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.

So

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: