The Poetical Works of John Skelton principally according to the edition of the Rev. Alexander Dyce. In three volumes |
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Occupacyoun redith and expoundyth sum parte
of Skeltons bokes and baladis with ditis of
plesure, in as moche as it were to longe a proces
to reherse all by name that he hath compylyd, &c.
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 | The Poetical Works of John Skelton |  |
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Occupacyoun redith and expoundyth sum parte of Skeltons bokes and baladis with ditis of plesure, in as moche as it were to longe a proces to reherse all by name that he hath compylyd, &c.
Of your oratour and poete laureate
Of Englande, his workis here they begynne:
In primis the Boke of Honorous Astate;
Item the Boke how men shulde fle synne;
Item Royall Demenaunce worshyp to wynne;
Item the Boke to speke well or be styll;
Item to lerne you to dye when ye wyll;
Of Englande, his workis here they begynne:
In primis the Boke of Honorous Astate;
Item the Boke how men shulde fle synne;
Item Royall Demenaunce worshyp to wynne;
Item the Boke to speke well or be styll;
Item to lerne you to dye when ye wyll;
Of Vertu also the souerayne enterlude;
The Boke of the Rosiar; Prince Arturis Creacyoun;
The False Fayth that now goth, which dayly is renude;
Item his Diologgis of Ymagynacyoun;
Item Antomedon of Loues Meditacyoun;
Item New Gramer in Englysshe compylyd;
Item Bowche of Courte, where Drede was begyled;
The Boke of the Rosiar; Prince Arturis Creacyoun;
The False Fayth that now goth, which dayly is renude;
Item his Diologgis of Ymagynacyoun;
Item Antomedon of Loues Meditacyoun;
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Item Bowche of Courte, where Drede was begyled;
His commedy, Achademios callyd by name;
Of Tullis Familiars the translacyoun;
Item Good Aduysement, that brainles doth blame;
The Recule ageinst Gaguyne of the Frenshe nacyoun;
Item the Popingay, that hath in commendacyoun
Ladyes and gentylwomen suche as deseruyd,
And suche as be counterfettis they be reseruyd;
Of Tullis Familiars the translacyoun;
Item Good Aduysement, that brainles doth blame;
The Recule ageinst Gaguyne of the Frenshe nacyoun;
Item the Popingay, that hath in commendacyoun
Ladyes and gentylwomen suche as deseruyd,
And suche as be counterfettis they be reseruyd;
And of Soueraynte a noble pamphelet;
And of Magnyfycence a notable mater,
How Cownterfet Cowntenaunce of the new get
With Crafty Conueyaunce dothe smater and flater,
And Cloked Collucyoun is brought in to clater
With Courtely Abusyoun; who pryntith it wele in mynde
Moche dowblenes of the worlde therin he may fynde;
And of Magnyfycence a notable mater,
How Cownterfet Cowntenaunce of the new get
With Crafty Conueyaunce dothe smater and flater,
And Cloked Collucyoun is brought in to clater
With Courtely Abusyoun; who pryntith it wele in mynde
Moche dowblenes of the worlde therin he may fynde;
223
Of manerly maistres Margery Mylke and Ale;
To her he wrote many maters of myrthe;
Yet, thoughe I say it, therby lyith a tale,
For Margery wynshed, and breke her hinder girth;
Lor, how she made moche of her gentyll birth!
With, Gingirly, go gingerly! her tayle was made of hay;
Go she neuer so gingirly, her honesty is gone away;
To her he wrote many maters of myrthe;
Yet, thoughe I say it, therby lyith a tale,
For Margery wynshed, and breke her hinder girth;
Lor, how she made moche of her gentyll birth!
With, Gingirly, go gingerly! her tayle was made of hay;
Go she neuer so gingirly, her honesty is gone away;
Harde to make ought of that is nakid nought;
This fustiane maistres and this giggisse gase,
Wonder is to wryte what wrenchis she wrowght,
To face out her foly with a midsomer mase;
With pitche she patchid her pitcher shuld not crase;
It may wele ryme, but shroudly it doth accorde,
To pyke out honesty of suche a potshorde:
This fustiane maistres and this giggisse gase,
Wonder is to wryte what wrenchis she wrowght,
To face out her foly with a midsomer mase;
With pitche she patchid her pitcher shuld not crase;
It may wele ryme, but shroudly it doth accorde,
To pyke out honesty of suche a potshorde:
Patet per versus.
Hinc puer hic natus; vir conjugis hinc spoliatusJure thori; est fœtus Deli de sanguine cretus;
Hinc magis extollo, quod erit puer alter Apollo;
Si quæris qualis? meretrix castissima talis;
Et relis, et ralis, et reliqualis.
224
Fynde no mo suche fro Wanflete to Walis.
Et reliqua omelia de diversis tractatibus.
Of my ladys grace at the contemplacyoun,
Owt of Frenshe into Englysshe prose,
Of Mannes Lyfe the Peregrynacioun,
He did translate, enterprete, and disclose;
The Tratyse of Triumphis of the Rede Rose,
Wherein many storis ar breuely contayned
That vnremembred longe tyme remayned;
Owt of Frenshe into Englysshe prose,
Of Mannes Lyfe the Peregrynacioun,
He did translate, enterprete, and disclose;
The Tratyse of Triumphis of the Rede Rose,
Wherein many storis ar breuely contayned
That vnremembred longe tyme remayned;
The Duke of Yorkis creauncer whan Skelton was,
Now Henry the viij. Kyng of Englonde,
A tratyse he deuysid and browght it to pas,
Callid Speculum Principis, to bere in his honde,
Therin to rede, and to vnderstande
All the demenour of princely astate,
To be our Kyng, of God preordinate;
Now Henry the viij. Kyng of Englonde,
A tratyse he deuysid and browght it to pas,
Callid Speculum Principis, to bere in his honde,
Therin to rede, and to vnderstande
All the demenour of princely astate,
To be our Kyng, of God preordinate;
Also the Tunnynge of Elinour Rummyng,
With Colyn Clowt, Iohnn Iue, with Ioforth Iack;
To make suche trifels it asketh sum konnyng,
In honest myrth parde requyreth no lack;
The whyte apperyth the better for the black,
And after conueyauns as the world goos,
It is no foly to vse the Walshemannys hoos;
With Colyn Clowt, Iohnn Iue, with Ioforth Iack;
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In honest myrth parde requyreth no lack;
The whyte apperyth the better for the black,
And after conueyauns as the world goos,
It is no foly to vse the Walshemannys hoos;
The vmblis of venyson, the botell of wyne,
To fayre maistres Anne that shuld haue be sent,
He wrate therof many a praty lyne,
Where it became, and whether it went,
And how that it was wantonly spent;
The Balade also of the Mustarde Tarte
Suche problemis to paynt it longyth to his arte;
To fayre maistres Anne that shuld haue be sent,
He wrate therof many a praty lyne,
Where it became, and whether it went,
And how that it was wantonly spent;
The Balade also of the Mustarde Tarte
Suche problemis to paynt it longyth to his arte;
Of one Adame all a knaue, late dede and gone,—
Dormiat in pace, lyke a dormows!—
He wrate an Epitaph for his graue stone,
With wordes deuoute and sentence agerdows,
For he was euer ageynst Goddis hows,
All his delight was to braule and to barke
Ageynst holy chyrche, the preste, and the clarke;
Dormiat in pace, lyke a dormows!—
He wrate an Epitaph for his graue stone,
With wordes deuoute and sentence agerdows,
For he was euer ageynst Goddis hows,
All his delight was to braule and to barke
Ageynst holy chyrche, the preste, and the clarke;
Of Phillip Sparow the lamentable fate,
The dolefull desteny, and the carefull chaunce,
Dyuysed by Skelton after the funerall rate;
Yet sum there be therewith that take greuaunce,
And grudge therat with frownyng countenaunce;
But what of that? hard it is to please all men;
Who list amende it, let hym set to his penne;
The dolefull desteny, and the carefull chaunce,
226
Yet sum there be therewith that take greuaunce,
And grudge therat with frownyng countenaunce;
But what of that? hard it is to please all men;
Who list amende it, let hym set to his penne;
For the gyse now adays
Of sum iangelyng iays
Is to discommende
That they can not amende,
Though they wolde spende
All the wittis they haue.
