Bibliotheca Pearsoniana.

By T. and I. EGERTON

[...]421A ryght Del [...]ctable [...]rayt [...]se upon a goodly Garlande, or Clap­let of Laur [...]ll, by Ma [...]e [...] Ske [...]ton, Poete Laureat, Iudy­ous [...]y [...]sed at [...], in ye Foreste of Gal­ [...], where in ar [...] [...] many and dyvers solacyons & [...] of syngular pleasure, as more at [...] following, b. l. imprynted by [...] Richarde Fauke, dw [...]llyng in Duram Kent, or els in [...]-yard, at the Sygne of the A. B. C. 1523 N. B. The above extremely rare Volume of Skel­ton's, contains upon the back of the Title the Au­thor's Portrait at full length, with a Branch in his Hand, and two neat wooden Prints of the Queen of Fame and [...] Pallas; in it also, Occupation i [...] defined by the Queene of Fame, to expound "parte of Skelton's Bokes and Baladis;" in this Poem, several Pieces of Skelton's are mentioned, which have hitherto cleaped without notice, in particular, [...] Comedy of A [...]ademio [...], translated from [...] Familiar Epistles; it is undoubtedly one [...] Books in t [...] English La [...]guage, and [...] Copy is known to exist.

¶A ryght [...] [...] tyse vpon a goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell by mayster Skelton Poete laureat stuoyously dyuysed at Sheryfhotton Castell. In y e foreste of galtres / where in ar cōprysyde many & dyuers solacyons & ryght pregnant allectyues of syngular plea­sure / as more at large it doth apere in y e, ꝓces folowynge.

[figure]

¶Skelton Poeta.

Eterno mansura die dumlidera fulgent
Equora dum (que) tument hec lamea nostra virebit.
Hinc nostrum celebre et nomē referetur ad astra.
Vndi (que) Skeltonis memorabitur altera donis
ARectyng my syght towarde the zodyake.
The sygnes .xij. for to beholde a farre
whē mars retrogradāt reuersyd his bak
Lorde of the yere in his orbucular
Put vp his sworde for he cow [...]e make no warre
& whā lucina plenary did shyne
Scorpione ascendynge degrees twyse nyne
¶In place alone then musynge in my thought
How all thynge passyth as doth the somer flower
One euery halfe my reasons forthe I sought
How oftyn fortune varyeth in an howre
Now clere wether forthwith a stormy showre
All thynge compassyd no perpetuyte
But now in welthe / now in aduersyte
¶So depely drownyd I was in this dumpe
Encraumpyss [...]ed so sore was my conceyte
That me to rest / I len [...] me to a stumpe
Of an oke / that somtyme grew full streyghte
A myghty tre and of a noble heyght
whose bewte blastyd was with the boystors wynde
His leuis loste / the sappe was frome the rynde
¶Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres
Ensowkid with fylt of the myry mose
where hartis belluyng embosyd with distres
Ran on the raunge so longe that I suppose
Few men can tell where the hynde calfe gose
Faire fall that forster that so well can bate his hownde
But of my purpose now torne we to the grownde
¶whylis I stode musynge in this medytatyon
In slumbrynge I fell and halfe in a slepe
[Page]And whether it were of ymagynacyon
Or of humors superflue that often wyll crepe
In to the brayne by drynkyng ouer depe
Or it procedyd of fatall persuacyon
I can not tell you what was the occasyon
¶But sodeynly at ones as I me aduysed
As one in a trans or in an extasy
I sawe a pauylyon wondersly disgysede
Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy
Enhachyde with perle and stones preciously
The grounde engrosyd and bet with bourne golde
That passynge goodly it was to be holde
¶within that a prynces excellente of porte
But to recounte her ryche abylyment
And what estates to her did resorte
Therto am I full insuffycyent
A goddesse inmortall she dyd represente
As I harde say Dame Pallas was her name
To whome supplyed the royall quene of fame

¶The quene of Fame. To dame Pallas

[figure]
PRynces moost pusant of hygh preemynence
Renownyd lady a boue the sterry heuyn
[Page]All other transcendyng of very congruence
Madame regent of the scyence seuyn
To whos astate all noblenes most lene
My supplycacyon to you I arrect
where of I beseche you to tender the effecte
¶Not vnremembered it is vnto your grace
How you gaue me a ryall commaundement
That in my courte skelton shulde haue a place
Bycause that he his tyme studyously hath spent
In your seruyce: and to the accomplysshement.
Of your request: regestred is his name
w t laureate tryumphe in the courte of fame
¶But good madame the accustome and vsage
Of auncient poetis ye wote full wele hath bene
Them selfe to embesy w t all there holl corage
So that there workis myght famously be sene
In figure wherof the were they laurell grene
But how it is skelton is wonder slake
And as we dare we fynde in hym grete lake
¶For ne were onely he hath your promocyon
Out of my bokis full sone I shulde hym rase
But sith he hath tastid of the sugred pocioun
Of elycoms well: refresshid w t your grace
And wyll not endeuour hymselfe to purchase
The fauour of ladys w t wordis electe
It is sittynge that ye must hym correct

¶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
wher in this answere for hym we haue cōprisid
How ryuers rin not tyll the spryng be full
Bete a dum mouthe than a brainles scull
[Page]For if he gloryously publisshe 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 w t 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
[...]uyde was baunssihed for suche a skyll
And many mo whome I cowde enduce
[...]enall was thret par [...]e for to kyll
[...]or certayne enuectyfye: yet wrote he none ill
Sauynge he rubbid sum on the gall
It was not for hym to abyde the tryall
¶In generrall wordes I say not gretely na [...]
A poe [...]e somtyme may for his pleasure taunt
Spekyng in paroblis how the fox the grey
The gander the gose: and y e hudge oliphaunt
went w t the pecok a geyne 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 conuecture
Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season
How be it / it were harde to construe this lecture
Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture
A nother manes mynde diffuse is to expounde
yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde

¶The quene of fame to dame Pallas.

¶Madame w t fa [...]our of your benynge sufferaunce
[Page]Unto your grace then make I this motyue
where to made ye me hym to auaunce
Unto the rowme of laureat promotyue
Or wherto shulde he haue the prerogatyue
But if he had made sum memoryall
wherby he myght haue a name inmortall
¶To pas the tyme in slowthfull ydelnes
Of your royall palace it is not the gyse
But to do sumwhat iche man doth hym dres
For how shulde Cato els be callyd wyse
But that his bokis: whiche he did deuyse
Recorde the same: or why is had in mynde
Plato: but for that he left wrytynge behynde
¶For men to loke on: Aristotille also
Of phylosophers callid the princypall
Olde diogenes w t other many mo
Dymostenes that oratour royall
That gaue eschines suche a cordyall
That bannisshed was he by his proposicyoun
Ageyne whome he cowde make no contradiccyoun

¶Dame pallas to the quene of Fame

SOft my good syster and make there a pawse
And was eschines: rebukid as ye say
Remembre you wel [...]: poynt wele y e clause
wherfore then rasid ye not a way
His name: or why is it I you praye
That he to your cour [...]e is goyng and commynge
Sith he is slaundred for defaut of konnyng

¶The quene of fame to dame Pallas.

¶Madame your apposelle is wele inferrid
And at your auanuntage quikly it is
Towchid: and hard for to be barrid
[Page]yet shall I answere your grace as in this
with your reformacion if I say a mis
For but if your bounte did me assure
Myne argument els koude not longe endure
¶As towchyng that eschines is remembred
That he so sholde be: me semith it siteyng
All be it grete parte he hath surrendred
Of his mour: whos dissuasyue in wrytyng
To corage demostenes was moche excitynge
In sertyng out fresshely his crafty ꝑsuacyon
From whiche eschines had none euacyon
¶ The cause why demostenes so famously is bruti [...]
Onely procedid for that he did outray
Eschines? whiche was not shamefully confutid
But of that famous oratour I say
whiche passid all other: wherfore I may
Among my recordes suffer hym namyd
For though he were venquesshid yet was he not shamyd.
As [...]rome in his preamble [...]ater ambrocius
Frome that I haue sayde in no poynt doth vary
where in he reporteth of the coragius
wordes that were moch consolatory
By eschines rehersed: to the grete glory
Of demostenes: that was his vtter foo
Few shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so

