¶ Pithy pleasant and profitable works of master Skelton, Poet Laureate. Now collected and newly published. ANNO 1568.  
❧ Imprinted at London in Fletestreate, near unto saint Dunston's church by Thomas Marsh.   

Salue plus decies quam sunt momenta dierum,  
Quot generum species, quot res quot nomina rerum,  
Quot prati flores, quot sunt in orb colores,  
Quot Pisces, quot aves, quot sunt in equore naves,  
Quot volucrum pen, quot sunt tormenta gehenne,  
Quot coeli stelle, quot sunt in orb puelle,  
Quot sancti rome, quot sunt miracula thome,  
Quot sunt virtutes, tot vobis mitto salutes.   

IF sloth and tract of time, (that wears each thing away)  
Should rust and canker worthy arts, Good works would soon decay.  
If such as present are, For goeth the people past:  
Ourselus should soen in silence sleep, And loes renom at last.  
No soil nor land so rude, But some odd men can show:  
Than should the learned pas unknown, whose pen & skill did flow.  
God shield our sloulth wear such, Or world so simple now:  
That knowledge scaept without reward, Who searcheth virtue throw  
And paints forth vice a right, And blames abves of men:  
And shoes what lief desarues rebuke, And who the prays of pen.  
You see how foreign realms, Advance their Poets all:  
And ours are drowned in the dust, Or flung against the wall.  
In France did Marrot reign, and neighbour there unto:  
Was petrarch, marching full with dantte, Who erst did wonders do  
Among the noble Greeks, Was Homer full of skill:  
And where that Ovid nourished was, The soil did flourish still.  
With letters hie of style, But Virgil won the fraes,  
And past them all for deep engyen, And made them all to gaes  
Upon the books he made, Thus each of them you see  
won praise and fame and honour had, Each one in their degree.  
I pray you then my friends, Disdain not for to view:  
The works and sugared verses fine, Of our raer poets new  
whose barborus language rued, Perhaps ye may mislike,  
But blame them not that ruedly plays If they the ball do strike.  
Nor scorn not mother tongue, O babes of english breed,  
I have of other language seen, And you at full may read.  
Fine verses trimly wrought, And couched in comely sort,  
But never I nor you I trow, In sentence plain and short.  
Did yet behold with eye, In any foreign tongue:  
A higher verse a staetly style, That may be read or song.  
Than is this day in deed, Our english verse and rhyme:  
The grace whereof doth touch the gods, And reach the clouds sometime.  
Thorough earth and waters deep, The pen by skill doth pass:  
And featly nyps the worlds abuse, And shoes us in a glass,  
The virtue and the vice, Of every wight a live:  
The honey comb that be doth make, Is not so sweet in hive.  
As are the golden leaves, That drops from poet's head:  
Which doth surmount our common talk As far as dros doth lead.  
The flower is sifted clean, The bran is cast aside.  
And so good corn is known from chaff, And each fine grain is spied.  
Peers ploughman was full plain, And Chausers spréet was great:  
Earl Surry had a goodly vain, Lord Uaus the mark did beat.  
And Phaer did hit the prick, In things he did translate:  
And Edward's had a special gift, And divers men of late.  
Hath helped our English tongue, That first was baes and brute  
Oh shall I leave out Skelton's name, The blossom of my fruit  
The tree whereon in deed, My branchis all might grow,  
Nay skelton wore the Laurel wreath, And past in schoels ye know,  
A poet for his art, whose judgement sure was high,  
And had great practies of the pen, His works they will not lie.  
His terms to taunts did lean, His talk was as he wraet:  
Full quick of wit, right sharp of words, And shilfull of the staet.  
Of reason riep and good, And to the haetfull mind:  
That did disdain his doings still, A skornar of his kind.  
Most pleasant every way, As poets ought to be:  
And seldom out of Princis grace, And great with each degree.  
Thus have you heard at full, What Skelton was in deed:  
A further knowledge shall you have, If you his books do read.  
I have of mere good will, Theas' verses written here:  
To honour virtue as I ought, And make his fame apéer.  
That when the Garland gay, Of laurel leaves but laet,  
Small is my pain, great is his prays, That thus such honour gaet.  
Finis  
ꝙ churchyard.   

Works of Skelton newly collected by I. S. as followeth.  

1 The crown of laurel.  
2 The budge of court.  
3 The duke of Albany  
4 Speak parrot.  
5 Edward the fourth.  
6 Against the Scots  
7 Ware the hawk.  
8 How every thing must have a time.  
9 A prayer to the father of heaven.  
10 To the second person.  
11 To the holy ghost.  
12 The tunning of Elinour Rumming.  
13 The relucent mirror  
14 Why come ye not to court.  
15 Colyn Clout.  
16 Philip sparrow.  
17 Of a comely Coystrowne.  
18 Upon a dedman's heed  
19 To mistress Anne.  
20 Of three fools.  
21 En parliament a Paris.  
22 Epitaphs of two knaves of dise.  
23 Lamentation for Nor which.  
24 Against the Scots.  
25 Praise of the palmtre  
26 Bedel quondam Belial.  
27 The dolorous death of the Lord Percy earl of Northumberlande.  
28 Epitaphium Margarete countisse de Derbi.  
29 Epita. Hen. septi.  
30 Eulogium pro suorum temporum.  
31 A parable by William cornish in that Fleet.  
32 Against venomous tongues.  
33 Of Calliope.    

The crown of Laurel  


Arrecting my sight toward the zodiac  
The signs. xii. for to behold a far  
When Mars retrograunt reversed his back  
Lord of the year in his orbicular  
Put up his sword, for he could make no war  
And when Lucina plenary did shine  
Scorpion ascending degrees twice nine   

¶ In place alone, than musing in my thought  
How all thing passeth, as doth the summer flower  
On every half my reasons forth I sought  
How often fortune varieth in an hour  
Now clear wether, forth with a stormy shower  
All thing compassed, no perpetuity,  
But now in wealth, now in adversity.   

¶ So deeply drowned I was in this dump  
Encraumpysshed so sore was my conceit  
That me to rest, I lent me to a stump  
Of an oak, that sometime grew full straight  
A mighty tree and of a noble height  
whose beauty blasted was with the boysturs wind  
His leaves lost, the sap was from the rind.   

¶ Thus stood I in the frytthy forest of Galtres  
Ensowked with sylt of the miry mose  
Where hearts belluing embosed with distress  
Ra●on the range so long, that I suppose  
Few men can tell where the hind calf goose.  
F●re fall the forster that so well can bate his hound  
But of my purpose now turn we to the ground   

¶ whiles I stood musing. in this meditation  
In slumbering I fell, and half in a sleep  
And whether it were of imagination  
Or of humours superflue, that often will creep  
In to the brain by drinking over deep  
Or it proceeded of fatal persuasion  
I can not tell you what was the occasion   

¶ But suddenly at once as I me advised  
(As one in a trans or in an ecstasy)  
I saw a pavilion wondrously disguised  
garnished fresh after my fantasy  
Enhachyde with pearl and stones preciously  
The ground engrossed and bet with bourn gold  
That passing goodly it was to be hold   

¶ Within that a princes excellent of port  
But to recount her rich abilyment  
And what estates to her did resort  
Thereto am I full insufficient  
A goddess immortal she did represent  
As I hard say Dame Pallas was her name  
To whom supplied the royal queen of fame    

¶ The queen of Fame to dame Pallas.  

PRinces most pusant of high pre-eminence  
Renowned lady above the sterry heaven  
All other transcending of very congruence  
Madam regent of the sciences seven  
To whose estate all nobleness most lenen  
My suppitcation to you I arrecte  
Whereof I beseech you to tender the effect.   

¶ not unremembered it is unto your grace  
How ye gave me a rial commandment  
That in my court Skelton should have a place  
Because that he his time studiously hath spent  
In your service: and to the accomplishment  
Of your request, registered is his name  
With laureate triumph in the court of Fame   

But good madame the accustom and usage  
Of ancient poets ye wot full weal hath been  
themself to embusy with all their hole courage  
So that their works might famously be seen  
In figure whereof they were the laurel green  
But how it is, Skelton is wonder slack  
And as we dare we find in him a lack   

¶ For ne were only he hath your promotion  
Out of my books full soon I should him raze  
But sith he hath tasted of the sugared potion  
Of Heliconis well: refreshed with your grace  
And will not endeavour himself to purchase  
The favour of ladies with words elect  
It is sitting that ye must him correct.    

¶ Dame Pallas to the queen of Fame.  

THe sum of your purpose, as we are advised  
Is that our servant is some what to dull  
Wherein this answer for him we have comprised  
How rivers ren not till the spring be full  
Be●●er a dumb mouth than a brainless skull  
For if he gloriously publysshe his matter  
Tha● men will say how he doth but flatter.   

¶ And if so him fortune to write true and plain  
As sometime he must vices remorde  
Than some will say he hath but little brain  
And how his words with reason will not accord  
Beware, for writing remaineth of record  
Displease not an hundred for one man's pleasure  
Who writeth wisely hath a great treasure.   

¶ Also to furnish better his excuse  
ovid was banished for such a skill,  
And many more, whom I could induce.  
Juvenal was threat pard for to kill  
For certain invectives: Yet wrote he none ill  
Saving he rubbed some upon the gall,  
It was not for him to abide the trial.   

In general words I say not greatly nay  
A poet sometime may for his pleasure taunt  
Speaking in parables, how the fox, the grey  
The gander, the goose, and the huge oliphant  
Went with the peacock against the pheasant  
The lesarde came leaping and said that he must  
With help of the ram lay all in the dust.   

¶ Yet druerse there be industrious of reason  
Some what would gadder in their coniceture  
Of such an endarked chapter some season  
How be it, it were hard to construe this lecture  
Soyhisticated craftily is many a confecture  
another man's mind diffuse is to expound  
Yet hard is to make but some fault be fou●●e.    

☞ The queen of Fame to dame Pallas  

Madam with favour of your benign sufferance  
Unto your grace than make I this motive  
Whereto made ye me him to advance  
Unto the room of laureate promotyve?  
Or whereto should he have the prerogative  
But if he had made some memorial  
Whereby he might have a name immortal?   

¶ To pass the time in sloughtfull idleness  
Of your royal palais it is not the guise  
But to do somewhat each man doth him dress  
For how should Cato else be called wise  
But that his books, which he did devise  
Record the same? Or why is had in mind  
Plato, But for that he left writing behind   

¶ For men to look on? Aristotille also  
Of philosophers called the principal.  
Old Diogenes, with other many more  
Demosthenes that orator royal  
That gave Eschines such a cordial  
That banished was he through his proposition  
Against whom he could make no contradiction.    

¶ Dame Pallas to the queen of Fame  

SOft my good sister, & make there a pauses  
And was Eschines rebuked as ye say?  
Remember you well, point well that clause  
Wherefore than razed ye not away  
His name? Or why is it I you pray,  
That he to your court is going and coming  
Sith he is sklaundred for default of cunning?    

¶ The Queen of Fame to dame Pallas.  

Madam your apposelle is well inferred  
And at your advantage quickly it is  
Touched: and hard for to be barred  
Yet shall I answer your grace as in this  
With your reformation if I say amiss  
For but if your bounty did me assure  
Mine argument else could not long endure   

¶ As touching that Eschines is remembered  
That he so should be, me seemeth it sitting  
All be it great part he hath surrendered  
Of his honour, whose dissuasyve in writing  
To courage Demosthenes was much exciting  
In setting out freshly his crafty persuasion  
From which Eschines had none evasion   

¶ The cause why Demosthenes so famously is bruited  
Only proceeded, for that he did outray  
Eschines: which was not shamefully confuted  
But of that famous orator I say  
Which passed all other: wherefore I may  
Among my records suffer him named.  
For though he were vanquished yet was he not shamed   

¶ As Jerome in his preamble frater Ambrose  
From that I have said in no point doth vary  
Wherein he reporteth of the courageous  
Words, that were much consolatory  
By Eschines rehearsed, to the great glory  
Of Demosthenes, that was his utter foe  
Few shall ye find or none that will do so.    

Dame Pallas to the queen of Fame.  

A Thank to have ye have well deserved,  
your mind that can maintain so apparently:  
But a great part yet ye have reserved  
Of that must follow than consequently  
Or else ye demean you inordinately  
For if ye laud him, whom honour hath oppressed  
Than he that doth worst is as good as the best.   

¶ But whom that ye favour, I see well hath a name  
Be he never so little of substance  
And whom ye love not, ye will put to shame  
Ye counterwey not evynly your balance  
As well folly as wisdom oft ye do advance  
For report riseth many divers ways  
Some be much spoken of for making of frays   

¶ Some have a name for theft and bribery  
Some be called crafty, that can pike a purse  
Some men be made of for their mockery  
Some careful cokolds, sun have their wives curse  
Some famous witwoldes, & they be moche worse  
Some lidderons, some losels, some naughty packs  
Some facers, some bracers, some make great cracks.   

¶ Some drunken dastards with their dry souls  
Some sluggish slovens the sleep day and night  
Riot and Revel be in your court rolls  
Maintenance & Mischief these be men of might  
Extortion is counted with you for a knight  
These people by me have none assignment  
Yet they ride and run from carlil to Rent.   

¶ But little or nothing ye shall here tell  
Of them that have virtue by reason of cunning  
Which soveraynely in honour should excel  
Men of such matters make but mumming  
For wisdom and sadness be set out a sunning  
And such of my servants as I have promoted  
One fault or other in them shallbe noted   

¶ Either they will say he is to wise  
Or else he can nought but when he is at school  
Prove his wit saith he at cards or dice  
And ye shall well find he is a very fool  
Twyshe, set him a chair or reach him a stole  
To sit him upon, & read jacke a thr ummis bibil  
For truly it were pite that he sat idyll.    

☞ The queen of Fame to dame Pallas.  

TO make repugnance again that ye have said  
Of very duty it may not well accord  
but your benigun sufferance for my discharge I laid  
For that I would not with you fall at discord  
But yet I beseech your grace that good record  
May be brought forth such as can be found  
with laureate triumph why Skelton should be crowned.   

¶ For else it were to great a derogation  
Unto your palais our noble court of Fame  
That any man under supportation  
Without deserving should have the best game  
If he to the ample increase of his name  
Can lay any work that he hath compiled  
I am content that he be not exiled   

From the laureate senate: by force of proscription  
Or else ye know well I can do no less  
But I must bannysshe him from my jurisdiction  
As he that aqueynteth him with Idleness  
But if that he purpose to make a redress  
What he hath done let it be brought to sight  
Grant my petition, I ask you but right.    

¶ Dame Pallas to the queen of Fame  

¶ To your request we be well condescended  
Call forth, let see where is your clarionar  
To blow a blast with his long breath extended  
Aeolus your trumpet that known is so far  
That bararag bloweth in every martial war  
Let him blow now, that we may take a view  
What poets we have at our retinue.   

¶ To see if Skelton will put himself in press  
Among the thickest of all the hole rout  
Make noise enough, for claterars love no peace  
Let see my sister, now speed you, go about  
Anon I say this trumpet were found out  
And for no man hardly let him spare  
To blow bararag, till both his eien stare.    

¶ Skelton poeta.  

FOr the with there rose among the throng  
A wonderful noise, and on every side  
They pressed i fast, some thought they were to long  
Some were to hasty, and would no man side  
some whispered, some rouned, some spoke, & some cried  
with heaving and shoving, have in and have out  
Some ran the next way, some ran about.   

¶ There was suing to the queen of Fame  
He plucked him back, and he went afore.  
Nay hold thy tongue ꝙ an other let me have that name  
Make room said an other ye press all to sore  
Some said, hold thy peace thou gettest here no more  
A thousand thousand I saw on a plump  
With that I hard the noise of a trump   

¶ That long time blew a full timorous blast  
Like to the Boriall winds, when they blow  
That towers, and towns, and trees down cast  
drove clouds together like drifts of snow  
The dreadful din drove all the rout on a row  
Some trembled, some girned, some gasped, some gazed  
As people half pevissh or men that were mased   

¶ Anon all was whyshte, as it were for the nonce  
And each man stood gazing & staring upon other  
With that there come in wonderly at one's  
A murmur of minstrels, that such an other  
Had I never seen, some softer some louder  
Orpheus the Thracian harped melodiously  
With Amphion, and other musis of Archady.   

¶ Whose heavenly armony was so passing sure  
So truly proportioned, and so well did 'gree  
So duly entuned with every measure  
That in the forest was none so great a tree  
But that he danced for joy of that gle  
The huge mighty oaks themself did advance  
And leap from the hills to learn for to dance   

¶ In so much the stump, whereto I me lente  
start all at ones an hundred foot back  
With that I sprang up toward the tent  
Of noble dame Pallas, whereof I spoke  
Where I saw came after I wot full little lack  
Of a thousand poets assembled together  
But Phoebus was formest of all that came thither   

¶ Of laurel leaves a cronell on his heed  
With hears encrisped yolowe as the gold  
Lamenting Daphne's, whom with the dart of lead  
Cupid hath stricken so that she ne would  
Concente to Phoebus to have his heart in hold  
But for to preserve her maidenhead clean  
Transformed was she into the laurel green.   

Meddled with murning that most part of his muse  
O thou gatfull heart, was ever more his song  
Daphne's my darling why do you me refuse?  
Yet look on me, that loved you have so long  
Yet have compassion upon my pains strong  
He sang also, how the tree as he did take  
Between his arms he felt her body quake   

¶ Than he assurded into this exclamation  
Unto Diana the god's immortal  
O merciless ma dame hard is your constellation  
So close to keep your cloister virginal  
Enharded adyamant the cement of your wall  
Alas what ail you to be so overth wart  
To banish pite out of a maidens heart?   

¶ why have the gods showed me this crueltte  
Sith I contrived first principles medycinable  
I help all other of their infirmity  
But now to help myself I am not able  
That profitteth all other is nothing profitable  
Unto me, alas that herb nor gross  
The fervent axes of love can not repress.   

¶ O fatal fortune what have I offended?  
Odious disdain why raist thou me on this fashion?  
But sith I have lost now that I intended  
And may not attain it by no mediation  
Yet in remembrance of Daphne's transformation  
All famous poets ensuing after me  
Shall we are a garland of the laurel tree   

¶ This said, a great number followed by and by  
Of poets laureate of many diverse nations  
part of their names I think to specify  
First old Quintilian with his Declamations  
Theocritus with his bucolicall relations  
Hesiodus the Icononucar,  
And Homerus the fresh historiar.   

¶ Prince of eloquence Tullius Cicero,  
With Sallust against Lutius Catiline  
That wrote the history of jugurtha also,  
ovid enshryned with the Musis nine,  
But blessed Bacchus the pleasant god of wine  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy floats  
These orators & poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ Lucan with stacius in Achilliedos  
Percius pressed forth with problems diffuse  
Virgil the mantuan with his enridos  
Inuenall satirray that men maketh to muse  
But blessed Bacchus the pleasant god of wine  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy floats  
These oraters & poets refreshed their throats   

¶ There Titus Livius himself did advance  
With decadis historious which that he mengleth  
with matters that amount the romans in substance  
Ennius that wrote of martial war at length  
But blessed Bacchus potential god of strength  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy drops  
These orators & poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ Aulus Gellius that noble historiar,  
Orace also with his new poetry  
Master Terence the famous comicar,  
With Plautus that wrote many a comedy  
But blessed Bacchus was in their company  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy drops  
These orators & poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ Senec bookful soberly with his tragedies,  
Boece recomforted with his philosophy,  
And Marimiane with his mad ditties,  
How doting age would jape with young folly  
But blessed Bacchus most reverent and holy  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy drops  
These orators & poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ There came john Boccas with his volunes great  
Quintus Cursius full craftily that wrote  
Of Alexander: And Macrobius that did treat  
Of Scipions dream what was the true probate  
But blessed Bacchus that never man forgot  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy drops  
These orators & poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ Pogius also that famous florentie  
Mustered there among them with many a mad tale  
With a frere of France men call sir Gaguine  
That frowned on me full angrily and pale  
But blessed Bacchus, that boat is of all bale  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy drops  
These orators & poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ Plutarch and Patrarke two famous clerks  
Lucilius and Ualerius Marimus by name  
with Uincentius in speculo that wrote noble work  
Propercius and Pisandros poets of noble fame  
But blessed Bacchus that mastrise oft doth frame  
Of clusters engrossed with his ruddy drops  
These notable poets refreshed their throats.   

¶ And as I thus sadly among them advised  
I saw Gower, the first garnished our english rude  
And master Chaucer, that nobly enterprised  
How the our english might freshly be ennewed  
The monk of Bury than after them ensued  
Dane Iohn Lydgate: these english poets three  
As I imagined repaired unto me.   

¶ together in arms as brethren embraced  
Their apparel far passing beyond that I can tell  
with diamantes & rubies their taberdes were trased  
None so rich stones in Turkey to sell  
They wanted nothing but the Laurel.  
And of their bounty they made me goodly cheer  
In manner and form as ye shall after here.    

¶ Master Gower to Skelton.  

BRother Skelton your endevorment  
So have ye done, that meretoriously  
Ye have deserved to have an enplement  
In our collage above the sterry sky  
Because that ye increase and amplify  
The bruited Britons of Brutus Albion  
That well near was lost when that we were gone    

¶ Poeta Skelton to Master Gower.  

Master Gower I have nothing deserved  
To have So laudabyle A commendation  
To you three this honour shallbe reserved  
Arrectinge unto your wise examination  
How all that I do is under Refformation  
For only the Substance of that I intend  
Is glad to please and loath to offend.    

☞ Master Chaucher Laureate poet to Skelton.  

COunter weighing your busy diligence  
Of that we began in the supplement  
Enforced are we you to recompense  
Of all our holle collage by the agreement  
That we shall bring you personally present  
Of noble Fame before the queens grace  
In whose court pointed is your place.    

❧ Poeta Skelton answereth  

O Noble Chaucer, whose pullisshed eloquencs  
Our english rude so freshly hath set out  
That bound are we with all due reverence  
with all our strength that we can bring about  
To owe to you our service, & more if we mowte  
But what should I say, ye wot what I intend  
which glad am to please, and loath to offend.    

¶ Master Lydgate to Skelton.  

SO am I prevented of my brethren twain  
In rendering to you thanks meretory  
That well near nothing there doth remains  
wherewith to give you my regraciatory  
But that I point you to be protonotory  
Of Fame's court, by all our holle assent  
advanced by Pallas to laurel preferment.    

❧ Poeta Skelton answereth.  

So have ye me far passing my merits extolled  
Master Lydgate of your accustomable  
bounty, and so gloriously ye have enroled  
My name. I know well beyond that I am able  
That but if my work thereto be agreeable  
I am else rebuked of that I intend  
which glad am to please and loath to offend   

¶ So Finally, when they had showed their devise  
Under the form as I said before  
I made it strange, and drew back once or twice  
And ever they pressed on me more and more  
Till at the last they forced me so sore  
That with them I went where they would me bring  
Unto the pavilion, where Pallas was sitting.   

Dame Pallas commanded the they should me convey  
In to the rich palace of the queen of Fame,  
There shall he here what she to him will say  
When he is called to answer to his name,  
A cry anon forth with she made proclaim,  
All orators and poets should thither go before  
With all the press that there was less & more.   

Forthwith I say: thus wandering in my thought  
How it was, or else within what hours  
I can not tell you, but that I was brought  
In to a palace, with turrettes and towers  
Engalared goodly with halls and bowers  
So curiously, so craftily, so counnyngly wrought  
That all the world I trow and it were sought   

Such an other, there could no man find  
Whereof partly I purpose to expound  
Whiles it remaineth fresh in my mind  
with turks and grossolites enpaved was the ground  
Of birral enbosed were the pillars round  
Of elephants teeth, were the palace gates  
Enlosenged with many goodly plates   

Of gold entached with many a precious stone  
An hundred steps mounting to the hall  
ONe of jasper, an other of whales bone,  
Of diamantes pointed, was the Rokky wall.  
The carpets within and tappettes of pall  
The chambres hanged with clothes of Arace  
Enuauted with rubies that v aute was of this   

Thus passed we forth. walking unto the pretory  
Where the postis were embulioned with sapphires indy blew  
Englased glittering with many a clear story  
jacictes & smaragdes out of that florth they grew.  
Unto this place all poets there did sue  
Wherein was set of Fame the noble queen  
All other transcending most richly beseen   

Under a glorious cloth of estate  
Fret all with orient pearls of Garnate  
Encrowned as empress of all this worldly fate  
So rially, so richly, so passingly ornate  
It was exceeding beyond the common rate  
This house environ was a mile about  
If. xii. were let in. xii. hundred stood without   

Than to this lady and sovereign of this palace  
Of pursevamtes there pressed in which many divers tale  
Some were of Poyle, and some were of Thrace  
Of Lymerik, of Lorein, of Spain, of Portugal  
From Napuls', from Navern, and from Kouncevale  
Some from Flaunders, some fro the see cost  
Some from the main land, some fro the french host   

with how doth that north, what tidings in that south  
The west is windy, the east is meetly weal  
It is hard to tell of every man's mouth  
A slipper hold the tail is of an eel  
And he halteth often that hath a kyby hele  
Sune showed his safeconduct, some showed his chart  
Some looked full smoothly, and had a false quart.   

With sir I pray you a little tyne stand back  
And let me come in to deliver my letter  
An other told, how ships went to wrack  
There were many words smaller and greater  
With I as good as thou, I faith and no better  
Some came to tell truth, some came to lie.  
Some came to flatter, some came to spy,   

There were I say of all manner of sorts  
Of dertmouth, of plymouth, of portesmouth also  
The burgeis and the bailiffs of the. v. ports  
With now let me come, and now let me go  
And all time wandered I thus. to and fro,  
Till at the last these noble poets three  
Anto me said lo sir now ye may see,   

Of this hyghecourte the daily business  
From you must we, but not long to tarry  
Lo hither cometh a goodly masters  
Occupation, Fame's regestary.  
Which shallbe to you a sovereign accessary  
With singular pleasures to drive away the time  
And we shall see you again or it be prime.   

When they were past, & went forth on their way  
This gentlewoman, that called was by name  
Occupation, in right goodly array  
Came toward me, and smiled half in game.  
I saw her smile, and than I did the same  
With that on me she cast her goodly look  
Under her arm me thought she had a book.    

¶ Occupation to Skelton.  

Like as the lark upon the summer's day  
When Titan radiant burnisheth his beams bright  
Mounteth on high, with her melodius lay  
Of the son shine engladed with the light  
So am I surprised with pleasure and delight  
To see this hour now, that I may say  
How ye are welcome to this court of array   

Of your aqueyntaunce I was in times passed  
Of studious doctrine when at the port salu  
Ye first arrived, when broken was your mast  
Of worldly trust, than did I you rescue  
Your storm driven ship I repaired new  
So well entacled, what wind so ever blow  
No stormy tempest your barge shall over throw   

Welcome to me as heartily as heart can think,  
Welcome to me with all my holle desire  
And for mysake spare neither pen nor ink  
Be well assured I shall acquit your hire.  
Your name recounting beyond the land oh Tire  
From Sydony to the mount Olympian  
From Babyll tower to the hills Caspian.    

¶ Skelton Poeta answereth.  

I Thanked her moche of her most noble offer  
Affiaunsing her mine hole assurance  
For her pleasure to make a large proffer  
Emprynting her words in my remembrance  
To owe her my service with true perseverance  
Come on with me she said, let us not stand  
And with that word she took me by the hand   

So passed we forth into the foresaid place.  
With such communication as came to our mind  
And than she said, whiles we have time & space  
To walk where we list, let us somewhat find  
To pass the time with▪ but let us waste no wind  
For idle janglers have but little brain  
Words be sword and hard to call again   

Into a field she brought me wide and large  
Enwalled about with the stony flint  
Strongly enbateld much costious of charge  
To walk on this wall, she bed I should not stint  
Go softly she said, the stones be full glynt  
She went before and bade me take good hold  
I saw a thousand yates new and old   

Than questioned I her what these yates ment,  
Whereto she answered, and briefly me told  
How from the Est unto the Occident  
And from the South unto the North so cold,  
These yates she said, which that ye behold  
Be issues and ports from all manner of nations  
and seriously she showed me their denominations   

They had writing some greek, some ebrew,  
Some Roman letters as I understood  
Some were old written, some were written new,  
some carectis of Caldy, some french was full good  
But one gate specially, where as I stood  
Had graven in it of Calcidony a capital. A.  
What gate call ye this? and she said Anglia   

The building thereof was passing commendable  
Whereon stood a lybbard crowned with gold & stones  
Terrible of countenance, & passing formidable  
As quickly touched as it were flesh and bones  
As ghastly that glaris, as grimly that gronis  
As fiercely frowning as he had been fighting  
And which his form foot, he shaken forth this writing.   

Cacosinthicon ex industria.  
Formidanda nimis iovis ultima fulmina tollis  
unguibus ire parat loca singula livida curuis  
Quam modo per Phebes nummos raptura Celenoz  
Arma, lues, luctus, fell, vis fraus barbara tellus  
mill modis erras odium tibi querere martis.  
Spreto spineto cedat saliunca roseto.   

Than I me lent and looked over the wall  
Innumerable people pressed to every gate  
Shut were that gates, they might well knock & call  
And turn home again, for they came all to late  
I her demanded of them and their estate  
Forsooth ꝙ she, these be haskardes & ribalds  
Dicers, carders, tumblars with gambaudes.   

Fordrers of love, with bawdry a●neynted  
brainless blynkardes that blow at the coal  
False forgers of money for coynnage attainted  
Pope holy hypocrites as they were gold & hole,  
Poule hatchettes that prate well at every ale pole  
Riot, reveller, railer, bribery, theft,  
With other conditions that well might be left.   

some fain themself fools, & would be called wise  
Sun meddling spies, by craft to grope thy mind  
Some disdaynous daucockes that all men despise  
False flatterers that faun thee, & curs of kind  
That speak fair before thee, & shrewdly behind  
Hither they come crowding to get them a name  
But hailed they be homeward with sorrow & shame   

With that I heard guns rush out at ones  
Bowns, bowns, bowns, that all they out cried  
It made some limp legged & broised their bones  
Some were made peevish porisshly pynke eyed  
That evermore after by it they were aspyde  
And one there was there, I wondered of his hap  
For a gunstone I say had all to lagged his cap.   

Ragged and dagged and cunningly cut  
The blast of the brimstone blew away his brain  
Mased as a march hare, he ran like a scut  
And sir among all me thought I saw twain  
The one was a tumblar that afterward again  
Of a dyssour a devil way grew a gentleman  
Persprater the second that quarrels began   

which a pellet of pevishenes they had such a stroke  
That all the days of their life shall stick by their ribs  
Foo, foisty baudias some smelled of the smoke  
I saw divers that were carried away thence in cribbes  
dazing after dotterels like drunkards that dribbes  
These titivils' which taumpins were touched & tapped  
moche mischief I hight you among them there happened   

Sometime as it seemeth when the moan light  
By means of a grossly endarked cloud,  
Suddenly is eclipsed in the winter night  
In like manner of wise, amyst did us shroud  
But well may ye think. I was nothing proud  
Of that adventures, which made me sore aghast  
In darkness thus dwelled we, till at the last   

The clouds gone to clear, the mist was rarefied  
In an herber I saw brought where I was  
There birds on the briar sang on every side  
With aleys ensanded about in compass  
The banks enturfed with singular solas  
Enrailed with rosers, and vines engraped  
It was a new comfort of sorrows escaped   

In the mids a cundite, that curiously was cast  
With pipes of gold, engusshing out streams  
Of crystal, the clearness these waters far past  
Enswimming with roaches, barbils, & breames,  
Whose scales ensilured again the son beams  
Englisterd: that joyous it was to be hold  
Than furthermore about me my sight I revolde   

Where I saw growing a goodly laurel tree  
Enuerdured with leave, continually green,  
Above in the top a bird of Araby  
Men call a phoenix: her wings between  
She bet up a fire with the sparks full keen  
With branches & boughs of the sweet olive  
whose flagraunt flower was chief preservative. 
●iua spe●osa in ●●pis.    

A against all infections, with rancour inflamed  
against all baratous broisiours of old  
It passed all balms that ever were named  
Or gums of Saby so dearly that be sold 
Nota ex●elletiam ●irtutis ●● oliva.   
There blue in that garden a soft pipling cold  
Enbrething of zephirus with his pleasant wind  
All fruits & flowers grew there in their kind.   

Dryads there danced upon that goodly soil  
With the nine muses Pierides by name  
Phillis and Testalis there tresses with oil  
Were newly enbybed: & round about the same  
Grene tree of laurel, moche solacious game  
They made with chapplettes and garlands green  
And formest of all Dame Flora the queen   

Of summer so formally she footed the dance  
Theridamas Citheus sat twinkling upon his harpestriges  
And jopas his instrument did advance  
The poems and stories ancient in brings  
Of Athlas astrology, and many noble things  
Of wandering of the moan the course of the son  
Of men and of beasts, and whereof they begun,   

What thing occasioned the showers of rain  
Of fire elementar in his supreme spear  
And of that pole arctic, which doth remain  
Behind the tail of ursa so clear  
Of Pliades he preached with their drowsy cheer  
Immoystred with misling and ay dropping dry  
And where the two trions a man should espy.   

And of the winter days that high them so fast  
And of the winter nights that fairy so long  
And of the summer days, so long that done lasts  
And of their short nights: he brought i his song  
How wrong was no right, & right was no wrong.  
There was countering of carols i metre & i verse  
So many, that long in were to rehearse.    

Occupation to Skelton.  

How say ye? is this after your appetite?  
May this content you & your merry mind?  
Here dwelleth pleasure, with lust and delight  
Continual comfort here ye may find  
Of wealth and solace nothing left behind  
All thing covenably here is contrived  
Wherewith your spirits may be revived.    

Poeta Skelton Answereth.  

Questionless no doubt of that ye say  
jupiter himself this life might endure  
This joy exceedeth all worldly sport and play  
paradise, this place is of singular pleasure  
O well were him that hereof might be sure  
And here to inhabit, and aye for to dwell  
But goodly master one thing ye me tell    

Occupation to Skelton.  

OF your demand show me the content  
What it is, and where upon it stands  
And if there be in it any thing meant,  
Whereof the answer resteth in my hands  
It shall be loosed full soon out of the bands  
of scrupulus doubt wherefore your mid discharge  
And of your will the plainness show at large    

Poeta Skelton answereth.  

I thank you goodly masters to me most benign  
That of your bounty so well have me assured  
But my request is not so great a thing  
That I ne force what though it be discured  
I am not wounded but that I may be cured  
I am not laden of lyddyrnes with lumps  
As dazed doterdes that dream in their dumps.    

Occupation to Skelton.  

Now what ye mean I trow I conject  
God give you good year ye make me to smile  
Now by your faith is not this th'effect  
Of your question ye make all this while  
To understand who dwelleth in yone pile  
And what blundrer is ponder the playeth diddil diddil.  
He findeth false measures out of his fond fiddill   

¶ Interpolata (que industriosum postulat interpretem) satyra in vatis adversarium.  
Tressis Agasonis species prior, altera Davi. 
Nota Al chimiam & septem metalla.   
Aucupium culicis limis dum torquet ocellum.  
Concipit. aligeras rapit, opetit, ●spice muscas,  
Maia quoque fovet, fovet aut que jupiter, aut que  
Frigida Saturnus, Sol, Mars, Venus, Algida Luna,  
Si tibi contingat verbo aut committere scripto  
Quam sibi mox tacita sudant precordia culpa?  
Hinc ruit in flammas, stimulans huncurget & illum  
invocat ad rixas, vanos tamen excitat ignes.  
Labra movens tacitus, rumpantur ut ilia Codro.  
17. 4. 7. 2. 17. 5. 18.  
18. 19 1. 19 8. 5. 12.   

HIs name for to know if that ye list  
Envious Rancour truly he hight  
Beware of him I warn you: for if ye wist  
How dangerous it were to stand in his light  
ye would not deal with him thought that ye might  
For by his devilish drift & graceless, provision  
An holle realm he is able to set at division.   

For when he speaketh fairest than thinketh he most ill  
Full gloriously can he gloze, thy mind for to feel  
He will set men a feighting & sit himself still  
And smerke like a smythy cur at sperkes of steel  
He can never leave work whiles it is weal  
To tell all his touches it were to great wonder  
The devil of hell and he be seldom a sunder   

Thus talking we went forth in at a postern gate,  
Turning on the right hand, by a winding stair  
She brought me to a goodly chamber of estate,  
Where the noble counts of Surrey in a chair  
Sat honourably, to whom did repair  
Of ladies a Bevy. with all dew reverence  
Sit down fair ladies and do your diligence   

Come forth gentlewomen I pray you she said  
I have contrived for you a goodly work  
And who can work best now shallbe assayed  
A cronell of laurel with verdures light & dark  
I have devised for Skelton my clerk  
For to his service I have such regard  
That of our bounty we will him reward.   

For of all ladies he hath the library  
Their names recounting in the court of Fame  
Of all gentlewomen he hath the scrutiny  
In Foams court reporting the same  
For yet of women he never said shame  
But if they were countrefettes that women them call  
That list of their lewdness with him for to brawl.   

With that the tappettes & carpets were laid  
Whereon these ladies softly might rest  
The saumpler to sow on, the laces to enbrayde  
To weave in the stole some were full priest  
with slays, with tavels, with hedelles well dressed  
The frame was brought forth which his weaving pin  
God give them good speed their work to begin.   

Some to enbrowder put them in press  
well gyding their glutton to keep straight their silk,  
Some pyrling of gold their work to increase  
With fingers small, & hands as white as milk  
With reach me that skayne of tewly silk  
And wind me that botoume of such an hew  
Grene, red, tawny, white, purple, and blue,   

Of broken work wrought many a goodly thing  
In casting, in turning, in flourishing of flowers  
With burrs rough and buttons surffylling  
In nedyll work raising birds in bowers  
With virtue enbesed all times and hours  
And truly of their bounty thus were they bend  
To work me this chaplet, by good advisement.    

Occupation to Skelton.  

Behold and see in your advertisement,  
How these ladies and gentlewomen all  
For your pleasure do their edevourment  
And for your sake, how fast to work they fall  
To your remembrance wherefore ye must call  
In goodly words pleasantly comprised  
That for them some goodly conceit be devised.   

With proper captations of benevolence  
Ornately pullyshed after your faculty  
Sith ye must needs afforce it by pretence  
Of your profession unto humanity  
Commencing your process after their degree  
To each of them rendering thanks commendable  
With sentence fructuous, and terms covenable    

Poeta Skelton answereth.  

Auansing myself some thank to deserve  
I me determined for to sharp my pen  
Devoutly arrecting my prayer to Minerva  
She to vouch safe me to inform and ken  
To Mercury also heartily prayed I then  
Me to support, to help, and to assist  
To guide & to govern my dreadful trembling fist   

As a mariner that amazed is in a stormy rage  
Hardly be stad and driven is to hope  
Of that the tempestous wind will a suage  
In trust whereof comfort his heart doth grope  
From the anchor he cutteth the gabill rope  
Committeth all to god, and letteth his ship ride  
So I beseech jesus now to be my guide    

To the right noble counts of Surrey.  

AFter all duly ordered obeisance  
In humble wise as lowly as I may  
Unto you madame I make reconisaunce  
My life enduring I shall both write and say  
Recount, report, rehearse without delay  
The passing bounty of your noble estate  
Of honour & worship which hath the former date.   

Like to Argiva by just resemblance  
The noble wife of Polimites king  
Prudent Rebecca, of whom remembrance  
The bible maketh, with whose chaste living  
Your noble demeanour is counterwaing  
Whose passing bounty, and right noble estate  
Of honour and worship it hath the former date.   

The noble Pamphilia queen of the greeks land  
Habilimentes royal found out industriously  
Thamer also wrought with her goodly hand  
Many devices passing curiously  
Whom ye represent and exemplify  
Whose passing bounty and right noble estate,  
Of honour and worship it hath the former date,   

As dame Thamaris which took the king of pierce  
Cyrus by name, as writeth the story.  
Dame Agrippina also I may rehearse  
Of gentle courage the perfect memory  
So shall your name endure perpetually  
Whose passing bounty and right noble estate  
Of honour and worship it hath the former date.    

To my lady Eilabet h Howarip  

To be your remembrance madame I am bound  
Like to Aryna maidenly of port  
Of virtue & cunning the well and perfect ground  
Whom dame nature, as well I may report  
Hath freshly enbeautied which many a goodly sort  
Of womanly features, whose flourishing tender age  
Is lusty to look on, pleasant, demeure, and sage,   

Goodly Creseid: fairer than Polyxena  
For to enuyne Pandarus appetite  
Troilus I trow, if that he had you seen  
In you he would have set his holle delight  
Of all your beauty I suffice not to write  
But as I said your flourishing tender age  
Is lusty to look on, pleasant, demure, & sage.    

To my lady Myrriall hayward.  

MI little lady I may not leave behind  
But to do you service needs now I must  
Benign courteous of gentle heart and mind  
Whom fortune and fate plainly have discussed  
Long to enjoy pleasure, delight, and lust,  
The enbudded blossoms of roses red of hew  
With lilies white your beauty doth renew.   

Compare you I may to Cidippes' the maid  
That of Aconcius when she found the bill  
In her bosom, lord how she was afraid  
The ruddy shamefastness in her visage fill  
Which manner of abasshement became her not ill  
Right so madame the roses red of hew  
With lilies white your bevatie doth renew    

To my lady Anne Dakers of the sowth.  

zeusis that enpictured fair Helen the queen  
You to devise his craft were to seek  
And if Apelles, your countenance had seen  
Of porturature, which was the famous greek  
He could not devise the least point of your cheek  
Princes of youth and flower of goodly port  
Virtue, cunning, solace, pleasure, comfort.   

Paregall in honour unto Penolope  
That for her troth is in remembrance had  
Fair Dianira surmounting in beauty  
Demure Diana womanly and sad  
Whose lusty looks make heavy hearts glad  
Princes of youth, and flower of goodly port  
Virtue cunning, solace, pleasure, comfort.    

To mistress Margary wentworthe.  

With Margerain gentle  
The flower of goodly heed  
Enbrowdered the mantle  
Is of your maidenhead.  
Plainly I can not gloze  
Ye be as I divine  
The praty primrose  
The goodly columbine.  
With margerain gentle  
The flower of goodly heed  
Enbrowdered the mantle  
Is of your maiden heed  
benign, courteise, and meek,  
With words well devised  
In you who list to seek  
Be virtues well comprised.  
With margerain gentle  
The flower of goodly heed  
Enbrowdered the mantle  
Is of your maiden heed.    

To mistress Margaret Tylney.  

I you assure  
Full well I know,  
My busy cure  
To you I own  
Humbly and low  
Commending me  
To your bounty.   

As Machareus  
Fair Canace  
So I, I wis  
endeavour me  
Your name to see  
It be enrolled.  
written with gold   

Phedra ye may  
Well represent  
intentive ay  
And diligent  
No time misspent  
Wherefore delight  
I have to write   

Of Margarite  
Pearl orient  
Lode star of light  
Moche relucent  
Madam regent  
I may you call  
Of virtues all.    

To masters jane Blenner-Haiset.  
What though my pen wax faint  
And hath small lust to paint  
Yet shall there no restraint  
Cause me to cease,  
Among this press,  
For to increase  
Your goodly name.  
I will myself apply  
Trust me ententyvely  
You for to stellifye  
And so observe  
That ye ne serve  
For to deserve  
Immortal fame.  
Sith mistress jane Haiset  
small flowers helple to set  
In my goodly chaplet  
Therefore I render, of her the memory  
Unto the legend of fair Leodomie.   

To masters Isabella pennel.  
By saint Mary my lady  
Your mammy and your dady  
Brought forth a goodly baby  
My maiden Isabella,  
Reflaring rosabell.  
The flagraunt cammamell,  
The ruddy rosary,  
though sovereign rosemary  
The praty strawberry,  
The columbine, the nepte,  
The ieloffer well set,  
The proper violet.  
Ennewed your colour  
Is like the dasy flower,  
After the april shower.  
Star of the morrow grey,  
The blossom on the spraye,  
The fressheste flower of may.  
Maidenly demure,  
Of woman heed the lure,  
Wherefore I make you sure,  
It were an heavenly health,  
It were an endless wealth,  
A life for god himself,  
To here this nightinggale  
Among the birds small,  
Warbeling in the vale  
Dug, dug, jug, jug,  
Good year and good luck,  
With chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck.   

To maisties' Margaret Hussey.  

Merry Margaret  
As midsummer flower  
gentle as faucoun  
Or hawk of the tower   

With solace & gladness  
Much mirth & no madness  
All good and no badness  
So joyously  
So maidenly  
So womanly  
Her demening  
In every thing  
Far, far passing  
That I can indite  
Or suffice to write  
Of merry Margarete  
As midsummer flower  
gentle as faucoun  
Or hawk of the tower   

As patient & as still  
And as full of good will  
As fair Isiphill  
Coliander  
Sweet pomaunder  
Oood Cassander  
Stefast of thought  
well made, well wrought  
Far may be sought  
Erst that ye can find  
So curteise so kind  
As merry Margarente  
this midsummer flower  
gentle as faucoun  
Or hawk of the tower.    

To masters Geretrude Statham.  

Though ye were hard hearted  
And I with you thwarted  
With words that smarted,  
Yet now doubtless, ye give me cause  
To write of you this goodly clause  
Mistress Geretrude  
With wowan heed endued  
With virtue well renewed.   

I will that ye shallbe  
In all benignity, Like to dame Pasiphae.  
For now doubtless, ye give me cause  
To write of you this goodly clause  
Mistress Geretrude  
With woman heed endued,  
With virtue well renewed.   

Partly by your counsel.  
garnished with laurel.  
Was my fresh colonel.  
Wherefore doubtless  
Ye give me cause  
To write of you this goodly clause  
Mistress Geretrude  
With womanhood endued  
With virtue well renewed.    

To mistress Isabenll Knight  

BUt if I should acquit your kindness  
Else say ye might  
That in me were great blindness  
I for to be so myndles  
And could not write  
Of Isabella knight   

It is not my custom nor my guise  
To leave behind  
Her, that is both womanly and wise  
And specially which glad was to devise  
The means to find  
To please my mind.   

In helping to work my laurel green,  
With silk and gold  
Galathea the maid well beseen.  
Was never half so fair as I ween  
Which was extolleth, A thousand fold   

By Maro the Mantuan prudent  
Who list to read,  
But and I had leisure competent  
I could show you such a precedent  
In very deed, How ye exceed.    

Occupation to Skelton.  

Withdraw your hand, the time passeth fast  
Set on your heed this laurel which is wrought  
Here you not Aeolus. for you bloweth a blast  
I dare well say, that ye and I be sought.  
Make no delay, for now ye must be brought  
Before my lady's grace, the queen of Fame,  
Where ye must briefly answer to your name.    

Skelton Poeta.  

Casting my sight the chamber about  
To see how duly, each thing in order was  
toward the door as we were coming out  
I saw master Newton sit with his compass  
His plummet, his pencil, his spectacles of glass  
devising in picture by his industrious wit  
Of my laurel the process every whit.   

Forth with upon this as it were in a thought  
Gower, Chawcer, Lydgate these three  
Before remembered, me courteisely brought  
Into that place, where as they left me  
Where all the said poets sat in their degree  
But when they saw my laurel richly wrought  
All other beside were countrefet they thought.   

In comparison of that which I ware  
Some praised the pearl, some the stones bright  
Well was him that thereupon might stare  
Of this work they had so great delight  
The silk, the gold, the flowers fresh to sight,  
They said my laurel was the goodliest  
That ever they saw, & wrought it was the best,   

In her estate there sat the noble queen  
Of Fame, perceiving how that I was come  
She wondered me thought at my laurel green  
She looked hautely, and gave on me a glum  
There was among them no word than but mum  
For each man hearkened what she would to me say  
Whereof in substance I brought this away.    

The queen of Fame to Skelton.  

MY friend sith ye are before us here present,  
To answer unto this noble audience  
Of that shallbe reasoned ye must be content  
And for as much as by the high pretence  
That ye have now by the pre-eminence  
Of laureate triumph, your place is here reserved  
We will understand how ye have it deserved.    

Skelton poeta to the queen of Fame.  

Right high and mighty princes of estate  
In famous glory all other transcending  
Of your bounty the customable rate  
Hath been full often, and yet is attending  
To all that to reason is condiscending  
But if hasty credence by maintenance of might  
Fortune to stand between you and the light.   

But such evidence I think for to induce,  
And so largely to lay for mine indempnyte  
That I trust to make mine excuse  
Of what charge so ever ye lay against me  
For of my books, part ye shall see  
Which in your records I know well be enrolled  
And so occupation your Register me told.   

Forth with she commanded I should take my place  
Calliope pointed me where I should sit  
With that. Occupation pressed in a pace  
Be merry she said, be not a feared a whit  
Your discharge here under mine arm is it  
So than commanded she was upon this  
To show her book: and she said here it is.    

The queen of Fame to Occupation.  

Your book of remembrance we will now that ye read  
If any records in number can be found  
What Skelton hath compiled and written in deed  
rehearsing by order, and what is the ground  
Let see now for him, how ye can expound  
For in our court ye wot well his name can not rise  
But if he writ oftenner than ones or twice.    

Skelton Poeta.  

With that of the book losende were the clasps  
The margin was illumined all with golden rails  
And bice enpictured, with grassoppes & wasps.  
With butterflies, and fresh peacock tails.  
Enflored with flowers and slimy snails,  
Enuived pictures well touched and quickly  
It would have made a man hole that had be right sikly   

To behold, how it was garnished and bound,  
Encoverde over with gold of tissue fine  
The clapses and bullions were worth a. M. pound  
with balassis & carbuncles the borders did shine  
With aurum musicum every other line  
Was written: and so she did her speed  
Occupation immediately to read.    

Occupation readeth and expoundeth some part of Skelton's books and ballads with ditties of pleasure: In asmuch as it were to long a process to rehearse by name, that he hath compiled. etc.  

OF your orator and poet laureate  
Of England, his work here they begin  
In primis the book of Honorouse estate  
Item the book how men should i'll sin  
Item royal demenaunce, worship to win  
Item the book to speak well or be still.  
Item to learn you, to die when ye will.   

Of virtue also, the sovereign interlude  
The book of the rostar, prince Arthuris creation  
the false faith that now goth which daily is renewed  
Item his dialogues of imagination  
Item Antomedon of loves meditation  
Item new grammar in english compilled  
Iten Budge of court, where dread was begylled   

His comedy, Achademios called by name  
Of Tullis familiars the translation  
Iten good advisement that brainless doth blame  
The recoil against Gaguine of the french nation  
Item the Popingay, that hath in commendation  
Ladies and gentlewomen such as deserved  
And such as be countrefettes they be reserved.   

And of sovereignty a noble pamphlet.  
And of magnificence a notable matter  
How countrefet countenance of the new get  
With crafty conveyance doth smater & flatter  
And cloaked collusion is brought in to clater  
with courtly abusion who printeth it well in mind  
Much doubleness of the world therein he may find.   

Of mannerly masters Margery milk and ale  
To her he wrote many matters of mirth  
Yet though I say it, thereby lieth a tale  
For Margery wynsed & broke her hinder girth  
Lord how she made moche of her gentle birth  
which gingerly go gingerly her tail was made of hay  
Go she never so gingerly her honesty is gone away.   

Hard to make aught of that is naked nought  
This fustian masters and this giggisshe gaze  
Wonder is to write what wrenches she wrought  
To face out her folly with a midsummer maze  
with pitch she patched her pitcher should not crase  
It may well rhyme but shrewdly it doth accord  
To pike out honesty of such a potshorde.   

Patet per versus.  
Hinc puer hinc natus? vir coniugis hinc spollatus  
jure thori? est? fetus deli, de sanguine cretus.  
Hinc magis extollo, quod erit puer alter Apollo.  
Si queris qualis? meretrix castissima talis.  
Et relis & ralis, & reliqualis  
A good hearing of these old talis  
find no more such from wanflete to walis   
Et reliquà. ome lia de diversis tactatibus.  

OF my ladis grace at the contemplation  
Out of french into english prose  
Of man's life the peregrination  
He did translate: interpret, and disclose  
The treatise of triumphs of the red rose  
Wherein many stories are briefly contained  
That unremembered long time remained.   

The duke of York's creauncer when Skelton was  
Now Henry the. viii. king of England  
A treatise he devised, and brought it to pass  
Galled Speculum principis, to bear in his hand  
Therein to read, and to understand  
All the demeanour of princely estate  
To be our king of god preordinate.   

Also the tunning of Eiinor Rumming  
With Colin clout, john yve, with joforth jacke  
To make such trifles it asketh some cunning  
In honest mirth pard requireth no lack  
The white appeareth the better for the black  
And after conveyance as the world goose  
It is no folly to use the walshemannes' hose.   

The umbles of venison, the botels of wine  
To fair mistress Anne, that should have be sent  
He wrote thereof many a praty line  
Where it became, and whither it went  
And how that it was wanton spent.  
The ballad also of the mustard tart  
Such problems to paint it longeth to his art.   

Of one Adam all a knave late dead and gone  
Dormiat in pace like a dormous  
He wrote an epitaph for his grave stone  
With words devout and sentence Egerdous  
For he was ever against god's house  
All his delight was to brawl and to bark  
Again holy church, the priest, and the clerk.   

Of Philip sparrow the lamentable fate  
The doleful destiny, and the careful chance  
Devised by Skelton after the funeral rate  
Yet some there be there with that take grievance  
And grudge thereat with frowning countenance  
But what of that? hard it is to please all men  
Who list amend it, let him set to his pen.  

For the guise now adays,  
Of some jangling da jays  
Is to discommend  
That they can not amend  
Though they would spend  
All the wits they have   

What ail them to deprave  
Philippe sparrows grave  
His dirige, her commendation  
Can be no derogation  
But mirth and consolation  
Made by protestation  
No man to miscontent  
With Philippis interment   

Alas that goodly maid  
Why should she be afraid?  
Why should she take shame,  
That her goodly name  
Honourably reported,  
Should be set and sorted  
To be matriculate, with ladies of estate?   

I conjure the Philip sparrow  
By Hercules that hell did harowe  
And with a venomous arrow  
Slew of the Epidaures  
One of the Centaurs  
Or Onocentaurus,  
Or Hippocentaurus   

By whose might and main  
An heart was slain with horns twain  
Of glittering gold,  
And the apples of gold  
Of Hesperides with hold  
And with a dragon kept  
That never more slept  
By martial strength,  
He won at length.   

And slew Gerione,  
With three bodies in one  
With mighty courage,  
Adaunted the rage  
Of a lion savage.  
Of Diomedis stable,  
He brought out a rabill  
Of coursers and rounses  
With leaps and bounses   

And with mighty lugging  
Wrestling and tugging,  
He plucked the bull,  
By the horned skull  
And offered to Cornucopia,  
And so forth per cetera   

Also by Hecate's bower  
In Pluto's ghastly tower.  
By the ugly Eumenides,  
That never have rest nor ease  
By the venomous serpent,  
That in hell is never brent.  
In Lerva the greeks fen  
That was engendered then  
By Chemeras' flames,  
And all the deadly names,  
Of infernal posty  
Where souls fry and rosty.  
By the stygial flood,  
And the streams wooed  
Of Cocytus' bottomless well.  
By the ferryman of hell  
Charon with his beard hoar  
That roweth with a rude over,  
And with his frounsed fore top  
guideth his boat with a prop.   

I conjure Philippe and call  
In the name of king Saul.  
Primo regum express,  
He bade the Phitones  
To witch craft her to dres,  
And by her abusions,  
And damnable illusions,  
Of marvelous conclusions,  
And by her superstitions,  
And wonderful conditions,  
She raised up in that stead  
Samuel, that was deed.   

But whether it were so,  
He were idem innumero  
The self same Samuel,  
How be it to Saul he did tell  
The Philistinis should him askrye  
And the next day he should die,  
I will myself discharge  
To lettred men at large.   

But Philip I conjure the  
Now by these names three  
Diana in the woods green,  
Luna that so bright doth sheen,  
Proserpina in hell,  
That thou shortly tell  
And show now unto me,  
What the cause may be,  
Of this perplexite,   

Inferias Philippe tuas Scroupe pulchra joanna  
Instanter peciit, cur nostri carmints illam  
Nunc pudet, est sero, minor est infamia Vero   

Than such as have disdained,  
And of this work complained,  
I pray god they by pained  
No worse than is contained  
In verses two or three,  
That follow as ye may see▪   

Luride cur livor Volucris pia funera damnas  
Talia te rapiant, ●apiunt quae fata Volucrem,  
Est tamen invidia mors tibi continua.    

The grounting & the groining of the groaning swine  
Also the Mourning of the mapely rote  
How the green coverlet suffered great pine.  
When the fly net was set for to catch a cote  
Strake one with a byrdbolt to the heart rote  
Also a devout prayer to Moses' horns  
Metrified merrily, meddled with scorns.   

Of paiantes that were played in joyous guard  
He wrote of a mouse through a mud wall  
How a do came tripping in at the rear ward  
But lord how the parker was wroth with all  
And of castle Angel the fenestrall  
Glittering and glistering and gloriously glazed  
It made some men's eyen dasyld and dazed.   

The repeat of the recoil of Rosamundes bower  
Of his pleasant pain there and his glad destres  
In planting & plucking a proper ieloffer flower  
But how it was, some were to reckless  
not withstanding it is remedeles  
What might she say? what might he do thereto?  
Though jack said nay: yet mok there lost her sho.   

How than like a man he won the Barbican  
With a saute of solace at the long last  
The colour deadly, swart, blo, and wan  
Of Ereone her lamb is deed and past  
The cheek and the neck but a short cast  
In fortune's favour ever to endure  
No man living he saith can be sure.   

How dane Minerva first found thou olive tree, she red  
& planted yet where never before was none, unshred  
An hind unhurt it by casuelte, not bled  
Recovered when the forster was gone, and sped  
The hearts of the herd began for to groan, & fled  
The hounds began to yearn and to quest: & dread  
With little business standeth moche rest. in bed.   

His epitomis of the miller and his jolly make  
How herble was bright as blossom on the spray  
A wanton wench and well could bake a cake  
The myllar was loath to be out of the way  
But yet for all that be as be may  
Whether he road to Swassham or to Some  
The myllar durst not leave his wife at home   

With woefully arrayed and shamefully betrayed  
Of his making devout meditations  
Vexilla regis he devised to be desplayde,  
With Sacris solempnus, and other contemplacious  
That in them comprised considerations  
Thus passeth he the time both night and day  
Sometime with sadness, sometime with play   

Though Galene and Dioscorides  
With Hipocrates, and master Avicen  
By their physic done many a man ease  
And though Albumasar can the inform and ken  
What constellations are good or bad for men:  
Yet when the rain raineth and the goose winketh  
Little wotteth the gosling what the goose thinketh   

He is not wise again the stream that striveth  
Dun is in the mire, dame reach me my spur  
Needs must he ren that the devil driveth  
When the stead is stolen spar the stable dur  
A gentle hound should never play the kur  
It is soon espied where the thorn pricketh  
And well woteth the cat whose beard she licketh   

With Marione clarione sol lucerne  
Grande ivir, of this french proverb old  
How men were wont for to discern  
By candelmas day, what wether should hold  
But Marione clarione was caught which a cold  
And all overcast with clouds unkind  
This goodly flower with storms was untwinde   

This ieloffer gentle, this rose, this lily flower,  
This prime rose peerless, this proper violet,  
This delicate dasy, this straubery prately set,  
This columbine clear and freshest of colour  
With froward frostis alas was all to fret  
But who may have more ungracious life  
Than a child's bird and a knaves wife?   

Think what ye will  
Of this wanton bill.  
By Mary Gipcie  
Quod scripsi scripst   

Vxor tua sicut Vitis  
Habetis in custodiam  
Custodite sicut scitis.  
Secundum Lucam. etc.   

Of the bone homs of Asshrige beside Barcanstede  
That goodly place to Skelton most kind,  
where the sange royal is, Christis blood so read  
whereupon he metrified after his mind.  
A plesanter place than Ashrige is, hard were to find  
As Skelton rehearseth with words few & plain  
In his Distichon, made on verses twain.  
Fraximus in clivo frondetqne Viret sine rivo.  
Non est fub divo similis sive flumini vivo   

The Nation of fools he left not behind,  
Item Apollo that whirled up his char,  
That made some to snurre and snufe in the wind  
It made them to skip, to stamp, and to stare,  
which (if they be happy) have cause to beware  
In rhyming and railing with him for to mell  
For dread that he learn them their. A. B. C. to spell    

Poeta Skelton  

with that I stood up, half suddenly afraid  
supplying to Fame, I besought her grace  
And that it would please her full tenderly I prayed  
Out of her books Apollo to raze.  
Nay sir she said, what so in this place  
Of our noble court is once spoken out  
It must needs after ren all the world about.   

God wot these words made me full sad  
And when that I saw it would no better be  
But that my petition would not be had,  
What should I do, but take it in gre?  
For by jupiter and his high majesty,  
I did what I could to scarpe out the scrolls  
Apollo to raze out of her ragman rolls.   

Now here of it irketh me longer to write,  
To Occupation, I will again resort  
which red on still, as it came to her sight  
Rendering my devices I made in disport  
Of the maiden of Rent called comfort  
Of lovers testaments & of their wanton willis  
And how jolas loved goodly Phillis.   

Diodorus Siculus of my translation  
Out of fresh latin into our english plain  
Recounting commodities of many a strange nation  
who readeth it once would read it again  
Six volumes engrossed together it doth contain.  
But when of the laurel she made rehearsal  
All orators and poets with other great and small   

A thousand thousand I trow to my doom  
Triumpha triumpha they cried all about  
Of trumpets & clarions the noise went to Rome  
The sterry heaven me thought shook with that shout  
The ground groaned & trembled the noise was so stout  
The queen of Fame commanded, shut fast the book  
And therewith suddenly out of my sleep I work   

My mind of the great din was somedeal amazed  
I wiped mine eyen for to make them clear  
Than to the heaven spherical upward I gazed  
where I saw janus with his double cheer  
Making his almanak for the new year  
He turned his tirickes his voluell ran fast  
Good luck this new year the old year is past.  
Mens tibi sit consulta petis? sic consule menti,  
Emula sis jani, retro speculetur et ante.   

Skeltonis alloquitur librum suum.  
Ite Britannorum lux o radiosa Britannum  
Carmina nostra pium Vestrum celebrate Catullum  
Dicite Skeltonis Vester Adonis erat.  
Dicite Skeltonis Vester Homerus erat.  
Barbara cum lacio pariter iam currite Versu.  
Et licet est Verbo pars maxima texta Britanno,  
Non magis incompta nostra Thalia patet:  
Est magis inculta nec mea Calliope.  
Nec vos poenite at livoris tela subire.  
Nec vos poeniteat rabiem tolerare caninam,  
Nam Maro dissmiles non tulit ille minas,  
Immunis necenim musa Nasonis erat.    

Envoy.  

Go little quaire  
Demean you fair  
Take no despair  
Though I you wrote  
After this rate  
In english letter  
So much the better  
welcome shall ye  
To some men be  
For latin work  
Be good for clerks  
Yet now and then  
Some latin men  
May happily look  
Upon your book  
And so proceed  
In you to read  
That so in deed  
your fame may spread  
In length and breed  
But that I dread  
you shall have need  
you for to speed  
To harness bright  
By force of might  
Against envy  
And obloquy  
And wot ye why  
not for to fight  
Against despite  
Nor to derayne  
battle again  
Scornful disdain  
Nor for to chide  
Nor for to hide  
You cowardly  
But courteisly  
That I have pend  
For to defend  
Under the banner  
Of all good manner  
Under protection  
Of sad correction  
with toleration  
And support ation  
Of reformation  
If they can spy  
Circumspectly  
Any word defaced  
That might be razed  
Else ye shall pray  
Them that ye may  
Continue still  
with their good will.   
Adserenissimam maiestatem regiam, pariter cum duno Cardinalilegato a latere honorisicatissimo▪ etc.   

Lautre enuoy.  

Perge Vber, celebrem pronus regem Veneraro  
Henricum octawm, resonans sua premia laudis.  
Cardineum dominum pariter Venerando salutes,  
Legatum a latere & fiat memor ipse precare,  
Prebend, quam promiset mihi credere quondam.  
Meque suum referas pignus sperare salutis  
Inter spemque metum.   

Tween hope & dread  
My life I lead  
But of my speed  
Small sekernes.   

How be it I read  
Both word & deed  
Should be agreed  
In nobleness.   

Or else. etc.     


The Prolgue to the Budge Of Court.  

IN Autumpne when the son in virgin  
By radyante heat enryped hath our corn  
When luna full of mutability  
As Emperes the diadem hath worn  
Of our pole arctic, smiling half in scorn  
At our folly, and our unsteadfastness  
The time when Mars to war him did dres,   

I calling to mind the great authority  
Of poets old, which full craftily  
Under as covert terms as could be  
Can touch a troth, and cloak subtilely  
With fresh utterance full sentencyously  
diverse in style some spared not vice to write  
Some of mortality nobly did indite   

Whereby I read, their renome and their fame  
May never die, but evermore endure  
I was sore moved to a force the same  
But Ignorance full soon died me dyscure  
And showed that in this art I was not sure  
For to Illumine she said I was to dull  
Aduysing me my pen away to pull   

And not to write, for he so will attain  
exceeding ferther than his cunning is  
His heed may be hard, but feeble is brain  
Yet have I known such oer this  
But of reproach surely he may not miss  
That clymmeth higher than he may fotinge have  
What and he slide down, who shall him save?   

Thus up & down my mind was drawn & cast  
That I ne wist what to do waa best  
So sore enwered that I was at the last  
Enforced to sleep, and for to take some rest  
And to lie down as soon as I my dressed  
At har which port slumbering as I lay  
In mine hosts house called powers key   

Me thought I saw, a ship goodly of sail  
Come sailing forth in to that haven brood  
Her takeling rich and of high apparel  
She kast an anchor and there she lay at road  
Merchants her boarded to see what she had  
There in they found Royal merchandise  
Fraghted with pleasure of what ye could devise   

But than I thought I would not dwell behind  
Amange all other I put myself in prece  
Than there could I none aquentaunce find  
There was moche noise anon one cried cese  
Sharply commanding each man hold his piece  
Masters he said, the ship that ye here see  
The bouge of court it hight for certeynte.   

The owner thereof is lady of estate  
whose name to tell is dame sans peer  
Her merchandise is rich and fortunate  
But who will have it must pay therefore dear  
This royal chaffre that is shipped here  
Is called favour to stand in her good grace  
Than should ye see there pressing in a pace.   

Of one and other that would this lady see  
Which sat behind a tranes of silk fine  
Of gold of tessew the finest that might be  
In a throne which far clear did shine  
Than Phoebus in his spear celestyne  
whose beauty bonoure goodly port  
I have to little cunning to report   

But of each thing there as I took heed  
Among all other was written in her throne  
In gold letters this word which I did read  
Garde le fortune que est mauelz et bone  
And as I stood reading this verse myself alone  
Her chief gentlewoman danger by her name  
Gave me ataunte and said I was to blame.   

To be so part to press so proudly up  
She said she trowed that I had eaten sauce  
She asked if ever I drank of sauces cup  
And I than softly answered to that clause  
That so to say, I had given her no cause  
Than asked she me Sir so god the speed  
What is thy name? and I said it was dread   

What moved the quoth she hither to come  
Forsooth quoth I to buy some of your ware  
And with that word on me she gave a glome  
With brows bent and 'gan on me to stare  
Full daynously and fro me she did fare  
leaving me standing as a mased man  
To whom there came an other gentlewoman.   

Desire her name was and so she me fold  
saying to me brother be of good cheer  
abash you not but hardly be bold  
Advance yourself to approach and come near  
What though our chaffer be never so dear  
Yet I advise you to speak for any dread  
Who spareth to speak, in faith he spareth to sped   

Mistress quoth I, I have none aquentaunce  
That will for me be mediator and mean  
But this an other I have but small substance  
Peace quoth Desire ye speak not worth a been  
If ye have not in faith I will you leanly  
A precious jewel no richer in this land  
Bonaventure have here now in your hand.   

Shift now therewith let see as ye can  
In bouge of court chevisance to make  
For I dare say that there nis earthly man  
But and he can bone adventure take  
There can no favour nor friendship him forsake  
Bone adventure may bring you in such case  
That ye shall stand in favour and in grace.   

But of one thing I warn you ere I go  
She that stirreth the ship make her your friend  
master quoth I, I pray you tell me why so  
And how I may that way & means find  
Forsooth quoth she how ever blow the wind  
Fortune guideth and ruleth all our ship  
Whom she hateth shall over the ship board skip.   

Whom she loveth of all pleasure is rich  
Whiles she laugheth and hath lust for to play  
Whom she hateth she casteth in the ditch  
For when she frouneth she thinketh to make a fray  
She cherished him and him she chasseth away  
Alas quoth I how might I have her sure  
In faith quoth she by bone adventure.   

Thus in a row of merchants a great rout  
Sued to fortune that she would be their friend  
They throng in fast and flocked her about  
And I with them prayed her to have in mind  
She promised to us all she would be kind  
of bouge of court she asketh what we would have  
And we asked favour, and favour she us gave   
Thus endeth the Prologue.   

dread.  

THe sail is up fortune ruleth our helm  
We want no wind to pass now over all  
Favour we have tougher than any elm  
That will abide and never from us fall  
But under honey oft time lieth bitter gall  
For as me thought in our ship I did see  
Full subtle persons in number four and three   

The first was favell full of flattery  
With fables false that well could feign a tale  
The second was Suspect which that daily  
Mysdempte each man with face deadly & pale  
And Haruy haster that well could pick a male  
With other four of their affynyte  
disdain. Ryotte. Dyssymuler, subtlety.   

Fortune their friend with whom oft she did dance  
They could not fail they thought they were so sure  
And oftentimes I would myself advance  
With them to make solace and pleasure  
But my disport they could not well endure  
They said they hated for to deal with dread  
Than favel 'gan with fair speech me to sede    

favel,  

Nothing earthly that I wonder so sore  
As of your cunning that is so excellent  
dainty to have with us such one in store  
So virtuously that hath his days spent  
Fortune to you gifts of grace hath lente  
Lo what it is a man to have cunning  
All earthly treasure it is surmounting   

Ye be an apt man as any can be found  
To dwell with us & serve my ladies grace  
Ye be to her yea worth a thousand pound  
I heard her speak of you within short space  
when there were diverse that sore did you menace  
And though I say it, I was myself your friend  
For here be diverse to you that be unkind   

But this one thing ye may be sure of me  
For by that lord that bought dear all mankind  
I cannot flatter I must be plain to the  
And ye need aught man show to me your mind  
For ye have me whom faithful ye shall find  
Whiles I have aught by god thou shalt not lack  
And if need be, a bold word I dare crack   

Nay nay be sure whiles I am on your side  
Ye may not fall trust me ye may not fail  
Ye stand in favour and fortune is your guide  
And as she will so shall our great ship sail  
These lewd cock wits shall nevermore prevail  
Against you hardly therefore be not afraid  
Fare well till soon but no word that I said    

dread.  

Than thanked I him for his great gentleness  
But as me thought he ware on him a cloak  
That lined was with doubtful doubleness  
Me thought of words that he had full a poke  
His stomach stuffed oft times died reboke  
suspicion me thought met him at a braid  
And I drew near to hark what they two said   

In faith qd suspect, spoke dread no word of me  
Why what than wilt thou let men to speak  
He saith he can not well accord with the  
Twysshen qd suspect go● play him I ne reek  
By christ qd favel dread is soleyne freke  
What let us hold him up man for a while  
Ye so qd suspect, he may us both beguile   

And when he came walking soberly  
With whom, and, ha, and with a crooked look  
Me thought his heed was full of jealousy  
His eyen rolling his hands fast they quoke  
And to me ward the straight way he took  
God sped brother to me quoth he than  
And thus to talk with me he began,    

Suspicion  

Ye remember the gentleman right now  
That command with you me thought a party spoke  
Beware of him for I make god avow  
He will beguile you and speak fair to your face  
Ye never dwelt in such an other place  
For here is none that dare well other trust  
But I would tell you athinge and I durst   

Speke he a faith no wordeto you of me  
I wot and he died ye would me tell  
I have a favour to you whereof it be  
That I must show you much of my counsel  
But I wonder what the devil of hell  
He said of me when he with you did talk  
By mine advise use not with him to walk   

The soveraynst thing that any man may have  
Is little to say, and much to here and see  
For but I trusted you so god me save  
I would nothing so plain be  
To you only me think I durst shrive me  
For now am I plenarely disposed  
To show you things that may not be disclosed    

dread,  

Than I assured him my fidelity  
His counsel secret never to discure  
If he could find in heart to trust me  
Else I prayed him with all my busy cure  
To keep it himself for than he might be sure  
That no man earthly could him bewreye  
Whiles of his mind it were locked with that key   

By god quoth he this and thus it is  
And of his mind he showed me all and some  
far well quoth he we will talk more of this  
So he departed there he would be come  
I dare not speak I promised to be doom  
But as I stood musing in my mind  
Haruy haster came lepinge light as lined,   

Upon his breast he bore a versinge box  
His throat was clear and lustily could feign  
Me thought his gown was all furred with fox  
And ever he sang, sith I am nothing plain  
To keep him from pikinge it was a great pain  
He gazed on me with his gotishe beard  
When I looked on him me purse was halfaferde    

Heruy Haster  

Sir god you save why look ye so sad  
What thing is that I may do for you  
A wonder thing that ye wax not mad  
For and I study should, as ye do now  
My wit would waste I make god avow  
Tell me your mind me think ye make a verse  
I could it skan and ye would rehearse   

But to the point shortly to proceed  
Where hath your dwelling been ere ye came here  
For as I trow I have seen you in deed  
Er this when that ye made me royal cheer  
Hold up the helm look up & let god steer  
I would be merry what wind that ever blow  
have & how rombelow row that boat norman row  
Princes of youghtecan ye sing by rote  
Or shall I sail with you a fellowship assay  
For on the book I can not sing a note  
Would to god it would please you some day  
A ballad book before me for to lay  
And learn me to sing (Re mi fa sol)  
And when I fail bob me on the noll   

Loo what is to you a pleasure great  
To have that cunning & ways that ye have  
By god's soul I wonder how ye get  
So great pleasure or who to you it gave  
Sir pardon me I am an homely knave  
To be with you thus part and thus bold  
But ye be welcome to our household   

And I dare say there is no man here Inn  
But would be glade of your company  
I wist never man that so av could win  
The favour that ye have with my lady  
I pray to god that it may never die  
It is your fortune for to have that grace  
As I be saved it is a wonder case   

For as for me I served here many a day  
And yet uneath I can have my living  
But I require you no word that I say  
For and I know any earthly thing  
That is again you ye shall have witting  
And ye be welcome sir so god me save  
I hope here after a friend of you to have    

dread.  

With that as he departed so from  
Anon there met with him as me thought  
A man, but wonderly beseen was he  
He looked haughty he set each man at nouhte  
His gaudy garment with scorns was all wrought  
With indignation lined was his hood  
He frowned as he would swear by cocks blood.   

He boat the lip he looked passing coy  
His face was belymmed as bees had him stounge  
It was no time with him to jape nor toy  
Envy hath wasted his liver & his lounge  
Hatred by the heart so had him wrung  
That he looked pale as ashes to my sight  
disdain I ween his comerous crabs hight   

To heruy haster than he spoke of me  
And I drew near to hark what they two said  
Now quoth disdain as I shall saved be  
I have great scorn & am right evil apaid  
Than quoth Heruy why art thou so dismayed  
By christ quoth he for it is shame to say  
To see johan daws that came but yester day   

How he is now taken in conceit  
This doctor dawcocke dread I ween he height  
By god's bones but if we have some sleyte  
It is like he will stand in your light  
By god quoth heruy & it so happen might  
let us therefore shortly at a word  
find some mean to cast him over the board   

By him that me bought than quoth disdain  
I wonder sore he is in such conceit  
Turd qd Haster I will the nothing sayne  
There must for him be laid some pretty beyte  
We twain I trow be not without deceit  
first pick a quarrel & fall out with him then  
And so out face him with a card of ten,   

Forth with he made on me a proud assault  
With scorfull look moved all in mood  
He went about to take me in a fault  
He frounde he stared he stampped where he stood  
I looked on him I wend he had be wood  
He set the arm proudly under the side  
And in this wise he 'gan with me to chide    

disdain  

Remember'st thou what thou said yester night  
Wilt thou abide by the words again  
By god I have of the now great despite  
I shall the anger once in every vain  
It is great scorn to see such an vain  
As thou art one that came but yesterday  
With us old servants such masters to play   

I tell the I am of countenance  
What weenest I were, I trow thou know not me,  
By god's wounds but for displeasance  
Of my quarrel soon would I venged be  
But no force I shall once meet with the  
Come when it will oppose the I shall  
What some ever adventure thereof fall   

Trowest thou drevill I say thou gaudy knave  
That I have deinte to see the cherished thus  
By God's side my sword thy beard shall shave  
well ones thou shalt be cherined I wus  
Nay straw for tales thou shalt not rule us  
we be thy betters and so thou shalt us take  
Or we shall the out of thy clothes shake    

dread,  

With that came Ryotte rushing all at ones  
A rusty galande to ragged and to rent  
And on the board he whirled a pair of bones  
Quarter treye dews he clattered as he went  
Nove have at all by saint thomas of kente  
And ever he threw & kissed I wot near what  
His here was grown thorough out his hat   

Than I behold how he dysgysed was  
His heed was heavy for watching over night  
His eyeu bleared his face shone like a glass  
His gown so short that it ne cover might  
His rump he went so all for summer light  
His hose was guarded with a list of green  
Yet at the knee they were broken I ween   

His cote was chequered with patches read & blue  
Of kyrkeby kendal was his short demye  
And ay he sang in faith decon thou crew  
His elbow bore he ware his gear so nigh  
His nose droping, his lips were full dry  
And by his side his whynarde & his pouch  
The devil might dance therein for any crouch   

Counter he could (O lux) upon a pot  
And eestriche fedder of a capon's tail  
He set up frasshely upon his hat a loft  
What revel rout quoth he and 'gan to rail  
How oft he hit jenet on the tail  
Of felyce fetewse and little pretty cate  
How oft he knocked at her klycket gate   

What should I tell more of his ribaldry  
I was a shamed so to hear him prate  
He had no pleasure but in harlotry  
Ay quod he in the devils date  
What art thou I saw the now but late  
Forsooth quoth I in this court I dwell now  
Welcome quoth Riot I make god avow    

Ryoct  

And sir in faith why comste not us among  
To make the merry as other fellows done  
Thou must swore and stare man aldaye long  
And wake all night and sleep till it be none  
Thou mayst not study or muse on the moan  
This world is nothing but eat drink and sleep  
And thus with us good company to keep   

Pluck up thine heart upon a merry pin  
And let us laugh a pluck or twain at ale  
What the devil man mirth is here within  
What lo man see here of dice a bale  
A brydeling cast for that is in thy male  
Now have at all that lieth upon the bird  
Fie on this dice they be not worth a turd   

Have at the hazard or at the dozen brown  
Or else I pass a penny to a pound.  
Now would to god thou would lay money down  
Lord how that I would cast it full round  
Ay in mp pouch a buckell I have found  
The arms of calyce I have no coin nor cross  
I am not happy I run ay on the loss   

Now run must I to the stews side  
To wit if malkyn my leman have get ought  
I let her to hire that men may on her ride  
Her arms easy far and near is sought  
By God's sides sins I her thither brought  
She hath got me more money with her tail  
Than hath some ship that into bordews sail   

Had I as good an horse as she is a mare  
I durst adventure to journey through France  
Who rideth on her he needeth not to care  
For she is trussed for to break a lance  
It is a curtel that well can winch & prance  
To her will I now all my poverty league  
And till I come have here mine hat to pledge    

dread  

Gone is this knave this ribald foul and lewd  
He ran as fast as ever that he might  
Unthryftynes in him may well be showed  
For whom tyburn groaneth both day & night  
And as I stood and cast a side my sight  
Dasdayve I saw with dissimulation  
Standing in sad communication   

But there was pointing & nodding with the heed  
And many words said in secret wise  
They wandered ay and stood still in no stead  
Me thought alway Dissymular died devise  
Me passing sore mine heart than 'gan arise  
I dempte and dread their talking was not good  
Anon dyssimular came where I stood   

Than in his hood I saw there faces twain  
That one was lean & like a pined ghost  
That other looked as he would me have slain  
And to me ward as he 'gan for to cost  
When that he was even at me almost  
I saw a knife hid in his one sleeve  
Whereon was written this word mysch efe   

And in his other sleeve me thought I saw  
A spoon of gold, full of honey sweet  
To feed a fool, and for to prey a daw  
And on that sleeve these words were wrete  
A false abstract cometh from a false concrete  
His hood was side his cope was roset grey  
These were the words that he to me died say.    

dissimulation.  

How do ye master ye look so soberly  
As I be saved at the dreadful day  
It is a perilous vice this envy  
Alas a cunning man ne dwell may  
In no place well but fools with fray  
But as for that cunning hath no foo  
Save him that nought can scripture saith so.   

I know your virtue and your lytterkture  
By that little cunning that I have  
Ye be maligned sore I you ensure  
But ye have craft yourself alway to save  
It is great scorn to see a misproud knave  
With a clerk that cunning is to prate  
Let them go, louse them in the devils date   

For all be it that this long not to me  
Yet on my back I bear such lewd dealing  
Right now I spoke with one I trow I see  
But what a straw I may not tell all thing  
By god I say there is great heart brenning  
Between the person ye wot of jou  
Alas I could not deal so with an yew   

I would each man were as plain as I  
It is a world I say to here of some  
I hate this feigning fie upon it fie  
A man can not wot where to become  
I wis I could tell but humlery home  
I dare not speak we be so laid await  
For all our court is full of desceite   

Now by saint Francis that holy man & frere  
I hate this ways again you that they take  
Where I as you I would ride them full near  
And by my truth but if an end they make  
Yet will I say some words for your sake  
That shall them anger I hold thereon a groat  
For some shall ween be hanged by the throat.   

I have a stopping oyster in my poke  
Trust me and if it come to a need  
But I am loath for to raise a smoke  
If ye could be otherwise agreed  
And so I would it were so god me speed  
For this may breed to a confusion  
Without god make a good conclusion.   

Nay see where yonder standeth the feather man  
A flattering knave & false he is god wot  
The drevill standeth to hearken and he can  
It were more thrift he bought him a new cote  
It will not be, his purse is not on float  
All that he woreth it is borrowed ware  
His wit is thin his hood is thread bare.   

More could I say but what this is enough  
A dew till soon we shall speak more of this  
Ye must be ruled as I shall tell you how  
amends may be of that is now a miss  
And I am your sir so have I bliss  
In every point that I can do or say  
give me your hand farewell & have good day    

dread  

Suddenly as he departed me fro  
Came pressing in one in a wonder array  
Ere I was ware behind me he said bo  
Than I astonied of that sudden fray  
start all at ones I liked nothing his play  
For if I had not quickly fled the touch  
He had plucte out the nobles of my pouch.   

He was trussed in a garment straight  
I have not seen such an others page  
For he could well upon a casket wait  
His body all pounsed and guarded like a cage  
Light lime finger he took none other wage  
hearken quod he lo here mine hand in thine  
To us welcome thou art by saint quintine.    

¶ disobeyed.  

But by that lord that is one two and three  
I have an errand to round in your ere  
He told me so by god ye may trust me  
part remember when ye were there  
There I winked on you, wot ye not where  
In (A) loco I mean juxta (B)  
Woe is him that is blind and may not see   

But to here the subtlety and the craft     


And the ragged ray  
Of Galaway.   

¶ Dunbar, Dunde  
Ye shall trow me  
False scots are ye  
Your hearts sore fainted  
And so attainted  
Like cowards stark  
At the castle of work  
By the water of tweed  
Ye had evil speed.  
Like cankered curs  
Ye lost your spurs  
For in that fray  
ye ran away  
With hay dog hay.   

For sir William Lyle  
Within short while  
That valiant knight  
Put you to flight  
By his valiance  
Two thausande of Fraunte  
There he put back  
To your great lack  
And utter shame  
Of your scottish name.   

Your chief Cheftayne  
Void of all brain  
Duke of all Albany  
Than shamefuly  
He recoiled back  
To his great lack  
When he heard tell  
That my Lord Amrell  
Was coming down  
To make him frown  
And to make him lower  
With the noble power  
Of my lord cardinal  
As an host royal  
After the ancient manner  
With saint Cutberdes' banner  
And saint Williams also  
Your captain ran to go  
To go to go to go  
And broke up all his host  
For all his crack and boast  
Like a coward knight  
He fled and durst not fight:  
He ran away by night   

But now must I  
Your duke ascry, Of Albany  
With a word or twain  
In sentence plain:   

Ye duke so doutty  
So stern so stoutty  
In short sentens  
Of your pretense  
What is the ground?  
Briefly and round  
To me expound   

Or else will I  
evidently  
Show as it is  
For the cause is this  
How ye pretend  
For to defend  
The young scottish king  
But ye mean a thing  
And ye could bring  
The matter about  
To put his eyes out  
And put him down  
And set his crown  
On your own heed  
When he were deed   

Such treachery: And traytory  
Is all your cast.  
Thus ye have compassed  
With the french king  
A falls reckoning  
To invade England  
As I understand.  
But our king royal  
Whose name over all  
Noble Henry the eight  
Shall cast a beyght  
And set such a snare  
That shall cast you in care  
Both king Frances and the  
That known ye shall be  
For the most recrayd  
Cowards afraid  
And falsest forsworn  
That ever were borne.   

O ye wretched scots  
Ye puaunt pyspottes  
It shallbe your lots  
To be knit up with knots  
Of halters and ropes  
About your traitors throats:   

Oscottes perjured  
Unhaply ured  
Ye may be assured  
Your falsehood discured  
It is, & shall be. From the scottish se  
Unto Gabione  
For ye be false eachone  
False and false again  
Never true nor plain  
But flery, flatter and feign  
And ever to remain  
In wretched beggary  
And mangy misery  
In lousy lothsumnesse  
And scabbed scorffynesse  
And in abomination  
Of all manner of nation  
Nation most in hate  
Proud and poor of state:   

Twit scot go keep thy den  
Mell not with english men  
Thou did nothing but bark  
At the castle of work:  
Twit scot yet again once  
We shall break thy bones  
And hang you upon poles  
And byrne you all to coals  
With twit scot, twit scot twit  
Walk scot go beg a bit  
Of breed, at ilk man's hecke  
The find scot break thy neck  
Twit scot again I say  
Twit scot of Galaway  
Twit scot, shake thy dog hay  
Twit scot thou ran away  
We set not a fly   

By your duke of Albany  
We set not a prane  
By such a drunken drane  
We set not a might  
By such a coward knight  
Such a proud palyarde  
Such a skyrgaliarde  
Such a stark coward  
Such a proud pultrowne  
Such a foul Coystrowne  
Such a doutty dagswayne  
Send him to France again  
To bring with him more brain  
From king Frances of Frauns'  
God send them both myschauns:   

Ye scots all the rabble  
Ye shall never be able  
With us for to compare  
What though ye stamp and stare  
God send you sorrow and care   

With us when ever ye mell  
Yet we bear away the bell  
When ye cankered knaves  
Must creep in to your caves  
Your heeds for to hide  
For ye dare not abide.   

Sir duke of Albany  
Right inconuenyently  
Ye rage and ye rave  
And your worship deprave  
not like duke Hamylcar  
With the romans that made war  
Nor like his son Hanyball  
Nor like duke hasdrubal  
Of Cartage in afric  
Yet somewhat ye be like  
In some of their conditions  
And their false seditions  
And their dealing double  
And their wayward trouble:  
But yet they were bold  
And manly manifold  
Their enemies to assail  
In plain field and battle.   

But ye and your host  
Full of brag and boost  
And full of waste wind  
How ye will bears bind  
And the devil down ding  
Yet ye dare do nothing  
But leap away like frogs  
And hide you under logs  
Like pigs and like hogs  
And like mangy dogs.  
What an army were ye?  
Or what actyvyte?  
Is in you beggars brawls  
Full of scabs and scaules:  
Of vermin and of lice  
and of all manner vice.   

Sir duke: nay sir duck  
Sir drake of the lake: sir duck  
Of the dunghill, for smalllucke  
Ye have in feats of war  
Ye make nought but ye mar  
Ye are a falls entrusar  
And a falls abusar  
And an untrue knight  
Thou hast to little might  
Against England to fight  
Thou art a graceless wight  
To put thyself to flight  
A vengeance and despite  
On the must needs light  
That durst not bide the sight  
Of my lord amrell  
Of chivalry the well  
Of knighthood the flower  
In every martial shower  
The noble earl of Surrey  
That put the in such fray  
Thou durst no field derayne  
Nor no battle maintain  
Against our stonge captain  
But thou ran home again  
For fear thou should be slain  
Like a scottish ketering  
That durst abide no rekning  
Thy heart would not serve the  
The find of hell mote starve the.   