Of sum iangelyng iays
Is to discommende
That they can not amende,
Though they wolde spende
All the wittis they haue.
What ayle them to depraue
Phillippe Sparows graue?
His Dirige, her Commendacioun
Can be no derogacyoun,
But myrth and consolacyoun,
Made by protestacyoun,
No man to myscontent
With Phillippis enteremente.
Phillippe Sparows graue?
His Dirige, her Commendacioun
Can be no derogacyoun,
But myrth and consolacyoun,
Made by protestacyoun,
No man to myscontent
With Phillippis enteremente.
Alas, that goodly mayd,
Why shulde she be afrayd?
Why shulde she take shame
That her goodly name,
Honorably reportid,
Shulde be set and sortyd,
To be matriculate
With ladyes of astate?
Why shulde she be afrayd?
Why shulde she take shame
That her goodly name,
Honorably reportid,
Shulde be set and sortyd,
To be matriculate
With ladyes of astate?
227
I coniure thé, Phillip Sparow,
By Hercules that hell did harow,
And with a venomows arow
Slew of the Epidawris
One of the Centawris,
Or Onocentauris,
Or Hippocentauris;
By whos myght and maine
An hart was slayne
With hornnis twayne
Of glitteryng golde;
And the apples of golde
Of Hesperides withholde,
And with a dragon kepte
That neuer more slepte,
By merciall strength
He wan at length;
And slew Gerione
With thre bodys in one;
With myghty corrage
Adauntid the rage
Of a lyon sauage;
Of Diomedis stabyll
He brought out a rabyll
Of coursers and rounsis
With lepes and bounsis;
And with myghty luggyng,
Wrastelynge and tuggyng,
He pluckid the bull
By the hornid scull,
And offred to Cornucopia;
And so forthe per cetera:
By Hercules that hell did harow,
And with a venomows arow
Slew of the Epidawris
One of the Centawris,
Or Onocentauris,
Or Hippocentauris;
By whos myght and maine
An hart was slayne
With hornnis twayne
Of glitteryng golde;
And the apples of golde
Of Hesperides withholde,
And with a dragon kepte
That neuer more slepte,
By merciall strength
He wan at length;
And slew Gerione
With thre bodys in one;
With myghty corrage
Adauntid the rage
Of a lyon sauage;
Of Diomedis stabyll
He brought out a rabyll
Of coursers and rounsis
With lepes and bounsis;
And with myghty luggyng,
Wrastelynge and tuggyng,
He pluckid the bull
By the hornid scull,
228
And so forthe per cetera:
Also by Hectates bowre
In Plutos gastly towre;
In Plutos gastly towre;
By the vgly Eumenides,
That neuer haue rest nor ease;
That neuer haue rest nor ease;
By the venemows serpent
That in hell is neuer brente,
In Lerna the Grekis fen
That was engendred then;
That in hell is neuer brente,
In Lerna the Grekis fen
That was engendred then;
By Chemeras flamys,
And all the dedely namys
Of infernall posty,
Where soulis fry and rosty;
And all the dedely namys
Of infernall posty,
Where soulis fry and rosty;
By the Stigiall flode,
And the stremes wode
Of Cochitos bottumles well;
And the stremes wode
Of Cochitos bottumles well;
By the feryman of hell,
Caron with his berde hore,
That rowyth with a rude ore,
And with his frownsid fortop
Gydith his bote with a prop:
Caron with his berde hore,
That rowyth with a rude ore,
And with his frownsid fortop
Gydith his bote with a prop:
I coniure Phillippe, and call,
In the name of Kyng Saull;
Primo Regum expres,
He bad the Phitones
To witche craft her to dres,
And by her abusiouns,
And damnable illusiouns
Of meruelous conclusiouns,
And by her supersticiouns
Of wonderfull condiciouns,
She raysed vp in that stede
Samuell that was dede;
But whether it were so,
He were idem in numero,
The selfe same Samuell,
How be it to Saull he did tell
The Philistinis shulde hym askry,
And the next day he shulde dye,
I wyll my selfe discharge
To letterd men at large:
In the name of Kyng Saull;
Primo Regum expres,
He bad the Phitones
To witche craft her to dres,
And by her abusiouns,
229
Of meruelous conclusiouns,
And by her supersticiouns
Of wonderfull condiciouns,
She raysed vp in that stede
Samuell that was dede;
But whether it were so,
He were idem in numero,
The selfe same Samuell,
How be it to Saull he did tell
The Philistinis shulde hym askry,
And the next day he shulde dye,
I wyll my selfe discharge
To letterd men at large:
But, Phillip, I coniure thé
Now by theys names thre,
Diana in the woddis grene,
Luna that so bryght doth shene,
Proserpina in hell,
That thou shortely tell,
And shew now vnto me
What the cause may be
Of this perplexyte!