¶Dame pallas to the quene of Fame

A Thanke to haue ye haue well deseruyd
[...]our mynde y t can maynteyne so apparently
But a grete parte yet ye haue reseruyd
of that most folow then conseqently
Or els ye demeane you in ordinatly
For if ye laude hym whome honour hath opprest
[Page]Then he that doth worste is as good as the best
¶But whome that ye fauoure I se well hath a name
Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce
[...]nd whome ye loue not / ye wyll put to shame
[...]e counterwey not euynly your balaunce
As wele foly as wysdome oft ye do avaunce
For reporte ryseth many deuerse wayes
Sume be moche spokyn of for makynge of frays
¶Some haue a name for thefte and brybery
Some be called crafty that can pyke a purse
Some men be made of for the mokery [...]
Some carefull cok woldes / some haue theyr wyues curs.
Some famous wete wold is / & they be moche wurs
Some lidderous / some losels / some noughty packis
Some facers / some bracers / some make great crackis
¶Some dronken dastardis with their dry soules
Some sluggyssh slouyns that slepe day and nyght
Ryot and reuell be in your courte rowlis
Maintenaunce and mischefe theis be men of myght
Extorcyon is counted with you for a knyght
Theis people by me haue none assignement
yet they ryde and rinne from carlyll to kente
¶But lytell or nothynge ye shall here tell
Of them that haue vertue by reason of cunnyng
whiche souerenly in honoure shulde excell
Men of suche maters make but mummynge
For wysdome and sadnesse be out a sunnyng
And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promotyd
One faute or other in them shalbe noryd
¶ Eyther they wyll say he is to wyse
Or e [...]les he can nought bot whan he is at scol [...]
Proue his wytt sayth he at cardes or dyce
[Page]And ye shall well fynde he is a very fole
Twyse set hym a chare or reche hym a stol.
To syt hym vpon / and rede iacke athrummis bybille
For truly it were pyte that he sat ydle

¶The quene of Fame To dame Pallas

TO make repungnaūce agayne y t ye haue sayd
Of very dwte it may not well accorde
But your benynge sufferaūce for my discharg I lai [...]
For y t I wolde not w t you fall at discorde
But yet I beseche your grace that good recorde
May be brought forth suche as can be founde
with laureat tryumphe why Skelton sholde be crownde
¶For elles it were to great a derogacyon
vnto your palas our noble courte of [...]ame
That any man vnder supportacyon
with oute deseruynge shulde haue the best game
If he to the ample encrease of his name
Can lay any werkis that he hath compylyd
I am contente that he be be not exylide
¶Frome the laure at senace: by force proscripcyon
Or elles ye know well I can do no lesse
But I most bannysshe hym frome my iurydiccyon
As he that aquentyth hym with ydilnes
But if that he purpose to make a redresse
what he hath done let it be brought to syght
Graunt my petycyon I aske you but ryght

¶Dame Pallas To the quene of Fame

TO your request we be well condiscendid
Call forthe let se where is your clarionar
To blowe a blaste with his long breth extēdid
Eolus your trumpet that kuowne is so farre
That bararag blowyth in euery mercyall warre
[Page] [...] hym blowe now that we may take a vewe
[...]hat poetis we haue at our retenewe
¶To se if skelton wyll put hym selfe in prease
[...]monge the thickeste of all the hole rowte
[...]ake noyst enoughe for claterars loue no peas
[...]r se my syster now spede you go a boute
[...]none I sey this trumpet were founde out
[...]nd for no man hardely let hym spare
[...]o blowe bararag tyll bothe his eyne stare

¶Skelton Poeta.

FOrth with there rose amonge the thronge
A wonderfull noyse / and on euery syde
They presid in faste / some thought they were to longe
Sūe were to hasty & wold no man byde
[...]ome whispred some to wnyd / some spake / & some cryde.
[...]ith heuyuge and shouynge haue in and haue oute
[...]ome ranne the nexte way sume ranne a bowte
¶There was suyng to the quene of fame
[...]e plucked hym backe / and he went a fore
[...]ay holde thy tunge quod a nother let me haue the name
[...]ake rowme sayd a nother ye prese all to sore
[...]ume sayd holde thy peas thou getest here no more
[...] thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe
[...]ith that I harde the noyse of a trumpe
¶That longe tyme blewe a full tunorous blaste
[...]yke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe
[...]hat towres / and townes / and trees downe caste
[...]roue clowdes to gether lyke dryfris of snowe
[...]he dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe
[...]ome tremblid / some girnid / some gaspid / some gasid
[...]s people halfe peuysshe or men that were masyd
¶Anone all was whyste as it were for the nonys
[Page]And iche man stode gasyng & staryng vpon other
with that there come in wonderly at ones
A murmur of mynstre [...] / that suche a nother
Had I neuer sene some softer some lowder
Orphens the traciane herped meledyously
with 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
¶In so moche the stumpe where to I me lente
Sterte all at ones an hundreche 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 lytyll lake [...]
Of a thousande poetes assembled to geder
But phebus was formest of all that cam theder
¶Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede
with heris enscrisped yalowe as the golde
Lamentyng daphnes whome with the darce of lede
Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne wolde
Concente to phebus to haue his herte in holde
But for to preserue her maiden hode clene
Transformyd was she in to the laurell grene
¶Meddelyd with murmynge the moost ꝑte 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
[Page]He sange also how the tre as he did take
Betwene his armes he felt her body quake
¶Then he assurded in to his exclamacyon
Unto 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
¶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 my selfe I am not able
That profyteth all other is no thynge profytable
Unto me / alas that herbe nor gras
The feruent axes of loue can not represse
¶O fatall fortune what haue I offen did
Odious disdayne why raist y u me on this facyou
But sith I haue lost now that I entended
And may not atteyne it by no medyacyon
yet in remembraunce of daphnes trāsformacyon
All famous poetis ensuynge after me
Shall were a garlande of the laurell tre
¶ This sayd a great nowmber folowyd by and by
Of poetis laure ar of many dyuerse nacyons
Parte of there names I thynke to specefye
Fyrste olde Quintiliane w t his declynacyons
Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons
Esiodus the I cononucar
And homerus the fresshe historiar
¶Prynce of eloquence tullius cicero
with salusty a geinst lucius catelyne
[Page]That wrote the history of iugurta also
o [...]yde enshryned with the musis nyne
But blessed bacchus the pleasant god of wyne
of closters engrosyd with his ruddy droppes
These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis
¶There titus lyuius hym selfe 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 w t his ruddy droppes
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis
¶Aulus Gelius that noble historiar
Orace also with his new poetry
Mayster Terence the famous conucar
with plautus that wrote full many a comody
But blessyd bachus was in there company
Of clusters engrosyd wich his ruddy dropis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis
¶Senek full soberly wit his tragedijs
Boyce recounfortyd with his philosophy
And maxymyane with his madde ditijs
How dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly
But bles [...]yd bachus most reuerent and holy
of clusters engrosid with his ruddy dropis
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis
¶There came Iohn̄ bochas w t his volumys grete
Quin [...]us cursus full craftely that wrate
Of Alexander / and macrobins that did trete
Of scipions dreme what was the treu probate
But blessyd bachus that neuer man forgate
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropis
[Page]These orators and poetis refresshid ther throtis
¶Poggens also that famous florentine
Mustred ther amonge them with many a mad tale
with a frere of fraunce men call sir gagwyne
That frowmyd on me full angerly and pale
But blessyd bachus that bore is of all vale
of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy dropis
Theis orators and poetis refresshid there throtis
¶Plutarke and Petrarke two famous clarkis
Lucilius and valerius maximus by name
with vincencius in speculo y t wrote noble warkis
Propercius and Pisandros poetis of noble fame
But blissed bachus that mastris oft doth frame
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy dropis
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 a meude
The monke of Bury then after them ensuyd
Dane Iohn̄ lydgate theis englysshe poetis thre
As I ymagenyd repayrid vnto me
¶To geder in armes as brethern enbrasid
There apparell farre passynge beyonde that I can tell
w t diamauntis and rubie 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

¶Mayster Gower. To Skelton.

¶Brocher Skelton your endeuorment
So haue ye done that meretoryously
[Page]ye haue deseruyd to haue an enplement
In our collage aboue the sterry sky
By cause that encrese and amplyfy
The brutid britons of brutus albion
That welny was loste when that we were gone

¶Mayster Chaucer To Skelton.

COunter wayng your besy delygence
Of that we beganne in the supplement
Enforcid ar we you to recompence
Of all our hooll collage by the agreament
That we shall brynge you personally present
Of noble fame before the quenes grace
In whose court poynted is your place

¶Poeta Sketon answeryth.