No man hath hard  
Of such a coward  
And such a mad image  
Carried in a cage:  
As it were a cottage  
Or of suchea mammet  
Carried in a tent  
In a tent: nay nay  
But in a mountain gay  
Like a great hill. For awyndmil  
Therein to couch still  
That no man him kill  
As it were a goat  
In ashepe cote  
About him a park  
Of a mad work  
Men call it a toil  
Therein like a roil  
Sir Dunkanye dared  
And thus ye prepared  
Your carcase to keep  
Like a silly sheep  
● sheep of Cottyswolde  
From rain and from cold  
And from raynning of raps  
And such after claps  
Thus in your cowardly castle  
Ye decte you to dwell  
Such a captain of force  
It made no great force  
If that ye had ta'en  
Your last deadly bane  
With a gone stone  
To make you to groan  
But hide the sir Topias  
Now into the castle of Bas  
And lurk there like an as  
With some scotyshe as  
With dugs dugs dugs  
I shrew thy scottish lugges  
Thy munpynnies and thy crag  
For thou can not but brag  
Like a scottish hag  
A due now sir wrig wrag  
A due sir dalyrag   

Thy melling is but mocking  
Thou mayst give up thy cocking  
give it up. And cry creak  
Like an huddy peke:  
Whereto should I more speak  
Of such a farly freke  
Of such an horn keke  
Of such an bold captain  
That dare not turn again  
Nor durst not crak aworde  
Nor durst not draw his sword  
Against the lion white  
But ran away quite  
He ran away by night  
In the owl flight  
Like a coward knight  
A due coward a due  
Falls knight and most untrue  
I render the falls rebel  
To the flingande fiend of hell.   

Hark yet sir duke aworde  
In earnest or in board  
What have ye villayn forged?  
And virulently dysgorged  
As though ye would parbrake  
Your avauns to make  
With words enbosed  
Ungraciously engrossed  
How ye will undertake  
Our royal king to make  
His own realm to forsake  
Such lewd language ye spoke:   

Sir Dunkan in the devil way  
Be well beware what ye say.  
Ye say that he and ye  
Which he and ye? let see  
Ye mean France's french king  
Should bring about that thing  
I say thou lewd lurdayne  
That neither of you twain  
So hardy nor so bold  
His countenance to behold  
If our most royal Harry  
List with you to vary  
Full soon ye should miscarry  
For ye durst not tarry  
With him to strive a stownde  
If he on you but frounde  
Nat for a thousand pouned  
Ye durst bide on the ground  
Ye would ryn away round  
And cowardly fourne your backs  
For all your comely cracks  
And for fear par case  
To look him in the face  
Ye would defoil the place  
And ryn your way apace  
Though I trim you this frace  
With english somewhat base  
Yet sava voster grace  
Thereby I shall purchase  
No displeasant reward  
If ye weal can regard  
Your cankered cowardness  
And your shameful doubleness.   

¶ Are ye not frantyke mad?  
And wretchedly bestead  
To rail against his grace  
That shall bring you full base  
And set you in such case  
That between you twain  
There shallbe drawn a train  
That shallbe to your pain  
To fly ye shallbe fain  
And never turn again:  
What would Frances our friar?  
Be such a false liar  
So mad a cordylar  
So mad a murmurar  
Ye muse somewhat to far  
All out of joint ye jar  
God let you never thrive  
Ween ye daucockes to drive  
Our king, out of his reme  
Goe heme rank scot ge heme  
With fond France's french king  
Our master shall you bring  
I trust to low estate  
And mate you with check mate:   

Your brains are idle  
It is time for you to bridle  
And pipe in a quibyble  
For it is impossible  
For you to bring about  
Our king for to drive out  
Of this his realm royal  
And land imperial  
So noble a prince as he  
In all actyvite  
Of hardy merciall acts  
Fortunate in all his fayte:   

And now I will me dress  
His valiance to express  
Though insufficient am I  
His grace to magnify  
And laud equivalently  
How be it loyally  
After mine allegiance  
My pen I will advance  
To extol his noble grace  
In spite of thy cowards face  
In spite of king France's  
devoid of all nobles  
devoid of good courage  
devoid of wisdom sage  
Mad: frantyke, and savage  
Thus he doth disparaged  
His blood with fond dotage:   

A prince to play the page  
It is a reckless rage  
And a lunatic overage  
What though my style be rude?  
With truth it is ennewde  
Troth ought to be rescue  
Truth should not be subdued   

But now will I expound  
What nobleness doth abound  
And what honour is found  
And what virtues be resident  
In our royal regent  
Our peerless precedent  
Our king most excellent:   

In merciall prows  
Like unto Hercules  
In prudence and wisdom  
Like unto Solomon  
In his goodly person  
Like unto Absalon  
In loyalty and foy  
Like to Ector of Troy  
And his glory to increase  
Like to Scipiades  
In royal majesty  
Like unto Ptholome  
Like to duke joshua  
And the valiant Machube:   

That if I would report  
All the royal sort  
Of his nobility  
His magnanimity  
His animosite  
His fragalite  
His lyberalite  
His affabilite  
His humanity  
His stabilite  
His humility  
His benignity  
His royal dignity.  
My learning is to small  
For to recount them all.   

What losels than are ye  
Like cowards as ye be  
To rail on his estate  
With words inordinate.   

He rules his commonalty  
With all benignity  
His noble baronage  
He putteth them in courage  
To exploit deeds of arms  
To the damage and harms  
Of such as be his foes  
Where ever he rides or goose  
His subjects he doth support  
Maintain them with comfort  
Of his most princely port  
As all men can report:   

Than ye be a knappish sort  
Et faitez a luy grant torte  
With your enbosed jaws  
To rail on him like daws  
The fiend scrache out your maws:   

All his subjects and he  
most lovingly agree  
With hole heart and true mind  
They find his grace so kind  
Wherewith he doth them bind  
At all hours to be ready  
With him to live and die  
Their bodies and their good  
And to spend their heart blood  
With him, in all distress  
Always in readiness.  
To assist his noble grace  
In spite of thy cowards face  
most false attainted traitor  
And false forsworn faytour.   

Avaunt coward recrayed  
Thy pride shallbe allayed  
With sir Frances of France  
We shall pipe you a dance  
Shall turn you to myschauns:   

I read you look about  
For ye shallbe driven out  
Of your land in short space  
We will so follow in the chase  
That ye shall have no grace  
For to turn your face  
And thus saint George to borrow  
Ye shall have shame and sorrow.   

¶ Envoy.  
GO little quayre quickly  
Show them that shall you read  
How that ye are likely  
Over all the worlds to spread:  
The false Scots for dread  
With the duke of Albany,  
Beside the water of tweed  
They fled full cowardly.  
Though your english be rude  
Barren of eloquence  
Yet briefly to conclude  
Grounded is your sentence  
On truth, under defence  
Of all true englishmen  
This matter to credence  
That I wrote with my pen.  
Skelton Laureate: obsequious et loyal.  
To my lord cardinal's right noble grace. etc.   

Envoy.  
Go little quayre apace  
In most humble wise  
Before his noble grace  
That caused yond to devise  
This little enterprise  
And him most lowly pray  
In his mind to comprise  
Those words his grace did say  
Of an ammas grey.  
je, Foy interment  
En sa bone grace.    

The book compiled by master Skelton, Poet Laureate called speak Parrot.  

MY name is parrot, a bird of paradise  
By nature devised, of a wondrous kind  
Dienteli dieted, with divers delicate spice  
Till Euphrates that flood, driveth me into Ind  
Where men of that country, by fortune me find  
And send me, to great Ladies of estate  
Then parrot must have an almond or a date.   

A cage curiously carven, with silver pin  
Properly painted, to be my covertowre  
A mirror of glass, that I may tote therein  
These maidens full meekly which many a divers flower  
Freshly they dress, and make sweet my bower  
with speak parrot I pray you, full courteously they say  
Parrot is a goodly bird, a pretty Popagey   

With my beck bend, my little wanton eye  
My feders fresh, as is the Emrawde green  
About my neck a circulet, like the rich ruby  
My little legs, my feet both feet and clean  
I am a minion, to wait upon the queen  
My proper parrot, my little pretty fool  
With ladies I learn, and go with them to school.   

Hagh, ha, ha, parrot, ye can laugh prettily  
Parrot hath not dined, of all this long day  
Like your pus cat parrot can mute and cry  
In latin, in Hebrew, Araby and Caldey  
In greek tongue, parrot, can both speak and say  
As percius that poet, doth report of me  
Quis expedivit psitatio suum Chire.   

House french of parrise, Parrot can learn  
Pronousing my purpose, after my property  
With perliez bien, Parrot ou perlez rien  
With Duche, with Spanish, my tongue can agree  
In English, to God Parrot can supple  
Christ save king Henry the eight our royal king  
The red rose in honour, to flourish and spring.   

With Katherine incomparable: our royal queen also  
That parelespongarnet christ save her noble grace  
Parrot savies, abler castiliano  
With sidasso de costo, in turkey and in trace  
Uis consilii expers, as teacheth me horace  
Mole ruit sua, whose dices at pregnaunte.   

My lady masters, dame Philology  
Gave me a gift, in my nest when I lay  
To learn all language, and it to speak aptly  
Now pandez mory, wax frantic some men say  
Proneles or frenese, may not hold her way  
An almond now for Parrot, delicately dressed  
In salve festa dies toto, their doth best.   

Moderata iwant, but toto doth exceed  
Dicression is mother of noble virtues all  
Niden again, in greek tongue we read  
But reason, and wit wanteth their provincial  
When wilfulness, is virar general  
Hec res acu tangitur, Parrot parmafoy  
Ticez vous Parrot, Tenez vous coy.   

busy, busy, busy, and business again  
Que pensez voz parrot, what meaneth this business  
Uitulus in Oreb, troubled Aaron's brain  
Melchisedecke merciful, made Moloe merciless  
To wise is no virtue, to meddling, to restless  
In measure is treasure, cum sensu marturat●  
Ne tropo saung, ne tropo mato.   

Aram was fired, with caldies' fire called Ur  
job was brought up, in the land of Hus  
The lineage of lot, took support of Assur  
jereboseth is Ebrue, who list the law discus  
Peace Parrot ye prate, as ye were ebrius  
Howst the liver god, van hemrick ic seg  
In popeting grew peers, when parrot was ancg   

What is this to purpose, over in a whinninmeg  
Hop Lobin of Lowdeon, would have a bit of bread  
The jebet of Baldock, was made for jacke leg  
A narrow unfethered, and without an head  
A bagpipe without blowing, standeth in no stead  
Some run to far before, some run to far behind  
Some be to churlish, and some be to kind.   

Ic dien serveth for Erstrych feather  
Ic dien, is the language of the land of Beme  
In Africa tongue, Byrsa is a tongue of leather  
In Palestina, there is jerusalem  
Collustrun now for parot, whit bred & sweet cream  
our thomas she doth trip, our ienet she doth shall  
Parrot hath a blackebeard, & a fair green tail.   

Morysh mine own shelf, the ostermonger say  
Fate, fate, fate, ye trysh water lag  
In flettering fables, men find but little faith  
But moveatur terra, let the world wag  
Let sir wrig wag, wrestle with sir declarag  
Every man, after his manner of ways  
Pawbe vene aruer, so the welsh man says   

Such shredis of sentence, strewed in the shop  
Of ancient Aristippus, and such other more  
I gather together, and close in my crip  
Of my wanton conceit, unde do promo  
Dilemata docta, in pedagogio  
Sacro vatum, whereof to you I break  
I pray you, let parrot have liberty to speak:  
But beware the cat parrot, ware the false cat  
With who is there, a maid, nay, nay, I trow  
Ware ryat parrot, aware riot, ware that  
Meat, meat for parrot: meat I say how  
Thus divers of language, by learning I grow  
with bas me sweet parrot: bas me sweet sweet  
To dwell among Ladies, parrot is j.   

Parrot, parrot, parrot, praty popigay  
With my beke I can pike, my little pretty too  
My delight is solas, pleasure: disport and play  
Like a wanton when I will, I rele to and froo  
Parrot can say, Cesar, ave, also  
But Parrot, hath no favour to Esebon  
Above all other birds, set parrot alone.   

Ulula, Esebon, for jeremy doth weep  
Zion is in sadness, Rachel ruly doth look  
Madionita, jetro, our moyses keepeth his sheep  
Gedeon is gone, that Zalmane undertook  
Oreb et zeb, of judicum read the book  
Now Gebal, Amon, and Amoloch, hark, hark  
Parrot pretendeth to be a bibil clerk.   

O Esebon Esebon, to the is come again  
Seon the regent amoreorum  
And hog that fat hog, or basan doth retain  
The crafty coistroinus canaveorum  
And assilum, whilom, refugium miserorum  
Non phanum sed prophanum, standeth in little stead  
Ulula Esebon, for iept is stark ded.   

Estbon, Maribon, wheston, next Barnet  
A trim tram for an horse mil it were a nice thing  
Deintes for dammoysels, Chaffer far fet  
Bo ho doth barkwel, but hough ho ruleth that ring  
From scarpary to tartari renown therein doth spring  
With he said, & we said ich wots now what ich wots  
Quod magnus est dominus iudas scarioth.   

Ptolemy, and haly were cunning and wise  
In the vol vel, in the quadrant, & in the astroloby  
To prognosticate truli the chance of fortunes dise  
Some treat of their tirikis, some of astrology  
Some pseudo propheta with Chiromancy  
If fortune be friendly, and grace be the guide  
Honour with renown, will run of that side   
Manon calon  
Agaton quod parato. In greca  

Let parrot I pray you, have liberty to prate  
For aurea lingua greca, aught to be magnified  
If it were cond perfitly, and after the rate  
As lingua latina, in school matter occupied  
But our greeks, their greek so well have applied  
That they cannot say in greek, riding by the way  
How hosteler, fetch my horse a bottle of hay.   

Neither frame a syllogism, in phriese somorun  
For maliter et grece, cum medio termino  
Our greeks ye wallow, in the washbol argolicorun  
For though ye can tell in greek what is phormio  
Yet ye seek out your greek, in Capricornio  
For they scrape out good scripture, & set in a gall  
Ye go about to amend, and ye mar all.   

Some argue, secundum quid ad simpliciter  
And yet he would be reckoned, pro ario pagita  
And some make distinctions, multipliciter  
Whether ita were before you, or you before ita  
Nether wise nor well learned but like hermophra dita  
Set sophia a side, for every jacke raker.  
And every mad meddler must now be a maker.   

In achademia Parrot, dare no problem keep  
For grecisari, so occupieth the chair  
That letinum fari, may fall to rest and sleep  
And silogisari, was drowned at sturbridge fair  
Triviale, & quatrivials, so sore now they appair  
That Parrot that Popagay, hath pity to behold  
How that rest of good learning, is rolled up & trolled   

Albertus de modo significandi  
And Donatus, be driven out of school  
Prisians head broken, now handy dandy  
And inter did ascolos, is reckoned for a fool  
Alexander, a gander of Menander's pole  
With da cansales, is cast out of the gate  
And da racionales, dare not show his pate,   

Plaut si in his comedies, a child shall now rehearse  
And medil with Quintilian, in his declarations  
That petty Caton, can scantly construe a verse  
With Aueto, in Greco, & such solempn salutations  
Can scantly the tensis, of his comugations  
Setting their minds, so much of eloquence  
That of their school matters, lost is the hole sentence   

Now a nutmeg, a nutmeg, cum gariopholo  
For parrot to pike upon, his brain for to stable  
Sweet synamum sticks, and pleris commusco  
In paradise. that place of pleasure perdurable  
The progeny of parrottiss, were fair & fanorable  
Now in valle ebron, parrot is fain to feed  
Christ cross, & sanct nicolas, parrot be your good pede   

The mirror that I tote in, quasi diaphonum  
Uel quasi speculum, in Enigmate  
Elencum, or else, Emtimaticum  
For logicians to look on, somewhat sophistice  
Retortions and orators, in fresh humanity  
Support parrot, I pray you with your suffrage ornat  
Of confuse tantum, avoiding the checkmate   

But of that suposition, that called is art  
Confuse distrubitive, as parrot hath devised  
Let every man, after his merit, take his part  
For in this process, parrot nothing hath surmised  
No matter pretended, nor nothing enterprised  
But that metaphora, alegoria with all  
Shall be his protection, his pavis and his wall.   

For parrot is no churlish chough nor no flekid py  
Parrot is no pendugum, that men call a carling  
Parrot is no woodcock, nor no butter fly  
Parrot is no stamring stare, that men call a stariing  
But parrot is mine own dear heart, & my derling  
Melpomene the fair maid, she burnished his beke  
I pray you let parrot, have liberty to speak.   

Parrot is a fair bird for a Lady  
God of his goodness him framed and wrought  
When parrot is dead she doth not putrefy  
Ye all thing mortal shall turn unto nought  
Except man's soul, that Christ so dear bought  
That never may die, nor never die shall  
Make much of parrot, that popegay royal.   

For that peerless prince, that parrot did create  
He made you of nothing, by his magisty  
Point well this problem, that parrot doth prate  
And remember among, how parrot and ye  
Shall leap from this life, as merry as we be  
Pomp, pride, honour, riches and worldly lust  
Parrot saith plainly, shall turn all to dust.   
Thus parrot doth pray you  
With heart most tender  
To reckon with this recoil now  
And it to remember  
Psitacus ecce cavo nec sunt mea carmina phebo  
Dignascio Tamen est  
Plena camena dec.  
Secundum Skeltonida famigeratum  
In picreorum Cathalago numeratum  
Galathea.  
Itaque Consolanimi invicem  
In verbis istis.  
Candidi lectores callide callete  
Vestrum sevete, psitacum.  
Galethea.  
Now kus me parrot, kus me, kus, kus, kus  
God's blessing light on thy sweet little mus  
Vita & anima  
zoelzepsiche  
Aquinates Amen,  
Concubunt grece, Non  
est hic sermo pudicus  
Actica dictamina  
Ergo Suus plumbilamina  
Vel spuria Vitulamino  
Auertat hoc Vxania.  
Amen amen  
and set to a. d  
And then it is amend  
Our new found a. b. c.  
Cum ccrteris  
Paribus.   

Of the death of the noble Prince king Edward the forth, per Skeltoniden Laureatum.  

MIseremini mei, ye that be my friends  
This world hath form me down to fall  
How may I endure when that every thing ends  
What creature is borne, to be eternal  
Now there is no more, but pray for me all  
Thus say I Edward, that late was your king  
And. xxiii. years ruled, this imperial  
Some unto pleasure, and some to no liking  
Mercy I ask of my misdoing  
What availeth it, friends to be my foe  
Sith I can not resist, nor amend your complaining  
Quia ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   

I sleep now in mould, as it is natural  
As earth unto earth, hath his reverture  
What ordained god, to be terrestrial  
Without recours, to the earth of nature  
Who to live ever, may be sure  
What is it to trust, on mutability  
Sith that in this world, nothing may endure  
For now am I gone, that late was in prosperity  
To presume there upon, it is but a vanity  
Not certain: but as a cherry fair full of woe  
Reigned not I of late: in great felicity  
Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   

Where was in my life, such one as I  
While lady fortune: with me had continuance  
Granted not she me, to have victory  
In England to rain, and to contribute France  
She took me by the hand, and led me a dance  
And with her sugared lips, on me she smiled  
But what for her dissembled countenance  
I could not beware, till I was beguiled  
Now from this world, she hath me excild  
When I was loathest, hens for to go  
And I am in age, but as who saith a child.  
Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   

I had enough, I held me not content  
Without remembrance, that I should die  
And more over to encroach, ready was I bent  
I knew not how long, I should it occupy  
I made the tower strong, I wist not why  
I knew not to whom, I purchased Tetersall  
I amended Dover, on the mountain high  
And London I provoked to fortify the wall  
I made Notingam, a place royal  
windsor, Eltam, and many other more  
Yet at the last, I went from them all  
Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   

Where is now, my conquest and victory  
Where is my riches, and my royal array  
Where be my coursers, and my horses high  
Where is my mirth, my solas, and play  
As vanity to nought, all is wandered away  
O lady Bess, long for me may ye call  
For I am departed, till domes day.  
But love ye that lord, that is sovereign of all  
Where be my castles, and buildings royal  
But Winsore alone, now I have no more  
And of Eton, the prayers perpetual  
Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   

Why should a man, be proud or presume high  
Saint Bernard, thereof nobly doth treat  
Sith a man, is nothing but a sack of stercorri  
And shall return, unto worms meat  
Why, what came of Alexander the great  
Or else of strong Samson, who can tell  
Where no worms ordained, their flesh to fret  
And of Solomon, that was of wit the well  
Absalon, proffered his hear for to sell  
Yet for all his beauty, worms eat him also  
And I but late in honour did excel  
Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   

I have played my pageyond, now am I passed  
Ye wots well all, I was of no great yield  
This all thing concluded, shallbe at the last  
When death approacheth, then lost is the field  
Then sithen this world, me no longer up held  
Nor nought would conserve me, here in my place  
In manus tuas domine, my spirit up I yield  
Humbly beseeching, the God of his grace  
O ye courteous commons, your hearts unbrace  
Boningly now to pray for me also  
For right well you know, your king I was  
Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio.   
¶ FINIS.   

Skelton Laureate against the Scots.  

Against the proud Scots clattering  
That never will leave their trattling  
won they the field, and lost their king  
They may well say, fie on that winning.   


LO these fond sots. And trattling scots  
How they are blind. In their own mind  
And will not know. Their overthrow  
At Branxston more. They are so srowre  
So frantic mad. They say they had  
And won the field. With spear and shield  
That is as true. As black is blue  
And green is grey. What ever they say  
jemmy is dead. And closed in lead  
That was their own king. Fie on that winning   

At Flodden hills. Our bows our bills  
Slew all the flower. Of their honour.  
Are not these scots. Foles and sets  
Such boast to make. To prate and crack  
To face to brace All void of grace  
So proud of heart. So overth wart  
So out of frame. So void of shame  
As it is enrolled. written and told  
Within this quaire. Who list to repair  
And there in reed. Shall find in deed  
A mad reckoning. Considering all thing  
That the scots may sin. Fie on the winning    

When the Scotte lived.  

Jolly jemmy, ye scornful Scot  
Is it come unto your lot  
A solemn sumner for to be  
It greeth nought for your degree  
Our king of England for to fight  
Your sovereign lord, our prince of might  
Ye for to send, such a Citation  
It shameth all your naughty nation  
In comparison, but king ropping  
Unto our prince, anointed king  
Ye play Hop Lobbyn of Lowdean  
Ye show right well, what good ye can  
Ye may be Lord of Locrian  
Christ sense you, with a frying pan  
Of Edingborrow, and saint jonis town  
A dieu sir summer, cast of your crown.    

When the Scot was slain.  

COntinually I shall remember  
The merry month of September  
With thee▪ xi. day of the same  
For than began, our mirth and game  
So that now I have devised  
And in my mind, I have comprised  
Of the proud Scot, king jemmy  
To write some little tragedy  
For no manner consideration  
Of any sorrowful lamentation  
But for the special consolation  
Of all our royal english nation  
Melnomone, O muse tragediall  
Unto your grace, for grace now I call  
To guide my pen, and my pen to enbibe  
Illumine me, your Poet, and your scribe  
That with mixture of Aloes and bitter gall  
I may compound, confectures for Accordiall  
To anger the Scots, & Irish kiteringes withal  
That late were discomfect, with battle martial   

Thalia, my muse, for you also call I  
To touch them with taunts of your harmony  
A medley to make, of mirth with sadness  
The hearts of England, to comfort with gladness  
And now to begin, I will me a dres  
To you rehearsing, the some of my process.    


King jamy, jemmy, jockey my joy  
Summoned our king, why did ye so  
To you, nothing it did accord  
To Summon our king, your sovereign Lord  
A king a Summer, it was great wonder  
Knowye not sugar, and salt a sunder  
Your Summer to saucy, to malapert  
Your harrold in arms, not yet half expert  
Ye thought ye did, yet valiantly  
Not worth three skips of a Pie  
Sir skyr galyard, ye were so skit  
Your will, than ran before your wit.   

Your league ye laid, and your aly  
Your frantic fable, not worth a fly  
French king, or one or other  
Regarded you should your lord your brother  
Trowed ye sir jemy, his noble grace  
From you sir scot, would turn his face  
With gup sir scot, of Galawey  
Now is your pride fall to decay  
Male urid, was your false intent  
For to offend your precedent  
Your sovereign Lord, most reverent  
Your Lord, your brother and your regent.   

In him is figured, Melchisedecke  
And ye were disloyal Amalecke  
He is our noble Scipione  
Anointed king, and ye were nove  
Though ye untruely your father have slain  
His title is true, in France to reign  
And ye proud Scot, Dunde, Dun●ar  
Pardy ye were, his homager  
And suitor to his Parliament  
For your untruth, now are ye shent  
Ye bore yourself, somewhat to bold  
Therefore ye lost, your copy hold  
Ye were bond tenant, to his estate  
Lost is your game, ye are check mate   

Unto the castle of Norram  
I understand, to soon ye came  
At Branxston more, and Flodden hills  
Our English bows, our English bills  
Against you gave so sharp a shower  
That of Scotland, ye lost the flower  
The white Lion: there rampaunte of mood  
He raged and rent out your heart blood  
He the White, and you the Red  
The white there slew the red stark dead  
Thus for your guerdon quit are ye  
Thanked be God in trinity  
And sweet saint George our ladies knight  
Your eye is out, a dew good night.   

Ye were stark mad to make a fray  
His grace being out of the way  
But by the power and might of God  
For your tail ye made a rod  
Ye wanted wit, sir at a word  
Ye lost your spurs: ye lost your sword  
Ye might have busked you to huntly banks  
Your pride was peevish to play such pranks  
Your poverty could not attain  
With our king royal, war to maintain.   

Of the king of navarre, ye might take heed  
Ungraciously how he doth speed  
An double dealing, so he did dream  
That he is king, without a Ream  
And for example, he would none take  
Experiens hath brought you in such a broke  
Your wealth, your joy, your sport, your play  
Your bragging boast, your royal array  
Your beard so brim, as boar at bay  
Your seven sisters, that Gun so gay  
All have ye lost, and cast away.  
Thus fortune hath turned you: I dare well say  
Now from a king, to a clot of clay  
Out of Robes, ye were shaked  
And wretchedly ye lay, stark all naked  
For lack of grace, hard was your hap  
The Pope's cures, gave you that clap.   

Of the out isles, the rough footed Scots  
We have well eased them of the botts  
The rude rank Scots, like drunken dranes  
At English bows have fetched their banes  
It is not sitting, in tower and town  
A Summer, to were a kings crown  
Fortune on you, therefore did frown  
Ye were to high, ye are cast down  
Sir sumner now, where is your crown  
Cast of your crown, cast up your crown  
Sir Summer, now ye have lost your crown  
Quod Skelton Laureate, orator to the kings most royal estate.    

SCotica redicta in formam province  
Regis parebit nutibus anglie:  
Alioquin (per desertum sin) super Cherubim  
Cherubin, seraphim, seraphin que ergo. etc.  
Unto divers people that remord this  
rhyming against the Scot jemmy.   


I Am now constrained  
With words nothing feigned  
This invective to make For some people sake  
That list for to iangell  
And waywardly to wrangell  
Against this my making  
Their males thereat shaking  
At it reprehending. And venomously stinging  
Rebuking and remording  
And nothing according   

'Cause they have none other  
But for that he was his brother  
Brother unnatural. Unto our king royal  
Against whom he did fight  
Faslye against all right  
Like that utrue rebel  
Falsse Cain against Abel.   

But who so there at piketh mood  
The tokens are not good  
To be true English blood  
For if they understood  
His traitourly despite  
He was a recrayed knight  
A subtle sysmatike  
Right near an heretic  
Of grace out of the state  
And died excommunicate   

And for he was a king  
The more shameful reckoning  
Of him should men report  
In earnest and in sport  
He scantly loveth our king  
That grudgeth at this thing  
That cast such overth warts  
Percase have hollow hearts    

Si veritatem dico, quare non creditis michi. Chorus de Dys contra Scots, cum omni processionali festivitate solemn savit hoc Epitoma. xxii. die Septembris. etc.  

SAlue festa dies toto resonabilis evo  
Qua scottus jacobus obivius en se cadit  
Barbara scottorum gens perfda plena maloruns  
Vincitur ad Norran, uertitut inque fugam  
Vasta paulus sed campestris (borie memoratur  
Branxion more) scottins terra perosa fuit  
Scottica castra fremunt Floddun sub montibus altis.  
Que Valide invadens dissipat angla manus  
Millia scottorum trusit gens anglica passim  
Luxuriat tepido sanguine pi g●us humus  
Pas animas miseri miseras, misere sub umbras  
Pars ruit in foveas, pars subiit latebras  
jam quid ag't jachobus, damnorum gremine cretus  
Persidus Vt nemro'th lapsus ad iam ruit  
Dic modo scottorum dudum male fane malorum  
Rector nunc Regeris mortuus exce iaces  
Sic Leo te Rapidus Leo candidus inclitus ursit  
quo Leo in Rubins ultim● f●ta luis  
Anglia doc choreas Resonent tua tempana psallas  
Da laudes domino. Da pia uot a deo.    

Hec Laureatus Skeltonis Regine orator.  
Chorus de dis. etc. supar triumph ali victoina centra gallos. etc. cantavit solemniter hoc Elogium in profesto divi johannis ad de colationem.  

SAlue festa dies toto memorabilis euc.  
Qua rex Henricus gallico bella premit  
Henricus Rutilans Octauus noster in armis  
Tir winne gentis menit stravit humi  
Sceptriger anglorum bello valiaissimus hector  
Francorum gentis colla superba terit  
Dux armis nuper celebris modo dux mermis  
De longuile modo dic quo tuo pomparuit  
De cleremount clarus dudum dic gall superb  
unde superbus eris? carcere nonne gemis?  
Discite francorum gens cetera capt●, britannum  
Noscite magnanimum, subdite vos que sibi  
Gloria cappa docis dive miles que Marie  
Illius hic sub ope Gallica regna reget.  
Hoc ensign bonum divino Numine gestum Anglica gens referat sempar, ovans que canat Per Skeltonida Laureatum, Oratorem Regium.     

Here after followeth the book, entitled. Ware the Hawk. Per skelton Laureate.  

Prologus Skeltonidis Laureati super ware the Hawk.  

