme spere
And of that pole artike, whyche doth remayne
Behynde the tayle of vrsa so clere
Of Pliades he preched with their drowsy chere
Immoystred with mislyng and ay droppyng dry
And where the two trions a man shoulde espye.
And of the wynter dayes that hye theym so fast
And of the wynter nyghtes that fary so longe
And of the somer dayes, so longe that done lasts
And of their short nightes: he brought i his sōge
How wrōge was no right, & right was no wrōg.
There was coūteryng of carols i meter & i verse
So many, that longe in were to reherce.
Occupacion to Skelton.
HOwe saye ye? is this after your appetite?
May this cōtent you & your mery mynde?
Here dwelleth pleasure, with lust and delyte
Continuall comfort here ye may fynde
Of welthe and solace nothynge lefte behynde
All thynge couenably here is contryued
Wherwith your sprites may be reuyued.
Poeta Skelton Answereth.
QUestionles no doubte of that ye saye
Iupiter himselfe this life myght endure
This ioye excedeth all worldly sport and playe
Paradyse, this place is of syngular pleasure
O well were hym that herof might be sure
[Page] And here to inhabite, and aye for to dwell
But goodly maystres one thynge ye me tell
Occupacion to Skelton.
OF your demaunde shew me the content
What it is, and where vpon it standes
And if there be in it any thynge ment,
Wherof the answere restyth in my handes
It shall be losed ful sone out of the bandes
of scrupulus doubt wherfore your mid discharge
And of your will the playnnes shewe at large
Poeta Skelton answereth.
I thāke you goodly maistres to me most benign
That of your bountie so well haue me assured
But my request is nat so great a thynge
That I ne force what thoughe it be discured
I am nat wounded but that I may be cured
I am nat laden of lyddyrnes with lumpes
As dased doterdes that dreame in their dumpes.
Occupacion to Skelton.
Nowe what ye meane I trowe I coniect
God gyue you good yere ye make me to smyle
Nowe by your fayth is nat this theffect
Of your question ye make all this whyle
To vnderstande who dwelleth in yone pile
And what blūdrer is pōder ye playeth diddil diddil.
He fyndeth false mesures out of his fonde fiddill
¶ Interpolata (que industriosum postulat interpretem) satyra in uatis aduersarium.
Tressis Agasonis species prior, altera Daui.
Nota Al chimiam & septē metalla.
Aucupium culicis limis dum torquet ocellum.
Concipit. aligeras rapit, opetit, [...]spice muscas,
Maia quoque fouet, fouet aut que Iupiter, aut que
Frigida Saturnus, Sol, Mars, Venus, Algida Luna,
Si tibi contingat uerbo aut committere scripto
Quam sibi mox tacita sudant precordia culpa?
Hinc ruit in flammas, stimulans huncurget & illum
Inuocat ad rixas, uanos tamen excitat ignes.
Labra mouens tacitus, rumpantur ut ilia Codro.
17. 4. 7. 2. 17. 5. 18.
18. 19. 1. 19. 8. 5. 12.
HIs name for to knowe if that ye lyst
Enuious Rancour truly he hight
Beware of him I warne you: for if ye wyst
Howe dangerous it were to stande in his lyght
ye wold nat deale wyth him thought yt ye might
For by his deuillisshe drift & graceles, prouision
An holle realme he is able to set at dyuision.
For whā he speketh fairest thā thiketh he most il
Ful gloriously can he glose, thy mynd for to fele
He wyl sett men a feighting & syt himselfe styll
And smerke lyke a smythy cur at sperkes of stele
[Page] He can neuer leaue warke whyles it is wele
To tell all his touches it were to great wonder
The deuyll of hell and he be seldome a sonder
Thus talkīg we went forth ī at a postern gate,
Turning on the right hāde, by a wynding stayre
She brought me to a goodly chambre of astate,
Where the noble countes of Surrey in a chaire
Sate honorably, to whom dyd repayre
Of ladyes a Beuy. with all dewe reuerence
Syt downe fayre ladyes and do your diligence
Come forth gentilwomen I pray you she said
I haue contryued for you a goodly warke
And who can worke best nowe shalbe assayd
A cronell of laurell with verdures light & darke
I haue deuised for Skelton my clerke
For to his seruyce I haue suche regarde
That of our bountie we wyll hym rewarde.
For of all ladyes he hath the library
Their names recountyng in the court of Fame
Of all gentylwomen he hath the scruteny
In F [...]mes courte reportyng the same
For yet of women he neuer sayd shame
But if they were coūtrefettes yt women thē call
That list of their lewdnesse with him for to bral.
With yt the tappettes & carpettes were layde
Wheron these ladyes softely myght rest
The saumpler to sowe on, the laces to enbrayde
To weaue in the stole some were full prest
with slaies, with tauels, with hedelles wel drest
The frame was brought forth wc his weauīg pin
God giue them good spede their warke to begin.
Some to enbrowder put them in prease
wel gydīg their glottō to kepe streight their silk,
Some pyrlyng of golde their worke to encrease
With fingers smale, & handes as white as mylk
With reche me that skayne of tewly sylke
And wynde me that botoume of suche an hewe
Grene, red, tawney, whyte, purple, and blewe,
Of brokē warkes wroght many a goodly thīg
In castyng, in turnyng, in florishing of flowres
With burres rowgh and buttons surffyllyng
In nedyll warke raysyng byrdes in bowres
With vertue enbesed all tymes and howres
And truly of theyr bountie thus were they bent
To worke me this chaplet, by good aduisement.
Occupacion to Skelton.
BEholde and se in your aduertisement,
Howe these ladies and gentylwomen all
For your pleasure do theyr edeuourment
And for your sake, howe fast to warke they fall
[Page] To your remembraunce wherfore ye must call
In goodly wordes pleasauntly comprised
That for them some goodly conceyte be deuised.
Whith propre captacions of beneuolence
Ornately pullyshed after your faculte
Sith ye must nedes afforce it by pretence
Of your profession vnto humanite
Commensyng your proces after their degree
To eche of them rēdring thākes cōmendable
With sētence fructuous, and termes couenable
Poeta Skelton answereth.
AUansyng myselfe some thanke to deserue
I me determyned for to sharpe my pen
Deuoutly arrectyng my prayer to Minerue
She to vouche safe me to enforme and ken
To Mercury also hertely prayed I then
Me to supporte, to helpe, and to assyst
To gyde & to gouerne my dredful trembling fist
As a mariner that amased is in a stormy rage
Hardly be stad and dryuen is to hope
Of that the tempestous wynde will a swage
In trust wherof comfort his heart doth grope
From the anker he cutteth the gabill rope
Committeth al to god, and letteth his ship ryde
So I beseche Iesu now to be my gyde
To the right noble countes of Surrey.
AFter all duly ordred obeysaunce
In humble wyse as lowely as I maye
Unto you madame I make reconisaunce
My lyfe enduryng I shall both wryte and saye
Recounte, reporte, reherse without delaye
The passynge bountie of your noble estate
Of honour & worship which hath ye formar date.
Lyke to Argiua by iust resemblaunce
The noble wyfe of Polimites kynge
Prudent Rebecca, of whom remembraunce
The bible maketh, with whose chaste lyuynge
Your noble demenour is counterwaynge
Whose passing bounte, and right noble estate
Of honour and worshyp it hath the formar date.
The noble Pāphilia quene of the grekes land
Habilimentes royall founde out industriously
Thamer also wrought with her goodly hande
Many diuises passynge curiously
Whom ye represent and exemplify
Whose passynge bounte and right noble estate,
Of honour and worship it hath the formar date,
As dame Thamaris whiche toke the kyng of Perse
Cyrus by name, as writeth the story.
Dame Agrippina also I may reherse
Of gentill corage the parfite memory
[Page] So shall your name endure perpetually
Whose passynge bounte and right noble estate
Of honour and worship it hath the formar date.
To my lady Eilabet h Howarip
To be your remēbraūce madame I am boūde
Lyke to Aryna maydenly of porte
Of vertue & connyng the well and perfit groūde
Whom dame nature, as well I may reporte
Hath freshely enbeautied wc many a goodly sorte
Of womāly fetures, whose florishing tēder age
Is lusty to loke on, plesaunt, demeure, and sage,
Goodly Creseid: fayrer than Polyxene
For to enuyne Pandarus appetite
Troilus I trowe, if that he had you sene
In you he wolde haue set his holle delyte
Of all your beaute I suffice nat to write
But as I sayd your florisshyng tender age
Is lusty to loke on, pleasaunt, demure, & sage.
To my lady Myrriall hawarde.
MI lytell lady I may nat leaue behynde
But to do you seruice nedes nowe I must
Benigne curteyse of gentill harte and mynde
Whom fortune and fate playnly haue discust
Longe to enioye pleasure, delyte, and lust,
The enbudded blossoms of roses redde of hewe
With lilies white your beauty doth renewe.
Compare you I may to Cidippes the mayde
That of Aconcius whan she founde the byll
In her bosome, lorde howe she was afrayde
The ruddy shamefastnes in her vysage fyll
Which maner of abasshemēt became her not yll
Right so madame the roses redde of hewe
With lillyes whyte your beuatie doth renewe
To my lady Anne Dakers of the sowth.
zeusis that enpictured fayre Helene the quene
You to deuise his crafte were to seke
And if Apelles, your countenaunce had sene
Of porturature, which was the famous greke
He could not deuise the lest point of your cheke
Princes of youthe and flowre of goodly porte
Uertue, counnyng, solace, pleasure, comforte.
Paregall in honour vnto Penolope
That for her trouth is in remembraunce had
Fayre Dianira surmountynge in beautie
Demure Diana womanly and sad
Whose lusty lokes make heuy hartes glad
Princes of youthe, and flowre of goodly porte
Uertue counnyng, solace, pleasure, comforte.
To maistres Margary wentworthe.
With Margerain gentill
The flowre of goodly hede
Enbrowdered the mantyll
Is of your maydenhede.
[Page] Playnely I can nat glose
Ye be as I deuyne
The praty primerose
The goodly columbyne.
With margerain gentill
The flowre of goodly hede
Enbrowdered the mantill
Is of your mayden hede
Benygne, courteise, and meke,
With wordes well deuysed
In you who lyst to seke
Be vertues well comprysed.
With margerain gentill
The flowre of goodly hede
Enbrowdered the mantill
Is of your mayden hede.
To maistres Margaret Tylney.
I you assure
Ful well I knowe,
My busy cure
To you I owe
Humbly and lowe
Commendyng me
To your bounte.
As Machareus
Fayre Canace
So I, I wys
Endeuoure me
Your name to se
It be enrolde.
Writen with golde
Phedra ye may
Well represent
[Page]Intentyue ay
And diligent
No tyme myspent
Wherfore delyte
I haue to wryte
Of Margarite
Perle orient
Lode sterre of lyght
Moche relucent
Madame regent
I maye you call
Of vertues all.
To maisters Iane Blenner-Haiset.
What thoughe my penne waxe faynt
And hath smalle lust to paynt
Yet shall there no restraynt
Cause me to cease,
Amonge this prease,
For to encrease
Your goodly name.
I wyll myselfe applye
Truste me ententyuely
You for to stellifye
And so obserue
That ye ne swarue
For to deserue
Immortall fame.
Sith maistres Iane Haiset
Smalle flowres helple to sette
In my goodly chappelet
Therfore I rendre, of her the memorie
[Page] Unto the legende of fayre Leodomie.
To maisters Isabell Pennell.
By saynt Mary my lady
Your mammy and your dady
Brought forthe a goodly baby
My mayden Isabell,
Reflarynge rosabell.
The flagraunt cammamell,
The ruddy rosary,
Tho souerayne rosemary
The praty strawbery,
The columbyne, the nepte,
The ieloffer well sette,
The propre violet.
Ennewed your colowre
Is lyke the dasy flowre,
After the Aprile showre.
Sterre of the morowe graye,
The blossome on the spraye,
The fressheste flowre of Maye.
Maydenly demure,
Of woman hede the lure,
Wherfore I make you sure,
It were an heuenly helthe,
It were an endelesse welthe,
A lyfe for god hymselfe,
To here this nyghtyngale
Amonge the byrdes smale,
[Page] Warbelynge in the vale
Dug, dug, iug, iug,
Good yere and good lucke,
With chucke, chucke, chucke, chucke.
To maisties Margaret Hussey.
Mirry Margaret
As midsomer flowre
Gentyll as faucoun
Or hauke of the towre
With solace & gladnes
Moch mirth & no madnes
All good and no badnes
So ioyously
So maydenly
So womanly
Her demenynge
In euery thynge
Far, far passynge
That I can endite
Or suffice to write
Of mirry Margarete
As mydsomer flowre
Gentill as faucoun
Or hauke of the towre
As pacient & as styll
And as ful of good wil
As fayre Isiphill
Coliander
Swete pomaunder
Oood Cassander
Stefast of thought
wel made, wel wroght
Far may be sought
Erst that ye can fynde
So curteise so kynde
As mirry Margarēte
this midsomer flowre
Gentyll as faucoun
Or hauke of ye towre.
To maistres Geretrude Statham.
Thoughe ye were harde harted
And I with you thwarted
[Page] With wordes that smarted,
Yet nowe doutles, ye gyue me cause
To wryte of you this goodly clause
Maistres Geretrude
With wowan hede endude
With vertue well renude.
I wyll that ye shalbe
In all benignite, Lyke to dame Pasiphe.
For nowe doutlesse, ye gyue me cause
To write of you this goodly clause
Maistres Geretrude
With woman hede endude,
With vertue well renude.
Partly by your counsell.
Garnysshed with laurell.
Was my fresshe coronell.
Wherfore doutles
Ye gyue me cause
To write of you this goodly clause
Maistres Geretrude
With womanhede endude
With vertue well renude.
To maistres Isabēll Knyght
BUt if I shoulde aquite your kyndnes
Els saye ye myght
That in me were great blyndnes
I for to be so myndles
[Page] And coulde nat wryte
Of Isabell knyght
It is nat my custome nor my gyse
To leaue behynde
Her, that is both womanly and wyse
And specially whiche glad was to deuyse
The meanes to fynde
To please my mynde.
In helpynge to warke my laurel grene,
With sylke and golde
Galathea the mayde wel besene.
Was neuer halfe so fayre as I wene
Whiche was extolde, A thousande folde
By Maro the Mantuan prudent
Who lyst to rede,
But and I had leyser competent
I coude shewe you suche a president
In very dede, Howe ye excede.
Occupacion to Skelton.
Withdrawe your hand, the time passeth faste
Set on your heed this laurell which is wrought
Here you nat Eolus. for you bloweth a blaste
I dare well saye, that ye and I be sought.
Make no delay, for now ye must be brought
Before my ladys grace, the quene of Fame,
Where ye must brefely answere to your name.
Skelton Poeta.
CAstyng my syght the chambre about
To se howe duly, eche thyng in ordre was
Towarde the dore as we were cōmyng out
I sawe maister Newton syt with his compas
His plummet, his pensell, his spectacles of glas
Deuysynge in picture by his industrious wit
Of my laurell the proces euery whitte.
Forth with vpon this as it were in a thought
Gower, Chawcer, Lydgate these thre
Before remembred, me courteisely brought
Into that place, where as they lefte me
Where all the sayd poetes sat in their degre
But whan they saw my laurell richely wrought
All other besyde were countrefet they thought.
In comparison of that whiche I ware
Some preysed the perle, some the stones bryght
Well was hym that thervpon might stare
Of this warke they had so great delyght
The sylke, the golde, the flowres fresh to sight,
They sayd my laurell was the goodlyest
That euer they saw, & wrought it was the best,
In her estate there sate the noble quene
Of Fame, perceyuyng howe that I was cum
She wondred me thought at my laurell grene
She loked hautely, and gaue on me a glum
There was amōge them no word thā but mum
[Page] For eche mā herkened what she wolde to me say
Wherof in substaunce I brought this awaye.
The quene of Fame to Skelton.
MY frende sith ye are before vs here present,
To answere vnto this noble audience
Of that shalbe reasoned ye must be content
And for as moche as by the hye pretence
That ye haue nowe by the preeminence
Of laureat triūphe, your place is here reserued
We will vnderstande howe ye haue it deserued.
Skelton poeta to the quene of Fame.
RYght high and mighty princes of astate
In famous glory all other transcendyng
Of your bounte the customable rate
Hath ben ful often, and yet is attendyng
To all that to reason is condiscendyng
But if hasty credēce by maintenaunce of myght
Fortune to stande betwene you and the lyght.
But suche euidence I thynke for to enduce,
And so largely to lay for myne indempnyte
That I trust to make mine excuse
Of what charge so euer ye lay against me
For of my bokes, parte ye shal se
Which in your recordes I know wel be enrolde
And so occupacion your Regester me tolde.
Forth with she cōmāded I shuld take my place
Caliope pointed me where I shoulde sit
[Page] With that. Occupacion preased in a pace
Be mirry she sayd, be nat a ferde a whit
Your discharge here vnder myn arme is it
So than cōmaunded she was vpon this
To shewe her boke: and she sayd here it is.
The quene of Fame to Occupacion.
Your boke of remēbrāce we wil now yt ye rede
If any recordes in nombre can be found
What Skelton hath cōpiled and written in dede
Rehersynge by ordre, and what is the grounde
Let se nowe for hym, howe ye can expounde
For ī our court ye wote wel his name cā nat rise
But if he write oftenner than ones or twyse.
Skelton Poeta.
With that of ye boke losende were the claspes
The margēt was illumined al with goldē railes
And bice enpictured, with grassoppes & waspes.
With butterflies, and freshe pecocke tailes.
Enflored with flowres and slymy snayles,
Enuiued pictures well touched and quickely
It wold haue made a mā hole yt had be right sikly
To beholde, howe it was garnisshed and boūd,
Encouerde ouer with golde of tissue fine
The clapses and bulliōs were worth a. M. poūde
with balassis & carbūcles ye borders dyd shyne
With aurum musicum euery other lyne
Was writen: and so she dyd her spede
Occupacion immediately to rede.
Occupacion readeth and expoundeth some part of Skeltōs bokes and balades with dities of pleasure: In asmoche as it were to longe a proces to reherce by name, that he hath compiled. &c.
OF your oratour and poete laureate
Of Englande, his warkes here they begyne
In primis the boke of Honorouse astate
Item the boke howe men shoulde fle synne
Item royall demenaunce, worshyp to wynne
Item the boke to speke well or be styll.
Item to lerne you, to dye whan ye will.
Of vertue also, the souerayne enterlude
The boke of the rostar, prince Arthuris creacion
the false faith yt now goth which daily is renude
Item his dialogues of ymaginacion
Item Antomedon of loues meditacion
Item newe grammer in englishe compilled
Itē Bouge of courte, where drede was begylled
His comedy, Achademios called by name
Of Tullis familiars the translacion
Itē good aduisement that braineles doth blame
[Page] The recule against Gaguine of the frēch nacion
Item the Popingay, that hath in commendaciō
Ladies and gentilwomen suche as deserued
And suche as be countrefettes they be reserued.
And of soueraintie a noble pamphelet.
And of magnificence a notable mater
Howe countrefet countenaunce of the new get
With crafty conueyaunce doth smater & flater
And cloked collusion is brought in to clater
with courtly abusiō who prīteth it wel in minde
Moch doublenes of ye world therin he may finde.
Of manerly maistres Margery mylke and ale
To her he wrote many maters of myrth
Yet thoughe I saye it, therby lieth a tale
For Margery wynsed & brake her hynder gyrth
Lorde howe she made moche of her gentill byrth
wc gīgerly go gingerly her taile was made of hay
Go she neuer so gingerly her honestie is gone awaye.
Harde to make ought of that is naked nought
This fustian maistres and this giggisshe gase
Wonder is to write what wrēches she wrought
To face out her foly with a mydsomer mase
wt pitche she patched her pitcher should nat crase
It may well ryme but shrewdly it doth accorde
To pyke out honestie of suche a potshorde.
Patet per uersus.
Hinc puer hinc natus? uir coniugis hinc spollatus
Iure thori? est? fetus deli, de sanguine cretus.
Hinc magis extollo, quod erit puer alter Apollo.
Si queris qualis? meretrix castissima talis.
Et relis & ralis, & reliqualis
A good herynge of these olde talis
Fynde no mo such from wanflete to walis
Et reliquà. ome lia de diuersis tactatibus.
OF my ladis grace at the contemplacion
Out of frenche into englisshe prose
Of mannes lyfe the peregrinacion
He dyd translate: interprete, and disclose
The treatise of triumphes of the redde rose
Wherin many stories are brefely contayned
That vnremembred longe tyme remayned.
The duke of Yorkes creaūcer whā Skeltō was
Nowe Henry the. viij. kynge of Englande
A treatise he deuysed, and brought it to pas
Galled Speculum principis, to beare in his hande
Therin to rede, and to vnderstande
All the demenour of princely astate
To be our kynge of god preordinate.
Also the tunnyng of Eiinor Rummyng
With Colin clout, Iohn yue, with Ioforth Iacke
To make suche trifels it asketh some counnyng
[Page] In honest myrth parde requireth no lacke
The white appereth the better for the blacke
And after conueyaunce as the worlde gose
It is no foly to vse the walshemannes hose.
The vmbles of venison, the botels of wyne
To faire maistres Anne, that shuld haue be sent
He wrote therof many a praty lyne
Where it became, and whither it went
And howe that it was wantonly spent.
The balade also of the mustarde tarte
Suche problemes to paint it longeth to his arte.
Of one Adam all a knaue late dead and gone
Dormiat in pace like a dormous
He wrote an epitaph for his graue stone
With wordes deuout and sentence Egerdous
For he was euer agaynst goddes house
All his delite was to braule and to barke
Agayne holy churche, the prest, and the clarke.
Of Philip sparowe the lamentable fate
The dolefull desteny, and the carefull chaunce
Deuised by Skelton after the funerall rate
Yet some there be there with that take greuaūce
And grugge therat with frowning coūtenaūce
But what of that? harde it is to please all men
Who lyst amende it, let hym set to his penne.
For the gyse now adayes,
Of some iangelynge da Iayes
Is to discommende
That they can nat amende
Thoughe they wolde spende
All the wittes they haue
What ayle them to depraue
Philippe sparowes graue
His dirige, her commendacion
Can be no derogacion
But myrthe and consolacion
Made by protestacion
No man to myscontent
With Philippis enterement
Alas that goodly mayde
Why should she be afrayde?
Why shoulde she take shame,
That her goodly name
Honorably reported,
Should be set and sorted
To be matriculate, with ladies of astate?
I coniure the Philip sparowe
By Hercules that hell dyd harowe
And with a venemous arowe
Slewe of the Epidaures
One of the Centaures
Or Onocentaurus,
Or Hippocentaurus
By whose myght and mayne
[Page] An hart was slayne with hornes twayne
Of glitteryng golde,
And the apples of golde
Of Hesperides with holde
And with a dragon kepte
That neuer more slepte
By marciall strength,
He wan at length.
And slewe Gerione,
With thre bodyes in one
With mighty corage,
Adaunted the rage
Of a lyon sauage.
Of Diomedis stabyll,
He brought out a rabill
Of coursers and rounses
With leapes and bounses
And with mighty luggynge
Wrastelynge and tuggynge,
He plucked the bull,
By the horned scul
And offred to Cornucopia,
And so forthe per cetera
Also by Hecates bowre
In Plutos gastly towre.
By the vgly Eumenides,
That neuer haue rest nor ease
By the venemous serpent,
That in hell is neuer brent.
In Lerua the grekes fen
That was engendred then
By Chemeras flames,
And all the deedly names,
Of infernall posty
[Page] Where soules frye and rosty.
By the stygial flode,
And the stremes wode
Of Cocytus botomlesse well.
By the feryman of hell
Caron with his berde hore
That roweth with a rude ore,
And with his frounsed fore toppe
Gydeth his bote with a proppe.
I coniure Philippe and call
In the name of kynge Saul.
Primo regum expres,
He bad the Phitones
To wytche crafte her to dres,
And by her abusions,
And damnable illusions,
Of merueylous conclusions,
And by her supersticions,
And wonderfull condicions,
She raysed vp in that stede
Samuel, that was dede.
But wheder it were so,
He were idem innumero
The selfe same Samuel,
Howe be it to Saul he dyd tell
The Philistinis should hym askrye
And the nexte daye he should dye,
I wyll myselfe discharge
To lettred men at large.
But Philip I coniure the
Nowe by these names thre
[Page] Diana in the woddes grene,
Luna that so bryght doth shene,
Proserpina in hell,
That thou shortly tell
And shewe nowe vnto me,
What the cause may be,
Of this perplexite,
Inferias Philippe tuas Scroupe pulchra Ioanna
Instanter peciit, cur nostri carmints illam
Nunc pudet, est sero, minor est infamia Vero
Than suche as haue disdayned,
And of this worke complayned,
I praye god they by payned
No worse than is contayned
In verses two or thre,
That folowe as ye maye se▪
Luride cur liuor Volucris pia funera damnas
Talia te rapiant, [...]apiunt quae fata Volucrem,
Est tamen inuidia mors tibi continua.
The groūting & ye groining of ye groning swyne
Also the Mournyng of the mapely rote
Howe the grene couerlet suffred great pyne.
Whan the flie net was set for to catche a cote
Strake one with a byrdbolt to the heart rote
Also a deuoute prayer to Moyses hornes
Metrified merily, medled with scornes.
Of paiantes that were played in ioyous garde
He wrate of a mows through a mud wall
[Page] Howe a doe cam trippyng in at the rere warde
But lorde howe the parker was wroth with all
And of castell Angell the fenestrall
Glittryng and glistryng and gloriously glased
It made some mennes eyen dasyld and dased.
The repete of the recule of Rosamūdes bowre
Of his pleasant paine there and his glad destres
In plantyng & plucking a propre ieloffer flowre
But howe it was, some were to recheles
Nat withstandyng it is remedeles
What myght she say? what myght he do therto?
Though Iack sayd nay: yet mok ther lost her sho.
Howe than lyke a man he wan the Barbican
With a saute of solace at the longe last
The colour deedly, swart, blo, and wan
Of Ereone her lambe is dede and past
The cheke and the necke but a shorte cast
In fortunes fauour euer to endure
No man lyuyng he sayth can be sure.
How dāe Minerua first foūd yu oliue tre, she red
& plāted yet wher neuer before was nōe, vnshred
An hynde vnhurt it by casuelte, nat bled
Recouerd whan the forster was gone, and sped
The hartes of the herd began for to grone, & fled
The houndis began to yerne and to quest: & dred
[Page] With lyttell busines standeth moche rest. in bed.
His epitomis of the myller and his ioly make
How herble was bryght as blossom on the spray
A wanton wenche and well coulde bake a cake
The myllar was loth to be out of the way
But yet for all that be as be may
Whether he rode to Swassham̄ or to Some
The myllar durst nat leaue his wyfe at home
With wofully arayd and shamefully betrayde
Of his making deuoute medytacions
Vexilla regis he deuysed to be desplayde,
With Sacris solempnus, and other contemplacious
That in them comprised consideracions
Thus passeth he the time both night and day
Somtime with sadnes, somtime with play
Though Galene and Dioscorides
With Hipocrates, and mayster Auicen
By theyr phisike done many a man ease
And though Albumasar can the enforme and ken
What constellacions ar good or bad for men:
Yet whan the raine raineth and ye gose winketh
Litell wotteth ye gosling what the gose thinketh
He is nat wise agayne the streame yt striueth
Dun is in the mire, dame reche me my spur
[Page] Nedes must he ren that the deuill dryueth
Whan the stede is stolen sparre the stable dur
A gentyll hounde shoulde neuer playe the kur
It is soone aspyed where the thorne pricketh
And well woteth the cat whose berde she licketh
With Marione clarione sol lucerne
Grande iuir, of this frenche prouerbe olde
Howe men were wont for to discerne
By candelmas daye, what wether shoulde holde
But Marione clariōe was caught wc a colde
And all ouercast with cloudes vnkinde
This goodly flowre with stormes was vntwīde
This ieloffer gētill, this rose, this lylly flowre,
This prime rose pereles, this propre violet,
This delicate dasy, this straubery prately set,
This columbyne clere and fresshest of coloure
With frowarde frostis alas was all to fret
But who may haue more vngracious life
Than a childes byrde and a knaues wife?
Thinke what ye will
Of this wanton byll.
By Mary Gipcie
Quod scripsi scripst
Vxor tua sicut Vitis
Habetis in custodiam
Custodite sicut scitis.
Secundum Lucam. &c.
Of ye bone homs of Asshrige beside Barcāstede
[Page] That goodly place to Skelton most kynde,
where the sange royall is, Christis blode so rede
whervpon he metrified after his mynde.
A plesāter place thā Ashrige is, hard were to fīde
As Skeltō reherseth with wordes fewe & playne
In his Distichon, made on verses twayne.
Fraximus in cliuo frondetqne Viret sine riuo.
Non est fub diuo similis siue flumini uiuo
The Nation of foles he lefte nat behinde,
Item Apollo that whirled vp his chare,
That made some to snurre and snufe in ye winde
It made them to skip, to stampe, and to stare,
whiche (if they be happy) haue cause to beware
In rymynge and raylynge with him for to mell
For drede yt he lerne them theyr. A. B. C. to spell
Poeta Skelton
with that I stode vp, halfe sodaynly afrayde
Supplieng to Fame, I besought her grace
And that it wolde please her full tēderly I prayd
Out of her bookes Appollo to rase.
Nay syr she sayd, what so in this place
Of our noble courte is ones spoken out
It muste nedes after ren all the worlde aboute.
God wote these wordes made me full sad
And whan that I sawe it wolde no better be
[Page] But that my peticion wolde nat be had,
What shoulde I do, but take it in gre?
For by Iupiter and his high maiestye,
I dyd what I coulde to scarpe out the scrolles
Apollo to rase out of her ragman rolles.
Nowe here of it erketh me lenger to wryte,
To Occupacion, I wyll agayne resort
whiche redde on styll, as it came to her syght
Rendrynge my deuises I made in disporte
Of the mayden of Rent called comforte
Of louers testamentes & of theyr wanton willis
And howe Iollas loued goodly Phillis.
Diodorus Siculus of my translation
Out of fresshe latine into our englysshe playne
Recoūtyng cōmodites of many a strange nacion
who redeth it ones wolde rede it agayne
Six volumes engrosed together it doth cōtayne.
But whan of the laurell she made rehersall
Al orators and poetes with other great and smal
A thousande thousande I trowe to my dome
Triumpha triumpha they cried all about
Of trūpettes & clariōs the noyse went to Rome
The sterry heuē me thought shoke with yt shout
The groūd groned & trēbled ye noyse was so stout
The quene of Fame cōmaūded, shet fast y• booke
[Page] And therwith sodaynely out of my slepe I woke
My mīde of the great din was somdele amased
I wyped myn eyen for to make them clere
Than to the heauen sphericall vpwarde I gased
where I sawe Ianus with his double chere
Makynge his almanak for the newe yere
He turned his tirickes his voluell ran fast
Good lucke this newe yere the olde yere is past.
Mens tibi sit consulta petis? sic consule menti,
Emula sis Iani, retro speculetur et ante.
Skeltonis alloquitur librum suum.
Ite Britannorum lux o radiosa Britannum
Carmina nostra pium Vestrum celebrate Catullum
Dicite Skeltonis Vester Adonis erat.
Dicite Skeltonis Vester Homerus erat.
Barbara cum lacio pariter iam currite Versu.
Et licet est Verbo pars maxima texta Britanno,
Non magis incompta nostra Thalia patet:
Est magis inculta nec mea Caliope.
Nec uos poenite at liuoris tela subire.
Nec uos poeniteat rabiem tolerare caninam,
Nam Maro dissmiles non tulit ille minas,
Immunis necenim musa Nasonis erat.
Lenuoy.
Go litell quaire
Demeane you faire
Take no dispaire
Though I you wrate
[Page]After this rate
In englisshe letter
So muche the better
welcome shall ye
To some men be
For latin warkes
Be good for clarkes
Yet nowe and then
Some latin men
May happely loke
Upon your boke
And so procede
In you to rede
That so in dede
your fame may sprede
In lengthe and brede
But that I drede
you shall haue nede
you for to spede
To harnes bryght
By force of might
Agaynst enuy
And obloquy
And wote ye why
Nat for to fyght
Agaynst dispyght
Nor to derayne
Batayle agayne
Scornfull disdayne
Nor for to chyde
Nor for to hyde
You cowardly
But courteisly
That I haue pende
For to defende
Under the banner
Of all good maner
Under protection
Of sad correction
with toleration
And support acion
Of reformacion
If they can spye
Circumspectly
Any worde defaced
That myght be rased
Els ye shall praye
Them that ye may
Continue styll
with theyr good wyll.
Adserenissimam maiestatem regiam, pariter cū dūo Cardinalilegato a latere honorisicatissimo▪ &c.
Lautre enuoy.
Perge Uber, celebrem pronus regem Veneraro
Henricum octauum, resonans sua premia laudis.
Cardineum dominum pariter Venerando salutes,
Legatum a latere & fiat memor ipse precare,
Prebende, quam promiset mihi credere quondam.
Meque suum referas pignus sperare salutis
Inter spemque metum.
Twene hope & drede
My lyfe I lede
But of my spede
Small sekernes.
Howe be it I rede
Both worde & dede
Should be agrede
In noblenes.
Or els. &c.
The Prolgue to the Bouge Of Courte.
IN Autumpne whan the sonne in vyrgyne
By radyante hete enryped hath our corne
Whan luna full of mutabylyte
As Emperes the dyademe hath worne
Of our pole artyke, smylynge halfe in scorne
At our foly, and our vnstedfastnesse
The tyme whan Mars to warre hym dyd dres,
I callynge to mynde the greate auctoryte
Of poetes olde, whiche full craftely
Under as couerte termes as coulde be
Can touche a trouth, and cloke subtylly
With fresshe vtteraunce full sentencyously
Dyuerse in style some spared not vyce to wryte
Some of mortalitie nobly dyd endyte
Wherby I rede, theyr renome and theyr fame
Maye neuer dye, but euermore endure
I was sore moued to a forse the same
But Ignoraunce full soone dyde me dyscure
And shewed that in this arte I was not sure
For to Illumine she sayd I was to dulle
Aduysynge me my penne awaye to pulle
And not to wryte, for he so wyll atteyne
Excedyng ferther than his connynge is
His heed maye be harde, but feble is brayne
Yet haue I knowen suche er this
But of reproche surely he maye not mys
That clymmeth hyer than he may fotinge haue
What and he slyde downe, who shall hym saue?