O Noble Chaucer whos pullis [...]hyd eloquence
Oure englysshe rude so fresshely hath set out
That bounde ar we with all d [...]u reuerence
w'all our strength that we can brȳge about
To owe to yow our seruyce / & more if we mowte
But what sholde I say ye wote what I entende
whiche glad am to please and loth to offende

¶Mayster Lydgate. To Skelton.

SO am I preuentid of my brethern tweyne
In rendrynge to you thankkis meritory
That welny no thynge there doth remayne
wherw t to geue you my regraciatory
But that I poynt you to be prothonatory
Of fames court by all our holl assent
Auaunced by pallas to laurell preferment

¶Poeta Skelton answeryth

¶So haue ye me far passynge my meretis extollyd.
Mayster lidgate of your accustomable
[Page]Bownte / and so gloryously ye haue enrollyd
My name / I know well be yonde that I am able
That but if my warkes therto be agreable
I am elles rebukyd of that I intende
which glad am to please and lothe to offende
¶So finally when they had shewyd there deuyse
Under the forme as I sayd to fore
I made it straunge & drew bak ones or twyse
And euer they presed on me more and more
Tyll at the last they forcyd me sore
That w t them I went where they wolde me brynge
Unto the pauylyon where pallas was syttyng
[...]Ame Pallas cōmaūdid y t they shold me cōuay
In to the ryche palace of y e quene of fame
There shal he here what she wyl to hym say
when he is callid to answere to his name
I cry anone forthw t she made proclame
All orators and poetis shulde thider go before
wiht all the prese that there was lesse and more
¶Forth w t I say thus wadrynge in my thought
How it was or elles w tin what howris
I can not tell you / but that I was brought
In to a palace w t turrettis and towris
Engolerid goodly with hallis and bowris
So curious [...]y / so craftely / so connyngly wrowght
That all the worde I trowe and it were sought
¶Suche a nother there coude no man fynde
wher of partely I purpose to expounde
whyles it remanyth fresshe in my mynde
w t turkis and grossolitis enpauyd was the grounde
[...]f hi [...]rall enbosid wer the pyllers rownde
[...]f Elephantis tethe were the palace garis
[Page]Enlosenged with many goodly platis
¶Of golde entachid wich many a precyous stone
An hundred steppis mountyng to the halle
One of iasper a nother of whalis bone
Of dyamauntis pointed was the wall
The carpettis within and tappettis of pall
The chambres hangid with clothes of arace
Enuaw [...]yd w t rubies the vaw [...]e was of this place
¶Thus passid we forth walkynge vnto the pretory
where y • postis wer enbulyoned w t saphiris indy blew
Englaūd glittering w t many a clere story
Iacineris and smaragdis out of the flor [...]he they grew
Unto this place all poetis there did sue
w [...]erin was set of fame the noble quene
[...] other transcendynge most rychely besene
¶Under a gloryous cloth of asta [...]e
Fret all with orient perlys of garnate
Encrownyd as empresse of all this wordly fate
So [...]ally so rychely / so passyngly ornate
It was excedyng by yonde the commowne rate
This hous enuyrowne was a myle a bout
If .xii. were let in .xi [...]. hundreth stode without
¶Then to this lady & souerayne of this palace
Of purseuantis ther presid in w t many a dyuerse tale
Some were of poyle & sum were of trace
Of lymerik / of loreine / of spayne of portyngale
Frome napuls / from nauern & from rounceuall
Some from [...]nders sum fro these coste
Some from the mayne la [...]de / some fro the frensche hoste
¶with how doth y e north what tydyngis in y e sowth
The west is wyndy [...] the est is me [...]ely wele
It is harde [...]o tell of euery mannes mouthe
[Page]A slipper holde the taile is of an ele
And he haltith often that hath a kyby hele
Some shewid his salte cundight some she wid his charter
Some lokyd full smothely and had a fals quarter
¶with sir I pray you a lytyll tyne stande backe
And lette me come in to delyuer my lettre
A nother tolde how shyppes wente to wrak
There were many wordes smaller and gretter
with I as good as thou / I fayth and no better
Some came to tell creuth / some came to lye
Some come to flacer / some came to spye
¶There were I say of all maner of sortis
Of deremouth / of plummouth / of portismouth also
The burg [...]is / and the ballyuis of the .v. portis
with now let me come / and now let me go
And all tyme wandred I thus to and fro
Tyll at the last theis noble poetis thre
Unto me sayd / so syr now ye may se
¶Of this high courte the dayly besines
From you most we but not longe [...]o tary
Lo hither commyth a goodly maysties
Occupacyon famys regestary
whiche shall be to you a sufferayne accessary
with syngular pleasurs to dryue a way the tyme
And we shall se you ageyne or it be pryme
¶when they were past & wente forth on there way
This gentil woman that railyd was by name
Occupacyon in ryght goodly aray
[...]ame towarde me and smylid halfe in game
I sawe hir smyle and I then did the same
with that on me she kest her goodly loke
Under her arme me thought she hade a boke

¶Occupacyoun to Skelton.

Lyke as the larke vpon the somers day
whan titan radiant burnisshith his bemis bryght
Moūri [...]h on hy w t her melodious lay
Of the sone shyne engladid with the lyght
So am I supprysyd w t pleasure and delyght
To se this howre now that I may say
How ye ar welcome to this court of aray
¶Of your aqueintaunce I was in tymes past
Of studyous doctryne when at the port salu
The fyrste aryuyd whan broken was your mast
Of worldly trust then did I you rescu
your storme dryuen shyppe I repared new
So well entakeled what wynde that euer blowe
No stormy tempeste your barge shall ouer throw
¶welcome to me as hertely as herte can thynke
welcome to me with all my hole desyre
And for my sake spare neyther pen nor ynke
Be well assurid I shall a quyte your hyre
your name recountynge be yonde the lande of tyre
From sydony to the mount olympyan
Frome bab [...]ll towrets the h [...]llis Ga [...]ian