THis work devised is  
For such as do a miss  
And specially to control  
such as have cure of soul  
That be so far abused  
They can not be excused  
By reason nor by law  
But that they play the daw  
To hawk or else to hunt  
From the Altar to the funte  
With cry unreverent  
Before the Sacrament  
Within the holy church bounds  
That of our faith, the ground is  
That priest that hawks so  
All grace is far him fro  
He seemeth a sismatike  
Or else an heretic  
For faith in him is faint  
Therefore to make complaint  
Of such mysaduised  
Parsons, and disguised  
This book we have devised  
compendiously comprised  
No good priest to offend  
But such daws to amend  
In hope that no man shall  
Be miscontent withal.   

I Shall you make relation  
By way of a pestrofation  
Under supportation  
Of your patient toleration  
How I Skelton Laureate  
Devised and also wrote  
Upon a lewd Curate  
A parson beneficed  
But nothing well advised  
He shall be as now nameless  
But he shall not be blameless  
Nor he shall not be shameless  
For sure he wrought a miss  
To hawk in my church of This  
This fond frantic fauconer  
With his polluted pawtner  
As priest unreverent  
Strait to the Sacrament  
He made his Hawk to fly  
With hogeous shout and cry  
The high altar he strypt naked  
There on he stood and craked  
He shaken down all the clothes  
And swore horrible oaths  
Before the face of God  
By Moses and Aaron's rod  
Or that he thence go  
His hawk should pray and feed  
Upon a pigeon's maw  
The blood ran down raw  
Upon the altar stone  
The hawk tired on a bonne  
And in the holy place  
She muted there a chase  
Upon my corporas face  
Such sacrificium laudis  
He made with such gambawdis.    

Obseruate.  
His second hawk waxed gerye  
And was with flying weary  
She had flow in so oft  
That on the road fit  
She perked her to rest  
The Fauconer then was priest,  
Came running with a dough  
And cried stow stow stow  
But she would not bow  
He then to be sure  
Called her with a lure  
Her meat was very crude  
She had not well endued  
She was not clean ensaymed  
She was not well reclaimed  
But the falconer unfeigned  
Was much more feebler brained  
The hawk had no list  
To come to his fist  
She looked as she had the fronce  
With that he gave her a bounce  
Full upon the gorge  
I will not feign nor forge  
The hawk with that clap  
Fell down with evil hap  
The church doors were sparred  
Fast bolted and barred  
Yet with a pretty gin  
I fortuned to come in  
This rebel to behold  
Whereof him I controlled  
But he said that he would  
Against my mind and will  
In my church hawk still.   

Considerate.  
On saint john decollation  
He hawked on this fashion  
Tempore, vesperarum  
Sed, non secundum sarum  
But like a march harum  
His brains were so parum  
He said he would not let  
His hounds for to fet  
To hunt there by liberty  
In the despite of me  
And to hallow there the fox  
Down went my offering box  
Book bell and candle  
Al that he might handle  
Cros staff, lectrine and banner  
Feldone on this manner.   

Deliberate.  
With troll, citrace and trovy  
They ranged hankin bovy  
My church all about  
This falconer 'gan shout  
These be my gospelers  
These be my pistillers  
These be my choristers  
to help me to sing  
My hawks to matins ring  
In this priestly giding  
His hawk then flew upon  
The road with Mary and John  
Dealt he not like a fon  
Dealt he not like a daw  
Or else is this god's law  
Decrees or Decretals  
Or holy sinodals  
Or else provincials  
Thus within the walls  
Of holy church to deal  
Thus to ring a peal  
With his hawks bells  
Doubtless such losels  
Make the church to be  
In small authority  
A curate in special  
To snapper and to fall  
Into this open crime  
To look on this were time   

Vigilate.  
But who so that looks  
In the officials books  
There her may see and reed  
That this is matter in deed  
How be it maiden meed  
Made them to be agreed  
And so the scribe was feed  
And the Pharasaye  
Than durst nothing say  
But let the matter slip  
And made truth to trip  
And of the spituall law  
They made but a gew gaw  
And took it out in drink  
And this the cause doth shrink  
The church is thus abused  
Reproached and polluted  
Correction hath no place  
And all for lack of grace   

Deplorate.  
Look now in Exodi  
And de archa domini  
With regum by and by  
The Bibel will not lie  
How the temple was kept  
How the temple was swept  
Where sanguis taurorum  
Aut sanguis vitulorum  
Was offered within the walls  
After ceremonials  
When it was polluted  
Sentence was executed  
By way of expiation   

Divinitate.  
Then much more by the road  
Where Christ's precious blood  
Daily offered is  
To be polluted this  
And that he wished with all  
That the dowues' dung down might fall  
Into my chalis at mas  
When consecrated was  
The blessed sacrament  
O priest unreverent  
He said that he would Hunt  
From the altar to the font   

Reformate.  
Of no tyrande I read  
That so far did exceed  
Neither yet Dioclesian  
Nor yet domisian  
Nor yet crooked Cacus  
Nor yet drunken Bacchus  
Nother Olibrius Nor D●●●●●ius  
Nother Phalary  
Rehearsed in valery  
Nor sardanapal  
Unhappiest of all  
Nor Nero the worst  
Nor Clawdius the cursed  
Nor yet Egeas  
Nor yet sir Pherumbras  
Nother zorobabel  
Nor cruel jesabel  
Nor yet tarquinius  
Whom Titus' Livius  
In writing doth enrol  
I have read them poll by pol  
The story of Aristobel  
And of Constantinobel  
Which city Miscreants wan  
And slew many a christian man  
Yet the Sowden nor the turk  
Wrought never such a work  
For to let their hawks fly  
In the church of Saint Sophy  
With much matter more  
That I keep in store   

Pensitate  
Then in a tabel plain  
I wrote a verse or twain  
Where at he made disdain  
The pekyshe parson's brain  
Could not reach nor attain  
What the sentence mente  
He said for a crooked intent  
The words were paruerted  
And this he overthwarted  
Of the which process  
Ye may know more express  
If it please you to look  
In the residue of this book.   

Here after followeth the Table.  

Look on this tabul  
Whether thou art a bull  
To read or to spell  
Whar these verses tell.  
Sicculo lutueris est colo bunraard  
Nixphedras visarum caniuter ●auntantes.  
Raterplas Natanbrian 'em sudus itnugenus,  
18. 10. 2. 11. 19 4. 13. 3. 3. 1. tenualet.  
Cartula stet precor hec vello temer and a petulco  
Hos rapiet Numeros non homo sz mala bos.  
Ex part. Rem cart advert apart, pone musam are thusam hanc.   

Where to should I rehearse  
The sentence of my vers.  
In them be no schools  
For brainsick frantic fools  
Construas hoc, domine dawcocke,  
Beware the hawk.   

Master Sophista  
Ye simplex, silogista  
The devilish dogmatista  
Your hawk on your fista  
To hawk when your lista  
In ecclesia ista domine cacapisti  
With thy hawk on thy fisty  
Nunquid sic dixisti. Nunquid sic fecisti  
Sed ubi hoc legisti  
Aut unde hoc, doctor dawcocke.  
Ware the hawk.   

Doctor Dialetica  
Where find you in Ipotetica  
Or in Cathagoria. Latina, sive dorica  
To use your hawks, forica  
In propiciatorio, tanquam, diversorio  
Unde hoc, domine dawcocke  
Ware the Hawk.   

say to me jacke haris  
Quare accuparis Ad sacramentum altaris  
For no revens thou spares  
To shake my pigeons federis  
Super, arcam federis  
Unde hoc, doctor dawcocke  
Beware the Hawk.   

Sir dominus vobiscum Par aucupium  
Ye made your hawk to cum  
De super candelabrum  
Christi crucifixi  
To fede upon your fistye  
Dic inimice crucis christi. Ubi didicisti  
Facere hoc, domine dawcocke  
Ware the Hawk   

Apostata julianus  
Nor yet Nestorianus  
Thou shalt no where read  
That they did such a deed  
To let their hawks fly  
Ad ostium tabernaculi  
In quo est corpus domini  
Caue hoc, doctor dawcocke  
Beware the Hawk   

This doubtless ye raved  
This church ye thus depraved  
Wherefore as I be saved  
Ye are therefore be knaved  
Quare, quia evangelia  
Concha, et conchelia  
Ancipiter, & sonalia  
Cetera, quoque talia  
Tibi sunt equalia  
Unde hoc domine dawcocke  
Ware the Hawk   

Et relis et ralis Et reliqualis  
From Granado to galis  
From winchelsee to wales  
Non est brainsick tales  
Nec minus racionalis. Nec magis bestis  
That singges with a chalis  
Construas hor doctor dawcocke  
Ware the Hawk.   

Mased witless smery smith  
Hamper with your hammer upon thy stith  
And make here of a sickel or a saw  
For though ye live. a. c. year ye shall die a daw  
Uos valet doctor indiscrete    

Snkeltonis Apostrophat ad diuum johannem decollatum in cuius profesto ficbat hoc a ucupium.  
O Memoranda dies qua decolare johannes Acupium facit hod quandam quod fecerit infra ecclesiam de dis violans sua sacra sacrorum rector de Whiphstocke doctor cognomine daucocke, & dominus Wodcocke, probatis. probat hic. probat, hec hoc.   

Idem. de liber a dicacitate poetica, in cextolem da probitate et in per fricam da ignobilate.  
LIbertas ueneran da piis concessa poetis, discendi est quecunque placent querunque iuuabunte uell quecunque ualent ius●●s defendere causas uell quecunque volent stolidos mordere peculcos. Ergo da bi●ueniam.   
Quod Skelton Laureate   


All noble men of this take heed  
And believe it as your creed.  
TO hasty of sentence  
To fierce for none offence  
To scarce of your expens  
To large in negligence  
To slack in recompense  
To haught in excellence  
To light intelligence  
And to light of credence  
Where these keep residence  
Reason is banished thence  
And also dame Prudence  
With sober patience.   

All noble men of this take heed  
And believe it as your creed   

Then without collusion  
Mark well this conclusion  
Thorough such abusion  
And by such Illusion  
Unto great confusion  
A noble man may fall  
And his honour appall  
That if ye think this shall  
Not rub you on the gall  
Then the devil take all  
All noble men of this take heed. etc.  
Quod Skelton Laureate.   

Ye may hear now, in this Rhyme  
How every thing, must have a time.  
TIme is a thing, that no man may resist  
Time is transitory, and Irrevocable  
Who saith the contrary, time passeth as him  
Time must be taken, in season covenable  
Take time when time is, for time is ay mutable list  
All thing hath time, who can for it provide  
Bide for time who will, for time will no man abide   

Time to be sad, and time to play and sport  
Time to take rest, by way of recreation  
Time to study, and time to use comfort  
Time of pleasure, and time of consolation  
Thus time hath his time, of divers manner fashion  
Time for to eat and drink, for thy repast  
Time to be liberal, and time to make no waste   

Time to travel, and time for to rest  
Time for to speak, and time for to hold thy peace  
Time would be used, when time is best  
Time to begin, and time for to cease  
And when time is, put thyself in press  
And when time is, to hold thyself a back  
For time well spent, can never have lack.   

The roots take their sap, in time of vere  
In time of summer, flowers fresh and green  
In time of harvest, men their corn shear  
In time of winter the North wind waxeth keen  
So bitterly biting, the flowers be not seen  
The Ralendis of janus, with his frosts hoar  
That time is, when people must live upon the store   
Quod Skelton Laureate.   

A prayer to the father of heaven.  

O Radiant luminary of light interminable  
Celestial father, potential God of might  
Of heaven and earth. O lord incomparable  
Of all perfections the essential most perfect  
O maker of mankind, that form day and night  
Whose power imperial, comprehendeth every place  
Mine heart, my mind, my thought, my hole delight  
Is after this life, to see thy glorious face.   

Whose magnificence, is incomprehensible  
All arguments of reason, which far doth exceed  
Whose de●te doubtless, is indivisible  
From whom all goodness, and virtue doth proceed  
Of thy support, all creatures have need  
Assist me good Lord, and grant me of thy grace  
To live to thy pleasure, in word thought & deed  
And after this life to see thy glorious face.    

To the second parson.  

OBenigne jesus, my sovereign lord and king  
The only son of God, by filiation  
The second parson, without beginning  
Both god & man, our faith maketh plain relation  
Mary the mother, by way of incarnation  
Whose glorious passion, our souls doth revive  
Again all bodily, and ghostly tribulation  
Defend me with thy piteous wounds five   

O peerless prince, painted to the death  
Ruefully rend, thy body wan and blo  
For my redemption, gave up thy vital breath  
Was never sorrow, like to thy deadly woe  
Grant me, out of this world when I shall go  
Thine endless mercy, for my preservative  
Against the world, the flesh, the devil also  
Defend me with thy piteous wounds five.    

To the holy ghost.  

OFiry sentence, inflamed with all grace  
Enkyndeling hearts, with brands charitable  
The endless reward, of pleasure and solace  
To the father, and the son, thou art communicable  
In unitate, which is inseparable  
O water of life, O well of consolation  
Against all suggestions deadly, and damnable  
Rescu me good Lord, by your preservation.   

To whom is appropried, the holy ghost by name  
The third parson, one god in trinity  
Of perfit love, thou art the ghostly flame  
O mirror of meekness, peace and tranquility  
My comfort, my counsel, my perfect charity  
O water of life, O well of consolation  
Against all storms, of hard adversity  
Rescu me good Lord, by thy preservation.   
Amen.  
Quod Skelton Laureate.  
Here after followeth the book called Elinour Rumming.   

The tunning of Elynour Rumming. Per. Skelton Laureate.  

TEll you I chill  
If that ye will  
A while be still  
Of a comely gyll  
That dwelled on a hill  
But she is not gryll  
For she is somewhat sage  
And well worn in age  
For her visage  
It would assuage  
A man's courage   

Her lothelye lere  
Is nothing clear  
But ugly of cheer.  
Droupye and drowsy  
Scurvy and lousy  
Her face all bouzy  
Comely crinckled  
Wondrously wrynkled  
Like a roast pigs ear  
Brystled with here   

Her lewd lips twain  
They slaver men sayne  
Like a ropye rain  
A gummy glayre  
She is ugly fair  
Her nose some deal hooked  
And camouslye crooked  
Never stopping  
But ever dropping  
Her skin lose and slacks  
Grained like a sack  
With a crooked back   

Her eyen gowndye  
Are full unsowndy  
For they are bleared  
And she grey heard  
jawed like a jetty  
A man would have pity  
To see how she is gumbed  
Fingered and thumbed  
Gently jointed  
Gresed and anointed  
Up to the knockels  
The bones her buckels  
Together made fast  
Her youth is far passed  
footed like a plane  
Legs like a crane  
And yet she will jet  
Like a jolly set  
In her furred flocket  
And grey russet rocket  
With simper the cocket  
Her huke of Lyncole green  
It had been hers I ween  
More than forty year  
And so it doth appear  
And the green bare threads  
Look like sear weeds  
withered like hay  
The will worn away  
And yet I dare say  
She thinketh herself gay  
Upon the holy day  
When she doth her array  
And girdeth in her getes  
Stitched and pranked with pletes  
Her kirtle Bristol red  
With clothes upon her head  
That they way a sow of lead  
writhen in a wonder wise  
After the Saracens gise  
With a whim wham  
Knit with a trim tram  
Upon her brain pan  
Like an Egyptian  
Capped about  
When she goeth out  
Herself for to show  
She driveth down the Dew  
With a pair of heel's  
As broad as two wheels  
She hobbles as a Goose  
With her blauket hose  
Her shone smeared with talow  
Gresed upon dirt  
That baudeth her skyrt   

Primus passus.  

And this comely dame  
I understand her name  
Is Elynoure Rumminge  
At home in her woning  
And as men say  
She dwelled in Sothray  
In a certain stead  
By side Lederhede  
She is a tonnishe gib  
The devil and she be sib.   

But to make up my tale  
She brueth noppy ale  
And maketh thereof poorte sale  
To travelers, to tinkers  
To sweters, to swinkers  
And all good ale drinkers  
That will nothing spare  
But drink till they stare  
And bring themself bare  
With now away the mare  
And let us slay care  
As wise as an hare   

Come who so will  
To Elinour on the hill  
With fill the cup fill  
And sit there by still  
Early and late  
Thither cometh Rate  
City and Sare  
With their legs bare  
And also their feet  
Hardly full unsweet  
With their heel's dagged  
Their kyrtelles all to jagged  
Their smocks all to ragged  
With titters and tatters  
Bring dishes and platters  
With all their might running  
To Elynoure rumminge  
To have of her tunning  
She leaneth them of the same  
And thus beginneth the game   

Some wenches come unbraced  
With their naked paps  
That flippes and flaps  
It wygges and it wags  
Like tawny saffron bags  
A sort of foul drabs  
All scurvy with scabs  
Some be fly bitten  
Some skewed as a kytten  
Some with a sho clout  
Bind their heads about  
Some have no herelace  
Their locks about their face  
Their tresses untruste  
All full of unluste  
Some look strawrye  
Some cawrye mawrye  
Full untidye tegges  
Like rotten eggs  
Such a lewd sort  
To Elynoure resort  
From tide to tide  
Abide abide  
And to you shall be told  
How her ale is sold  
To mawte and to mould    

Secundus passus  

Some have no money  
That thither commye  
For their ale to pay  
That is a shrewd a ray  
Elinoure sweared nay  
Ye shall not bear away  
My ale for nought  
By him that me bought   

With hay dog hay  
Have these dogs away  
With get me a staff  
The swine eat my draff  
Strike the hogs with a club  
They have drunk up miswilling tub  
For be there never so much press  
These swine go to the high dese  
The sow with her pigs  
The bore his tail wrygges  
Against the high bench.  
With foe, there is astench  
Gather up thou wench.  
Seest thou not what is fall  
Take up drit and all.  
And bear out of the hall  
God give it il preving.  
Cleanly as evil cheving   

But let us turn plain,  
There we left again  
For as ill a patch as that.  
The hens run in the mash fat  
For they go to roost  
Strait over the ale ioust  
And dung when it comes  
In the ale tons  
Then Elinour taketh.  
The mash bol and shaketh  
The hens dung away.  
And skommeth it in a tray  
Where as the yeast is.  
With her mangy fistiss  
And sometime she blens.  
The dung of her hens  
And the ale together.  
And saith gossip come hither  
This ale shallbe thicker  
And flower the more quicker  
For I may tell you  
I learned it of a jew  
Wham I began to brew  
And I have found it true  
Drink now while it is new  
And ye may it broke  
It shall make you look  
Younger than ye be  
Years two or three  
For ye may prove it by me  
Behold she said and see  
How bright I am of ble  
Ich am not cast away  
That can my husband say  
When we kissed and play  
In lust and in liking  
He calleth me his whiting  
His mullinge and his nittine  
His nobbes and his conny  
His sweting and his honey  
With base my pretty bonny  
Thou art worth good and money  
This make I my falyre fanny  
Till that he dream and dronnye  
For after all our sport  
Than will he rout and snort  
Then sweetly together we lie  
As two pigs in a sty.   

To cease me seemeth best  
And of this tale to rest  
And for to leave this letter  
Because it is no better  
And because it is no swetter  
We will no farther rhyme  
Of it, at this time  
But we will turn plain  
Where we left again.    

Tertius passus.  

In stead of coin and money  
some bring her a coney  
And some a pot with honni  
Some a salt, and some a spoon  
Some their hose, some there shone  
Some ran a good trot  
With a skyllet or a pot  
Some fill their pot full  
Of good Lemster will  
An housewife of trust  
When she is a thrust  
Such a web can spin  
Her thrift is full thine   

Some go straight thither  
Be it slaty or slider  
They hold the high way  
They care not what men say  
Be that as be may  
Some loath to be espied  
Some start in at the back side  
Over the hedge and pale  
And all for the good ale   

Some run till they sweet  
Bring with them malt or wheat  
And dame Elinoure entreaet  
To byrle them of the best   

Than cometh an other guessed  
She sweared by the road of rest  
Her lips are so dry  
Without drink she must die  
Therefore till it by and by  
And have here a peck of ry   

Anon cometh another  
As dry as the other  
And with her doth bring  
meal, salt, or other thing  
Her harnessed girdle, her wedding ring  
To pay for her scot  
As cometh to her lot  
Some bringeth her husbands hood  
Because the ale is good  
Another brought her his cap  
To offer to the ale tap  
With flax and with tow  
And some brought sour dow  
With hay and with how  
Sit we down a row  
And drink till we blow  
And pipe tirlye tyrlowe   

Some laid to pledge  
Their hatchet and their wedge  
Their hekell and their rele  
Their rock, their spinning wheel  
And some went so narrow  
They laid to pledge their wharrow  
Their rihskin and their spindle  
Their needle and their thimbell  
Here was scant thirst  
When they made such shift   

Their thrust was so great  
They asked never for meat  
But drink still drink  
And let the cat wink  
Let us wash our gums  
From the dry crumbs    

Quartus passus.  

Some for very need  
Lay down a skein of thread  
And some a skein of yarn  
Both Beans and pease  
Small Chaffer doth ease  
Sometime, now and than  
Another there was that ran  
With a good brassepan  
Her colour was full won  
She ran in all the haste  
Unbrased and unlaste  
Tawnye swart and swallow  
Like a cake of tallow  
I swear by all hallow  
It was a stare to take  
The Devil in a brake.   

And than came halting jone  
And brought a gambone  
Of bacon that was reastye  
But Lord as she was testy  
Angry as a waspye  
She began to yane and gaspy  
And bad Elynoure go bet  
And fill in good meat  
It was dear that was far fet   

Another brought a spycke  
Of a bacon flicke  
Her tongue was very quick  
But she spoke somewhat thick  
Her fellow did stammer and stut  
But she was a foul slut  
For her mouth foamed  
And her belly groaned  
jone sayne she had eaten a fyest  
By Christ said she thou liest  
I have as sweet a breath  
As thou with shameful death   

Then Elinour said, ye callettes  
I shall break your palettes  
Without ye now cease  
And so was made the drunken peace  
Than thither came drunken Alice  
And she was full of tales  
Of tidings in Wales.  
And of saint james in Gales  
And of the portingalings  
With lo gossip I wis  
Thus and thus it is  
There hath been great war  
Between temple bar  
And the cross in cheap  
And there came and heap  
Of mil stones in a rout  
She speaketh thus in her snout  
Sneveling in her nose  
As though she had the pose  
Lo here is an old tippet  
And ye will give me a sippet  
Of your stolen ale  
God send you good sale  
And as she was drinking  
She fell in a winking  
With a barley hood  
She pyste where she stood  
Than began she to weep  
And forthwith fell on flepe  
Elynoure took her up  
And blessed her with acup  
Of new ale in corns  
Alice found therein no thorns  
But supped it up at ones  
She found therein no bones    

Quintus passus.  

Now in cometh another rabel  
first one with a ladle  
Another with a cradle  
And with a side saddle  
And there began a fabel  
A clattering and a babel  
Of fools silly  
That had a fool with willy  
With iast you, and gup gilly  
She could not lie stillye  
Then came in a jennet  
And swore by saint Bennet  
I drank not this sennet  
A draught to my pay  
Elynoure I the pray  
Of thine ale let us assay.  
And have here a pilch of grey  
I wear skins of Conye  
That causeth I look so donny  
Another than did hyche her  
And brought a pottle pycher  
A tonnel, and a bottle  
But she had lost the stoppel  
She cut of her sho sole  
And stopped there with the hole.   

Among all the blommer  
Another brought a skommer  
A frying pan and a slice  
Elynoure made the price  
For good ale each whit.   

Than start in mad kit  
That had little wit  
She seemed some deal seek  
And brought up a penny cheek  
To dame Elinoure  
For a draught of liquor.   

Than Margery milk duck  
Her kirtle she did up tuck  
An inch above her knee  
Her legs that ye might see  
But they were sturdy and stubbled  
Mighty pestles and clubbed  
As fair and as white  
As the foot of a kite  
She was somewhat foul  
Croak necked like an Owl  
And yet she brought her fees  
A cantel of Essex cheese  
Was well a foot thick  
Full of maggots quick  
It was huge and great  
And mighty strong meat  
For the devil to eat  
It was tart and punyete  
Another sort of sluttes  
Some brought walnutes  
Some apples, some pears  
Some brought their clippinge shears  
Some brought this and that  
Some brought I wot near what  
Some brought their husbands hat  
Some podynges and links  
Some tripes that stinks   

But of all this throng  
One came them among  
She seemed half a leech  
And began to preach  
Of the tewesday in the week  
When the mare doth keke  
Of the virtue of an unset leek  
Of her husbands break  
With the feders of a quail  
She could to board on sail  
And with good ale barm  
She could make a charm  
To help with all a stitch  
She seemed to be a witch  
Another brought. two. goslings  
That were naughty froslings  
Some brought them in a wallet  
She was a comely callet  
The goslings were untied  
Elinour began to chide  
They be wrethocke thou haste brout  
They are shire shaking nought    

Sextus passus.  

Maud ruggy, thither skipped  
She was ugly hipped  
And ugly thick lipped  
Like an Onion sided  
Like tan ledder hided  
She had her so guided  
Between the cup and & the wall  
That she was there with all  
Into a palsy fall  
With that her head shaked  
And her hands quaked  
Ones head would have ached  
To see her naked  
She drank so of the dregs  
The dropsy was in her legs  
Her face glistering like glass  
All foggy fat she was  
She had also the gout  
In all her joints about  
Her breath was sour and stolen  
And smelled all of ale  
Such a bedfellawe  
Would make one cast his craw  
But yet for all that  
She drank on the mashe fat  
There came an old rybibe  
She halted of a kybe  
And had broken her shyn  
At the threshold coming in  
And fell so wide open  
That one might see her token  
Te devil there on be wroken  
What need all this be spoken  
She yelled like a calf  
Rise up on gods half  
Said Elynoure rumming  
I be shrew the for thy coming  
As she at her did pluck  
Quake, quake, said the duck  
In that lampatrams lap  
With fie, cover the shap  
With sum slip flap  
God give it ill hap  
Said Elynoure for shame  
Like an honest deign  
Up she stearte, half lame  
And skantlye could go  
For pain and for woe   

In came another daunt  
With a goose and a gant  
She had a wide wesant  
She was nothing pleasant  
Necked like an Oliphant  
It was a bullifant  
A greedy cormerante  
Another brought her garlic heads  
Another brought her beads  
Of jet or of coal  
To offer to the ale pole  
Some brought a wimble  
Some brought a thymble  
Some brought a silk lace  
Some brought a pincase  
Some her husbands gown  
Some a pillow of down  
Some of the nappery  
And all this shift they make  
For the good ale sake   

A straw said bele stand utter  
For we have eggs and butter  
And of pigeons a pair.   

Than start forth a fisgigge  
And she brought a bore pig  
The flesh thereof was rank  
And her breath strongly stank  
Yet or she went she drank  
And gate her great thank  
Of Elynoure for her ware  
That she thither bare  
To pay for her share  
Now truly to my thinking  
This is a solemn drinking    

Septimus passus.  

Soft quod one high Sibbil  
And let me with you bib●ill  
She sat down in the place  
With a sorry face  
Whey wormed about  
Garnished was her snout  
With here and there a puscul  
Like a scabbed muscull  
This ale said she is noppy  
Let us sip and soppy  
And not spill a droppy  
For so moat I hoppye  
It cooleth well my copy   

Dame Elinoure said she  
Have here is for me  
A clout of London pings  
And with that she begins  
The pot to her pluck  
And drank a good luck  
She swinge up a quart  
At ones for her part  
Her paunch was so puffed  
And so with ale stuffed  
Had she not hied a pace  
She had defoiled the place   

Than began the sport  
Among, that drunken fort  
Dame Elynoure said they  
Lend here a cock of hay  
To make all thing clean  
Ye wot well what we mean   

But sir among all  
That sat in that hall  
There was a prick me dainty  
Sat like a saintye  
And began to paintye  
As though she would fainty  
She made it as koy  
As a league demoy  
She was not half so wise  
As she was peevish nice  
She said never a word  
But rose from the board  
And called for our dame  
Elynoure by name  
We supposed I wis  
That she rose to piss  
But the very ground  
Was for to compound  
With Elynour in the expense  
To pay for her expense  
I have no penny nor groat  
To pay said she, god wots  
For washing of my throat  
But my beads of amber  
Bear them to your chamber  
Then Elynour did them hide  
Within her beds side  
But some than sat right sad  
That nothing had  
There of their one  
Neither gelt nor pawn  
such were there mennye  
That had not a penny  
But when they should walk  
Were fain with a chalk  
To score on the baulk  
Or score on the tail  
God give it ill hail  
For my fingers itch  
I have written to much  
Of this mad mumming  
Of Elynoure Rumming  
Thus endeth the gest  
Of this worthy felt.   
Quod Skelton Laureate.   

Laurratiskeltonidis in despectu malignantium disticon.  
QVdmuis infanis, quanuis marcescis inams  
Iwidi cantamus, hec loca plena locis  
Bien men sounient.  
OMnes feminas, que vel nimis bibule sunt, vel que scordida labe squaloris, aut quamspuria feditatis macula, aut verbosa laquatita te notantur, poeta invitat ad audicndum hunc libellum, etc.  
EBric, squalida, sordida femini, perdiga verbis  
Huc currat, properet veniat suafacta libellus  
Iste volutabit: pean sua plectra sonando  
Materiam risus cantabit carmine rauco.  
FINIS.  
Quod Skelton Laureate.    

Here after followeth a little 〈◊〉 which hath to name, why co●● ye not to Court commoned by Master Skelton poet Laureate. The relucent mirror for all Prela Precedents aswell spiritual as temporal sadly to look upon devised in English by Skelton.  
All noble men of this take heed and leave it as your Crede.  

TO hasty of sentence  
To fierce for none offence  
To scarce of your expense  
To large in negligence  
To slack in recompense  
To haut in excellence  
To light intelligence  
And to light incredence  
Where these keep residence  
Reason is banished thence  
And also dame prudence  
With sober patience  
All noble men. etc.   