Now by theys names thre,
Diana in the woddis grene,
Luna that so bryght doth shene,
Proserpina in hell,
That thou shortely tell,
And shew now vnto me
What the cause may be
Of this perplexyte!
Inferias, Philippe, tuas Scroupe pulchra Joanna
Instanter petiit: cur nostri carminis illam
Nunc pudet? est sero; minor est infamia vero.
Instanter petiit: cur nostri carminis illam
Nunc pudet? est sero; minor est infamia vero.
230
Then such that haue disdaynyd
And of this worke complaynyd,
I pray God they be paynyd
No wors than is contaynyd
In verses two or thre
That folowe as ye may se:
And of this worke complaynyd,
I pray God they be paynyd
No wors than is contaynyd
In verses two or thre
That folowe as ye may se:
Luride, cur, livor, volucris pia funera damnas?
Talia te rapiant rapiunt quæ fata volucrem!
Est tamen invidia mors tibi continua:
Talia te rapiant rapiunt quæ fata volucrem!
Est tamen invidia mors tibi continua:
The Gruntyng and the groynninge of the gronnyng swyne;
Also the Murnyng of the mapely rote;
How the grene couerlet sufferd grete pine,
When the flye net was set for to catche a cote,
Strake one with a birdbolt to the hart rote;
Also a deuoute Prayer to Moyses hornis,
Metrifyde merely, medelyd with scornis;
Also the Murnyng of the mapely rote;
How the grene couerlet sufferd grete pine,
When the flye net was set for to catche a cote,
Strake one with a birdbolt to the hart rote;
Also a deuoute Prayer to Moyses hornis,
Metrifyde merely, medelyd with scornis;
Of paiauntis that were played in Ioyows Garde;
He wrate of a muse throw a mud wall;
How a do cam trippyng in at the rere warde,
But, lorde, how the parker was wroth with all!
And of Castell Aungell the fenestrall,
Glittryng and glistryng and gloryously glasid,
It made sum mens eyn dasild and dasid;
He wrate of a muse throw a mud wall;
How a do cam trippyng in at the rere warde,
But, lorde, how the parker was wroth with all!
And of Castell Aungell the fenestrall,
231
It made sum mens eyn dasild and dasid;
The Repete of the recule of Rosamundis bowre,
Of his pleasaunt paine there and his glad distres
In plantynge and pluckynge a propre ieloffer flowre;
But how it was, sum were to recheles,
Not withstandynge it is remedeles;
What myght she say? what myght he do therto?
Though Iak sayd nay, yet Mok there loste her sho;
Of his pleasaunt paine there and his glad distres
In plantynge and pluckynge a propre ieloffer flowre;
But how it was, sum were to recheles,
Not withstandynge it is remedeles;
What myght she say? what myght he do therto?
