The Poetical Works of John Skelton principally according to the edition of the Rev. Alexander Dyce. In three volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Skelton |  |
His name for to know if that ye lyst,
Enuyous Rancour truely he hight:
Beware of hym, I warne you; for and ye wist
How daungerous it were to stande in his lyght,
Ye wolde not dele with hym, thowgh that ye myght,
For by his deuellysshe drift and graceles prouision
An hole reame he is able to set at deuysion:
Enuyous Rancour truely he hight:
Beware of hym, I warne you; for and ye wist
204
Ye wolde not dele with hym, thowgh that ye myght,
For by his deuellysshe drift and graceles prouision
An hole reame he is able to set at deuysion:
For when he spekyth fayrest, then thynketh he moost yll;
Full gloryously can he glose, thy mynde for to fele;
He wyll set men a feightynge and syt hymselfe styll,
And smerke, lyke a smythy kur, at sperkes of steile;
He can neuer leue warke whylis it is wele;
To tell all his towchis it were to grete wonder;
The deuyll of hell and he be seldome asonder.
Full gloryously can he glose, thy mynde for to fele;
He wyll set men a feightynge and syt hymselfe styll,
And smerke, lyke a smythy kur, at sperkes of steile;
He can neuer leue warke whylis it is wele;
To tell all his towchis it were to grete wonder;
The deuyll of hell and he be seldome asonder.
Thus talkyng we went forth in at a postern gate;
Turnyng on the ryght hande, by a windyng stayre,
She brought me to a goodly chaumber of astate,
Where the noble Cowntes of Surrey in a chayre
Sat honorably, to whome did repaire
Of ladys a beue with all dew reuerence:
Syt downe, fayre ladys, and do your diligence!
Turnyng on the ryght hande, by a windyng stayre,
She brought me to a goodly chaumber of astate,
Where the noble Cowntes of Surrey in a chayre
Sat honorably, to whome did repaire
Of ladys a beue with all dew reuerence:
Syt downe, fayre ladys, and do your diligence!
Come forth, ientylwomen, I pray you, she sayd;
I haue contryuyd for you a goodly warke,
And who can worke beste now shall be asayde;
A cronell of lawrell with verduris light and darke
I haue deuysed for Skelton, my clerke;
For to his seruyce I haue suche regarde,
That of our bownte we wyll hym rewarde:
I haue contryuyd for you a goodly warke,
205
A cronell of lawrell with verduris light and darke
I haue deuysed for Skelton, my clerke;
For to his seruyce I haue suche regarde,
That of our bownte we wyll hym rewarde:
For of all ladyes he hath the library,
Ther names recountyng in the court of Fame;
Of all gentylwomen he hath the scruteny,
In Fames court reportynge the same;
For yet of women he neuer sayd shame,
But if they were counterfettes that women them call,
That list of there lewdnesse with hym for to brall.
Ther names recountyng in the court of Fame;
Of all gentylwomen he hath the scruteny,
In Fames court reportynge the same;
For yet of women he neuer sayd shame,
But if they were counterfettes that women them call,
That list of there lewdnesse with hym for to brall.
With that the tappettis and carpettis were layd,
Whereon theis ladys softly myght rest,
The saumpler to sow on, the lacis to enbraid;
To weue in the stoule sume were full preste;
With slaiis, with tauellis, with hedellis well drest,
The frame was browght forth with his weuyng pin:
God geue them good spede there warke to begin!
Whereon theis ladys softly myght rest,
The saumpler to sow on, the lacis to enbraid;
To weue in the stoule sume were full preste;
With slaiis, with tauellis, with hedellis well drest,
The frame was browght forth with his weuyng pin:
God geue them good spede there warke to begin!
Sume to enbrowder put them in prese,
Well gydyng ther glowtonn to kepe streit theyr sylk,
Sum pirlyng of goldde theyr worke to encrese
With fingers smale, and handis whyte as mylk;
With, Reche me that skane of tewly sylk;
And, Wynde me that botowme of such an hew,
Grene, rede, tawny, whyte, blak, purpill, and blew.
Well gydyng ther glowtonn to kepe streit theyr sylk,
Sum pirlyng of goldde theyr worke to encrese
206
With, Reche me that skane of tewly sylk;
And, Wynde me that botowme of such an hew,
Grene, rede, tawny, whyte, blak, purpill, and blew.
Of broken warkis wrought many a goodly thyng,
In castyng, in turnynge, in florisshyng of flowris,
With burris rowth and bottons surffillyng,
In nedill wark raysyng byrdis in bowris,
With vertu enbesid all tymes and howris;
And truly of theyr bownte thus were they bent
To worke me this chapelet by goode aduysemente.
In castyng, in turnynge, in florisshyng of flowris,
With burris rowth and bottons surffillyng,
In nedill wark raysyng byrdis in bowris,
With vertu enbesid all tymes and howris;
And truly of theyr bownte thus were they bent
To worke me this chapelet by goode aduysemente.
| The Poetical Works of John Skelton | |