Than without collusion  
Mark well this conclusion  
Through such abusion  
And by such illusion  
Unto great confusion  
A noble man may fall  
And his honour appall  
And if ye think this shall  
Not rub you on the gall  
Than the devil take all. etc.   
Hoc vates ille, de quo loquntur in ille.   

Why come ye not to Court.  
FOr age is a page  
For the court full unmeet  
For age can not rage's  
Nor base her sweet sweet  
But when age seeth that rage  
Doth assuage and refrain  
Than will age have a courage  
To come to court again  
But  
Helas, sage overage  
To madly decays  
That age for dottage  
Is recovered now a days  
Thus age grant damage  
Is nothing set by  
And rage's in a rerage  
Doth run lamentably.  
So  
That rage must make pillage  
To catch that catch may  
And with such forage  
Hunt the boskage  
That hearts will run away  
Both Hearts and hinds  
With all good minds  
Far well, than have good day  

Than have good day a dew  
For default of rescue  
Some men may happily rue  
And their heads mew  
The time doth fast ensue  
That bales begin to brew  
I dread by sweet jesus  
This tale will be to true  
In faith dicken thou crew.   

In faith dicken, thou crew. etc.  
DIcken, thou crew doubtless  
For truly to express  
There hath be much excess  
With banqueting brainless  
With rioting reckless  
With gambauding thryftles  
With spend, and waste witless  
Treating of truce restless  
Prating for peace peaslesse  
They countering at Cales  
wrang us on the wales  
Chief Councelour was careless  
Groaning grouching graceless  
And to none intent  
Our talwod is all brent  
Our faggots are all spent  
We may blow at the coal  
Our mare hath cast her fool  
And mock hath lost her shoe  
What may she do thereto  
An end of an old song  
Do right and no wrong  
As right as a rams horn  
For thrift is thread bore worn  
Our sheep are shrewdly shorn  
And truth is all to torn  
Wisdom is laughed to scorn  
Favel is false forsworn  
javel is nobly borne  
Havel and Haruy hafter  
jacke Travel and Coal crafter  
We shall hear more hereafter  
With polling and shaving  
With borrowing and craving  
With reving and raving  
With swearing and staring  
There 'vaileth no reasoning  
For will doth rule all thing  
Wyl, will, will, will, will,  
He ruleth always still  
Good reason and good skill  
They may garlic pill  
Cary sacks to the mil  
Or pescoddes they may shil  
Or else go roast a stone  
There is no man but one  
That hath the strokes alone  
Be it black or white  
All that he doth is right  
As right as a Cammocke crooked  
This bill well over looked  
clearly perceive we may  
There went the hare away  
The hare, the For, the Grey,  
The hart, the hind, the buck  
God send us better luck.   

God send us better luck. etc.  
TWit Andrew, twit Scot  
Goe heme, ge scour thy pot  
For we have spent our shot  
We shall have a tot quot  
From the Pope of Rome  
To weave all in one lome  
A web of Lylse wulce  
Opus male dulce.  
The devil kiss his cule  
For while he doth rule  
All is wars and wars  
The devil kiss his arse  
For whether he bless or curse  
It can not be much worse  
From Baumberow to both ambar  
We have cast up our war  
And made a worthy truce  
With gup level suse  
Our money madly sent  
And more madly spent  
From Croyden to Kent  
Wot ye whither they went?  
From winchelsy to Rye  
And all not worth a fly  
From wentbridge to Hull  
Our army waxeth dull  
With turn all home again  
And never a scot slain  
Yet the good Earl of Surray  
The french men he doth fray  
And vexeth them day by day  
With all the power he may  
The frenchmen he hath fainted  
And made their hearts attainted  
Of chivalry he is the flower  
Our Lord be his succour  
The french men he hath so mated  
And their courage abated  
That they are but half men  
Like foxes in their den  
Like cankered cowards all  
Like heons in a stone wall  
Tey keep them in their holds  
Like hen hearted cokoldes   

But yet they over shoot us  
With crowns and with scutus  
With Scutes and crowns of gold  
I dread we are bought and sold  
It is a wonders work  
They shoot all at one mark  
At the Cardinal's hat  
They shoot all at that  
Out of their strong towns  
They shoot at him with crowns  
With crowns of gold enblased  
They make him so a mased  
And his eyen so dafed  
That he ne see can  
To know God nor man  
He is set so high  
In his hierarchy  
Of frantic frenzy  
And foolish fantasy  
That in the chamber of stars  
All matters there he mars  
Clapping his rod on the board  
No man dare speak a word  
For he hath all the saying  
Without any renaying  
He rolleth in his records  
He saith, how say ye my lords?  
Is not my reason good  
Good even good Robin hood  
Some say yes. And some  
Sat still as they were doom  
Thus thwarting over thome  
He ruleth all the roast  
With bragging and with boast  
Borne up on every side  
With pomp and with pride  
With trump up hallelujah  
For dame Philargerya  
Hath so his heart in hold  
He loveth nothing but gold  
And Asmodeus of hell  
Maketh his membres swell  
With Dalyda to mell  
That wanton damsel   

A dew Philosophia  
A dew theologia  
Welcome dame Simonia  
With dame Castrimergia  
To drink and for to eat  
Sweet hippocras & sweet meat  
To keep his flesh chaste  
In lente for a repast  
He eateth Capons stewed  
pheasant, and Partriche mewed  
Hens, chickens and pigs  
He foins and he frigges  
Spareth neither maid ne wife  
This is a postels' life   

Helas my heart is sorry  
To tell of vain glory  
But now upon this story  
I will no further rimè  
Till another time   

Till another time.  
VUhat news what news  
Small news that true is  
That be worth two cues  
But at the naked stews  
I understand how that  
The sign of the Cardinal hat  
That Inn is now shit up  
With gup whore gup, now gup  
Gup Gilliam Travillian  
With iast you I say jullian  
Will ye bear no coals  
A meinie of marefolles  
That occupy their holes  
Full of pocky moles.  
What hear ye of Lancashire  
They were not paid their hire  
They are fell as any fire  
What hear ye of Cheshire  
They have laid all in the mire  
They grudge and said  
Their wages were not paid  
Some said they were afraid  
Of the Scottish host  
For all their crack and boast  
Wild fire and thunder  
For all this worldly wonder  
A hundred mile a sunder  
They were when they were next  
That is a true text   

What hear ye of the scots  
They make us all sots  
Popping foolish daws  
They make us to pill straws  
They play their old pranks  
After huntly banks  
At the stream of Banokes burns  
They did us a shrewd turn  
When Edward of karnaruan  
Lost all that his father won   

What here ye of the lord dakers  
He maketh us jacke rakers  
He says we are but crackers  
He calleth us England men  
Strong hearted like an hen  
For the scots and he  
To well they do agree  
With do thou for me  
And I shall do for thee  
Whiles the red hat doth endure  
He maketh himself cock sure  
The red hat with his lure  
Bringeth all things under cure   

But as the world now goose  
What hear ye of the Lord Rose  
Nothing to purpose  
Not worth a cockly foes  
Their hearts be in their hose  
The Earl of Northumberland  
Dare take nothing on hand  
Our barons be so bold  
Into a mouse hole they would  
Run away and creep  
Like a meinie of sheep  
Dare not look out a dur  
For dread of the maystife cur  
For dread of the bouchers dog  
Would wirry them like an hog   

For and this cur do gnar  
They must stand all a far  
To hold up their hand at the bat  
For all their noble blood  
He plucks them by the hood  
And shakes them by the ear  
And bring them in such fear  
He baiteth them like a bear  
Like an ox or a bull  
Their wits he saith are dull  
He saith they have no brain  
Their estate to maintain  
And make to bow their knee  
Before his majesty.   

judges of the kings laws  
He counts them fools & daws  
sergeants of the coif cke  
He sayeth they are to seek  
●n pleating of their case  
At the common place  
Or at the kings bench  
He wringeth them such a wrench  
That all our learned men  
Dare not set their pen  
To plete a true trial  
Within westminster hall  
In the chancery where he sits  
But such as he admits  
None so hardy to speak   

He saith, thou huddy peak  
They learning is to lewd  
Thy tongue is not well thewde  
To seek before our grace  
And openly in that place  
He rages and he raves  
And calls them cankered knaves  
Thus royally he doth deal  
Under the kings broad seal  
And in the chequer he then checks  
In the star chamber he nods & becks  
And beareth him there so stout  
That no man dare rout  
Duke, Earl, Baron, nor Lord  
But to his sentence must accord  
Whether he be knight or squire  
All men follow his desire  
What say ye of the scottish king  
That is another thing  
He is but an youngling  
A tall worthy stripling  
Her is a whispering & a whipling  
He should be hither brought  
But and it were well sought  
I trow all will be nought  
Not worth a shittel cock  
Nor worth a sour calstocke   

There goeth many a lie  
Of the duke of Albany  
That of should go his head  
And brought in quick or dead  
And all Scotland ours  
The mountenaunce of two hours   

But as some men say  
I dread of some false train  
subtly wrought shallbe  
Under a feigned treat  
But within months three  
Men may happily see  
The treachery, and the pranks  
Of the Scottish banks   

What hear ye of Burgonions  
And the spaniards Onions?  
They have slain our Englishmen  
Above three score and ten  
For all your amity  
No better they agree  
God save my Lord Admirell   

What hear ye of Muttrel?  
There with I dare not mell  
Yet what hear ye tell  
Of our grand counsel?  
I could say some what  
But speak ye no more of that  
For dread of the red hat  
Take pepper in the nose  
For than thine head of goose  
Of by the hard arse  
But there is some travars  
Between some and some  
That makes our sire to glum  
It is some what wrong  
That his beard is so long  
He mourneth in black clothing  
I pray god save the king  
Where ever he go or ride  
I pray God be his guide  
Thus will I conclude my style  
And fall to rest a while   

And so to rest a while. etc.  

ONce yet again  
Of you I would fraine  
Why come ye not to court  
To which court?  
To the kings court  
Or to Hampton court?   

Nay to the kings court  
The kings court  
Should have the exellence  
But hampton court  
Hath the pre-eminence  
And yorks place  
With my lords grace  
To whose magnificence  
Is all the confluence  
Suits and supplications  
Embassades of all nations  
Straw for law canon  
Or for the law common  
Or for law civil  
It shall be as he will  
Stop at law tancrete  
An obstract or a concrete  
Be it sour be it sweet  
His wisdom is so discrete  
That in a fume or an heat  
Warden of the fleet  
Set him fast by the feet  
And of his royal power  
When him list to louvre  
Than have him to the tour  
Saunz altar remedy  
Have him forth by and by  
To the marshalsy  
Or to the kings bench  
He diggeth so in the trench  
Of the court royal  
That he ruleth them all  
So he doth undermined  
And such sleights doth find  
That the kings mind  
By him is subverted  
And so streatly coarted  
In credensing his tales  
That all is but nutshales  
That any other saith  
He hath in him such faith    

Now, yet all this might be  
Suffered and taken in gree  
If that, that he wrought  
To any good end were brought  
But all he bringeth to nought  
But God that me dear bought   

He beareth the king on hand  
That he must pill his land  
To make his coffers rich  
But he layeth all in the dyche  
And useth such abusion  
That in the conclusion  
All cometh to confusion  
Perceive the cause why  
To tell the troth plainly  
He is so ambitious  
So shameless, and so vicious  
And so superstitious  
And so much oblivious  
From whence that he came  
That he falleth in Acisiam  
Which truly to express  
Is a forgetfulness  
Or wilful blindness  
Wherewith the Sodomites  
Lost their inward sights   

The gommorians also  
Were brought to deadly woe  
As scripture records  
A cecitate cordis  
In the latin sing we  
Libera nos domine   

But this mad Amalecke  
Like to Amamelek  
He regardeth Lords  
No more than pot shordes  
He is in such elation  
Of his exaltation  
And the supportation  
Of our sovereign Lords  
That God to record  
He ruleth all at will  
Without reason or skill  
Howbeit they be prymordyall  
Of his wretched original  
And his base progeny  
And his gresy genealogy  
He came of the sank royal  
That was cast out of a bouchers stall.   

But how ever he was borne  
Men would have the less scorn  
If he could consider  
His birth and room together  
And call to his mind  
How noble and how kind  
To him he hath found  
Our sovereign lord, chief ground  
Of all this prelacy  
And set him nobly  
In great authority  
Out from a low degree  
Which he can not see  
For he was pard  
No doctor of devinttie  
Nor doctor of the law  
Nor of none other saw  
But a poor master of art  
God wots had little part  
Of the Quatrivials  
Nor yet of trivials  
Nor of philosophy  
Nor of philology  
Nor of good policy  
Nor of Astronomy  
Nor acquainted worth a fly  
With honourable haly  
Nor with royal Ptholomy  
Nor with Albumasar  
To treat of any star  
Fixed or else mobil  
His latin tongue doth hobbyl  
He doth but clout and cobbel  
In tullis faculty  
Called humanity  
Yet proudly he dare pretend  
How no ma can him amend  
But have ye not heard this  
How an one eyed man is  
Well sighted, when  
He is among blind men.   

Than our process for to stable  
This man was full unable  
To reach to such degree  
Had not our Prince be  
Royal henry the eight  
Take him in such conceit  
That he set him on height  
In exemplyfieng  
Great Alexander the king  
In writing as we find  
Which of his royal mind  
And of his noble pleasure  
Transcending out of measure  
Thought to do a thing  
That pertaineth to a king  
To make up one of nought  
And made to him be brought  
A wretched poor man  
Which his living wan  
With planting of Leeks  
By the days and by the weeks  
And of this poor vassal  
He made a king royal  
And gave him a realm to rule  
That occupied a showel  
A mattoke, and a spade  
Before that he was made  
A king, as I have told  
And ruled as he would  
Such is a kings power  
To make within an hour  
And work such a miracle  
That shallbe a spectacle  
Of renown and worldly fame  
In likewise now the same  
Cardinal, is promoted  
Yet with lewd conditions noted  
As hereafter been noted   

Presumption and vain glory  
Envy, wrath, and lechery  
Covetes, and gluttony  
Slothful to do good  
Now frantic, now stark wooed  
Should this man of such mode  
Rule the sword of might  
How can he do right  
For he will as soon smite  
His friend, as his foe  
A proverb long ago   

Set up a wretch on high  
In a throne triumphantly  
Make him a great estate  
And he will play check mate  
With royal majesty  
Count himself as good as he  
A prelate potential  
To rule under Bellyall  
As fierce and as cruel  
As the fiend of hell  
His servants menial  
He doth revile and brawl  
Like Mahu in a play  
No man dare him with say  
He hath despite and scorn  
At them that be well borne  
He rebukes them and rails  
Ye horsons, ye vassals  
Ye knaves, ye churls sons  
Ye ribauds, not worth two plumms  
Ye rainbeaten beggars reiagged  
Ye recrayed ruffians all ragged  
With stoup thou havel  
Renne thou iavel  
Thou peevish pie pecked  
Thou lozel long necked  
Thus daily they be decked  
Taunted and checked  
That they are so woe  
They wots not whether to go.   

No man dare come to the speech  
Of this gentle jacke breach  
Of what estate he be  
Of spiritual dignity  
Nor duke of high degree  
Nor Marquis, Earl, nor Lord  
Which shrewdly doth accord   

Thus he borne so base  
All noble men should out face  
His countenance like a kayser  
My Lord is not at leisure  
Sir ye must tarry a stound  
Till better leisure be found  
And sir, ye must dance attendance  
And take patient sufferance  
For my lords grace  
Hath now no time nor space  
To speak with you, as yet   

And thus they shall sit  
Choose them sit or flit  
Stand, walk, or ride  
And his laiser abide  
parchance half a year  
And yet never the near   

This dangerous dowsipere  
Like a kings peer  
And within this. xvi. year  
He would have been right fain  
To have been a chaplain  
And have taken right great pain  
With a poor knight  
What so ever he hight  
The chief of his own counsel  
They can not well tell  
When they with him should mell  
He is so fierce and fell  
He rails and he rates  
He calleth them doddy pates  
He grins and he gapes  
As it were jacke Napes  
Such a mad Bedlam  
For to rule this realm  
It is a wondrous case  
That the kings grace  
Is toward him so minded  
And so far blinded  
That he can not perceive  
How he doth him disce yve  
I dow least by Sorsery  
Or such other loselry  
As witch craft, or charming  
For he is the kings darling  
And his sweet heart rote  
And is governed by this mad koote  
For what is a man the better  
For the kings letter  
For he will tere it a sunder  
Whereat much I wonder  
How such a hoddy paul  
So boldly dare control  
And so malapertly withstand  
The kings own hand  
And sets not by it a mite  
He saith the king doth write  
And writeth he wots not what  
And yet for all that  
The king his clemency  
Despenseth with his demensy   

But what his grace doth think  
I have no pen nor ink  
That therewith can mell  
But well I can tell  
How France's Petrarke  
That much noble clerk  
Writeth how charlemaine  
Can not himself refrain  
But was ravished with a rage  
Of a like dotage  
But how that came about  
Reed ye the story out  
And ye shall find surely  
It was by nicromansy  
By characts and conjuration  
Under a certain constellation  
And a certain fumigation  
Under a stone on a gold ring  
Wrought to Charlemagne that king  
Which constrained him forcebly  
For to love a certain body  
Above all other inordinately  
This is no fable nor no lie  
At Acon it was brought to pass  
As by mine auctor tried it was  
But let my masters mathematical  
Tell you the rest, for me they shall  
They have the full intelligence  
And dare use the experience  
In there obsolute conscience  
To practic such abolete science   

For I abhor to smatter  
Of one so devilish a matter  
But I will make further relation  
Of this Isagogicall collation  
How master Gaguine the crownicler  
Of the feats of war  
That were done in France  
Maketh remembrance  
How king jews of Late  
Made up a great estate  
Of a poor wretched man  
Whereof much care began  
johannes Balua was his name  
Mine auctor writeth the same  
Promoted was he  
To a Cardinal's dignity  
By jews the king aforesaid  
With him so well apaid  
That he made him his chancellor  
To make all, or to mar  
And to rule as him list  
Till he checked at the fist  
And again all reason  
Committed open treason  
And against his lord sovereign  
Wherefore he suffered pain  
Was heeded drawn and quartered  
And died stinkyngly martyred   

Lo yet for all that  
He ware a cardinals hat  
In him was small faith  
As mine auctor saith  
Not for that I mean  
Such a casuelty should be seen  
Or such chance should fall  
Unto our Cardinal.   

Almighty God I trust  
Hath for him discussed  
That of force he must  
Be faithful, true and just  
To our most royal king  
Chief rote of his making  
Yet it is a wily mouse  
That can build his dwelling house  
Within the cats ears  
Withouten dread or fear  
It is a nice reckoning  
To put all the governing  
All the rule of this land  
Into one man's hand  
One wise man's head  
May stand somewhat in stead  
But the wits of many wise  
Much better can devise  
By their circumspection  
And their sad direction  
To cause the common weal  
Long to endure in heal  
Christ keep king Henry the eight  
From treachery and deceit  
And grant him grace to know  
The Falcon from the Crow  
The wolf from the Lamb  
From whence that maistife came  
Let him never confound  
The gentle greyhound  
Of this matter the ground  
Is easy to expound  
And soon may be perceived  
How the world is conveyed   

But hark my friend one word  
In earnest or in board  
Tell me now in this stead  
Is master Mewtas dead  
The kings french secretary  
And his untrue adversary  
For he sent in writing  
To Frances the french king  
of our master's counsel in every thing  
That was a perilous reckoning   

Nay nay, he is not dead  
But he was so pained in the head  
That he shall never eat more bred  
Now he is gone to another stead  
With a Bull under lead  
By way of commission  
To a strange jurisdiction  
Called Diminges Dale  
far beyond portyngale  
And hath his passport to pas  
Ultra sauro matas  
To the devil sir Sathanas  
To Pluto and sir Bellyal  
The devils vicar general  
And to his college conventual  
As well calodemonial  
As to cacademoniall  
To purney for our Cardinal  
A palace pontifical  
To keep his court provincial  
Upon articles judicial  
To contend and to, strive  
For his prerogative  
Within that consistory  
To make summons peremptory  
Before some prothono●ory  
Imperial or papal  
Upon this matter mystical  
I have told you part, but not all  
Here after perchance I shall  
Make a large memorial  
And a further rehearsal  
And more paper I think to blot  
To the court why I came not  
Desiring you above all thing  
To keep you from laughing  
When ye fall to reading  
Of this wanton scroll  
And pray for Mewtas' soul  
For he is well past and gone  
That would god every eachone  
Of his affinity  
Were gone as well as he  
Amen, amen, say ye  
Of your inward charity.  
Amen.   

Of your inward charity.  
IT were great ruth  
For writing of truth  
Any man should be  
In perplexity  
Of displeasure  
For I make you sure  
Where troth is abhorred  
It is a plain record  
That there wants grace  
In whose place  
Doth occupy  
Full ungraciously  
Falls flattery  
Falls treachery  
Falls bryberye  
subtile Sym Sly  
With mad folly  
For who can best lie  
He is best set by  
Than farewell to thee  
Welthfull felicity  
For prosperity  
Away than will flee  
Than must we agree  
With poverty  
For misery  
With penury  
Miserably  
And wretchedly  
Hath made Askry  
And out cry  
Following the chase  
To drive away grace  
Yet sayest thou percase  
We can lack no grace  
For my lords grace  
And my ladies grace  
With trey deus ace  
And ase in the face  
Some haute and some base  
Some dance the trace  
Ever in one case  
Mark me that chase  
In the Tennis play  
For sink quater trey  
Is a tall man  
He rod, but we ran  
Hay the gye and the 'gan  
The grey goose is no swan  
The waters wax wan  
And beggars they ban  
And they cursed datan  
De tribu dan  
That this work began  
Palam et clam  
With Balak and Balam   

The golden ram  
Of fleming dam  
Sem, japheth, or came?   

But how come to pass  
Your cupboard that was  
Is turned to glass  
From silver to brass  
From gold to pewter  
Or else to a neuter  
To copper, to tin  
To lead, or Alcumin  
A goldsmith your Mayre  
But the chief of your fair  
Might stand now by potters  
And such as sell trotters  
Pytchars' potshordes  
This shrewdly accords  
To be a cupboard for Lords   

My lord now and sir knight  
Good even and good night  
For now sir Tristram  
Ye must wear buckram  
Or Canvas of Cane  
For silks are wane  
Our royals that shone  
Our nobles are gone  
Among the Burgonions  
And spaniards Onions  
And the Flanderkyns  
Gyl sweats and Cate spins  
They are happy that wins  
But England may well say  
Fie on this winning always  
Now nothing, but pay pay  
With laugh and lay down  
Borough, City and town   

Good Spring of Lanam  
Must count what became  
Of his cloth making  
He is at such taking  
Though his purse wax dull  
He must tax for his wool  
By nature of a new writ  
My lords grace nameth it  
A quia non satisfacit  
In the spite of his teeth  
He must pay again  
A thousand or twain  
Of his gold in store  
And yet he paid before  
An hundred pound and more  
Which pincheth him sore  
My lords grace will bring  
Down this high spring  
And bring it so low  
It shall not ever flow   

Such a prelate I trow  
Were worthy to row  
Thorough the streytes' Marocke  
To the gibbet of Baldock  
He would dry up the streams  
Of. ix. Kings realm  
All rivers and wells  
All waters that swells  
For with us he so melts  
That within England dwells  
I would he were somewhere else  
For else by and by  
He will drink us so dry  
And suck us so nigh  
That men shall scantly  
Have penny or halpennye  
God save his noble grace  
And grant him a place  
Endless to dwell  
With the devil of hell  
For and he were there  
We nead never fear  
Of the fiends black  
For I under take  
He would so brag and crack  
That he would then make  
The devils to quake  
To shudder and to shake  
Like a fire drake  
And with a coal rake  
Bruise them on a brake  
And bind them to a stake  
And set hell on fire  
At his own desire  
He is such a grim sire  
And such a potestolate  
And such a potestate  
That he would break the brains  
Of Lucifer in his chains  
And rule them each one  
In Lucifer's throne  
I would he were gone  
For among us is none  
That ruleth, but he alone  
With out all good reason  
And all out of season  
For Folam Peason  
With him be not geson  
They grow very rank  
Upon every bank  
Of his herbers' green  
With my lady bright and sheen  
On their game it is seen  
They play not all clean  
And it be as I ween   

But as touching discretion  
With sober direction  
He keepeth them in subjection  
They can have no protection  
To rule nor to guide  
But all must be tried  
And abide the correction  
Of him will full affection  
For as for wilt  
The devil speed whit  
But brainsick and brainless  
Witless and reckless  
Careless and shameless  
Thriftless and graceless  
together are bended  
And so condescended  
That the common wealth  
Shall never have good health  
But tattered and tugged  
Ragged, and rugged  
shaven and shorn  
And all thread bore worn  
Such greediness  
Such neediness  
miserableness  
With wretchedness  
Hath brought in distress  
And much heaviness  
And great dolour  
England the flower  
Of relucent honour  
In old commemoration  
Most royal English nation  
Now all is out of fashion  
Almost in desolation  
I speak by protestation  
God of his miseration  
Send better reformation   

Lo, for to do shamefully  
He judgeth it no folly  
But to write of his shame  
He saith we are to blame  
What a frensi is this  
No shame to do amiss  
And yet he is a shamed  
To be shamefully named  
And oft prechours be blamed  
Because they have proclaimed  
His madness by writing  
His simpleness resiting  
Remording and biting  
With chiding and with fitting  
showing him gods laws  
He calleth the preachers daws.   

And of holy scriptures saws  
He counteth them for gigawes  
And putteth them to silence  
And with words of violence  
Like Pharaoh, void of grace  
Did Moses' sore manase  
And Aron sore he threat  
The word of God to let   

This mammet in likewise  
Against the church doth rise  
The preachoure he doth despise  
With craking in such wise  
So bragging all with boast  
That no preachour almost  
Dare speak for his life  
Of my lords grace, nor his wife  
For he hath such a bull  
He may take whom he wool  
And as many as him likes  
May eat pigs in lent for pikes  
After the sects of heretics  
For in lent he will eat  
All manner of flesh meat  
That he can any where get  
With other abusions great  
Whereof to treat  
It would make the devil to sweat  
For all privileged places  
He breaks and defaces  
All places of religion  
He hath them in derision  
And maketh such provision  
To drive them at division  
And finally inconclusion,  
To bring them to confusion  
Saint Albon to record  
Whereof this ungracious Lord  
Hath made himself abbot  
Against their wills god wots  
All this he doth deal  
Under strength of the great seal  
And by his legacy  
Which madly he doth apply  
Unto an extravagancye  
Piked out all good law  
With reasons that been raw  
Yet when he took first his hat  
He said he knew what was what  
All justice he pretended  
All things should be amended  
All wrongs he would redress  
All injuries he would repress  
All perjuries he would oppress  
And yet this graceless elf  
He is perjured himself  
As plainly it doth appear  
Who list to inquire  
In the regestry  
Of my Lord of Cantorbury  
To whowe he was professed  
In three points expressed   

The first to do him reverence  
The second to owe him obedience  
The third with whole affection  
To be under his subjection  
But now he maketh objection  
Under the protection  
Of the kings great seal  
That he setteth never a deal  
By his former oath  
Whether god be pleased or wroth  
He maketh so proud presence  
That in his equipolens  
He judgeth him equivalent  
With God omnipotent  
But yet beware the rod  
And the stroke of God   

The apostle Peter  
Had a poor mitre  
And a poor cope  
When he was create Pope  
first in Antioch  
He did never approach  
Of Rome to the see  
With such dignity   

Saint dunstan what was he  
Nothing he saith like to me  
There is a diversity  
Between him and me  
We pass him in degree  
As legatus a latere  
Ecce sacerdos magnus  
That will head us and hang us  
And straightly strangle us  
That he may fang us  
Decree and decretal  
Constitution provincial  
Nor no law canonical  
Shall let the priest pontifical  
To sit in cansa sanguinis  
Now god amend that is amiss  
For I suppose that he is  
Of jeremy the whisking rod  
The flail, the scourge  
Of almighty God   

This Naman Sirus  
So fell and so irous  
So full of me lancoly  
With a flap before his eye  
Men ween that he is pocky  
Or else his surgeons they lie  
For as far as they can spy  
By the craft of surgery  
It is manus domini  
And yet this proud Antiochus  
He is so ambitious  
So elate, and so vicious  
And so cruel hearted  
That he will not be converted  
For he setteth God a part  
He is now so overthwart  
And so pained with pangs  
That all his trust hangs  
In Balthasor, which healed  
Domingos nose, that was wheled  
That Lumberdes' nose mean I  
That standeth yet a wry  
It was not healed alderbest  
It standeth somewhat on the west  
I mean Domingo Lomelyn  
That was wont to win  
Much money of the king  
At the cards and haserding  
Balthasor that healed domingoes pose  
From the puskilde pocky pose  
Now with his gums of araby  
Hath promised to hele our cardinals eye  
Yet sum surgeons put a doubt  
Lest he will put it clean out  
And make him lame of his neither limbs  
God send him sorrow for his sins  
Sum men might ask a question  
By whose suggestion  
I took on hand this work  
Thus boldly for to bark  
And men list to hark  
And my words mark  
I will answer like a clerk  
For truly and unfeigned  
I am forcebly constrained  
At Iwinals' request  
To write of this glorious gest  
Of this vain glorious beast  
His fame to be encrcast  
At every solemn feast  
Quia aifficile est  
Satiram non scribere?  
Now master doctor, how say ye  
What so ever your name be  
What though ye be nameless  
Ye shall not escape blameless  
Nor yet shall scape shameless   

Master doctor in your degree  
Yourself madly ye over see  
Blame Iwinall & blame not me   

Master doctor diricum  
Omne, animi vicium. etc.  
As Iwinall doth record  
A small default in a great Lord  
A little crime in a great estate  
Is much more inordinate  
And more horrible to behold  
Than any other a thousand fold  
Ye put to blame ye wo● near whom  
Ye may wear a cocks come  
Your fond head in your furred hood  
Hold ye your tongue ye can no good  
And at more convenient time  
I may fortune for to rhyme  
Somewhat of your madness  
For small is your sadness  
To put any man in lack  
And say ill behind his back  
And my words mark truly  
That ye cannot bide thereby  
For Smigma non est sinamomum  
But de absentibus nil nisi bonum  
Complain or do what ye will  
Of your complaint it shall not skill  
This is the tenor of my bill  
A daucocke ye be, and so shallbe still   

Sequitur Epitoma  
de morbilloso Thoma  
Nec non obsceno  
de poliphemo. etc.   

