Transcriber’s Note: Volume I is available as PG ebook #59997.

THE
POETICAL WORKS OF SKELTON.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY LEVEY, ROBSON, AND FRANKLYN,
Great New Street, Fetter Lane.

THE
POETICAL WORKS
OF
JOHN SKELTON:

WITH NOTES,
AND
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS WRITINGS,
BY THE
REV. ALEXANDER DYCE.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
THOMAS RODD, GREAT NEWPORT STREET.
MDCCCXLIII.

THE POETICAL WORKS
OF
JOHN SKELTON.

SPEKE, PARROT.[1]
THE BOKE [2] COMPILED BY MAISTER SKELTON, POET LAUREAT, CALLED SPEAKE, PARROT.

[Lectoribus auctor recipit [3] opusculi hujus auxesim.

Crescet in immensum me vivo pagina præsens;

Hinc mea dicetur Skeltonidis aurea fama.

Parot.]

Lucanus.[4] Tigris et Euphrates uno se fonte resolvunt.

My name is Parrot, a byrd of paradyse,

By nature deuysed of a wonderous [5] kynde,

Dyentely dyeted with dyuers dylycate spyce,

Tyl Euphrates, that flode, dryueth me into Inde;

Where men of that countrey by fortune me fynd,

And send me to greate ladyes [6] of estate:

Then Parot must haue an almon or a date;

Topographia, quam habet hæc avicula in deliciis.

A cage curyously caruen, with syluer pyn, 10

Properly paynted, to be my couertowre;

A myrrour of glasse, that I may toote therin;

These maidens ful mekely with many a diuers [7] flowre

Freshly they dresse, and make swete my bowre,

With, Speke, Parrot, I pray you, full curtesly they say;

Parrot is a goodly byrd, a [8] prety popagey:

Delectatur in factura sua, tamen res est forma fugax.

With my becke bent, my [9] lyttyl wanton eye,

My fedders freshe as is the emrawde grene,

About my neck a cyrculet lyke the ryche rubye,

My lyttyll leggys, my feet both fete and clene, 20

I am a mynyon to wayt vppon a [10] quene;

My proper Parrot, my lyttyl prety foole;

With ladyes I lerne, and go with them to scole.

Psittacus a vobis aliorum nomina disco: Hoc per me didici dicere,[11] Cæsar, ave.

Hagh, ha, ha, Parrot, ye can laugh pretyly!

Parrot hath not dyned of al this [12] long day:

Lyke your [13] pus cate, Parrot can mute and cry

In Lattyn, in Ebrew, Araby, and Caldey;[14]

In Greke tong Parrot can bothe speke and say,

As Percyus, that poet, doth reporte of me,

Quis expedivit psittaco suum chaire? 30

Docibilem se pandit in omni idiomate. Polichronitudo Basileos.

Dowse [15] French of Parryse Parrot can lerne,

Pronounsynge my purpose after my properte,

With, Perliez byen, Parrot, ou perlez rien;

With Douch, with Spanysh, my tong can agre;

In Englysh to God Parrot can supple,[16]

Cryst saue Kyng Henry [17] the viii., our royall kyng,

The red rose in honour to florysh and sprynge!

Katerina universalis vitii ruina, Græcum est. Fidasso de cosso, i. habeto fidem in temet ipso. Auctoritate[m] inconsultam taxat hic. Lege Flaccum, et observa plantatum diabolum.

With Kateryne incomparable, our ryall [18] quene also,

That pereles pomegarnet, Chryst saue her noble grace!

Parrot, saves [19] habler Castiliano, 40

With fidasso de cosso[20] in Turkey and in Trace;

Vis consilii expers,[21] as techith me Horace,

Mole ruit sua, whose dictes ar [22] pregnaunte,

Souentez foys,[23] Parrot, en souenaunte.

Sæpenumero hæc pensitans psittacus ego pronuntio.[24] Aphorismo, quia paronomasia certe incomprehensibilis.

My lady maystres,[25] dame Philology,

Gaue me a gyfte in my nest whan I [26] laye,

To lerne all language, and it to spake aptely:

Now pandez mory,[27] wax frantycke, some men [28] saye;

Phroneses for [29] Freneses may not holde her way.

An almon now for Parrot, dilycatly drest; 50

In Salve festa dies, toto theyr doth [30] best.

Aptius hic loquitur animus quam lingua. Notum adagium et exasperans.

Moderata juvant, but toto doth excede;

Dyscressyon is moder of noble vertues all;

Myden [31] agan in Greke [32] tonge we rede;

But reason and wyt wantyth theyr prouyncyall

When wylfulnes is vycar generall.

Hæc res acu tangitur, Parrot, par ma foy:

Ticez vous, Parrot, tenez vous coye.

Besy, besy,[33] besy, and besynes agayne!

Que pensez voz, Parrot? what meneth this besynes? 60

Vitulus in Oreb troubled Arons brayne,

Melchisedeck mercyfull made Moloc mercyles;

To wyse is no vertue, to medlyng, to restles;

In mesure is tresure, cum sensu maturato;[34]

Ne tropo sanno,[35] ne tropo mato.

Aram was fyred with Caldies fyer called Ur;

Iobab [36] was brought vp in the lande of Hus;[37]

The lynage of Lot toke supporte of Assur;

Iereboseth is Ebrue, who lyst the cause [38] dyscus.

Peace, Parrot, ye prate, as ye were ebrius: 70

Howst thé, lyuer god van hemrik, ic seg;

In Popering [39] grew peres, whan Parrot was an eg.

What is this to purpose? Ouer in a whynnymeg![40]

Hop Lobyn of Lowdeon wald haue e [41] byt of bred;

The iebet of Baldock was made for Jack Leg;

An arrow vnfethered and without an hed,

A bagpype [42] without blowynge standeth in no sted:

Some run to far before, some run to far behynde,

Some be to churlysshe, and some be to kynde.

Ic dien serueth for the [43] erstrych [44] fether, 80

Ic dien is the language of the land of Beme;

In Affryc tongue byrsa is a thonge of lether;

In Palestina there is Ierusalem.

Colostrum now for Parot, whyte bred and swete creme!

Our Thomasen [45] she doth trip, our Ienet she doth shayle:

Parrot hath a blacke beard and a fayre grene tayle.

Moryshe myne owne shelfe, the costermonger sayth;[46]

Fate, fate, fate, ye Irysh [47] water lag;

In flattryng fables men fynde but lyttyl fayth:

But moveatur terra, let the world wag; 90

Let syr Wrig wrag [48] wrastell with syr Delarag;[49]

Euery man after his maner of wayes,

Pawbe une aruer, so the Welche man sayes.

Suche shredis of sentence, strowed in the shop

Of auncyent Aristippus and such other mo,

I gader togyther and close in my crop,[50]

Of my wanton conseyt, unde depromo

Dilemmata docta in pædagogio

Sacro vatum, whereof to you I breke:

I pray you, let Parot haue lyberte to speke. 100

But ware the cat, Parot, ware the fals cat!

With, Who is there? a mayd? nay, nay, I trow:

Ware ryat, Parrot, ware ryot, ware that!

Mete, mete for Parrot, mete, I say, how!

Thus dyuers of language by lernyng I grow:

With, Bas me, swete Parrot, bas me, swete swete;

To dwell amonge ladyes Parrot is mete.

Parrot, Parrot, Parrot, praty popigay!

With my beke I can pyke my lyttel praty too;

My delyght is solas, pleasure, dysporte, and pley; 110

Lyke a wanton, whan I wyll, I rele to and froo:

Parot can say, Cæsar, ave, also;

But Parrot hath no fauour to Esebon:

Aboue all other byrdis, set Parrot alone.

Ulula, Esebon, for Ieromy doth wepe!

Sion is in sadnes, Rachell ruly doth loke;

Madionita Ietro, our Moyses kepyth his shepe;

Gedeon is gon, that Zalmane vndertoke,

Oreb et Zeb, of Judicum rede the boke;

Now Geball, Amon, and Amaloch,—harke, harke! 120

Parrot pretendith to be a bybyll clarke.

O Esebon, Esebon! to thé is cum agayne

Seon, the regent Amorræorum,

And Og, that fat hog of [51] Basan, doth retayne,

The crafty coistronus Cananæorum;[52]

And asylum, whilom refugium miserorum,

Non fanum, sed profanum, standyth in lyttyll sted:

Ulula, Esebon, for Iepte is starke ded!

Esebon, Marybon, Wheston next Barnet;

A trym tram for an horse myll it were a nyse thyng; 130

Deyntes for dammoysels, chaffer far fet:

Bo ho doth bark wel, but Hough ho he rulyth [53] the ring;

From Scarpary to Tartary renoun therin doth spryng,

With, He sayd, and we said, ich wot now what ich wot,

Quod magnus est dominus Judas Scarioth.

Tholomye and Haly were cunnyng and wyse

In the volvell, in the quadrant, and in the astroloby,

To pronostycate truly the chaunce of fortunys dyse;

Som trete of theyr tirykis, som of astrology,

Som pseudo-propheta with chiromancy:[54] 140

Yf fortune be frendly, and grace be the guyde,

Honowre with renowne wyll ren on [55] that syde.

Monon calon agaton,

Quod Parato

In Græco.

Let Parrot, I pray you, haue lyberte to prate,

For aurea lingua Græca ought to be magnyfyed,

Yf it were cond perfytely, and after the rate,

As lingua Latina, in scole matter occupyed;

But our Grekis theyr Greke so well haue applyed, 150

That they cannot say in Greke, rydynge by the way,

How, hosteler, fetche my hors a botell of hay!

Neyther frame a silogisme in phrisesomorum,

Formaliter et Græce, cum medio termino:

Our Grekys ye walow in the washbol Argolicorum;

For though ye can tell in Greke what is phormio,

Yet ye seke out your Greke in Capricornio;

For they [56] scrape [57] out good scrypture, and set in a gall,

Ye go about to amende, and ye mare all.

Some argue secundum quid ad simpliciter, 160

And yet he wolde be rekenyd pro Areopagita;

And some make distinctions multipliciter,

Whether ita were before non, or non[58] before ita,

Nether wise nor wel lernid, but like hermaphrodita:

Set sophia asyde, for euery Jack Raker

And euery mad medler must now be a maker.

In Academia Parrot dare no probleme kepe;

For Græce fari[59] so occupyeth the chayre,

That Latinum fari may fall to rest and slepe,

And syllogisari was drowned at Sturbrydge fayre; 170

Tryuyals [60] and quatryuyals so sore now they appayre,

That Parrot the [61] popagay hath pytye to beholde

How the rest of good lernyng is roufled [62] vp and trold.

Albertus de modo significandi,

And Donatus be dryuen out of scole;

Prisians hed broken now handy dandy,

And Inter didascolos is rekened for a fole;

Alexander, a gander of Menanders [63] pole,

With Da Cansales, is cast out of the gate,

And Da Racionales dare not shew his pate. 180

Plauti[64] in his comedies a chyld shall now reherse,

And medyll with Quintylyan in his Declamacyons,[65]

That Pety Caton can scantly construe a verse,

With Aveto in Græco, and such solempne salutacyons,

Can skantly the tensis of his coniugacyons;

Settynge theyr myndys so moche of eloquens,

That of theyr scole maters lost is the hole sentens.

Now a nutmeg, a nutmeg, cum gariopholo,[66]

For Parrot to pyke vpon, his brayne for to stable,

Swete synamum styckis and pleris cum musco![67] 190

In Paradyce, that place of pleasure perdurable,

The progeny of Parrottis were fayre and fauorable;

Nowe in valle Ebron Parrot is fayne to fede:

Cristecrosse and saynt Nycholas, Parrot, be your good spede!

The myrrour that I tote in, quasi diaphanum,

Vel quasi speculum, in ænigmate,

Elencticum,[68] or ells enthymematicum,[69]

For logicions to loke on, somwhat sophistice:

Retoricyons [70] and oratours in freshe humanyte,

Support Parrot, I pray you, with your suffrage ornate, 200

Of confuse tantum auoydynge the chekmate.

But of that supposicyon that callyd is arte

Confuse distributive, as Parrot hath deuysed,

Let euery man after his merit take his parte,

For in this processe Parrot nothing hath surmysed,

No matter pretendyd, nor nothyng enterprysed,

But that metaphora, allegoria with all,

Shall be his protectyon, his pauys, and his wall.

For Parot is no churlish chowgh, nor no flekyd pye,

Parrot is no pendugum, that men call a carlyng, 210

Parrot is no woodecocke, nor no butterfly,

Parrot is no stameryng stare, that men call a starlyng;

But Parot is my [71] owne dere harte and my dere [72] derling;

Melpomene, that fayre mayde, she burneshed his beke:

I pray you, let Parrot haue lyberte to speke.

Parrot is a fayre byrd for a lady;

God of his goodnes him framed and wrought;

When Parrot is ded, she dothe not putrefy:

Ye, all thyng mortall shall torne vnto nought,

Except mannes soule, that Chryst so dere bought; 220

That neuer may dye, nor neuer dye shall:

Make moche of Parrot, the [73] popegay ryall.[74]

For that pereles prynce that Parrot dyd create,

He made you of nothynge by his magistye:

Poynt well this probleme that Parrot doth prate,

And remembre amonge how Parrot and ye

Shall lepe from this lyfe, as mery as we be;

Pompe, pryde, honour, ryches, and worldly lust,

Parrot sayth playnly, shall tourne all to dust.

Thus Parrot dothe pray you 230

With hert most tender,

To rekyn with this recule now,[75]

And it to remember.

Psittacus, ecce, cano, nec sunt mea carmina Phœbo

Digna scio, tamen est plena camena deo.

Secundum Skeltonida famigeratum,

In Piereorum catalogo numeratum.

Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis, &c.[76]

Candidi lectores, callide callete; vestrum fovete Psittacum, &c.[77]

[Galathea.

Hic occurrat [78] memoriæ Pamphilus de amore Galatheæ.

Speke, Parotte, I pray yow, for Maryes saake,

Whate mone he made when Pamphylus loste hys make.

Parrotte.

In ista cantilena [79] ore stilla plena abjectis frangibulis et aperit.