¶Skelton poeta answeryth

I Thanked her moche of her most noble offer
[...]ffyaunsynge her my [...]e hole assuraunce
For her pleasure to make a large profer
[...]ntyng her wordes in my remēbraūce.
To owe her my [...] w t true perseueraunce
Come on with me she sayd let vs not stonde
And with that worde she toke me by the honde
So passyd we forthe in to the forsayd place
with suche communycacyon as came to our mynde
[Page]And then she sayd whylis we haue tyme and space
To walke where we lyst / let vs somwhat fynde
To pas y e tyme with / but let vs wast no wynde
For ydle [...]angelers haue but lytill braine
wordes be swordes and hard to call ageine
¶In to a felde she brought me wyde and large
Enwallyd aboute with the stony flint
Strongly enbateld moche costious of charge
To walke on this walle she bed I sholde not stint
Go softly she sayd the stones be full glint
She went before and bad me take good holde
I sawe a thowsande yaris new and olde
¶Then questionyd I her what thos yatis ment
wherto she answeryd and breuely me tolde
How from the est vnto the occident
And from y e sowth vnto the north so colde
Theis yatis she sayd which that ye beholde
Be issuis and portis from all maner of nacyons
And seryously she shewyd me ther denominacyons
¶They had wrytyng sum greke / sum ebrew
Some romaine letters as I vnderstode
Some were olde wryten / sum were writen new
Some carectis of caldy / sum frensshe was full good
But one gate specyally where as I stode
Had grauin in it of calcydony a capytall. A.
what yate call ye this / and she sayd Anglea
The beldynge therof was passynge cōmendable
wheron stode a lybbard crownyd w t golde and stones
Terrible of countenaunce and passynge formydable
As quikly towchyd as it were flesshe and bones
As gastly that glaris as grimly that gronis
As fersly frownynge as he had ben fyghtyng
[Page]And with his forme foote he shoke forthe this wrytyng
Formidandammis [...]ouis vltima fulmina tollis
Vnguibus [...]re parat loca singula liuida curuis
Caco [...]thicō ex industria
Q [...] modo perphebes Nummos raptura celeno
Arma / lues / [...]uctus [...] fel [...]vis / fraus barbara tellus
Mille modis erra [...] odium tibi qu [...]rere martis
[...]dar [...]al [...]m [...]ea rose [...]o
[...]Hen I me lent and loked ouer the wall
Innumerable people presed to euery gate
She [...] we [...]e y • ga [...]is thei might wel knock & cal
[...]n deuine home ag [...]yne for they cam al to l [...]ce
I her demaunded of them and ther astate
Forsothe quod she they [...] be hastardis and r [...]bawdis
Dysers / [...]ers / [...]um [...]lars with gambawdis
[...] of loue with bawdry aqu [...]in [...]d
Brainles blenkardis that blow at the cole
Fals forg [...]ts of mony for kownnage atteintid
Pope holy ypocrytis as they were golde and hole
Powle hatche [...]is y t prate wyll at euery ale pole
Ryot / reueler / railer / brybery theft
w t other condycyons that well myght be left
¶Sume fayne them selfe folys & wolde be callyd wyse
Sum medelynge spyes by craft to grope thy mynde
Sum dysdanous dawcokkis y t all men dispyse
Fals flaterers that fawne the & kurris otkynde
That speke fayre before the & shrewdly behynde
Hither they come crowdyng to get them a name
But hailid they be homwarde w t sorow and shame
¶with that I herd [...]unnis rus [...]he our at ones
Bowns / bowns / bowns / that all they out cryde
It made sum lympe legged & broisid there bones
Sum were made penysshe porisshly pynk iyde.
[Page]That euer more after by it they were aspyid
And one ther was there I wondred of his hap
For a gun stone I say had all to iaggid his cap
¶Raggid and daggid and cunnyngly cut
The blaste of y e byrnston blew away his brayne
Masid as a marche hare he ran lyke a scut
And sir amonge all me thought I saw twaine
The one was a tumblar y e afterwarde againe
Of a dysour a deuyl way grew a Ientilman
Pers prater the secund tha quarillis beganne
¶w t a pellit of peuisshen [...]s they had suche a stroke
That all y • dayes of ther lyfe shall styck by [...]her rybbis
Foo / fois [...]y bawdias sum smellid of the smoke
I saw dyuers y t were ca [...]ijd away thens in cribbis
Dasyng after dotrellis lyke drunkardis y t dribbis
Theis titinyllis w t taumpinnis wer towchid & cappid
Mache mischefe I hyght you / amonge theē ther happid
SOmetyme as it semyth when y e mone light
By meanys of a grosely endarkyd clowde
Sodenly is eclipsid in the wynter night
In lyke maner of wyse a myst did vs shrowde
But wel [...] may ye thynk I was no thyng prowde
Of that auenturis whiche made me sore agast
In derkenes thus dwelt we [...]yll at the last
¶The clowdis gan to cle [...]e / y • [...] was rarifijd
In a an herber I saw brought where I was
There birdis on the br [...]re s [...]nge on euery syde
with alys ensandid about in compas
The bankis en [...]u [...]fid with singular solas
Enrailid with rosers and vinis engrapid
It was a new comfort of sorowis escapid
¶In the middis a coundight that coryously was cast
[Page]with pypes of golde engusshing out stremes
Of cristall the clerenes theis waters far past
Enswymmyng w t rochis / barbellis / and bremis
Englisterd: y e ioyous it was to be holde
Then furthermore aboute me my syght I reuolde
¶where I saw growyng a goodly laurell tre
Enuerdurid with leuis contynually grene
Aboue in the top a byrde of araby
Men call a phenix: her wynges bytwene
She bet vp a fyre with the sparkis full kene
Oliua speci osa in cāpis
with braunches and bowghis of y e swete olyue
whos flagraunt flower was chete preseruaryue
¶Ageynst all infeccyons w t cancour enflamyd
Ageynst all baratows broisiours of olde
(quam) excellenti am virtutis in oliua.
It passid all bawmys that euer were namyd
Or gummis of saby so derely that ve solde
There blew in that gardynge a soft piplyng colde
Enbrethyng of zepherus w t his pleasant wynde
All frutis flow [...]is grew there in there kynde
¶Dryades there daunsid vpon that goodly soile
wit the nyne muses pierides by name
Phillis and testalus ther tressis with oyle
were newly enbybid: and rownd a bout the same
Grene tre of laurell moche solacyous game
They made / with chapellettes and garlandes grene
And formest of all dame flora the quene
¶Of somer: so formally she fotid the daunce
There cintheus sat twynklyng vpon his harpe stringis
And topas his instrument did auaunce
The poemis and storis auncient inbryngis
Of athlas astrology and many noble thyngis
Of wandryng of the mone / the course of the sun
[Page]Of men and of bestis and where of they begone
¶what thynge occasionyd the showris of rayne
Of fyre elementar in his supreme spere
And of that pole artike whiche doth remayne
Behynde the taile of vrsa so clere
Of pliades he prechid w t ther drowsy chere
Immoysturid w t mis [...]yng and ay droppyng dry
And where the two troons a man shold a spy
¶And of y e winter days that hy them so fast
And of the wynter nyghtes that tary so longe
And of the somer days so longe that doth last
And of their shorte nyghtes / he browght in his songe
How wronge was no ryght / and ryght was no wronge
There was counteryng of carollis in meter and verse
So many: that longe it were to reherse

¶Occupacyon. To Skelton.

NOw say ye: is this after your appetite
May this contente you & your mirry mȳde
Here dwellith pleasure w t lust & delyte
Contynuall comfort here ye may fynde
Of welth & solace no thynge left be hynde
All thynge cōuenable here is contyruyd
where with your spiritis may be reuyuid

¶Pocta Skelton answeryth.

QUestionles no dowte of that ye say
Iupiter hym selfe this lyfe myght endure
This ioy excedith all wordly sport & play
Paradyce / this place is of syngular pleasure
O wele were hym that herof myght be sure
And here to inhabite / and ay for to dwell
But goodly maystres one thynge ye me tell

¶Occupacyon. To Skelton.

OF your demawnd shew me the contene
what it is and where vpon it standis
And if there be in it any thyng ment
wherof the answere restyth in my handis
It shall be solyd ful sone out of the handis
O [...] [...] dout: wherfore your mynde discharge
And of your wyll the plainnes shew at large

¶Poeta Skelton answeryth.

I Thanke you goodly maystres to me most be­nȳge
[...] of your boūce so well haue me assurid
But my request is not so great a thynge
That I ne force what though it be discurid
I am not woundid but that I may be cured
I am not ladyn of liddyrnes wiht lumpis
As das [...]d doterdis y e dreme in their dumpis

¶Occupacyon. To Skelton.

[...]Owe whacye mene I trow I coniect
Gog gyue you good yere ye make me to smyle
Now be your faith is not this theffect
Of your questyon ye make all this whyle
To vnderstande who dwellyth in yone p [...]e
And what blunder [...]r is yonder y • play [...]h didil diddil
He fyudith fals mesuris out of his fonde fiddill
Interpolata que industriosum Postulā tin
terpre [...]em satira in vatis aduersarium.
¶Tressis agasonis species prior: altera daui.
Ancupium culicis lunis dumtorquet ocellū.
Cōc [...]pit / alig [...]ras / rapit / opetit / aspice muscas
Nota [...]. 7. metalla.
Maia queq̄ to [...]et: fouet aut q̄ iuppiter aut que
Frigida / saturnꝰ / sol / mars venꝰ algida luna
[Page]Sitibi ꝯtingat verbo aut committere scripto
Quā sibi moxtacita sudant precordia culpa.
Hinc ruit in [...]āmas: stimulas hūc vrget & illū
Inuocat ad rixas / vanos tamen excitatignes
Labra mouēs tacitꝰ / rūpantur vtilia Codro
.17.4.7.2.17.5.18.
18 19.1.19.8.5.12.
HIs name for to know if that ye lyst
Enuyous rancour truely he hight
B [...]ware of hym I wa [...]ne you for & ye w [...]st
How doung [...]rous it were to stande in his lyght
[...] dele with hym thowgh that ye myght
For by his deuellysshe drift it graceles prouision
In hole rea [...]e he is able to set at deuysion
¶For wh [...] he sp [...]kyth fayr [...]st then thynketh he moost yll
Full gloryously can he glose thy mynde for to fele
He wyll see men a frightynge & set hym selfe styll
And smerke lyke a smythy [...]u [...] o [...] sperkes of st [...]ile
It can neuer [...]e [...]e warke whylis it is wele
To tell all his towchis it were to grete wonder
The deuyll of hell and he be seldome a sonder
THus talkyng we went forth ī at apostern gate
Turnyng on y e ryght hande by windȳg stayre
She brought me to a goodly chaūber of estate
where the noble cowntes of Surrey ī a chayre
Sat honorably / to whome did repaire
Of ladys aboue 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 a sayde
A cronell of lawrell w t verduris light and darke
[Page]I haue deuysyd 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 y e court of fame
Of all gentylwomen he hath the scuteny
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 w t hym for to brall
¶with y t the tappettis and carpettis were layd
where on theis ladys softly myght rest
The saumpler to sow on the lacis to enbraid
To weue in the stoule sume were full preste
w t slaijs / w t tauellis / with hedellis well drest
The frame was browght forth w t his weuyng pin
God geue them good spede there warke to begin
¶Sume to enbrowde [...] put them in prese
well gydyng ther glowton̄ to kepe streit theyr sylk
Sum pirlyng of goldde theyr worke to encrese
W t 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 / 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 vertuenbesid all tymes and howris
And truly of theyr bownte thus were they bent
To worke me this chapelet by goode aduysemente

¶Occupacyon. To Skelton.

