The Poetical Works of John Skelton principally according to the edition of the Rev. Alexander Dyce. In three volumes |
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Skelton Poeta.
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 | The Poetical Works of John Skelton |  |
Skelton Poeta.
Forthwith there rose amonge the thronge
A wonderfull noyse, and on euery syde
They presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;
Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;
Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde,
With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;
Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.
A wonderfull noyse, and on euery syde
They presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;
Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;
Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde,
With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;
Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.
There was suyng to the Quene of Fame;
He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;
Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;
Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;
Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;
A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:
With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,
He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;
Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;
Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;
Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;
A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:
With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,
That longe tyme blewe a full timorous blaste,
Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,
That towres and townes and trees downe caste,
Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;
The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;
Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,
As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.
Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,
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Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;
The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;
Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,
As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.
Anone all was whyste, as it were for the nonys,
And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:
With that there come in wonderly at ones
A murmur of mynstrels, that suche another
Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;
Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyously
Weth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:
And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:
With that there come in wonderly at ones
A murmur of mynstrels, that suche another
Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;
Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyously
Weth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:
Whos heuenly armony was so passynge sure,
So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,
So duly entunyd with euery mesure,
That in the forest was none so great a tre
But that he daunced for ioye of that gle;
The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,
And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce:
So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,
So duly entunyd with euery mesure,
That in the forest was none so great a tre
But that he daunced for ioye of that gle;
The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,
And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce:
In so moche the stumpe, whereto I me lente,
Sterte all at ones an hundrethe fote backe:
With that I sprange vp towarde the tent
Of noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;
Where I sawe come after, I wote, full lytell lake
Of a thousande poetes assembled togeder:
But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;
Sterte all at ones an hundrethe fote backe:
With that I sprange vp towarde the tent
Of noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;
Where I sawe come after, I wote, full lytell lake
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But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;
Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede,
With heris encrisped yalowe as the golde,
Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede
Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne wolde
Concente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,
But, for to preserue her maidenhode clene,
Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.
With heris encrisped yalowe as the golde,
Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede
Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne wolde
Concente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,
But, for to preserue her maidenhode clene,
Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.
Meddelyd with murnynge the moost parte of his muse,
O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!
Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?
Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,
Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:
He sange also how, the tre as he did take
Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.
O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!
Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?
Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,
Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:
He sange also how, the tre as he did take
Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.
Then he assurded into this exclamacyon
Vnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;
O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,
So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,
Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!
Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,
To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?
Vnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;
O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,
So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,
Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!
Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,
To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?
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Why haue the goddes shewyd me this cruelte,
Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable?
I helpe all other of there infirmite,
But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;
That profyteth all other is nothynge profytable
Vnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse
The feruent axes of loue can not represse!
Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable?
I helpe all other of there infirmite,
But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;
That profyteth all other is nothynge profytable
Vnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse
The feruent axes of loue can not represse!
O fatall fortune, what haue I offendid?
Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?
But sith I haue lost now that I entended,
And may not atteyne it by no medyacyon,
Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon,
All famous poetis ensuynge after me
Shall were a garlande of the laurell tre.
Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?
But sith I haue lost now that I entended,
And may not atteyne it by no medyacyon,
Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon,
All famous poetis ensuynge after me
Shall were a garlande of the laurell tre.