My propire Besse, 240

My praty Besse,

Turne ones agayne to me:

For slepyste thou, Besse,

Or wakeste thow, Besse,

Myne herte hyt ys with thé.

Quid quæritis tot capita, tot census?

My deysy delectabyll,

My prymerose commendabyll,

My vyolet amyabyll,

My ioye inexplicabill,

Nowe torne agayne to me. 250

I wylbe ferme and stabyll,

And to yow seruyceabyll,

And also prophytabyll,

Yf ye be agreabyll

To turne agayne to me,

My propyr Besse.

Maro: Malo me Galatea petit, lasciva puella, Et fugit ad salices, &c.

Alas, I am dysdayned,

And as a man halfe maymed,

My harte is so sore payned!

I pray thé, Besse, vnfayned, 260

Yet com agayne to me!

Be loue I am constreyned

To be with yow retayned,

Hyt wyll not be refrayned:

I pray yow, be reclaymed,

And torne agayne to me,

My propyr Besse.

Quod [80] Parot, the popagay royall.

Martialis cecinit carmen fit mihi scutum:—

Est mihi lasciva pagina, vita proba.[81]

Galethea.

Zoe kai psyche.[82] Non omnes capiunt verbum istud, sed quibus datum est desuper.

Now kus me, Parrot, kus me, kus, kus, kus:[83]

Goddys blessyng lyght on thy swete lyttyll [84] mus! 270

Vita et anima,

Zoe kai psyche.[85]

Aquinates.[86]

Concumbunt [87] Græce. Non est hic sermo pudicus.

Sua consequentia [88] magni æstimatur momenti Attica sane eloquentia.

Ergo[89] Attica [90] dictamina

Sunt [91] plumbi lamina,

Vel [92] spuria vitulamina:

Avertat hæc [93] Urania![94]

[Amen.]

Amen, Amen,[95]

And set to [96] a D,

And then it is, Amend

Our new found A, B, C.

Cum cæteris paribus.[97]

[Lenuoy primere.

Go, litell quayre, namyd the Popagay, 280

Home to resorte Jerobesethe perswade;

For the cliffes of Scaloppe they rore wellaway,

And the sandes of Cefas begyn to waste and fade,

For replicacion restles that he of late ther made;

Now Neptune and Eolus ar agreed of lyclyhode,

For Tytus at Dover abydythe in the rode;

Lucina she wadythe among the watry floddes,

And the cokkes begyn to crowe agayne the day;

Le tonsan de Jason is lodgid among the shrowdes,

Of Argus revengyd, recover when he may; 290

Lyacon of Libyk and Lydy hathe cawghte hys pray:

Goe, lytyll quayre, pray them that yow beholde,

In there remembraunce ye may be inrolde.

Yet some folys say that ye arre ffurnysshyd with knakkes,

That hang togedyr as fethyrs in the wynde;

But lewdlye ar they lettyrd that your lernyng lackys,

Barkyng and whyning, lyke churlysshe currys of kynde,

For whoo lokythe wyselye in your warkys may fynde

Muche frutefull mater: but now, for your defence

Agayne all remordes arme yow with paciens. 300

Monostichon.

Ipse sagax æqui ceu verax nuntius ito.

Morda [98] puros mal desires. Portugues.

Penultimo die Octobris, 33ᵒ.

Secunde Lenuoy.

Passe forthe, Parotte, towardes some passengere,

Require hym to convey yow ovyr the salte fome;

Addressyng your selfe, lyke a sadde messengere,

To ower soleyne seigneour Sadoke, desire hym to cum home,

Makyng hys pylgrimage by nostre dame de Crome;

For Jerico and Jerssey shall mete togethyr assone

As he to exployte the man owte of the mone.

With porpose and graundepose he may fede hym fatte,

Thowghe he pampyr not hys paunche with the grete seall: 310

We haue longyd and lokyd long tyme for that,

Whyche cawsythe pore suters haue many a hongry mele:

As presydent and regente he rulythe every deall.

Now pas furthe, good Parott, ower Lorde be your stede,[99]

In this your journey to prospere and spede!

And thowe sum dysdayne yow, and sey how ye prate,

And howe your poemys arre barayne of polyshed eloquens,

There is none that your name woll abbrogate

Then nodypollys and gramatolys of smalle intellygens;

To rude ys there reason to reche to your sentence: 320

Suche malyncoly mastyvys and mangye curre dogges

Ar mete for a swyneherde to hunte after hogges.

Monostichon.

Psittace, perge [100] volans, fatuorum tela retundas.

Morda [101] puros mall desers. Portugues.

In diebus Novembris, 34.

Le dereyn Lenveoy.

Prepayre yow, Parrot, breuely your passage to take,

Of Mercury vndyr the trynall aspecte,

And sadlye salute ower solen syre Sydrake,

And shewe hym that all the world dothe coniecte,

How the maters he mellis in com to small effecte;

For he wantythe of hys wyttes that all wold rule alone;

Hyt is no lytyll bordon to bere a grete mylle stone: 330

To bryng all the see into a cheryston pytte,

To nombyr all the sterrys in the fyrmament,

To rule ix realmes by one mannes wytte,

To suche thynges ympossybyll reason cannot consente:

Muche money, men sey, there madly he hathe spente:

Parrot, ye may prate thys vndyr protestacion,

Was neuyr suche a senatour syn Crystes incarnacion.

Wherfor he may now come agayne as he wente,

Non sine postica sanna, as I trowe,

From Calys to Dovyr, to Caunterbury in Kente, 340

To make reconyng in the resseyte how Robyn loste hys bowe,

To sowe corne in the see sande, ther wyll no crope growe.

Thow ye be tauntyd, Parotte, with tonges attayntyd,

Yet your problemes ar preignaunte, and with loyalte acquayntyd.

Monostichon.

I, properans, Parrot[e],[102] malas sic corripe linguas.

Morda puros mall desires. Portigues.

15 kalendis Decembris, 34.

Distichon miserabile.

Altior, heu, cedro, crudelior, heu, leopardo!

Heu, vitulus bubali fit dominus Priami!

Tetrastichon,—Unde species Priami est digna imperio.

Non annis licet et Priamus sed honore voceris:

Dum foveas vitulum, rex, regeris, Britonum;

Rex, regeris, non ipse regis: rex inclyte, calle; 350

Subde tibi vitulum, ne fatuet nimium.

God amend all,

That all amend may!

Amen, quod Parott,

The royall popagay.

Kalendis Decembris, 34.

Lenvoy royall.

Go, propyr Parotte, my popagay,

That lordes and ladies thys pamflett may behold,

With notable clerkes: supply to them, I pray,

Your rudenes to pardon, and also that they wolde

Vouchesafe to defend yow agayne the brawlyng scolde, 360

Callyd Detraxion, encankryd with envye,

Whose tong ys attayntyd with slaundrys obliqui.

For trowthe in parabyll ye wantonlye pronounce,

Langagys diuers, yet vndyr that dothe reste

Maters more precious then the ryche jacounce,

Diamounde, or rubye, or balas of the beste,

Or eyndye sapher with oryente perlys [103] dreste:

Wherfor your remorde[r]s ar madde, or else starke blynde,

Yow to remorde erste or they know your mynde.

Distichon.

I, volitans,[104] Parrote, tuam moderare Minervam: 370

Vix tua percipient, qui tua teque legent.

Hyperbato[n].

Psittacus hi notus [105] seu Persius est puto notus,

Nec reor est nec erit licet est erit.

Maledite soyte bouche malheurewse! 34

Laucture de Parott.

O my Parrot, O unice dilecte, votorum meorum omnis lapis, lapis pretiosus operimentum tuum!

Parrott.

Sicut Aaron populumque, sic bubali vitulus, sic bubali vitulus, sic bubali vitulus.

Thus myche Parott hathe opynlye expreste:

Let se who dare make vp the reste.

Le Popagay sen va complayndre.[106]

Helas! I lamente the dull abusyd brayne,

The enfatuate fantasies, the wytles wylfulnes

Of on and hothyr at me that haue dysdayne:

Som sey, they cannot my parables expresse;

Som sey, I rayle att ryott recheles; 380

Some say but lityll, and thynke more in there thowghte,

How thys prosses I prate of, hyt ys not all for nowghte.

O causeles cowardes, O hartles hardynes!

O manles manhod, enfayntyd all with fere!

O connyng clergye, where ys your redynes

To practise or postyll thys prosses here and there?

For drede ye darre not medyll with suche gere,

Or elles ye pynche curtesy, trulye as I trowe,

Whyche of yow fyrste dare boldlye plucke the crowe.

The skye is clowdy, the coste is nothyng clere; 390

Tytan bathe truste vp hys tressys of fyne golde;

Iupyter for Saturne darre make no royall chere;

Lyacon lawghyth there att, and berythe hym more bolde;

Racell, rulye ragged, she is like to cache colde;

Moloc, that mawmett, there darre no man withsay;

The reste of suche reconyng may make a fowle fraye.

Dixit, quod Parrott, the royall popagay.

Cest chose maleheurese,

Que mall bouche.

Parrotte.

Jupiter ut nitido deus est veneratus Olympo;

Hic coliturque deus. 400

Sunt data thura Jovi, rutilo solio residenti;

Cum Jove thura capit.

Jupiter astrorum rector dominusque polorum;[107]

Anglica sceptra regit.

Galathea.

I compas the conveyaunce vnto the capitall

Of ower clerke Cleros, whythyr, thydyr, and why not hethyr?

For passe a pase apase ys gon to cache a molle,

Over Scarpary mala vi, Monsyre cy and sliddyr:

Whate sequele shall folow when pendugims mete togethyr?

Speke, Parotte, my swete byrde, and ye shall haue a date, 410

Of frantycknes and folysshnes whyche ys the grett state?

Parotte.

Difficille hit ys to ansswere thys demaunde;

Yet, aftyr the sagacite of a popagay,—

Frantiknes dothe rule and all thyng commaunde;

Wylfulnes and braynles no[w] rule all the raye;

Agayne ffrentike frenesy there dar no man sey nay,

For ffrantiknes, and wylfulnes, and braynles ensembyll,

The nebbis of a lyon they make to trete and trembyll;

To jumbyll, to stombyll, to tumbyll down lyke folys,

To lowre,[108] to droupe, to knele, to stowpe, and to play
cowche quale, 420

To fysshe afore the nette, and to drawe polys;

He make[th] them to bere babylles, and to bere a lowe sayle;

He caryeth a kyng in hys sleve, yf all the worlde fayle;

He facithe owte at a fflusshe, with, shewe, take all!

Of Pope Julius cardys he ys chefe cardynall.

He tryhumfythe, he trumpythe, he turnythe all vp and downe,

With, skyregalyard, prowde palyard, vaunteperler, ye prate!

Hys woluys hede, wanne, bloo as lede, gapythe over the crowne:

Hyt ys to fere leste he wolde were the garland on hys pate,

Peregall with all prynces farre passyng hys estate; 430

For of ower regente the regiment he hathe, ex qua vi,

Patet per versus, quod ex vi bolte harvi.

Now, Galathea, lett Parrot, I pray yow, haue hys date;

Yett dates now ar deynte, and wax verye scante,

For grocers were grugyd at and groynyd at but late;

Grete reysons with resons be now reprobitante,

For reysons ar no resons, but resons currant:

Ryn God, rynne Devyll! yet the date of ower Lord

And the date of the Devyll dothe shrewlye accord.

Dixit, quod Parrott, the popagay royall.

Galathea.

Nowe, Parott, my swete byrde, speke owte yet ons agayne, 440

Sette asyde all sophysms,[109] and speke now trew and playne.

Parotte.

So many [110] morall maters, and so lytell vsyd;

So myche newe makyng, and so madd tyme spente;

So myche translacion in to Englyshe confused;

So myche nobyll prechyng, and so lytell amendment;

So myche consultacion, almoste to none entente;

So myche provision, and so lytell wytte at nede;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde there can no clerkes rede.

So lytyll dyscressyon, and so myche reasonyng;

So myche hardy dardy, and so lytell manlynes; 450

So prodigall expence, and so shamfull reconyng;

So gorgyous garmentes, and so myche wrechydnese;

So myche portlye pride, with pursys penyles;

So myche spente before, and so myche vnpayd behynde;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde there can no clerkes fynde.

So myche forcastyng, and so farre an after dele;

So myche poletyke pratyng, and so lytell stondythe in stede;

So lytell secretnese, and so myche grete councell;

So manye bolde barons, there hertes as dull as lede;

So many nobyll bodyes vndyr on dawys hedd; 460

So royall a kyng as reynythe vppon vs all;—

Syns Dewcalions flodde was nevyr sene nor shall.

So many complayntes, and so smalle redresse;

So myche callyng on, and so smalle takyng hede;

So myche losse of merchaundyse, and so remedyles;

So lytell care for the comyn weall, and so myche nede;

So myche dowȝtfull daunger, and so lytell drede;

So myche pride of prelattes, so cruell and so kene;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trowe, was nevyr sene.

So many thevys hangyd, and thevys never the lesse; 470

So myche prisonment ffor matyrs not worthe an hawe;

So myche papers weryng for ryghte a smalle exesse;

So myche pelory pajauntes vndyr colower of good lawe;

So myche towrnyng on the cooke stole for euery guy gaw;

So myche mokkyshe makyng of statutes of array;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr, I dar sey.

So braynles caluys hedes, so many shepis taylys;

So bolde a braggyng bocher, and flesshe sold so dere;

So many plucte partryches, and so fatte quaylles;

So mangye a mastyfe curre, the grete grey houndes pere; 480

So bygge a bulke of brow auntlers cabagyd that yere;

So many swannes dede, and so small revell;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trow, no man can tell.

So many trusys takyn, and so lytyll perfyte [111] trowthe;

So myche bely joye, and so wastefull banketyng;

So pynchyng and sparyng, and so lytell profyte growthe;

So many howgye howsys byldyng, and so small howse-holding;

Suche statutes apon diettes, suche pyllyng and pollyng;

So ys all thyng wrowghte wylfully withowte reson and skylle;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde the world [112] was never so yll. 490

So many vacabondes, so many beggers bolde;

So myche decay of monesteries and of relygious places;

So hote hatered agaynste the Chyrche, and cheryte so colde;

So myche of my lordes grace, and in hym no grace ys;

So many holow hartes, and so dowbyll faces;

So myche sayntuary brekyng, and preuylegidde barrydd;—

Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr sene nor lyerd.

So myche raggyd ryghte of a rammes horne;

So rygorous revelyng [113] in a prelate specially;

So bold and so braggyng, and was so baselye borne; 500

So lordlye of hys lokes and so dysdayneslye;

So fatte a magott, bred of a flesshe flye;

Was nevyr suche a ffylty gorgon,[114] nor suche an epycure,

Syn ~~Dewcalyons flodde, I make thé faste and sure.~~

~~So myche preuye wachyng in cold wynters nyghtes;~~

~~So myche serchyng of loselles, and ys hymselfe so lewde;~~

~~So myche coniuracions for elvyshe myday sprettes;~~

~~So many bullys of pardon puplysshyd and shewyd;~~

~~So myche crossyng and blyssyng, and hym all beshrewde;~~

~~Suche pollaxis and pyllers, suche mvlys trapte with gold;— 510~~

~~Sens Dewcalyons flodde in no cronycle ys told.~~

Dixit, quod Parrot.

~~Crescet in immensum me vivo Psittacus iste;~~

~~Hinc mea dicetur Skeltonidis inclyta fama.~~

Quod Skelton Lawryat,
Orator Regius.
34.]

[1] Speke, Parrot] From the ed. by Lant of Certayne bokes compyled by mayster Skelton, &c., n. d., collated with the same work ed. Kynge and Marche, n. d., and ed. Day, n. d.; with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568; and with a MS. in the Harleian Collection, 2252. fol. 133, which has supplied much not given in the printed copies, and placed between brackets in the present edition. The marginal notes are found only in MS.

~~[2] The boke, &c.... Speake, Parrot] So Marshe’s ed. Not in other eds.~~

[3] recipit] MS. “recepit.” The next two lines are given very inaccurately here in MS., but are repeated (with a slight variation) more correctly at the end of the poem. The Latin portions of the MS. are generally of ludicrous incorrectness, the transcriber evidently not having understood that language.

~~[4] Lucanus] See Phar. iii. 256. But the line here quoted is from Boethii Consol. Phil. lib. v. met. 1.~~

~~[5] wonderous] So other eds. Lant’s ed. “wonderuos.”~~

~~[6] to greate ladyes] MS. “to grece to lordes.”~~

~~[7] ful mekely with many a diuers] MS. “full meryly with many dyuors.”~~

~~[8] a] MS. “and a.”~~

~~[9] my] MS. “and my.”~~

~~[10] a] So MS. Eds. “the.”~~

~~[11] dicere] MS. (which alone has these marginal notes) “dictorem:” the whole runs in Martial thus:~~

~~“Psittacus a vobis aliorum nomina discam:~~

Hoc didici per me dicere, Cæsar, ave.”

~~xiv. 73.~~

~~[12] this] Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “thie.”~~

~~[13] your] MS. “ower.”—In this line a friend would read “muie;” but MS. has “mewte.”~~

~~[14] Ebrew, Araby, and Caldey] MS. “Ebrue and in Caldee.”~~

~~[15] Dowse] Other eds. “Howse.” MS. “Dowche.”~~

~~[16] can supple] MS. “can shewe propyrlye.”~~

~~[17] Henry] MS. “herry.”~~

~~[18] ryall] Other eds. and MS. (with various spelling) “roial.”~~

[19] saves] So MS. Eds. “sauies:”—“habler” ought to be “hablar;” but throughout this work I have not altered the spelling of quotations in modern languages, because probably Skelton wrote them inaccurately.

~~[20] fidasso de cosso] So MS. Eds. of Lant, and of Kynge and Marche, “sidasso de cosso.” Eds. of Day, and of Marshe, “sidasso de costo.” See notes.~~

~~[21] expers] Not in MS.~~

~~[22] dictes ar] Other eds. “dices at.”~~

~~[23] Souentez foys, &c.] This line found only in Lant’s ed. and MS. The latter has “Souentem,” (or “Sonentem,”) &c.~~

~~[24] pronuntio] Probably not the right reading. The MS. seems to have either “pō sio” or “pō fio.”~~

~~[25] maystres] Other eds. “maysters” and “maisters.”~~

~~[26] I] MS. “he.”~~

~~[27] mory] MS. “mery:” but the context seems to confirm the other reading.~~

~~[28] men] MS. “mad.”~~

~~[29] for] Other eds. “sor” and “or.”~~

~~[30] theyr doth] MS. “ys the.”~~

~~[31] Myden] So MS. Eds. “Niden.”~~

~~[32] Greke] MS. “grekys.”~~

~~[33] Besy, besy, &c.] Instead of this stanza, MS. has,—~~

“Besy, besy, besy, and Besynes agayne

~~Thus parott dothe pray yow with herte moste tentyr,” &c.~~

~~omitting what occurs between the first of these lines and the second (p. 11) in eds.~~

~~[34] maturato] Other eds. “marturato.”~~

~~[35] sanno] Marshe’s ed. “saung.”~~

~~[36] Iobab] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Iob.” See notes.~~

~~[37] Hus] Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “Pus.”~~

~~[38] cause] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “law.”~~

~~[39] Popering] Other eds. “popeting.”~~

~~[40] whynnymeg] Other eds. (with various spelling) “whynnynmeg.”~~

~~[41] wald haue e] Other eds. “would (and “wold”) haue a:” but the reading of Lant’s ed. seems to have been intended for Scotch.~~

~~[42] bagpype] So other eds. (with various spelling). Lant’s ed. “Bagbyte.”~~

~~[43] the] Not in other eds.~~

~~[44] erstrych] So other eds. Lant’s ed. “exstrych.”~~

~~[45] Thomasen] Marshe’s ed. “thomase.”~~

~~[46] sayth] Other eds. “say.”~~

~~[47] Irysh] Marshe’s ed. “trysh.”~~

~~[48] Wrig wrag] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “wrig wag.”~~

~~[49] Delarag] Other eds. “declarag.”~~

~~[50] crop] Other eds. “cryp” and “crip.”~~

~~[51] Og, that fat hog of] Other eds. “hog that fat hog or.”~~

~~[52] Cananæorum] Eds. “canaueorum.”~~

~~[53] Hough ho he rulyth] Day’s ed. “hough he ruleth.” Marshe’s ed. “hough ho ruleth.”~~

~~[54] chiromancy] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “ciromancy.”~~

~~[55] on] Other eds. “of.”~~

~~[56] they] Qy. “ye” here—or “they” in the three preceding lines?~~

~~[57] scrape] Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Day, “scape.”~~

~~[58] non, or non] Lant’s ed. “non or uou.” Other eds. “uou or uou.”~~

~~[59] Græce fari] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “grecisari.”~~

~~[60] Tryuyals] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Triuiale.”~~

~~[61] the] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “that.”~~

~~[62] roufled] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “roulled.”~~

~~[63] Menanders] See notes.~~

~~[64] Plauti] Lant’s ed. “Plautfi.” Other eds. “Plaut si.”~~

~~[65] Declamacyons] Eds. (with various spelling) “declaracyons.” See ante p. 374, note 5.~~

~~[66] gariopholo] See notes.~~

[67] pleris cum musco] Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “pleris com musco.” Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “pleris commusco.” Instead of “pleris,” the Rev. J. Mitford proposes “flarnis” (species placentæ).

~~[68] Elencticum] Eds. “Elencum.”~~

~~[69] enthymematicum] Eds. “Emtimematicum” and “Emtimaticum.”~~

~~[70] Retoricyons] Other eds. “Retorcions.”~~

~~[71] my] Other eds. “myne” and “mine.”~~

~~[72] dere] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe.~~

~~[73] the] Other eds. “that.”~~

~~[74] ryall] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (with various spelling), “royall.”~~

~~[75] now] Not in MS.~~

[76] Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis, &c.] “&c.” not in eds. of Day, and Marshe. MS. “Itaque consolamyni in verbis istibus.” Before these words eds. have “Galathea,” which MS. rightly, I think, omits.

[77] Candidi lectores, callide callete; vestrum fovete Psittacum, &c.] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “—— seuete psitacum,” omitting “&c.” MS. omits this passage here, but gives it after the words with which the eds. of Speke, Parrot conclude (see p. 14), having “callige” instead of “callete,” and wanting “&c.”

~~[78] Hic occurrat, &c.] Was no doubt intended for a marginal note, though in MS. (it is wanting in eds.) it is not clearly distinguished from the text.~~

~~[79] In ista cantilena, &c.] Grossly corrupted. The Rev. J. Mitford proposes “ore stillanti.” MS. has “eperit.”~~

~~[80] Quod] MS. “Quid.”~~

~~[81] Est mihi lasciva pagina, vita proba] “Lasciva est nobis pagina, vita proba est.” Ep. i. 5.~~

~~[82] Zoe kai psyche ... desuper] Is plainly a marginal note, though in MS. (it is not in eds.) it is placed after “Concumbunt Græce,” &c.~~

~~[83] kus, kus, kus] MS. “kus, kus.”~~

~~[84] lyght on thy swete lyttyll] MS. “lyghten thy lytyll swete.”~~

[85] Zoe kai psyche] Eds. “zoelzepsiche;” and so MS., with slight variation of spelling: the Latin which precedes shews the true reading. These words are followed in eds. by “Amen;” which MS. rightly gives a little after.

[86] Aquinates] Has crept into the text in eds., and is not clearly distinguished from the text in MS. But it is certainly a marginal note—meaning Juvenal, from whom “Concumbunt Græce,” &c. is quoted: see Sat. vi. 191.

~~[87] Concumbunt] Other eds. “Concubunt.”~~

~~[88] Sua consequentia, &c.] Another marginal note (not in eds.) which MS. does not clearly distinguish from the text.~~

~~[89] Ergo] Not in MS.~~

~~[90] Attica] So MS. Eds. “Actica.”~~

~~[91] Sunt] So MS. Eds. “Suus.”~~

~~[92] Vel] MS. “Ve.”~~

~~[93] hæc] So MS. Eds. “hoc.”~~

~~[94] Urania] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Vxania.”~~

~~[95] Amen, Amen] Occurs twice in MS. by a mistake of the transcriber.~~

~~[96] to] Not in MS.~~

~~[97] Cum cæteris paribus] After these words, MS. has the passage “Candidi lectores ... fovete Psittacum,” which has been already given: see p. 11.~~

~~[98] Morda] So MS. afterwards: here “Merda.”~~

~~[99] stede] MS. “spede.”~~

~~[100] Psittace, perge] MS. “Psitago perage.”~~

~~[101] Morda] So MS. afterwards: here “Merda.”~~

~~[102] Parrot[e] Must be considered here as a Latin word, and a trisyllable—u.~~

~~[103] perlys] MS. “prelys.”~~

~~[104] volitans] MS. “vtilans”—not, I think, a mistake for “rutilans:” compare ante, “Psittace, perge, volans,” p. 16, and “I, properans, Parrot,” p. 17.~~

~~[105] notus] Qy. “motus?” but I have no idea what these two lines mean.~~

~~[106] complayndre] MS. “complayndra.”~~

~~[107] polorum] MS. “populorum.”~~

~~[108] lowre] Qy. “lowte?”~~

~~[109] sophysms] MS. “sophyns.”~~

~~[110] many] MS. “many many.”~~

~~[111] perfyte] MS. “profyte.”~~

~~[112] the world] MS. “the world the world.”~~

~~[113] revelyng] So MS. literatim,—meant for “ruelyng” (ruling).~~

[114] ffylty gorgon] MS. seems to have “ffyltyrͬgogon,”—the r in the word (apparently) having been drawn through, and another r placed over it, which, I suppose, ought to have stood above the og.

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH A LYTELL BOKE,[115] WHICHE HATH TO NAME
WHY COME YE NAT [116] TO COURTE?
COMPYLED BY MAYSTER SKELTON, POETE LAUREATE.

~~The relucent mirror [117] for all Prelats and Presidents, as well spirituall as temporall, sadly to loke vpon, deuised in English by Skelton.~~

~~All noble men,[118] of this take hede,~~

~~And beleue it as your Crede.~~

~~To hasty of sentence,~~

~~To ferce for none offence,~~

~~To scarce of your expence,~~

~~To large in neglygence,~~

~~To slacke in recompence,~~

~~To haute in excellence,~~

~~To lyght [in] intellegence,~~

~~And to lyght in [119] credence; 10~~

~~Where these kepe resydence,~~

~~Reson is banysshed thence,~~

~~And also dame Prudence,~~

~~With sober Sapyence.[120]~~

~~All noble men, of this take hede,~~

~~And beleue it as your Crede.~~

~~Than without collusyon,~~

~~Marke well this conclusyon,~~

~~Thorow [121] suche abusyon,~~

~~And by suche illusyon, 20~~

~~Vnto great confusyon~~

~~A noble man may fall,~~

~~And his honour appall;~~

~~And [122] yf ye thynke this shall~~

~~Not rubbe you on the gall,~~

~~Than the deuyll take all!~~

~~All noble men, of this take hede,~~

~~And beleue it as your Crede.~~

~~Hæc vates ille,~~

De quo loquuntur mille.[123] 30

~~WHY COME YE NAT TO COURT?~~

~~For age is a page~~

~~For the courte full vnmete,~~

~~For age cannat [124] rage,~~

~~Nor basse her swete swete:~~

~~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~~

~~So [125] madly decayes, 40~~

~~That age for dottage~~

~~Is reconed [126] now adayes:~~

~~Thus age (a [127] graunt domage)~~

~~Is nothynge set by,~~

~~And rage in arerage~~

~~Dothe rynne lamentably.~~

~~That rage must make pyllage,~~

~~To catche that catche may,~~

~~And with suche forage~~

~~Hunte the boskage, 50~~

~~That hartes wyll ronne away;~~

~~Bothe hartes and hyndes,~~

~~With all good myndes:~~

~~Fare well, than, haue good day!~~

~~Than, haue good daye, adewe!~~

~~For defaute of rescew,~~

~~Some men may happely rew,~~

~~And some [128] theyr hedes mew;~~

~~The tyme dothe fast ensew,~~

~~That bales begynne to brew: 60~~

~~I drede, by swete Iesu,~~

~~This tale wyll be to trew;~~

~~In faythe, dycken, thou krew,~~

~~In fayth, dicken, thou krew, &c.~~

~~Dicken, thou krew doutlesse;~~

~~For, trewly to expresse,~~

~~There hath ben [129] moche excesse,~~

~~With banketynge braynlesse,~~

~~With ryotynge rechelesse,~~

~~With gambaudynge thryftlesse, 70~~

~~With spende and wast witlesse,~~

~~Treatinge of trewse restlesse,~~

~~Pratynge for peace peaslesse.~~

~~The [130] countrynge at Cales~~

~~Wrang vs on the males:[131]~~

~~Chefe counselour was carlesse,~~

~~Gronynge, grouchyng, gracelesse;~~

~~And to none entente~~

~~Our talwod is all brent,~~

~~Our fagottes are all spent, 80~~

~~We may blowe at the cole:~~

~~Our mare hath cast her fole,~~

~~And Mocke hath lost her sho;~~

~~What may she do therto?~~

~~An ende of an olde song,~~

~~Do ryght and do [132] no wronge,~~

~~As ryght as a rammes horne;~~

~~For thrifte is threde bare worne,~~

~~Our shepe are shrewdly shorne,~~

~~And trouthe is all to-torne; 90~~

~~Wysdom is laught to skorne,~~

~~Fauell is false forsworne,~~

~~Iauell is nobly borne,~~

~~Hauell and Haruy Hafter,~~

~~Iack Trauell and Cole Crafter,~~

~~We shall here more herafter;~~

~~With pollynge and shauynge,~~

~~With borowynge and crauynge,[133]~~

~~With reuynge and rauynge,~~

~~With swerynge and starynge, 100~~

~~Ther vayleth no resonynge,~~

~~For wyll dothe rule all thynge,~~

~~Wyll, wyll, wyll, wyll, wyll,~~

~~He ruleth alway styll.~~

~~Good reason and good skyll,~~

~~They may garlycke pyll,~~

~~Cary sackes to the myll,~~

~~Or pescoddes they may shyll,~~

~~Or elles go rost a stone:~~

~~There is no man but one 110~~

~~That hathe the strokes alone;~~

~~Be it blacke or whight,~~

~~All that he dothe is ryght,~~

~~As right as a cammocke croked.~~

~~This byll well ouer loked,~~

~~Clerely perceuye we may~~

~~There went the hare away,~~

~~The hare, the fox, the gray,~~

~~The harte, the hynde, the buck:~~

~~God sende vs better luck! 120~~

~~God sende vs better lucke, &c.~~

~~Twit, Andrewe, twit, Scot,[134]~~

~~Ge heme, ge scour thy pot;~~

~~For we haue spente our shot:~~

We shall haue a tot quot

~~From the Pope of Rome,~~

~~To weue all in one lome~~

~~A webbe of lylse wulse,~~

Opus male dulce:

~~The deuyll kysse his [135] cule! 130~~

~~For, whyles he doth rule,~~

~~All is warse and warse;~~

~~The deuyll kysse his arse!~~

~~For whether he blesse or curse,~~

~~It can not be moche worse.~~

~~From Baumberow to Bothombar [136]~~

~~We haue cast vp our war,~~

~~And made [137] a worthy trewse,~~

~~With, gup, leuell suse!~~

~~Our mony madly lent,[138] 140~~

~~And mor madly spent:~~

~~From Croydon to [139] Kent,~~

~~Wote ye whyther they went?~~

~~From Wynchelsey to Rye,~~

~~And all nat [140] worth a flye;~~

~~From Wentbridge to Hull;~~

~~Our armye waxeth dull,~~

~~With, tourne all home agayne,~~

~~And neuer a Scot slayne.~~

~~Yet the good Erle of Surray, 150~~

~~The Frenche men he doth fray,~~

~~And vexeth them day by day~~

~~With all the power he may;~~

~~The French men he hath faynted,~~

~~And made [141] theyr hertes attaynted:~~

~~Of cheualry he is the floure;~~

~~Our Lorde be his soccoure!~~

~~The French men he hathe so mated,~~

~~And theyr courage abated,~~

~~That they are but halfe men; 160~~

~~Lyke foxes in theyr denne,~~

~~Lyke cankerd cowardes all,~~

~~Lyke vrcheons [142] in a stone wall,~~

~~They kepe them in theyr holdes,~~

~~Lyke henherted cokoldes.~~

~~But yet they ouer shote vs~~

~~Wyth crownes and wyth scutus;~~

~~With scutis and crownes of gold~~

~~I drede we are bought and solde;~~

~~It is a wonders warke: 170~~

~~They shote all at one marke,~~

~~At the Cardynals hat,~~

~~They [143] shote all at that;~~

~~Oute of theyr stronge townes~~

~~They shote at him with crownes;~~

~~With crownes of golde enblased~~

~~They make him so amased,~~

~~And his eyen so dased,~~

~~That he ne se can~~

~~To know God nor man. 180~~

~~He is set so hye~~

~~In his ierarchy~~

~~Of frantycke frenesy~~

~~And folysshe fantasy,~~

~~That in the Chambre of Starres [144]~~

~~All maters there he marres;~~

~~Clappyng his rod on the borde,~~

~~No man dare speke a worde,~~

~~For he hathe all the sayenge,~~

~~Without any renayenge; 190~~

~~He rolleth in his recordes,~~

~~He sayth, How saye ye, my lordes?~~

~~Is nat [145] my reason good?~~

~~Good euyn, good Robyn Hood![146]~~

~~Some say yes, and some~~

~~Syt styll as they were dom:~~

~~Thus thwartyng ouer thom,~~

~~He ruleth all the roste~~

~~With braggynge and with bost;~~

~~Borne vp on euery syde 200~~

~~With pompe and with pryde,~~

~~With, trompe vp, alleluya!~~

~~For dame Philargerya [147]~~

~~Hathe so his herte in holde,~~

~~He loueth nothyng but golde;~~

~~And Asmodeus of hell~~

~~Maketh his membres swell~~

~~With Dalyda to mell,~~

~~That wanton damosell.[148]~~

~~Adew, Philosophia, 210~~

~~Adew, Theologia!~~

~~Welcome, dame Simonia,~~

~~With dame Castrimergia,~~

~~To drynke and for to eate~~

~~Swete ypocras [149] and swete meate!~~

~~To kepe his flesshe chast,~~

~~In Lent for a repast~~

~~He eateth capons [150] stewed,~~

~~Fesaunt and partriche mewed,~~

~~Hennes, checkynges, and pygges; 220~~

~~He foynes and he frygges,~~

~~Spareth neither mayde ne wyfe:~~

~~This is a postels lyfe!~~

~~Helas! my herte is sory~~

~~To tell of vayne glory:~~

~~But now vpon this story~~

~~I wyll no further ryme~~

~~Tyll another tyme,~~

~~Tyll another tyme, &c.[151]~~

~~What newes, what newes?[152] 230~~

~~Small newes the [153] true is,~~

~~That be worth ii. kues;~~

~~But at the naked stewes,~~

~~I vnderstande how that~~

~~The sygne of the Cardynall Hat,~~

~~That inne is now shyt vp,~~

~~With, gup, hore, gup, now gup,~~

~~Gup, Guilliam [154] Trauillian,~~

~~With, iast you, I say, Jullian!~~

~~Wyll ye bere no coles? 240~~

~~A mayny of marefoles,~~

~~That occupy theyr holys,~~

~~Full of pocky molys.~~

~~What here ye of Lancashyre?~~

~~They were nat [155] payde their hyre;~~

~~They are fel as any fyre.~~

~~What here ye of Chesshyre?~~

~~They haue layde all in the myre;~~

~~They grugyd,[156] and sayde~~

~~Theyr wages were nat [157] payde; 250~~

~~Some sayde they were afrayde~~

~~Of the Scottysshe hoste,[158]~~

~~For all theyr crack [159] and bost,~~

~~Wylde fyre and thonder;~~

~~For all this worldly wonder,~~

~~A hundred myle asonder~~

~~They were whan they [160] were next;~~

~~That is a trew text.~~

~~What here ye of the Scottes?~~

~~They make vs all sottes, 260~~

~~Poppynge folysshe dawes;~~

~~They make vs to pyll strawes;~~

~~They play their olde pranckes,~~

~~After Huntley bankes:~~

~~At the streme of Banockes burne~~

~~They dyd vs a shrewde turne,~~

~~Whan Edwarde of Karnaruan~~

~~Lost all that [161] his father wan.~~

~~What here ye of the Lorde Dakers?~~

~~He maketh vs Jacke Rakers; 270~~

~~He sayes we ar but crakers;~~

~~He calleth vs England men~~

~~Stronge herted lyke an hen;~~

~~For the Scottes and he~~

~~To well they do agre,~~

~~With, do thou for me,~~

~~And I shall do for thé.~~

~~Whyles the red hat doth endure,~~

~~He maketh himselfe cock sure;~~

~~The red hat with his lure 280~~

~~Bryngeth all thynges vnder cure.~~

~~But, as the worlde now gose,~~

~~What here ye of the Lorde Rose?~~

~~Nothynge to purpose,~~

~~Nat [162] worth a cockly fose:~~

~~Their hertes be in thyr hose.~~

~~The Erle of Northumberlande~~

~~Dare take nothynge on hande:~~

~~Our barons be so bolde,~~

~~Into a mouse hole they wolde 290~~

~~Rynne [163] away and crepe,~~

~~Lyke a mayny of shepe;~~

~~Dare nat [164] loke out at dur [165]~~

~~For drede of the mastyue cur,~~

~~For drede of the bochers dogge~~

~~Wold wyrry them lyke an hogge.~~

~~For and this curre do gnar,~~

~~They must stande all a far,~~

~~To holde vp their hande at the bar.~~

~~For all their noble blode 300~~

~~He pluckes them by the hode,~~

~~And shakes them by the eare,~~

~~And brynge ~~them in suche feare;~~~~

~~He bayteth them lyke a bere,~~

~~Lyke an oxe or a bull:~~

~~Theyr wyttes, he saith, are dull;~~

~~He sayth they haue no brayne~~

~~Theyr astate to mayntayne;~~

~~And maketh them to [166] bow theyr kne~~

~~Before his maieste. 310~~

~~Juges of the kynges lawes,~~

~~He countys them foles and dawes;~~

~~Sergyantes of the coyfe eke,~~

~~He sayth they are to seke~~

~~In pletynge of theyr case~~

~~At the Commune Place,~~

~~Or at the Kynges Benche;~~

~~He wryngeth them suche a wrenche,~~

~~That all our lerned men~~

~~Dare nat [167] set theyr penne 320~~

~~To plete a trew tryall~~

~~Within Westmynster hall;~~

~~In the Chauncery where he syttes,~~

~~But suche as he admyttes~~

~~None so hardy to speke;~~

~~He sayth, thou huddypeke,~~

~~Thy lernynge is to lewde,~~

~~Thy tonge is nat [168] well thewde,~~

~~To seke before our grace;~~

~~And openly in that place 330~~

~~He rages and he raues,~~

~~And cals them cankerd knaues:~~

~~Thus royally he dothe deale~~

~~Vnder the kynges brode seale;~~

~~And in the Checker he them cheks;~~

~~In the Ster Chambre he noddis and beks,~~

~~And bereth him there so stowte,~~

~~That no man dare rowte,~~

~~Duke, erle, baron, nor lorde,~~

~~But to his sentence must accorde; 340~~

~~Whether he be knyght or squyre,~~

~~All men must [169] folow his desyre.~~

~~What say ye of the Scottysh kynge?~~

~~That is another thyng.~~

~~He is but an yonglyng,~~

~~A stalworthy [170] stryplyng:~~

~~There [171] is a whyspring and a whipling,~~

~~He shulde be hyder [172] brought;~~

~~But, and it were well sought,~~

~~I trow all wyll be nought, 350~~

~~Nat [173] worth a shyttel cocke,~~

~~Nor worth a sowre calstocke.~~

~~There goth many a lye~~

~~Of the Duke of Albany,~~

~~That of shulde go his hede,~~

~~And brought in quycke or dede,~~

~~And all Scotlande owers~~

~~The mountenaunce of two houres.~~

~~But, as some men sayne,~~

~~I drede of some false trayne 360~~

~~Subtelly wrought shall be~~

~~Vnder a fayned treatee;~~

~~But within monethes thre~~

~~Men may happely se~~

~~The trechery and the prankes~~

~~Of the Scottysshe bankes.~~

~~What here ye of Burgonyons,~~

~~And the Spainyardes onyons?~~

~~They haue slain our Englisshmen~~

~~Aboue threscore and ten: 370~~

~~For all your amyte,~~

~~No better they agre.~~

~~God saue my lorde admyrell!~~

~~What here ye of Mutrell?~~

~~There with I dare nat [174] mell.~~

~~Yet what here ye tell~~

~~Of our graunde counsell?~~

~~I coulde say some what,~~

~~But speke ye no more of that,~~

~~For drede of the red hat 380~~

~~Take peper in the nose;~~

~~For than thyne heed of gose,~~

~~Of by the harde arse.~~

~~But there is some trauarse~~

~~Bytwene some and some,~~

~~That makys our syre to glum;~~

~~It is some what wronge,~~

~~That his berde is so longe;~~

~~He morneth in blacke clothynge.~~

~~I pray God saue the kynge! 390~~

~~Where euer he go or ryde,~~

~~I pray God be his gyde!~~

~~Thus wyll I conclude my style,~~

~~And fall to rest a whyle,~~

~~And so to rest a whyle, &c.~~

~~Ones [175] yet agayne~~

~~Of you I wolde frayne,~~

~~Why come ye nat [176] to court?—~~

~~To whyche court?~~

~~To the kynges courte, 400~~

~~Or to Hampton Court?—~~

~~Nay, to the kynges court:~~

~~The kynges courte~~

~~Shulde haue the excellence;~~

~~But Hampton Court~~

~~Hath the preemynence,~~

~~And Yorkes Place,~~

~~With my lordes grace,~~

~~To whose magnifycence~~

~~Is all the conflewence, 410~~

~~Sutys and supplycacyons,~~

~~Embassades of all nacyons.~~

~~Strawe for lawe canon,[177]~~

~~Or for the lawe common,~~

~~Or for lawe cyuyll!~~

~~It shall be as he wyll:~~

~~Stop at law tancrete,~~

~~An obstract or a concrete;~~

~~Be it soure, be it swete,~~

~~His wysdome is so dyscrete, 420~~

~~That in a fume or an hete,~~

~~Wardeyn of the Flete,~~

~~Set hym fast by the fete!~~

~~And of his royall powre~~

~~Whan him lyst to lowre,~~

~~Than, haue him to the Towre,~~

Saunz aulter remedy,

~~Haue hym forthe by and by~~

~~To the Marshalsy,~~

~~Or to the Kynges Benche! 430~~

~~He dyggeth so in the trenche~~

~~Of the court royall,~~

~~That he ruleth them all.~~

~~So he dothe vndermynde,~~

~~And suche sleyghtes dothe fynde,~~

~~That the kynges mynde~~

~~By hym is subuerted,~~

~~And so streatly coarted~~

~~In credensynge his tales,~~

~~That all is but nutshales 440~~

~~That any other sayth;~~

~~He hath in him suche fayth.~~

~~Now, yet all this myght be~~

~~Suffred and taken in gre,~~

~~If that that he wrought~~

~~To any good ende were brought;~~

~~But all he bringeth to nought,~~

~~By [178] God, that me dere bought!~~

~~He bereth the kyng [179] on hand,~~

~~That he must pyll his lande, 450~~

~~To make his cofers ryche;~~

~~But he laythe all in the dyche,~~

~~And vseth suche abusyoun,~~

~~That in the conclusyoun~~

~~All commeth to confusyon.~~

~~Perceyue the cause why,~~

~~To tell the trouth playnly,~~

~~He is so ambicyous,~~

~~So shamles, and [180] so vicyous,~~

~~And so supersticyous, 460~~

~~And so moche obliuyous~~

~~From whens that he came,~~

~~That he falleth into [181] a cæciam,[182]~~

~~Whiche, truly to expresse,~~

~~Is a forgetfulnesse,~~

~~Or wylfull blyndnesse,~~

~~Wherwith the Sodomites~~

~~Lost theyr inward syghtes,~~

~~The Gommoryans also~~

~~Were brought to deedly wo, 470~~

~~As Scrypture recordis:~~

A cæcitate cordis,

~~In the Latyne synge we,~~

Libera nos, Domine!