BEholde and se in your aduertysement
How theis ladys & gentylwomen all
For your pleasure do there endeuourment
And for your sake how fast to warke they fall.
To your remembraunce wherfore ye must call
In goodly wordes plesauntly comprysid
That for them some goodly conseyt be deuysid
¶with proper captacyons of beneuolence
Ornatly pullysshid after your faculte
Sith ye must nedis afforce it by pretence
Of your professyoun vnto vmanyte
Cōmensyng your proces after there degre
To iche of them rendryng thankis commendable
with sentence fructuous & termes couenable

¶Poeta Skelton answeryth.

AUaunsynge my selfe sum thanke to deserue
I me determynyd for to sharpe my pen
Deuoutly arrectyng my prayer to mynerue
She to vowche safe me to informe and ken
To mercury also hertely prayed I then
Me to supporte to helpe and to assist
To gyde and to gouerne my dredfull tremlyng fist
¶As a mariner y t amasid is in a stormy rage
Hardly be stad and driuen is to hope
Of that the tempeous wynde wyll a swage
In trust wherof comforte his hart doth grope
From the anker he kuttych the gabyll rope
Committyth all to god and lettyth his shyp ryde
So I beseke ihesu now to be my gyde

¶To the ryght noble countes of Surrey

¶After all duly ordred obeisaunce
In humble wyse as lowly as I may
Unto you madame I make recounsaunce
My lyfe endurynge I shall both wryte and say
Becount / reporte / reherse with out delay
The passynge bounte of your noble astate
Of honour & worshyp which hath the formar date
¶Lyke to argyuaby iust resemblaunce
The noble wyfe of polimites kynge
Prudent rebecca of whome remembraunce
The byble makith / w t whos chast lyuynge
your nobl [...] demenour is counterwayng
whos passynge bounte / and ryght noble astate
Of honour & worship it hath the formar date
¶The noble pamphila quene of y e grekis londe
Habillimentis royall founde out industriously
Thamer also wrought with her goodly honde
Many diuisis passynge curyously
whome ye represent and exemplify
whos passynge bounte & ryght noble astate
Of honour & worship it hath the formar date
¶As dame thamarys whiche toke the kyng of pere [...]
Cirus by name as wrytith the story
Dame agrippina also I may reherse
Of ientyll corage the profight m [...]mory
So shall your name endure perpetually
whos passyng bounte & ryght noble astate
Of honour and worship it hath the formar date

¶To my lady elisabeth howarde

¶To be your remembrauncer madame I am bounde
Lyke to aryna maydenly of porte
[Page]Of vertu & konnyng y e well and perfight grounde
whome dame nature as wele I may reporte
Hath fresshely enbewtid w t many a goodly sorte
Of womanly feturis / whos florysshyng tenderage
Is lusty to loke on plesaunte demure and sage
¶Goodly creisseid: fayrer than polexene
For to enuyue pandarus appetite
Troilus I trowe if that he had you sene
In you he wolde haue set his hole delight
Of all your bewte I suffyce not to wryght
But as I sayd your florisshinge tender age
Is lusty to loke on plesaunt demure and sage

¶To my lady mirriell howarde

MI litell lady I may not leue behinde
But to do you seruyce nedis now I must
Beninge curteyse of ientyll harte & mynde
whome fortune and fate playnly haue discust.
Longe to enioy plesure delyght and lust
The enbuddid blossoms of roses rede of hew
with lillis whyte your bewte doth renewe
¶Compare you I may to cidippes the mayd
That of aconcyus whan she founde the byll
In her bosome / lorde how she was afrayd
The ruddy shamefastnes in her vysage fyll
whiche maner of abasshement became her not yll
Right so madame the roses redde of hew
with lillys whyte your hewte dothe renewe

¶To my lady anne dakers of the sowth

[...]Euxes y • enpicturid fare clene the quene
you to deuyse his crafte were to seke
And if apelles your countenaunce had sene
Of porturature which was the famous greke
[Page]He coude not deuyse the lest poynt of your cheke
Princes of yowth and flowre of goodly porte
Uertu / conyng / solace / pleasure / comforte
¶Paregall in honour vnto penolepe
That for her trowth is in remembraunce had
Fayre dijanira surmewntynge in bewte
Demure dia na womanly and sad
whos lusty lokis make heuy hartis glad
Princes of youth & flowre of goodly porte
Uertu / connyng / solace / pleasure / comforte

¶To mastres margery wentworthe.

¶with margerain ientyll
The flowre of goodly hede
Enbrowdred y e mantill
Is of your maydenhode
¶Plainly I can not glose.
ye be as I deuyne
The praty primrose
The goodly columbyne.
¶with margerain iantill
The flowre of goodly hede
Enbrawderyd the mantyll
Is of yowre maydenhede
¶Benynge corteise & meke
w t wordes well deuysid
In you who list to seke
Be vertus well cōprysid
¶with margerain iantill
The flowre of goodlyhede
Enbrawderid the mantill
Is of yowr maydenhede

¶To mastres margaret tylney.

I you assure
Ful wel I know
My besy cure
to yow I owe
Humbly and low
Commendynge me
To yowre bownte
¶As machareu [...]
Fayre canace
So I / iwys
Endeuoure me
yowr name to se
It be enrolde
writtin with golde
¶Phedra ye may
wele represent
Intentyfe ay
And dylygent
No tyme my spent
[Page]wherfore delyght
I haue to whryght
¶Of margarite
Perle orient
Lede sterre of lyght
Moche relucent
Madame regent
I may you call
Of vertuows all

¶To maystres Iane blenner haiset.

¶what though my penne /
wax faynt
& hath smale lust to paint
yet shall there no restraynt
Cause me to cese
Amonge this prese
For to encrese
yowre goodly name
¶I wyll my selfe applye
Trust me ententifly
yow for to st [...]llyfye
And so obserue.
That ye ne swarue
For to deserue.
Inmortall fame
¶ Sith mistres iane haiset
Smale flowres helpt to se [...]
In my goodly chapelet
Therfore I render of her
the memory.
vnto y e legēd of fare laodomi

¶To maystres Isabell pennell

¶By saynt mary my lady
your māmy and your dady
Brought forth a godely babi
¶My mayden Isabell
Reflaring rosabell
The flagrant camamell
¶The ruddy rosary
The souerayne rosemary
The praty strawbery
¶The columbyne y e nepte
The ieloffer well set
The propre vyolet
¶En [...]wyd your colowre
Is lyke the dasy flowre
After the aprill showre
¶sterre of the morow gray
The blossom on the spray
The fresshest flowre of may.
¶Maydenly demure
Of womanhode the lure
wherfore I make you sure
¶It were an heuenly helth
It were an endeles welth
A lyfe for god hym selfe
¶To here this nightingale
Amonge y e byrdes smale
warbelynge in the vale
Dug / dug / Iug / Iug.
Good yere and good luk
w t chuk / chuk / chuk / chuk.