Though Iak sayd nay, yet Mok there loste her sho;
How than lyke a man he wan the barbican
With a sawte of solace at the longe last;
The colour dedely, swarte, blo, and wan
Of Exione, her lambis dede and past,
The cheke and the nek but a shorte cast;
In fortunis fauour euer to endure,
No man lyuyng, he sayth, can be sure;
With a sawte of solace at the longe last;
The colour dedely, swarte, blo, and wan
Of Exione, her lambis dede and past,
The cheke and the nek but a shorte cast;
In fortunis fauour euer to endure,
No man lyuyng, he sayth, can be sure;
232
How dame Minerua first found the olyue tre, she red
And plantid it there where neuer before was none; vnshred
An hynde vnhurt hit by casuelte, not bled
Recouerd whan the forster was gone; and sped
The hertis of the herd began for to grone, and fled
The howndes began to yerne and to quest; and dred
With litell besynes standith moche rest; in bed
And plantid it there where neuer before was none; vnshred
An hynde vnhurt hit by casuelte, not bled
Recouerd whan the forster was gone; and sped
The hertis of the herd began for to grone, and fled
The howndes began to yerne and to quest; and dred
With litell besynes standith moche rest; in bed
His Epitomis of the myller and his ioly make;
How her ble was bryght as blossom on the spray,
A wanton wenche and wele coude bake a cake;
The myllar was loth to be out of the way,
But yet for all that, be as be may,
Whether he rode to Swaffhamm or to Some,
The millar durst not leue his wyfe at home;
How her ble was bryght as blossom on the spray,
A wanton wenche and wele coude bake a cake;
The myllar was loth to be out of the way,
But yet for all that, be as be may,
Whether he rode to Swaffhamm or to Some,
The millar durst not leue his wyfe at home;
233
With, Wofully arayd, and Shamefully betrayd,
Of his makyng deuoute medytacyons;
Vexilla regis he deuysid to be displayd;
With Sacris solemniis, and other contemplacyouns,
That in them comprisid consyderacyons;
Thus passyth he the tyme both nyght and day,
Sumtyme with sadnes, sumtyme with play;
Of his makyng deuoute medytacyons;
Vexilla regis he deuysid to be displayd;
With Sacris solemniis, and other contemplacyouns,
That in them comprisid consyderacyons;
Thus passyth he the tyme both nyght and day,
Sumtyme with sadnes, sumtyme with play;
Though Galiene and Dioscorides,
With Ipocras, and mayster Auycen,
By there phesik doth many a man ease,
And though Albumasar can thé enforme and ken
What constellacions ar good or bad for men,
Yet whan the rayne rayneth and the gose wynkith,
Lytill wotith the goslyng what the gose thynkith;
With Ipocras, and mayster Auycen,
By there phesik doth many a man ease,
And though Albumasar can thé enforme and ken
What constellacions ar good or bad for men,
Yet whan the rayne rayneth and the gose wynkith,
Lytill wotith the goslyng what the gose thynkith;
He is not wyse ageyne the streme that stryuith;
Dun is in the myre, dame, reche me my spur;
Nedes must he rin that the deuyll dryuith;
When the stede is stolyn, spar the stable dur;
A ientyll hownde shulde neuer play the kur;
It is sone aspyed where the thorne prikkith;
And wele wotith the cat whos berde she likkith;
Dun is in the myre, dame, reche me my spur;
234
When the stede is stolyn, spar the stable dur;
A ientyll hownde shulde neuer play the kur;
It is sone aspyed where the thorne prikkith;
And wele wotith the cat whos berde she likkith;
With Marione clarione, sol, lucerne,
Graund juir, of this Frenshe prouerbe olde,
How men were wonte for to discerne
By candelmes day what wedder shuld holde;
But Marione clarione was caught with a colde colde, anglice a cokwolde,
And all ouercast with cloudis vnkynde,
This goodly flowre with stormis was vntwynde;
Graund juir, of this Frenshe prouerbe olde,
How men were wonte for to discerne
By candelmes day what wedder shuld holde;
But Marione clarione was caught with a colde colde, anglice a cokwolde,
And all ouercast with cloudis vnkynde,
This goodly flowre with stormis was vntwynde;
This ieloffer ientyll, this rose, this lylly flowre,
This primerose pereles, this propre vyolet,
This columbyne clere and fresshest of coloure,
This delycate dasy, this strawbery pretely set,
With frowarde frostis, alas, was all to-fret!
