The Poetical Works of John Skelton principally according to the edition of the Rev. Alexander Dyce. In three volumes |
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| II. |
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Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
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 | The Poetical Works of John Skelton |  |
174
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
The sum of your purpose, as we ar aduysid,
Is that our seruaunt is sum what to dull;
Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid,
How ryuers rin not tyll the spryng be full;
Better a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;
For if he gloryously pullishe his matter,
Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;
Is that our seruaunt is sum what to dull;
Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid,
How ryuers rin not tyll the spryng be full;
Better a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;
For if he gloryously pullishe his matter,
Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;
And if so hym fortune to wryte true and plaine,
As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,
Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,
And how his wordes with reason wyll not accorde;
Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;
Displease not an hundreth for one mannes pleasure;
Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.
As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,
Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,
And how his wordes with reason wyll not accorde;
Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;
Displease not an hundreth for one mannes pleasure;
Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.
Also, to furnisshe better his excuse,
Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,
And many mo whome I cowde enduce;
Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyll
For certayne enuectyfys, yet wrote he none ill,
Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon the gall;
It was not for hym to abyde the tryall.
Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,
And many mo whome I cowde enduce;
Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyll
For certayne enuectyfys, yet wrote he none ill,
Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon the gall;
It was not for hym to abyde the tryall.
In generrall wordes, I say not gretely nay,
A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt,
Spekyng in parablis, how the fox, the grey,
The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,
Went with the pecok ageyne the fesaunt;
The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,
With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.
A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt,
175
The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,
Went with the pecok ageyne the fesaunt;
The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,
With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.
Yet dyuerse ther be, industryous of reason,
Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture
Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;
How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;
Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture;
Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;
Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.
Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture
Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;
How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;
Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture;
Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;
Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.
| The Poetical Works of John Skelton | |