¶To maystres margaret Hussey

¶Mirry margaret
As mydsomer flowre
Ientill as fawcoun
or hawke of the towre
¶w t solace and gladnes
Moche mirthe & no madnes
All good & no badnes
So ioyously
So maydenly
So womanly
Her demenyng
In euery thynge
Far / far passynge
That I can endyght
Or suffyce to wryght
Of mirry margarete
as mydsomer flowre
Ientyll as fawcoun
or hawke of the towre
¶As pacient & as styll
And as full of good wyll
As fayre Isaphill
Colyaunder
Swe [...]e pomaunder
Good cassaunder
Stedfast of thought
wele made / wele wrought
Far may be sought
Erst that ye can fynde
So corteise so kynde
As mirry margare [...]e
This midsomer flowre
Ientyll as fawcoun
or hawke of the towre

¶To mastres Geretrude statham

Though ye wer hard her [...]yd
And I w t you thwartid
with wordes y t smartid
yet nowe doutles
ye geue me cause
To wryte of you this goodli clause
Maistres geretrude
with womanhode endude
w t vertu well renwde
¶I wyll y t ye shall be
In all benyngnyte
Lyke to dame pasiphe
For nowe dowtles
ye geue me cause
to wryte of yow this goodly clause
Maistres geretrude
with womanhode endude
with vertu well renude
¶Partly by your councell.
Garnisshed w t lawrell
was my fresshe coronell
wherfore doutles
ye geue me cause
to wryte of you this goodly clause
Maistres geretrude
with womanhode endude
[Page]with vertu well renude

¶To maystres Isabell knyght

BUt if I sholde aquyte your kyndnes
Els saye ye myght
That in me were grete blyndnes
I for to be so myndles
And cowde not wryght Of Isabell knyght
¶It is not my custome nor my gyse
To leue be hynde
Her that is bothe womanly and wyse
And specyally which glad was to deuyse
The menes to fynde
To please my mynde
¶In helpyng to warke my laurell gre [...]e
with sylke and golde
Galathea the made well besene
was neuer halfe so fayre as I wene
whiche was extolde
A thowsande folde
¶By maro the mantuan prudent
who list to rede
But & I had leyser competent
I coude shew you suche a presedent
In very dede Howe ye excede

¶Occupacyon. To Skelton.

¶with drawe your hande the tyme passis fast
Set on your hede this laurell whiche is wrought
Here you not eolus for you blowyth a blaste
I dare wele saye that ye and I be sought
Make no delay for now ye must be brought
Before my ladys grace the quene of fame
where ye must breuely answere to your name

¶Skelton Poeta.

CAstyng my syght the chambre aboute
To se how duly ich thyng in ordre was
Towarde y e dore as we were comyng oute
I sawe maister newton sit with his compas
His plummet / his pensell / his spectacles w t glas
Dyuysynge in pycture by his industrious wit
Of my laurell the proces euery whitte
¶Forthwith vpon this as it were in a thought
Gower / Chawcer / Lydgate theis thre
Be fore remembred me curteisly brought
In to that place where as they left me
where all the sayd poetis sat in there degre
But when they sawe my lawrell rychely whought
All other besyde were counterfete they thought
¶In comparyson of that whiche I ware
Sume praysed the perle some the stones bryght
wele was hym that there vpon myght stare
Of this warke they had so great delyght
The silke the golde the flowris fresshe to syght
They seyd my lawrell was the goodlyest
That euer they saw / & wrought it was the best
¶In her astate there sat the noble quene
Of fame / perceyuynge how that I was cum
She wonderyd me thouhht at my laurell grene
She loked hawtly and gaue on me a glum
Thhere was amonge them no worde then but mum
For eche man her kynde what she wolde to me say
wherof in substaunce I brought this away

¶The quene of fame To Selton.

¶My frende sith ye ar before hus here present
To answere vnto this noble audyence
[Page]Of that shalbe resonde you ye must be content
And for asmoche as by the hy pretence
That ye haue now by the preemynence [...]
Of laureat triumphe: your place is here reseruyd
we wyll vnderstande how ye haue it deseruyd

¶Skelton poeta to the quene of fame

Ryght high & myghty princes of astate
In famous glory all other transcendyng
Of your boūte the accustomable rate
Hath bene full often & yet is entendyng
To all tho that reason is condiscendyng
But if hastyue credence by mayntenance of myght
Fortune to stande betwene you and the lyght
¶But suche euydence I thynke for to endure
And so largely to lay for myne indempnite
That I trust to make myne excuse
Of what charge so euer ye lay ageinst me
For of my bokis parte ye shall se
whiche in your recordes I knowe well be enrold [...]
And so occupacyon your regester me tolde
¶Forth with she commaundid I shulde take my place
Caliope poynted me where I shulde sit
with that oc [...]upacioun presid in a pace
Be mirry she sayd be not aferde a whit
your discharge here vnder myne arme is it
So then commaundid she was vpon this
To shew her boke: and she sayd here it is

¶The quene of fame to occupacioun.

YOwre bokes of remēbraūs we will now y t ye rede [...]
If ony recordis ī noūbyr cā be founde
what skeltō [...] hath cōpilid & wryton in dede
Rehersyng by ordre & what is the grownde
[Page]Let se now for hym how ye can expounde
For in owr courte ye wote wele his name can not ryse
But if he wryte oftenner than ones or twyse

¶Skelton Poeta.

¶with that of the boke losende were the claspis
The margent was illumynid all with golden railles
And byse: enpicturid w t gressoppes and waspis
w t butterfllyis and fresshe pecoke taylis
Enflorid w t flowris and sly my snaylis
Enuyuid picturis well towchid & quikly
It wolde haue made a man hole y t had be ryght sekely
¶To be holde how it was garnysshyd & bounde
Encouerde ouer w t golde of tissew fyne
The claspis and bullyons were worth a thousande poūde
w t balassis & charbuncles the borders did shyne
with aurum musicum euery other lyne
was wrytin: and so she did her spede
Occupacyoun inmediatly to rede