But who may haue a more vngracyous lyfe
Than a chyldis birde and a knauis wyfe?
This primerose pereles, this propre vyolet,
This columbyne clere and fresshest of coloure,
This delycate dasy, this strawbery pretely set,
With frowarde frostis, alas, was all to-fret!
But who may haue a more vngracyous lyfe
Than a chyldis birde and a knauis wyfe?
Thynke what ye wyll
Of this wanton byll;
By Mary Gipcy,
Quod scripsi, scripsi:
Uxor tua, sicut vitis,
Habetis in custodiam,
Custodite sicut scitis,
Secundum Lucam, &c.
Of this wanton byll;
235
Quod scripsi, scripsi:
Uxor tua, sicut vitis,
Habetis in custodiam,
Custodite sicut scitis,
Secundum Lucam, &c.
Of the Bonehoms of Ashrige besyde Barkamstede,
That goodly place to Skelton moost kynde,
Where the sank royall is, Crystes blode so rede,
Wherevpon he metrefyde after his mynde;
A pleasaunter place than Ashrige is, harde were to fynde,
As Skelton rehersith, with wordes few and playne,
In his distichon made on verses twaine;
Fraxinus in clivo frondetque viret sine rivo,
Non est sub divo similis sine flumine vivo;
That goodly place to Skelton moost kynde,
Where the sank royall is, Crystes blode so rede,
Wherevpon he metrefyde after his mynde;
A pleasaunter place than Ashrige is, harde were to fynde,
As Skelton rehersith, with wordes few and playne,
In his distichon made on verses twaine;
Fraxinus in clivo frondetque viret sine rivo,
Non est sub divo similis sine flumine vivo;
The Nacyoun of Folys he left not behynde;
Item Apollo that whirllid vp his chare,
That made sum to snurre and snuf in the wynde;
It made them to skip, to stampe, and to stare,
Whiche, if they be happy, haue cause to beware
In ryming and raylyng with hym for to mell,
For drede that he lerne them there A, B, C, to spell.
Item Apollo that whirllid vp his chare,
That made sum to snurre and snuf in the wynde;
It made them to skip, to stampe, and to stare,
Whiche, if they be happy, haue cause to beware
In ryming and raylyng with hym for to mell,
For drede that he lerne them there A, B, C, to spell.
236
Poeta Skelton.
With that I stode vp, halfe sodenly afrayd;
Suppleyng to Fame, I besought her grace,
And that it wolde please her, full tenderly I prayd,
Owt of her bokis Apollo to rase.
Nay, sir, she sayd, what so in this place
Of our noble courte is ones spoken owte,
It must nedes after rin all the worlde aboute.
Suppleyng to Fame, I besought her grace,
And that it wolde please her, full tenderly I prayd,
Owt of her bokis Apollo to rase.
Nay, sir, she sayd, what so in this place
Of our noble courte is ones spoken owte,
It must nedes after rin all the worlde aboute.
God wote, theis wordes made me full sad;
And when that I sawe it wolde no better be,
But that my peticyon wolde not be had,
What shulde I do but take it in gre?
For, by Juppiter and his high mageste,
I did what I cowde to scrape out the scrollis,
Apollo to rase out of her ragman rollis.
And when that I sawe it wolde no better be,
But that my peticyon wolde not be had,
What shulde I do but take it in gre?
For, by Juppiter and his high mageste,
I did what I cowde to scrape out the scrollis,
Apollo to rase out of her ragman rollis.