Thus vp & downe my mynde was drawen & cast
That I ne wyste what to do waa beste
So sore enwered that I was at the laste
Enforsed to slepe, and for to take some reste
[Page] And to lye downe as soone as I my dreste
At har wyche porte slumbrynge as I laye
In myne hostes house called powers keye
Me thought I sawe, a shyppe goodly of sayle
Come saylyng forth in to that hauen brood
Her takelyng ryche and of hye apparayle
She kast an anker and there she laye at rode
Marchauntes her borded to se what she had
There in they founde Royall marchaundyse
Fraghted with pleasure of what ye could deuise
But than I thought I wolde not dwell behynde
Amange all other I put myselfe in prece
Than there could I none aquentaunce fynde
There was moche noyse anone one cryed cese
Sharpely cōmaūdynge eche man holde his pece
Maysters he sayd, the shyp that ye here se
The bowge of courte it hyghte for certeynte.
The owner therof is lady of estate
Whoos name to tell is dame saunce pere
Her marchaundyse is ryche and fortunate
But who will haue it muste paye therfore dere
This royall chaffre that is shypped here
Is called fauoure to stonde in her good grace
Than should ye se there pressynge in a pace.
Of one and other that wolde this lady se
Which sat behynde a tranes of sylke fyne
Of golde of tessew the fynest that myght be
In a trone whiche ferre clere dyd shyne
Than Phebus in his spere celestyne
Whoos beautie bonoure goodly porte
I haue to lytyll connynge to reporte
But of eche thynge there as I toke hede
Amonge all other was wryten in her trone
In golde leters this worde whiche I dyd rede
Garde le fortune que est mauelz et bone
And as I stode redyng this verse myselfe alone
Her chyef gentylwoman daunger by her name
Gaue me ataunte and sayd I was to blame.
To be so perte to prese so proudely vppe
She sayd she trowed that I had eten sause
She asked yf euer I dranke of sauces cuppe
And I than softely answered to that clause
That so to saye, I had gyuen her no cause
Than asked she me Syr so god the spede
What is thy name? and I sayd it was drede
What moued the quod she hydder to come
Forsoth quod I to bye some of your ware
And with that worde on me she gaue a glome
With browes bente and gan on me to stare
[Page] Full daynously and fro me she dyd fare
Leuynge me stondynge as a mased man
To whome there came an other gentilwoman.
Desire her name was and so she me folde
Sayenge to me brother be of good chere
Abasshe you not but hardely be bolde
Auaunce yourselfe to aproche and come nere
What though our chaffer be neuer so dere
Yet I auyse you to speke for ony drede
Who spareth to speke, in faith he spareth to sped
Maistres quod I, I haue none aquentaunce
That wyll for me be medyatoure and mene
But this an other I haue but smale substaunce
Peace quod Desyre ye speke not worth a bene
Yf ye haue not in fayth I will you lene
A precious Iewell no rycher in this londe
Bone auenture haue here nowe in your honde.
Shyfte now therwith let se as ye can
In Bowge of courte cheuysaunce to make
For I dare saye that there nys erthly man
But and he can bone auenture take
There can no fauoure nor frēdshyp him forsake
Bone auenture may brynge you in suche case
That ye shall stonde in fauoure and in grace.
But of one thynge I warne you er I goo
She that styreth the shyp make her your frende
Maystres quod I, I praye you tel me why so
And how I may that waye & meanes fynde
Forsoth quod she how euer blowe the wynde
Fortune gydeth and ruleth all our shyppe
Whom she hateth shall ouer ye shyp borde skyp.
Whome she loueth of all pleasure is riche
Whyles she laugheth and hath luste for to playe
Whome she hateth she casteth in the dyche
For whā she froūeth she thinketh to make a fray
She cherysshed hym and hym she chasseth away
Alas quod I how myght I haue her sure
In fayth quod she by bone auenture.
Thus in a row of marchauntes a grete route
Sued to fortune that she wolde be theyr frynde
They thronge in faste and flocked her aboute
And I with them prayed her to haue in mynde
She promysed to vs all she wolde be kynde
of bowge of court she asketh what we wold haue
And we asked fauoure, and fauoure she vs gaue
Thus endeth the Prologue.
Drede.
THe sayle is vp fortune ruleth our helme
We wante no wynde to passe now ouer all
[Page] Fauoure we haue tougher then any elme
That will abide and neuer frome vs fall
But vnder honie ofte time lieth bytter gall
For as me thoughte in our shippe I did se
Full subtell persones in nombre foure and thre
The first was fauell full of flaterie
With fables false that well coude fayne a tale
The seconde was Suspecte whiche that dayly
Mysdempte eche man with face deedly & pale
And Haruy haster that well coulde picke a male
With other foure of theyr affynyte
Dysdayne. Ryotte. Dyssymuler, Subtylte.
Fortune theyr frende wt whom oft she dyd daūce
They coude not fayle they thought they were so sure
And oftentimes I wold myselfe auaunce
With them to make solace and pleasure
But my dysporte they coulde not well endure
They sayd they hated for to dele with Drede
Than Fauell gan with fayre speche me to sede
Fauell,
Nothinge erthly that I wonder so sore
As of your conninge that is so excellent
Deynte to haue with vs suche one in store
So vertuously that hath his dayes spente
Fortune to you gyftes of grace hathe lente
Lo what it is a man to haue conninge
[Page] All erthly tresoure it is surmountinge
Ye be an apte man as ony can be found
To dwell with vs & serue my ladyes grace
Ye be to her yea worth a thousande pounde
I herde her speke of you within shorte space
when there were dyuerse yt sore did you manace
And though I saye it, I was myselfe your frend
For here be dyuerse to you that be vnkinde
But this one thinge ye maye be sure of me
For by that lorde that bought dere all mankinde
I cannot flatter I must be playne to the
And ye nede ought man shew to me your minde
For ye haue me whome faythfull ye shall finde
Whyles I haue ought by god yu shalte not lacke
And if nede be, a bolde worde I dare cracke
Naye naye be sure whiles I am on your syde
Ye may not fall truste me ye maye not fayle
Ye stande in fauoure and fortune is your gyde
And as she wyll so shall our greate shyppe sayle
These lewd cok witts shal neuermore preuaile
Againste you hardely therfore be not afrayde
Fare well till soone but no worde that I sayde
Drede.
Than thanked I him for his great gentylnes
But as me thought he ware on him a cloke
[Page] That lyned was with doubtfull doublenes
Me thoughte of wordes that he had full a poke
His stomake stuffed ofte tymes dyde reboke
Suspycyon me thoughte mett hym at a brayde
And I drewe nere to herke what they two sayde
In fayth qd suspecte, spake drede no worde of me
Why what than wylte thou lette men to speke
He sayth he can not well accorde with the
Twysshē qd suspecte go [...] playe him I ne reke
By chryst qd fauell drede is soleyne freke
What lete vs holde hym vp man for a whyle
Ye so qd suspecte, he maye vs bothe begyle
And whan he came walkinge soberly
With whom, and, ha, and with a croked loke
Me thoughte his heed was full of gelousy
His eyen rollynge his hondes fast they quoke
And to me warde the strayghte way he toke
God sped brother to me quod he than
And thus to talke with me he began,
Suspicion
Ye remembre the gentylman ryght now
That cōmaund wt you me thought a party spake
Beware of hym for I make god auowe
He wyll begyle you and speke fayre to your face
Ye neuer dwelte in suche an other place
For here is none that dare well other truste
[Page] But I wolde tell you athinge and I durste
Speke he a fayth no wordeto you of me
I wote and he dyde ye wolde me tell
I haue a fauoure to you wherof it be
That I muste shewe you muche of my coūselle
But I wonder what the deuyll of hell
He sayd of me whan he with you dyd talke
By myne aduyse vse not with him to walke
The soueraynst thinge that any man may haue
Is litill to saye, and muche to here and se
For but I trusted you so god me saue
I wolde nothing so playne be
To you onely me thynke I durste shryue me
For nowe am I plenarely dysposed
To shewe you thyngs that may not be disclosed
Drede,
Than I assured hym my fydelyte
His counseyle secrete neuer to dyscure
Yf he could fynde in herte to truste me
Els I prayed hym with all my besy cure
To kepe it hymselfe for than he myght be sure
That no man erthly could hym bewreye
Whyles of his mynd it were lockte with yt keye
By god quod he this and thus it is
And of his mynde he shewed me al and some
[Page] Farre well quod he we will talke more of this
So he departed there he wolde be come
I dare not speke I promised to be dome
But as I stode musinge in my minde
Haruy haster came lepinge light as linde,
Upon his breste he bare a versinge boxe
His throte was clere and lustely coulde fayne
Me thought his gowne was all furred with foxe
And euer he sange, sithe I am nothinge plaine
To kepe him from pikinge it was a grete paine
He gased on me with his gotishe berde
Whan I loked on him me purse was halfaferde
Heruy Haster
Syr god you saue why loke ye so sadde
What thinge is that I maie do for you
A wonder thinge that ye waxe not madde
For and I studie sholde, as ye do nowe
My witte wolde waste I make god auowe
Tell me your minde me thinke ye make a verse
I could it skan and ye wolde reherse
But to the pointe shortelie to procede
Wher hathe your dwelling ben er ye came here
For as I trowe I haue sene you in dede
Er this whan that ye made me roiall chere
Holde vp the helme loke vp & lete god stere
[Page] I wolde be merie what wind that euer blowe
Heue & how rombelow row yt bote normā rowe
Princes of youghtecan ye singe by rote
Or shall I saile with you a feloship assaie
For on the booke I can not singe a note
Wolde to god it wolde please you some daye
A ballade booke before me for to laye
And lerne me to singe (Re mi fa sol)
And when I faile bobbe me on the noll
Loo what is to you a pleasure great
To haue that coninge & waies that ye haue
By goddes soule I wonder howe ye gete
Soo great pleasure or who to you it gaue
Sir pardone me I am an homelie knaue
To be with you thus perte and thus bolde
But ye be welcome to our houssholde
And I dare saie there is no man here Inne
But wolde be glade of your companie
I wiste neuer man that so soone coude winne
The fauoure that ye haue with my lady
I praye to god that it maie neuer dy
It is your fortune for to haue that grace
As I be saued it is a wonder case
For as for me I serued here many a daie
[Page] And yet vnneth I can haue my lyuynge
But I requyre you no worde that I saye
For and I knowe ony erthly thynge
That is agayne you ye shall haue wetynge
And ye be welcome syr so god me saue
I hope here after a frende of you to haue
Drede.
With that as he departed so frome
Anone there mette with hym as me thoughte
A man, but wonderly besene was he
He loked hawtie he sette eche man at nouhte
His gawdy garment wt scornes was all wrought
With Indygnacion lyned was his hode
He frowned as he wolde swere by cockes blode.
He bote the lyppe he loked passynge coye
His face was belymmed as byes had hym stoūge
It was no tyme with hym to Iape nor toye
Enuye hath wasted his lyuer & his lounge
Hatred by the herte so had hym wrounge
That he loked pale as asshes to my syghte
Dysdayne I wene his comerous crabes hyghte
To heruy haster than he spake of me
And I drewe nere to harke what they two sayde
Now quod Dysdayne as I shall saued be
I haue grete scorne & am ryght euyll apayed
Than quod Heruy why arte thou so dysmayde
[Page] By chryst quod he for it is shame to saye
To se Iohan dawes that came but yester daye
How he is now taken in conceyte
This doctour dawcocke Drede I wene he hyght
By goddes bones but yf we haue some sleyte
It is lyke he wyll stonde in your lyghte
By god quod heruy & it so happen myghte
Lete vs therfore shortly at a worde
Fynde some mene to caste hym ouer the borde
By him yt me bought than quod Dysdayne
I wonder sore he is in suche conceite
Turde qd Haster I wyll the nothynge sayne
There must for him be layde some prety beyte
We tweyne I trowe be not without dysceyte
Fyrste pycke a quarell & fall out with him then
And so out face hym with a carde of ten,
Forth with he made on me a proude assawte
With scorfull loke meuyd all in moode
He wente about to take me in a fawte
He froūde he stared he stampped where he stoode
I loked on hym I wende he had be woode
He set the arme proudly vnder the syde
And in this wise he gan with me to chyde
Dysdayne
Remembrest thou what thou sayd yester nyghte
[Page] Wilte thou abide by the wordes againe
By god I haue of the now grete dispite
I shall the angre ones in euery vaine
It is grete scorne to se suche an haine
As thou arte one that came but yesterdaie
With vs olde seruantes suche maisters to plaie
I tell the I am of countenaunce
What wenest I were, I trowe yu know not me,
By goddes woundes but for displesaunce
Of my querell soone wolde I venged be
But no force I shall ones mete with the
Come whan it will oppose the I shall
What som euer auenture therof fall
Trowest thou dreuill I saie thou gawdie knaue
That I haue deinte to se the cherisshed thus
By goddis side my sworde thy berde shall shaue
well ones thou shalte be cherined I wus
Naie strawe for tales thou shalt not rule vs
we be thy betters and so thou shalte vs take
Or we shall the out of thy clothes shake
Drede,
With that came Ryotte rushing al at ones
A rustie galande to ragged and to rente
And on the borde he whirled a paire of bones
Quarter treye dews he clattered as he went
Noue haue at all by saint thomas of kente
[Page] And euer he threwe & kyst I wote nere what
His here was growen thorowe out his hat
Than I behylde how he dysgysed was
His heed was heuy for watchinge ouer night
His eyeu blered his face shone like a glas
His gowne so shorte that it ne couer myght
His rumpe he wente so all for somer light
His hose was garded with a lyste of grene
Yet at the knee they were broken I wene
His cote was checkerd with patches rede & blewe
Of kyrkeby kendall was his shorte demye
And ay he sange in fayth decon thou crewe
His elbowe bare he ware his gere so nye
His nose droppinge, his lippes were full drye
And by his syde his whynarde & his pouche
The deuyll might dance therin for any crouche
Counter he coude (O lux) vpon a potte
And eestriche fedder of a capons tayle
He set vp frasshely vpon his hat a lofte
What reuell route quod he and gan to rayle
How ofte he hit Ienet on the tayle
Of felyce fetewse and lytell prety cate
How ofte he knocked at her klycket gate
What should I tell more of his rybaudrye
[Page] I was a shamed so to here hym prate
He had no pleasure but in harlotrye
Ay quod he in the deuylles date
What arte thou I sawe the nowe but late
Forsoth quod I in this courte I dwel nowe
Welcome quod Ryote I make god auowe
Ryoct
And syr in fayth why comste not vs amonge
To make the mery as other felowes done
Thou must sware and stare man aldaye longe
And wake all nyght and slepe tyll it be none
Thou mayste not studye or muse on the mone
This worlde is nothing but ete drynke and slepe
And thus with vs good company to kepe
Plucke vp thyne herte vpon a mery pinne
And let vs laugh a plucke or twayne at nale
What the deuyll man myrth is here within
What lo man se here of dyce a bale
A brydelynge caste for that is in thy male
Now haue at all that lyeth vpon the burde
Fye on this dyce they be not worth a turde
Haue at the hasarde or at the dosen browne
Or els I pas a penny to a pounde.
Now wolde to god thou wold leye money down
Lorde how that I wolde caste it full rounde
Ay in mp pouche a buckell I haue founde
[Page] The armes of calyce I haue no coyne nor crosse
I am not happye I renne ay on the losse
Now renne muste I to the stewes syde
To wete yf malkyn my lēman haue gete ought
I lete her to hyre that men may on her ryde
Her armes easy ferre and nere is soughte
By goddis sydes syns I her thyder broughte
She hath gote me more money with her tayle
Than hath some shyppe that into bordews sayle
Had I as good an hors as she is a mare
I durste auenture to Iourney through Fraūce
Who rydeth on her he nedeth not to care
For she is trussed for to breke a launce
It is a curtel that well can wynche & praunce
To her wyll I nowe all my pouerty lege
And tyll I come haue here myne hat to plege
Drede
Gone is this knaue this rybaude foule and leude
He ranne as faste as euer that he myghte
Unthryftynes in him maye well be shewed
For whome tyborne groneth both daie & nighte
And as I stode and caste a syde my syghte
Dasdayue I sawe with Dyssymulacyon
Standynge in sadde communicacyon
But there was poyntynge & noddyng wt ye hede
[Page] And many wordes sayd in secrete wyse
They wandred ay and stode styll in no stede
Me thoughte alwaye Dissymular dyde deuyse
Me passynge sore myne herte than gan aryse
I dempte and drede their talkynge was not good
Anone dyssimular came where I stode
Than in his hode I sawe there faces tweyne
That one was lene & lyke a pyned ghost
That other loked as he wolde me haue slayne
And to me warde as he gan for to coost
Whan that he was euen at me almoost
I sawe a knyfe hyd in his one sleue
Wheron was wryten this worde mysch efe
And in his other sleue me thought I sawe
A spone of golde, full of hony swete
To fede a fole, and for to preye a dawe
And on that sleue these wordes were wrete
A false abstracte cometh frome a fals concrete
His hode was syde his cope was roset graye
These were the wordes yt he to me dyde saye.
Dyssymulacyon.
How do ye maister ye loke so soberly
As I be saued at the dredefull daye
It is a perilous vyce this enuy
Alas a connynge man ne dwelle maye
In no place well but foles with fraye
[Page] But as for that conninge hath no foo
Saue him that noughte can scripture saith soo.
I knowe your vertue and your lytterkture
By that lytell conninge that I haue
Ye be maligned sore I you ensure
But ye haue crafte yourselfe alwaie to saue
It is grete skorne to se a misproude knaue
With a clerke that conning is to prate
Let them go, lowse them in the deuilles date
For all be it that this longe not to me
Yet on my backe I bere suche lewde delyng
Right now I spake with one I trowe I se
But what a strawe I maye not tell all thing
By god I saie there is grete herte brenning
Betwene the personne ye wote of Iou
Alas I coulde not dele so with an yew
I wold eche man were as playne as I
It is a worlde I saye to here of some
I hate this fayninge fye vpon it fye
A man can not wote where to become
I wis I coulde tell but humlery home
I dare not speke we be so layde awaite
For all our courte is full of desceite
Now by saint fraūcys that holy man & frere
[Page] I hate this wayes agayne you that they take
Where I as you I wolde ryde them full nere
And by my trouthe but yf an ende they make
Yet wyll I saye some wordes for your sake
That shall them angre I holde thereon a grote
For some shall wene be hanged by the throte.
I haue a stoppynge oyster in my poke
Truste me and yf it come to a nede
But I am lothe for to reyse a smoke
Yf ye could be otherwyse agrede
And so I wolde it were so god me spede
For this maye brede to a confusyon
Without god make a good conclusyon.
Naye se where yonder stondeth the feder man
A flaterynge knaue & false he is god wote
The dreuill stondeth to herken and he can
It were more thryfte he bought him a new cote
It will not be, his purse is not on flote
All that he woreth it is borowed ware
His wytte is thynne his hode is threde bare.
More could I saye but what this is ynowe
A dewe till soone we shall speke more of this
Ye muste be ruled as I shall tell you howe
Amendes maye be of that is now a mys
And I am your syr so haue I blys
[Page] In euery poynte that I can do or saye
Gyue me your honde farewell & haue good daye
Drede
Sodaynly as he departed me fro
Came pressynge in one in a wonder araye
Er I was ware behynde me he sayde bo
Than I astonyed of that sodeyne fraye
Sterte all at ones I lyked nothynge his playe
For yf I had not quyckely fledde the touche
He had plucte oute the nobles of my pouche.
He was trussed in a garmente strayte
I haue not sene suche an others page
For he coude well vpon a casket wayte
His body all pounsed and garded lyke a cage
Lyghte lyme fynger he toke none other wage
Harken quod he lo here myne honde in thyne
To vs welcome thou arte by sainct Quyntyne.
¶ Disceyte.
But by that lorde that is one two and thre
I haue an errande to rounde in your ere
He tolde me so by god ye may trust me
Parte remembre whan ye were there
There I wynked on you, wote ye not where
In (A) loco I mene iuxta (B)
Woo is hym that is blynde and maye not se
But to here the subtylte and the crafte
[...]
[Page] And the ragged ray
Of Galaway.
¶ Dunbar, Dunde
Ye shall trowe me
False scottes are ye
Your hartes sore faynted
And so attaynted
Lyke cowardes starke
At the castell of warke
By the water of Twede
Ye had euill spede.
Lyke cankerd curres
Ye loste your spurres
For in that fraye
ye ranne awaye
With hey dogge hay.
For sir William Lyle
Within shorte whyle
That valiaunt knyght
Putte you to flyght
By his valyaunce
Two thausande of Fraunte
There he putte backe
To your great lacke
And vtter shame
Of your scottysshe name.
Your chefe Cheftayne
Uoyde of all brayne
Duke of all Albany
Than shamefuly
He reculed backe
To his great lacke
Whan he herde tell
That my Lorde Amrell
Was comyng downe
To make hym frowne
And to make hym lowre
With the noble powre
Of my lorde Cardynall
As an hoost royall
After the auncient manner
With sainct Cutberdes banner
And sainct Williams also
Your capitayne ranne to go
To go to go to go
And brake vp all his hoost
For all his crake and bost
Lyke a cowarde knyght
He fledde and durst nat fyght:
He ranne awaye by night
Ye duke so doutty
So sterne so stoutty
In shorte sentens
Of your pretens
What is the grounde?
Breuely and rounde
To me expounde
Or els wyll I
Euydently
Shewe as it is
For the cause is this
Howe ye pretende
For to defende
The yonge Scottyshe kyng
But ye meane a thyng
And ye coude bryng
The matter about
To putte his eyes out
And put hym downe
And set hys crowne
On your owne heed
Whan he were deed
Such trechery: And traytory
Is all your cast.
Thus ye haue compast
With the frenche kyng
A fals rekenyng
[Page] To enuade Englande
As I vnderstande.
But our kyng royall
Whose name ouer all
Noble Henry the eyght
Shall cast a beyght
And sette suche a snare
That shall cast you in care
Bothe kyng Fraunces and the
That knowen ye shall be
For the moost recrayd
Cowardes afrayd
And falsest forsworne
That euer were borne.
O ye wretched scottes
Ye puaunt pyspottes
It shalbe your lottes
To be knytte vp with knottes
Of halters and ropes
About your traytours throtes:
Oscottes pariured
Unhaply vred
Ye may be assured
Your falshod discured
It is, & shal be. Frō the scottish se
Unto Gabione
For ye be false echone
[Page] False and false agayne
Neuer true nor playne
But flery, flatter and fayne
And euer to remayne
In wretched beggary
And maungy misery
In lousy lothsumnesse
And scabbed scorffynesse
And in abhominacion
Of all maner of nacion
Nacion moost in hate
Proude and poore of state:
Twyt scot go kepe thy den
Mell nat with Englyshe men
Thou dyd nothyng but barke
At the castell of warke:
Twyt scot yet agayne ones
We shall breke thy bones
And hang you vpon polles
And byrne you all to colles
With twyt scot, twyt scot twyt
Walke scot go begge a byt
Of brede, at ylke mannes hecke
The fynde scot breke thy necke
Twyt scot agayne I saye
Twyt scot of Galaway
Twyt scot, shake thy dogge hay
[Page] Twyt scot thou ran away
We set nat a flye
By your duke of Albany
We set nat a prane
By suche a dronken drane
We set nat a myght
By suche a cowarde knyght
Suche a proude palyarde
Suche a skyrgaliarde
Suche a starke cowarde
Suche a proude pultrowne
Suche a foule Coystrowne
Suche a doutty dagswayne
Sende him to Faunce agayne
To bring with hym more brayne
From kynge Fraunces of Frauns
God sende them bothe myschauns:
Ye scottes all the rable
Ye shall neuer be hable
With vs for to compare
What though ye stāpe and stare
God sende you sorow and care
With vs whan euer ye mell
Yet we bear away the bell
Whan ye cankerd knaues
Must crepe in to your caues
Your heedes for to hyde
For ye dare nat abyde.
Sir duke of Albany
Right inconuenyently
Ye rage and ye raue
And your worshyp depraue
Nat lyke duke Hamylcar
With the Romayns yt made war
Nor lyke his sonne Hanyball
Nor lyke duke Hasdruball
Of Cartage in Aphrike
Yet somwhat ye be lyke
In some of their condicions
And their false sedycions
And their dealyng double
And their weywarde trouble:
But yet they were bolde
And manly manyfolde
Their enemyes to assayle
In playn felde and battayle.
But ye and your hoost
Full of bragge and boost
And full of waste wynde
Howe ye wyll beres bynde
And the deuill downe dynge
Yet ye dare do nothynge
But lepe away lyke frogges
And hyde you vnder logges
Lyke pygges and lyke hogges
And lyke maungy dogges.
[Page] What an army were ye?
Or what actyuyte?
Is in you beggers braules
Full of scabbes and scaules:
Of vermyne and of lyce
and of all maner vyce.
Syr duke: nay syr ducke
Syr drake of the lake: sir ducke
Of the donghyll, for smalllucke
Ye haue in feates of warre
Ye make nought but ye marre
Ye are a fals entrusar
And a fals abusar
And an vntrewe knyght
Thou hast to lytell myght
Agaynst Englande to fyght
Thou art a graceles wyght
To put thyselfe to flyght
A vengeaunce and dispight
On the must nedes lyght
That durst nat byde the sight
Of my lorde amrell
Of chiualry the well
Of knighthode the floure
In euery marciall shoure
The noble erle of Surrey
That put the in suche fray
Thou durst no felde derayne
[Page] Nor no batayle mayntayne
Against our stonge captaine
But thou ran home agayne
For feare thou shoulde be slayne
Lyke a scottyshe keteryng
That durst abyde no reknyng
Thy hert wolde nat serue the
The fynde of hell mot sterue the.
No man hath harde
Of suche a cowarde
And such a mad ymage
Caried in a cage:
As it were a cotage
Or of suchea mawment
Caryed in a tent
In a tent: nay nay
But in a mountayne gay
Lyke a great hill. For awyndmil
Therin to couche styll
That no man hym kyll
As it were a gote
In ashepe cote
About hym a parke
Of a madde warke
Men call it a toyle
Therin lyke a royle
Sir Dunkanye dared
And thus ye prepared
Youre carkas to kepe
[Page] Lyke a sely shepe
[...] shepe of Cottyswolde
From rayne and from colde
And from raynning of rappes
And suche after clappes
Thus in your cowardly castell
Ye decte you to dwell
Suche a captayne of fors
It made no great fors
If that ye had tane
Your last deedly bane
With a gon stone
To make you to grone
But hyde the sir Topias
Nowe into the castell of Bas
And lurke there lyke an as
With some scotyshe as
With dugges dugges dugges
I shrewe thy scottishe lugges
Thy munpynnys and thy crag
For thou can not but brag
Lyke a scottyshe hag
A due nowe sir wrig wrag
A due sir dalyrag
Thy mellyng is but mockyng
Thou mayst giue vp thy cocking
Gyue it vp. And cry creke
Lyke an huddy peke:
[Page] Wherto shuld I more speke
Of suche a farly freke
Of suche an horne keke
Of suche an bolde captayne
That dare nat turne agayne
Nor durst nat crak aworde
Nor durst nat drawe his swerde
Agaynst the lyon white
But ran away quyte
He ran away by nyght
In the owle flyght
Lyke a cowarde knyght
A due cowarde a due
Fals knight and mooste vntrue
I render the fals rebelle
To the flingande fende of helle.
Harke yet sir duke aworde
In ernest or in borde
What haue ye villayn forged?
And virulently dysgorged
As though ye wolde parbrake
Your auauns to make
With wordes enbosed
Ungracioufly engrosed
Howe ye wyll vndertake
Our royall kyng to make
His owne realme to forsake
Suche lewde langage ye spake:
Sir Dūkan in the deuill waye
Be well ware what ye say.
Ye saye that he and ye
Whyche he and ye? let se
Ye meane Fraūces french kyng
Shulde bring about that thing
I say thou lewde lurdayne
That neyther of you twayne
So hardy nor so bolde
His countenaunce to beholde
If our moost royall Harry
Lyst with you to varry
Full soone ye should miscary
For ye durst nat tarry
With hym to stryue a stownde
If he on you but frounde
Nat for a thousande pouned
Ye durst byde on the grounde
Ye wolde ryn away rounde
And cowardly fourne your backes
For all your comly crackes
And for feare par case
To loke hym in the face
Ye wolde defoyle the place
And ryn your way apace
Thoughe I trym you thys frace
With englyshe somwhat base
Yet saua voster grace
[Page] Therby I shall purchace
No displesaunt rewarde
If ye wele can regarde
Your cankarde cowardnesse
And your shamfull doublenesse.
¶ Are ye nat frantyke madde?
And wretchedly bestadde
To rayle agaynst his grace
That shall bring you full bace
And set you in suche case
That bytwene you twayne
There shalbe drawen a trayne
That shalbe to your payne
To flye ye shalbe fayne
And neuer tourne agayne:
What wold Fraūces our friar?
Be suche a false lyar
So madde a cordylar
So madde a murmurar
Ye muse somwhat to far
All out of ioynt ye iar
God let you neuer thriue
Wene ye daucockes to driue
Our kyng, out of his reme
Ge heme ranke scot ge heme
With fonde Fraunces french kyng
Our mayster shall you brynge
[Page] I trust to lowe estate
And mate you with chek mate:
Your braynes are ydell
It is time for you to brydell
And pype in a quibyble
For it is impossible
For you to bring about
Our kyng for to dryue out
Of this his realme royall
And lande imperiall
So noble a prince as he
In all actyuite
Of hardy merciall actes
Fortunate in all his faytes:
And nowe I wyll me dresse
His valiaunce to expresse
Though insufficient am I
His grace to magnify
And laude equiualently
Howe be it loyally
After myne allegyaunce
My pen I will auaunce
To extoll his noble grace
In spyght of thy cowardes face
In spyght of kyng Fraunces
Deuoyde of all nobles
Deuoyde of good corage
Deuoyde of wysdome sage
[Page] Mad: frantyke, and sauage
Thus he dothe disparage
His blode with fonde dotage:
A prince to play the page
It is a rechelesse rage
And a lunatyke ouerage
What though my stile be rude?
With trouthe it is ennewde
Trouth ought to be rescude
Trouthe should nat be subdude
But nowe will I expounde
What noblenesse dothe abounde
And what honour is founde
And what vertues be resydent
In our royall regent
Our perelesse president
Our kyng most excellent:
In merciall prowes
Lyke vnto Hercules
In prudence and wysdom
Lyke vnto Salamon
In his goodly person
Lyke vnto Absolon
In loyalte and foy
Lyke to Ector of Troy
And his glory to incres
Lyke to Scipiades
[Page] In royal mageste
Lyke vnto Ptholome
Lyke to duke Iosue
And the valiaunt Machube:
That if I wolde reporte
All the roiall sorte
Of his nobilyte
His magnanymyte
His animosite
His fragalite
His lyberalite
His affabilite
His humanyte
His stabilite
His humilite
His benignite
His royall dignyte.
My lernyng is to small
For to recount them all.
What losels than are ye
Lyke cowardes as ye be
To rayle on his astate
With wordes inordinate.
He rules his cominalte
With all benignite
His noble baronage
He putteth them in corage
[Page] To exployte dedes of armys
To the domage and harmys
Of suche as be his foos
Where euer he rydes or goos
His subiectes he dothe supporte
Maintayne them with comforte
Of his moste princely porte
As all men can reporte:
Than ye be a knappishe sorte
Et faitez a luy grant torte
With your enbosed iawes
To rayle on hym lyke dawes
The fende scrache out your mawes:
All his subiectes and he
Moost louyngly agre
With hole hart and true mynde
They fynde his grace so kynde
Wherwith he dothe them bynde
At all houres to be redy
With hym to lyue and dye
Their bodyes and their gode
And to spende their hart blode
With hym, in all dystresse
Alway in redynesse.
To assyst his noble grace
In spyght of thy cowardes face
Moost false attaynted traytour
And false forsworne faytour.
Auaunte cowarde recrayed
Thy pride shalbe alayd
With sir Fraunces of Fraunce
We shall pype you a daunce
Shall tourne you to myschauns:
I rede you loke about
For ye shalbe driuen out
Of your lande in shorte space
We will so folowe in the chace
That ye shall haue no grace
For to tourne your face
And thus sainct George to borowe
Ye shall haue shame and sorowe.
¶ Lenuoy.
GO lytell quayre quickly
Shew them that shall you rede
How that ye are lykely
Ouer all the worlds to sprede:
The fals Scottes for dred
With the duke of Albany,
Beside the water of Twede
They fledde full cowardly.
Though your englishe be rude
Barreyne of eloquence
Yet breuely to conclude
Grounded is your sentence
[Page] On trouthe, vnder defence
Of all trewe englyshemen
This mater to credence
That I wrate with my pen.
Skelton Laureat: obsequious et loyall.
To my lorde Cardynals right noble grace. &c.
Lenuoy.
Go lytell quayre apace
In moost humble wyse
Before his noble grace
That caused yon to deuise
This lytel enterprise
And hym moost lowly pray
In his mynde to comprise
Those wordes his grace dyd saye
Of an ammas gray.
Ie, Foy enterment
En sa bone grace.
The boke compiled by maister Skelton, Poet Laureat called speake Parrot.
MY name is parrot, a bird of paradise
By nature deuised, of a wonderous kynd
Dienteli dieted, with diuers delicate spice
Tyl Euphrates that floud, driueth me into Inde
Where men of that countrey, bi fortune me find
And send me, to great Ladyes of estate
Then parrot must haue an almon or a date.
A cage curiously caruen, with siluer pin
Properly painted, to be my couertowre
A myrrour of glasse, that I may tote therin
These maidēs ful mekely wc many a diuers flour
Freshly they dresse, and make swete my boure
with speke parrot I prai you, ful courteously thei say
Parrot is a goodly byrd, a prety Popagey
With my becke bent, my litle wanton eye
My feders freshe, as is the Emrawde grene
About my necke a circulet, lyke the ryche rubye
My lyttle legges, my fete both fete and cleane
I am a minion, to wayt vpon the quene
My proper parrot, my lytle prety foole
With ladies I learne, and go with them to scole.
Hagh, ha, ha, parrot, ye can laugh pretely
Parrot hath not dined, of al this long day
Lyke your pus cat parrot can mute and cry
In lattyn, in Ebrew, Araby and Caldey
In greke tonge, parrot, can both speake and saye
As percius that poet, doth report of me
Quis expediuit psitatio suum Chire.
Howse frenche of parrise, Parrot can learne
Pronousynge my purpose, after my properte
With perliez bien, Parrot ou perlez rien
With Duche, with Spanish, my tonge can agre
In English, to God Parrot can supple
Christ saue king Henry the eight our roial king
The red rose in honour, to florish and spring.
With Katherin incōparable: our roial quene also
That parelespōgarnet christ saue her noble grace
Parrot sauies, habler castiliano
With sidasso de costo, in turkey and in trace
Uis consilii expers, as teacheth me horace
Mole ruit sua, whose dices at pregnaunte.
My lady maisters, dame Philology
Gaue me a gift, in my nest whan I lay
To learne al language, and it to speke aptely
Now pandez mory, wax franticke som men saye
Proneles or freneses, may not hold her way
[Page] An almon now for Parrot, delicatly drest
In salue festa dies toto, their doth best.
Moderata iuuant, but toto doth excede
Dicression is mother of noble vertues all
Niden agan, in greke tonge we rede
But reason, and wit wanteth their prouinciall
When wilfulnes, is virar generall
Hec res acu tangitur, Parrot parmafoy
Ticez vous Parrot, Tenez vous coye.
Besy, besy, besy, and besines agayne
Que pēsez voz parrot, what meneth this besines
Uitulus in Oreb, troubled Arons brayn
Melchisedecke mercifull, made Moloe merciles
To wise is no vertue, to medling, to restles
In measure is treasure, cum sensu marturat [...]
Ne tropo saung, ne tropo mato.
Aram was fired, with caldies fire called Ur
Iob was brought vp, in the land of Hus
The linage of lot, toke supporte of Assur
Iereboseth is Ebrue, who list the law discus
Peace Parrot ye prate, as ye were ebrius
Howst the lyuer god, van hemrick ic seg
In popeting grew peres, whā parrot was ancg
What is this to purpose, ouer in a whinninmeg
[Page] Hop Lobin of Lowdeon, wold haue a bit of bread
The Iebet of Baldock, was made for Iacke leg
A narow vnfethered, and without an hed
A bagpype without blowyng, standeth in no sted
Some run to far before, some run to far behinde
Some be to churlish, and some be to kynd.
Ic dien serueth for Erstrych fether
Ic dien, is the lauguage of the land of Beme
In Affric tongue, Byrsa is a tonge of lether
In Palestina, there is Ierusalem
Collustrū now for parot, whit bred & swete creme
our thomase she doth trip, our ienet she doth shall
Parrot hath a blackebeard, & a faire grene tayle.
Morysh myne owne shelf, the ostermonger say
Fate, fate, fate, ye trysh water lag
In flettering fables, men fynde but lytle fayth
But moueatur terra, let the world wag
Let syr wrig wag, wrastle wyth sir declarag
Euery man, after his maner of wayes
Pawbe uene aruer, so the welche man sayes
Such shredis of sentence, strowed in the shop
Of auncient Aristippus, and such other mo
I gather together, and close in my crip
Of my wanton conceyt, vnde do promo
Dilemata docta, in pedagogio
Sacro vatum, wherof to you I breake
[Page] I pray you, let parrot haue lybertie to speke:
But ware the cat parrot, ware the false cat
With who is there, a mayd, nay, nay, I trow
Ware ryat parrot, ware ryot, ware that
Meate, meate for parrot: meate I say how
Thus diuers of language, by learnyng I grow
with bas me swete parrot: bas me swete swete
To dwel amonge Ladies, parrat is mete.
Parrot, parrot, parrot, praty popigay
With my beke I can pyke, my lytle prety too
My delight is solas, pleasure: disport and play
Lyke a wanton whan I will, I rele to and froo
Parrot can say, Cesar, aue, also
But Parrot, hath no fauour to Esebon
Aboue all other byrdes, set parrot alone.
Ulula, Esebon, for Ieremy doth wepe
Sion is in sadnes, Rachel ruly doth loke
Madionita, Ietro, our moyses kepeth hys shepe
Gedeon is gon, that Zalmane vndertoke
Oreb et zeb, of Iudicum rede the boke
Nowe Gebal, Amon, and Amoloch, harke, harke
Parrot pretendeth to be a bibil clarke.
O Esebon Esebon, to the is come agayne
Seon the regent amoreorum
And hog that fat hog, or basan dothe retayne
[Page] The crafty coistroinus canaueorum
And assilum, whilom, refugium miserorum
Non phanum sed prophanum, standeth in little sted
Ulula Esebon, for iept is starke ded.
Estbon, Maribon, wheston, nexte Barnet
A trim tram for an hors mil it wer a nise thinge
Deintes for dammoysels, Chaffer far fet
Bo ho doth barkwel, but hough ho ruleth yt ring
Frō scarpary to tartari renoun therin doth sprīg
With he said, & we said ich wot now what ich wot
Quod magnus est dominus iudas scarioth.
Ptholomie, and haly were cunnyng and wyse
In the vol vel, in the quadrant, & in the astroloby
To pronosticate truli the chaūce of fortunes dise
Some trete of their tirikis, some of astrology
Some pseudo propheta with Chiromancy
If fortune be frendly, and grace be the guyde
Honoure with renowne, will renne of that side
Manon calon
Agaton quod parato. In greca
Let parrot I pray you, haue liberty to prate
For aurea lingua greca, ought to be magnified
If it wer cond perfitely, and after the rate
As lingua latina, in schole matter occupied
But our grekis, their greke so wel haue applied
That they cannot say in greke, riding by the way
[Page] How hosteler, fetche my horse a bottel of hay.
Neither frame a silogisme, in phriese somorū
For maliter et grece, cum medio termino
Our grekes ye walow, in the washbol argolicorū
For though ye can tel in greke what is phormio
Yet ye seke out your greke, in Capricornio
For they scrape out good scripture, & set in a gal
Ye go about to amend, and ye mar all.
Some argue, secundum quid ad simpliciter
And yet he would be rekened, pro ario pagita
And some make distinctions, multipliciter
Whether ita were before uou, or uou before ita
Nether wise nor well lerned but like hermophra dita
Set sophia a side, for euery Iacke raker.
And euery mad medler must now be a maker.
In achademia Parrot, dare no probleme kepe
For grecisari, so occupieth the chayre
That letinum fari, may fal to rest and slepe
And silogisari, was drowned at sturbridge faire
Triuiale, & quatriuials, so sore now they appair
That Parrot that Popagay, hath pity to beholde
How yt rest of good lerning, is roulled vp & trolde
Albertus de modo significandi
And Donatus, be dryuen out of schole
[Page] Prisians hed broken, now handy dandy
And inter did ascolos, is rekened for a fole
Alexander, a gander of Menanders pole
With da cansales, is cast out of the gate
And da racionales, dare not shew his pate,
Plaut si in his comedies, a child shal now rehers
And medil with Quintilian, in his declarations
That pety Caton, can scantly construe a verse
With Aueto, in Greco, & such solempn salutaciōs
Can skantly the tensis, of his comugacions
Setting their mindes, so much of eloquence
That of theyr scole maters, lost is the hole sētēce
Now a nutmeg, a nut meg, cum gariopholo
For parrot to pike vpon, his brayne for to stable
Swete synamum stickes, and pleris commusco
In paradise. that place of pleasure perdurable
The progeny of parrottis, wer faire & fanorable
Now in valle ebron, parrot is fayne to fede
Christ crosse, & sanct nicolas, parrot be your good pede
The myrour that I tote in, quasi diaphonum
Uel quasi speculum, in Enigmate
Elencum, or elles, Emtimaticum
For logicions to loke on, somwhat sophistice
Retorcions and oratours, in freshe humanite
Support parrot, I pray you wt your suffrage ornat
[Page] Of confuse tantū, auoyding the checkmate
But of that suposicion, that called is arte
Confuse distrubitiue, as parrot hath deuised
Let euery man, after his merit, take hys part
For in this proces, parrot nothīg hath surmised
No matter pretended, nor nothyng enterprysed
But that metaphora, alegoria with all
Shall be his protection, his pauis and his wall.
For parrot is no churlish chough nor no flekid py
Parrot is no pendugum, that men call a carlyng
Parrot is no woodcocke, nor no butter fly
Parrot is no stamring stare, that mē cal a stariīg
But parrot is mine own dere harte, & my derlīg
Melpomene ye fair maid, she burnished his beke
I pray you let parrot, haue libertie to speke.
Parrot is a fayre byrd for a Lady
God of his goodnes him framed and wrought
Whan parrot is dead she doth not putrify
Ye all thinge mortall shall turne vnto noughte
Except mannes soule, that Christ so dere bought
That neuer may dye, nor neuer dye shall
Make much of parrot, that popegay royal.
For that pereles prynce, that parrot did creat
He made you of nothing, by his magisty
Point wel this probleme, that parrot doth prate
[Page] And remembre among, how parrot and ye
Shal lepe from this life, as merye as we be
Pompe, pryde, honour, ryches and worldly luste
Parrot saith plainly, shall tourne all to dust.
Thus parrot doth pray you
With heart most tender
To reken with this recule nowe
And it to remember
Psitacus ecce cauo nec sunt mea carmina phebo
Dignascio Tamen est
Plena camena dec.
Secundum Skeltonida famigeratum
In picreorum Cathalago numeratum
Gala thea.
Itaque Consolanimi inuicem
In uerbis istis.
Candidi lectores callide callete
Vestrum seuete, psitacum.
Galethea.
Now kus me parrot, kus me, kus, kus, kus
Gods blessing light on thy swete litle mus
Vita & anima
zoelzepsiche
Aquinates Amen,
Concubunt grece, Non
est hic sermo pudicus
[Page] Actica dictamina
Ergo Suus plumbilamina
Vel spuria Vitulamino
Auertat hoc Vxania.
Amen amen
and set to a. d
And then it is amend
Our new found a. b. c.
Cum ccrteris
Paribus.
Of the death of the noble Prince kynge Edward the forth, per Skeltonidē Laureatum.
MIseremini mei, ye that be my frendes
This worlde hath formed me down to fall
How may I endure when yt euery thynge endes
What creature is borne, to be eternall
Now there is no more, but pray for me all
Thus say I Edward, that late was your kyng
And. xxiii. yeres ruled, this imperiall
Some vnto pleasure, and some to no likyng
Mercy I aske of my misdoyng
What auaileth it, frendes to be my fo
Sith I can not resist, nor amend your cōplainīg
Quia ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
I slepe now in molde, as it is naturall
As earth vnto earth, hath his reuerture
What ordeyned god, to be terrestriall
Without recours, to the earth of nature
Who to liue euer, may be sure
What is it to trust, on mutabilite
Sith that in this world, nothing may indure
For now am I gone, that late was in prosperite
To presume ther vppon, it is but a vanitie
Not certaine: but as a chery fayre ful of wo
Raygned not I of late: in great felicite
Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
Where was in my lyfe, such one as I
While lady fortune: with me had continuaunce
Graunted not she me, to haue victory
In England to raine, and to contribute Fraūce
She toke me by the hand, and led me a daunce
And with her sugred lips, on me she smyled
But what for her dissembled countenaunce
I could not beware, til I was begiled
Now from this world, she hath me excild
When I was lothest, hens for to go
And I am in age, but as who saith a child.
Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
I had ynough, I held me not contente
Without remembraunce, that I should dye
And more ouer to incroche, redy was I bente
[Page] I knew not how long, I should it occupy
I made the tower stronge, I wyst not why
I knew not to whom, I purchased Tetersall
I amended Douer, on the mountayne hye
And London I prouoked to fortify the wal
I made Notingam, a place royal
Wyndsor, Eltam, and many other mo
Yet at the last, I went from them al
Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
Where is now, my conquest and victory
Where is my riches, and my royal araye
Where be my coursers, and my horses hye
Where is my myrth, my solas, and play
As vanite to nought, al is wandred away
O lady Besse, longe for me may ye cal
For I am de parted, til domes day.
But loue ye that lord, that is soueraygne of all
Where be my castels, and buildinges royall
But Winsore alone, nowe I haue no mo
And of Eton, the prayers perpetuall
Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
Why shoulde a man, be proud or presume hye
Sainct Bernard, therof nobly doth treate
Sythe a man, is nothing but a sacke of stercorri
And shall returne, vnto wormes meate
Whye, what came of Alexander the great
Or elsse of stronge Sampson, who can tell
Wher no wormes ordened, theyr flesh to freat
[Page] And of Salomon, that was of wit the well
Absolon, profered his heare for to sel
Yet for al his beutie, wormes eat him also
And I but late in honour did excell
Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
I haue played my pageyond, now am I paste
Ye wot wel all, I was of no great yeld
This al thing concluded, shalbe at the last
When death approcheth, then lost is the felde
Then sithen this worlde, me no longer vp helde
Nor nought wold conserue me, here in my place
In manus tuas domine, my spirite vp I yealde
Humbly beseching, the God of his grace
O ye curtesse commens, your hartes vnbrace
Boningly now to pray for me also
For right wel you know, your kyng I was
Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio.
¶ FINIS.
Skelton Laureate against the Scottes.
Against the proud Scottes clatteryng
That neuer wyll leaue theyr tratlyng
Wan they the felde, and lost their kynge
They may wel say, fye on that winning.
LO these fond sottes. And tratling scottes
How they are blind. In their owne minde
And will not know. Their ouerthrow
At Branxston more. They are so srowre
So frantike mad. They say they had
And wan the felde. With speare and shield
That is as trew. As blacke is blew
And grene is gray. What euer they say
Iemmy is dead. And closed in leade
That was theyr own king. Fy on that winning
At Flodden hilles. Oure bowes our bylles
Slewe all the floure. Of theyr honoure.
Are not these scottes. Foles and settes
Suche boste to make. To prate and crake
To face to brace All voyde of grace
So proud of hart. So ouerth wart
So out of frame. So voyd of shame
As it is enrold. Wrytten and told
Within this quaire. Who list to repair
And ther in reed. Shal finde in deed
A mad rekening. Considering all thing
That the scottes may sin. Fye on the winning
When the Scotte lyued.
IOly Iemmy, ye scornefull Scot
Is it come vnto your lot
A solempne sumner for to be
It greeth nought for your degre
[Page] Our kyng of England for to fight
Your soueraine lord, our prince of might
Ye for to send, such a Citacion
It shameth al your noughty nacion
In comparison, but kynge roppyng
Unto our prince, annointed kyng
Ye play Hop Lobbyn of Lowdean
Ye shew ryght wel, what good ye can
Ye may be Lord of Locrian
Christ sence you, with a frying pan
Of Edingborrow, and saincte Ionis towne
A dieu syr sommer, cast of your crowne.
When the Scot was slayne.
COntinually I shall remember
The mery moneth of September
With the▪ xi. day of the same
For than began, our myrthe and game
So that now I haue deuised
And in my minde, I haue comprised
Of the proude Scot, kyng Iemmy
To wryte some lyttell tragedy
For no manner consideration
Of any sorowful lamentation
But for the special consolacion
Of al our royal englysh nacion
Melnomone, O muse tragediall
Unto your grace, for grace now I call
To guyde my pen, and my pen to enbibe
[Page] Illumine me, your Poet, and your scribe
That with mixture of Aloes and bitter gall
I may compound, confectures for Accordiall
To angre the Scottes, & Irish kiteringes withal
That late were discomfect, with battaile marcial
Thalia, my muse, for you also cal I
To touche them with tauntes of your armonye
A medley to make, of mirth with sadnes
The hartes of England, to comfort with gladnes
And now to begyn, I wyll me a dres
To you rehersyng, the somme of my proces.
KYnge Iamy, Iemmy, Iocky my ioye
Summond our king, why did ye so
To you, nothing it did accord
To Summon our king, your soueraigne Lorde
A kyng a Summer, it was great wonder
Knowye not suger, and salt a sonder
Your Summer to saucye, to malapert
Your harrold in armes, not yet halfe expert
Ye thought ye did, yet valiauntlye
Not worth thre skippes of a Pye
Syr skyr galyard, ye were so skit
Your wil, than ran before your wyt.
Your lege ye layd, and your aly
Your franticke fable, not worth a fly
Frenche kynge, or one or other
Regarded you should your lord your brother
[Page] Trowed ye sir Iemy, his nobel grace
From you sir scot, would tourne his face
With gup syr scot, of Galawey
Now is your pryde fall to decay
Male vrid, was your fals entent
For to offende your president
Your soueraigne Lord, most reuerente
Your Lord, your brother and your regent.
In him is figured, Melchisedecke
And ye were disloyall Amalecke
He is oure noble Scipione
Annoynted kynge, and ye were noue
Thoughe ye vntrulye your father haue slayne
His tytle is true, in Fraunce to raygne
And ye proude Scot, Dunde, Dun [...]ar
Pardy ye were, his homager
And suter to his Parliament
For your vntruthe, nowe are ye shent
Ye bare your self, somwhat to bold
Therfore ye lost, your copy hold
Ye were bonde tenent, to his estate
Lost is your game, ye are checke mate
Unto the castell of Norram
I vnderstande, to sone ye came
At Branxston more, and Flodden hilles
Our Englysh bowes, our Englysh bylles
[Page] Against you gaue so sharpe a shower
That of Scotland, ye lost the flower
The white Lyon: there rampaunte of moode
He raged and rente out your hart bloude
He the White, and you the Red
The white there slewe the red starke ded
Thus for your guerdon quyt are ye
Thanked be God in trinite
And swete sainct George our ladyes knyghte
Your eye is oute, a dewe good nyghte.
Ye were starke mad to make a fray
His grace beyng out of the way
But by the power and might of God
For your tayle ye made a rod
Ye wanted wit, sir at a worde
Ye lost your spurs: ye lost your sword
Ye mighte haue busked you to huntly bankes
Your pryde was peuysh to play suche prankes
Your pouerte could not attayne
With our kyng royal, war to maintaine.
Of the kyng of Nauerne, ye myght take heed
Ungraciously howe he dothe speede
An double dealynge, so he dyd dreame
That he is kynge, wythoute a Reame
And for exaumple, he woulde none take
Experiens hath brought you in such a brake
[Page] Your wealthe, your ioy, your sport, your play
Your braggyng bost, your royal aray
Your beard so brym, as bore at baye
Your seuen systers, that Gun so gay
All haue ye lost, and caste awaye.
Thus fortune hath turned you: I dare wel saye
Now from a kyng, to a clot of clay
Oute of Robes, ye were shaked
And wretchedly ye lay, starke all naked
For lacke of grace, harde was your hap
The Popes cures, gaue you that clap.
Of the out yles, the rough foted Scottes
We haue wel eased them of the bottes
The rude rācke Scottes, lyke droncken dranes
At Englysh bowes haue fetched theyr banes
It is not sitting, in tower and towne
A Summer, to were a kynges crowne
Fortune on you, therfore dyd frowne
Ye were to hye, ye are cast downe
Syr sumner now, where is your crowne
Cast of your crowne, cast vp your crowne
Sir Summer, now ye haue lost your crowne
Quod Skelton Laureate, Oratoure to the kynges most royal estate.
SCotica redicta in formam prouincie
Regis parebit nutibus anglie:
Alioquin (per desertum sin) super Cherubim
Cherubin, seraphim, seraphin que ergo. &c.
[Page] Unto diuers people that remord this
ryming againste the Scot Iemmy.
I Am now constrayned
With wordes nothynge fayned
This inuectiue to make For som people sake
That lyst for to iangell
And way wardly to wrangell
Againste this my makynge
Their males thereat shakynge
At it reprehending. And venemously stingyng
Rebukynge and remordyng
And nothynge accordynge
Cause they haue none other
But for that he was hys brother
Brother vnnaturall. Unto our kyng royall
Against whome he dyd fighte
Faslye agaynst all ryghte
Lyke that vtrue rebell
Falsse Cayne agaynst Abell.
But who so there at pyketh mood
The tokens are not good
To be true Englysh blood
For if they vnderstood
His traitourly dispight
He was a recrayed knighte
A subtill sysmatike
Righte neare an heritike
Of grace out of the state
[Page] And died excommunicate
And for he was a kynge
The more shameful rekenynge
Of hym shoulde men reporte
In earnest and in sporte
He scantlye loueth oure kynge
That grudgeth at this thinge
That caste suche ouerth wartes
Percase haue hollowe hartes
Si veritatē dico, quare non creditis michi. Chorus de Dys contra Scottes, cum omni processionali festiuitate solempne sauit hoc Epitoma. xxii. die Septembris. &c.
SAlue festa dies toto resonabilis euo
Qua scottus iacobus obiuius en se cadit
Barbara scottorum gens perfda plena maloruns
Vincitur ad Norran, uertitut inque fugam
Vasta paulus sed campestris (borie memoratur
Branxion more) scottins terra perosa fuit
Scottica castra fremunt Floddun sub mōtibus altis.
Que Valide inuadens dissipat angla manus
Millia scottorum trusit gens anglica passim
Luxuriat tepido sanguine pi g [...]us humus
Pas animas miseri miseras, misere sub umbras
Pars ruit in foueas, pars subiit latebras
[Page] Iam quid ag't Iachobus, damnorū gremine cretus
Persidus Vt nemro'th lapsus ad iam ruit
Dic modo scottorum dudum male fane malorum
Rector nunc Regeris mortuus exce iaces
Sic Leo te Rapidus Leo candidus inclitus ursit
quo Leo in Rubins ultim [...] f [...]ta luis
Anglia doc choreas Resonent tua tempana psallas
Da laudes domino. Da pia uot a deo.
Hec Laureatus Skeltonis Regine orator.
Chorus de dis. &c. supar triumph ali victoīa centra gallos. &c. cantauit solemniter hoc Elogium in profesto diui Iohannis ad de colationem.
SAlue festa dies toto memorabilis euc.
Qua rex Henricus gallico bella premit
Henricus Rutilans Octauus noster in armis
Tir winne gentis menit strauit humi
Sceptriger anglorum bello ualiaissimus hector
Francorum gentis colla superba terit
Dux armis nuper celebris modo dux mermis
De longuile modo dic quo tuo pomparuit
De cleremount clarus dudum dic galle superbe
Vnde superbus eris? carcere nonne gemis?
Discite francorum gens cetera capt [...], britannum
[Page] Noscite magnanimum, subdite uos que sibi
Gloria cappa docis diue miles que Marie
Illius hic sub ope Gallica regna reget.
Hoc insigne bonum diuino Numine gestum Anglica gens referat sempar, ouans que canat Per Skeltonida Laureatum, Oratorem Regium.
Here after folovveth the booke, entituled. Ware the Hawke. Per skelton Laureat.
Prologus Skeltonidis Laureati super ware the Hawke.
THis worke deuised is
For such as do a mis
And specially to controule
Suche as haue cure of soule
That be so farre abused
They can not be excused
By reason nor by lawe
But that they play the dawe
To hawke or elsse to hunte
From the Aulter to the funte
With crye vnreuerente
Before the Sacramente
[Page] Within the holy church boundis
That of our faith, the ground is
That pryest that hawkes so
All grace is farre him fro
He semeth a sismatike
Or elsse an heritike
For faith in him is faynte
Therefore to make complaynte
Of suche mysaduised
Parsons, and disgised
This boke we haue deuised
Compendiouslye comprised
No good priest to offend
But such dawes to amend
In hope that no man shall
Be miscontent withall.
I Shall you make relacion
By waye of a pestrofacion
Under supportacion
Of your pacient tolleracion
How I Skelton Laureat
Deuised and also wrate
Upon a lewde Curate
A parson beneficed
But nothing well aduised
He shall be as now nameles
But he shall not be blameles
[Page] Nor he shall not be shameles
For sure he wrought a mis
To hawke in my churche of Dis
This fonde frantike fauconer
With hys poluted pawtner
As priest vnreuerent
Straight to the Sacrament
He made his Hawke to fly
With hogeous showte and crye
The hye aulter he strypt naked
There on he stode and craked
He shoke downe al the clothes
And sware horrible othes
Before the face of God
By Moyses and Arons rod
Or that he thence yede
His hawke should pray and fede
Upon a pigeons mawe
The bloude ran downe raw
Upon the auter stone
The hawke tyred on a bonne
And in the holy place
She muted there a chase
Upon my corporas face
Such sacrificium laudis
He made with such gambawdis.
Obseruate.
His second hawke waxed gerye
[Page] And was with flying wery
She had flow in so oft
That on the rode loft
She perked her to rest
The Fauconer then was prest,
Came running with a dow
And cryed stow stow stow
But she would not bowe
He then to be sure
Called her with a lure
Her meate was very crude
She had not wel endude
She was not cleane ensaymed
She was not wel reclaymed
But the fawconer vnfayned
Was much more febler brained
The hawke had no lyst
To come to hys fyst
She loked as she had the fronce
With that he gaue her a bounce
Ful vpon the gorge
I wyl not fayne nor forge
The hawke with that clap
Fell downe with euil hap
The church dores wer sparred
Fast bolted and barred
Yet with a prety gin
I fortuned to come in
[Page] This rebell to beholde
Whereof hym I contrould
But he sayd that he wolde
Agaynst my mynde and will
In my churche hawke styll.
Considerate.
On sainct Iohn decollacion
He hawked on this facion
Tempore, vesperarum
Sed, non secundum sarum
But lyke a marche harum
His braynes were so parum
He sayde he would not let
His houndes for to fet
To hunte there by lyberte
In the dispite of me
And to halowe there the foxe
Downe went my offeryng box
Boke bel and candell
Al that he might handell
Cros staffe, lectrine and banner
Feldone on thys manner.
Deliberate.
With troll, citrace and trouy
They ranged hankin bouy
My church all about
Thys fawconer gan shoute
These be my gospellers
[Page] These be my pistillers
These be my queristers
to helpe me to singe
My hawkes to mattens ring
In this priestly giding
His hawke then flew vpon
The rode with Mary and Ihō
Delt he not lyke a fon
Delt he not lyke a daw
Or elsse is this goddes law
Decrees or Decretals
Or holy sinodals
Or elsse prouincials
Thus within the wals
Of holy church to deale
Thus to ringe a peale
With his hawkes belles
Doutles suche losels
Make the church to be
In smal aucthorite
A curate in speciall
To snapper and to fall
Into this open crime
To loke on this were time
Vigilate.
But who so that lokes
In the officials bokes
Ther her may see and reed
[Page] That this is matter in deed
How be it mayden meed
Made them to be agreed
And so the scribe was feed
And the Pharasaye
Than durst nothing say
But let the matter slip
And made truth to trip
And of the spituall law
They made but a gew gaw
And toke it out in drynke
And this the cause doth shrink
The church is thus abused
Reproched and polluted
Correction hath no place
And al for lacke of grace
Deplorate.
Loke now in Exodi
And de archa domini
With regum by and by
The Bibel wyl not lye
How the temple was kept
How the temple was swept
Where sanguis taurorum
Aut sanguis vitulorum
Was offred within the wals
After ceremonials
When it was poluted
[Page] Sentence was executed
By way of expiacion
Diuinitate.
Then much more by the rode
Where christes precious bloud
Daily offred is
To be poluted this
And that he wished with all
That the dowues donge downe might fall
Into my chalis at mas
When consecrated was
The blessed sacrament
O priest vnreuerent
He sayde that he would Hunt
From the aulter to the Funt
Reformate.
Of no tyrande I rede
That so farre dyd excede
Neither yet Dioclesian
Nor yet domisian
Nor yet croked Cacus
Nor yet dronken Baccus
Nother Olibrius Nor D [...]ius
Nother Phalary
Rehersed in valery
Nor Sardanapall
Unhappiest of all
[Page] Nor Nero the worst
Nor Clawdius the curst
Nor yet Egeas
Nor yet syr Pherumbras
Nother zorobabell
Nor cruell Iesabell
Nor yet tarquinius
Whome Titus Liuius
In writinge doth enroll
I haue red them poll by pol
The storye of Aristobel
And of Constantinobel
Whiche citye Miscreantes wan
And slue many a christen man
Yet the Sowden nor the turke
Wrought neuer such a worke
For to let their hawkes flye
In the church of Saint Sophy
With much matter more
That I kepe in store
Pensitate
Then in a tabel playne
I wrote a verse or twayne
Where at he made disdayne
The pekyshe parsons brayne
Coulde not reache nor attaine
[Page] What the sentence mente
He sayde for a croked intent
The wordes were paruerted
And this he ouerthwarted
Of the whiche processe
Ye maye knowe more expresse
If it please you to loke
In the residue of this booke.
Here after followeth the Table.
LOke on this tabul
Vvhether thou art a bul
To rede or to spel
Vvhar these verses tel.
Sicculo lutueris est colo bunraard
Nixphedras uisarum caniuter [...]auntantes.
Raterplas Natanbrian um sudus itnugenus,
18. 10. 2. 11. 19. 4. 13. 3. 3. 1. tēualet.
Cartula stet precor hec uello temer and a petulco
Hos rapiet Numeros non homo sz mala bos.
Ex parte. Rem carte aduerte aperte, pone musam are thusam hanc.
Where to shoulde I rehers
The sentence of my vers.
In them be no scholes
For braynsicke franticke foles
Construas hoc, domine dawcocke,
Ware the hawke.
Maister Sophista
Ye simplex, silogista
The Deuelyshe dogmatista
Your hawke on your fista
To hawke when your lista
In ecclesia ista domine cacapisti
With thy hawke on thy fisty
Nunquid sic dixisti. Nunquid sic fecisti
Sed vbi hoc legisti
Aut vnde hoc, doctor dawcocke.
Ware the hawke.
Doctor Dialetica
Where finde you in Ipotetica
Or in Cathagoria. Latina, siue dorica
To vse your hawkes, forica
In propiciatorio, tanquam, diuersorio
Unde hoc, domine dawcocke
Ware the Hawke.
Saye to me Iacke haris
Quare accuparis Ad sacramentum altaris
For no reuens thou spares
To shake my pygeons federis
[Page] Super, arcam federis
Unde hoc, doctor dawcocke
Ware the Hawke.
Sir dominus vobiscum Par aucupium
Ye made your hawke to cum
De super candelabrum
Christi crucifixi
To fede vpon your fistye
Dic inimice crucis christi. Ubi didicisti
Facere hoc, domine dawcocke
Ware the Hawke
Apostata Iulianus
Nor yet Nestorianus
Thou shalt no where rede
That they dyd such a dede
To let theyr hawkes fly
Ad ostium tabernaculi
In quo est corpus domini
Caue hoc, doctor dawcocke
Ware the Hawke
This doutlesse ye raued
Dis churche ye thus depraued
Wherfore as I be saued
Ye are therefore be knaued
Quare, quia euangelia
Concha, et conchelia
Ancipiter, & sonalia
Cetera, quoque talia
[Page] Tibi sunt equalia
Unde hoc domine dawcocke
Ware the Hawke
Et relis et ralis Et reliqualis
From Granado to galis
From winchelsee to wales
Non est brainsicke tales
Nec minus racionalis. Nec magis bestis
That singges with a chalis
Construas hor doctor dawcocke
Ware the Hawke.
Mased witles smery smyth
Hampar with your hammer vpon thy styth
And make here of a sickel or a saw
For though ye liue. a. c. yere ye shal dye a daw
Uos valete doctor indiscrete
S̄keltonis Apostrophat ad diuum Iohannem decollatum in cuius profesto ficbat hoc a ucupium.
O Memoranda dies qua decolare Iohannes Acupiū facit hod quandam quod fecerit infra ecclesiam de dis uiolans sua sacra sacrorum rector de Whiphstocke doctor cognomine daucocke, & dominus Wodcocke, probatis. probat hic. probat, hec hoc.
Idem. de liber a dicacitate poetica, in cextolem da probitate et in per fricam da ignobilate.
[Page] LIbertas ueneran da piis concessa poetis, discendi est quecunque placent querunque iuuabunte uell quecunque ualent ius [...]s defendere causas uell quecunque uolent stolidos mordere peculcos. Ergo da bi [...] ueniam.
Quod Skelton Laureat
All noble men of this take hede
And beleue it as your crede.
TO hastye of sentence
To fearse for none offence
To scarce of your expens
To large in necligence
To slacke in recompens
To hawte in excellence
To lighte intelligence
And to lyghte of credence
Where these kepe residence
Reason is banyshed thence
And also dame Prudence
With sober pacience.
All noble men of this take hede
And beleue it as your crede
Then wythoute collusyon
Marke well this conclusion
Thorowe suche abusion
And by suche Illusion
[Page] Unto greate confusion
A nobell man may fall
And hys honoure appall
That yf ye thinke this shall
Not rub you on the gall
Then the deuill take all
All nobell men of this take hede. &c.
Quod Skelton Laureate.
Ye may heare now, in this Rhime
How euery thing, must haue a time.
TIme is a thing, that no man may resist
Time is transitory, and Irreuocable
Who saith the cōtrary, time passeth as him
Time must be taken, in season couenable
Take time when time is, for time is ay mutable list
All thing hath time, who can for it prouide
Bide for time who wil, for time wil no mā abide
Tyme to be sad, and time to play and sporte
Time to take rest, by way of recreation
Tyme to study, and time to vse comfort
Tyme of pleasure, and time of consolation
Thus time hath his time, of diuers maner faciō
Tyme for to eate and drynke, for thy repast
Tyme to be liberall, and time to make no wast
Tyme to trauel, and time for to rest
Time for to speake, and time for to hold thi peace
[Page] Time woulde be vsed, when time is best
Time to begin, and time for to cease
And when time is, put thyself in prease
And when time is, to holde thyselfe a backe
For time wel spent, can neuer haue lacke.
The rotes take their sap, in time of vere
In time of sommer, floures freshe and grene
In time of haruest, men their corne shere
In time of winter the North wind waxeth kene
So bitterly biting, the floures be not sene
The Ralendis of Ianus, with his frostes hore
That time is, whē people must liue vpō the store
Quod Skelton Laureat.
A prayer to the father of heauen.
O Radiant luminary of light interminable
Celestiall father, potenciall God of might
Of heauen and earth. O lorde incōperable
Of al perfections the essenciall most perfighte
O maker of mankind, that formed day and night
Whose power imperial, cōprehēdeth euery place
Mine hart, my mind, my thought, my hole delite
Is after this lyfe, to se thy glorious face.
Whose magnificence, is incomprehensible
Al argumentes of reason, whiche far doth excede
Whose de [...]te doutles, is indiuisible
From whō al goodnes, and vertue doth procede
[Page] Of thy support, al creatures haue nede
Assist me good Lord, and graunt me of thy grace
To liue to thy pleasure, in word thought & dede
And after this lyfe to see thy glorious face.
To the seconde Parsone.
OBenigne Iesu, my souerain lorde and kynge
The only sonne of God, by filiacion
The second parson, without beginning
Both god & man, our faith maketh plain relaciō
Mary the mother, by way of incarnacion
Whose glorious passion, our soules doth reuiue
Again al bodely, and ghostly tribulacion
Defend me with thy piteous woundes fiue
O pereles prynce, paynted to the death
Rufully rent, thy body wan and blo
For my redempcion, gaue vp thy vytal breathe
Was neuer sorow, lyke to thy deadly wo
Graunt me, out of this world when I shal go
Thine endles mercy, for my preseruatiue
Against the world, the flesh, the deuill also
Defende me with thy piteous woundes fiue.
To the holy ghost.
OFiry sentence, inflamed with all grace
Enkyndeling hertes, with brandes charitable
The endlesse rewarde, of pleasure and solace
To the father, and the son, thou art cōmunicable
In vnitate, which is inseperable
O water of lyfe, O wel of consolacion
Against al suggestions deadly, and dampnable
Rescu me good Lorde, by your preseruacion.
To whome is appropryed, the holy ghost by name
The third parson, one god in Trinite
Of perfyt loue, thou art the ghostlye flame
O mirrour of mekenes, peace and tranquilitye
My confort, my counsel, my parfit charity
O water of lyfe, O wel of consolacion
Against all stormes, of hard aduersitie
Rescu me good Lord, by thy preseruation.
Amen.
Quod Skelton Laureate.
Here after foloweth the boke called Elinour Rumming.
The tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng. Per. Skelton Laureate.
TEll you I chill
If that ye wyll
A whyle be still
Of a comelye gyll
That dwelt on a hyll
But she is not gryll
For she is somewhat sage
And well worne in age
For her visage
It woulde asswage
A mannes courage
Her lothelye leare
Is nothynge cleare
But vglye of cheare.
Droupye and drowsye
Scuruy and lowsy
Her face all bowsy
Comelye crinckled
Wondersly wrynkled
Lyke a roste pigges eare
Brystled with here
Her lewde lyppes twayne
They slauer men sayne
[Page] Lyke a ropye rayne
A gummy glayre
She is vglye fayre
Her nose some dele hoked
And camouslye croked
Neuer stoppinge
But euer dropping
Her skin lose and slacks
Grained like a sacke
With a croked backe
Her eyen gowndye
Are full vnsowndy
For they are blered
And she graye heared
Iawed lyke a Ietty
A man would haue pity
To se how she is gumbed
Fingered and thumbed
Gently ioynted
Gresed and annointed
Up to the knockels
The bones her buckels
Together made faste
Her youthe is farre paste
Foted lyke a plane
Legges like a crane
And yet she wyl iet
Lyke a iolly set
[Page] In her furred flocket
And gray russet rocket
With simper the cocket
Her huke of Lyncole grene
It hadde bene hers I wene
More then fortye yeare
And so it dothe appeare
And the grene bare thredes
Looke lyke sere wedes
Wythered lyke Haye
The woll worne awaye
And yet I dare saye
She thinketh herselfe gaye
Uppon the holye daye
Whan she dothe her araye
And girdeth in her getes
Stitched and pranked with pletes
Her kirtell Bristowe red
With clothes vppon her heade
That they way a sowe of leade
Wrythen in a wonder wise
After the Sarazins gise
With a whim wham
Knit with a trim tram
Uppon her brayne panne
Like an Egiptian
Capped aboute
Whan she goeth oute
[Page] Herselfe for to shewe
She driueth downe the Dewe
With a paire of heles
As brode as two wheles
She hobbles as a Gose
With her blauket hose
Her shone smered with talow
Gresed vpon dyrt
That baudeth her skyrt
Primus passus.
And this comelye dame
I vnderstande her name
Is Elynoure Rumminge
At home in her wonnyng
And as men say
She dwelt in Sothray
In a certaine stede
By syde Lederhede
She is a tonnishe gyb
The deuell and she be sib.
But to make vp my tale
She brueth noppy ale
And maketh therof poorte sale
To traueilers, to tinkers
To sweters, to swinkers
And all good ale drynkers
That wyll nothinge spare
But dryncke tyll they stare
[Page] And bringe themselfe bare
With nowe away the mare
And let vs sley care
As wise as an hare
Come who so wil
To Elinour on the hil
With fil the cup fill
And sit there by still
Earelye and late
Thither commeth Rate
Ci [...]ye and Sare
With their legges bare
And also theyr fete
Hardely full vnswete
With their heles dagged
Theyr kyrtelles all to iagged
Theyr smockes all to ragged
With titters and tatters
Brynge dyshes and platters
With all theyr mighte runnyng
To Elynoure rumminge
To haue of her tunninge
She leaneth them of the same
And thus beginneth the game
Some wenches come vnbrased
Wyth theyr naked pappes
That flippes and flappes
It wygges and it wagges
[Page] Lyke tawny saffron bagges
A sorte of foule drabbes
All scuruy with scabbes
Some be flye bytten
Some skewed as a kytten
Some with a sho cloute
Bynde their heades aboute
Some haue no herelace
Theyr lockes about their face
Theyr tresses vntruste
All full of vnluste
Some looke strawrye
Some cawrye mawrye
Full vntidye tegges
Lyke rotten egges
Suche a lewde sorte
To Elynoure resorte
From tyde to tyde
Abyde abyde
And to you shall be toulde
Howe her ale is soulde
To mawte and to molde
Secundus passus
Some haue no monye
That thither commye
For their ale to paye
That is a shrewde a ray
Elinoure sweared naye
[Page] Ye shall not beare awaye
My ale for noughte
By him that me boughte
With hey dogge haye
Haue these dogges awaye
With gette me a staffe
The swyne eate my draffe
Strike the hogges with a clubbe
They haue dronk vp miswilling tub
For be there neuer so much prese
These swine go to the hye dese
The sowe with her pygges
The bore his taile wrygges
Against the hye bench.
With fo, ther is astench
Gather vp thou wench.
Seest thou not what is fall
Take vp drit and all.
And beare out of the hal
God geue it il preuing.
Clenly as euel cheuing
But let vs turne plain,
Ther we left againe
For as ill a patch as that.
The hens run in the mash fat
For they go to roust
Straight ouer the ale ioust
And donge whan it commes
[Page] In the ale tunnes
Then Elinour taketh.
The mash bol and shaketh
The hennes donge away.
And skommeth it in a tray
Where as the yest is.
With her maungy fistis
And somtime she blens.
The donge of her hennes
And the ale together.
And sayth gossip come hither
This ale shalbe thicker
And floure the more quicker
For I may tel you
I learned it of a Iewe
Wham I began to brewe
And I haue founde it trew
Drinke nowe while it is new
And ye may it broke
It shall make you loke
Yonger then ye be
Yeres two or thre
For ye may proue it by me
Behold she sayd and see
How bright I am of ble
Ich am not cast away
That can my husband saye
Whan we kyste and playe
[Page] In luste and in likynge
He calleth me his whiting
His mullinge and his nittine
His nobbes and his connye
His sweting and hys honny
With basse my prety bonny
Thou arte worthe good and monny
This make I my falyre fanny
Tyll that he dreame and dronnye
For after all oure sport
Than will he rout and snort
Then swetely together we ly
As two pygges in a stye.
To cease me semeth best
And of this tale to reast
And for to leaue this letter
Because it is no better
And because it is no swetter
We wyll no farther ryme
Of it, at this time
But we wyl turne playne
Where we left agayne.
Tertius passus.
In stede of coine and monny
Somme brynge her a conny
And some a pot with honni
Some a salt, and some a spone
Some their hose, some ther shone
[Page] Some ran a good trot
With a skyllet or a pot
Some fyll their pot full
Of good Lemster woll
An huswife of truste
Whan she is a thrust
Suche a webbe can spyn
Her thryfte is full thyn
Some go strayghte thyther
Be it slaty or slider
They holde the hye waye
They care not what men saye
Be that as be maye
Some lothe to be espyde
Some start in at the backe syde
Ouer the hedge and pale
And all for the good ale
Some renne tyll they swete
Bryng with them malt or whete
And dame Elinoure entreaet
To byrle them of the best
Than cometh an other gest
She swered by the rode of rest
Her lyppes are so drye
Without drynke she must dye
Therefore tyll it by and by
And haue here a pecke of ry
Anone cometh another
[Page] As drye as the other
And wyth her dothe bryng
Mele, salt, or other thing
Her harnest girdle, her wedding ringe
To paye for hir scot
As cometh to her lot
Som bringeth her husbādes hood
Because the ale is good
A nother brought her his cap
To offer to the ale tap
With flaxe and with towe
And some brought soure dow
With hey and with howe
Syt we downe a rowe
And dryncke tyll we blowe
And pype tirlye tyrlowe
Some layde to pledge
Theyr hatchet and their wedge
Their hekell and their rele
Their rock, their spinnīg whele
And some went so narrow
They laid to pledge their wharrow
Their rihskin and theyr spindell
Theyr nedel and their thimbell
Here was scante thryste
Whan they made such shyfte
Their thrust was so great
They asked neuer for meate
[Page] But drincke still drynke
And let the cat winke
Let vs washe oure gommes
From the dry crommes
Quartus passus.
Some for very nede
Lay down a skain of threde
And some a skain of yarne
Bothe Beanes and pease
Small Chaffer dothe ease
Sometime, now and than
Another there was that ran
With a good brassepan
Her coloure was full wan
She ran in al the haste
Unbrased and vnlaste
Tawnye swart and swallowe
Lyke a cake of tallowe
I sweare by all hallowe
It was a stare to take
The Deuill in a brake.
And than came haltynge Ione
And broughte a gambone
Of bakon that was reastye
But Lorde as she was testye
Angrye as a waspye
She began to yane and gaspy
And bad Elynoure go bet
[Page] And fyll in good meate
It was dere that was farre fet
Another broughte a spycke
Of a bacon flicke
Her tonge was verye quicke
But she spake somewhat thicke
Her felowe did stammer and stut
But she was a foule slut
For her mouthe fomed
And her bellye groned
Ione sayne she had eaten a fyest
By Christe sayde she thou lyest
I haue as swete a breathe
As thou with shamefull deathe
Then Elinour sayd, ye callettes
I shall breake your palettes
Withoute ye nowe cease
And so was made the dronken peace
Than thider came droncken Ales
And she was full of tales
Of tidinges in Wales.
And of sainct Iames in Gales
And of the Portyngales
With lo gossip I wis
Thus and thus it is
There hath ben greate warre
Betwene temple barre
And the crosse in cheape
[Page] And there came and heape
Of mil stones in a route
She speaketh thus in her snoute
Sneuelynge in her nose
As thoughe she had the pose
Lo here is an olde tippet
And ye wil geue me a sippet
Of your stale ale
God sende you good sale
And as she was drynkynge
She fell in a wynkynge
With a barlye hoode
She pyste where she stoode
Than began she to wepe
And forthwith fell on flepe
Elynoure tooke her vp
And blessed her wyth acup
Of newe ale in cornes
Ales founde therein no thornes
But supped it vp at ones
She found therin no bones
Quintus passus.
Now in cometh another rabel
Fyrst one with a ladell
Another with a cradell
And with a syde sadel
And there began a fabel
A clatterynge and a babell
[Page] Of foles silly
That had a fole with willy
With iast you, and gup gillye
She coulde not lye stillye
Then came in a genet
And sware by sainct Bennet
I dranke not this sennet
A draughte to my paye
Elynoure I the pray
Of thyne ale let vs assaye.
And haue here a pilch of gray
I weare skinnes of Conye
That causeth I loke so donny
Another than dyd hyche her
And broughte a pottel pycher
A tonnel, and a bottel
But she had lost the stoppel
She cut of her sho sole
And stopped ther with the hole.
Amonge all the blommer
Another brought a skommer
A frying pan and a slice
Elynoure made the pryce
For good ale eche whit.
Than starte in mad kyt
That had lytle wyt
She semed some deale seke
And brought vp a peny cheke
[Page] To dame Elinoure
For a draughte of lycour.
Than Margery milke ducke
Her kirtell she did vp tucke
An ynche aboue her kne
Her legges that ye might se
But they wer sturdy and stubbled
Mighty pestels and clubbed
As fayre and as white
As the fote of a kite
She was somwhat foule
Croke necked lyke an Owle
And yet she broughte her fees
A cantel of Essex chese
Was well a fote thicke
Full of magottes quicke
It was huge and greate
And mightye stronge meate
For the deuill to eate
It was tarte and punyete
Another sorte of sluttes
Some broughte walnutes
Some apples, some peares
Some brought their clippinge sheres
Some broughte thys and that
Some broughte I wote neare what
Some broughte theyr husbandes hat
Some podynges and lynkes
[Page] Some tripes that stinkes
But of all thys thronge
One came them amonge
She semed halfe a leche
And began to preach
Of the tewesday in the weke
Whan the mare doth keke
Of the vertue of an vnset leke
Of her husbandes breke
With the feders of a quaile
She could to bourde on sayle
And with good ale barme
She could make a charm
To healpe with all a stytche
She semed to be a wytche
Another brought. ii. goslings
That wer noughty froslings
Some brought thē in a wallet
She was a cumlye callet
The goslinges were vntide
Elinour began to chide
They be wrethocke thou haste brout
They ar shyre shaking nought
Sextus passus.
Maud ruggy, thither skipped
She was vglye hipped
And vglye thicke lipped
Like an Onion sided
[Page] Like tan ledder hided
She had her so guided
Betwene the cup and & the wall
That she was there with all
Into a palsey fall
With that her hed shaked
And her handes quaked
Ones heade wold haue aked
To se her naked
She dranke so of the dregges
The dropsy was in her legges
Her face glistring lyke glasse
All foggye fat she was
She had also the goute
In all her ioyntes aboute
Her breth was soure and stale
And smelled all of ale
Suche a bedfellawe
Wold make one cast his craw
But yet for all that
She drancke on the mashe fat
There came an olde rybibe
She halted of a kybe
And had broken her shyn
At the threshold cummyng in
And fell so wyde open
That one myght se her token
Te deuil there on be wroken
[Page] What nede all this be spoken
She yelled lyke a calfe
Ryse vp on gods halfe
Sayde Elynoure rummynge
I be shrewe the for thy cummyng
As she at her did plucke
Quake, quake, sayde the ducke
In that lampatrams lap
With fye, couer the shap
Wyth sum flip flap
God geue it yll happe
Sayde Elynoure for shame
Lyke an honest daine
Up she stearte, halfe lame
And skantlye coulde go
For payne and for wo
In came another dant
Wyth a gose and a gant
She had a wide wesant
She was nothynge pleasaunt
Necked lyke an Oliphant
It was a bullifant
A gredy cormerante
A nother brought her garlik heds
A nother brought her bedes
Of Iet or of coale
To offer to the ale pole
Some brought a wimble
[Page] Some brought a thymble
Some brought a silke lace
Some brought a pincase
Some her husbandes gowne
Some a pillowe of downe
Some of the napery
And all this shyfte they make
For the good ale sake
A straw said bele stande vtter
For we haue egges and butter
And of pigeons a payre.
Than sterte forthe a fisgigge
And she brought a bore pigge
The flesh thereof was ranke
And her breath strongly stanke
Yet or she wente she dranke
And gate her greate thancke
Of Elynoure for her ware
That she thither bare
To paye for her share
Nowe trulye to my thinkynge
This is a solempne drinkyng
Septimus passus.
Soft quod one high Sibbil
And let me with you bib [...]ill
She sate downe in the place
With a sorye face
Whey wormed aboute
[Page] Garnished was her snoute
With here and there a puscul
Lyke a scabbed muscull
This ale sayde she is noppy
Let vs sippe and soppy
And not spil a droppy
For so mote I hoppye
It coleth well my coppy
Dame Elinoure sayde she
Haue here is for me
A cloute of London pinnes
And with that she beginnes
The pot to her plucke
And dranke a good lucke
She swinge vp a quarte
At ones for her part
Her paunche was so puffed
And so with ale stuffed
Had she not hyed a pace
She had defoyled the place
Than began the sport
Amonge, that dronken fort
Dame Elynoure sayde they
Lende here a cocke of hay
To make all thynge cleane
Ye wote well what we meane
But syr amonge all
That sate in that hall
[Page] There was a pricke me deintie
Sate lyke a saintye
And began to paintye
As thoughe she woulde fainty
She made it as koy
As a lege demoy
She was not halfe so wise
As she was peuysh nyse
She sayde neuer a worde
But rose from the borde
And called for oure dame
Elynoure by name
We supposed I wys
That she rose to pisse
But the verye grounde
Was for to compounde
With Elynour in the spence
To paye for her expence
I haue no penny nor grote
To pay sayd she, god wot
For washinge of my throte
But my bedes of amber
Bere them to your chaumber
Then Elynour dyd them hide
Wythin her beddes syde
But some than sat righte sad
That nothynge had
There of theyr one
[Page] Neyther gelt nor pawne
Suche were there mennye
That had not a pennye
But whan they should walke
Were fayne with a chalke
To score on the balke
Or score on the tayle
God geue it yll hayle
For my fyngers ytche
I haue written to mych
Of this mad mummyng
Of Elynoure Rummynge
Thus endeth the gest
Of this worthye felt.
Quod Skelton Laureat.
Laurratiskeltonidis in despectu malignantium disticon.
QVdmuis infanis, quanuis marcescis inams
Iuuidi cantamus, hec loca plena locis
Bien men sounient.
OMnes feminas, que uel nimis bibule sunt, uel que scordida labe squaloris, aut quamspuria feditatis macula, aut uerbosa laquatita te notantur, poeta inuitat ad audicndum hunc libellum, &c.
[Page] EBric, squalida, sordida femini, perdiga uerbis
Huc currat, properet ueniat suafacta libellus
Iste uolutabit: pean sua plectra sonando
Materiam risus cantabit carmine rauco.
FINIS.
Quod Skelton Laureate.
Here after folovveth a litle [...] vvhiche hath to name, vvhie co [...] ye not to Court Comoned by Mayster Skelton poete Laureate. The relucent mirror for all Prela Presidents aswell spirituall as temporall sadly to loke vpon deuised in English by Skelton.
All noble men of this take hede and leue it as your Crede.
TO hastye of sentence
To fearce for none offence
To scarce of your expence
To large in negligence
To slacke in recompence
[Page] To haut in excellence
To lyght intellygence
And to lyght incredence
Where these kepe resydence
Reason is banished thence
And also dame prudence
Wyth sober patience
All noble men. &c.
Than without collusion
Marke well thys conclusion
Through such abusion
And by suche illusion
Unto great confusion
A noble man may fall
And his honoure appall
And yf ye thynke thys shal
Not rubbe you on the gall
Than the deuyll take all. &c.
Hoc vates ille, de quo loquntur in ille.
Vvhy come ye not to Court.
FOr age is a page
For the court full vnmeete
For age can not rage
Nor basse her sweete sweete
But whan age seeth that rage
Dothe aswage and refrayne
Than wyll age haue a corage
To come to court agayne
But
Helas, sage ouerage
To madly decayes
That age for dottage
Is recouered now a dayes
Thus age graunt domage
Is nothyng set by
And rage in a rerage
Doth renne lamentably.
So
That rage must make pillage
To catche that catche maye
And wyth suche forage
Hunte the boskage
That hartes wyl runne awaye
Bothe Hartes and hindes
With all good mindes
Fare well, than haue good day
Than haue good day a dew
For defaute of rescew
Some men may happely rew
And theyr heades mew
The time dothe faste ensew
That bales begin to brew
I drede by swete Iesu
This tale will be to trew
In fayth dicken thou crew.
In fayth dicken, thou crew. &c.
DIcken, thou crew doutles
For truelye to expresse
There hath be much exces
With banketyng braynlesse
With ryoting rechles
With gambaudyng thryftles
With spend, and waste witles
Treating of truce restlesse
Pratyng for peace peaslesse
They countring at Cales
Wrange vs on the wales
Cheife Councelour was careles
Gronyng grouching graceles
And to none entent
Our talwod is all brent
Our fagottes are all spent
We may blow at the cole
[Page] Our mare hath cast her fole
And mocke hath lost her shoo
What may she do thertoo
An end of an old song
Do right and no wrong
As right as a rammes horne
For thrift is threde bare worne
Our shepe are shrewdlye shorne
And trouthe is all to torne
Wisdome is laught to scorne
Fauel is false forsworne
Iauel is nobly borne
Hauel and Haruy hafter
Iacke Trauell and Cole crafter
We shall heare more hereafter
With polling and shauynge
With borowyng and crauyng
With reuyng and rauyng
With swearing and staryng
There vayleth no reasonyng
For wil doth rule al thyng
Wyl, wyl, wyl, wyl, wyl,
He ruleth alway styl
Good reason and good skyll
They may garlicke pill
Cary sackes to the mil
Or pescoddes they may shil
Or els go roste a stone
[Page] There is no man but one
That hath the strokes alone
Be it blacke or white
All that he dothe is right
As right as a Cammocke croked
Thys bil wel ouer loked
Clerely perceiue we may
There went the hare awaye
The hare, the For, the Gray,
The hart, the hinde, the bucke
God send vs better lucke.
God send vs better lucke. &c.
TWit Andrew, twit Scot
Ge heme, ge scoure thy pot
For we haue spent our shot
We shall haue a tot quot
From the Pope of Rome
To weaue all in one lome
A webbe of Lylse wulce
Opus male dulce.
The deuill kysse his cule
For whiles he doth rule
All is warse and warse
The deuill kysse his arse
For whether he blesse or curse
It can not be muche worse
From Baumberow to both ābar
[Page] We haue cast vp oure war
And made a worthy truse
Wyth gup leuel suse
Our mony madly sent
And more madly spent
From Croydon to Kent
Wote ye whither they went?
From winchelsy to Rye
And all not worthe a flye
From wentbridge to Hull
Our army waxeth dull
With turne all home agayne
And neuer a scot slayne
Yet the good Erle of Surray
The french men he doth fraye
And vexeth them day by day
With all the power he maye
The frenchemen he hath fainted
And made their hertes attainted
Of cheualry he is the flour
Our Lord be his succoure
The french men he hath so mated
And their courage abated
That they are but halfe men
Like foxes in their den
Like cankerd cowardes all
Like heons in a stone walle
Tey kepe them in their holdes
[Page] Lyke hen herted cokoldes
But yet they ouer shoote vs
With crownes and with scutus
With Scutes and crownes of golde
I drede we are bought and solde
It is a wonders warke
They shoote all at one marke
At the Cardinals hat
They shote all at that
Out of their stronge townes
They shote at him with crownes
With crownes of gold enblased
They make him so a mased
And his eyen so dafed
That he ne see can
To know God nor man
He is set so hye
In his Ierarchy
Of frantike frenesy
And folysh fantasy
That in the chambre of stars
All matters there he mars
Clapping his rod on the borde
No man dare speake a word
For he hath all the saying
Without any renaying
He rolleth in his recordes
[Page] He saith, how say ye my lordes?
Is not my reason good
Good euin good Robin hood
Some say yes. And some
Sit still as they were dome
Thus thwarting ouer thome
He ruleth al the roste
With bragging and with boste
Borne vp on euery syde
With pompe and with pryde
With trompe vp alleluya
For dame Philargerya
Hath so his hart in hold
He loueth nothyng but gold
And Asmodeus of hel
Maketh his membres swel
With Dalyda to mell
That wanton damsell
A dew Philosophia
A dew theologia
Welcome dame Simonia
With dame Castrimergia
To drynke and for to eate
Sweet Ipocras & swete meate
To kepe his fleshe chaste
In lente for a repaste
He eateth Capons stewed
[Page] Fesaunt, and Partriche mewed
Hennes, chickins and pigges
He foynes and he frigges
Spareth neyther mayd ne wyfe
This is a postels lyfe
Helas my hart is sory
To tell of vayne glory
But now vpon this story
I wyll no further rimè
Tyll another time
Tyll another time.
VUhat newes what newes
Small newes that true is
That be worth two kues
But at the naked stewes
I vnderstande howe that
The sygne of the Cardinall hat
That Inne is now shit vp
With gup whore gup, nowe gup
Gup Gilliam Trauillian
With iast you I say Iullian
Wyll ye beare no coles
A mainy of marefolles
That occupy their holes
Full of pocky moles.
What heare ye of Lancashire
They were not payd theyr hyre
[Page] They are fell as any fyre
What heare ye of Chesshyre
They haue layde all in the myre
They grudge and sayde
Their wages were not payde
Some sayde they were afrayde
Of the Scottishe hoste
For all their crake and boste
Wilde fire and thunder
For all this worldly wonder
A hundred myle a sunder
They were whan they were next
That is a true text
What heare ye of the scottes
They make vs all sottes
Poppyng folysh dawes
They make vs to pyll strawes
They play their old prankes
After huntly bankes
At the streme of Banokes burns
They did vs a shrewde turne
Whan Edward of karnaruan
Lost all that his father wan
What here ye of the lord dakers
He maketh vs Iacke rakers
He sayes we are but crakers
He calleth vs England men
[Page] Stronge harted lyke an hen
For the scottes and he
To well they do agree
With do thou for mee
And I shal do for thee
Whiles the red hat doth endure
He maketh himself cocke sure
The red hat with his lure
Bryngeth al thinges vnder cure
But as the world nowe goose
What heare ye of the Lord Rose
Nothyng to purpose
Not worth a cockly fose
Their hertes be in their hose
The Erle of Northumberland
Dare take nothing on hand
Our barons be so bolde
Into a mouse hole they wold
Runne away and creep
Like a mainy of sheep
Dare not loke out a dur
For drede of the maystife cur
For drede of the bouchers dog
Wold wirry them like an hog
For and this curre do gnar
They must stande all a far
To holde vp their hand at the bat
For all their noble bloude
[Page] He pluckes them by the hood
And shakes them by the eare
And bryng them in suche feare
He baiteth them lyke a beare
Lyke an oxe or a bul
Their wittes he sayth are dul
He saith they haue no brayne
Their estate to maintaine
And make to bowe their knee
Before his maiestee.
Iudges of the kinges lawes
He countes them foles & dawes
Sergeauntes of the coyfe cke
He sayeth they are to seke
[...]n pleating of their case
At the commune place
Or at the kinges benche
He wringeth thē such a wrenche
That all our learned men
Dare not set theyr penne
To plete a true triall
Within westminster hall
In the chaūcery where he sittes
But suche as he admittes
None so hardy to speake
He saith, thou huddy peake
They learnyng is to lewd
[Page] Thy tounge is not well thewde
To seeke before our grace
And openly in that place
He rages and he raues
And calles them cankerd knaues
Thus royally he doth deale
Under the kinges brode seale
And in the checker he thē checkes
In the ster chābre he nods & becks
And beareth him there so stout
That no man dare rout
Duke, Earle, Baron, nor Lorde
But to his sentence must accorde
Whether he be knyght or squyer
All men folow his desyre
What say ye of the scottish kyng
That is another thing
He is but an yonglyng
A tall worthy striplyng
Her is a whispring & a whiplyng
He should be hither brought
But and it were well sought
I trow all will be nought
Not worth a shittel cocke
Nor worth a soure calstocke
There goeth many a lye
Of the duke of Albany
[Page] That of should go his head
And brought in quicke or dead
And all Scotland oures
The moūtenaunce of two houres
But as some men sayn
I drede of some false trayn
Subtelly wrought shalbe
Under a fained treate
But within monethes three
Men may happely see
The trechery, and the prankes
Of the Scottishe bankes
What heare ye of Burgonions
And the Spanyardes Onions?
They haue slain our Englishmen
Aboue three score and ten
For al your amitee
No better they agree
God saue my Lord Admirell
What heare ye of Muttrel?
There wyth I dare not mel
Yet what heare ye tell
Of our graund counsel?
I could say some what
But speake ye no more of that
For drede of the red hat
Take peper in the nose
For than thyne head of gose
[Page] Of by the hard arse
But there is some trauars
Betwene some and some
That makes our sire to glum
It is some what wrong
That his berde is so long
He morneth in blacke clothing
I pray god saue the kyng
Where euer he go or ride
I pray God be his guide
Thus will I conclude my stile
And fall to rest a whyle
And so to rest a while. &c.
ONce yet agayn
Of you I wold fraine
Why come ye not to courte
To which court?
To the kinges court
Or to Hampton court?
Nay to the kinges court
The kynges court
Should haue the exellence
But hampton court
Hath the preeminence
And yorkes place
With my Lordes grace
To whose magnificence
[Page] Is all the confluence
Sutes and supplications
Embassades of all nacions
Straw for law canon
Or for the law common
Or for lawe ciuill
It shall be as he wyll
Stop at law tancrete
An obstract or a concrete
Be it soure be it sweete
His wisdome is so discrete
That in a fume or an hete
Warden of the flete
Set him fast by the fete
And of his royal poure
Whan him lyst to loure
Than haue him to the toure
Saunz aulter remedy
Haue him forth by and by
To the marshalsy
Or to the kinges benche
He diggeth so in the trench
Of the court royall
That he ruleth them all
So he dothe vndermynde
And such sleightes dothe fynde
That the kinges mynde
By him is subuerted
[Page] And so streatly coarted
In credensing his tales
That all is but nutshales
That any other sayth
He hath in him such faith
Now, yet al this might be
Suffred and taken in gree
If that, that he wrought
To any good end wer brought
But all he bryngeth to nought
But God that me deare bought
He beareth the king on hand
That he must pyl his land
To make his cofers rych
But he layeth al in the dyche
And vseth such abusion
That in the conclusion
All commeth to confusion
Perceiue the cause whye
To tell the trouth plainlye
He is so ambicious
So shameles, and so vicious
And so supersticious
And so much obliuious
From whēs that he came
That he falleth in Acisiam
Which truely to expresse
[Page] Is a forgetfulnes
Or wylful blindnes
Wherwith the Sodomites
Lost their inward sightes
The gommorians also
Were brought to deadly wo
As scripture recordes
A cecitate cordis
In the latyn synge we
Libera nos domine
But this mad Amalecke
Like to Amamelek
He regardeth Lordes
No more than pot shordes
He is in suche elacion
Of his exaltacion
And the supportacion
Of our soueraine Lords
That God to recorde
He ruleth al at will
Without reason or skyll
Howbeit they be prymordyall
Of hys wretched originall
And his base progeny
And his gresy genealogy
He came of the sanke roiall
That was cast out of a bouchers stall.
But howe euer he was borne
Men would haue the lesse scorne
If he could consider
His byrth and rowme together
And call to his mynde
How noble and how kynde
To hym he hath founde
Our souerayne lord, chief groud
Of all thys prelacy
And set hym nobly
In great aucthorite
Out from a low degre
Which he can not see
For he was parde
No doctour of deuinttie
Nor doctor of the law
Nor of none other saw
But a pore maister of arte
God wot had little part
Of the Quatriuials
Nor yet of triuials
Nor of philosophye
Nor of philology
Nor of good pollicy
Nor of Astronomy
Nor acquainted worth a fly
With honourable haly
Nor with royal Ptholomy
[Page] Nor with Albumasar
To treate of any star
Fyxt or els mobil
His latin tounge doth hobbyl
He doth but clout and cobbel
In tullis facultie
Called humanitie
Yet proudly he dare pretend
How no ma can him amend
But haue ye not heard this
How an one eyed man is
Wel sighted, when
He is amonge blynd men.
Than our proces for to stable
This man was ful vnable
To reche to such degree
Had not our Prince be
Royall henry the eyght
Take him in such conceyte
That he set him on heyght
In exemplyfieng
Great Alexander the king
In writing as we finde
Which of his royal minde
And of his noble pleasure
Transcending out of measure
Thought to do a thyng
[Page] That pertaineth to a kyng
To make vp one of nought
And made to him be brought
A wretched pore man
Which his liuing wan
With planting of Leekes
By the dayes and by the weekes
And of this pore vassal
He made a kyng royal
And gaue him a realme to rule
That occupyed a showel
A mattoke, and a spade
Before that he was made
A kyng, as I haue told
And ruled as he wold
Such is a kynges power
To make within an hower
And worke such a miracle
That shalbe a spectacle
Of renowme and worldly fame
In likewise now the same
Cardinall, is promoted
Yet with lewd conditions noted
As hereafter bene noted
Presumpcion and vain glorie
Enuy, wrath, and lechery
Couetes, and gluttony
Slouthfull to do good
[Page] Now frantike, now starke wode
Shuld this man of such mode
Rule the swerde of myght
How can he do right
For he wyll as soone smyght
His freend, as his foe
A prouerbe longe ago
Set vp a wretche on hye
In a trone triumphantly
Make him a great estate
And he wil play checke mate
With royall maiestee
Count hymself as good as he
A prelate potenciall
To rule vnder Bellyall
As ferce and as cruell
As the feende of hel
His seruauntes meniall
He dothe reuile and brall
Lyke Mahound in a play
No man dare him with saye
He hath dispight and scorne
At them that be wel borne
He rebukes them and rayles
Ye horsons, ye vassayles
Ye knaues, ye churles sonnes
Ye ribauds, not worth two plūms
[Page] Ye rainbeaten beggers reiagged
Ye recrayed ruffins all ragged
With stoupe thou hauel
Renne thou iauel
Thou peuishe pie pecked
Thou losel long necked
Thus daily they be decked
Taunted and checked
That they are so wo
They wot not whether to go.