POrro perbelle dissimulatum  
Illum pandulohum tantum legatum  
Tam formldatum nuper prelatum  
Sen. Naman sirum nunc longatum  
Insolitudine iam commoratum  
Neapolitano morbo gravatum  
Malagmate, cataplasmati statum  
Pharma copoli ferro foratum  
Nihilo magis alleviatum  
Nihilo melius aut medicatum  
Relictis famulis ad famulatum  
Quod tollatur infamia  
Sed maior patet insania  
Amodo ergo Ganea  
Abborreat ille Ganeus  
Dominus male Cretecus  
Aptius Dictus Tetricus  
Phanaticus freneticus  
Graphicus sicut Metricus   

Antumat.  

HOc genus dictaminis  
Non egit examinis  
In centilo quio nec centimetro  
Honorati Grammatici Mauri.  
Decasticon virulentum in galeratum,  
Licaonta marinum. etc.  
Progh dolor, ecce maris lupus & nequissimus, ursus  
Carnificis vitulus Britonumque dubulcus iniqus  
Conslatus, vitulus, vel Oreb uel  
Salmana, vel zeb.  
Garduus, & crudelis Asaph que  
Datan reprobatus  
Blandus & Acchitiphel, regis scelus omne Britannum  
Ecclesias, qui namque Thomas  
Gonfundit ubique  
Non sacer iste, Thomas  
Sed duro cord, Goleas  
Quem gestat Malus  
sathane caret (obsero culus  
Fundens Aspaltum (precor)  
hunc versum lege cautum  
Asperius nichil est misero   
Apostropha an Londini cives (citando mulum asino aurco galerato) in occursum aguile. etc.   


EXitat eu asinus multum  
(mirabile, visu  
Calcibus O vesro cives  
Occurite Asello  
Qui regnum regemque regit  
qui vestra gubernat  
Predia divitias, nummos  
gasas spoliando.   
Dixit alludens, immo illudens perodo xam de asino aureo galerato. xxxiiii.  
Hec vatis ille, de quo loquntur utille.  
FINIS.    

Here after followeth a little book called Colyn Clout compiled by Master Skelton Poet Laureate.  
Quis consurgat mecum adversus malignantes? aut quis stabit mecum adversus operantes iniquita tem? Nemo domine.  

WHat can it avail  
To drive forth a snail  
Or to make a sail  
Of an herrings tail  
To rhyme or to rail  
To write or to endite  
Either for delight  
Or else for despite  
Or books to compile  
Of divers manner style  
Vice to revile  
And sin to exile  
To teach or to preach  
As reason will reach  
Say this and say that  
His head is so fat  
He wotteth never what  
Nor whereof he speaketh  
He crieth and he creketh  
He pryeth and he peketh  
He chydes and he chatters  
He prates and he patters  
He clytters and he clatters  
He meddles and he smatters  
He gloss and he flatters  
Or if he speak plain  
Than he lacketh brain  
He is but a fool  
Let him go to school  
A three footed stool  
That he may down sit  
For he lacketh wit  
And if that he hit  
The nail on the head  
It standeth in no stead  
The devil they say is dead  
The Devil is dead,   

It may well so be  
Or else they would see  
Otherwise and flee  
From worldly vanity  
And foul covetousness  
And other wretchedness  
Fickle falseness  
Uaryablenesse  
With unstableness   

And if ye stand i doubt  
Who brought this rhyme about  
My name is Colyn Clout  
I purpose to shake out  
All my cunning bag  
Like a clarkly hag  
For though my rhyme be ragged  
Tattered and jagged  
Rudely rain beaten  
Justly and moothe eaten  
If ye talk well therewith  
It hath in it some pith  
For as far as I can see  
It is wrong with each degree  
For the temporalty  
Accuseth the spiritualty  
The spiritual again  
Doth grudge and complain  
Upon temporal men  
Thus each of other blother  
The tone against the t'other  
Alas they make me shoder  
For in hoder mother  
The church is put in fault  
The prelate's been so haut  
They say and look so high  
As though they would fly  
Above the sterry sky   

Lay men say in deed  
How they take no heed  
Their silly sheep to feed  
But pluck away and pull  
The fleces of their wool  
Unnethes they leave a lock  
Of wool among their flock  
And as for their cunning  
A glumming and a mumming  
And make thereof a jape  
They gasp and they gape  
All to have promotion  
There is their whole devotion  
With money, if it will hap  
To cath the forked cap  
Forsooth they are to lewd  
To say so all be shrewd   

What trow ye they say more  
Of the bishops lore  
How in matters they be raw  
They lumber forth the law  
To hark jacke and Gyl  
When they put up a bill  
And judge it as they will  
For other men's skill  
Expounding out their clauses  
And leave their own causes  
In their principal cure  
They make but little sure  
And meddels very light  
In the churches right  
But Ire and venire  
And sol fa, so a lamire  
That the premenire  
Is like to be set a fire  
In their jurisdictions  
Through temporal afflictions  
Men say they have prescriptions  
Against that spiritual contradictions  
Accounting them as fictions   

And whiles the heads do this  
The remnant is a miss  
Of the clergy all  
Both great and small  
I wots never how they work  
But thus the people cark  
And surely thus they say  
bishops if they may  
Small houses would keep  
But slumbre forth and sleep  
And assay to creep  
Within the noble walls  
Of the kings halls  
To fat their bodies full  
Their souls lame and dull  
And have full little care  
How evil their sheep far   

The temporality say plain  
How bishops disdain  
Sermons for to make  
Or such labour to take  
And for to say troth  
A great part is full sloth  
But the greatest part  
Is for they have but small art  
And right slender cunning  
Within their heads wunning  
But this reason they take  
How they are able to make  
With their gold and treasure  
Clerks out of measure  
And yet that is a pleasure  
How be it some there be  
Almost two or three  
Of that dignity  
Full worshipful Clerks  
As appeareth by their works  
Like Aaron and Ure  
The wolf from the door  
To wary and to keep  
From their ghostly sheep  
And their spiritual lambs  
Sequestered from rams  
And from the berd Goats  
With their hery coats  
Set nought by gold ne groats  
Their names if I durst tell.   

But they are loath to mell  
And loath to hang the bell  
About the cats neck  
For dread to have a check  
They are fain to play, deuz de ck  
How be it they are good men  
Much hearted like an hen  
Their lessons forgotten they have  
That Becket them gave  
Thomas manum mittit ad forcia  
Spernit damna spernit opprobria  
Nulla Thomam frangit iniuria  
But now every spiritual father  
Men say they had rather  
Spend much of their share  
Than to be cumbered with care  
Spend, nay but spare  
For let see who that dare  
Shoe the mockish mare  
They make her winch and kick  
But it is not worth a leek  
Boldness is to seek  
The church for to defend  
Take me as I intend  
For loath I am to offend  
In this that I have pend  
I tell you as men say  
Amend when ye may  
For us que ad montem far  
Men say ye cannot appare  
For some say ye hunt in parks  
And Hank on hobby Larks  
And other wanton work  
When the night darks.   

What hath lay-men to do  
The grey goose for to show  
Like hounds of hell  
They cry and they yell  
How that ye sell  
The grace of the holygost  
Thus they make their host  
Through every cost  
How some of you do eat  
In Lenton season flesh meat  
Fesauntea partridge and crane's  
Men call you therefore profanes  
Ye pick no shrimps nor pranes  
Saltfissh, Stockfish nor Herring  
It is not for your wearing  
Nor in holy Lenton season  
Ye will neither Beans ne Peason  
But ye look to be let lose  
To a pig or to a Goose  
Your george not endued  
Without a Capon stewed  
Or a stewed Cock  
Under her surfled smock  
And her wanton wodicocke   

And how when ye give orders  
In your provincial borders  
As at sicientes  
Some are in sufficientes  
Some parum sapientes  
Some nichil intelligentes  
Some valde negligentes  
Some nullum sensum habent●s  
But bestially and untaught  
But when they have once caught  
Dominus vobiscum by the head  
Than run they in every stead  
God wots with drunken nolles  
Yet take they cures of souls  
And woteth never what they read  
Pater noster nor Crede  
Construe not worth a whistle  
Nether gospel nor pistle  
Their Matins madly said  
Nothing devoutly prayed  
Their learning is so small  
Their prymes and hours fall  
And leap out of their lips  
Like sawdust or dry chips  
I speak not now of all  
But the most part in general  
Of such vagabundus  
Speaketh totus Mundus  
How some sing let abundus  
At every ale stake  
With welcome hake and make  
By the bread that God broke  
I am sorry for your sake  
I speak not of the god wife  
But of their Apostles life  
Cum ipsis Vel illis  
Qui manent in Villis  
Est Vxor Vel ancilla  
Welcome jacke and Gilla  
My pretty Petronylla  
And you will be stilla  
You shall have your wills  
Of such Pater noster pekes  
All the world speaks.   

¶ In you the fault is supposed  
For that they are not opposed  
By just examination  
In cunning and connersation  
They have none instruction  
To make a true construction  
A priest without a letter  
Without his virtue be greater  
Doubtless were much better  
Upon him for to take  
A mattock or a Kake  
Alas for very shame  
Some can not decline their name  
Some cannot scarcely read  
And yet will not dread  
For to keep a cure,  
And in nothing is sure  
This dominus Vobiscum  
As wise as Tom a thrum  
A chaplain of trust  
Layth all in the dust   

¶ Thus I Colin Clout  
As I go about  
And wandering as I walk  
I hear the people talk  
Men say for silver and Gold  
Mitres are bought and sold  
There shall no clergy appose  
A mitre nor a Cross  
But a full purse  
A straw for gods curse  
What are they the worse  
For a simoniake,  
Is but a hermoniake  
And no more ye make  
Of Simony men say  
But a child's play   

¶ Over this the foresaid lay  
Report how the Pope may  
A holy anchor call  
Out of the stony wall  
And him a bishop make  
If he on him dare take  
To keep so hard a rule  
To ride upon a Mule  
With gold all be trapped  
In purple and paul be lapped  
Some hatted and some capped  
richly be wrapped  
God wots to their great pains  
In Rotchettes of fine reins  
white as morrows milk  
Their tabertes of fine silk  
Their stirops of mixed gold begarded  
There may no cost be spared  
Their Moils Gold doth eat  
Their neighbours die for meat.   

What care they though Gill sweat  
Or jacke of the Noke  
The poor people they yoke  
With Summons and Citations  
And excommunications  
About churches and market  
The bishop on his carpet  
At home full soft doth sit  
This is afeareful fit  
To hear the people jangle  
How warily they wrangle  
Alas why do ye not handle  
And them all mangle  
Full falsely on you they lie  
And shamefully you as●ry  
And say as untruly  
As the butter fly  
A man might say in mock  
Ware the Weathercock  
Of thee steeple of Paul's  
And thus they hurt their souls  
In slandering you for truth  
Alas it is great ruth  
Some say ye sit in trones  
Like princes aquilonis  
And shrine your rotten bones  
With pearls and precious stones  
But how the commons groans  
And the people moans  
For priests and for loves  
Lent and never paid  
But from day to day delayed  
The common wealth decayed  
Men say ye are tongue tayde  
And thereof speak nothing  
But dissimuling and glozing  
Wherefore men be supposing  
That ye give shrewd counsel  
Against the common well  
By polling and pillage  
In cities and village  
By taxing and tollage  
Ye have monks to have the culerage  
For covering of an old cottage  
That committed is a collage  
In the charter of dottage  
Tenure par service de sottage  
And not par service desocage  
After old segnyours  
And the learning of litleton tenors  
Ye have so overth warted  
That good laws are subutered  
And good reason perverted   

¶ Religious men are fain  
For to turn again  
In secula seculorum  
And to forsake their corum  
And vacabundare perforum  
And take a fine meritorum  
Contra regulam morum  
Aut black monacorum  
Aut canonicor 'em  
Aut Bernar dinorum  
Aut crucifixorum  
And to sing from place to place  
Like apostataas   

And the self same game  
Begun and now with shame  
Amongst the silly Nuns  
My lady now she runs  
Dame Sybly our abbess  
Dame Dorotho and lady Bess  
Dame Sare our prioress  
Out of their clo yster and quere  
With an heavy cheer  
Must cast up their black veils  
And set up their fucke sails  
To catch wind with their ventailes  
What Colin there thou shailes  
Yet thus with ill hails  
The lay fee people rails   

¶ And all they lay  
On you prelate's and say  
Ye do wrong and no right  
To put them thus to flight  
No Matins at midnight  
Book and chalis gone quite  
Pluck away the leads  
Over their heads  
And sell away their bells  
And all that they have else  
Thus the people tells  
Rails like rebels  
Redeshrewdly and spells  
And with foundations melts  
And talk like titivelles  
How ye break the deeds wills  
Turn monasteriss into water millis  
Of an abbey ye make a grange  
Your works they say are strange  
So that their founder's souls  
Have lost their bead rolls  
The money for their masses  
Spent among wanton lasses  
The Diriges are forgotten  
Their founders lie there rotten  
But where their souls dwell  
Therewith I will not mell  
What could the Turk do more  
With all his false lore  
Turk, Sarazen or jew  
I report me to you   

¶ O merciful jesus  
you support and rescite  
My style for to direct  
It may take some effect  
For I abhor to write  
How the lay fee despite  
You prelate's that of right  
Should be lanterns of light  
ye live they say in delight  
Drowned in deliciis  
In gloria et diviciis  
Into honourable honore  
In gloria et splendore  
Fulgurantes haste  
Viventes parum caste  
Yet sweet meat hath sour sauce  
For after gloria laus  
Christ by cruelty  
Was nailed upon a tree  
He paid a bitter pension  
For man's redemption  
He drank eisel and gall  
To redeem us withal  
But sweet hippocras ye drink  
With let the Cat wink  
Ich wots what each other think  
How be it per assimule  
Some men think that ye  
Shall have penalty  
For your iniquity  
Nota what I say  
And bear it well away  
If it please not the ologys'  
It is good for astrologis  
For Ptholme told me  
The sun sometime to be  
In Ariete  
Ascendent a degree  
Whaa Scorpion descending  
Was so then pretending  
All fatal for one  
That shall sit on a throne  
And rule all things alone  
Your teeth whet on this bone  
Amongst you every eachone  
And let colyn Clout have none  
Manner of cause to moan  
Lay salve to your own sore  
For else as I said before  
After gloria laus  
May come a sour sauce  
Sorry therefore am I  
But troth can never lie   

¶ With language thus polluted  
Holy church is bruited  
And shamefully confuted  
My pen now will I sharp  
And wrest up my harp  
With sharp twinking trebels  
Against all such rebels  
That labour to confound  
And bring the church to the ground  
As ye may daily see  
How the Say fee  
Of one affinity  
Consent and agree  
Against the Church to be  
And the dignity  
Of the bishops fee  
¶ And either ye be to bad  
Or else they are mad  
Of this to report  
But under your support,  
Till my dying day  
I shall both write and say  
And ye shall do the same  
How they are blame  
You thus to diffame  
For it maketh me sad  
How that the people are glade  
The church to deprave  
And some there are that rave  
Presuming on their wit  
When there is never a whit  
To maintain axgumentes  
Against the sacraments   

Some make epilogation  
Of high predestitation  
And of residenation  
They make interpretation  
Of an awquard fashion  
And of the prescience  
Of divine essence  
And what Ipostatis  
Of Christ's manhodeiss  
Such logic men will chop  
And in their fury hope  
When the good ale sop  
Doth dance in their fore top  
Both women and men  
Such ye may well Know and ken  
That again priesthood  
Their malice spread abroad  
Railing heinously  
And disdainously  
Of priestly dignities  
But their malignities   

¶ And some have a smack  
Of Luther's sack  
And a brenning spark  
Of Luther's work  
And are somewhat suspect  
In Luther's sect  
And some of them bark  
Clatter and carp  
Of that Heresy art  
Called wiclevista  
The devilish dogmatista  
And some behussians  
And some be Arrians  
And some be pollegians  
And make much varians  
Between the clergy  
And the temporalty  
Hue the church hath to mickel  
And they have to little  
And bring him in maierialities  
And qualified qualities  
Of pluralities  
Of tryalities  
And of tot-quots  
They commune like scots  
As cometh to their lots  
Of prebendaries and deans  
How some of them gleans  
And gathered up the store  
For to catch more and more  
Of persons and vicaries  
They make many out cries  
They cannot keep their wives  
From them for their lives  
And thus the losels strives  
And lewdly says by Christ  
Against the silly priest  
Alas and well away  
What ails them thus to say  
They mought be better advised  
Then to be disguised  
But they have enterprised  
And shamefully surmised  
How prelacy is sold and bought  
And come up of nought  
And where the prelate's be  
Come of low degree  
And set in majesty  
And spiritual dignity  
Farewell benignity  
Farewell simplicity  
Farewell humility  
Farewell good charity   

Ye are so puffed with pride  
That no man may abide  
Your high and lordly looks  
Ye cast up then your books  
And virtue is forgotten  
For then ye will be wroken  
Of every light quarrel  
And call a Lord a iavel  
A knight a knave to make  
Ye boast, ye face, ye crack  
And upon you take  
To rule king and kayser  
And if you may have leisure  
Ye bring all to nought  
And that is all your thought  
For the Lords temporal  
Their rule is very small  
Almost nothing at all  
Men say how ye appal  
The noble blood royal  
In earnest and in game  
Ye are the less to blame  
For Lords of noble blood  
If they well understand  
How cunning might them advance  
They would pipe you another dance  
But noble men borne  
To learn they have scorn  
But hunt and blow an horn  
Leap overlakes and dikes  
Set nothing by politics  
Therefore ye keep them base  
And mock them so their face  
This is a petious case  
To you that over the wheel  
Lords must couch and kneel  
And break their hose at the knee  
As daily men may see  
And to remembrance call  
Fortune so turneth the ball  
And ruleth so over all  
That honour hath a great fall.  
¶ Shall I tell you more, ye shall  
I am loath to tell all  
But the communality ye call  
Idols of Babylon  
De terrazabuloe  
De terra Neptalym  
For you love to go trim  
Brought up of of poor estate  
With pride inordinate  
Suddenly upstart  
From the dung cart  
The Mattocks and theshule  
To reign and to rule  
And have no grace to think  
How they were wont to drink  
Of a leather bottle  
With a knavish stoppel  
When mamockes was your meat  
With mould bread to eat  
Ye would none other geate  
To chew and to gnaw  
To fill therewith your maw  
Lodged in the straw  
Couching your drowsy heads  
Sometime in lousy beds  
Alas this is out of mind  
Ye grow now out of kind  
Many one have but wind  
And make the commons blind  
But Qui se existimat star●  
Let him well beware  
Lest that his foot slip  
And have such a trip  
And fall in such decay  
That all the world might say  
Come down on the devils way  
Yet over all that  
Of bishops they chat  
That though ye round your hear  
An inch above your ear  
And aures patentes  
And parum intendentes  
And your coursers be trapped  
Your ears they be stopped  
For master adulator  
And doctor assentator  
And blandior blandiris  
With mentor mentiris  
They follow your desires  
That ye can not espy  
And so they blere your eye  
How the male doth write   

Alas for gods will  
Why sit ye Prelates still  
And suffer all this ill  
Ye bishop of estates  
Should open the broad gates  
For your spiritual charge  
And comfort at large  
Like lanterns of light  
In the people's sight  
In pulpits antentike  
For the weal public  
Of pri esthod in this case  
And always to chase  
Such manner of sismatikes  
And half heretics  
That would intoxicate  
That would conquinate  
That would contaminate  
And that would violate  
And that would derogate  
And that would abrogate  
The church is high estate  
After this manner rates  
The which should be  
Both frank and free  
And have their liberty  
And of antiquity  
It was ratefyed  
And also gratefyed  
By holy finodals  
And bulls papals  
As it is res certa  
Conte ygned in magna Carta.   

But master Damian  
Or some other man  
That clerkly is, and can  
Well scripture expound  
And texts ground.  
His benefice worth ten pound  
Or scant worth twenty mark  
And yet a noble clerk  
He must do this work  
As I know a part  
Some masters of Art  
Some doctors of law  
Some learned in other saw  
As in divinity  
That hath no dignity  
But the poor degree  
Of the university  
Or else Frere Frederick  
Or else frere Dominike  
Or frere Hugulinus  
Or frere Agustinus  
Or frere Carmelus  
That ghostly can heal us  
Or else if we may  
Get a frere gray  
Or else of the order  
Upon Grenewiche border  
Called observance  
And a frere of France  
Or else the poor scot  
It must come to his lot  
To shoot forth his shot  
Or of Babuell beside Bery  
To postell upon a kyry  
That would it should be noted  
How scripture should be coted  
And so clerkle promoted  
And yet the frere doted   
Men say  

But your authority  
And your noble fee  
And your dignity  
Should be imprinted better  
Than all the Freres letter  
For if ye would take pain  
To preach a word or twain  
Though it were never so plain  
With clauses two or three  
So as they might he  
compendiously conveyed  
Those words should be more weighed  
And better peceyved  
And thankfully received  
And better should remain  
Among the people plain  
That would your words retain  
And rehearse them again  
Than a thousand thousand other  
That blaber, bark and blother  
And make a Walshmans hose  
Of the text and of the gloze   

For protestation made  
That I will not wade  
Farther in this brook  
Nor farther for to look  
In devising of this book  
But answer that I may  
For myself alway  
Either analogice  
Or else rathagorice  
So that in divinity  
Doctors that learned be  
Nor bachelors of that faculty  
That hath taken degree  
In the university  
Shall not be objected for me.   

But doctor bullatus  
Parum litteratus  
Dominus doctoratus  
At the broad gatus  
Doctor daupatus  
And bachelor bacheleratus  
Drunken as a mouse  
At the ale house  
Taketh his pillion and his cap  
At the good ale tap  
For lack of good wine  
As wise as Robin swine  
Under a notaries sign  
Was made a divine  
As wise as waltoms' calf  
Must preach a god's half  
In the pulpit solemnly  
More meet in a pillory  
For by saint hilary  
He can nothing smatter  
Of logic nor school matter  
Neither silogisare  
Nor of emptimeniare  
Nor knoweth his eloquence  
Nor his predicamence.   

And yet he will mell  
To amend the Gospel  
And will preach and tell  
What they do in hell  
And he dare not well neven  
What they do in haven  
Nor how far temple bare is  
From the seven stars   

Now will I go  
And tell of other more  
Semper protestandoe  
De non impugnandoe  
The four orders of friars  
Though some of them be liars  
As limiters at large  
Will charge and discharge  
As many a friar God wots  
Preaches for his groat  
Flattering for a new cote  
And for to have his fees  
Some to gather cheese  
Loath they are to lose  
Either Corn or Malt  
Sometime Meal and Sault  
Sometime a bacon flicke  
That is three fingers thick  
Of lard and of grease  
Their covent to e●crace   

I put you out of doubt  
This cannot be brought about  
But they their tongues file  
And make a pleasant style  
To Margerye and to Maude  
How they have no fraud  
And sometime they provoke  
Both Gyll and jacke at noke  
Their duties to withdraw  
That they ought by the law  
Their curates to content  
In open time and in Lente  
God wots they take great pain  
To flatter and to feign  
But it is and old said saw  
That need hath no law  
Some walk about in melottes  
In grey russet and hery coats  
Some will neither gold ne groats  
Some pluck a partridge in remotes  
And by the bars if her tail  
Will know a Raven from a rail  
A quail, the rail, and the old raven  
Sed libera nos a malo. Amen.  
And by dudum their clementine  
Against Curates repine  
And say properly they are Sacerdotes  
To shrive, assoil and reles  
Dame margeries soul out of hell  
But when the friar fell in the well  
He could not sing himself thereout  
But by the help of Christian clout   

Another clementine also  
How frere Fabion, with other more  
Exivit de paradiso  
When they again thither shall come  
De hoc petimus consilium  
And through all the world they go  
With Dirige and Placebo.   

But now my mind ye understand  
For they must take in hand  
To preach and to with stand  
All manner of abiections  
For bishops have protections  
They say to do corrections  
But they have no affections  
To take the said directions  
In such manner of cases  
Men say they bear no faces  
To occupy such places  
To sow the seed of graces  
Their hearts are so fainted  
And they be so attainted  
With covetous and ambition  
And other superstition  
That they be deaf and dumb  
And play scylens and glum  
Cansay nothing but mum.   

They occupy them so  
With singing placeho  
They will no farther go  
They had liefer to please  
And take their worldly ease  
Than to take on hand  
Worship to withstand   

Such temporal war and bate  
As now is made of late  
Against holy church estate  
Or to maintain good quarrels  
The lay men call them barrels  
Full of gluttony  
And of hypocrisy  
That counterfeits and paints  
As they were very saints  
In matters that them like  
They show them politiks.   

Pretending gravity  
And sygnyorytie  
With all solemnity  
For their indemnity  
For they will have no less  
Of a penny, nor of a cross  
Of their predial lands.  
That cometh to their hands  
And as far as they dare set  
All is fish that cometh to net  
Building royally  
Their mansions curiously  
With turrettes and with towers  
With halls and with bowers  
Stretching to the stars  
With glass windows & bars  
Hanging about the walls  
Clothes of gold and palles  
Arras of rich array  
Fresh as flowers in may  
With dame Dyana naked  
How lusty Venus quaked  
And how Cupid shaked  
His dart and bent his bow  
For to shoot a Crow  
At her tyrly tyrlowe  
And how Paris of Troy  
Danced a league de may  
Made lusty sport and joy  
With dame Helyn the Queen  
With such stories by deen  
Their chambres well be seen  
With triumphs of Cesar  
And of his Pompeius' war  
Of renown and of fame,  
By them to get a name   

Now all the world stars  
How they ride in goodly chares  
Conveyed by elephants  
With Laureate garlantes  
And by unicorns  
With their seemly horns  
Upon these beasts riding  
Naked boys striding  
With wanton wenches winking  
Now truly to my thinking  
That is a speculation  
And a meet meditation  
For prelate's of estate  
Their courage to abate  
From worldly wantonness  
Their chamber thus to dres  
With such parfetnes  
And all such holiness  
How be it they let down fall  
Their church's cathedral   

Squire knight and Lord  
Thus the church remord  
With all temporal people  
They run against the steeple  
Thus talking and telling  
How some of you are melling  
Yet soft and fair for swelling  
Beware of a queans yellling  
It is a busy thing  
It is a busy thing  
For one man to rule a king  
Alorie and make reckoning  
To govern over all  
And rule a realm royal  
By one man's wit  
Fortune may chance to flit  
And when he weeneth to sit  
Yet may he miss the quisshon  
For I red a preposition  
Sum regibus amicare  
Et omnibus dominare  
Et suprate pravare  
Wherefore he hath good ure  
That can himself assure  
How fortune will endure  
Than let reason you support  
For the communalte  
That they have great wonder  
That ye keep them so under  
Yet they marvel so much less  
For ye playso at the chess  
As they suppose and guess  
That some of you but late  
Hath played so check mate  
With Lords of great estate  
After such a rate  
That they shall mell nor make  
Nor upon them take  
For king nor Rayser sake  
But at the pleasure of one  
That ruleth the rest alone.   

Helas, I say Helas  
How may this come to pass  
That a man shall hear a mass  
And not so hardy on his head  
To look on god in form of bread  
But that the parish clerk  
There upon must hark  
And grant him at his asking  
For to see the sacring   

And how may this accord  
No man to our sovereign Lord  
So hardy to make suit  
Nor to execute  
His commandment  
Without the assent  
Of our precedent  
Nor to express to his person  
Without your assentation  
Grant him his licence  
To press to his presence  
Nor to speak to him secretly  
Openly nor privily  
Without his precedent be by  
Or else his substitute  
Whom he wyldepute  
Neither Earl ne duke  
Permitted by saint Luke  
And bysweet saint Mark  
This is a wondrous work  
That the people talk this  
Some what there is amiss  
The devil cannot stop their mouths  
But they will talk of such uncouthes  
All that ever they ken  
Against all spiritual men.   

Whether it be wrong or right  
Or else for despite  
Or how ever it hap  
Their tongues thus do clap  
And through such detraction  
They put you to your action  
And whether they say truly  
As they may abide thereby  
Or else that they do lie  
Ye know better than I  
But now, debetis scire  
And groundlye audire  
In your convenire  
Of this premenire  
Or else in the mire  
They say they will you cast  
Therefore stand sure and fast.  
Stand sure and take good foting  
And let be all your moting  
Your gazing and your toting  
And your partial promoting  
Of those that stand in your grace  
But old servants ye chase  
And put them out of their place  
Make ye no murmuration  
Though I writ after this fashion  
Though I Colyn Clout  
Among the whole rout  
Of you that clerk be  
Take upon me  
Thus copiously to write  
I do it not for no despite  
Wherefore take nodisdaine  
At my style rude and plain  
For I rebuke no man  
That virtuous is, why than  
Wreak ye your anger on me  
For those that virtuous be  
Have no cause to say  
That I speak out of the way.   