¶Occupacyoun redith and expoundyth sum parte of Skeltons bokes and baladis w t ditis Honor est bn̄ factine oꝑacionis signum Aristoti [...]: [...]iuerte a ma [...]o & fac bonū [...] nobilis (p̄o est ille quem nobilitat sua vtꝰ [...]cassianꝰ ꝓximꝰ ille de [...] q iscit raciōe tacere. ca [...]o mors vltīa linea re (rum) horac [...]tuti oīa pa / [...] salust. [...]us (quam) tuta [...] virg [...]tes est so [...]i [...]iti plena timoris amor. Ouidof plesure in asmoche as it were to longe a ꝓces to reherse all by name y t 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 wyne
Item the boke to speke well or be styll
Item to lerne you do dye when ye wyll
¶Of vertu also the souerayne enterlude
The boke of y e rosiar: prince arturis creacyoun
The false fayth y t now goth which dayly is renude
[Page]Item his diologgis of ymagynacyoun
Item anto medon of loues meditacyoun
Item new gramer in englysshe compylyd
Item bowche of courte where drede was be gyled
Si [...]acet vsꝰ quē penes. [...]c Horace. Nō est timor dei āte oclos eo (rum). spalmo. con [...]edat laurea lingue.
¶His cōmedy achademios callyd by name
of tullis familiars the translacyoun
Item good aduysement that brainles doth blame
The recule ageinst gaguyne of the frenshe nacyoun
Tulliꝰ Fat cū cōsili o [...]īe [...]nū non peccabis Salamon
Item the popiugay y t hath in commendacyoun
Ladyes and gentylwomen suche as deseruyd
And suche as be counterfettis they be reseruyd
Nō mihi sit modulo rusti ca papilio. Uates [...]
¶And of soueraynce a noble pamphelet
And of magnyfycence a notable mater
How cownterfet cowntenaunce of the new get
D [...]are ī vtu te tua. p̄o. magīficauit cū ī ꝯspectu / regū. sapiēc. Fuger̄ pu [...]r verū (que) [...]ides (que) In [...] (rum) subiet̄ loc ī fraudes (que) doli (que).
w t crafty conueyaunce dothe smater and flater
And cloked collucyoun is brought in to clater
w t courtely abusyoun: who pryntith it wele in mynde
Moche dowblenes of the worlde therin he may fynde
¶of manerly margery maystres mylke and ale
To her he wrote many maters of myrthe
Insidie (que) et. vis et amor. scileratus habendi. oui [...]. Filia ba [...]ilo nis micera. Psalmo.
yet thoughe ye say it ther by lyith a tale
For margery wynshed and breke her hinder girth
Lor how she made moche of her gentyll birth
w t gingirly go gingirly her tayle was made of hay
Go she neuer so gingierly her honesty is gone a way
De nihilo nihil tit. Aristoti [...]
¶Harde to make ought of that is nakid nought
This fustiane maistres and this giggisse gase
wonder is to wryte what wrenchis she wrowght
Le plus displeysāt plei [...]cer puent.
To face out her foly w t a midsomer mase
w t pitche she patch [...]d her pitcher shuld not crase
It may wele ryme but shroudly it doth acco [...]de
To pyke out honesty of suche a po [...]shorde
[Page]
[...] [...]ate [...] per versus.
Nota.
¶Hinc puer hic [...]a [...]ꝰ: vir riugis h [...]nc spoliatꝰ
Iure thou: est: fetus deli de sanguine cretus
Hinemagis extollo qd erit puer alter apollo
Si queris qualis: meretrix castissima talis
¶Et r [...]lis et ralis? et reliqualis
A good he [...]ynge of thes olde talis
Fy [...]de no mo suche fro wanflete to walis
Et relequa. omelia de diuersis tractatibus
OF my ladys grace at the contemplacyoun
[...]posto [...]. non abemus h [...] i [...]itatē maētē sed tutu [...]ā ꝑ q̄rinnis.
Owt of frens [...]e in to englysshe prose
Of mannes lyfe the peregrynacioun
He did translate / enterprete and disclose
The tratyse of triumphis of the rede rose
Not [...]t bellā corn [...]b [...]e [...]d in capistribꝰ [...] ī pa [...]en [...] [...]rib [...]vall [...]s (que) solitudini bus prope Grenewiche [...]estum est. [...]rudemini [...] indicatio [...]rrā. p̄o.
where in many storis ar breuely contayned
That vn remembred longe tyme remayned
The duke of yorkis creaunc [...]r whan skelton was
Now henry the .viij. kyng of euglonde
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
Quis stabit mecū aduer­sus oꝑātes ī ­iq itatem. p̄o.
¶Also the tunnynge of elinour rummyng
W t colyn clowt / iohn̄ iue / with ioforth iack
To make suche trifels is asketh sum konnyng
In honest myrth parde requyreth no lack
Arridēt melius seria pi [...] / [...] iocis. In [...] bulis isopi [...]plēt vete [...]acchi pin / [...]gilius
The whyce 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 y • shuld haue be sent
[Page]H [...] wrate therof many a praty lyne
where it became and whether it went
And how that it was wantonly spent
Aut ꝓdesse volūt aut de lectare poete Horace. Adā adā vbi es. genesis / ℞; vbi nulla req ies vbi nullus ordo sed sempiternus horror in habitat. Iob
The balade also of the mustarde carte
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
W t wordes deuoute and sentence agerdows
For he was euer ageynst goddis h [...]ws
All his delight was to braule aud 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 there w t that take greuaunce
And grudge ther at w t frewnyng countenaunce
Etenī passer īuenit sibi do [...]ū. spalmo.
But what of that: hard it is to please all men
who list am [...]nde it l [...]t hym set to his p [...]nne
¶For the gyse now a days with phillippis en [...]emente
Of sum iangrlyng iays
Is to discommende
y t they can not amende
Though they wolde spende
All the wittis they haue
¶what ayle thē to depraue
Phillippe sparows g [...]aue
His dirige: her cōmendacioū
Can be no derogacyoun
But myrth & consolacyoun
Made by protestacyoun
No man to myscontent
¶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
¶I cōiure y e phillip sparow
by hercules y • hell did harow
And w t a venomows arow
Slew of the epidawris
[Page]One of the centawris
¶Or onocentauris
Or hippocentaurus
By whos myght and maine
An hart was slayne
W t hornnis twayne
Of glitteryng golde
And the apples of golde
Of hesperides with holde
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
A dauntid the rage
Of a lyon sauage.
Of diomedis stabyll
He brought out a rabyll
Of coursers and roun [...]is
wit lepes and bounsis
¶And w t myghty luggyng
wrastelynge and tuggyng
He pluckid the bull
By the hornid scull
And offred to cornucopia
And so forthe per cecera
¶Also by hecates powre
In plutos gastly towre
¶By the vgly cumenides.
y • neuer haue rest nor ease
¶By y e venemows serpent
That in hell is neuer brente
In lerua the grekis fen
That was engendred then
¶By chemeras flamys
And all the dedely namys
Of infernalll posty
where soulis fry and rosty
¶By the stigiall flode
And the stremes wode
Of cochiros vottumles well
By the feryman of hell
¶Caron w t his berde hore
That rowyth w t a rude ore
And w t his frownsid fortop.
G [...]dith his bote w t a prop
¶I cōiure phillippe & call
In y e 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 cōclusiouns.
And by her supersticiouns
Of wonderfull condiciouns
S [...]e raysed vp in y e stede
Samuell that was dede
¶But whether it were so
He were idem in numero
T [...]e selfe same samuell
How be it to saull he did tell
[Page]The phillistimis shulde hym askry
And the next day he shulde dye
I wyll me selfe discharge
To letterd men at large
¶But phillip I coniure the
Now by theys names thre
Diana in the woddis grene
Luna that sobryght doth shene
Proserpina in hell
That thou shortely tell
And shew now vnto me
what the cause may be
of this proplexyte
¶Inferias phillippe tuas scroupe pulcra Io­hanna
Instāter pecut: cur nr̄i carminis illā
Phillyppe answeryth.
Nūc pudet: est sero: minor est: infamia vero
THen such that haue disdaynyd
And of this worke complaynyd
I pray god they be paynyd
No wors and i [...] contaynyd
In verses two or thre
That folowe as ye may se
¶Luride curliuor volucrꝭ piafunera dānas
Talia te rapian [...] rapiunt quefata volucrem.
Boreus se in gurgitat ce / no & luto se ī mergit guari liꝰ vero nēc. et sicut oportoriū muta / bis cos & mu tabūt. p̄o. C. Exultabun / tur cornua [...]ufti. spalmo
Est tamen inuidia mors tibi continua
THe gruntyng a groynninge gronnyng swyne
Also the murmyng of the mapely rote
How the grene couerlet sufferd grete pine
whan the flye net was set for to catche a cote
S [...]rake one with a bird bolt to the hart rote
Also a deuoute prayer to moyses hornis
Metrifyde merely / medelyd with stormis
[Page]
[...] (quam) pariet [...] [...]linato & ma [...]rie depulse palmo.
¶Of paiauntis y t 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
Militat oīs [...]mās et hēt sua castra cupido. ouid.
And of castell aungell the fenestrall
Glittryng and glistryng and gloryously glasid
It made sum mens eyn: dasild and dasid
Introduxit me ī cubuculū suū. caut.
¶The repete of the recule of rosamundis bowre
Of his pleasaunt paine there and his glad distres
In plantynge and pluckynge a propre ielo [...]fer flowrt
But how it was sum were to recheles
Not withst [...]ndynge it is remedeles
[...]s fatue ball [...]t st [...]l [...] [...]. ca [...].
w [...]at myght she say: what myght he do therto
T [...]ough [...]ak sayd nay: yet mok there loste her sho
¶How than lyke a man he wan the barbican
A [...]ac [...]s for [...]. U [...]gili [...]
wich a sawte of solace at the longe last
T [...]e colour dedely swarte blo and wan
Ofexione her lambis dede and past
T [...]e cheke and the nek but a shorte cast
nesci [...] [...] ho [...]m sortio [...] futuri. [...]irgili [...] [...]lee (que) mi [...]. georgi [...] [...]cor [...].
In for [...]unis fauour euer to endure
N [...] man lyuyng he sayth can be sure
¶How dame minerua first foūd y e olyue tre: she red
And plātid it there where neuer before was none: vnshred
An hynde vnhurt hit by casuelte: not bled
Recouerd whan the forster was gone: and sped
At (que) agmina cerui pulue / rulēta glomerāt. eneid. 4. due molates ī pistrīo vno [...]ssūe [...] altera [...]elīq̄ [...]. isaia [...]
The hertis of the herd began for to grone: and fled
The howndes began to yerne & to quest: and dred
w t litell besyues standith moche rest: in bed
¶His epitomis of the myller & his ioly make
How her ble was bryght as blossom on the spray
A wan [...]on wenche and wele coude bake a cake
[...]oris vasta [...] bit e [...] timor­et intus pranor. p̄o.
The myllar was loth to be out of the way
[Page]But yet for all that be as be may
whether he rode to swassham̄ or to some
The millar durst not leue his wyfe at home
w t wofuf [...]ly arayd and shamefully betrayd
Opera que ego facio ip̄a ꝑhiben [...] testimoniū de me In euāg. &c.
Of his makyng deuoute medytacyons
Uexilla regis he deuysid to be displayd
w t sacris solempniis and other contemplacyouns
That in them comprisid consyderacyons
Thus passyth he the tyme both nyght and day
Sumtyme w t sadnes sumtyme with play
Honora me / dicū ꝓpter necessitatem creauit eum altissimꝰ. &c. Suꝑiores la [...]iones influunt in corꝑa / subiecta et dispōsita. &c.
¶Though galiene and diascorides
with ipocras and mayster auycen
By there phesik doth many a man ease
And though albumasar can y e enforme and ken
what constellacions ar good or bad for men
yet whan the rayne rayneth and y e gose wynkith
Lytill wotith y e gos [...]yng what y e gose thynkith
Nota.
¶He is not wyse ageyne y e streme y • stryuith
Spectatū ad m [...]serisum tenea [...] amor Horace.
Dun is in y e myre dame reche me my spur
when the stede is stolyn spar the stable dur
Nededes must he rin that the deuyll dryuit
A ientyll hownde shulde neuer play the kur
It is sone aspyed where the thorne prikki [...]h
¶Nota.
And wele wot [...]ch the cat whos berde she likkith
¶with marione clarione sol lucerne
Graund iui [...]: of this frenshe prouerbe olde
Lumen ad reuelacionem gencium. p̄o. .Clxxv.
How men were wonte for to discerne
By candelmes day what wedder shuld holde
But marione clarione was caught w t a colde colde anglice a cokwolde
& all ouercast w t cloudis vnkȳde
This goodly flowre w t stormis was vntwynde
[Page]This iel [...]er ientyll / this rose this lylly flowre
[...]elut ro [...]a vel lilium O pulcherrima mulierum. &c Cā [...] ecclesia.
This prime rose pereles / this propre vyolet
This delycate dasy / this strawbery pretely set
This columbyne clere and fresshest of coloure
w t frowarde frostis alas was all to fret
But who may haue a more vngraryous lyfe
Than a chyldis birde and a knauis wyfe
Notat [...] vba signate miste [...]ia. Gregori.
¶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 the bone homs of a shrige besyde barkamsted [...]
That goodly place to skelton moost kynde
where the sank royall is crystes blode so rede
where vpon he metrefyde after his mynde
A pleasaunter place than a shrige is harde where to fynde
As skelton rehersi [...]h with wordes few and playne
¶Nota.
In his distincyon made on verses twaine
Penuriā aq̄ [...] nā canes ibi. hauriunt ex puteo altissio Stulto (rum) infinitꝰ est numetus. &c. ec [...]t' [...] Factū est cū apollo esset corinthi. ac [...]. apostolorunt Stimules sub pectore [...]tit apollo. Uirgilius
¶Fraximus in clino: frōdet (que) viretsine viro.
Non est subdiuo: similissine flumine viuo.
¶The nacyoun of folys he left not behynde
Item apollo that whirllid vp his chare
That made sum to surt and snuf in the wynde
It made them to skip to stampe and to stare
whiche if they be happy haue cause to be ware
In ryming and raylyng with hym for [...]o mell
For drede that he lerne them there A. B. C. to spell