This sayd, a grate nowmber folowyd by and by
Of poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;
Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:
Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;
Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;
Esiodus, the iconomicar,
And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;
Of poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;
Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:
Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;
Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;
Esiodus, the iconomicar,
And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;
Prynce of eloquence, Tullius Cicero,
With Salusty ageinst Lucius Catelyne,
That wrote the history of Iugurta also;
Ouyde, enshryned with the Musis nyne;
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis
These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;
With Salusty ageinst Lucius Catelyne,
That wrote the history of Iugurta also;
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But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis
These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;
Lucan, with Stacius in Achilliedos;
Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;
Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;
Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse;
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotes
These orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;
Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;
Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;
Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse;
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotes
These orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;
There Titus Lyuius hymselfe dyd auaunce
With decadis historious, whiche that he mengith
With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;
Enyus, that wrate of mercyall war at lengthe;
But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
With decadis historious, whiche that he mengith
With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;
Enyus, that wrate of mercyall war at lengthe;
But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
Aulus Gelius, that noble historiar;
Orace also with his new poetry;
Mayster Terence, the famous comicar,
With Plautus, that wrote full many a comody;
But blessyd Bachus was in there company,
Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
Orace also with his new poetry;
Mayster Terence, the famous comicar,
With Plautus, that wrote full many a comody;
But blessyd Bachus was in there company,
Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
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Senek full soberly with his tragediis;
Boyce, recounfortyd with his philosophy;
And Maxymyane, with his madde ditiis,
How dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly;
But blessyd Bachus most reuerent and holy,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
Boyce, recounfortyd with his philosophy;
And Maxymyane, with his madde ditiis,
How dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly;
But blessyd Bachus most reuerent and holy,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
There came Johnn Bochas with his volumys grete;
Quintus Cursius, full craftely that wrate
Of Alexander; and Macrobius that did trete
Of Scipions dreme what was the treu probate;
But blessyd Bachus that neuer man forgate,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis
These orators and poetis refresshid ther throtis;
Quintus Cursius, full craftely that wrate
Of Alexander; and Macrobius that did trete
Of Scipions dreme what was the treu probate;
But blessyd Bachus that neuer man forgate,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis
These orators and poetis refresshid ther throtis;
Poggeus also, that famous Florentine,
Mustred ther amonge them with many a mad tale;
With a frere of Fraunce men call sir Gagwyne,
That frownyd on me full angerly and pale;
But blessyd Bachus, that bote is of all bale,
Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshid there throtis;
Mustred ther amonge them with many a mad tale;
With a frere of Fraunce men call sir Gagwyne,
That frownyd on me full angerly and pale;
But blessyd Bachus, that bote is of all bale,
Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis
Theis orators and poetis refresshid there throtis;
Plutarke and Petrarke, two famous clarkis;
Lucilius and Valerius Maximus by name;
With Vincencius in Speculo, that wrote noble warkis;
Propercius and Pisandros, poetis of noble fame;
But blissed Bachus, that mastris oft doth frame,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis
Theis notable poetis refresshid there throtis.
Lucilius and Valerius Maximus by name;
With Vincencius in Speculo, that wrote noble warkis;
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But blissed Bachus, that mastris oft doth frame,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis
Theis notable poetis refresshid there throtis.
And as I thus sadly amonge them auysid,
I saw Gower, that first garnisshed our Englysshe rude,
And maister Chaucer, that nobly enterprysyd
How that our Englysshe myght fresshely be ennewed;
The monke of Bury then after them ensuyd,
Dane Johnn Lydgate: theis Englysshe poetis thre,
As I ymagenyd, repayrid vnto me,
I saw Gower, that first garnisshed our Englysshe rude,
And maister Chaucer, that nobly enterprysyd
How that our Englysshe myght fresshely be ennewed;
The monke of Bury then after them ensuyd,
Dane Johnn Lydgate: theis Englysshe poetis thre,
As I ymagenyd, repayrid vnto me,
Togeder in armes, as brethern, enbrasid;
There apparell farre passynge beyonde that I can tell;
With diamauntis and rubis there tabers were trasid,
None so ryche stones in Turkey to sell;
Thei wantid nothynge but the laurell;
And of there bounte they made me godely chere,
In maner and forme as ye shall after here.
There apparell farre passynge beyonde that I can tell;
With diamauntis and rubis there tabers were trasid,
None so ryche stones in Turkey to sell;
Thei wantid nothynge but the laurell;
And of there bounte they made me godely chere,
In maner and forme as ye shall after here.
| The Poetical Works of John Skelton | |