Now hereof it erkith me lenger to wryte;
To Occupacyon I wyll agayne resorte,
Whiche redde on still, as it cam to her syght,
Rendrynge my deuisis I made in disporte
Of the Mayden of Kent callid Counforte,
Of Louers testamentis and of there wanton wyllis,
And how Iollas louyd goodly Phillis;
To Occupacyon I wyll agayne resorte,
Whiche redde on still, as it cam to her syght,
Rendrynge my deuisis I made in disporte
Of the Mayden of Kent callid Counforte,
Of Louers testamentis and of there wanton wyllis,
And how Iollas louyd goodly Phillis;
237
Diodorus Siculus of my translacyon
Out of fresshe Latine into owre Englysshe playne,
Recountyng commoditis of many a straunge nacyon;
Who redyth it ones wolde rede it agayne;
Sex volumis engrosid together it doth containe:
But when of the laurell she made rehersall,
All orators and poetis, with other grete and smale,
Out of fresshe Latine into owre Englysshe playne,
Recountyng commoditis of many a straunge nacyon;
Who redyth it ones wolde rede it agayne;
Sex volumis engrosid together it doth containe:
But when of the laurell she made rehersall,
All orators and poetis, with other grete and smale,
A thowsande thowsande, I trow, to my dome,
Triumpha, triumpha! they cryid all aboute;
Of trumpettis and clariouns the noyse went to Rome;
The starry heuyn, me thought, shoke with the showte;
The grownde gronid and tremblid, the noyse was so stowte:
The Quene of Fame commaundid shett fast the boke;
And therwith sodenly out of my dreme I woke.
Triumpha, triumpha! they cryid all aboute;
Of trumpettis and clariouns the noyse went to Rome;
The starry heuyn, me thought, shoke with the showte;
The grownde gronid and tremblid, the noyse was so stowte:
The Quene of Fame commaundid shett fast the boke;
And therwith sodenly out of my dreme I woke.
238
My mynde of the grete din was somdele amasid,
I wypid myne eyne for to make them clere;
Then to the heuyn sperycall vpwarde I gasid,
Where I saw Ianus, with his double chere,
Makynge his almanak for the new yere;
He turnyd his tirikkis, his voluell ran fast:
Good luk this new yere! the olde yere is past.
I wypid myne eyne for to make them clere;
Then to the heuyn sperycall vpwarde I gasid,
Where I saw Ianus, with his double chere,
Makynge his almanak for the new yere;
He turnyd his tirikkis, his voluell ran fast:
Good luk this new yere! the olde yere is past.
Mens tibi sit consulta, petis? sic consule menti;
Æmula sit Jani, retro speculetur et ante.
Æmula sit Jani, retro speculetur et ante.
Skeltonis alloquitur librum suum.
Ite, Britannorum lux O radiosa, BritannumCarmina nostra pium vestrum celebrate Catullum!
Dicite, Skeltonis vester Adonis erat;
Dicite, Skeltonis vester Homerus erat.
Barbara cum Latio pariter jam currite versu;
Et licet est verbo pars maxima texta Britanno,
Non magis incompta nostra Thalia patet,
Est magis inculta nec mea Calliope.
Nec vos pœniteat livoris tela subire,
Nec vos pœniteat rabiem tolerare caninam,
Nam Maro dissimiles non tulit ille minas,
Immunis nec enim Musa Nasonis erat.
Lenuoy.
Go, litill quaire,
Demene you faire;
Take no dispare,
Though I you wrate
After this rate
In Englysshe letter;
So moche the better
Welcome shall ye
To sum men be:
For Latin warkis
Be good for clerkis;
Yet now and then
Sum Latin men
May happely loke
Vpon your boke,
And so procede
In you to rede,
That so indede
Your fame may sprede
In length and brede.
But then I drede
Ye shall haue nede
You for to spede
To harnnes bryght,
By force of myght,
Ageyne enuy
And obloquy:
And wote ye why?
Not for to fyght
Ageyne dispyght,
Nor to derayne
Batayle agayne
Scornfull disdayne,
Nor for to chyde,
Nor for to hyde
You cowardly;
But curteisly
That I haue pende
For to deffend,
Vnder the banner
Of all good manner,
Vnder proteccyon
Of sad correccyon,
With toleracyon
And supportacyon
Of reformacyon,
If they can spy
Circumspectly
Any worde defacid
That myght be rasid,
Els ye shall pray
Them that ye may
Contynew still
With there good wyll.
Demene you faire;
239
Though I you wrate
After this rate
In Englysshe letter;
So moche the better
Welcome shall ye
To sum men be:
For Latin warkis
Be good for clerkis;
Yet now and then
Sum Latin men
May happely loke
Vpon your boke,
And so procede
In you to rede,
That so indede
Your fame may sprede
In length and brede.