¶Poeta Skelton.

WIth that I stode vp halfe sodenly a frayd
Suppleyng to fame I besought her grace
And y • it wolde please her ful [...]tenderly I pray [...]
Owt of her [...]okis apollo to rase
[Page]Nay sir she sayd: what so in this place
Fama repl [...]ta malis ꝑ virilis euo / lat alis. &c.
Of our noble courte is ones spoken owte
It must nedes after rin all the worlde a boute
¶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
Ego q idē sum pauli ego apollo. [...]o (rum).
For by iuppiter and his high mageste
I did what I cowde to scrape out the scrollis
Apollo to rase out of her ragman rollis
Malo me galathea petit lascina puel / la. virgilius.
¶Now here of it erkith me lenger to wryte
To occupacyon I wyll agayne resorte
whiche rede on still as it cam to her syght
Rendrynge my deuisis I made in disporte
Nec si mune tibus certes ꝯcedet iollas .2. bucol..
Of the mayden of kent callid counforte
Of louers testamentis and of [...]here wanton wyllis
And how iollas louyd goodly phillis
¶Diodorue siculus of my translacyon
Out of fresshe latine in to owre englysshe playne
Mille ho [...]m species & re (rum) discolor vsꝰ horace.
R [...]ountyng commoditis of many a straunge nacyon
who redyth it ones wolde rede it agayne
Sex volumis engrosid to ge [...]her it doth containe
But when of the laurell she made rehersall
All orators and poetis w t other grete and smale
Millia millium & decies millies centena millia. &c. apocalipsis. Uite senatū laureati pos / sident. ecclesiastica. Caui [...].
¶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 w t the showre
The grownde gronid & tremblid y e noyse was so stowte
The quene of fame commaundid she [...]t fast y e boke
And ther with sodenly out of my dreme I woke
[Page]¶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 w t 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
Uates.
Meus tibi sit consulta petis: sic consule menti
Emula sit iani retro speculetur et ante

¶Skeltonts alloquiū Librum suum.

ITe britanno (rum) lux: O radiosa britānum
Carmina nostra pium vestrum celebra te catullū.
¶Dicite Skeltonis
vester adonis erat.
¶Dicite Skeltonis
vester homerus erat.
¶Barbara cū lacio pariter iā currite versu:
Et licet est vbo pars maxima texta britānno.
¶Non magis incompta:
Nostra thaly a patet.
¶Est magis inculta:
Nec mea caliope.
¶Nec vos penite at liuoris telasubire.
Nec vos peniteat rabiem tolerare caninam.
¶Nam maro dissimiles
Non tulit ille minas.
¶Immunis necenim
Musa nasonis erat.

¶Lenuoy.

SO 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
Upon your boke
And so procede.
In you to rede
That so in dede
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 curteissy
That I haue pende.
For to deffend
Under the banner
Of all good manner
Under proteccyon
Of sad correccyon
with toleracyon
And supportacyon
Of reformacyon
If thy can spy
Circumspectly
Any worde defacid
That myght be rasid
¶Els ye shall pray
Them that ye may
Contynew still
with there good wyll

¶Admonet Skeltonis: omnes arbores dare locū viridi lauro Iuxta genus suum.

ARaxinus in siluis: altis
In montibus Orni.
Populus in fluuiis Abies
patulissima Fagus.
Lenta Salix platanus pīguis ficulnea ficus
Glādifera et Quercꝰ / pirꝰ / esculꝰ ardua pinꝰ.
Balsamꝰ exudās: oleaster / oliua minerue.
Iunipirꝰ Buxus: lentiscꝰ cuspide lenta.
Botrigera & dn̄o vitis gratissima Baccho
Ilex & sterilis / labrusta ꝑ rosa colonis
Mollibꝰ exudans fragancia thura Sabeis.
Thus: redolēs arabis parit notissima mirrha
Et vos o corili fragiles: Humiles (que) mirice.
Et vos o Cedri redolentes vos quo (que) mirti.
Arboris omne genus viridi cōcedite Lauro:
¶Prennees Engre

¶En parlament A Paris.

IUstice est morte
Et veryte sommielle
Droit et raison
Sont alem aux pardo [...]
¶Lem deux premiers
Nul ne les resuelle
Et lem derniers
Sount corrumpus pardons.
¶Out of frenshe in to latyn.
¶Abstulit atra dies astreā: Cana fides sed
Sompno pressa iacet: Ius iter arripuit.
¶Et secum racio proficistens limite longo
Nemo duas primas euigilare parat
¶At (que) duo postrema abiunt. et numera tātū
Impediunt: nequiunt ꝙ remeare domum.
¶Owt of latyne in to Englysshe.
¶Iustyce now is dede
Trowth w t a drowsy hede
As heuy as the lede
Is layd down to slepe
And takith no kepe
¶& ryght is ouer y e fallows
Gone to seke hallows
W t reason to gether
No man can tell wheth [...]
¶No mā wyll vndertake
The first twayne to wake
¶And the twayne last
Be w t holde so fast
W t mony as men sayne
They can not come agayne
¶A grant tor [...]
Foy do [...].

¶H [...]r [...] end [...]th a ryght delectable tratyse vpon a goodly [...]londe or chapeler of laurell dyuysed by mayster Skelton Poete laureat.

¶Inpryntyd by me Rycharde faukes dwellydg in durā rent or els in Powlis chyrche yarde at the sygne of the A.B.C. The yere of our lorde god .M.CCCCC.xxiij. The .iij. day of Octobre.

Richard Fakes

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.