~~But this madde Amalecke,~~

~~Lyke to a Mamelek,[183]~~

~~He regardeth lordes~~

~~No more than potshordes;~~

~~He is in suche elacyon~~

~~Of his exaltacyon, 480~~

~~And the supportacyon~~

~~Of our souerayne lorde,~~

~~That, God to recorde,~~

~~He ruleth all at wyll,~~

~~Without reason or skyll:~~

~~How be it the [184] primordyall~~

~~Of his wretched originall,~~

~~And his base progeny,~~

~~And his gresy genealogy,~~

~~He came of the sank royall, 490~~

~~That was cast out of a bochers stall.~~

~~But how euer he was borne,~~

~~Men wolde haue the lesse scorne,~~

~~If he coulde consyder~~

~~His byrth and rowme togeder,[185]~~

~~And call to his mynde~~

~~How noble and how kynde~~

~~To him he hathe founde~~

~~Our souereyne lorde, chyfe grounde~~

~~Of all this prelacy, 500~~

~~And set hym nobly~~

~~In great auctoryte,~~

~~Out from a low degre,~~

~~Whiche he can nat [186] se:~~

~~For he was parde~~

~~No doctor of deuinyte,~~

~~Nor doctor of the law,~~

~~Nor of none other saw;~~

~~But a poore maister of arte,~~

~~God wot, had lytell parte 510~~

~~Of the quatriuials,~~

~~Nor yet of triuials,~~

~~Nor of philosophy,~~

~~Nor of philology,~~

~~Nor of good pollycy,~~

~~Nor of astronomy,~~

~~Nor acquaynted worth a fly~~

~~With honorable Haly,~~

~~Nor with royall Ptholomy,~~

~~Nor with Albumasar, 520~~

~~To treate of any star~~

~~Fyxt or els mobyll;~~

~~His Latyne tonge dothe hobbyll,~~

~~He doth but cloute and cobbill~~

~~In Tullis faculte,~~

~~Called humanyte;~~

~~Yet proudly he dare pretende~~

~~How no man can him amende:~~

~~But haue ye nat [187] harde this,~~

~~How an one eyed man is 530~~

~~Well syghted when~~

~~He is amonge blynde men?~~

~~Than, our processe for to stable,~~

~~This man was full vnable~~

~~To reche to suche degre,~~

~~Had nat [188] our prynce be~~

~~Royall Henry the eyght,~~

~~Take him in suche conceyght,~~

~~That he set him on heyght,~~

~~In exemplyfyenge 540~~

~~Great Alexander the kynge,~~

~~In writynge as we fynde;~~

~~Whiche of his royall mynde,~~

~~And of his noble pleasure,~~

~~Transcendynge out of mesure,~~

~~Thought to do a thynge~~

~~That perteyneth to a kynge,~~

~~To make vp one of nought,~~

~~And made to him be brought~~

~~A wretched poore man, 550~~

~~Whiche his lyuenge wan~~

~~With plantyng of lekes~~

~~By the dayes and by the wekes,~~

~~And of this poore vassall~~

~~He made a kynge royall,~~

~~And gaue him a realme to rule,~~

~~That occupyed a showell,~~

~~A mattoke, and a spade,~~

~~Before that he was made~~

~~A kynge, as I haue tolde, 560~~

~~And ruled as he wolde.~~

~~Suche is a kynges power,~~

~~To make within an hower,~~

~~And worke suche a myracle,~~

~~That shall be a spectacle~~

~~Of renowme and worldly fame:~~

~~In lykewyse now the same~~

~~Cardynall is promoted,~~

~~Yet with lewde condicyons cotyd,[189]~~

~~As herafter ben notyd, 570~~

~~Presumcyon and vayne glory,~~

~~Enuy, wrath, and lechery,~~

~~Couetys and glotony,~~

~~Slouthfull to do good,~~

~~Now frantick, now starke wode.~~

~~Shulde this man of suche mode~~

~~Rule the swerde of myght,~~

~~How can he do ryght?~~

~~For he wyll as sone smyght~~

~~His frende as his fo; 580~~

~~A prouerbe longe ago.~~

~~Set vp a wretche on hye~~

~~In a trone triumphantlye,~~

~~Make him a great astate,~~

~~And he wyll play checke mate~~

~~With ryall [190] maieste,~~

~~Counte him selfe as good as he;~~

~~A prelate potencyall,~~

~~To rule vnder Bellyall,~~

~~As ferce and as cruell 590~~

~~As the fynd of hell.~~

~~His seruauntes menyall~~

~~He dothe reuyle, and brall,~~

~~Lyke Mahounde in a play;~~

~~No man dare him withsay:~~

~~He hath dispyght and scorne~~

~~At them that be well borne;~~

~~He rebukes them and rayles,~~

~~Ye horsons, ye vassayles,~~

~~Ye knaues, ye churles sonnys, 600~~

~~Ye rebads, nat [191] worth two plummis,~~

~~Ye raynbetyn beggers reiagged,~~

~~Ye recrayed ruffyns all ragged!~~

~~With, stowpe, thou hauell,~~

~~Rynne, thou iauell!~~

~~Thou peuysshe pye pecked,~~

~~Thou losell longe necked!~~

~~Thus dayly they be decked,~~

~~Taunted and checked,~~

~~That they ar so wo, 610~~

~~They wot not whether to go.~~

~~No man dare come to the speche~~

~~Of this gentell Iacke breche,~~

~~Of what estate he be,~~

~~Of spirituall dygnyte,~~

~~Nor duke of hye degre,~~

~~Nor marques, erle, nor lorde;~~

~~Whiche shrewdly doth accorde,~~

~~Thus he borne so base~~

~~All noble men shulde out face, 620~~

~~His countynaunce lyke a kayser.~~

~~My lorde is nat [192] at layser;~~

~~Syr, ye must tary a stounde,~~

~~Tyll better layser be founde;~~

~~And, syr, ye must daunce attendaunce,~~

~~And take pacient sufferaunce,~~

~~For my lordes grace~~

~~Hath nowe no tyme nor space~~

~~To speke with you as yet.~~

~~And thus they shall syt, 630~~

~~Chuse them syt or flyt,~~

~~Stande, walke, or ryde,~~

~~And his layser abyde~~

~~Parchaunce halfe a yere,~~

~~And yet neuer the nere.~~

~~This daungerous dowsypere,~~

~~Lyke a kynges pere;~~

~~And within this xvi. yere~~

~~He wolde haue ben ryght fayne~~

~~To haue ben a chapleyne, 640~~

~~And haue taken ryght gret payne~~

~~With a poore knyght,~~

~~What soeuer he hyght.~~

~~The chefe of his owne counsell,~~

~~They can nat [193] well tell~~

~~Whan they with hym shulde mell,~~

~~He is so fyers and fell;~~

~~He rayles and he ratis,~~

~~He calleth them doddypatis;~~

~~He grynnes and he gapis, 650~~

~~As it were iack napis.~~

~~Suche a madde bedleme~~

~~For to rewle this reame,[194]~~

~~It is a wonders [195] case:~~

~~That the kynges grace~~

~~Is toward him so mynded,~~

~~And so farre blynded,~~

~~That he can nat [196] parceyue~~

~~How he doth hym disceyue,~~

~~I dought, lest by sorsery, 660~~

~~Or suche other loselry,~~

~~As wychecraft, or charmyng;~~

~~For he is the kynges derlyng,~~

~~And his swete hart rote,~~

~~And is gouerned by this mad kote:~~

~~For what is a man the better~~

~~For the kynges letter?~~

~~For he wyll tere it asonder;~~

~~Wherat moche I wonder,~~

~~How suche a hoddypoule 670~~

~~So boldely dare controule,~~

~~And so malapertly withstande~~

~~The kynges owne hande,~~

~~And settys nat [197] by it a myte;~~

~~He sayth the kynge doth wryte~~

~~And writeth he wottith nat [198] what;~~

~~And yet for all that,~~

~~The kynge his clemency~~

~~Despensyth with his demensy.~~

~~But what his grace doth thinke, 680~~

~~I haue no pen nor inke~~

~~That therwith can mell;~~

~~But wele I can tell~~

~~How Frauncis Petrarke,~~

~~That moche noble clerke,~~

~~Wryteth how Charlemayn~~

~~Coude nat [199] him selfe refrayne,~~

~~But was rauysht with a rage~~

~~Of a lyke dotage:~~

~~But how that came aboute, 690~~

~~Rede ye the story oute,~~

~~And ye shall fynde surely~~

~~It was by nycromansy,~~

~~By carectes and coniuracyon,~~

~~Vnder a certeyne constellacion,~~

~~And a certayne fumygacion,~~

~~Vnder a stone on a golde ryng,~~

~~Wrought to Charlemayn the king,~~

~~Whiche constrayned him forcebly~~

~~For to loue a certayne body 700~~

~~Aboue all other inordinatly.~~

~~This is no fable nor no lye;~~

~~At Acon it was brought to pas,~~

~~As by myne auctor tried it was.~~

~~But let mi masters mathematical~~

~~Tell you the rest, for me they shal;~~

~~They haue the full intellygence,~~

~~And dare vse the experyens,~~

~~In there obsolute consciens~~

~~To practyue [200] suche abolete sciens; 710~~

~~For I abhore to smatter~~

~~Of one so deuyllysshe a matter.~~

~~But I wyll make further relacion~~

~~Of this isagogicall colation,~~

~~How maister Gaguine, the crownycler~~

~~Of the feytis of war~~

~~That were done in Fraunce,~~

~~Maketh remembraunce,~~

~~How Kynge Lewes of late~~

~~Made vp a great astate 720~~

~~Of a poore wretchid man,~~

~~Wherof moche care began.~~

~~Iohannes Balua was his name,~~

~~Myne auctor writeth the same;~~

~~Promoted was he~~

~~To a cardynalles dygnyte~~

~~By Lewes the kyng aforesayd,~~

~~With hym so wele apayd,~~

~~That he made him his chauncelar~~

~~To make all or to mar, 730~~

~~And to rule as him lyst,~~

~~Tyll he cheked at the fyst,~~

~~And agayne all reason~~

~~Commyted open trayson~~

~~And [201] against his lorde souerayn;~~

~~Wherfore he suffred payn,~~

~~Was hedyd, drawen, and quarterd,~~

~~And dyed stynkingly marterd.~~

~~Lo, yet for all that~~

~~He ware a cardynals hat, 740~~

~~In hym was small fayth,~~

~~As myne auctor sayth:~~

~~Nat [202] for that I mene~~

~~Suche a casuelte shulde be sene,~~

~~Or suche chaunce shulde fall~~

~~Vnto our cardynall.~~

~~Allmyghty God, I trust,~~

~~Hath for him dyscust~~

~~That of force he must~~

~~Be faythfull, trew, and iust 750~~

~~To our most royall kynge,~~

~~Chefe rote of his makynge;~~

~~Yet it is a wyly mouse~~

~~That can bylde his dwellinge house~~

~~Within the cattes eare [203]~~

~~Withouten drede or feare.~~

~~It is a nyce reconynge,~~

~~To put all the gouernynge,~~

~~All the rule of this lande~~

~~Into one mannys hande: 760~~

~~One wyse mannys hede~~

~~May stande somwhat in stede;~~

~~But the wyttys of many wyse~~

~~Moche better can deuyse,~~

~~By theyr cyrcumspection,~~

~~And theyr sad dyrrection,~~

~~To cause the commune weale~~

~~Longe to endure in heale.~~

~~Christ kepe King Henry the eyght~~

~~From trechery and dysceyght, 770~~

~~And graunt him grace to know~~

~~The faucon from the crow,~~

~~The wolfe from the lam,~~

~~From whens that mastyfe cam!~~

~~Let him neuer confounde~~

~~The gentyll greyhownde:~~

~~Of this matter the grownde~~

~~Is easy to expounde,~~

~~And soone may be perceyued,[204]~~

~~How the worlde is conueyed. 780~~

~~But harke, my frende, one worde~~

~~In ernest or in borde:~~

~~Tell me nowe in this stede~~

~~Is maister Mewtas dede,~~

~~The kynges Frenshe secretary,~~

~~And his vntrew aduersary?~~

~~For he sent in writynge~~

~~To Fraunces the French kyng~~

~~Of our maisters counsel in eueri thing:~~

~~That was a peryllous rekenyng!— 790~~

~~Nay, nay, he is nat [205] dede;~~

~~But he was so payned in the hede,~~

~~That he shall neuer ete more bred.~~

~~Now he is gone to another stede,~~

~~With a bull vnder lead,~~

~~By way of commissyon,~~

~~To a straunge iurisdictyon,~~

~~Called Dymingis Dale,~~

~~Farre byyonde Portyngale,~~

~~And bathe his pasport to pas 800~~

Ultra Sauromatas,

~~To the deuyll, syr Sathanas,~~

~~To Pluto, and syr Bellyall,~~

~~The deuyls vycare generall,~~

~~And to his college conuentuall,~~

~~As well calodemonyall~~

~~As to cacodemonyall,[206]~~

~~To puruey for our cardynall~~

~~A palace pontifycall,~~

~~To kepe his court prouyncyall, 810~~

~~Vpon artycles iudicyall,~~

~~To contende and to stryue~~

~~For his prerogatyue,~~

~~Within that consystory~~

~~To make sommons peremtory~~

~~Before some prothonotory [207]~~

~~Imperyall or papall.~~

~~Vpon this matter mistycall~~

~~I haue tolde you part, but nat [208] all:~~

~~Herafter perchaunce I shall 820~~

~~Make a larger [209] memoryall,~~

~~And a further rehersall,~~

~~And more paper I thinke to blot,~~

~~To the court why I cam not;~~

~~Desyring you aboue all thynge~~

~~To kepe you from laughynge~~

~~Whan ye fall to redynge~~

~~Of this wanton scrowle,~~

~~And pray for Mewtas sowle,~~

~~For he is well past and gone; 830~~

~~That wolde God euerychone~~

~~Of his affynyte~~

~~Were gone as well as he!~~

~~Amen, amen, say ye,~~

~~Of your inward charyte;~~

~~Amen,~~

~~Of your inward charyte.~~

~~It were great rewth,~~

~~For wrytynge of trewth~~

~~Any man shulde be 840~~

~~In perplexyte~~

~~Of dyspleasure;~~

~~For I make you sure,~~

~~Where trouth is abhorde,~~

~~It is a playne recorde~~

~~That there wantys grace;~~

~~In whose place~~

~~Dothe occupy,~~

~~Full vngracyously,~~

~~Fals flatery, 850~~

~~Fals trechery,[210]~~

~~Fals brybery,~~

~~Subtyle Sym Sly,~~

~~With madde foly;~~

~~For who can best lye,~~

~~He is best set by.~~

~~Than farewell to thé,~~

~~Welthfull felycite!~~

~~For prosperyte~~

~~Away than wyll fle. 860~~

~~Than must we agre~~

~~With pouerte;~~

~~For mysery,~~

~~With penury,~~

~~Myserably~~

~~And wretchydly~~

~~Hath made askrye~~

~~And outcry,~~

~~Folowynge the chase~~

~~To dryue away grace. 870~~

~~Yet sayst thou percase,~~

~~We can lacke no grace,~~

~~For my lordes grace,~~

~~And my ladies grace,~~

~~With trey duse ase,~~

~~And ase in the face,~~

~~Some haute and some base,~~

~~Some daunce the trace~~

~~Euer in one case:~~

~~Marke me that chase 880~~

~~In the tennys play,~~

~~For synke quater trey~~

~~Is a tall man:~~

~~He rod, but we ran,~~

~~Hay, the gye and the gan!~~

~~The gray gose is no swan;~~

~~The waters wax wan,~~

~~And beggers they ban,~~

~~And they cursed Datan,~~

De tribu Dan, 890

~~That this warke [211] began,~~

Palam et clam,

~~With Balak and Balam,~~

~~The golden ram~~

~~Of Flemmyng dam,~~

~~Sem, Iapheth, or Cam.~~

~~But howe comme to pas,~~

~~Your cupbord that was~~

~~Is tourned to glasse,~~

~~From syluer to brasse, 900~~

~~From golde to pewter,~~

~~Or els to a newter,~~

~~To copper, to tyn,~~

~~To lede, or alcumyn?~~

~~A goldsmyth your mayre;~~

~~But the chefe of your fayre~~

~~Myght stande nowe by potters,~~

~~And suche as sell trotters:~~

~~Pytchars,[212] potshordis,~~

~~This shrewdly accordis 910~~

~~To be a cupborde [213] for lordys.~~

~~My lorde now and syr knyght,~~

~~Good euyn and good nyght!~~

~~For now, syr Trestram,~~

~~Ye must weare bukram,~~

~~Or canues of Cane,~~

~~For sylkes are wane.~~

~~Our royals that shone,~~

~~Our nobles are gone~~

~~Amonge the Burgonyons, 920~~

~~And Spanyardes onyons,~~

~~And the Flanderkyns.~~

~~Gyll swetis, and Cate spynnys,~~

~~They are happy that wynnys;~~

~~But Englande may well say,~~

~~Fye on this wynnyng all way!~~

~~Now nothynge but pay, pay,~~

~~With, laughe and lay downe,~~

~~Borowgh, cyte, and towne.~~

~~Good Sprynge of Lanam 930~~

~~Must counte what became~~

~~Of his clothe makynge:~~

~~He is at suche takynge,~~

~~Though his purse wax dull,~~

~~He must tax for his wull~~

~~By nature of a newe writ;~~

~~My lordys grace nameth it~~

~~A quia non satisfacit:~~

~~In the spyght of his tethe~~

~~He must pay agayne 940~~

~~A thousande or twayne~~

~~Of his golde in store;~~

~~And yet he payde before~~

~~An [214] hunderd pounde and more,~~

~~Whiche pyncheth him sore.~~

~~My lordis grace wyll bryuge~~

~~Downe this hye sprynge,~~

~~And brynge it so lowe,~~

~~It shall nat [215] euer flowe.~~

~~Suche a prelate, I trowe, 950~~

~~Were worthy to rowe~~

~~Thorow the streytes of [216] Marock~~

~~To the gybbet of Baldock:~~

~~He wolde dry vp the stremys~~

~~Of ix. kinges realmys,[217]~~

~~All ryuers and wellys,~~

~~All waters that swellys;~~

~~For with vs he so mellys~~

~~That within Englande dwellys,~~

~~I wolde he were somwhere ellys; 960~~

~~For els by and by~~

~~He wyll drynke vs so drye,~~

~~And suck vs so nye,~~

~~That men shall scantly~~

~~Haue peny or halpeny.~~

~~God saue his noble grace,~~

~~And graunt him a place~~

~~Endlesse to dwell~~

~~With the deuyll of hell!~~

~~For, and he were there, 970~~

~~We nede neuer feere~~

~~Of the fendys blake:~~

~~For I vndertake~~

~~He wolde so brag and crake,~~

~~That he wolde than make~~

~~The deuyls to quake,~~

~~To shudder and to shake,~~

~~Lyke a fyer drake,~~

~~And with a cole rake~~

~~Brose [218] them on a brake, 980~~

~~And bynde them to a stake,~~

~~And set hell on fyer,~~

~~At his owne desyer.~~

~~He is suche a grym syer,~~

~~And suche a potestolate,~~

~~And suche a potestate,~~

~~That he wolde breke the braynes~~

~~Of Lucyfer [219] in his chaynes,~~

~~And rule them echone~~

~~In Lucyfers trone. 990~~

~~I wolde he were gone;~~

~~For amonge vs is none~~

~~That ruleth but he alone,~~

~~Without all good reason,~~

~~And all out of season:~~

~~For Folam peason~~

~~With him be nat [220] geson;~~

~~They growwe very ranke~~

~~Vpon euery banke~~

~~Of his herbers grene, 1000~~

~~With my lady bryght and shene;~~

~~On theyr game it is sene~~

~~They play nat [221] all clene,~~

~~And it be as I wene.~~

~~But as touchynge dyscrecyon,[222]~~

~~With sober dyrectyon,~~

~~He kepeth them in subiectyon:~~

~~They can haue no protectyon~~

~~To rule nor to guyde,~~

~~But all must be tryde, 1010~~

~~And abyde the correctyon~~

~~Of his [223] wylfull affectyon.~~

~~For as for wytte,~~

~~The deuyll spede whitte!~~

~~But braynsyk and braynlesse,~~

~~Wytles and rechelesse,~~

~~Careles and shamlesse,~~

~~Thriftles and gracelesse,~~

~~Together are bended,~~

~~And so condyscended, 1020~~

~~That the commune welth~~

~~Shall neuer haue good helth,~~

~~But tatterd and tuggyd,~~

~~Raggyd and ruggyd,~~

~~Shauyn and shorne,~~

~~And all threde bare worne.~~

~~Suche gredynesse,~~

~~Suche nedynesse,~~

~~Myserablenesse,~~

~~With wretchydnesse, 1030~~

~~Hath brought in dystresse~~

~~And moche heuynesse~~

~~And great dolowre~~

~~Englande, the flowre~~

~~Of relucent honowre,~~

~~In olde commemoracion~~

~~Most royall Englyssh nacion.~~

~~Now all is out of facion,~~

~~Almost in desolation;~~

~~I speke by protestacion: 1040~~

~~God of his miseracyon~~

~~Send better reformacyon!~~

~~Lo, for to do shamfully~~

~~He iugeth it no foly!~~

~~But to wryte of his shame,~~

~~He sayth we ar to blame.~~

~~What a frensy is this,~~

~~No shame to do amys,~~

~~And yet he is ashamed~~

~~To be shamfully named![224] 1050~~

~~And ofte prechours be blamed,~~

~~Bycause they haue proclamed~~

~~His madnesse by writynge,~~

~~His symplenesse resytynge,~~

~~Remordynge and bytynge,~~

~~With chydyng and with flytynge,[225]~~

~~Shewynge him Goddis lawis:~~

~~He calleth the prechours dawis,~~

~~And of holy scriptures sawis~~

~~He counteth them for gygawis, 1060~~

~~And putteth them to sylence~~

~~And [226] with wordis of vyolence,~~

~~Lyke Pharao, voyde of grace,~~

~~Dyd Moyses sore manase,~~

~~And Aron sore he thret,~~

~~The worde of God to let;~~

~~This maumet in lyke wyse~~

~~Against the churche doth ryse;~~

~~The prechour he dothe dyspyse,~~

~~With crakynge in suche wyse, 1070~~

~~So braggynge all with bost,~~

~~That no prechour almost~~

~~Dare speke for his lyfe~~

~~Of my lordis grace nor his wyfe,~~

~~For he hath suche a bull,~~

~~He may take whom he wull,~~

~~And as many as him lykys;~~

~~May ete pigges in Lent for pikys,~~

~~After the sectes of heretykis,~~

~~For in Lent he wyll ete 1080~~

~~All maner of flesshe mete~~

~~That he can ony [227] where gete;~~

~~With other abusyons grete,~~

~~Wherof for [228] to trete~~

~~It wolde make the deuyll to swete,~~

~~For all priuileged places~~

~~He brekes and defaces,~~

~~All placis of relygion~~

~~He bathe them in derisyon,~~

~~And makith suche prouisyon 1090~~

~~To dryue them at diuisyon,~~

~~And fynally in conclusyon~~

~~To bringe them to confusyon;~~

~~Saint Albons to recorde~~

~~Wherof this vngracyous lorde~~

~~Hathe made him selfe abbot,~~

~~Against their wylles, God wot.~~

~~All this he dothe deale~~

~~Vnder strength of the great seale,~~

~~And by his legacy, 1100~~

~~Whiche madly he dothe apply~~

~~Vnto an extrauagancy~~

~~Pyked out of [229] all good lawe,~~

~~With reasons that ben rawe.~~

~~Yet, whan he toke first his hat,~~

~~He said he knew what was what;~~

~~All iustyce he pretended,~~

~~All thynges sholde be amended,~~

~~All wronges he wolde redresse,~~

~~All iniuris he wolde represse, 1110~~

~~All periuris he wolde oppresse;~~

~~And yet this gracelesse elfe,~~

~~He is periured himselfe,~~

~~As playnly it dothe appere,~~

~~Who lyst to enquere~~

~~In the regestry~~

~~Of my Lorde of Cantorbury,~~

~~To whom he was professed~~

~~In thre poyntes expressed;~~

~~The fyrst to do him reuerence, 1120~~

~~The seconde to owe hym obedyence,[230]~~

~~The thirde with hole affectyon~~

~~To be vnder his subiectyon:~~

~~But now he maketh obiectyon,~~

~~Vnder the protectyon~~

~~Of the kynges great seale,~~

~~That he setteth neuer a deale~~

~~By his former othe,~~

~~Whether God be pleased or wroth.~~

~~He makith so proude pretens, 1130~~

~~That in his equipolens~~

~~He iugyth him equiualent~~

~~With God omnipotent:~~

~~But yet beware the rod,~~

~~And the stroke of God!~~

~~The Apostyll Peter~~

~~Had a pore myter~~

~~And a poore cope~~

~~Whan he was creat Pope,~~

~~First in Antioche; 1140~~

~~He dyd neuer approche~~

~~Of Rome to the see~~

~~Weth suche dygnyte.~~

~~Saynt Dunstane, what was he?~~

~~Nothynge, he sayth, lyke to me:[231]~~

~~There is a dyuersyte~~

~~Bytwene him and me;~~

~~We passe hym in degre,~~

~~As legatus a latere.~~

Ecce, sacerdos magnus, 1150

~~That wyll hed vs and hange vs,~~

~~And streitly strangle vs~~

~~And [232] he may fange vs!~~

~~Decre and decretall,~~

~~Constytucyon prouincyall,~~

~~Nor no lawe canonicall,~~

~~Shall let the preest pontyficall~~

~~To syt in causa sanguinis.~~

~~Nowe God amende that is amys!~~

~~For I suppose that he is 1160~~

~~Of Ieremy the whyskynge rod,~~

~~The flayle, the scourge of almighty God.~~

~~This Naman Sirus,~~

~~So fell and so irons,~~

~~So full of malencoly,~~

~~With a flap afore [233] his eye,~~

~~Men wene that he is pocky,~~

~~Or els his surgions they lye,~~

~~For, as far as they [234] can spy~~

~~By the craft of surgery, 1170~~

~~It is manus Domini.~~

~~And yet this proude Antiochus,~~

~~He is so ambicious,~~

~~So elate, and so vicious,~~

~~And so cruell hertyd,~~

~~That he wyll nat [235] be conuertyd;~~

~~For he setteth God apart,~~

~~He is nowe so ouerthwart,~~

~~And so payned with pangis,~~

~~That all his trust hangis 1180~~

~~In Balthasor, whiche heled~~

~~Domingos nose that was wheled;~~

~~That Lumberdes nose meane I,~~

~~That standeth yet awrye;~~

~~It was nat [236] heled alderbest,~~

~~It standeth somwhat on the west;~~

~~I meane Domyngo Lomelyn,~~

~~That was wont to wyn~~

~~Moche money of the kynge~~

~~At the cardys and haserdynge: 1190~~

~~Balthasor, that helyd Domingos nose [237]~~

~~From the puskylde pocky pose,[238]~~

~~Now with his gummys of Araby~~

~~Hath promised to hele our cardinals eye;~~

~~Yet sum surgions put a dout,~~

~~Lest he wyll put [239] it clene out,~~

~~And make him lame of his neder limmes:~~

~~God sende him sorowe for his sinnes!~~

~~Some men myght aske a question,~~

~~By whose suggestyon 1200~~

~~I toke on hand this warke,~~

~~Thus boldly for to barke?~~

~~And men lyst to harke,~~

~~And my wordes marke,~~

~~I wyll answere lyke a clerke;~~

~~For trewly and vnfayned,~~

~~I am forcebly constrayned,~~

~~At Iuuynals request,~~

~~To wryght of this glorious gest,~~

~~Of this vayne gloryous best, 1210~~

~~His fame to be encrest~~

~~At euery solempne feest;~~

~~Quia difficile est~~

Satiram non scribere.

~~Now, mayster doctor, howe say ye,~~

~~What soeuer your name be?~~

~~What though ye be namelesse,~~

~~Ye shall nat [240] escape blamelesse,~~

~~Nor yet shall scape shamlesse:~~

~~Mayster doctor in your degre, 1220~~

~~Yourselfe madly ye ouerse;~~

~~Blame Iuuinall, and blame nat [241] me:~~

~~Maister doctor Diricum,~~

Omne animi vitium, &c.

~~As Iuuinall dothe recorde,~~

~~A small defaute in a great lorde,~~

~~A lytell cryme in a great astate,~~

~~Is moche more inordinate,~~

~~And more horyble to beholde,~~

~~Than any other a thousand folde. 1230~~

~~Ye put to blame ye wot nere whom;~~

~~Ye may weare a cockes come;~~

~~Your fonde hed in your furred hood,[242]~~

~~Holde ye your tong, ye can no goode:~~

~~And at more conuenyent tyme~~

~~I may fortune for to ryme~~

~~Somwhat of your madnesse;~~

~~For small is your sadnesse~~

~~To put any man in lack,~~

~~And say yll behynde his back: 1240~~

~~And my wordes marke truly,~~

~~That ye can nat [243] byde thereby,~~

~~For smegma non est cinnamomum,~~

~~But de absentibus nil nisi bonum.~~

~~Complayne, or do what ye wyll,~~

~~Of your complaynt it shall nat [244] skyl:~~

~~This is the tenor of my byl,~~

~~A daucock ye be, and so shalbe styll.~~

~~Sequitur Epitoma~~

~~De morbilloso Thoma,~~

~~Necnon obscœno~~

~~De Polyphemo, &c.~~

~~Porro perbelle dissimulatum~~

~~Illum Pandulphum,[245] tantum legatum,~~

~~Tum formidatum nuper prælatum,~~

~~Ceu Naman Syrum nunc elongatum,[246]~~

~~In solitudine jam commoratum,~~

~~Neapolitano morbo gravatum,~~

~~Malagmate, cataplasmate stratum,[247]~~

~~Pharmacopolæ [248] ferro foratum,~~

~~Nihilo magis alleviatum,~~

Nihilo melius aut medicatum, 10

~~Relictis famulis ad famulatum,~~

~~Quo [249] tollatur infamia,~~

~~Sed major patet insania;~~

~~A modo ergo ganea~~

~~Abhorreat ille ganeus,~~

~~Dominus male creticus,~~

~~Aptius dictus tetricus,~~

~~Fanaticus, phreneticus,~~

~~Graphicus sicut metricus~~

Autumat. 20

~~Hoc genus dictaminis~~

~~Non eget examinis~~

~~In centiloquio~~

~~Nec centimetro~~

~~Honorati~~

~~Grammatici~~

~~Mauri.~~

~~[115] Here after foloweth a lytell boke, &c.] From the ed. by Kele, n. d., collated with that by Wyght, n. d., with that by Kytson, n. d., and with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568.~~

~~[116] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[117] The relucent mirror, &c.... by Skelton] So Marshe’s ed. Not in other eds.~~

[118] All noble men, &c.] These twenty-eight introductory lines, which are found in all the eds. of this poem, are also printed as a distinct piece, in the various editions of Certaine bokes compyled by Mayster Skelton, &c., n. d., and in Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568.

~~[119] in] Certayne bokes, &c., and the distinct piece in Marshe’s ed., “of.”~~

~~[120] Sapyence] Eds. of Kytson, and (in both places) Marshe, and all eds. but one of Certaine bokes, &c., “Pacyence” (with various spelling).~~

~~[121] Thorow] So (with various spelling) Certaine bokes, &c., and the distinct piece in Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “Through.”~~

~~[122] And] Certaine bokes, &c., and the distinct piece in Marshe’s ed., “That.”~~

~~[123] mille] Other eds. “in ille.”~~

~~[124] cannat] Other eds. “cannot.”~~

~~[125] So] Other eds. “To.”~~

~~[126] reconed] Other eds. “recouered.”~~

~~[127] a] Not in eds. of Kytson, and Marshe.~~

~~[128] some] Not in other eds.~~

~~[129] ben] Other eds. “be.”~~

~~[130] The] Eds. “They.”~~

~~[131] males] Eds. “wales.” See notes.~~

~~[132] do] Not in eds. of Kytson, and Marshe.~~

~~[133] crauynge] Kele’s ed. “crauyne.” Other eds. “crauyng.”~~

~~[134] Scot] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “scote.”~~

~~[135] his] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “hes.”~~

~~[136] Bothombar] Other eds. “Bothambar.”~~

~~[137] made] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “mad.”~~

~~[138] lent] Marshe’s ed. “sent.”~~

~~[139] to] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “in to.”~~

~~[140] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[141] made] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “mad.”~~

~~[142] vrcheons] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “heons.”~~

~~[143] They] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Thy.”~~

~~[144] Starres] Kele’s ed. “sterres.” Other eds. “sters” and “stars.”~~

~~[145] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[146] Hood] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “hode.”~~

~~[147] Philargerya] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Philargera.”~~

~~[148] damosell] Other eds. “damsell.”~~

~~[149] ypocras] Kele’s ed. “ypocrus.” Other eds. “ipocras.”~~

~~[150] capons] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “copons.”~~

~~[151] &c.] Not in other eds.~~

~~[152] newes] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “news” here, but not in the earlier part of this, nor in the next line.~~

~~[153] the] Eds. of Wyght, and Marshe, “that.”~~

~~[154] Guilliam] Other eds. “Gilliam.”~~

~~[155] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[156] grugyd] Other eds. “grudge.”~~

~~[157] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[158] hoste] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “hoost.”~~

~~[159] crack] Other eds. “crake.”~~

~~[160] they] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “the.”~~

~~[161] that] So other eds. Not in Kele’s ed.~~

~~[162] Nat] Other eds. “Not.”~~

~~[163] Rynne] Other eds. “Runne.”~~

~~[164] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[165] at dur] Other eds. “a dur.”~~

~~[166] maketh them to] Other eds. “make to.”~~

~~[167] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[168] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[169] must] Not in Marshe’s ed.~~

~~[170] stalworthy] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “tall worthy.”~~

~~[171] There] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “her” and “Her.”~~

~~[172] hyder] Other eds. “hither.”~~

~~[173] Nat] Other eds. “Not.”~~

~~[174] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[175] Ones] Other eds. “Once.”~~

~~[176] nat] Other eds, “not.”~~

~~[177] canon] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “conon.”~~

~~[178] By] Marshe’s ed. “But.”~~

~~[179] kyng] Kele’s ed. “dkeyng.” Other eds. “king.”~~

~~[180] and] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “an.”~~

~~[181] into] Marshe’s ed. “in.”~~

~~[182] a cæciam] Eds. “Acisiam:” see a similar misprint in v. 476. Compare v. 472. The Rev. J. Mitford conjectured “acrisiam” (judicii inopiam).~~

~~[183] a Mamelek] Eds. “Amamelek.”~~

~~[184] the] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “they be.”~~

~~[185] togeder] Other eds. “together.”~~

~~[186] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[187] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[188] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[189] cotyd] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “noted.”~~

~~[190] ryall] Other eds. “royall.”~~

~~[191] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[192] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[193] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[194] reame] Other eds. “realm.”~~

~~[195] wonders] Other eds. “wonderous.”~~

~~[196] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[197] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[198] wottith nat] Other eds. “wot not.”~~

~~[199] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[200] practyue] Other eds. “practique.”~~

~~[201] And] Perhaps ought to be thrown out. Compare v. 1062.~~

~~[202] Nat] Other eds. “Not.”~~

~~[203] eare] Marshe’s ed. “eares.”~~

~~[204] perceyued] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “perceyuid.”~~

~~[205] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[206] cacodemonyall] Eds. (with various spelling) “cacademonyall:” but compare the preceding line.~~

~~[207] prothonotory] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “prothonetory.”~~

~~[208] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[209] larger] Marshe’s ed. “large.”~~

~~[210] trechery] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “terchery.”~~

~~[211] warke] Other eds. “worke.”~~

~~[212] Pytchars] The Editor of 1736 printed “Pytchars and”—without the authority, I believe, of any old ed.~~

~~[213] cupborde] So other eds. Kele’s ed. here (but not previously, see v. 898) “copborde.”~~

~~[214] An] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “And.”~~

~~[215] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[216] of] Not in other eds.~~

~~[217] realmys] Marshe’s ed. “realme.”~~

~~[218] Brose] Other eds. “Bruse.”~~

~~[219] Lucyfer] Kele’s ed. “Lucyfers.” Other eds. “Lucifer.”~~

~~[220] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[221] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[222] dyscrecyon] Eds. of Kele, Wyght, and Kytson (with various spelling), “dystrectyon.” Marshe’s ed. “discretion.”~~

~~[223] his] Other eds. “him.”~~

~~[224] named] Marshe’s ed. “name.”~~

~~[225] flytynge] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “fiting.”~~

~~[226] And] Perhaps ought to be thrown out. Compare v. 735.~~

~~[227] ony] Other eds. “any.”~~

~~[228] for] Not in eds. of Kytson, and Marshe.~~

~~[229] of] Not in Marshe’s ed.~~

~~[230] obedyence] Kele’s ed. “obedynce.” Other eds. “obedience.”~~

~~[231] me] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “we.”~~

~~[232] And] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “That.”~~

~~[233] afore] Eds. of Kytson, and Marshe, “before.”~~

~~[234] they] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “the.”~~

~~[235] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[236] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[237] nose] Marshe’s ed. “pose.”~~

~~[238] pose] Kytson’s ed. “nose.”~~

~~[239] put] Wyght’s ed. “but.”~~

~~[240] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[241] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[242] hood] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “hode.”~~

~~[243] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[244] nat] Other eds. “not.”~~

~~[245] Pandulphum] Other eds. “pandulohum.”~~

~~[246] elongatum] Marshe’s ed. “longatum.”~~

~~[247] cataplasmate stratum] Eds. “cataplasmati statum.”~~

~~[248] Pharmacopolæ] Eds. (with various spelling) “Pharmacapoli.”~~

~~[249] Quo] Marshe’s ed. “Quod.”~~

DECASTICHON VIRULENTUM IN GALERATUM LYCAONTA MARINUM, &c.

~~Proh dolor, ecce, maris lupus, et nequissimus ursus,~~

~~Carnificis vitulus, Britonumque bubulcus iniquus,~~

~~Conflatus vitulus vel Oreb, vel Salmane vel Zeb,~~

~~Carduus, et crudelis Asaphque Datan reprobatus,~~

~~Blandus et Achitophel regis, scelus omne Britannum,~~

~~Ecclesias qui namque Thomas confundit ubique,~~

~~Non sacer iste Thomas, sed duro corde Goleas,~~

~~Quem gestat mulus,—Sathane, cacet,[250] obsecro, culus~~

~~Fundens asphaltum, precor! Hunc versum lege cautum;~~

Asperius nihil est misero quum surget in altum.[251] 10

~~[250] cacet] Other eds. “caret.”~~

~~[251] quum surget in altum] Not in Marshe’s ed.~~

APOSTROPHA AD [252] LONDINI CIVES (CITANTE [253] MULUM ASINO AUREO GALERATO) IN OCCURSUM ASELLI,[254] &c.