No man dare come to the speche
Of this gentel Iacke breche
Of what estate he be
Of spiritual dignitie
Nor duke of hye degree
Nor Marques, Earle, nor Lord
Which shrewdly doth accord
Thus he borne so base
All noble men should out face
His countinaunce lyke a kayser
My Lord is not at layser
Sir ye must tary a stound
Tyl better layser be found
And sir, ye must daunce attendaunce
And take pacient sufferaunce
For my Lordes grace
Hath now no time nor space
To speake with you, as yet
And thus they shal syt
Chuse them syt or flit
Stand, walke, or ride
And his laiser abide
Parchaunce half a yere
And yet neuer the nere
This daungerous dowsipere
Like a kinges pere
And within this. xvi. yere
He wold haue ben right fayn
To haue ben a chaplayn
And haue taken right great pain
With a pore knight
What so euer he hight
The chiefe of his own counsel
They can not well tell
Whan they with him should mel
He is so fierce and fel
He rayles and he rates
He calleth them doddy pates
He grinnes and he gapes
As it were Iacke Napes
Such a mad Bedlem
For to rule this realm
It is a wonderous case
That the kinges grace
Is toward him so minded
And so farre blinded
[Page] That he can not perceiue
How he doth him disce yue
I dought least by Sorsery
Or such other loselry
As witch craft, or charming
For he is the kinges derlyng
And his sweete hart rote
And is gouerned by this mad koote
For what is a man the better
For the kynges letter
For he wil tere it a sunder
Wherat much I wonder
How such a hoddy poule
So boldly dare controule
And so malapertly withstand
The kynges owne hand
And settes not by it a mite
He sayth the kyng doth wryte
And wryteth he wot not what
And yet for all that
The kyng his clemency
Despenseth with his demensy
But what his grace doth thinke
I haue no pen nor ynke
That therwith can mel
But wel I can tel
How Fraunces Petrarke
[Page] That much noble clerke
Writeth how charlemaine
Could not himself refrayne
But was rauisht with a rage
Of a lyke dotage
But how that came aboute
Rede ye the story out
And ye shal finde surely
It was by nicromansy
By carectes and coniuracion
Under a certayne constellacion
And a certayne fumigacion
Under a stone on a gold ryng
Wrought to Charlemain yt kyng
Whiche constrayned him forcebly
For to loue a certaine body
Aboue all other inordinatlye
This is no fable nor no lie
At Acon it was brought to pas
As by mine auctor tried it was
But let my masters mathematical
Tel you the rest, for me they shall
They haue the ful intelligence
And dare vse the experience
In there obsolute conscience
To practique such abolete science
For I abhor to smatter
Of one so deuillyshe a matter
[Page] But I wil make further relacion
Of this Isagogicall colation
How master Gaguine the crownicler
Of the feates of war
That were done in Fraunce
Maketh remembraunce
How kyng Lewes of Late
Made vp a great estate
Of a pore wretched man
Wherof much care began
Iohannes Balua was his name
Mine auctor writeth the same
Promoted was he
To a Cardinals dignitie
By Lewes the kynge aforesayd
With him so wel apayd
That he made him hys chaunceler
To make all, or to mar
And to rule as him liste
Tyl he checked at the fiste
And agayne all reason
Committed open treason
And against his lord souerain
Wherfore he suffred pain
Was heded drawen and quarterd
And dyed stinkyngly martred
Loe yet for all that
He ware a cardinals hat
[Page] In him was small fayth
As mine auctor sayth
Not for that I meane
Suche a casuelty should be seene
Or suche chaunce should fal
Unto oure Cardinal.
Almightye God I trust
Hath for him discuste
That of force he muste
Be faythfull, true and iuste
To oure moste royal kynge
Chief rote of his makyng
Yet it is a wilye mouse
That cā bylde his dwelling house
Within the cattes eares
Withouten drede or feare
It is a nice reconing
To put al the gouernyng
All the rule of this land
Into one mans hand
One wise mans head
May stand somwhat in stede
But the wittes of many wyse
Much better can deuise
By their circumspection
And their sad direction
To cause the commune weale
Longe to endure in heale
[Page] Christ kepe king Henry the eyght
From trechery and disceipt
And graunt him grace to know
The Faucon from the Crow
The wolfe from the Lambe
From whens that maistife came
Let him neuer confounde
The gentil greyhound
Of this matter the ground
Is easy to expound
And sone may be perceyued
How the world is conueyd
But harke my frend one worde
In earnest or in borde
Tel me now in this stede
Is maister Mewtas dead
The kinges french secretary
And his vntrue aduersary
For he sent in writing
To fraunces the french kynge
of our masters coūsel in eueri thīg
That was a perillous rekenyng
Nay nay, he is not dead
But he was so payned in the head
That he shall neuer eat more bred
Now he is gone to another stede
[Page] With a Bul vnder lead
By way of commission
To a straunge iurisdiction
Called Diminges Dale
Farre beyonde portyngale
And hath his pasporte to pas
Ultra sauro matas
To the deuil syr Sathanas
To Pluto and syr Bellyal
The deuils vicare generall
And to his colledge conuentuall
As wel calodemonial
As to cacademoniall
To purney for our Cardinall
A palace pontificall
To kepe his court prouinciall
Upon articles iudiciall
To contend and to, striue
For his prerogatiue
Within that consistory
To make sommons peremptorye
Before some prothono [...]ory
Imperial or papal
Upon this matter misticall
I haue told you part, but not all
Here after perchaunce I shall
Make a large memoriall
And a further rehersall
[Page] And more paper I thinke to blot
To the court why I came not
Desiring you aboue all thing
To kepe you from laughyng
Whan ye fall to redyng
Of this wanton scrowle
And pray for Mewtas soule
For he is wel past and gone
That wold god euery chone
Of his affinitie
Were gone as wel as he
Amen, amen, say ye
Of your inward charitie.
Amen.
Of your inward charitie.
IT were greate ruthe
For writinge of truthe
Anye manne shoulde be
In perplexitie
Of displeasure
For I make you sure
Where trouth is abhord
It is a playne recorde
That there wantes grace
In whose place
Dothe occupye
Full vngraciously
Fals flattery
[Page] Fals trechery
Fals bryberye
Subtyle Sym Sly
Wyth mad folye
For who can best lye
He is best set by
Than farewell to thee
Welthfull felicitee
For prosperitie
Awaye than wyll flee
Than muste we agree
With pouertye
For misery
With penurye
Miserably
And wretchedly
Hathe made Askry
And oute crye
Folowynge the chase
To dryue away grace
Yet sayest thou percase
We can lacke no grace
For my Lordes grace
And my Ladyes grace
With trey deuse ase
And ase in the face
Some haute and some bace
Some daunce the trace
[Page] Euer in one case
Marke me that chase
In the Tennis play
For sinke quater trey
Is a tal man
He rod, but we ran
Hay the gye and the gan
The graye goose is no swan
The waters waxe wan
And beggers they ban
And they cursed datan
De tribu dan
That this worke began
Palam et clam
With Balak and Balam
The golden ram
Of flemmyng dam
Sem, Iapheth, or cam?
But how come to pas
Your cupboorde that was
Is turned to glasse
From siluer to brasse
From golde to pewter
Or els to a newter
To copper, to tyn
To leade, or Alcumin
A goldsmyth your Mayre
[Page] But the chefe of your fayre
Might stand now by potters
And suche as sel trotters
Pytchars potshordes
This shrewdly accordes
To be a cupborde for Lordes
My lord now and sir knyghte
Good euen and good nyghte
For now sir Tristram
Ye muste weare buckram
Or Canuas of Cane
For silkes are wane
Our royals that shone
Our nobles are gone
Amonge the Burgonions
And spanyardes Onyons
And the Flanderkyns
Gyl sweates and Cate spinnes
They are happy that wynnes
But Englande may well say
Fye on this winnyng alway
Now nothing, but pay pay
With laughe and lay downe
Borough, Citie and towne
Good Springe of Lanam
Must counte what became
Of his clothe makyng
He is at such takyng
[Page] Though his purse wax dul
He must tax for his wul
By nature of a new writ
My Lordes grace nameth it
A quia non satisfacit
In the spight of his teeth
He must pay agayne
A thousand or twayn
Of his gold in store
And yet he payde before
An hunderd pound and more
Which pincheth hym sore
My Lordes grace wil bryng
Downe thys hye sprynge
And brynge it so lowe
It shal not euer flow
Suche a prelate I trow
Were worthy to row
Thorow the streytes Marocke
To the gybbet of Baldock
He wold dry vp the streames
Of. ix. Kynges realme
Al riuers and wels
Al waters that swels
For with vs he so mels
That within England dwels
I would he were somwhere els
[Page] For els by and by
He will drynke vs so dry
And sucke vs so nye
That men shall scantly
Haue penny or halpennye
God saue hys noble grace
And graunt him a place
Endlesse to dwel
With the deuill of hel
For and he were there
We nead neuer feare
Of the feendes blacke
For I vnder take
He wold so brag and crake
That he wold than make
The deuils to quake
To shudder and to shake
Lyke a fier drake
And with a cole rake
Bruse them on a brake
And binde them to a stake
And set hel on fyre
At his owne desire
He is such a grym syre
And such a potestolate
And suche a potestate
That he wold breke the braynes
Of Lucifer in his chaines
[Page] And rule them eche one
In Lucifers trone
I would he were gone
For amonge vs is none
That ruleth, but he alone
With oute all good reason
And all oute of season
For Folam Peason
With him be not geson
They grow very ranke
Upon euery banke
Of his herbers greene
With my lady bright and sheene
On their game it is seen
They play not al cleen
And it be as I weene
But as touching discretion
With sober direction
He kepeth them in subiection
They can haue no protection
To rule nor to guide
But all must be tryde
And abide the correction
Of him wil ful affection
For as for wylte
The deuill spéed whitte
But brainsicke and braynlesse
[Page] Witles and reachlesse
Careles and shamelesse
Thriftles and gracelesse
To gether are bended
And so condiscended
That the commune welth
Shal neuer haue good helth
But tatterd and tugged
Ragged, and rugged
Shauen and shorne
And all threde bare worne
Such gredines
Such nedines
Miserablenes
With wretchednes
Hath brought in distres
And much heauines
And great dolour
England the Flour
Of relucent honour
In old commemoracion
Most royal English nacion
Now all is out of facion
Almost in desolation
I speake by protestacion
God of his miseracion
Send better reformacion
Lo, for to do shamfully
[Page] He iudgeth it no foly
But to write of his shame
He saythe we are to blame
What a frensi is this
No shame to do amys
And yet he is a shamed
To be shamefully named
And oft prechours be blamed
Bycause they haue proclamed
His madnes by writing
His simplenes resiting
Remording and biting
With chiding and with fiting
Shewyng him goddes lawes
He calleth the preachers dawes.
And of holy scriptures sawes
He counteth them for gigawes
And putteth them to scilence
And with wordes of violence
Like Pharao, void of grace
Did Moyses sore manase
And Aron sore he thret
The word of God to let
This maumet in likewise
Against the church doth rise
The preachoure he doth dispise
With crakyng in such wise
[Page] So bragging all with bost
That no preachour almost
Dare speake for hys lyfe
Of my lordes grace, nor his wyfe
For he hath suche a bul
He may take whome he wul
And as many as him likes
May eat pigges in lent for pykes
After the sectes of heretikes
For in lent he wil eate
Al maner of fleshe meate
That he can any where geat
With other abusions great
Wherof to trete
It wold make the deuil to swet
For all priuileged places
He brekes and defaces
All places of religion
He hath them in derision
And maketh such prouision
To driue them at diuision
And finally inconclusion,
To bring them to confusion
Sainct Albons to recorde
Wherof this vngracious Lorde
Hathe made himself abbot
Against their willes god wot
Al this he doth deale
[Page] Under strength of the great seall
And by his legacy
Which madly he doth applye
Unto an extrauagancye
Pyked out all good law
With reasons that ben raw
Yet whan he toke first his hat
He said he knew what was what
Al iustice he pretended
Al thinges should be amended
Al wronges he wold redresse
Al iniuries he wold repres
Al periuries he wold oppresse
And yet this graceles elfe
He is periured himselfe
As plainlye it dothe appere
Who list to enquere
In the regestry
Of my Lord of Cantorbury
To whowe he was professed
In thre pointes expressed
The first to do him reuerence
The second to owe him obedience
The third with whole affection
To be vnder his subiection
But now he maketh obiection
Under the protection
Of the kinges great seale
[Page] That he setteth neuer a deale
By his former othe
Whether god be pleased or wroth
He maketh so proud presence
That in his equipolens
He iudgeth him equiualent
With God omnipotent
But yet beware the rod
And the stroke of God
The Apostel Peter
Had a pore miter
And a pore cope
Whan he was create Pope
Fyrst in Antioche
He did neuer approche
Of Rome to the see
Wyth suche dignitie
Sainct dunstan what was he
Nothing he saieth lyke to me
There is a diuersitie
Betwene him and me
We passe hym in degre
As legatus a latere
Ecce sacerdos magnus
That wyll hed vs and hange vs
And straightly strangle vs
That he maye fang vs
Decre and decretall
[Page] Constitucion prouinciall
Nor no lawe canonicall
Shal let the preest pontificall
To sit in cansa sanguinis
Now god amende that is amis
For I suppose that he is
Of Ieremy the whisking rod
The flayle, the scourge
Of almighty God
This Naman Sirus
So fel and so irous
So ful of me lancoly
With a flap before his eye
Men wene that he is pocky
Or els his surgions they lye
For as far as they can spy
By the craft of surgery
It is manus domini
And yet this proud Antiochus
He is so ambicious
So elate, and so vicious
And so cruel harted
That he will not be conuerted
For he setteth God a parte
He is now so ouerthwart
And so payned with panges
That al his trust hanges
In Balthasor, which healed
[Page] Domingos nose, that was wheled
That Lumberdes nose mean I
That standeth yet a wry
It was not healed alderbest
It standeth somwhat on the west
I meane Domingo Lomelyn
That was wonte to win
Muche mony of the kyng
At the cardes and haserding
Balthasor that healed domingos pose
From the puskilde pocky pose
Now with his gummes of araby
Hath promised to hele our cardnals eie
Yet sum surgions put a dout
Lest he wil put it clean out
And make him lame of his nether lims
God send hym sorow for his sinnes
Sum men might aske a question
By whose suggestion
I toke on hand this warke
Thus boldly for to barke
And men liste to harke
And my wordes marke
I wyl answere lyke a clerke
For truly and vnfayned
I am forcebly constrained
At Iuuinals request
To wryght of this glorious gest
[Page] Of this vaine glorious beast
His fame to be encrcast
At euery solempne feast
Quia aifficile est
Satiram non scribere?
Now master doctour, how saye ye
What so euer your name be
What though ye be namelesse
Ye shall not escape blamelesse
Nor yet shal scape shamelesse
Mayster doctor in your degre
Yourself madly ye ouer see
Blame Iuuinall & blame not me
Maister doctor diricum
Omne, animi uicium. &c.
As Iuuinall doth record
A small defaute in a great Lorde
A lytle cryme in a greate estate
Is muche more inordinate
And more horrible to beholde
Than any other a thousand fold
Ye put to blame ye wo [...] nere whome
Ye may weare a cockes coome
Your fond hed in your furred hood
Hold ye your tounge ye can no good
And at more conuenient time
I may fortune for to rime
Somwhat of your madnesse
[Page] For small is your sadnesse
To put any man in lacke
And say yll behynde hys backe
And my wordes marke trulye
That ye cannot byde thereby
For Smigma non est sinamomum
But de absentibus nil nisi bonum
Complaine or do what ye will
Of your complaint it shal not skill
This is the tenor of my bil
A daucocke ye be, and so shalbe still
Sequitur Epitoma
de morbilloso Thoma
Nec non obsceno
de poliphemo. &c.
POrro perbelle dissimulatum
Illum pandulohum tantum legatum
Tam formldatum nuper prelatum
Sen. Naman sirum nunc longatum
Insolitudine iam commoratum
Neapolitano morbo grauatum
Malagmate, cataplasmati statum
Pharma copoli ferro foratum
Nihilo magis alleuiatum
Nihilo melius aut medicatum
Relictis famulis ad famulatum
Quod tollatur infamia
[Page] Sed maior patet insania
Amodo ergo Ganea
Abborreat ille Ganeus
Dominus male Cretecus
Aptius Dictus Tetricus
Phanaticus freneticus
Graphicus sicut Metricus
Antumat.
HOc genus dictaminis
Non egit examinis
In centilo quio nec centimetro
Honorati Grammatici Mauri.
Decasticon uirulentum in galeratum,
Licaonta marinum. &c.
Progh dolor, ecce maris lupus & nequissimus, ursus
Carnificis uitulus Britonumque dubulcus iniqus
Conslatus, uitulus, uel Oreb uel
Salmana, uel zeb.
Garduus, & crudelis Asaph que
Datan reprobatus
Blandus & Acchitiphel, regis scelus omne Britannum
Ecclesias, qui namque Thomas
Gonfundit ubique
Non sacer iste, Thomas
Sed duro corde, Goleas
[Page] Quem gestat Malus
sathane caret (obsero culus
Fundens Aspaltum (precor)
hunc uersum lege cautum
Asperius nichil est misero
Apostropha an Londini ciues (citando mulum asino aurco galerato) in occursum aguile. &c.
EXitat eu asinus multum
(mirabile, uisu
Calcibus O uesro ciues
Occurite Asello
Qui regnum regemque regit
qui uestra gubernat
Predia diuitias, nummos
gasas spoliando.
Dixit alludens, immo illudens perodo xam de asino aureo galerato. xxxiiii.
Hec uatis ille, de quo loquntur utille.
FINIS.
Here after folovveth a litle boke called Colyn Clout compiled by Master Skelton Poete Laureate.
Quis consurgat mecum aduersus malignantes? aut quis stabit mecum aduersus operantes iniquita tem? Nemo domine.
WHat can it auaile
To dryue forth a snayle
Or to make a sayle
Of an herynges taile
To ryme or to rayle
To write or to indyte
Eyther for delite
Or els for despite
Or bookes to compile
Of diuers maner style
Uyce to reuile
And sinne to exyle
To teache or to preche
As reason wyll reach
Saye thys and saye that
His head is so fat
He wotteth neuer what
Nor wherof he speaketh
[Page] He cryeth and he creketh
He pryeth and he peketh
He chydes and he chatters
He prates and he patters
He clytters and he clatters
He medles and he smatters
He gloses and he flatters
Or if he speake plaine
Than he lacketh brayne
He is but a foole
Let him go to scoole
A three foted stoole
That he may downe syt
For he lacketh wit
And if that he hit
The nayle on the head
It standeth in no stede
The Deuyll they say is dead
The Deuill is dead,
It may wel so be
Or els they wold see
Otherwise and flee
From worldly vanitie
And foule couetousnes
And other wretchednes
Fickell falsenesse
Uaryablenesse
[Page] With vnstablenesse
And if ye stand i dout
Who brought this ryme about
My name is Colyn Clout
I purpose to shake out
All my conning bagge
Lyke a clarkely hagge
For though my rime be ragged
Tattered and iagged
Rudely rayne beaten
Rustly and moothe eaten
If ye talke well therewyth
It hath in it some pith
For as farre as I can see
It is wrong with eche degree
For the temporalty
Accuseth the spiritualty
The spirituall agayn
Doth grudge and complain
Upon temporall men
Thus eche of other blother
The tone against the tother
Alas they make me shoder
For in hoder moder
The churche is put in faulte
The prelates ben so haut
They say and loke so hye
[Page] As though they wold flye
Aboue the sterry sky
Lay men say in dede
How they take no hede
Their sely shepe to fede
But plucke away and pul
The fleces of their wull
Unnethes they leue a locke
Of wull amonge their flocke
And as for theyr connyng
A glumming and a mummyng
And make therof a iape
They gaspe and they gape
Al to haue promocion
There is their whole deuocion
With money, if it will hap
To cath the forked cap
Forsoth they are to lewd
To say so all be shrewd
What trow ye they say more
Of the byshoppes lore
How in matters they be raw
They lumber forth the law
To herke Iacke and Gyl
Whan they put vp a bil
And iudge it as they will
[Page] For other mens skill
Expounding out their clauses
And leaue their owne causes
In their principal cure
They make but lytle sure
And meddels very light
In the churches right
But Ire and venire
And sol fa, so a lamire
That the premenire
Is like to be set a fire
In their iurisdictions
Through temporall afflictions
Men say they haue prescriptions
Against yt spiritual contradictions
Accompting them as fictions
And whiles the heades doe this
The remnaunt is a mis
Of the clergy all
Both great and small
I wot neuer how they warke
But thus the people carke
And surely thus they say
Byshoppes if they may
Smal houses wold kepe
But slumbre forth and slepe
And assay to crepe
[Page] Within the noble walles
Of the kinges halles
To fat their bodies full
Their soules lame and dul
And haue ful litle care
How euil their shepe fare
The temporality say plain
How bishoppes disdain
Sermons for to make
Or such labour to take
And for to say trouth
A great part is ful slouth
But the greatest part
Is for they haue but smal art
And right sclender cunnyng
Within their heades wunning
But this reason they take
How they are able to make
With their gold and treasure
Clerkes out of measure
And yet that is a pleasure
How be it some there bee
Almost two or three
Of that dignity
Full worshipful Clerkes
As appeareth by their werkes
Like Aaron and Ure
[Page] The wolfe from the dore
To wary and to kepe
From their gostly shepe
And their spirituall lammes
Sequestred from rammes
And from the berded Gotes
With their hery cotes
Set nought by gold ne grotes
Their names if I durst tel.
But they are lothe to mel
And lothe to hang the bel
About the cattes necke
For dred to haue a checke
They are fain to play, deuz de ck
How be it they are good men
Much harted lyke an hen
Their lessons forgotten they haue
That Becket them gaue
Thomas manum mittit ad forcia
Spernit damna spernit opprobria
Nulla Thomam frangit iniuria
But now euery spirituall father
Men say they had rather
Spende muche of their share
Than to be combred with care
Spende, nay but spare
For let see who that dare
[Page] Shoe the mockish mare
They make her winch and kicke
But it is not worthe a leeke
Boldnesse is to seeke
The churche for to defende
Take me as I intende
For lothe I am to offende
In thys that I haue pende
I tell you as men say
Amend when ye may
For vs que ad montem fare
Men say ye cannot appare
For some say ye hunt in parkes
And Hanke on hobby Larkes
And other wanton warkes
Whan the night darkes.
What hath laymen to doe
The gray gose for to shoe
Lyke houndes of hell
They cry and they yell
How that ye sell
The grace of the holygost
Thus they make their host
Through euery cost
How some of you do eat
In Lenton season flesh meat
Fesauntea Partriche and cranes
[Page] Men call you therfore prophanes
Ye picke no shrympes nor pranes
Saltfissh, Stockfish nor Herring
It is not for your wearing
Nor in holy Lenton season
Ye wil neither Beanes ne Peason
But ye looke to be let loose
To a pygge or to a Goose
Your george not endewed
Without a Capon stewed
Or a stewed Cocke
Under her surfled smocke
And her wanton wodicocke
And how when ye geue orders
In your prouinciall borders
As at sicientes
Some are in sufficientes
Some parum sapientes
Some nichil intelligentes
Some ualde negligentes
Some nullum sensum habent [...]s
But bestially and vntaught
But whan they haue once caught
Dominus vobiscum by the hed
Than renne they in euere stede
God wot with drōken nolles
Yet take they cures of soules
[Page] And woteth neuer what they rede
Pater noster nor Crede
Construe not worth a whistle
Nether gospel nor pistle
Theyr Mattins madly sayde
Nothing deuoutly praid
Their learning is so small
Their prymes and houres fal
And lepe out of their lippes
Lyke sawdust or dry chippes
I speake not now of al
But the moste parte in general
Of suche vagabundus
Speaketh totus Mundus
How some syng let abundus
At euerye ale stake
With welcome hake and make
By the bread that God brake
I am sory for your sake
I speake not of the god wife
But of their Apostles lyfe
Cum ipsis Vel illis
Qui manent in Villis
Est Vxor Vel ancilla
Welcome Iacke and Gilla
My prety Petronylla
And you wil be stilla
You shall haue your wylls
[Page] Of such Pater noster pekes
All the worlde speakes.
¶ In you the faut is supposed
For that they are not apposed
By iust examinacion
In conning and connersation
They haue none instruction
To make a true construction
A priest without a letter
Without his vertue be greater
Doutlesse were much better
Upon him for to take
A Mattocke or a Kake
Alas for very shame
Some can not declyne their name
Some cannot scarsly rede
And yet wyll not drede
For to kepe a cure,
And in nothing is sure
This dominus Vobiscum
As wyse as Tom a thrum
A chaplayne of truste
Layth all in the dust
¶ Thus I Colin Clout
As I go about
And wandryng as I walke
[Page] I heare the people talke
Men say for syluer and Golde
Miters are bought and sold
There shall no clergy appose
A myter nor a Crosse
But a full purse
A straw for goddes curse
What are they the worse
For a simoniake,
Is but a hermoniake
And no more ye make
Of Symony men say
But a childes play
¶ Ouer this the forsayd laye
Report how the Pope maye
A holy anker call
Out of the stony wall
And hym a bysshopp make
If he on him dare take
To kepe so hard a rule
To ryde vpon a Mule
Wyth golde all be trapped
In purple and paule be lapped
Some hatted and some capped
Rychely be wrapped
God wot to theyr great paynes
In Rotchettes of fine raynes
[Page] Whyte as morowes mylke
Their tabertes of fine silke
Their stirops of mixt golde begarded
There may no cost be spared
Their Moyles Golde doth eate
Theyr neyghbours dye for meat.
What care they though Gill sweat
Or Iacke of the Noke
The pore people they yoke
With Sommons and Citacions
And excommunications
Aboute churches and market
The byshop on his carpet
At home full soft doth syt
This is afeareful fyt
To heare the people iangle
How warely they wrangle
Alas why do ye not handle
And them all mangle
Full falsly on you they lye
And shamefully you as [...]ry
And say as vntruly
As the butter fly
A man might say in mocke
Ware the Wethercocke
Of thee steple of Poules
And thus they hurt their soules
[Page] In sclaunderyng you for truth
Alas it is great ruthe
Some say ye sit in trones
Like prynces aquilonis
And shryne your rotten bones
With pearles and precious stones
But how the commons grones
And the people mones
For preestes and for loues
Lent and neuer payde
But from day to day delaid
The commune welth decayd
Men say ye are tunge tayde
And therof speake nothing
But dissimuling and glosing
Wherfore men be supposing
That ye geue shrewd counsel
Against the commune wel
By pollyng and pillage
In cities and village
By taxyng and tollage
Ye haue monks to haue ye culerage
For coueryng of an old cottage
That committed is a collage
In the charter of dottage
Tenure par seruice de sottage
And not par seruice desocage
After olde segnyours
[Page] And the learning of litletō tenours
Ye haue so ouerth warted
That good lawes are subutered
And good reason peruerted
¶ Religious men are fayne
For to turne agayne
In secula seculorum
And to forsake their corum
And vacabundare perforum
And take a fyne meritorum
Contra regulam morum
Aut blacke monacorum
Aut canonicor um
Aut Bernar dinorum
Aut crucifixorum
And to synge from place to place
Lyke apostataas
And the selfe same game
Begon and now with shame
Amongest the sely Nunnes
My lady now she runnes
Dame Sybly our abbesse
Dame Dorotho and lady Besse
Dame Sare our Pryoresse
Out of theyr clo yster and quere
With an heauye cheere
Must cast vp theyr blacke vayles
[Page] And set vp their fucke sayles
To catch wind with theyr ventailes
What Colin there thou shailes
Yet thus wyth yll hayles
The lay fee people rayles
¶ And all they laye
On you prelates and say
Ye do wrong and no righte
To put them thus to flight
No Matins at midnight
Boke and chalis gone quite
Plucke away the leades
Ouer theyr heades
And sel away theyr bels
And al that they haue els
Thus the people tels
Rayles lyke rebels
Redeshrewdly and spels
And wyth foundations mels
And talke lyke titiuelles
How ye breake the deades willes
Turne monasteris into water millis
Of an abbey ye make a graunge
Your workes they say are straunge
So that theyr founders soules
Haue lost theyr beade roules
The mony for theyr masses
[Page] Spent among wanton lasses
The Diriges are forgotten
Their founders lye there rotten
But where theyr soules dwel
Therwith I wil not mel
What could the Turke do more
Wyth all hys false lore
Turke, Sarazen or Iew
I report me to you
¶ O merciful Iesu
you support and rescite
My stile for to directe
It may take some effect
For I abhorre to wryte
How the lay fee dispite
You prelates that of ryght
Should be lanternes of light
ye liue they say in delyte
Drowned in deliciis
In gloria et diuiciis
Into honorable honore
In gloria et splendore
Fulgurantes haste
Viuentes parum caste
Yet swete meat hath soure sauce
For after gloria laus
Christ by crueltie
[Page] Was nayled vpon a tree
He payed a bitter pencion
For mans redemption
He dranke eisel and gall
To redeme vs withall
But swete Ipocras ye drynke
With let the Cat winke
Ich wot what eche other thynk
How be it per assimule
Some men thinke that ye
Shall haue penaltie
For your iniquity
Nota what I say
And beare it wel awaye
If it please not the ologys
It is good for astrologis
For Ptholme told me
The sunne somtime to bee
In Ariete
Ascendent a degree
Whaa Scorpion descending
Was so then pretending
All fatall for one
That shall sit on a trone
And rule all thinges alone
Your teeth whet on this bone
Amongest you euery chone
And let Collyn Cloute haue none
[Page] Maner of cause to mone
Lay salue to your owne sore
For els as I sayd before
After gloria laus
May come a soure sauce
Sory therfore am I
But trouth can neuer lye
¶ With language thus poluted
Holy church is bruted
And shamefully confuted
My pen now wyll I sharpe
And wrest vp my harpe
With sharpe twinking trebels
Agaynst al such rebels
That labour to confound
And bring the church to ye ground
As ye may daily see
Howe the Laye fee
Of one affinitee
Consente and agree
Agaynst the Churche to be
And the dignitee
Of the bysshoppes fee
¶ And eyther ye be to bad
Or els they are mad
Of this to report
But vnder your supporte,
[Page] Tyll my dying day
I shall bothe wryte and say
And ye shall do the same
How they are blame
You thus to diffame
For it maketh me sad
How that the people are glade
The church to depraue
And some there are that raue
Presuming on their wit
Whan there is neuer a whit
To maintaine axgumentes
Against the sacramentes
Some make epilogation
Of highe predestitation
And of residenation
They make interpretation
Of an awquard facion
And of the prescience
Of diuine essence
And what Ipostatis
Of Christes manhodeis
Such logike men wyl chop
And in their fury hope
When the good ale sop
Dothe daunce in their fore top
Both women and men
[Page] Such ye may wel Know and ken
That agayn presthode
Their malice spred abrode
Railing hainously
And disdainously
Of priestly dignities
But their malignities
¶ And some haue a smacke
Of Luthers sacke
And a brenning sparke
Of Luthers warke
And are somwhat suspect
In Luthers sect
And some of them barke
Clatter and Carpe
Of that Heresy art
Called wicleuista
The Deuelishe dogmatista
And some behussians
And some bee Arrians
And some be pollegians
And make much varians
Betwene the clergy
And the temporalty
Hew the church hath to mickel
And they haue to litel
And bring him in maierialities
[Page] And qualified qualities
Of pluralities
Of tryalities
And of tot quottes
They commune like scottes
As commeth to their lottes
Of prebendaries and deanes
How some of them gleanes
And gathered vp the store
For to catch more and more
Of persons and vicaries
They make many out cryes
They cannot kepe theyr wiues
From them for theyr lyues
And thus the losels striues
And lewdly sayes by Christ
Agaynste the sely priest
Alas and wel awaye
What ayles theym thus to saye
They mought be better aduised
Then to be disgised
But they haue enterprysed
And shamefullye surmised
How prelacy is sold and bought
And come vp of nought
And where the prelates be
Come of low degre
And set in maiesty
[Page] And spirituall dignity
Farwel benignity
Farwell simplicitye
Farwel humilitye
Farwel good charity
Ye are so puffed wyth pryde
That no man may abide
Your high and lordly lokes
Ye cast vp then your bokes
And vertue is forgotten
For then ye wyl be wroken
Of euery light quarel
And cal a Lord a iauel
A knight a knaue to make
Ye boste, ye face, ye crake
And vpon you take
To rule king and kayser
And if you maye haue layser
Ye bryng all to nought
And that is all your thought
For the Lordes temporall
Their rule is very small
Almost nothing at al
Men say how ye appal
The noble bloud royal
In ernest and in game
Ye are the lesse to blame
[Page] For Lordes of noble bloude
If they wel vnderstand
How conning might them auaunce
They would pype you another daūce
But noble men borne
To learne they haue scorne
But hunt and blow an horne
Leape ouerlakes and dikes
Set nothing by politikes
Therfore ye kepe them bace
And mocke them so their face
This is a petious case
To you that ouer the wheele
Lordes must couch and knele
And breake theyr hose at the knee
As daily men may see
And to remembraunce call
Fortune so turneth the ball
And ruleth so ouer all
That honour hath a great fall.
¶ Shal I tel you more, ye shal
I am loth to tel all
But the communalty ye call
Idols of Babilon
De terrazabuloe
De terra Neptalym
For you loue to go trim
Brought vp of of poore estate
[Page] Wyth pryde inordinate
Sodaynly vpstarte
From the dong cart
The Mattockes and theshule
To reygne and to rule
And haue no grace to thynke
How they were wont to drynke
Of a lether bottell
With a knauish stoppel
Whan mamockes was your meate
With mould bread to eat
Ye would none other geate
To chew and to gnaw
To fil therwith your maw
Lodged in the strawe
Couching your drousy heades
Somtime in lousy beddes
Alas this is out of minde
Ye grow now out of kynde
Many one haue but winde
And make the commons blinde
But Qui se existimat star [...]
Let him wel beware
Least that his fote slip
And haue such a trip
And falle in such decay
That all the world myght say
Come down on the diuels way
[Page] Yet ouer all that
Of byshops they chat
That though ye roūd your heare
An ynche aboue your eare
And aures patentes
And parum intendentes
And your coursers be trapped
Your eares they be stopped
For maister adulator
And doctour assentator
And blandior blandiris
With mentor mentiris
They folow your desyres
That ye can not espie
And so they blere your eye
How the male doth wryte
Alas for gods will
Whye sytte ye Prelates styl
And suffer all this yll
Ye Bysshoppe of estates
Shoulde open the brode gates
For your spirituall charge
And confort at large
Like lanternes of light
In the peoples sighte
In pulpettes antentike
For the wele publike
[Page] Of pri esthod in this case
And alwayes to chase
Suche manner of sismatikes
And halfe heretikes
That wold intoxicate
That wold conquinate
That wold contaminate
And that would violate
And that would derogate
And that would abrogate
The church is high estate
After this manner rates
The whyche shoulde be
Bothe franke and free
And haue their liberty
And of antiquity
It was ratefyed
And also gratefyed
By holy finodals
And buls papals
As it is res certa
Conte ygned in magna Carta.
But maister Damian
Or some other man
That clerkely is, and can
Wel scripture expound
And textes grounde.