But then I drede
Ye shall haue nede
You for to spede
To harnnes bryght,
By force of myght,
Ageyne enuy
And obloquy:
And wote ye why?
Not for to fyght
Ageyne dispyght,
Nor to derayne
Batayle agayne
240
Nor for to chyde,
Nor for to hyde
You cowardly;
But curteisly
That I haue pende
For to deffend,
Vnder the banner
Of all good manner,
Vnder proteccyon
Of sad correccyon,
With toleracyon
And supportacyon
Of reformacyon,
If they can spy
Circumspectly
Any worde defacid
That myght be rasid,
Els ye shall pray
Them that ye may
Contynew still
With there good wyll.
Ad serenissimam Majestatem Regiam, pariter cum Domino
Cardinali, Legato a latere honorificatissimo, &c.
Cardinali, Legato a latere honorificatissimo, &c.
Lautre Enuoy.
Perge, liber, celebrem pronus regem venerare
Henricum octavum, resonans sua præmia laudis.
Cardineum dominum pariter venerando salutes,
Legatum a latere, et fiat memor ipse precare
Prebendæ, quam promisit mihi credere quondam,
Meque suum referas pignus sperare salutis
Inter spemque metum.
Henricum octavum, resonans sua præmia laudis.
241
Legatum a latere, et fiat memor ipse precare
Prebendæ, quam promisit mihi credere quondam,
Meque suum referas pignus sperare salutis
Inter spemque metum.
Twene hope and drede
My lyfe I lede,
But of my spede
Small sekernes:
Howe be it I rede
Both worde and dede
Should be agrede
In noblenes:
Or els, &c.
My lyfe I lede,
But of my spede
Small sekernes:
Howe be it I rede
Both worde and dede
Should be agrede
In noblenes:
Or els, &c.
242
ADMONET SKELTONIS OMNES ARBORES DARE LOCUM VIRIDI LAURO JUXTA GENUS SUUM.
Fraxinus in silvis, altis in montibus ornus,Populus in fluviis, abies, patulissima fagus,
Lenta salix, platanus, pinguis ficulnea ficus,
Glandifera et quercus, pirus, esculus, ardua pinus,
Balsamus exudans, oleaster, oliva Minervæ,
Juniperus, buxus, lentiscus cuspide lenta,
Botrigera et domino vitis gratissima Baccho,
Ilex et sterilis labrusca perosa colonis,
Mollibus exudans fragrantia thura Sabæis
Thus, redolens Arabis pariter notissima myrrha,
Et vos, O coryli fragiles, humilesque myricæ,
Et vos, O cedri redolentes, vos quoque myrti,
Arboris omne genus viridi concedite lauro!
Prennees en gre The Laurelle.
243
EN PARLAMENT A PARIS.
Iustice est morte,Et Veryte sommielle;
Droit et Raison
Sont alez aux pardons:
Lez deux premiers
Nul ne les resuelle;
Et lez derniers
Sount corrumpus par dons.
OUT OF FRENSHE INTO LATYN.
Abstulit atra dies Astræam; cana Fides sedSomno pressa jacet; Jus iter arripuit,
Et secum Ratio proficiscens limite longo:
Nemo duas primas evigilare parat;
Atque duo postrema absunt, et munera tantum
Impediunt nequeunt quod remeare domum.
OWT OF LATYNE INTO ENGLYSSHE.
Justyce now is dede;Trowth with a drowsy hede,
As heuy as the lede,
Is layd down to slepe,
And takith no kepe;
And Ryght is ouer the fallows
Gone to seke hallows,
With Reason together,
No man can tell whether:
244
The first twayne to wake;
And the twayne last
Be withholde so fast
With mony, as men sayne,
They can not come agayne.
A grant tort,
Foy dort.
Foy dort.
Here endith a ryght delectable tratyse vpon a
goodly Garlonde or Chapelet of Laurell, dyuysed
by mayster Skelton, Poete Laureat.
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