~~Excitat, en,[255] asinus mulum,[256] mirabile visu,~~

~~Calcibus! O vestro cives occurrite asello,~~

~~Qui regnum regemque regit, qui vestra gubernat~~

~~Prædia, divitias, nummos, gazas, spoliando!~~

~~Dixit alludens, immo illudens, paradoxam de asino aureo galerato.~~

~~xxxiiii.~~

~~Hæc vates ille,~~

~~De quo loquuntur mille.~~

~~[252] ad] Eds. “an.”~~

~~[253] citante] Eds. “citanto” and “citando.”~~

~~[254] aselli] Eds. “aguile:” compare the second line. The Editor of 1736 printed “asini.”~~

~~[255] en] Eds. “eu.”~~

~~[256] mulum] Other eds. “multum.”~~

SKELTON, LAUREATE, &c.
HOWE THE DOUTY DUKE OF ALBANY,[257] LYKE A COWARDE KNYGHT, RAN AWAYE SHAMFULLY, WITH AN HUNDRED THOUSANDE TRATLANDE SCOTTES AND FAINT HARTED FRENCHEMEN, BESIDE THE WATER OF TWEDE, &c.

~~Reioyse, Englande,~~

~~And vnderstande~~

~~These tidinges newe,~~

~~Whiche be as trewe~~

~~As the gospell:~~

~~This duke so fell~~

~~Of Albany,~~

~~So cowardly,~~

~~With all his hoost~~

~~Of the Scottyshe coost, 10~~

~~For all theyr boost,~~

~~Fledde lyke a beest;~~

~~Wherfore to ieste~~

~~Is my delyght~~

~~Of this cowarde knyght,~~

~~And for to wright~~

~~In the dispyght~~

~~Of the Scottes ranke~~

~~Of Huntley banke,~~

~~Of Lowdyan, 20~~

~~Of Locryan,~~

~~And the ragged ray~~

~~Of Galaway.~~

~~Dunbar, Dunde,~~

~~Ye shall trowe me,~~

~~False Scottes are ye:~~

~~Your hartes sore faynted,~~

~~And so [258] attaynted,~~

~~Lyke cowardes starke,~~

~~At the castell of Warke, 30~~

~~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, 40~~

~~Putte you to flyght;~~

~~By his valyaunce~~

~~Two thousande [259] of Fraunce~~

~~There he putte backe,~~

~~To your great lacke,~~

~~And vtter shame~~

~~Of your Scottysshe name.~~

~~Your chefe cheftayne,~~

~~Voyde of all brayne,~~

~~Duke of all Albany, 50~~

~~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, 60~~

~~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, 70~~

~~He ranne awaye by night.~~

~~But now must I~~

~~Your Duke ascry~~

~~Of Albany~~

~~With a worde or twayne~~

~~In sentence playne.~~

~~Ye duke so doutty,~~

~~So sterne, so stoutty,~~

~~In shorte sentens,~~

~~Of your pretens 80~~

~~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, 90~~

~~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 100~~

~~Is all your cast;~~

~~Thus ye haue compast~~

~~With the Frenche kyng~~

~~A fals rekenyng~~

~~To enuade Englande,~~

~~As I vnderstande:~~

~~But our kyng royall,~~

~~Whose name ouer all,~~

~~Noble Henry the eyght,~~

~~Shall cast a beyght, 110~~

~~And sette suche a snare,~~

~~That shall cast you in care,~~

~~Bothe Kyng Fraunces and thé,~~

~~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, 120~~

~~It shalbe your lottes~~

~~To be knytte vp with knottes~~

~~Of halters and ropes~~

~~About your traytours throtes!~~

~~O Scottes pariured,~~

~~Vnhaply vred,~~

~~Ye may be assured~~

~~Your falshod discured~~

~~It is and shal be~~

~~From the Scottish se 130~~

~~Vnto Gabione!~~

~~For ye be false echone,~~

~~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, 140~~

~~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, 150~~

~~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,[260] hay!~~

~~Twyt, Scot, thou ran away. 160~~

~~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, 170~~

~~Suche a foule coystrowne,~~

~~Suche a doutty dagswayne;~~

~~Sende him to F[r]aunce 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 stampe and stare? 180~~

~~God sende you sorow and care!~~

~~With vs whan euer ye mell,~~

~~Yet we bear away the bell,~~

~~Whan ye cankerd knaues~~

~~Must crepe into your caues~~

~~Your heedes for to hyde,~~

~~For ye dare nat abyde.~~

~~Sir Duke of Albany,~~

~~Right inconuenyently~~

~~Ye rage and ye raue, 190~~

~~And your worshyp depraue:~~

~~Nat lyke Duke Hamylcar,~~

~~With the Romayns that 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, 200~~

~~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, 210~~

~~Yet ye dare do nothynge,~~

~~But lepe away lyke frogges,~~

~~And hyde you vnder logges,~~

~~Lyke pygges and lyke hogges,~~

~~And lyke maungy dogges.~~

~~What an army were ye?~~

~~Or what actyuyte~~

~~Is in you, beggers braules,~~

~~Full of scabbes and scaules,~~

~~Of vermyne and of lyce, 220~~

~~And of all maner vyce?~~

~~Syr duke, nay, syr ducke,~~

~~Syr drake of the lake, sir ducke~~

~~Of the donghyll, for small lucke~~

~~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 230~~

~~Agaynst Englande to fyght;~~

~~Thou art a graceles wyght~~

~~To put thy selfe to flyght:~~

~~A vengeaunce and dispight~~

~~On thé 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, 240~~

~~The noble Erle of Surrey,~~

~~That put thé in suche fray;~~

~~Thou durst no felde derayne,~~

~~Nor no batayle [261] mayntayne~~

~~Against our st[r]onge 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 thé: 250~~

~~The fynde of hell mot sterue thé!~~

~~No man hath harde~~

~~Of suche a cowarde,~~

~~And such a mad ymage~~

~~Caried in a cage,~~

~~As it were a cotage;~~

~~Or of suche a mawment~~

~~Caryed in a tent;~~

~~In a tent! nay, nay,~~

~~But in a mountayne gay, 260~~

~~Lyke a great hill~~

~~For a wyndmil,~~

~~Therin to couche styll,~~

~~That no man hym kyll;~~

~~As it were a gote~~

~~In a shepe cote,~~

~~About hym a parke~~

~~Of a madde warke,~~

~~Men call it a toyle;~~

~~Therin, lyke a royle, 270~~

~~Sir Dunkan, ye dared,~~

~~And thus ye prepared~~

~~Youre carkas to kepe,~~

~~Lyke a sely shepe,~~

~~A 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: 280~~

~~Suche a captayne of hors,[262]~~

~~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 thé, sir Topias,~~

~~Nowe into the castell of Bas,~~

~~And lurke there, lyke an as,~~

~~With some Scotyshe [l]as, 290~~

~~With dugges, dugges, dugges:~~

~~I shrewe thy Scottishe lugges,~~

~~Thy munpynnys, and thy crag,~~

~~For thou can not but brag,~~

~~Lyke a Scottyshe hag:~~

~~Adue nowe, sir Wrig wrag,~~

~~Adue, sir Dalyrag!~~

~~Thy mellyng is but mockyng;~~

~~Thou mayst giue vp thy cocking,~~

~~Gyue it vp, and cry creke, 300~~

~~Lyke an huddypeke.~~

~~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 a worde,~~

~~Nor durst nat drawe his swerde~~

~~Agaynst the Lyon White,~~

~~But ran away quyte? 310~~

~~He ran away by nyght,~~

~~In the owle flyght,~~

~~Lyke a cowarde knyght.~~

~~Adue, cowarde, adue,~~

~~Fals knight, and mooste vntrue!~~

~~I render thé, fals rebelle,~~

~~To the flingande fende of helle.~~

~~Harke yet, sir duke, a worde,~~

~~In ernest or in borde:~~

~~What, haue ye, villayn, forged, 320~~

~~And virulently dysgorged,~~

~~As though ye wolde parbrake,~~

~~Your auauns to make,~~

~~With wordes enbosed,~~

~~Vngraciously engrosed,~~

~~Howe ye wyll vndertake~~

~~Our royall kyng to make~~

~~His owne realme to forsake?~~

~~Suche lewde langage ye spake.~~

~~Sir Dunkan, in the deuill waye, 330~~

~~Be well ware what ye say:~~

~~Ye saye that he and ye,—~~

~~Whyche he and ye? let se;~~

~~Ye meane Fraunces, 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 340~~

~~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 pounde [263]~~

~~Ye durst byde on the grounde,~~

~~Ye wolde ryn away rounde,~~

~~And cowardly tourne your backes,~~

~~For all your comly crackes, 350~~

~~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 trace~~

~~With Englyshe somwhat base,~~

~~Yet, saue [264] voster grace,~~

~~Therby I shall purchace~~

~~No displesaunt rewarde,~~

~~If ye wele can regarde 360~~

~~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? 370~~

~~To flye ye shalbe fayne,~~

~~And neuer tourne agayne.~~

~~What, wold Fraunces, 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 380~~

~~Our kyng out of his reme?~~

~~Ge heme, ranke Scot, ge heme,~~

~~With fonde Fraunces, French kyng:~~

~~Our mayster shall you brynge~~

~~I trust, to lowe estate,~~

~~And mate you with chekmate.~~

~~Your braynes are ydell;~~

~~It is time for you to brydell,~~

~~And pype in a quibyble;~~

~~For it is impossible 390~~

~~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.[265]~~

~~And nowe I wyll me dresse~~

~~His valiaunce to expresse, 400~~

~~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, 410~~

~~Deuoyde of good corage,~~

~~Deuoyde of wysdome sage,~~

~~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: 420~~

~~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 430~~

~~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;~~

~~In royal mageste 440~~

~~Lyke unto 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 frugalite,[266]~~

~~His lyberalite, 450~~

~~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, 460~~

~~To rayle on his astate,~~

~~With wordes inordinate!~~

~~He rules his cominalte~~

~~With all benignite;~~

~~His noble baronage,~~

~~He putteth them in corage~~

~~To exployte dedes of armys,~~

~~To the domage and harmys~~

~~Of suche as be his foos;~~

~~Where euer he rydes or goos, 470~~

~~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 480~~

~~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,~~

~~And to spende [267] their hart blode,~~

~~Their bodyes and their gode,~~

~~With hym in all dystresse,~~

~~Alway in redynesse 490~~

~~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; 500~~

~~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 510~~

~~Ouer all the worlde [268] 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~~

~~On trouthe, vnder defence 520~~

~~Of all trewe Englyshemen,~~

~~This mater to credence~~

~~That I wrate with my pen.~~

SKELTON LAUREAT, OBSEQUIOUS ET LOYALL.[269]
TO MY LORDE CARDYNALS RIGHT NOBLE GRACE, &c.

~~Lenuoy.~~

~~Go, lytell quayre, apace,~~

~~In moost humble wyse,~~

~~Before his noble grace,~~

~~That caused you 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.~~

~~[257] Howe the douty Duke of Albany, &c.] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568.~~

~~[258] so] Qy. “sore?”~~

~~[259] thousande] Ed. “thausande.”~~

~~[260] thy dogge] Qy. “thé, dogge?” but see notes.~~

~~[261] Nor no batayle, &c.] The Editor of 1736 chose to give this passage thus;~~

~~“Nor a batayle mayntayne~~

With our stronge captayne

For you ran,” &c.

~~[262] hors] Ed. “fors.”~~

~~[263] pounde] Ed. “pouned.”~~

~~[264] saue] Ed. “saua.”~~

~~[265] faytes] Qy. “factes?”~~

~~[266] frugalite] Ed. “fragalite.”~~

~~[267] And to spende, &c.] This line and the next transposed in ed.~~

~~[268] worlde] Ed. “worlds.”~~

[269] Skelton Laureat, obsequious et loyall] Perhaps these words are a portion of the superscription to the Lenuoy which follows. The Lenuoy itself does not, I apprehend, belong to the poem on the Duke of Albany. See Account of Skelton, &c.

THE POETICAL WORKSOFJOHN SKELTON.

SPEKE, PARROT.[1]THE BOKE[2] COMPILED BY MAISTER SKELTON, POET LAUREAT, CALLED SPEAKE, PARROT.

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH A LYTELL BOKE,[115] WHICHE HATH TO NAMEWHY COME YE NAT[116] TO COURTE?COMPYLED BY MAYSTER SKELTON, POETE LAUREATE.

DECASTICHON VIRULENTUM IN GALERATUM LYCAONTA MARINUM, &c.

APOSTROPHA AD[252] LONDINI CIVES (CITANTE[253] MULUM ASINO AUREO GALERATO) IN OCCURSUM ASELLI,[254] &c.

SKELTON, LAUREATE, &c.HOWE THE DOUTY DUKE OF ALBANY,[257] LYKE A COWARDE KNYGHT, RAN AWAYE SHAMFULLY, WITH AN HUNDRED THOUSANDE TRATLANDE SCOTTES AND FAINT HARTED FRENCHEMEN, BESIDE THE WATER OF TWEDE, &c.

SKELTON LAUREAT, OBSEQUIOUS ET LOYALL.[269]TO MY LORDE CARDYNALS RIGHT NOBLE GRACE, &c.

THE POETICAL WORKS
OF
JOHN SKELTON.

SPEKE, PARROT.[1]
THE BOKE [2] COMPILED BY MAISTER SKELTON, POET LAUREAT, CALLED SPEAKE, PARROT.

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH A LYTELL BOKE,[115] WHICHE HATH TO NAME
WHY COME YE NAT [116] TO COURTE?
COMPYLED BY MAYSTER SKELTON, POETE LAUREATE.

APOSTROPHA AD [252] LONDINI CIVES (CITANTE [253] MULUM ASINO AUREO GALERATO) IN OCCURSUM ASELLI,[254] &c.

SKELTON, LAUREATE, &c.
HOWE THE DOUTY DUKE OF ALBANY,[257] LYKE A COWARDE KNYGHT, RAN AWAYE SHAMFULLY, WITH AN HUNDRED THOUSANDE TRATLANDE SCOTTES AND FAINT HARTED FRENCHEMEN, BESIDE THE WATER OF TWEDE, &c.

SKELTON LAUREAT, OBSEQUIOUS ET LOYALL.[269]
TO MY LORDE CARDYNALS RIGHT NOBLE GRACE, &c.