[Page] His benefice worth ten pound
Or skant worth twenty marke
And yet a noble clerke
He must do this werke
As I know a part
Some maysters of Art
Some doctours of law
Some learned in other saw
As in diuinitie
That hath no dignitie
But the pore degree
Of the vniuersitie
Or elsse Frere Fredericke
Or els frere Dominike
Or frere Hugulinus
Or frere Agustinus
Or frere Carmelus
That gostly can heale vs
Or elsse if we maye
Get a frere Graye
Or elsse of the order
Uppon Grenewiche border
Called obseruaunce
And a frere of Fraunce
Or elsse the poore scot
It muste come to his lot
To shote forth his shot
Or of Babuell beside Bery
[Page] To postell vpon a kyry
That woulde it shoulde be noted
How scripture should be coted
And so clerkle promoted
And yet the frere doted
Men say
But your auctority
And your noble fee
And your dignitie
Should be imprinted better
Then all the Freres letter
For yf ye wolde take payne
To preache a worde or twayne
Though it were neuer so playne
With clauses two or three
So as they mighte he
Compendiouslye conueyed
Those wordes should be more weid
And better peceyued
And thankfully receyued
And better shoulde remayne
Amonge the people playne
That wolde your wordes retayne
And reherse them agayne
Than a thousand thousand other
That blaber, barke and blother
And make a Walshmans hose
[Page] Of the text and of the glose
For protestation made
That I will not wade
Farther in this brooke
Nor farther for to looke
In deuising of this boke
But answer that I may
For myself alwaye
Eyther analogice
Or els rathagorice
So that in diuinitee
Doctors that learned be
Nor bachelers of that faculty
That hath taken degre
In the vniuersitie
Shall not be obiected for me.
But doctour bullatus
Parum litteratus
Dominus doctoratus
At the brode gatus
Doctour daupatus
And bacheler bacheleratus
Dronken as a mouse
At the ale house
Taketh his pillion and his cap
At the good ale tap
[Page] For lacke of good wyne
As wyse as Robin swine
Under a notaries signe
Was made a diuine
As wise as waltoms calfe
Must preache a goddes halfe
In the pulpyt solempnly
More meet in a pillory
For by sainct Hillary
He can nothing smatter
Of logike nor scole matter
Neyther silogisare
Nor of emptimeniare
Nor knoweth his eloquence
Nor his predicamence.
And yet he will mel
To amend the Gospel
And wil preach and tel
What they do in hel
And he dare not wel neuen
What they do in hauen
Nor how far temple bare is
From the seuen starres
Nowe will I goe
And tel of other moe
Semper protestandoe
[Page] De non impugnandoe
The foure orders of fryers
Thoughe some of them be lyers
As limiters at large
Wyll charge and discharge
As many a fryer God wot
Preaches for his grote
Flatterynge for a new cote
And for to haue hys fees
Some to gather cheese
Lothe they are to lese
Eyther Corne or Mault
Sometime Meale and Sault
Sometime a bacon flicke
That is three fingers thycke
Of larde and of greace
Their couent to e [...]crace
I put you out of doubt
This cannot be brought about
But they their tonges file
And make a pleasaunt style
To Margerye and to Maude
Howe they haue no fraude
And somtyme they prouoke
Bothe Gyll and Iacke at noke
Their duties to withdraw
That they ought by the lawe
[Page] Their curates to content
In open time and in Lente
God wot they take great payne
To flatter and to fayne
But it is and old sayd saw
That neede hathe no lawe
Some walke aboute in melottes
In gray russet and hery cotes
Some wil neyther golde ne grotes
Some pluck a partrich in remotes
And by the barres if her tayle
Wil know a Rauen from a rayle
A quail, the raile, and the old rauen
Sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
And by dudum their clementine
Againste Curates repine
And say proprely they are Sacerdotes
To shryue, assoyle and reles
Dame margeries soule out of hel
But when the frier fel in the wel
He could not sing himselfe therout
But by the helpe of Christian clout
Another clementine also
How frere Fabion, with other mo
Exiuit de paradiso
Whan they again thether shall come
Dc hoc petimus consilium
[Page] And through all the world they go
With Dirige and Placebo.
But now my minde ye vnderstād
For they muste take in hand
To preach and to with stand
Al maner of abiections
For bishops haue protections
They say to do corrections
But they haue no affections
To take the sayd directions
In such maner of cases
Men say they beare no faces
To occupy such places
To sow the sede of graces
Their hartes are so faynted
And they be so attaynted
With coueitous and ambicion
And other supersticion
That they be deafe and dum
And play scylens and glum
Cansay nothing but mum.
They occupy theym so
With singing placeho
They wil no farther go
They had leuer to please
And take their wordly ease
[Page] Than to take on hand
Worshyp to wythstande
Suche temporal war and bate
As nowe is made of late
Against holy churche estate
Or to mayntayne good quarelles
The lay men call them barelles
Full of glotony
And of hipocrisye
That counterfaytes and paints
As they were very saintes
In matters that them lyke
They shew them politiks.
Pretending grauitie
And sygnyorytie
With all solempnitie
For their indempnitie
For they will haue no lesse
Of a peny, nor of a crosse
Of their prediall landes.
That cometh to their handes
And as farre as they dare set
Al is fyshe that cometh to net
Building royally
Their mancions curiously
With turrettes and with toures
[Page] With halles and with boures
Stretching to the starres
With glasse windowes & barres
Hangyng about the walles
Clothes of golde and palles
Arras of ryche araye
Freshe as floures in Maye
Wyth dame Dyana naked
Howe lustye Uenus quaked
And how Cupide shaked
His darte and bente hys bowe
For to shote a Crowe
At her tyrly tyrlowe
And howe Paris of Troye
Daunced a lege de may
Made lustye sporte and ioye
With dame Helyn the Queene
With such storyes by deen
Their chambres wel be seen
With triumphes of Cesar
And of his Pompeius war
Of renowne and of fame,
By them to get a name
Nowe all the world stares
How they ryde in goodly chares
Conueyed by Olyphantes
With Lauriat garlantes
[Page] And by vnycornes
With their semely hornes
Upon these beastes riding
Naked boyes striding
With wanton wenches winkyng
Now truly to my thinkyng
That is a speculacion
And a mete meditacion
For prelates of estate
Their courage to abate
From worldly wantonnes
Their chambre thus to dres
With such parfetnes
And all such holynes
How be it they let down fall
Their churches cathedral
Squire knight and Lord
Thus the church remord
With all temporal people
They runne against the steeple
Thus talkyng and tellinge
Howe some of you are mellynge
Yet softe and fayre for swellyng
Beware of a queanes yellling
It is a besy thing
It is a besy thing
For one man to rule a kyng
Alorie and make rekenyng
[Page] To gouerne ouer all
And rule a realme royall
By one mannes wit
Fortune may chaunce to flit
And whan he weneth to syt
Yet may he mysse the quisshon
For I red a preposicion
Sum regibus amicare
Et omnibus dominare
Et suprate prauare
Wherfore he hathe good vre
That can himselfe assure
How fortune wyl endure
Than let reason you support
For the communalte
That they haue great wonder
That ye kepe them so vnder
Yet they meruayle so muche lesse
For ye playso at the chesse
As they suppose and gesse
That some of you but late
Hath played so check mate
With Lordes of great estate
After such a rate
That they shall mel nor make
Nor vpon them take
For king nor Rayser sake
But at the pleasure of one
[Page] That ruleth the rest alone.
Helas, I saye Helas
Howe maye this come to passe
That a man shall heare a masse
And not so hardy on his head
To loke on god in forme of bread
But that the paryshe clerke
There vpon must herke
And graunt him at his askyng
For to see the sacryng
And how may this acord
No man to our souerayne Lorde
So hardy to make sute
Nor to execute
His commaundement
Without the assent
Of our president
Nor to expresse to his person
Without your assentacion
Graunt him his licence
To preace to his presence
Nor to speake to him secretly
Openly nor preuyly
Without his president be by
Or els his substitute
Whome he wyldepute
[Page] Neither Earle ne duke
Permitted by sainct Luke
And bysweet sainct Marke
This is a wonderous warke
That the people talke this
Some what there is amis
The deuill cannot stop their mouthes
But they will talk of suche vncouthes
All that euer they ken
Against all spirituall men.
Whether it be wronge or ryghte
Or els for dispighte
Or howe euer it hape
Theyr tounges thus do clap
And through such detraction
They put you to your action
And whether they say truely
As they may abide therby
Or els that they do lye
Ye know better than I
But now, debetis scire
And groundlye audire
In your conuenire
Of this premenire
Or els in the myre
They say they wil you cast
Therfore stand sure and fast.
[Page] Stand sure and take good foting
And let be al your moting
Your gasing and your toting
And your parcial promoting
Of those that stand in your grace
But olde seruauntes ye chase
And put them out of their place
Make ye no murmuracion
Though I write after this facion
Though I Colyn Clout
Among the whole route
Of you that clearkes be
Take vpon me
Thus copiously to write
I do it not for no despite
Wherfore take nodisdaine
At my stile rude and playne
For I rebuke no man
That vertuous is, why than
Wreke ye your anger on me
For those that vertuous be
Haue no cause to say
That I speake out of the way.
Of no good byshop speake I
Nor good prest of the clargy
Good Frere nor good Chanon
Good Nunne, nor good Canon
[Page] Good Monke, nor good Clerke
Nor of no good werke
But my recountyng is
Of them that do amis
In speaking and rebelling
In hindering and disauailing
Holy church our mother
One against another
To vse such dispising
Is all my whole wryting
To hinder no man
As neare as I can
For no man haue I named
Wherfore should I blamed
Ye ought to be ashamed
Against me to be greued
And can tell no cause why
But that I wryte trulye
¶ Then if any ther be
Of high or low degree
Of the spiritualty
Or of the temporaltye
That doth thinke or wene
That his conscience be not clene
And feleth hymselfe sycke
Or touched on the quicke
Such grace god them send
[Page] Themself to amend
For I wyll not pretend
Any man to offende
Wherfore as thinketh me
Great ydeottes they bee
And lytle grace they haue
This treatise to depraue
Nor wil heare no preaching
Nor no vertuous teaching
Nor wil haue no resiting
Of any vertuous wryting
Wil know none intelligence
To refourme their negligence
But liue stil out of facion
To their owne damnation
To do shame, they haue no shame
But they wold no man should theim blame
They haue an euil name
But yet they wil occupy the same
With them the worde of God
Is counted for no rod
They count it for a railinge
That nothing is anayling
The preachers with euil hailing
Shal they daunt vs prelates
That be their prymates
Not so hardy on their pates
Harke how the losel prates
With a wide wesaunte
Auaunt syr Guy of gaunt
Auaunte lewde preest auaunt
Auaunt syr doctoure dyuers
Prate of thy mattens and thy masse
And let oure matters passe
How darest thou daucocke mel?
How darest thou losell
Alligate the gospel
Against vs of the counsel
Auaunt to the deuil of hel
Take him warden of the Flete
Set him faste by the fete
I say lyuetenaunt of the toure
Make this lurden for to loure
Lodge him in litle ease
Fede him with Beanes and Pease
The kinges bench or Marshalsy
Haue him thether by and by
The villaine preacheth openly
And declareth oure villany
And of our fre simplenesse
He sayes that we are rechlesse
And full of wylfulnesse
Shameles, and merciles
[Page] In corrigible and insaciate
And after this rate
Against vs doth prate
At Paules crosse or els where
Openly at Westminster
And saynt Mary spittel
They set not by vs a whistel
At the Austen fryers
They count vs for lyers
And at saynt Thomas of Akers
They carpe vs lyke crakers
How we wyl rule al at will
Without good reason or skyll
And say how that we be
Full of parcialitie
And how at a pronge
We turne right to wrong
Delay causes so longe
That right no man can fong
They say many matters be born
By the right of a rammes horne
Is not this a shamefull scorne?
To be teared thus and torne.
¶ How may we thus indure
Wherfore we make you sure
[Page] Ye preachers shalbe yawde
Some shalbe sawde
As noble Ezechias
The holy prophet was
And some of you shall dye
Lyke holy Ieremy
Some hanged some slayn
Some beaten to the brayne
And we wil rule and rayne
And our matters maintaine
Who dare say there agayne
Or who dare dysdaine
At your pleasure and wil
For be it good or be it yll
As it is, it shalbe stil
For al master doctour of ciuil
Or of oiuine, or doctour dryuil
Let him cough, roughe or sneuil
Renne God, renne deuil
Renne who may renne best
And let take all the rest
We set not a nut shel
The way to heauen or to hel,
¶ Lo, this is the gise now a dayes
It is to drede men sayes
Least they bee saducies
As they be sayd sayne
[Page] Which determine playne
We shoulde not rise agayne
At dreadful domes daye
And so it semeth they play
Which hate to be corrected
When they bee infected
Nor wyll suffer this boke
By hooke ne by crooke
Prynted for to be
For that no man shoulde see
Nor rede in any scrolles
Of their dronken nolles
Nor of their noddy polles
Nor of theyr sely soules
Nor of some witles pates
Ofdiuers great estates
As well as other men
Now to withdraw my pen
And now a while to rest
Me semeth it for the beste.
The fore castel of my ship
Shall glide and smothely slip
Out of the waues wode
Of the stormye floude
Shote anker and lye at rode
And sayle not farre a brode
Til the cooste be clere
[Page] That the lode starre appere
My shyp now wyl I pere
towarde the port salu
Of our sauiour Iesu
Such grace that he vs sende
To rectify and amend
Thinges that are amis
Whan that his pleasure is,
In opere imperfecto
In opere semper perfecto
Et in opere plusquam perfecto
❧ Here after folovveth a Litle boke of Philip sparow compiled by▪ master. Skelton Poet Laureate.
PLa ce bo
Who is there who
Di le [...]i,
Dame Margery
Fa re my my
Wherefore and why why
For the soule of philip sparow
That was late slaine at Carow
Amonge the Nunnes blake
[Page] For that sweet soules sake
And for al sparowes soules
Set in our bead roules
Pater noster qui
With an Aue mari
And with the corner of a creed
The more shalbe your meed.
WHan I remembre agayne
How my philip was slaine
Neuer halfe the paine
Was betwene you twayne
Pyramus and Theshe
As than befell to me
I wept and I wayled
The teares down hayled
But nothing it auailed
To call Pptlip agayne
Whom Gib our cat hath slayne.
Gib I say our cat
Worrowed her on that
Which I loued beste
It cannot be exprest
My sorowful heauynes
But al without redres
For within that stound
Half slumbryng in a sounde
I fell downe to the ground
[Page] ¶ Unneth I kest mine eyes
Toward the cloudy skyes
But when I did behold
My sparow dead and cold
No creature but that wold
Haue rewed vpon me
To behold and see
What heauines did me pange
Wherwith my hādes I wrange
That my senowes cracked
As though I had ben racked
So payned and so strained
That no life welnye remained
¶ I sighed and I sobbed
For that I was robbed
Of my sparowes life
O mayden, widow and wife
Of what estate ye be
Of hye or low degre
Great sorow then ye might se
And learne to wepe at me
Such paynes did me freat
That mine harte did beat
My visage pale and dead
Wanne, and blue as lead
The panges of hateful death
wel nye stopped my breathe.
BUt Philips soule to kepe
From the marees deepe
Of Acherontes wel
That is a floud of hel
And from the greate Pluto
The prince of endles woe
And from foule Alecto
With visage blacke and blo
And from Medusa that [...]are
That lyke a feende doth stare
And from Megeras edders
From rufflinge of philips fethers
And from her firy sparklinges
For burning of his winges
And from the smokes soure
Of Proserpinas boure
And from the dennes darke
Wher Cerberus doth baike
Whom Theseus did afray
Whom Hercules did out tray
As Famous Poetes saye
For that hel hounde
That lyeth in chaynes bound
With gastly heades three
[Page] To Iupiter pray wee
That Phillip preserued maye bee
Amen say ye wyth me,
Do mi nus
Helpe now sweet Iesus
Leuaui oculos meos in montis
Wold God I had zenophontis.
OR Socrates the wyse
To shew me their deuise
Moderately to take
Thys sorow that I make
For Philyp sparowes sake
So feruently I shake
I fele my body quake
So vrgently I am broughte
Into careful thought
Like andromaca hactors wife
Was weary of her lyfe
When she had lost her ioy
Noble Hector of Troy
In like maner also
Encreaseth my deadly woe
For my sparow is go [...]
It was so prety a foole
It wold syt on a stoole
And learned after my scoole
For to kepe his cut
[Page] With Phillip kepe your cut.
¶ It had a veluet cap
And wold syt vpon my lap
And seke after smal wormes
And sotime white bread crōmes
And many times and ofte
Betwene my brestes soft
It wold lye and rest
It was propre and prest
¶ Sometime he wold gaspe
When he saw a waspe
A flye or a gnat
He would fly at that
And pretely he would pant
When he saw an ant
Lord how he wold pry
After the butter fly
Lord how he wold hop
After the gressop
And whan I, sayd, phyp phip
Then he wold leape and skip
And take me by the lip
Alas it wyl me sloe
That Philip is gone me fro
¶ Si in i qui ta tes
Alas I was euil at ease
¶ Deprofundis clamaui
When I saw my sparow dye.
NOwe after my dome
Dame Sulpicia at Rome
whose name registred was
For euer in tables of bras
Because shee did pas
In poesy to endyte
And eloquently to write
Though she wold pretend
My sparow to commend
I trow she could not amende
Reporting the vertues al
Of my sparow royal
¶ For it would come and go
And fle so to and fro
And on me it wold leape
Whan I was a sleape
And his fethers shake
Wher wyth hee wold make
Me often for to wake
And for to take him in
Upon my naked skin
God wot we thought no syn
What though he crept so low
It was no hurt I trow
He did nothinge perdee
But syt vpon my knee
Philip though hee were nise
In hym it was no vise
[Page] Phillip had leaue to go
To pike my litle too
Phillip myght be bold
And do what he wold
Phillip wold seke and take
All the flees blake
That he could there espye
With his wanton eye
D pe ra
La sol fa fa
Cōfitebor tibi domiue toto corde me [...]
Alas I wold ride and go
A Thousand mile of grounde
If any such might be founde
it were worth an hundreth pound
Of kyng Cresus golde
Or of Artalus the old
The ryche prynce of pargame
Who so list the story to see
Cadinus that his sister sought
And he should be boughte
For gold and see
He should ouer the see
To wete, if he coulde bryng
Any of the sprynge
Or any of the bloude
But who so vnderstode
[Page] Of Medias arte
I wold I had a parte
Of her crafty magike
My sparow thā shoulde be quycke
Wyth a charme or twaine
And play with me agayne
But al this is in vaine
Thus for to complaine
I toke my sampler ones
Of purpose for the nones
To sow wyth stitches of silke
My sparow white as mylke
That by representacion
Of his image and facion
To me it might Importe
Some pleasure and comfort
For my solace and sporte
But whā I was so wing his beke
Me thought my sparow dyd speake
And open his prety bill
Saying, maid ye are in wil
Again me for to kil
Ye pricke me in the head
With that my nedle ware red
Me thought of Philyps bloude
Mine here right vpstode
And was in such a fraye
My speche was taken awaye
[Page] I kest downe that there was
And sayd alas, alas
How commeth this to pas
My fingers dead and cold
Could not my sampler hold
My nedle and threde
I thrue awaye for drede
The best now that I may
Is for his soule to pray.
¶ A porta inferi
Good Lord haue mercie
Upon my sparowes soule
Writen in my bede roule
¶ Au di ui vo cem
Iaphet cam and Sem
Ma gni fi cat
Shew me the right path
TO the hilles of armonye
wherfore the birdes yet cry
Of your fathers bote
That was somtime a flote
And now they lye and [...]ote
Let some poetes wryte
Deucalious floud it highte
But as verely, as ye be
The naturall sonnes three
Of Noe the Patriarke
That made that great ar [...]
[Page] Wherin he had apes and owles
Beastes, byrdes and foules
That if ye can fynde
Any of my sparowes kynde
God sende the soule good rest
I woulde yet haue a nest
As prety and as prest
As my sparow was
But my Sparow dyd pas
All sparowes of the wod
That were since Noes floud
Was neuer none so good
King Philip of Macedony
Had no such Philip as I
No no sir hardely.
That vengeaunce. I aske & cry
By way of exclamacion
On al the whole nacion
Of Cattes wilde and tame
God send them sorow and shame
That Cat specially
That slew so cruelly
My litle prety sparow
That I brought vp at Carow.
O cat of churlyshe kynde
The feend was in thy minde
Whan thou my byrd vntwynde
I wolde thou haddest ben blynd
[Page] The leopardes sauage
The lyons in their rage
Might catche the in their pawes
And gnaw the in theyr ia wes
These serpentes of Libany
Might sting the venemously
The dragons with their tunges
Might poison thy liuer and lunges
The manticors of the moūtaynes
Mighte feed them on thy braines
Melanchates that hound
That plucked Atteon to the groūde
Gaue him his mortal wound
Chaunged to a deere
The story doth appere
Was chaunged to an harte
So thou foule cat, that thou arte
The selfe same hounde
Might the confound
That his own Lord bote
Mighte bite a sunder thy throte
Of Inde the gredy gripes
Might teare out all thy tripes
Of Arcady the beares
Might plucke awaye thine eares
The wilde wolfe Licaon
Bite a sondre thy backe hone
Of Ethna the brenning hyl
[Page] That day and night brenneth styll
Set in thy tayle a blase
That al the world may gase
And wonder vpon thee
From Occion the greate sea
Unto the Iles of Orchadye
From Tilbery fery
To the playne of Salisberye
So trayterously my byrd to kyll
That neuer ought the euil will
Was neuer bird in cage
More gentil of corage
In doing his homage
Unto his soueraine
Alas I say agayne
Deate hath departed vs twayne
The false cat hath the slaine
Fare well Phillip a dewe
Our Lorde thy soule rescewe
Farewell without restore
Farewell for euer more
And it were a Iew
It wold make one rew
To se my sorow new
These vilanus false cattes
Were made for mise and rattes
And not for byrdes small
Alas my face waxeth pale
[Page] Telling this pyteous tale
How my byrd so fayre
That was wont to repayre
And go in at myspayre
And crepo in at my gore
Of my goune before
Flickering with his winges
Alas my hert it stynges
Remembring prety thynges
Alas myne hart it sleeth
My Philips doleful death
Whan I remembre it
How pretely it wold sit
Many tymes and oft
Upon my finger aloft
I played with him tittel tattel
And fed him with my spattell
With his bil betwene my lips
It was my prety Phips
Many a prety kusse
Had I of his swete musse
And now the cause is thus
That he is slayne me fro
To my great payne and wo
Of fortune, this the chaunce
Standeth an varyaunce
Oft time after pleasaunce
Trouble and greuaunce
[Page] No man can be sure
[...]way to haue pleasure
[...] wel perceiue ye may
[...]ow my disport and playe
[...]rom me was taken awaye
[...]y Gyb our cat sauage
[...]hat in furious rage
[...]aught Phillip by the head
[...]nd slue him there starke dead.
[...]rie eleyson Christ eleyson.
[...]rye leyson.
FOr Philip sparowes soule
Set in our bead roule
Let vs now whisper
Pater noster.
Lauda anima mea dominum.
[...]o weep with me loke yt ye come
[...]ll maner of byrds in your kynd
[...]ee none be left be hynd
To morning loke that ye fawl
With dolorous songes funerall
[...]ome to sing, and some to say
[...]ome to weep and some to praye
[...]uery bird in his lay
[...]he Goldfinch the wagtaile
The iangling Iaye to rayle
The flecked Pye to chatter
[Page] Of this dolorous matter
And Robyn red breste
He shalbe the preest
The Requiem masse to syng
Loftly warbeling
With helpe of the red sparow
And the chattering swallow
This hearse for to halow
The Larke with his long toe
The spinke & the Martinet also
The shouelar with his brode beck
The doterell that folish pecke
And also the mad coote
With a balde face to toote
The felde fare and the snyte
The crowe and the kyte
The rauen called rolfe
His playne songe to solfe
The partryche, the quayle
The plouer wyth vs to wayle
The wodhacke yt singeth churre
Horsly as hee had the murre
The lusty chaunting nightingale
The popingaye to tel her tale
That toteth oft in a glasse
Shal rede the Gospel at masse
The mauis with her whistell
Shal rede there the pistell
[Page] But with a large and a longe
[...] kepe iust playne songe
Our chaūters shalbe yt Cuckoue
[...]he Culuer, the stockedoue
With puwyt the Lapwing
[...]he versycles shal synge
The Bitter with his bumpe
The Crane with his trumpe
The swan of Menander
The Goose and the Gander
[...]he ducke and the drake
Shal watche atthys wake
The Pecocke so proude
Because hys voyce is loud
And hath a gloryous tale
He shal synge the grayle
The Owle that so foule
Must helpe vs to Houle
the Heron so gaunte
And the cormoraunte
Wyth the Fesaunt
And the gaglyng gaunte
And the churlish Choughe
the rout and the kough
the barnacle the bussard
With the wilde mallard
the diuendop to sleep
the water ben to weep
[Page] Thhe puffin, and the tele
Money they shall dele
To pore folke at large
That shalbe theyr charge
The semew, and the titmose
The wodcocke with the long nose
The thre still with her warblinge
The starling with her brablinge
The rooke, with the Ospray
That putteth fisshes to afray
And the deinty curlew
With the turtil most true
At this Placebo.
We may not well forgo
The countring of the co
The storke also
That maketh his nest
In chimneyes to rest
Within those walles
No broken galles
Maye there abide
Of cokoldry syde
Or els Philosophy
Maketh a greatlye
The Estridge that wil eate
An horshowe so greate
In the stede of meat
Such feruent heat
[Page] His stomake doth freat
He cannot wel fly
Nor synge tunably
Yet at abrayde
He hath well assayd
To solf a aboue Ela
Fa lorell fa fa
Ne quaando
Male cantando
The best that we can
To make him our belman
An let him ring the bels
He can do nothing els,
Chaunteclere our Cocke
Must tell what is of the clocke
By the astrologye
That he hath naturally
Conceyued and caught
And was neuer taught
By Al bumazer
The astronomer
Nor by ptholomy
Prince of Astronomer
Nor yet by Haly
And yet he croweth dayly
And nightly the tydes
That no man abides
With partlot his hen
[Page] Whome now and then
Hee plucketh by the hed
whan he doth her tred
The bird of Arabye
that potenciallye
May neuer dye
And yet there is none
But one alone
A phenix it is
this herse that must blis
With armaticke gummes
that cost great summes
the way of thurification
to make fumigacion
Swete of reflarye
And redolent of ayre
This corse for sence
With great reuerence
As Patriarke or Pope
In a blacke cope
Whiles he senseth
He shal syng the verse
Libera me
In de la sol re
Softly bemole
For my sparowes soule
Plinni sheweth al
In his story natural
[Page] What he doth finde
Of the Phenix kinde
Of whose incineracion
There riseth a new creacion
Of the same facion
Wythout alteracion
Sauing that old age
Is turned into corage
Of fresh youth agayne
This matter true and playne
Playne matter in deed
Who so lyst to rede
But for the Egle doth fly
Hyest in the sky
He shalbe thy se deane
The quere to demeane
As prouost principall
To teach them their Ordinall
Also the noble fawcon
With the gerfawcon
The tarsel gentil
They shall morne softe and still
In theyr amisse of gray
The sacre with them shal say
Dirige for Philips soule
The Goshauke shal haue a roul
The querestrers to controule
The lanners and marlions
[Page] shall stādī their mournīggounes
The hobby and the musket
The sēsers aud the crosse shall fet
The kestrel in al this warke
Salbe holy water clarks
And now the darke cloudy night
Chaseth away phebus bryght
taking his course toward the weste
God sēd my sparoes soule good rest
Rcquiē eternā dona eis domine
Fa fa fa my re
A por ta in fe ri
Fa fa fa my my
¶ Credo Videre bona domini
I pray god philip to heuen may flie
Domine exaudi or acionem me am
to heauē he shal frō heuē he came
¶ Do mi nus vo bis cum of al good praiers god sēd him sum Oremus.
Deꝰ cui propreū est miserere & percere
On Phillips soule haue pity:
FOr he was a prety cocke
And came of a gentill stocke
and wrapt in a maidens smock
And cherished full daintely
tyll cruel fate made him to dye
[Page] Alas for doleful desteny
But where to shuld I
Lenger morne or cry?
To Iupiter I call
Of heauen emperial
That Philip may fly
Aboue the sterrysky
To treade the pretywren
That is our Ladies hen
Amen, amen, amen
¶ Yet one thing is behinde
That now commeth to mind
An Epitaphe I wold haue
For Phillips graue
But for I am a mayde
Timerous, halfe a frayde
That neuer yet a sayde
Of Elycones well
Where the muses dwell
Though I can rede and spell
Recount report and tell
Of the talles of Caunterbury
Some sad storyes, some mercy
As Palomon, and Arcet
Duke Theseus and partelet
And of the wife of bath
That worketh much scathe
Whan her tale is told
[Page] Among huswiues bold
How she controld
Her husbandes as she wold
And theim to dispise
In the homeliest wise
Bring other wiues in thought
their husbandes to set at naught
And though that red haue I
Of Gawen and syr Guy
And tel can a great peece
Of the golden fleere
How Iason it wan
Like a valiaunt man
Of Arturs round table
with his knightes commēdable
And dame Gaynour hys Quene
was somwhat wanton I wene
How syr Launcelote de lake
Many a speare brake
For his Ladyes sake
Of Tristrom and kyng Marke
And al the whole warke
Of bele I sold his wife
For whom was much strife
Some say she was lyght
And made her husband knyght
Of the common hall
That cuckoldes men call
[Page] And of sir Libius
Named Disconius
Of quarter fylz Amunde
And how they were sommond
To Rome to Charlemayne
Upon a great payne
And how they rode each one
On Bayard Mountalbon
Men se him now and then
In the forest Arden
What though I can frame
The storyes by name
Of Iudas Machabeus
And of Cesar Iulius
And of the loue betwene
Paris and viene
And of the duke of Hannyball
That made the Romaynes al
For drede and to quake
How Scipion did wake
The citie of Cartage
Which by his vnmerciful rage
He beat down to the ground
And though I can expound
Of Hector of Troy
That was al theyr ioye
Whome Achilles slue
Wherfore all Troy did rue
[Page] And of the loue so hote
That made Troylus to dote
Upon fayre Cresseyde
And what they wrote and sayd
And of their wanton wils
Pandaer bare the byls
From one to the other
His maisters loue to further
Somtime a precious thynge
An ouche or els a ryng
From her to him agayn
Somtime a prety chain
Or a bracelet of her heare
Prayed Troylus for to weare
That token for her sake
How hartely he did it take
And much therof did make
And al that was in vayne
For shee dyd but fayne
The story telleth playne
He could not obtayne
Though his father wer a king
Yet there was a thynge
That made the male to wryng
She made him to sing
The song of louers laye
Musing night and daye
Mourninge al alone
[Page] Comfort had he none
For she was quite gone
Thus in conclusion
She broughte him in abusion
In earnest and in game
She was much to blame
Disparaged is her fame
And blemished is her name
In maner half with shame
Troylus also hath lost
On her muche loue and cost
And now must kisse the post
Pandara that went betwene
Hath won nothyng I ween
But light for somer greene
Yet for a speciall laud
He is named Troyllous baud
Of that name he is sure
Whiles the world shal dure
Though I remembre the fable
Of Penelope most stable
To her husband most trew
Yet long time she ne knew
Whether he were on liue or ded
Her wit stode her in sted
That she was true and iuste
For anye bodelye luste
To Ulixes her make
[Page] And neuer wold him forsake
Of Marcus Marcellus
A prosses I could tel vs
And of Anteocus
And of Iosep hus
De antiquitatibus
And of Mardocheus
And of great Assuerus
And of Uesca his Queene
Whome he forsoke with teene
And of Hester his otherwife
With whom he led a pleasaunt life
Of kynge Alerander
And of kyng Euander
And of Porcena the greate
That made the romains to smart
Though I haue enrold
A thousande newe and old
Of these historyous tales
To fil bougets and [...]ales
With bookes that I haue red
Yet I am nothynge syed
And can but Iytle skyl
Of Ouid or Uergil
Or of Plutharke
Or of Fraunces Petrarke
Alcheus or Sapho
Or suche other Poetes moe.
[Page] As Linus and Homerus
Enphorion and Theocritus
Anacreon an Arion
Sophocles and Philemon
Pindarus and Dimonides
Philiston & Phorocides
These Poetes of auncientie
They are to diffuse for me
For as I to fore haue sayd
I am but a yonge mayd
And cannot in effect
My stile as yet direct
With englysh wordes elect
Our naturall tonge is rude
And hard to be enneude
Wyth pollyshed tearmes lustye
Oure language is so rustye
So tankered and so ful
Of frowardes and so dul
That if I wold apply
To write ordinately
I wot not where to finde
Termes to serue my mynde
Gowers englyshe is olde
And of no value is tolde
His matter is worth gold
And worthy to be enrold
In Chauser I am sped
[Page] His tales I haue red
His mater is delectable
Solacious and commendable
His englishe wel alowed
So as it is enprowed
For as it is employed
There is no englyshe voyd
At those dayes muche commended
And now men wolde haue amēded
His englishe where at they barke
And marre all they warke
Chaucer that famous Clarke
His tearmes were not darcke
But pleasaunt easy, and playne
No worde he wrote in vayne
Also Ihon Lydgate
Wrytteth after an hyer rate
It is diffuse to fynde
The sentence of his mind
Yet wryteth he in his kind
No man that can amend
Those maters that he hath pend
Yet some men finde a faut
And say he wryteth to haut
Wherfore hold me excused
If I haue not wel perused
Myne englysh halfe abused
Thoughe it be refused
[Page] In worth I shall it take
And fewer wordes makē
But for my sparowes sake
Yet as a woman maye
My wit I shall assay
An Epytaphe to wryghte
In latyne playne and lyght
Wherof the Elegy
Foloweth by and by
Flos Volucrum formose Valo
Philippe sub is to
Marmore iam recubas
Quis mihi carus cras
Semper erunt niido
Radiantia sidera celo
Impressusque meo
Pectore semper eris
Per me Laurigerum
Britanum Skeltonida Vaten
Hec cecinisse licet
Ficta sub imagine texta
Cuius eris uolucris
Prestanti corpore Vrgo
Candida Nais erat
Formosior ista Ioanna est
Docta corinna fuit
Sed magis ista sapit
Bien men souient.
The commendacions.
BEati immaculati in uia
O glo rio sa femina
Now mine hole imaginacion
And studious meditacion
Is to take this commendacion
In this consideracion
And vnder pacient tolleracion
Of that most godly mayd
That Placebo hath sayd
And for her sparow prayd
In lamentable wyse
Now wyl I enterpryse
Thorow the grace diuine
Of the muses nine
Her beauty to commend
If Arethusa wyll send
Me enfluence to endite
And with my pen to write
If Apollo will promise
Melodiouslye it to deuise
His tunable harpe stringes
With armonye that synges
Of Princes and of kinges
And of all pleasaunt thynges
Of lust and of delyght
Thorow his godly might
To whome be the laud ascrybed
[Page] That my pen hath enbibed
With the aureat droppes
As verelye my hope is
Of Thagus that golden floud
That passeth all the earthly good
And as that floud dothe pas
Al floudes that euer was
With hys golden sandes
Who so that vnderstandes
Cosmography: and the stremes
And the floudes in straūge remes
Ryght so she dothe excede
Al other of whom we rede
Whose fame by me shall sprede
Into Perce and Mede
From britons Albion
To the toure of Babilon
I trust it is no shame
And no manne wyl me blame
Thoughe I regester her name
In the courte of fame
For thys most goodly floure
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succoure
She florysheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
BUt enforsed am I
Openlye to askry
And to make an out cry
Againste odyous enuye
That euermore wyl lye
And saye cursedlye
With hys lether eye
And chekes drye
With vysage wan
As swarte as tan
His bones crake
Leane as a rake
Hys gummes rustye
Are full vnlustye
Hys harte with all
Bytter as gall
His liuer his longes
With anger is wronge
Hys serpentes tonge
That many one hath stonge
He frowneth cuer
He laugheth neuer
Euen nor morowe
But other mens sorowe
Causeth him to grin
And reioice therein.
[Page] No slepe can hym catche
But euer doth watche
he is so bete
With malice and frete
Wyth anger and yre
his foule desire
Wyl suffer no sleep
In his head to creep
His foule semblaunte
Al displeasaunte
Whan other are glad
Than is hee sad
Franticke and mad
His tounge neuer styll
For to saye yll
Writhing and wringing
Biting and stingyng
And thus this elf
Consumeth him selfe
Hym selfe doth sloe
Wyth payne and woe
Thys false enuy
Sayth that I
Use greate follye
For to indite
And for to wryte
And spende my time
In prose and rime
[Page] For to expres
The noblenes
Of my maystres
That causeth me
Studious to be
To make a relation
Of her commendacion
And there agayne
Enuy doth complayne
And hath disdaine
But yet certayne
I will be playne
And my stile dres
To this prosses
Nowe Phebus me ken
To sharpe my pen
And leade my fyste
As him best lyst
That I may say
Honoure alwaye
Of woman kynde
Trouthe dothe me bynde
And loyaltie
Euer to be
Their true bedel
To wryte and tel
How women excel
In noblenes
[Page] As my maystres
Of whome I thinke
With pen and ynke
For to compyle
Some goodly stile
For thys moste goodly floure
This blossom of fresh colour
So Iupiter me succour
She florisheth new and new
In beautie and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Legem pone michi domine in uiam iustificationum tuarum.
Quemadmodum desiderat ceruus ad fontes aquarum.
HOwe shall I reporte
Al the godly fort
Of her fetures cleere
That hath none earthly peere
Her fauoure of her face
Ennewed with al grace
Confort pleasure and solace
Mine hart doth so enbrace
And so hath rauished me
Her to behold and se
That in wordes playne
I cannot me refrayne
[Page] To loke to her agayne
Alas what shoulde I fayne
It were a pleasaunte payne
Wyth her aye to remayne
Her eyen graye and stepe
Causeth myne harte to leepe
With her browes bente
She maye wel represente
Fayre Lucres as I weene
Or els fayre Polexene
Or els Caliope
Or els Penolope
For thys moste goodly floure
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succour
She florisheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Memor esto Verbi tui seruo tuo
Seruus tuus sum ego
THe Indy Saphyre blewe
Her vaynes doth ennew
The Orient pearle so cleare
The witnes of her lere
The lusty ruby ruddes
Resemble the Rose buddes
Her lippes soft and mery
[Page] Emblomed like the chery
It were an heauenly blysse
Her sugred mouthe to kysse
Her beauty to augment
Dame nature hath her lente
A warte vpon her cheke
Who so lyst to seeke
In her visage a skar
That semeth from a far
Lyke to the radyant star
Al with fauour fret
So proprely it is set
She is the violet
The daisy delectable
The columbine commendable
This ielofer amiable
This moste goodly floure
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succoure
She florysheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Bonitatē fecisti cū seruo tuo domina
Et ex precordus sonant preconia.
ANd whan I perceiued
Her wart and conceiued
It can not be denaid
[Page] But it was wel conuaid
And set so womanly
And nothing wantonly
But right conueniently
And full congruentlye
As nature could deuise
In moste goodly wyse
Who so lyst behold
It maketh louers bold
To her to sue for grace
Her fauour to purchase
The sker vpon her chin
Enhached on her fayre skin
Whiter than the swan
It wold make any man
To forget deadly syn
Her fauour to wyn
For this most goodly flour
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succour
She florisheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Defecit in salutate tuum anima mea quid petis filio, mater dulcissima ba ba.
[Page] SOft and make no din
For now I wil begin
To haue in remembraunce
Her goodly dalyaunce
And her goodly pastaunce
So sad and so demure
Behauing her so sure
With wordes of pleasure
She wold make to the lure
And any man conuert
To geue her his whole hart
She made me sore amased
Upon her whan I gased
Me thought mine hart was crased
My eyen were so dased
For this most goodly flour
The blossome of fresh colour
So Iupiter me succoure
She florysheth new and new
In beauty and vertew
Hac claricate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Quomodo dilixi legem tuam domina.
Recedant uetera noua sunt omnia.
ANd to amend her tale
Whan she lyst to auale
And with her fingers small
And handes soft as silke
[Page] Whiter then milke
That are so quickely vayned
Wherwith my hand she strained
Lord how I was payned
Unneth I me refrayned
How she me had reclaymed
And me to her retayned
Enbrasyng ther with all
Her goodly middle small
With sides long and streyt
To tel you what conceit
I had then in a trice
The matter wer to nyce
And yet there was no vyce
Nor yet no villany
But only fantasy
For this most goodly floure
The blossome of fresh colour
So Iupiter me succour
She florisheth new and new
In beautie and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
¶ Iniquos odio habui
Non calumnientur me superbi.
BUt wherto shold I note
How often dyd I [...]ote
Upon her pretye fote
[Page] It raysed myne hart rote
To see her treade the grounds
With heles short and round
She is plainly expresse
Egeria the goddesse
And lyke to her ymage
Importured with corage
A louers pilgrimage
There is no best sauage
Ne no tygre so wood
But she wold chaunge his mood
Suche relucent grace
Is formed in her face
For this most goodly flour
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succour
She florysheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Mirabilia testimonia tua
Sicut nouelle plantacōes in inuentute sua
SO goodly as she dresses
So properly she presses
The bryght golden tresses
Of her heare so fyne
Lyke Phebus beames shyne
Where to should I disclose
[Page] The garteryng of her hose
It is for to suppose
Howe that she can weare
Gorgiouslye her geare
Her freshe habilementes
With other implementes
To serue for all ententes
Lyke dame flora queene
Of lusty somer grene
This moste goodly flour
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succoure
She florysheth new and new
In beauty and vertew
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Clamaui in toto corde exaudi me▪
Mia tua magna est super me.
HEr kyrtel so goodly lased
And vnder that is braced
Such pleasures that I may
Neither write nor say
Yet thoughe I writ not with ink
No man can let me thinke
For thought hath liberti
Thought is franke and free
To thynke a mery thought
It cost me litle or nought
[Page] Wold god mine homely stile
Were pollished with the file
Of Ciceros eloquence
To prayse her excellence
The moost goodlye floure
This blossome of freshe coloure
So Iupiter me succoure
She florysheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac claritate gemina
O gloriosa femina
Principes persecuti sunt me gratis
Omnibus consideratis. Paradisus uoluptatis, hec uirgo est dulcissima.
MI pen it is vnable
My hand it is vnstable
My reason rude and dull
To prayse her at the full
Goodly maistres Iane
Sobre, demure Diane
Iane this maistres hight
The lode star of delight
Dame Uenus of all pleasure
The wel of worldly treasure
She doth excede and passe
In Prudence dame Pallas
The most goodly floure
This blossome of freshe coloure
[Page] So Iupiter me succoure
She florisheth new and new
In beauty and vertue
Hac cla [...]itate gemina
O gloriosa femina
RFquiem eternam dona eis domine
With this psalm. Domine probasti me
Shall saile ouer the sea
With tibi domine commendamus
On pilgrimages to sainct Iamys
For shrympes, and for pranes
And for stalkynge cranes
And wher my pen hath offended
I pray you it may be amended
By discrete consideration
Of your wise reformacion
I haue not offended I trust
If it be sadly discust
It were no gentle guyse
This treatise to dispise
Because I haue writen and sayd
Honour of this fayre mayd
Wherfore should I be blamed
That I Iaue named
And famously proclamed
She is worthy to be enrold
With letters of golde.
[Page] PEr me Laurigerum Britonum
Skeltonida latem
Laudibus eximiis merito, hec remedita puella est
Formosam poc [...]cini qua non formosior Vlla est
Formosam pocius, quam commendaret homerus
Sic iuuat interdum regidos recreare labores
Nec minus hoc titulo tersa minerua mea est.
Rien que plaisere.
Thus endeth the boke of Philip sparow, & here foloweth an adicion made by master Skelton.
THe gyse now a dayes
Of some ianglyng iayes
Is to discommend
That they cannot amend
Though they wold spand
All the wyttes they haue
What ayle them to depraue
Phillip sparowes graue
His dirige: her commendacion
Can be no derogacion
But myrth and consolacion
[Page] Made by protestacion
No man to miscontent
With Phillippes enterement
Alas that goodly mayd
Why should she be afrayd
Why should she take shame
That her goodly name
Honorably reported
Should be set and sorted
To be matriculate
With Ladyes of estate
I coniure the Phillip sparow
By Hercules that hel dyd harow
And with a venemous arow
Slewe of the Epidaures
One of the Centaures
Or Onocentaures
Or Hipocentaurius
By whose might and mayne
An hart was slayne
With hornes twayne
Of glittering gold
And the appels of gold
Of Hesperides withhold
And with a dragon kept
That neuer more slept
By marcial strengthe
He wan at lenght
[Page] And slue Gerion
With thre bodies in one
With mighty corage
Auaunted the rage
Of a Lyon sauage
Of Dyomedes stable
He brought out a rable
Of coursers and rounses
With leapes and bounses
And with mighty lugging
Wrestlyng and tuggyng
He plucked the bul
By the horned skul
And offred to Cornucopia
And so forth per cetera
Also by Ecates bower
In Plutus gastly tower
By the vglye Eumenides
That neuer haue rest nor ease
By the venemous serpent
That in hel is neuer brente
In Lerna the Grekes [...]en
That was engendred then
By Chemeras flames
And all the deadly names
Of infernal posty
Where soules fry and rosty
By the stigial flood
[Page] And the streames wood
Of Cocitus botumles wel
By the feryman of hel
Caron with his beard hore
That roweth with a rude ore
And with his fore top
Gideth his bote with a prop
I coniure Phillip and cal
In the name of kyng Saul
Primo regum expresse
He had the Phitonesse
To wytchecraft her to dres
And by her abusions
And damnable illusions
Of merueylous conclusions
And by her supersticions
And wonderful condicions
She raysed vp in that stede
Samuel that was deade
But whether it were so
He were, idem in numero
The selfe same Samuel
How be it to Saule dyd he tell
The Philistines shuld him ascry
And the next day he should dye
I wil myself discharge
To lettred men at large
But Philip I coniure thee
[Page] Now by these names three
Diana in the woodes grene
Luna that so bryght doth shyne
Proserpina in hell
That thou shortly tell
And shew now vnto me
What the cause may be
Of this perplexitie
Inferia phillippe Scroupe pulchra Iohanna
Instanter persit, cur nostri camis nis illam
Nunc puder, est sero, minor est infamia Vero.
Than suche as haue disdayned
And of thys worke complayned
I pray God they be payned
No worse than is contayned
In verses two or three
That folowe as ye may see
Luride cur liuor Voluctis pia funera damnas
Taliate rapiant, rapiunt que fata Volucrum
Est tamen inuidiu mors tibi contnua.
Skelton Laureate against a comel Coystrowne that curiowsly chauntyd And curryshly cowntred, And madly in hys Musikes mokkyshly made, Agaynst the ix. Musis of politike Poems and Poettys matriculat.
OF all nacyons vnder the heuyn.
These frantyke foolys I hate most of all.
For though they stūble in ye sinnes seuyn.
In peuyshnes yet they snapper and fall.
Whiche men the. viii. deadly sins call.
This peuysh proud this prender gest.
When he is well yet can he not rest.
A swete suger lofe & sowre bayards bun.
Besumdele lyke in forme and shap
The one for a duke the other for dun.
A maunchet for morell theron to snap.
His hart is to hy to haue any hap.
But for in his game vt carp that he can.
Lo Iak wold be a Ientylman
Wyth hey troly loly lo whip here Iak.
Alumbek sodyldym syllorym ben.
Curyowsly he can both counter and knak
Of Martyn swart and all hys mery men.
Lord how perkyn is proud of his Pohen.
But ask wher he fyndyth amōg his monacordes.
[Page] An holy water clark a ruler of lordes.
He can not fynd it in rule nor in space.
He solfyth to haute hys Trybyll is to hy.
He braggyth of his byrth that borne was ful bace
Hys musyk withoute mesure to sharp is his my.
He trymmyth in his tenor to counter pridewy.
His discant is besy it is withoute a mene.
To fat is his fantsy his wyt is to lene.
He lūbryth on a lewde lewte roty bulle Ioyse.
Rumbill downe tumbil downe hey go now now.
He fūblyth in his fyngering an vgly good noise.
It semyth the sobbyng of an old sow.
He wold be made moch of & he wyst how.
Wele sped In spyndels & turning of tauellys.
Abungler, a brawler, a pyker of quarellys.
Comely he clappyth a payre of clauycordys.
He whystelyth so swetely he makyth me to swet.
His descant is dashed full of discordes
Ared angry man but easy to intrete.
An vssher of the hall fayn wold I get.
To poynte this proude page a place and a rome
For Iak wold be a Ientilman that late was a grome
Iak wold Iet and yet Iyll sayd nay.
He counteth in his coūtenaūce to check wt yt best.
A malaperte medler that pryeth for his pray
[Page] In a dysh dare he rush at the rypest,
Dreming in dumpys to wrangill & to wrest.
He findeth a proporcion in his prycke songe.
To drynke at a draught a larg and a long
Nay iape not with hym he is no smal fole
It is a solempne syre and a solayne.
For lordes and ladyes lerne at his scole
He techyth them so wysely to solf and to fayne
That neither they singe wel prike sōg nor plain
This docter dellias commensyd in a cart.
A master, a mynstrel, a fydler, a fart.
What though ye can cownter Custodinos.
As wel it becomith yow a parysh towne Clarke.
To syng Supitati dedit Egros
Yet bere ye not to bold to braule ne to bark
At me, that medeled nothing with youre wark.
Correct first thyselfe, walk and be nought.
Deme what yu list thou knowist not my thought.
A prouerbe of old say well or be still.
Ye are to vnhappy occasion to fynde.
Uppon me to clater or els to say yll.
Now haue I shewyd you part of your proud mīd
Take this in worth the best is behynde.
Wryten at Croydon by Crowland in the Clay.
On Candelmas euyn the Kalendas of May.
FINIS.
Contra alium Cantitatem & Organisantem
Asinum, qui impugnabat Skeltonida
Pierium, Sarcasmos.
PRponenda meis non sunt tua plectra camenis. Necquantum nostra fistula clara tua est.
Sepelicet liricos modularis arundine psalmos, Et tremulos calamis concinis ipse modos:
Quamuis mille tuus digitus dat carmine plausus, Nam tua (quam) tua uox est mage docta manus:
Quamuis cuncta facis tumida sub mente superbus, Gratior est Phaebo fistula nostra tamen.
Ergo tuum stude as animo deponere fastum, Et uiolare sacrum desine Stulte uirum.
Skelton Laureat vppon a deedmans hed that was sent to hym from an honorable Ientil woman for a token, Deuysyd this gostly meditacion in Englysh, Couenable in sentence Comendable, Lamentable, Lacrimable, Profitable for the soule.
Youre vgly tokyn,
My mynd hath brokyn,
From worldly lust.
For I haue dyscust,
We are but dust,
And dy we must.
It is generall
To be mortall,
[Page] I haue well espyde
No man may hym hyde:
From deth holow eyed.
With sinnews wyderyd,
With bonys shyderyd,
With hys worme etyn maw,
And his gastly Iaw.
Gaspyng asyde,
Nakyd of hyde,
Neyther flesh not fell.
Then by my councell,
Loke that ye spel,
Well thys gospell.
For wher so we dwell,
Deth wil vs qwell,
And with vs mell.
For all our pamperde paūchis
Ther may no fraunchys,
Nor worldly blys,
Redeme vs from this,
Oure days be datyd,
To be chek matyd,
With drawttys of deth,
Stoppyng oure breth,
Oure eyen synkyng,
Oure bodys stynkyng,
Oure gummys grynnyng.
Oure soulys brynnyng.
[Page] To whom then shall we sew,
For to haue reskew,
But to swete Iesu,
On vs then for to rew.
O goodly child,
Of Mary mylde,
Then be oure shylde.
That we be not exyld,
To the dyne dale,
Of botemles bale,
Nor to the lake,
Of fendys blake.
But graunt vs grace
To se thy face,
And to purchace,
Thyne heuenly place.
And thy palace,
Full of solace.
Aboue the sky,
That is so hy. Eternally.
To beholde and se.
The Trynyte. Amen.
Mirres vous y.
VUomanhod wanton ye want.
Your medeling mastres is manerles.
Plenty of yll of goodnes skant.
Ye rayll at ryot recheles.
To prayse youre porte it is nedeles.
[Page] For all your draffe yet and youre dreggys.
As well borne as ye full oft tyme beggys.
Why so koy and full of skorne.
Myne horse is sold I wene you say.
My new furryd gowne when it is worne.
Put vp youre purs ye shall non pay.
By Crede I trust to se the day.
As proud a pohen as ye sprede.
Of me and other ye may haue nede.
Though angelyk be youre smylyng.
Yet is youre tong an adders tayle.
Full lyke a Scorpyon styngyng.
All those by whom ye haue auayle.
Good mastres Anne there ye do shayle.
What prate ye praty pyggys ny.
I truste to quyte you or I dy.
Youre key is mete for euery lok.
Youre key is commen and hangyth owte.
Youre key is redy we nede not knok.
Nor stand long wrestyng there aboute.
Of youre doregate ye haue no doute.
But one thyng is that ye be lewde.
Holde youre tong now all be shrewde.
To mastres Anne that farly swete.
That wonnes at the key intemmys strete.
The boke of three fooles M. Skelton poete Laureate, Gaue to my Lord Cardynall
The fyrst foole.
The man that doth wed a wyfe
For her goodes and her rychesse
And not for lygnage femynatyfe
Procureth doloure and dystresse
With infynyte payne and heuynesse
For she wyll do hym moche sorowe
Bothe at euyn and at morowe.
The seconde foole
The dartes ryght cursed of enuye
Hath rayned sythe the worlde began
Whiche bryngeth man euydently
In to the bondes of Sathan
Wherfore he is a dyscrete man
That can eschewe that euyll synne
Where body and soule is lost in
The thyrd foole
Dyuers by voluptuousnes
Of women the which be present
Be brought in to full great dystres
Forgettyng vertues excellent
Of god the whych is permanent
And suffreth themselfe to be bounde
In cordes as it were a hounde.
[Page] COme hyther & take this Boke & rede therein for your lernyng with clere iyeu, and loke in this boke yt sheweth you folysh Fooles, wtout wyt or vnderstanding Pecunyous Fooles that bee auaryce, and for to haue good tyme, and to lyue meryly, weddeth these olde wyddred women, whych hath sackes full of nobles, claryfye here your syghte, & ye shal know what goodnes cōmeth therby, and what Ioye and gladnes Some there be yt habandoneth themselfe for to gather togyther the donge that yssuethoute of theyr asses arse, for to fynde euermore grese, it is grete foly trulye, but yet the yonge man is more folyssher, the whiche weddeth an olde wyfe, for to haue her golde & syluer. I say that he is a great Foole that taketh anne olde wyfe, for her goodes and is much to blame
[Page] They the whiche do so, procureth all trybulations. For with her he shall neither haue ioy, recreacion, nor rest. He noryssheth stryfes, and greate debates, thoughte, payne, anguyshe, & melancoly. And yf he wolde accomplysshe the workes of maryage, hee may not, for shee is so debylyte colde, vnpropyce, vnnaturall, and vndyscur rente, for the coldenes that is in her. The husbande of this olde wyfe hath none esperaunce to haue lygnage by her, for he neuer loued her. The man is a verye Foole to make his demoraunce vpon such an olde wife, whan he thinketh somtime vpon such thynges, he leseth his naturall wit, in cursynge hymselfe more then a. M. tymes with the golde and the syluer, & the cursed hasarde of Fortune. And when he seeth his poore lyfe in suche dystresse, his hert is all oppressed with melancoly and dolour, but whan the [Page] vnhappye man seeth that it is force and that hee is constrayneth to haue pacience, he puttteth his cure to draw to hym the money of the olde wyddred woman in makyng to her glade chere. And whan hee hath the money and the bagge wt nobles, God knoweeth what chere he maketh, wythoute thynkinge on them that gathereth it And when he hath spente al, he is more vnhappyer then hee was before, yf that the foole be vnhappye, it is well ryghte, for hee hath wedded auaryce, mother of all euylles, yf hee had taken a wyfe that had ben fayre and yonge after his complection, he had not fallen into so great an inconuenience. It is wryten in auncient bokes that hee whiche weddeth a wyfe by auaryce, and not for to haue lygnage, hath no cure of the honestie of matrymonye, and thynketh full euyll on his conscience, The Unyon of maryage in decayed, [Page] for vnder the coloure of good and loyall maryage is wedded auaryce as we secuery day by experience through the world And one wil haue a wife, and that hee marke his to be demaunded in maryage, they will enquyre of his ryches and conninge. And on the other syde he wyl demaū de great goodes with her, to norysshe her with. For and her father and mother and frendes haue no greate ryches, he wyll not of her. But, and she be ryche hee demaundeth none other thynge. It is written that one were better haue his house in deserte, where as no mencion shoulde be of hym, thenne to bide with suche wyues, for they be replete wt all cursednes. And the pore foole breketh his hearte, he loseth his soule and corrompeth his body. He selleth his youth vnto the olde wife that weddeth her for anaryce, and hath but noyse and discention, [Page] in vsyng his lyfe thus in synne Consydre you fooles what seruytude ye put yourself in, when ye wedde such wyues. I pray you be chast if that ye wyl lyue without vnhap. My frends whiche be not in that bande, put you not therin, and yee shalbe well happy Notwithstanding I defende you not to mary but I exhorte you to take a wyfe that ye may haue progeny by, & solace bodely and gostly, and thereby to wyn the ioyes of paradyse.
Of Enuye, the seconde Foole.
APproche you foly she enuyous, the which can say no good by them that ye hate, come and se in this Booke, youre peruerse and euyll condycions. O enuy that deuoureth the condycions of men, and dyssypers of honour. Thou makest to haue rauisshynge heartes famyshed, thou brennest [Page] the desyres, and sleeth the soule in the ende, thou engendrest the darte enuyronned with mischefe that whiche traueyleth diuers folkes. Cursed foole howe haste thou thy heart so replete with cruelte, for if I haue temporall goodes thou wilte haue enuye therat, or if that I can worke well, & that I apply mee vnto dyuers thynges the whiche be honest, or if that I haue castels, landes, and tenementes or if that I am exalted vnto honoure by my science, or won it by hardynes truely and iustyle, or if that I am beloued of dyuers persons whiche reclaymeth mee good & vertuous, and of a noble courage, thou wylt vilep ende me with thy wordes, thou wottest neuer in what maner thou mayst adnychell mine honour, Thy malicious hert is hurt with a mortall wounde in such wise that thou haste no ioye nor solace in this world, for the darte [Page] of Enuye perceth thy herte lyke a spere. Thou hast wylde lycoure, the whiche maketh all thy stomacke to be on a flambe. There is no medicyne that maye hele thy mortall wounde. I beynge in a place, where as myne honoure was magnyfyed, thoughte for to haue taken alyaunce wt an odyffe raūt floure, but all sodaynely I was smyten with a darte of enuye be hinde my backe, wherthroughe all tho that were on my partye turned theyr backes vpon me, for to agree to one of Uenus dissolate seruauntes, procedynge, frome a hearte, enuenymed with enuye. Wherfore I shall specyfye vnto you the condycyons of the enuyous. who that holdeth hym of the subgectes of enuye, she constytueth to deuoure, and byte euery bodyegyuynge vnhappes and myseryes vnto her seruaūtes. Suche folkes doth the innocente a thousande wronges. [Page] They be replenysshed with so many treasons, yt they can not siepe in theyr beddes, they haue no swete cantycles nor songes. They haue theyr tonges honyed with swete words vnder the coloure of loue, they be lene, and infecte of rygoure: these enuyous more bytterer thenne the gall of the fyshe Glauca, wyth theyr eyen beholdinge a trauers of stomackes chaufed syntillously, and without these mouthes as the vyne that is newe cut, they be enuyroned with rage and greate anguysshe, beholdynge euermore to destroy some body. Conceyue the history of Ioseph in your myndes, the which had vii. brethren that were enuyous against him which was the yongeste and solde hym vnto the marchauntes of Egypte by enuy, & betrayed him. The which were delybered of a longe time to haue destroyed him. These euuious neuer laughe, but whā some [Page] good man hath domage vpon the see or lande, or at the disfortune of some body, he drynketh his bloud as milke, Notwithstandinge, his heart is euer enbraced with enuy, and as longe as he lyueth it shall gnawe his hert. Hee resembleth vnto Ethua whiche brenneth alwayes. As of Romulus and Remus his brother, the whiche Romulus edefyed first Rome, and gaue it to name Rome, after his owne name. Neuertheles they were past ours for they establyshed lawes in the citie And Romulus punished euerye body egally. He dyd Instytute lymittes or markes aboute the citie, and ordeyned that he that passed the lymyttes shuld be put to death. His brother passed them, wherfore he was put vnto death incontinente in the same place. Wee rede also how Cayme slewe his owne brother by enuye. Haue we not ensample semblablye of Atreus, of [Page] whom his brother occupyed ye parke, howe well that they were in the realme stronge and puyssaunte, for to defende them, It was Thesius that expulsed his brother oute of the realme by enuy, and was called agayne bycause that he had taken the parke, & fynally was banyshed, and by enuye and vnder the colour of peace he was sent for. And when hee was commen vnto a Feast, he made his two children for to be rested, and made them to drynke their bloude. O what horroure was it to see his twoo children dye that were so dyscrete? In lykewise Ethiocles by his brethren receyued great enormyties by that cursed enuye. O thou prudent man if thou wilt be discrete, good, and wise flye from enuy, and thou shalt finde thyselfe sounde of body and soule.
Of the voluptuousnes corporall The third Foole.
RYghte heartely I beseche you folysshe & Lecherous people, that it will please you for to come and make a litell Collacion in this Booke, and if there be any thinge, that I can do for you, I am all yours both body and goodes, for truelye I haue an ardaunte desyre to doo you some meditorious dede, bicause that I haue euer frequented your seruyce.
Nowe herken what I haue found you cautellous women. They that the Pappes be sene all naked, their heyre combed and trussed in dyuers places merueylously be vnreasonable Fooles, for they dresse theim like voluptuous harlottes that make their heyre to appere at theyr browes yalowe as fine golde made in lytel tresses for to drawe yonge folke to theyr [Page] loue. Some for to haue their goodes presenteth to theim their beddes for to take their carnall desires And after that they haue taken all their disportes, they pill theim as an Onion, The other for to haue their plesures mōdayne cheseth theim that we loue best & maketh sygnyfyaunce to theim sayeng yt she is anamoured on theim Thou art a verye Idyot so to abandone thyselfe vnto the vyle synne of Lecherye, for thou lettest thyselfe be wrapped therein, lyke as a calfe, or a shepe is bounde in a corde. In suche wise that ye can not vnbynde youreselfe. O foole haue aspecte vnto that whiche thou cōmyttest for thou puttest thy poore soule in great daunger of damnation eternall, thou puttest thy goodes, thyne vnderstandinge, and thy ioy, vnto dolorous perdicion and for all that yee bee in your wordly pleasures, yet it is mengled with [Page] dystres, or wt mysery, greate thoughte or melancoly. I requyre thee leue thy wordlye pleasures that endureth no lenger then the Grasse of the feelde Yf you haue ioye one only momente thou shalt haue twayne of sorow for it. Wee rede of Sardanapalus that for his lecherye and lybidinosite fell into hell, the whiche put himselfe in the guise of a poore woman, his men seinge hym so obstinate in that vile sinne, slewe him, and so fynished hee his dayes for folowinge of his pleasaunce mondayne. The soueraigne creatour was more puyssante thenne this wretched sinner, let vs not apply ourselfe therto sith that hee punysheth sinners so asprely, but with all our hertes enfarce we ourselfe for to [...] againste that vyle and abhom [...]n [...]le sinne of lechery, the whiche [...] of enfeccion and bytternes, [...] it [...]stayneth the soule of man: flefrome [Page] the foolisshe women that pylleth the louers vnto the harde bones, and you shal be beloued of GOD, and also of the worlde.
En Parlement à Paris.
Iustice est morte & verité sommeille,
Droit & raison sont allez aux pardons
Les deux premiers: Nul ne les resueille,
Et les derniers, sont corrompus par dons.
Out of Frenche into Latine.
Abstulit atra dies Astream: cana fides sed somno praessa iacet: ius iter arripuit.
Et secum ratio proficiscens limite longo. Nemo duas primas euigilare parat;
At (que) duo postrema absunt, & numera tantum Impediunt, nequeunt ꝓ remeari domum.
Out of Latine into Englishe.
Iustice nowe is dead,
Trouth with a drousye head,
As heuy as the leed
Is leyd downe to slepe,
[Page] And bidythe no kepe
And ryght is euer fallow;
Gon to seke halows
With Reson to gidder
No man can tell whether
No man woll vndertake
The fyrst twayne to a wake:
And the tweyne laste
Be withholde so faste
Wyth mony, as men sayne
They can not come agayne,
Epithaphe.
❧ Compendium de duobus versipellibus Iohn Iayberd & Adam ali. a knaue De (que) illorū notissima vilitate.
This tretise devysed it is
Of two knaues somtyme of dis.
Though this knaues be deade
Full of myschiefe and queed
Yet where so euer they ly
Theyr names shall neuer dye.
¶ A deuoute trentale for old Iohn Clarke, sometyme the holy patriarke of dis.
Sequitur trigentale
Tale quale rationale
Licet parum curiale
Tamen satis est formale
Ioannis Clerc hominis
Cuiusdam maltimonijs
Ioannes Iayberd qui vocatur
Clerc cleribus nuncupatur
Obijt sanctus iste pater
Anno domini. M. D. Sexto
In parochia de dis
Non erat sibi similis
In malicia vir insignis
Duplex corde & bilinguis
Senio confectus
Omnibus suspectus
Nemini dilectus
Sepultus est amonge the wedes
God forgeue hym his mysdedes
❧ Dulce melos penetrans Celos.
Carmina cum cannis
Cantemus festa Ioannis
Clerke obijt vere
Iayberde nomen quae dedere
Dis populus natus
Clerke cleribus est quae vocatus
[Page] Hic vir caldeus
Nequam vir ceu Iebuseus
In christum domini
Fremuit de more cameli
Rectori proprio
Tam verba retorta loquende
Vnde resultando
Quae acheronta boando tonaret
Nunquam sincere
Solitus sua crimina flere
Cui male lingua loquax
Quae dicax mendax quae fuere
Et mores tales
Resident in nemine quales
Carpens vitales
Auras turbare sodales
Et cines socias
Asinus mulus velut & bos
O mne suum studium
Rubium pictum per amictum
Discolor & victum
Faciens semper maledictum
Ex intestinis ouium
Quae boum quae caprorum
Tendens ad quae forum
Fragmentum colligit horum
Dentibus exemptis
Mastigat cum quae polentis
[Page] Lanigerum caput caput
Aut vacce mugientis
Quid petis? hic sit quis
Iohn Iayberd. Nicolas de dis
Cui dum vixerat is
Sociantur iurgia vis lis
Iam Iacet hic starke deed
Neuer a toth in his heed
A dieu. Iayberd. a due
I faith dikkon thou crue
Fratres orate
For this knauate
By the holy Rode
Dyd neuer man good
I pray you all
And pray shall
At this trentall
On knees to fall
To the fote ball
With fill the blak bowle
For Iayberdes sowle
Bibite multum
Ecce sepultum
Sub pede stultum
Asinum & mulum
The deuill kis his culum
Wit hey howe Rumbelowe
[Page] Rumpopulornm
Per omnia secula seculorum.
Amen.
Requiem, &c.
Per fredericum hely
Fratrem de monte carmeli
Qui condunt sine sale
Hoc deuotum Trigintale
Vale Iayberd, valde male.
Finis.
Adam vddersale. alias dictus Adam all. a knaue his Epitaph. Foloweth deuoutly, He was somtime the holy baillyue of dis.
Of dis.
Adam degebat
Dum vixit falsa gerebat
namquae extorquebat
Quicquid natiuus habebat
Aut liber natus. Rapidus
Lupus inde vocatus.
Ecclesiam quae satus
De belial iste Pilatus
Sub pede calcatus
Violauit nunc violatus
Perfidus iratus
[Page] Numquam fuit ille beatus
Vddersall stratus
Benedictus est spoliatus
Improbus inflatus
Maledictus iam laceratus
Sis tibi baccatus
Balians predominatus
Hic fuit ingratus
Porcus velut insaciatus
Pinguis crassatus
Velut aggag fit reprobatus
Crudelis quae cacus
Baratro peto sit timulatus
Belsabub his soule saue
Qui iacet hic like a knaue.
I am scio mortuus est
& lacet hic like a best.
Anima eius,
De malo in peuis
Amen.
De dis hec semper erit camena,
Adam vddersall sit anathema.
Auctore Skelton Rectore de Dis.
Finis. &c.
Apud Trumpiton scripter per Curatum eiusdem quinto die Ianuarij Anno domini secundum computat Anglie M. D. Vij.
‘[Page]Adam adam vbi es.’Genesis‘℟ vbi nulla requies. Vbi nullus ordo, sed sempiternus horror inhabitat. ’Iob.
❧ Finis.
Diligo rustincum cum portant bis duo quonintum
Et cantant delos est mihi dulce melos.
1. Canticum dolorosum.
Lamentatio vrbis Norvvicen.
O lachrimosa lues nimis O quàm flebile fatum
Ignibus exosis vrbs veneranda ruis
Fulmina siue Iouis siue vltima fata vocabant
Vulcani rapidis ignibus ipsa peris
Au decus au patrie specie pulcherima dudum
Vrbs Norwicensis labitar in cineres
Vrbs tibi quid referam? breuiter tibi pauca reponam,
Prospera raro manent, vtere sorte tua.
Perpetuum mortale nihil, sors omnia versat,
Vrbs miseranda vale, sors miseranda tua est.
inifiranda.
Skelton.
Vilitissimus Scotus dundas allegat caudas contra, Angligenas
Caudatos Anglos, spurcissime Scote quid effers?
Effrons es, quo quae sons: mendax, tua spureaquae bucca est.
Anglicus a tergo
Caudant gerit.
Est canis ergo.
Anglice caudate
[Page] Cape caudam
Ne cadat a te.
Ex causa caude
Manet Anglica
Gens siue laude.
Skeltō nobilis Poeta,
Gup Scot. ye blot,
Laudate Caudate
Set in better
Thy pentameter
This dundas
This Scottishe as
He rymes and railes
That Englishmē haue failes.
Skeltonus laureatus,
Anglicus natus,
Prouocat musas
Contra Dundas
Norpacissimum Scotum,
Vndiquae notum,
Rusticè fotum
Vapidè potum,
Skelton Laureat
After this rate
Defendeth with his pen
All Englysh men. Agayn dundas
That Scottishe asse
Shake thy tayle Scot lyke a cur,
For thou beggest at euery mannes dur.
Diffamas patriam qua non est melior vsqm
Cum cauda plaudis dum possis ad hostia pultes
Mendicans mendicus eris, mendax quae bilinguis,
Scabidus horribilis, quē vermes sex quae pedales
Corrodunt misere, miseres genus est maledictum.
[Page]Tut Scot I sey
Go shake thy dog hey
Dundas of Galaway
With thy versyfyeng rayles
How they haue tayles.
By Iesu Christ, fals scot yu lyest,
But behynd in our hose
We bere there a rose
For thy Scottyshe nose,
A spectacle case
To couer thy face
With tray deux ase
A tolman to blot
A rough foted Scot
Dundas sir knaue
Why doste thow depraue,
This Royall Reame,
Whose radiant beame
And relucent light
Thou hast in despite
Thou donghyll knyght
But thou lakest might
Dundas, dronken, and drowsy
Skabed scuruy and lowsy
Of vnhappy generacion
And most vngracious nacion.
Dundas that dronke asse
That ratis and rankis
[Page] That prates and prankes
On huntley bankes
Take this our thankes
Dunde bar,
Walke Scot
Walke sot
Rayle not to far.
Admonitio Skeltonis vt omnes Arbores viridi Laureo concedant.
Fraxinus in siluis, altis in montibus Ornus Populus in fluuijs, Abies patulissima, Fagus
Lenta salix, platanus pinguis, Ficulnea Ficus, Gladifera & quercus, Pirus, Esculus, Ardua pinus,
Basamus exudans, Oleaster, Oliua Mineruae, Iuniperus, Buxus, Lentiscus cuspide lenta
Botrigera, & domino, vitis gratissima, baccho, Ilex & sterilis, Labrusta parosa colonis,
Mollibus exudans fragrantia thura sabeis Thus redolens, Arabis panter, notissima mirrha,
Et vos O Corili fragiles, humiles (que) Mirice Et vos O Cedri redolentes, vos quo (que) Mirti.
Arboris omne genu viridi concedite Lauro.
Prenes en gre. The Laurelle.
Diligo rusticum cum portant bis duo quointum
Et cantant delos est mihi dulce melos
1. Canticum dolorosum.
[Page] M. D. XVIII.
In Bedell quondam Belial incarnātum, deuotum Epitaphium.
Ismal eccae Bedel, non mel, sed fel, sibi des el. Perfidus acchitephel: Luridus atquae lorell:
Nunc olet iste Iebal. Nabal. S. Nabal ecce Ribaldus Omnibus exosus atquae perosus erat.
In plateaquae cadens Animam spirauit oleto, Presbiteros Odiens sic sine mente ruit
Discite vos omnes quid sit violare sacratos Presbiteros, quia sic corruit iste canis.
Cocitus cui sic petus per Tartara totus Sit peto promotus Cerberus hiuncquae voret
At mage sancta tamen mea musa precabiturum atros Hos limures ꝙ eat sic bedel ad superes
Non eat, immo ruat, non scandat sed mage tendat, Inquae caput preceps mox acheronto petat.
Bedel. Quāta malignatus est Inimicus in sāctā. psa. 73.
Mortus est asinus
Qui vixit multum
Hic iacet barbarus
The deuill kys his culum.
Amen.
Hanc volo transcribas, transcriptam mox quae remittas
Pagellam: quia sunt qui mea scripta sciunt
[Page]Redde. Igitur quia sunt qui mala cūcta frenuitur
Redde. Igitur quia sunt qui bona cūcta prenuitur
Nec tamen expaueo de fatuo labio,
Nec multum paueo de scolido Rabulo.
❧ Poeta Skelton Laureatus Libellum suum metrice Aloquitur.
Ad dominum properato meum mea pagina percy, qui Northumbrorum iura paterna gerit. Ad nutum celebris tu prona repone Leonis, quequae suo patri tristia iusta. Ast vbi perlegit dubiam sub mēte volutet, fortunā cuncta quae male fida rotat, qui leo sit felix & nestoris occupet Annos, ad libitum cuius ipse paratus ero.
❧ Skelton Laureat vpon the doulours dethe and muche lamentable chaūce of the most honorable erle of Northumberlande.
I Wayle, I wepe, I sobbe, I sigh fulsore
The dedely fate. the dolefulle desteny
Of hym that is gone, alas without restore
Of the bloud royall descending nobelly
Whose lordshyp doutles, was slayne lamentably
Thorow treson, again him compassed & wrought
Trew to his prince, in word, in dede, & thought.
Of heuenly poems. O. Clyo calde by name
In the colege of musis goddes hystoriall
Adres the to me whiche am both halt I lame
In elect vteraunce to make memoryall
To the for souccour to the for helpe I call
Mine homely rudnes & dryghnes to expell
With the freshe waters of Elyconys well.
Of noble Actes Aunciently enrolde
Of famous pryncis and lordes of astate
By thy report ar wont to be extold
Regestringe trewly euery formare date
Of thy bountie after the vsuall rate
Kyndell in me suche plenty of thy nobles
These sorowfulle dites that I may shew expres.
In sesons past who hath herde or sene
Of formar writyng by any presidente
That vilane hastarddis in their furious tene
Fulfylled with malice of froward entente
Confetered togeder of cominion concente
Falsly to slee theyr moste singuler good lord
It may be regestrede of shamefull recorde.
So noble a man so valiaunt lord & knyght
Fulfilled with honor as all the wold doth ken
At his cōmaundemēt which had both day & nyght
Knyghtes & squyers: at euery season when
[Page]He calde vpon them, as meniall houshold men
Were not these cōmons vncurteis karlis of kind
To slo their owne lord: god was not i their mynd
And were not they to blame I say also
That were a boute him his one seruants of trust
To suffre him slayn of his mortall fo
Fled away from hym let hym ly in the dust
They bode not till the rekenyng were discust
What shuld I flatter what shuld I glose or paint
Fy fy for shame their hartes were to faint.
In Englād & fraunce which gretly was redouted
Of whō both Flaunders & Scotlād stode in drede
To whom great estates obeyed & lowted
Amayny of rude villayns made hym for to blede
Unkyndly they flew him, that holp thē oft at nede
He was their bulwark their paues & their wall
Yet shafully they flew hym ye shame mot thē befal
I say ye comoners why wer ye so stark mad
What frantyk frensy fyll in your brayne
Where was your wit & reson ye should haue had
What wilful foly made yow to ryse a gayne
Your naturall lord: alas I can not fayne
Ye armyd you with will, & left your wit behynd
Well may you be called comones most vnkynd.
[Page]He was your chefteyne your shelde your chef defence
Redy to assyst you in euery time of nede
Your worshyp depended of his excellence
Alas ye mad men to far ye did excede
Your hap was vnhappy to ill was your spede
What moued you againe him to war or to fyght
What aylde you to sle your lord again all ryght.
The groūd of his quarel was for his soueraī lord
The well concerning of all the hole Lande
Demandyng suche duties as nedes most acord
To ye right of his prīce which shold not be wt stād
For whose cause ye slew him we your owne hand
But had his noble men done wel that day
Ye had not bene able to haue sayd hym nay
But ther was fals packing or els I am begylde
How be it the mater was euydent and playne
For if they had occupied their spere & their shilde
This noble man doutles had not bene slayne
But men say they wer lynked wt a double chaine
And held with the comones vnder a cloke
Which kindeled ye wild fyr yt made al this smoke.
The commons Renyed ther tares to pay
Of them demaunded and asked by the kynge
With one voice importune they plaīly sayd nay
They buskt thē on a bushmēt thēselfe in baile to bring
[Page]Againe the kyngs plesure to wrestle or to wring
Bluntly as bestis with boste and with crye
They sayd they forsed not, nor carede not to dy.
The nobelnes of ye north this valiāt lord & knight
As man that was Innocent of trechery or traine
Presed forth boldly to withstand the myght
And lyke marciall Hector he faught thē a gayne
Uygorously vpon them with might & with maine
Trustyng in noble men yt were with him there
But al they fled from hym for falshode or fere.
Barones, knyghtes, squiers and all
To gether with seruantes of his famuly
Turned their backe, and let their master fal
Of whome they counted not a flye
Take vp whose wold for ther they let him ly
Alas his gold, his fee, his Annual rent
Upon suche a sort was Ille bestowd & spent.
He was enuirond aboute on euery syde
With his enemyes, yt wer starke mad & wode
Ye while he stode he gaue them woundes wyde
Allas for ruth what thoughe his mynd wer gode
His corage manly, yet ther he shed his blode
Al left alone alas he foughte in vayne
For cruelly among them ther he was slayne.
Alas for pite that percy thus was spylt
[Page] The famous Erle of Northumberland
Of knyghtly prowes the sword pomel & hylt
The myghty Lyon doutted by se and Lande
O dolorus chaunce of fortunes froward hande
What man remembryng howe shāfully he was slaine
Frō bitter weping himself cā restrain.
O cruell Mars thou dedly God of war
O dolorous tewisday dedicate to thy name
Whē thou shoke thy sworde so noble a mā to mar
O ground vngracious vnhappy be thy fame
Which wert endyed with rede bloud of the same
Most noble erle: O foule mysuryd ground
Where on he gat his finall dedely wounde.
O Atropos of the fatall systers. iii.
Goddes most cruel vnto the lyfe of man
All merciles in the is no pite
O homicide which sleest, all that thou can
So forcibly vpon this erle thou ran
That with thy sword enharpit of mortall drede
Thou kit a sonder his perfight vitall threde.
My wordes vnpullysht be nakide and playne
Of Aureat poems they want ellumynynge
But by them to knowlege ye may attayne
Of this lordes dethe and of his murdrynge
Which whils he lyued had fuyson of euery thing
[Page] Of knights of squyers chyf lord of toure & towne
Tyl fykkell fortune began on hym to frowne
Paregall to dukes with kynges he might cōpare
Surmountinge in honor al erlis he did excede
To all countreis aboute hym reporte me I dare
Lyke to Eneas benigne in worde and dede
Ualiant as Hector in euery marciall nede
Prudent, discrete, circumspect and wyse
Tyll the chaunce ran agayne hym of fortunes duble dyse.
What nedeth me for to extoll his fame
With my rude pen enkankered all with rust
Whose noble actes show worshiply his name
Transendyng for myne homly muse. that muste
Yet somwhat wright supprised wt herty lust
Truly reportyng his right noble estate
Immortally whiche is immaculate.
His noble blode neuer destayned was
Trew to his prince for to defend his ryght
Doblenes hatyng, fals maters to compas
Treytory and treason he banysht out of syght
we truth to medle was al his holl delyght
As all his coūtrey can testyfy the same
To sle suche a lorde alas it was great shame.
If the hole quere of the musis nyne
[Page]In me all onely wer set and comprysed
Enbrethed with the blast of Influence deuyne
As perfytly as could be thought or deuised
To me also all though it were promised
Of Laureat Phebus holy the eloquence
All were to lytell for his magnificence
O yonge Lyon but tender yet of age
Grow and encrese remembre thyn estate
God the assyst vnto thyn herytage
And geue the grace to be more fortunate
Agayn rebellyones arme the to make debate
And as the Lyone whiche is of bestes kynge
Unto thy subiectes be curteis and benygne
I pray God sende the prosperous lyfe and long
Stable thy mynde constant to be and fast
Ryght to mayntayn & to resyst all wronge
All flateryng faytors abhor & from the cast
Of foule detraction God kepe the from the blast
Let double delyngin the haue no place,
And be not lyght of credence in no case.
With heuy chere, with dolorous hart and mynd
Eche man may sorow in his inward thought
This lords death whose pere is hard to fynd
Al gife Englond & Fraunce were thorow saught
Al kynges, all princes, al dukes, well they ought
[Page]Both temporall and spiritual for to complayne
This noble man that crewelly was slayne.
More specially Barons and those knygtes bold
And al other Gentilmen with him enterteyned
In fee: as menyall men of his housold
Whom he as lord worshyply mainteyned
To sorowful weping they ought to be cōstresned
As oft as they call to theyr remembraunce,
Of ther good lord the fate and dedely chaunce.
Perlese prince of heuen Emperyall
That with one word formed al thing of noughte
Heuen, hell, and erthe, obey vnto thy call
Which to thy resēblaūce wōdersly hast wrought
All makynd, whom thou full dere hast bought
with thy bloud precious our finaūce thou did pay
And vs redemed, from the fendys pray
To the pray we as prince Incomparable
As thou art of mercy and pyte the well
Thou bring vnto thy Ioye eterminable
The soull of this lorde from all daunger of hell
In endles blys with the to byde and dwell
In thy palace, aboue the orient
Where thou art lord, and God omnipotent.
O Ouene of mercy O lady full of grace
[Page]Mayden most pure & goddes moder dere
To sorowful hartes chef comfort and solace
Of all women O flowre without pere
Pray to thy son aboue the sterr is clere
He to vouchesaf by thy mediacion
To pardon thy seruant & brynge to saluacion
In Ioy triumphaunt the heuenly gerarchy
With all the hole sorte of that glorious place
His soull mot receyue in to theyr company
Thorow bounty of hym that formed all solace
Wel of pite, of mercy, and of grace
The father, the sonn, and the holy ghost
In Trinitate one God of myghts moste.
Non sapit humanis qui certam ponere rebus
spem cupit est hominum Raraquae ficta fides
Tetrasticon Skelton Laureati ad magistrum Rukshaw
Sacre Theologie aegregium professorem
Accipe nunc demum doctor celeberrime Rukshaw
Carmina: de calamo quae occidere meo,
Et quaqua placidis non sunt modulata carmenis
Sunt tamen ex nostro pectore prompta pio.
Vale feliciter, virorum,
Laudatissimè.
FINIS.
Elegia in Serenissimae principis & domine domine Margarete nuper Comitisse de Darby Strenuissimi Regis Henrici Septimi matris funebre ministerium. Per Skelonida Laureatum Oratorem Regium. XVI. mensis Angusti. Anno salutis. M. D. XVI.
ASpirate meis eligis pia turma sororum
Et Margaretam collacrimate piam
Hac sub mole latet Regis celebrima mater
Henrici magni quem locus iste fouet
Quem locus iste sacer celebri celebrat poliandro
Illius en genitrix hac tumulatur humo
Cui cedat tanaquil (titus hāc super astra reportat)
Cedat pennolope carus vlixis amor
Hec Abigail velut Hester erat pietate secunda
En tres iam proceres nobilitate pares
Pro domina precor implora pro principe tanta
Flecte deum precibus qui legis hos apices
Plura referre piget calamus torpore rigescit
Dormit Micenas, negligitur probitas
Nec iuuat aut modicum prodest nūc vltima versu
Facta recensere (mortua mors reor est)
Queris quid decus est? decus est modo dicier
[Page] Cedit honos hirco, cedit honor que capro
Falleris ipse Charon iterum surrexit abyron
Et stigios remos despicit ille tuos
Viuitur ex voto: mentis precordia tangunt
Nulla sepulcra ducum nec monumenta patrum
Non regum non vlla hominum labentia fato
Tempora nec tociens mortua turba ruens.
Hunc statuo certe periturae parcere cartae
Ceu Iuuenalis ouat eximius satirus.
Disticon execrationis in fagolidoros
Qui lacerat, violat, ve rapit presens Epitoma
Hunc laceret (que) voret Cerberus abs (que) mora.
Calon. Agaton. cum Areta. Re. in. Pa.
Hanc tecum statuas dominam (precor) ô sator orbis,
Quo regnas rutilans rex sine fine manens:
Orator Regius Skeltonis Laureatus in singulare meritis simum (que) praeconium nobilissim i principis Henrici Septimi nuper strenuissime Regis Anglie hoc Epitaphium edidit. Ad sinceram contemplationem reuerendi in Cristo patris ac domini Dompni Iohānis Islip Abbatis VVestmonastericij optime meriti Anno domini. M. D. XII. pridie domini Andree Apostoli. &c.
TRistia melpomenes cogor mode plectra sonare
Hos elegos foueat Cinthius ille meos
Si quas fata mouent lacrimas: lacrimare vide [...]
I am bene maturum si bene mente sapis
Flos Britonum, regum speculum Salamonis Ymago
Septimus Henricus mole sub hac tegitur
Punica dum regnat (redolens rosa digna vocari
Iam iam Marcescit ceu leuis vmbra fugit)
Multa nouercantis fortunae multa fauentis
Passus: & infractus tempus vtrumquae tulit
Nobilis anchises Armis metuendus Atrides
Hic erat: hunc Scottus rex timuit Iacobus
Spiramenta anime vegitans dum vescitur aura
Francorum populus conticuit pauidus
Inmensas sibi diuicias cumulasse quid horres
Ni cumulasset opes forte Britainie Luas
[Page] Vrgentes casus tacita si mente volutes
Vix tibi sufficeret aurea ripa thagi
Ni sua te probitas consulta mente laborans
Rexisset satius: vix tibi tuta salus
Sed quid plura can o? meditans quid plura voluto
Quis quae vigil sibi sit mors sine lege rapit
Ad domiuum qui cuncta regit pro principe tanto Funde preces quis quis carmina nostra legis.
Vel mage si placeat hunc
Hunc timuit Iacobus
Scottorum dominus
Qui sua fata luit
Quem leo candidior
Rubeum necatense Leonē
Etiacet vsquę modo
Non tumulatus humo.
Refrigerij sedem quietis beatitudinem
Luminis habeat claritatem.
AMEN.
Eulogium pro suorum Temporum Condicione Tantis principibus non indignum per Skeltonida Laure atum Oratorem Regium.
Hvc pia Calliope ꝓpera mea casta puella
Et mecum resona carmina plena deo
Septimus Henricus britonum memorabilis heros
Anglica terra tuus magnanimus priamus
Attalus hic opibus rigidus Cato, clarus Aestes
Sub gelido clausus marmore iam recubit
Hic honor omnis opes, probitas sic gloria regum
Omnia nutabunt mortis ad nuperium
Anglia num lacrimas: rides: lacrimare quid obstas?
Dum vixit lacrimas: dum moritur iubilas
Cauta tamen penses, dum vixerat Angligenenses
Vibrabant enses. bella nec vlla timent
Vndiquae bella fremunt nunc vndiquae prelia surgunt
Noster honor solus fiilius ecce suus
Noster honor solus qui qondera tanta subire
Non timet: intrepidus arma gerenda vocat
Arma geranda vocat (superi sua cepta secundent)
Vt quatiat pallos egida sepe rogat
Sors tamen est versanda diu sors vltima belli
Mirmidonum dominus mater silente ruit
Et quem non valuit validis superare sub armis
[Page] Mars? tamen occubuit insidijs Paridis
Nos incerta quidem pro certis ponere rebus
Arguit & prohibet delius ipse pater
Omnia sunt hominum dubio labencia fato
Marte sub incerto militat omnis homo
Omne decus nostrum nostra & spes vnica tantum
Iam bene qui regnat hunc Iouis vmbra tegat
Vt quamuis mentem labor est inhibere volentem
Pauca tamen liceat dicere pace sua
Pace tua liceat mihi nunc tibi dicere pauca
Dulce meum decus & sola Britanna salus
Summa rei nostre remanet celeberrime princeps
In te precipuo qui modo sceptra geris
Si tibi fata fauent precor atquae precabor
Anglia tunc plaude sui minus ipse vale.
Policronitudo Basileos.
Tetrasticon veritatis.
Felix qui bustum torniasti
Rex tibi cuprum
Auro setectus fueras
Fueras spoliatus
Nudus prostratus
Tanta est rabioso cupido
Vndique Nummorum
Rex pace precor requiescas.
Amen.
FINIS.
A treatise bitwene Trouth, and Information.
A. B. of. E how. C. for. T. was. P. in. P
Prologue.
The hoole content.
The knowledge of God, passyth comparison
The deuill knowith all il thing, cōsented or done
And man knoweth nothing, saue only by reason
And reason in man, is diuerse of operation
How can then man be parfite of cognicion
For reason shall so reason that somtyme among
A man by informatiō may ryghtewisly do wrōg
Gospell.
The auctorised gospel and reasō holdeth ther wc
Whose litterall sence agreith to the fore seyng
Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quo vadit
Now moralyse ye farther & peyse the contriuyng
I meane, bytwene trowth and sotele conueynge
Who gothe in the darke, must stumble amonge
Blame neuer a blynd man, thou he go wronge.
Example.
A Iuge to the Iury nedes must geue credence
Now what yf they purpose fals maters to cōpase
[Page] The iudge must procede yet in him non offence,
For as they geue verdit, the iugemēt must passe.
But wher the faulte is, non dormit Iudas
For by fals informacion many tymes amonge
Right shalbe rewled & ye righteouse shal do wrong
Euell information.
But woo to suche informers who they be
That maketh their malice yt mater of the power
And cruelly without conscience right or pity
Disgorgith theyr venome vnder that colowre
Alas not remembryng their soules doloure
When, dies illa, dies ire, shalbe their songe
Ite maledicti, take that for your wronge.
Aparable betwen informacion & Musike
The examples.
Musike in his Melody requiereth true soundes
Who setteth a song, should geue him to armony
who kepeth true his tuenes may not passe his sōds
His alteraciōs & prolaciōs must be pricked treuly
For musike is trew though minstrels maketh maystry
The harper careth nothīg but reward for his sōg
Merily soūdith his mouth whē his tōg goth all of wrong.
The Harpe.
A harpe geueth sounde as it is sette
The harper may wrest it vntunablye
Yf he play wrong good tunes he doth lette
Or by mystunyng the very trew armonye
A Harpe well playde on shewyth swete melody
[Page] A harper wt his wrest maye tune the harpe wrōg
Mys tunyng of an instrument shal hurt a true songe
A songe.
A songe that is trewe and ful of swetnes
May be euyll songe and tunyd amyse
The songe of hymselfe yet neuer the les
Is true and tunable, and syng it as it is
Then blame not the song, but marke wel this
He that hath spit at an other mans songe
Will do what he can to haue it song wronge.
A claricorde.
The claricord hath a tunely kynde
As the wyre is wrested hye and lowe
So it tuenyth to the players mynde
For as it is wrested so must it nedes showe
As by this reson ye may well know
Any Instrumēt mystunyd shall hurt a trew sōg
Yet blame not the claricord ye wrester doth wrōg.
A trompet.
A trompet blowen hye with to hard a blast
Shal cause him to vary from the tunable kynde
But he that bloweth to hard must suage at yt last
And fayne to fall lower with a tēperat wynde
And then the trompet the true tune shall fynde
For an instrument ouer wynded is tuned wrōg
Blame none but the blower, on him it is longe.
True counsell.
Who plaieth on the harpe, he should play trew
Who syngeth a songe, let his voye be tunable
[Page] Who wresteth the claricorde mystunyng eschew
Who bloweth a trōpet let his wind be mesurable
For instrumentes in themself be ferme & stable
And of trouth, wold trouth to euery manes soge
Tune them then truly for in thē is no wronge.
Colours of Musyke.
In Musyke I haue learned iiij. colours as this
Blake, ful blake, verte, and in lykewyse redde
By these colours many subtill alteraciōs ther is
That wil begile one tho in cunīg he be wel sped
With a prike of Indicion frō a body that is dede
He shal try so his nombre wt swetnes of his song
That the eare shalbe pleased, and yet he al wrōg.
The practiser
I pore man vnable of this science to skyll
Saue litel practise I haue by experience
I meane but trouth and of good will
To remembre the doers, that vseth such offence
Not one sole, but generally in sentence
By cause I can skyll of alitle songe
To try the true corde to be knowen fro the wrōg
Treuth.
Yet trouth was drownde he not sanke
But still dyd fleete a boue the water
Informacion had played hym suche a pranke
That with power the pore had lost his mater
Bycause that troushe begane to clater
Informacion hath taught hym to solfe his songe
Paciens parforce, content you we wronge
Truth.
I assayde theis tunes me thought thē not swete
The concordes were nothynge Musicall
I called Masters of Musike cunyng and discrete
And the first prynciple whose name was tuballe
Guido [...]oice Iohn de Murris, vitr [...]ace & them al
I prayed them of helpe of this combrous songe
Priked with force and l [...]ttred with wronge
True answere.
They sayd I was horce I myght not synge
My voice is to pore it is not awdyble
Informacion is so curyous in his chauntynge
That to bere the trew plainsong, it is not posible
His proporcions be so hard wc so highe a quatrible
And ye playn song in the margyn so craftely boūd
That yt true tunes of tuball cā not haue ye ryght sounde.
Truthe.
Well quod treuth, yet ones I trust verely
To haue my voyce and synge a gayne
And to flete out treuth and clarify truly
And ete suger candy adaye or twayne
And then to the deske to synge true and playn
Informacion shall not alwaye entune hys song
My parts shalbe true, whē his coūtreuers shalbe wrong.
Information.
Information hym enbolded of the monacorde
Frō cōsonaunts to cōcordes he Musyd his mastry
I assayde the Musyke both knyght and lord
But none wold speke, the sounde bord was to hie
Thē kept I ye plain keyes y• marred al my melody
[Page] Enformacion draue a crochet ye past al my song
With proporcion parforce, dreuen on to longe.
Dialoge.
Sufferance came in, to syng a parte
Go to quod trouth, I pray you begyne
Nay sofft quod he, the gise of my parte
Is to rest a longe rest or I set in
Nay by long restyng ye shall nothing wynne
For informaciō is so crafty & so hye in his songe
That yf ye fal to resting infayth in wilbe wrong
Trevveth.
Informacion wil teche a doctor his game
From superacute to the noble dyapason
I a sayd to acute and when I came
Enformacion was mete for a doble dyatessaron
He song by a pothome yt hath two kyndes in one
with many subtel semetnēs most-met for his sōg
Pacience parforce, content you with wronge
Trouth.
I kepe he rounde and he by square
The one is bemole & the other bequare
If I myght make tryall as I could and dare
I should show why these. ij. kyndes do varye
But God knowyth al, so doth not kyng Harry
For yf he dydde thanchaunge shold this. iiii. song
Pytye, for pacience, and consience, for wronge
Nenyssvvhete Parabolam
FINIS, Finis.
SKELTON. LAVreate Oratoris Registertius. Against venemous tongues enpoysoned with sclaunder and false detractions. &c.
‘Quid detur tibi aut quid apponatur tibi ad linguam dolosam?’Psalm. C. xlij.‘Deus destruet te, in finem euellet te, & emigrabit te de tabernaculo tuo. & radicem tuam de terra viuentium.’Psal. lxvii.
AL maters wel pondred, & wel to be regarded
How shuld a fals lying tung thē be rewarded
Such tunges shuld be torne out by yt harde rootes
Hoyning like hogges that groynis and wrotes.
Dilexisti omnia verba precipitationis lingua dolosa. vbi. s. &c.
For as I haue rede in volumes olde
A fals lying tunge is harde to withholde.
A sclaunderous tunge, a tunge of a skolde
Worketh more mischiefe than can be tolde.
That if I wist not to be controlde
Yet somwhat to say I dare well be bolde
[...]ow some delite for to lye, thycke and threfolde.
[Page]Ad sannam hominem redigit comite & graphice.
For ye said, that he said, that I said, wote ye what
I made (he said) a windmil of an olde mat.
If there be none other mater but that,
Than ye may cōmaunde me to gētil Cok wat.
Hic notat (purpuraria arte) intextas literas Romanas in amictibus post ambulonum ante & retro.
For before on your brest, & behind on your back,
In Romaine letters I neuer founde lack.
In your crosse rowe, nor Christ crosse you spede,
your Pater noster, your Aue, nor your Crede.
Who soeuer that tale vnto you tolde,
He saith vntruly, to say, that I would
Controlle the cognisaunce of noble men:
Either by language, or with my pen.
Pedagogium meum de sublimiori Minerua constat esse. ergo. &c.
My scole is more solem, & somwhat more haute
Than to be founde in any such faute.
Pedagogium meum male sanos maledicos (sibulis, conplosi (que) mantibus) explodit. &c.
My scoles are not for vnthriftes vntaught,
For frantick faitours half mad, & half straught
But my learning is of an other degrée,
To taūt theim like liddrous, lewde as thei [...]ée
Laxentergo antemnam elationis sue infla [...] [Page] vento vanitatis. li. ille. &c.
For though some be lidder, and list for to rayle,
Yet to lie vpon me they can not preuayle.
Then let them vale a bonet of their proud sayle.
And of their taunting toies rest with il hayle.
Nobilitati ignobilis cedat vilitas. &c.
There is no noble man wil iudge in me,
Any such foly to rest or to be.
I care muche the lesse what euer they say,
For tunges vntayde be renning a stray.
But yet I may say safely, so many wel lettred
Embraudred, enlasid together, and fettred.
And so litle learning, so lewdly alowed:
What fault find ye herein but may be auowed?
But ye are so full of vertibilite,
And of frenetyke folabilite.
And of melancoly mutabilite.
That ye would coarte, and enforce me.
Nothing to write, but hay the gy of thre.
And I to suffre you lewdly toly,
Of me, with your language full of vilany.
Sicut nouocla acuta fecisti dolum, vbi. s.
Malicious tunges, though they haue no bones,
Are sharper thē swordes, sturdier then stones.
Lege philostratum de vita tyanei Apollonij.
Sharper then raysors, that shaue & cut throtes.
More stinging thē scorpions yt stang Pharaotis
Venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum. Ps.
[Page] More venemous and much more virulent,
Then any poysoned tode, or any serpent.
Quid peregrinis egemus exemplis, ad domestica recurramus. &c. li. ille.
Such tunges vnhappy hath made great diuision.
In realmes, in cities, by suche fals abusion.
Of fals fickil tunges, suche cloked collusion.
Hath brought nobil princes to ertreme cōfusiō.
Quicquid loquantur vt effeminantur ita effantur. &c.
Somtime women were put in great blame,
Men said they could not their tunges atame.
But men take vpon theim nowe all the shame.
with skeldig & sklaūderig make their tūgs lame
Nouarum rerum cupidissimi. captatores. delatores. adulatores. inuigilatores. deliratores. &c. id genus li. ille.
For men be now trailers and tellers of tales,
what tidings at Totmā, what newis in wales?
What shippis are sailing to Scalis malis
And all is not worth a couple of nut shalis
But lering and lurking here and there like spies.
The deuil tere their tūges & pike out their ies.
Then ren they wc lesinges, and blow them about.
With he wrate suche a bil withouten dout.
With, I can tel you what such a man said,
And you knew all, ye would be ill apayd.
[Page] De more vulpino gannientes ad aurem, fictas fabellas fabricant. li. ille.
In auspicatum. male ominatum. infortunatū se fateatur habuisse horoscopum quicunque maledixerit vati Pierio. S. L. &c.
But if that I knewe what his name hight,
For clatering of me, I would him sone quight.
For his false lying, of that I spake neuer,
I could make him shortly repent him for euer.
Although he made it neuer so tough,
He might be sure to haue shame ynough.
Cerberus horrendo baratri latrando, sub antro. Te rodat (que) voret lingua dolosa (precor)
A fals double tunge is more fiers and fell,
Thē Cerberus yt cur couching in ye kenel of hel
Wherof hereafter, I thinke for to write,
Of fals double tunges in the dispite.
¶ Recipit se scripturum opus sancte, laudabile, acceptabile, memorabile (que), & nimis honorificādū.
¶ Disperdat dominus vniuersa labia dolosa & linguam magniloquam.
¶Why were ye Calliope, embrawdred with letters of golde?
Skelton Laureate Orato. Reg. maketh this aunswere. &c.
CAlliope
As ye may se
Regent is she
Of poetes al
Whiche gaue to me
The high degre
Laureat to be.
Of fame royall
Whose name enrolde
With silke and golde
I dare be bolde
Thus for to were
Of her I holde
And her housholde
Though I waxe olde
And somdele sere
Yet is she fayne
Uoyde of disdayn
Me to retayne
Her seruiture.
With her certayne
I wyll remayne
As my souerayne
Moost of pleasure.
¶ Maulgre touz malheureux.
[Page]Latinum carmen sequitur. Cur tibi contexta est aurea Calliope? Responsio eiusdem vatis.
CAndida Calliope vatum regina, coronans
Pierios lauro, radiante intexta sub auro,
Hanc ego Pierius, tanto dignabor honore
Dum mihi vita manet, dum spiritus hos regit artus
Quamquam conficior senio marcesco (que) sensim
Ipse tamen gestare sua haec pia pignora certo,
Assensu (que) suo placidis parebo camenis
Inclita Calliope & semper mea maxima cura est.
¶ Haec Pierius omni Spartane liberior.
CALLIOPE,
Musarum excellentissima,
speciosissima, formosissima,
Heroic is preest versibus.
FINIS.
❧ Imprinted at London in Fletestreate, neare vnto S. Dunstones churche by Thomas Marshe.