Of no good bishop speak I  
Nor good priest of the clergy  
Good Frere nor good canon  
Good Nun, nor good Canon  
Good Monk, nor good Clerk  
Nor of no good work  
But my recounting is  
Of them that do amiss  
In speaking and rebelling  
In hindering and disavailing  
Holy church our mother  
One against another  
To use such despising  
Is all my whole writing  
To hinder no man  
As near as I can  
For no man have I named  
Wherefore should I blamed  
Ye ought to be ashamed  
Against me to be grieved  
And can tell no cause why  
But that I write truly   

¶ Then if any there be  
Of high or low degree  
Of the spiritualty  
Or of the temporalty  
That doth think or ween  
That his conscience be not clean  
And feeleth himself sick  
Or touched on the quick  
Such grace god them send  
Themselves to amend  
For I will not pretend  
Any man to offend   

Wherefore as thinketh me  
Great ydeottes they be  
And little grace they have  
This treatise to deprave  
Nor will hear no preaching  
Nor no virtuous teaching  
Nor will have no resiting  
Of any virtuous writing  
Will know none intelligence  
To reform their negligence  
But live still out of fashion  
To their own damnation  
To do shame, they have no shame  
But they would no man should them blame  
They have an evil name  
But yet they will occupy the same   

With them the word of God  
Is counted for no rod  
They count it for a railing  
That nothing is anayling  
The preachers with evil hailing  
Shall they daunt us prelate's  
That be their primates   

Not so hardy on their pates  
Hark how the lozel prates  
With a wide wesaunte  
Avaunt sir Guy of gaunt  
Avaunt lewd priest avaunt  
Avaunt sir doctor divers  
Prate of thy matins and thy mass  
And let our matters pass  
How darest thou daucocke mell?  
How darest thou lozel  
Alligate the gospel  
Against us of the counsel  
Avaunt to the devil of hell   

Take him warden of the Flete  
Set him fast by the feet  
I say lieutenant of the tour  
Make this lurden for to louvre  
Lodge him in little ease  
Feed him with Beans and Pease  
The kings bench or Marshalsy  
Have him thither by and by  
The villain preacheth openly  
And declareth our villainy  
And of our free simpleness  
He says that we are reckless  
And full of wilfulness  
Shameless, and merciless  
In corrigible and insatiate  
And after this rate  
Against us doth prate   

At Paul's cross or else where  
Openly at Westminster  
And saint Mary spittle  
They set not by us a whistel  
At the Austen friars  
They count us for liars   

And at saint Thomas of Akers  
They carp us like crackers  
How we will rule all at will  
Without good reason or skill  
And say how that we be  
Full of partiality  
And how at a pronge  
We turn right to wrong  
Delay causes so long  
That right no man can fong  
They say many matters be born  
By the right of a rams horn  
Is not this a shameful scorn?  
To be teared thus and torn.   

¶ How may we thus endure  
Wherefore we make you sure  
Ye preachers shallbe yawde  
Some shallbe sawde  
As noble Ezechias  
The holy prophet was  
And some of you shall die  
Like holy jeremy  
Some hanged some slain  
Some beaten to the brain  
And we will rule and rain  
And our matters maintain  
Who dare say there again  
Or who dare disdain  
At your pleasure and will  
For be it good or be it ill  
As it is, it shallbe still  
For all master doctor of civil  
Or of oivine, or doctor dryvil  
Let him cough, rough or snivel  
Renne God, run devil  
Renne who may run best  
And let take all the rest  
We set not a nut shell  
The way to heaven or to hell,   

¶ Lo, this is the gise now a days  
It is to dread men says  
Lest they be saducies  
As they be said sayne  
Which determine plain  
We should not rise again  
At dreadful domes day  
And so it seemeth they play  
Which hate to be corrected  
When they be infected  
Nor will suffer this book  
By hook ne by crook  
printed for to be  
For that no man should see  
Nor read in any scrolls  
Of their drunken nolles  
Nor of their noddy poles  
Nor of their silly souls  
Nor of some witless pates  
Ofdivers great estates  
As well as other men   

Now to withdraw my pen  
And now a while to rest  
Me seemeth it for the best.   

The fore castle of my ship  
Shall glide and smoothly slip  
Out of the waves wode  
Of the stormy flood  
Shoot anchor and lie at road  
And sail not far a broad  
Till the cooste be clear  
That the load star appear  
My ship now will I pere  
toward the port salu  
Of our saviour jesus  
Such grace that he us send  
To rectify and amend  
Things that are amiss  
When that his pleasure is,   

In opere imperfecto  
In opere semper perfecto  
Et in opere plusquam perfecto    

❧ Here after followeth a Little book of Philip sparrow compiled by▪ master. Skelton Poet Laureate.  

Plam ce bo  
Who is there who  
Di le ●i,  
Dame Margery  
Fa re my my  
Wherefore and why why  
For the soul of philip sparrow  
That was late slain at Carow  
Among the Nuns black  
For that sweet soul's sake  
And for all sparrows souls  
Set in our bead rolls  
Pater noster qui  
With an ave mari  
And with the corner of a creed  
The more shallbe your meed.   


When I remember again  
How my philip was slain  
Never half the pain  
Was between you twain  
Pyramus and Theshe  
As than befell to me  
I wept and I wailed  
The tears down hailed  
But nothing it availed  
To call Pptlip again  
Whom Gib our cat hath slain.   

Gib I say our cat  
Worrowed her on that  
Which I loved best  
It cannot be expressed  
My sorrowful heaviness  
But all without redress  
For within that stound  
Half slumbering in a sound  
I fell down to the ground  
¶ Unneth I kest mine eyes  
Toward the cloudy skies  
But when I did behold  
My sparrow dead and cold  
No creature but that would  
Have rued upon me  
To behold and see  
What heaviness did me pang  
Wherewith my hands I wrang  
That my sinews cracked  
As though I had been racked  
So pained and so strained  
That no life well-nigh remained  
¶ I sighed and I sobbed  
For that I was rob  
Of my sparrows life  
O maiden, widow and wife  
Of what estate ye be  
Of high or low degree  
Great sorrow than ye might see  
And learn to weep at me  
Such pains did me fret  
That mine heart did beat  
My visage pale and dead  
wan, and blue as lead  
The pangs of hateful death  
well nigh stopped my breath.   

Heu heu me  
That I am woe for thee  
Ad dum cumtribularer clamavi  
Of god nothing else crave I    


BUt Philip's soul to keep  
From the marees deep  
Of Acherontes well  
That is a flood of hell  
And from the great Pluto  
The prince of endless woe  
And from foul Allecto  
With visage black and blo  
And from Medusa that ●are  
That like a fiend doth stare  
And from Megaera's edders  
From ruffling of Philip'S feathers  
And from her fiery sparklinges  
For burning of his wings  
And from the smokes sour  
Of Proserpinas bower  
And from the dens dark  
Where Cerberus doth baike  
Whom Theseus did afray  
Whom Hercules did out trey  
As Famous poets say  
For that hell hound  
That lieth in chains bound  
With ghastly heads three  
To jupiter pray we  
That Philip preserved may be  
Amen say ye with me,   

Do mi nus  
Help now sweet jesus  
Levaui oculos meos in montis  
Wold God I had zenophontis.    


OR Socrates the wise  
To show me their devise  
Moderately to take  
This sorrow that I make  
For Philip sparrows sake  
So fervently I shake  
I feel my body quake  
So urgently I am brought  
Into careful thought  
Like andromaca hactors wife  
Was weary of her life  
When she had lost her joy  
Noble Hector of Troy  
In like manner also  
Increaseth my deadly woe  
For my sparrow is go●●●  
It was so pretty a fool  
It would sit on a stool  
And learned after my school  
For to keep his cut  
With Philip keep your cut.  
¶ It had a velvet cap  
And would sit upon my lap  
And seek after small worms  
And sotime white bread crumbs  
And many times and oft  
Between my breasts soft  
It would lie and rest  
It was proper and priest  
¶ Sometime he would gasp  
When he saw a wasp  
A fly or a gnat  
He would fly at that  
And prettily he would pant  
When he saw an ant  
Lord how he would pry  
After the butter fly  
Lord how he would hop  
After the gressop  
And when I, said, phyp phip  
Then he would leap and skip  
And take me by the lip  
Alas it will me slow  
That Philip is gone me fro  
¶ Si in i qui ta tes   

Alas I was evil at ease  
¶ Deprofundis clamavi  
When I saw my sparrow die.    


Now after my doom  
Dame Sulpicia at Rome  
whose name registered was  
For ever in tables of bras  
Because she did pass  
In poesy to indite  
And eloquently to write  
Though she would pretend  
My sparrow to commend  
I trow she could not amend  
Reporting the virtues all  
Of my sparrow royal  
¶ For it would come and go  
And i'll so to and fro  
And on me it would leap  
When I was a sleep  
And his feathers shake  
Where with he would make  
Me often for to wake  
And for to take him in  
Upon my naked skin  
God wots we thought no sin  
What though he crept so low  
It was no hurt I trow  
He did nothing perdee  
But sit upon my knee  
Philip though he were nice  
In him it was no vice  
Philip had leave to go  
To pike my little too  
Philip might be bold  
And do what he would  
Philip would seek and take  
All the flees black  
That he could there espy  
With his wanton eye  
D pe ra  
La sol fa fa  
Confitebor tibi domive toto cord me●  
Alas I would ride and go    


A Thousand mile of ground  
If any such might be found  
it were worth an hundredth pound  
Of king Croesus' gold  
Or of Artalus the old  
The rich prince of pargame  
Who so list the story to see  
Cadinus that his sister sought  
And he should be bought  
For gold and see  
He should over the see  
To wit, if he could bring  
Any of the spring  
Or any of the blood  
But who so understood  
Of Medea's art  
I would I had a part  
Of her crafty magic  
My sparrow than should be quick  
With a charm or twain  
And play with me again  
But all this is in vain  
Thus for to complain   

I took my sampler once  
Of purpose for the nonce  
To sow with stitches of silk  
My sparrow white as milk  
That by representation  
Of his image and fashion  
To me it might Import  
Some pleasure and comfort  
For my solace and sport  
But when I was so wing his beke  
Me thought my sparrow did speak  
And open his pretty bill  
Saying, maid ye are in will  
Again me for to kill  
Ye prick me in the head  
With that my needle ware read  
Me thought of Philyps' blood  
Mine here right upstode  
And was in such a fray  
My speech was taken away  
I kest down that there was  
And said alas, alas  
How cometh this to pass  
My fingers dead and cold  
Can not my sampler hold  
My needle and thread  
I threw away for dread  
The best now that I may  
Is for his soul to pray.  
¶ A porta inferi   

Good Lord have mercy  
Upon my sparrows soul  
Written in my bede roll  
¶ Au di ui vocem  
japhet came and Sem  
Ma gni fi cat  
Show me the right path    


TO the hills of harmony  
wherefore the birds yet cry  
Of your father's boat  
That was sometime a float  
And now they lie and ●ote  
Let some poets write  
Deucalious flood it hight  
But as verily, as ye be  
The natural sons three  
Of No the Patriarch  
That made that great ar●  
Wherein he had apes and owls  
Beasts, birds and fowls  
That if ye can find  
Any of my sparrows kind  
God send the soul good rest  
I would yet have a nest  
As pretty and as priest  
As my sparrow was  
But my Sparrow did pass  
All sparrows of the wood  
That were since noah's flood  
Was never none so good  
King Philip of Macedony  
Had no such Philip as I  
No no sir hardly.   

That vengeance. I ask & cry  
By way of exclamation  
On all the whole nation  
Of cats wild and tame  
God send them sorrow and shame  
That Cat specially  
That slew so cruelly  
My little pretty sparrow  
That I brought up at Carow.   

O cat of churlish kind  
The fiend was in thy mind  
When thou my bird untwind  
I would thou hadst been blind  
The leopards savage  
The lions in their rage  
Might catch the in their paws  
And gnaw the in their jam was  
These serpents of Libany  
Might sting the venomously  
The dragons with their tongues  
Might poison thy liver and lungs  
The manticors of the mountains  
Might feed them on thy brains   

Melanchates that hound  
That plucked Atteon to the ground  
Gave him his mortal wound  
Changed to a dear  
The story doth appear  
Was changed to an heart  
So thou foul cat, that thou art  
The self same hound  
Might the confound  
That his own Lord boat  
Might bite a sunder thy throat   

Of Ind the greedy gripes  
Might tear out all thy tripes  
Of Arcady the bears  
Might pluck away thine ears  
The wild wolf Lycaon  
By't a sondre thy back hone  
Of Ethna the brenning hill  
That day and night brenneth still  
Set in thy tail a blaze  
That all the world may gaze  
And wonder upon thee  
From Oction the great sea  
Unto the Isles of Orchadye  
From Tilbery ferry  
To the plain of Salisberye  
So traitorously my bird to kill  
That never ought the evil will  
Was never bird in cage  
More gentle of courage  
In doing his homage  
Unto his sovereign  
Alas I say again  
Deate hath departed us twain  
The false cat hath the slain  
Far well Philip a dew  
Our Lord thy soul rescewe  
Farewell without restore  
Farewell for ever more  
And it were a jew  
It would make one rue  
To see my sorrow new  
These vilanus false cats  
Were made for mice and rats  
And not for birds small  
Alas my face waxeth pale  
Telling this piteous tale  
How my bird so fair  
That was wont to repair  
And go in at myspayre  
And crepo in at my gore  
Of my gown before  
Flickering with his wings  
Alas my heart it stingeth  
Remembering pretty things  
Alas mine heart it slayeth  
My Philip's doleful death  
When I remember it  
How prettily it would sit  
Many times and oft  
Upon my finger aloft  
I played with him tittel tattel  
And fed him with my spattell  
With his bill between my lips  
It was my pretty Phips  
Many a pretty kiss  
Had I of his sweet musse  
And now the cause is thus  
That he is slain me fro  
To my great pain and woe   

Of fortune, this the chance  
Standeth an variance  
Oft time after pleasance  
Trouble and grievance  
No man can be sure  
●way to have pleasure  
〈◊〉 well perceive ye may  
●ow my disport and play  
●rom me was taken away  
●y Gyb our cat savage  
●hat in furious rage  
●aught Philip by the head  
●nd slew him there stark dead.  
●●rie eleyson Christ eleyson.  
●●rye leyson.    


FOr Philip sparrows soul  
Set in our bead roll  
Let us now whisper  
Pater noster.  
Lauda anima mea dominum.  
●o weep with me look that ye come  
●ll manner of birds in your kind  
●ee none be left behind  
To morning look that ye fawl  
With dolorous songs funeral  
●ome to sing, and some to say  
●ome to weep and some to pray  
●uery bird in his lay  
●he Goldfinch the wagtail  
The jangling jay to rail  
The flecked Pie to chatter  
Of this dolorous matter  
And Robin red breast  
He shallbe the priest  
The Requiem mass to sing  
Loftly warbeling  
With help of the red sparrow  
And the chattering swallow  
This hearse for to hallow  
The Lark with his long toe  
The spinke & the Martinet also  
The shovelar with his broad beck  
The doterell that foolish peck  
And also the mad coote  
With a bald face to toot  
The field fare and the snyte  
The crow and the kite  
The raven called rolfe  
His plain song to self  
The partridge, the quail  
The plover with us to wail  
The wodhacke that singeth churre  
Horsly as he had the murr  
The lusty chanting nightingale  
The popinjay to tell her tale  
That toteth oft in a glass  
Shall read the Gospel at mass  
The mavis with her whistle  
Shall read there the pistle  
But with a large and a long  
● keep just plain song  
Our chanters shallbe that Cuckove  
●he Culuer, the stockedove  
With puwyt the Lapwing  
●he versycles shall sing  
The Bitter with his bumpe  
The Crane with his trump  
The swan of Menander  
The Goose and the Gander  
●he duck and the drake  
Shall watch atthies wake  
The Peacock so proud  
Because his voice is loud  
And hath a glorious tale  
He shall sing the grail  
The Owl that so foul  
Must help us to howl  
the Heron so gaunt  
And the cormoraunte  
With the pheasant  
And the gagling gaunt  
And the churlish chough  
the rout and the kough  
the barnacle the buzzard  
With the wild mallard  
the divendop to sleep  
the water been to weep  
They puffin, and the tele  
Money they shall deal  
To poor folk at large  
That shallbe their charge  
The semew, and the titmose  
The woodcock with the long nose  
The three still with her warbling  
The starling with her brabbling  
The rook, with the Ospray  
That putteth fishes to afray  
And the dainty curlew  
With the turtle most true   

At this Placebo.  
We may not well forego  
The countering of the co  
The stork also  
That maketh his nest  
In chimneys to rest  
Within those walls  
No broken galls  
may there abide  
Of cokoldry side  
Or else Philosophy  
Maketh a greatly   

The Ostrich that will eat  
An horshowe so great  
In the stead of meat  
Such fervent heat  
His stomach doth fret  
He cannot well fly  
Nor sing tunably  
Yet at abraid  
He hath well assayed  
To solf a above Ela  
Fa lorell fa fa  
Ne quaando  
Male cantando  
The best that we can  
To make him our bellman  
An let him ring the bells  
He can do nothing else,  
Chaunteclere our Cock  
Must tell what is of the clock  
By the astrology  
That he hath naturally  
conceived and caught  
And was never taught  
By All bumazer  
The astronomer  
Nor by ptholomy  
Prince of Astronomer  
Nor yet by Haly  
And yet he croweth daily  
And nightly the tides  
That no man abides  
With partlot his hen  
Whom now and then  
He plucketh by the head  
when he doth her tread   

The bird of araby  
that potenciallye  
May never die  
And yet there is none  
But one alone  
A phoenix it is  
this hearse that must bliss  
With armaticke gums  
that cost great sums  
the way of thurification  
to make fumigation  
Sweet of reflarye  
And redolent of air  
This corpse for sense  
With great reverence  
As Patriarch or Pope  
In a black cope  
Whiles he senseth  
He shall sing the verse  
Libera me  
In de la sol re  
Softly bemole  
For my sparrows soul  
Plinni showeth all  
In his story natural  
What he doth find  
Of the Phoenix kind  
Of whose incineration  
There riseth a new creation  
Of the same fashion  
Without alteration  
Saving that old age  
Is turned into courage  
Of fresh youth again  
This matter true and plain  
Plain matter in deed  
Who so list to read   

But for the Eagle doth fly  
highest in the sky  
He shallbe thy se dean  
The quere to demean  
As provost principal  
To teach them their ordinal  
Also the noble falcon  
With the gerfawcon  
The tarsel gentle  
They shall morn soft and still  
In their amiss of grey  
The sacre with them shall say  
Dirige for Philip's soul  
The goshawk shall have a roll  
The querestrers to control  
The lanners and marlions  
shall standin their mourninggounes  
The hobby and the musket  
The sensers and the cross shall fet  
The kestrel in all this work  
shallbe holy water clarks  
And now the dark cloudy night  
Chaseth away phoebus bright  
taking his course toward the west  
God sand my sparoes' soul good rest  
Rcquien eternam dona eye domine  
Fa fa fa my re  
A por ta in fe ri  
Fa fa fa my my   

¶ Credo Videre bona domini  
I pray god philip to heaven may fly  
Domine exaudi or acionem me am  
to heaven he shall from heaven he came  
¶ Do mi nus vo bis cum of all good prayers god sand him sum Oremus.  
Deus cui propreum est miserere & percere  
On philip's soul have pity:    


FOr he was a pretty cock  
And came of a gentle stock  
and wrapped in a maiden's smock  
And cherished full daintily  
till cruel fate made him to die  
Alas for doleful destiny  
But where to should I  
Longer morn or cry?  
To jupiter I call  
Of heaven imperial  
That Philip may fly  
Above the sterrysky  
To tread the pretywrens  
That is our Lady's hen  
Amen, amen, amen  
¶ Yet one thing is behind  
That now cometh to mind  
An epitaph I would have  
For philip's grave  
But for I am a maid  
Timorous, half afraid  
That never yet a said  
Of Elycones well  
Where the muses dwell  
Though I can read and spell  
Recount report and tell  
Of the tales of Caunterbury  
Some sad stories, some mercy  
As Palomon, and Arcet  
Duke Theseus and partelet  
And of the wife of bath  
That worketh much scathe  
When her tale is told  
Among housewives bold  
How she controlled  
Her husbands as she would  
And them to despise  
In the homeliest wise  
Bring other wives in thought  
their husbands to set at nought   

And though that red have I  
Of Gawen and sir Guy  
And tell can a great piece  
Of the golden fleer  
How jason it won  
Like a valiant man  
Of Arturs round table  
with his knights commendable  
And dame Gaynour his Queen  
was somewhat wanton I ween  
How sir Launcelote de lake  
Many a spear broke  
For his ladies sake  
Of Tristrom and king Mark  
And all the whole work  
Of bele I sold his wife  
For whom was much strife  
Some say she was light  
And made her husband knight  
Of the common hall  
That cuckolds men call  
And of sir Libius  
Named Disconius  
Of quarter fylz Amunde  
And how they were summoned  
To Rome to Charlemagne  
Upon a great pain  
And how they road each one  
On Bayard Mountalbon  
Men see him now and then  
In the forest Arden  
What though I can frame  
The stories by name  
Of judas Machabeus  
And of Cesar julius  
And of the love between  
Paris and viene  
And of the duke of Hannyball  
That made the Romans all  
For dread and to quake  
How Scipion did wake  
The city of Cartage  
Which by his unmerciful rage  
He beat down to the ground  
And though I can expound  
Of Hector of Troy  
That was all their joy  
Whom Achilles slew  
Wherefore all Troy did rue  
And of the love so hot  
That made Troilus to dote  
Upon fair Cresseyde  
And what they wrote and said  
And of their wanton wills  
Pandaer bore the byls  
From one to the other  
His masters love to further  
Sometime a precious thing  
An ouche or else a ring  
From her to him again  
Sometime a pretty chain  
Or a bracelet of her hear  
Prayed Troilus for to wear  
That token for her sake  
How heartily he did it take  
And much thereof did make  
And all that was in vain  
For she did but fain  
The story telleth plain  
He could not obtain  
Though his father were a king  
Yet there was a thing  
That made the male to wring  
She made him to sing  
The song of lovers lay  
Musing night and day  
mourning all alone  
Comfort had he none  
For she was quite gone  
Thus in conclusion  
She brought him in abusion  
In earnest and in game  
She was much to blame  
Disparaged is her fame  
And blemished is her name  
In manner half with shame  
Troilus also hath lost  
On her much love and cost  
And now must kiss the post  
Pandara that went between  
Hath won nothing I ween  
But light for summer green  
Yet for a special laud  
He is named Troyllous bawd  
Of that name he is sure  
Whiles the world shall dure   

Though I remember the fable  
Of Penelope most stable  
To her husband most true  
Yet long time she ne knew  
Whether he were on live or dead  
Her wit stood her in stead  
That she was true and just  
For any bodily lust  
To Ulixes her make  
And never would him forsake   

Of Marcus Marcellus  
A prosses I could tell us  
And of Anteocus  
And of josep hus  
De antiquitatibus  
And of Mardocheus  
And of great Assuerus  
And of Uesca his Queen  
Whom he forsook with teen  
And of Hester his otherwife  
With whom he led a pleasant life  
Of king Alerander  
And of king evander  
And of Porcena the great  
That made the romans to smart   

Though I have enrolled  
A thousand new and old  
Of these historyous tales  
To fill bougets and ●ales  
With books that I have red  
Yet I am nothing syed  
And can but jytle skill  
Of Ovid or Uergil   

Or of Plutharke  
Or of France's Petrarke  
Alcheus or Sappho  
Or such other poets more.  
As Linus and Homerus  
Enphorion and Theocritus  
Anacreon an Arion  
Sophocles and Philemon  
Pindarus and Dimonides  
Philiston & Phorocides  
These poets of ancienty  
They are to diffuse for me   

For as I tofore have said  
I am but a young maid  
And cannot in effect  
My style as yet direct  
With english words elect  
Our natural tongue is rude  
And hard to be enneude  
With pollyshed terms lusty  
Our language is so rusty  
So tankered and so full  
Of frowardes and so dull  
That if I would apply  
To write ordinately  
I wots not where to find  
Terms to serve my mind  
gower's english is old  
And of no value is told  
His matter is worth gold  
And worthy to be enrolled   

In Chauser I am sped  
His tales I have red  
His matter is delectable  
Solacious and commendable  
His english well allowed  
So as it is enprowed  
For as it is employed  
There is no english void  
At those days much commended  
And now men would have amended  
His english where at they bark  
And mar all they work  
Chaucer that famous Clerk  
His terms were not dark  
But pleasant easy, and plain  
No word he wrote in vain   

Also John Lydgate  
writeth after an higher rate  
It is diffuse to find  
The sentence of his mind  
Yet writeth he in his kind  
No man that can amend  
Those matters that he hath penned  
Yet some men find a fault  
And say he writeth to haut   

Wherefore hold me excused  
If I have not well perused  
Mine english half abused  
Though it be refused  
In worth I shall it take  
And fewer words maken   

But for my sparrows sake  
Yet as a woman may  
My wit I shall assay  
An epitaph to wright  
In latin plain and light  
Whereof the Elegy  
Followeth by and by  
Flos Volucrum formose Valo  
Philippe sub is to  
Marmore iam recubas  
Quis mihi carus cras  
Semper erunt niido  
Radiantia sidera celo  
Impressusque meo  
Pectore semper eris  
Per me Laurigerum  
Britanum Skeltonida Vaten  
Hec cecinisse licet  
Ficta sub imagine texta  
Cuius eris volucris  
Prestanti corpore Vrgo  
Candida Nais erat  
Formosior ista joanna est  
Docta corinna fuit  
Sed magis ista sapit   
Bien men sovient.   

The commendations.  

BEati immaculati in via  
O gloriosa sa femina  
Now mine hole imagination  
And studious meditation  
Is to take this commendation  
In this consideration  
And under patient toleration  
Of that most godly maid  
That Placebo hath said  
And for her sparrow prayed  
In lamentable wise   

Now will I enterprise  
Thorough the grace divine  
Of the muses nine  
Her beauty to commend  
If Arethusa will send  
Me influence to indite  
And with my pen to write  
If Apollo will promise  
Melodiously it to devise  
His tunable harp strings  
With harmony that sings  
Of Princes and of kings  
And of all pleasant things  
Of lust and of delight  
Thorough his godly might  
To whom be the laud ascribed  
That my pen hath enbibed  
With the aureat drops  
As verily my hope is  
Of Thagus that golden flood  
That passeth all the earthly good  
And as that flood doth pass  
All floods that ever was  
With his golden sands  
Who so that understands  
Cosmography: and the streams  
And the floods in strange rheims  
Right so she doth exceed  
All other of whom we read  
Whose fame by me shall spread  
Into Perce and Mede  
From britons Albion  
To the tour of Babylon   

I trust it is no shame  
And no man will me blame  
Though I register her name  
In the court of fame  
For this most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina    


Retribue servo tuo vivifica me.  
L●bia mea laudabunt te.   

BUt enforced am I  
Openly to askry   

And to make an out cry  
Against odious envy  
That evermore will lie  
And say cursedly  
With his leather eye  
And cheeks dry  
With visage won  
As swart as tan  
His bones crack  
Lean as a rake  
His gums rusty  
Are full unlusty  
His heart with all  
Bitter as gall  
His liver his longs  
With anger is wrong  
His serpent's tongue  
That many one hath stonge  
He frowneth cuer  
He laugheth never  
Even nor morrow  
But other men's sorrow  
Causeth him to grin  
And rejoice therein.  
No sleep can him catch  
But ever doth watch  
he is so beat  
With malice and frete  
With anger and ire  
his foul desire  
Will suffer no sleep  
In his head to creep   

His foul semblant  
All displeasant  
When other are glad  
Than is he sad  
Frantic and mad  
His tongue never still  
For to say ill  
Writhing and wring  
Biting and stinging  
And thus this elf  
Consumeth himself  
Himself doth slow  
With pain and woe  
This false envy  
Saith that I  
Use great folly  
For to indite  
And for to write  
And spend my time  
In prose and rhyme  
For to express  
The nobleness  
Of my master  
That causeth me  
Studious to be  
To make a relation  
Of her commendation  
And there again  
Envy doth complain  
And hath disdain  
But yet certain  
I will be plain  
And my style dres  
To this prosses   

Now Phoebus me ken  
To sharp my pen  
And lead my fist  
As him best list  
That I may say  
Honour alway  
Of woman kind  
Truth doth me bind  
And loyalty  
Ever to be  
Their true beadle  
To write and tell  
How women excel  
In nobleness  
As my master  
Of whom I think  
With pen and ink  
For to compile  
Some goodly style  
For this most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina    


Legem pone michi domine in viam iustificationum tuarum.  
Quemadmodum desiderat ceruus ad fontes aquarum.   

How shall I report  
All the godly fort  
Of her features clear  
That hath none earthly peer  
Her favour of her face  
Ennewed with all grace  
comfort pleasure and solace  
Mine heart doth so embrace  
And so hath ravished me  
Her to behold and see  
That in words plain  
I cannot me refrain  
To look to her again  
Alas what should I feign  
It were a pleasant pain  
With her aye to remain   

Her eyen grey and steep  
Causeth mine heart to leepe  
With her brows bent  
She may well represent  
Fair Lucres as I ween  
Or else fair Polexene  
Or else Calliope  
Or else Penolope  
For this most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina  
Memor esto Verbi tui servo tuo  
servus tuus sum ego    


THe India Sapphire blewe  
Her veins doth ennew  
The Orient pearl so clear  
The witness of her lere  
The lusty ruby ruddes  
Resemble the Rose buds  
Her lips soft and merry  
Emblomed like the cherry  
It were an heavenly bliss  
Her sugared mouth to kiss   

Her beauty to augment  
Dame nature hath her lente  
A wart upon her cheek  
Who so list to seek  
In her visage a scar  
That seemeth from a far  
Like to the radiant star  
Al with favour fret  
So properly it is set  
She is the violet  
The daisy delectable  
The columbine commendable  
This ielofer amiable  
This most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina  
Bonitatem fecisti cum servo tuo domina  
Et ex precordus sonant preconia.    


ANd when I perceived  
Her wart and conceived  
It can not be denayed  
But it was well conveyed  
And set so womanly  
And nothing wanton  
But right conveniently  
And full congruently  
As nature could devise  
In most goodly wise  
Who so list behold  
It maketh lovers bold  
To her to sue for grace  
Her favour to purchase  
The sker upon her chin  
Enhached on her fair skin  
Whiter than the swan  
It would make any man  
To forget deadly sin  
Her favour to win  
For this most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina   
Defecit in salutate tuum anima mea quid petis filio, matter dulcissima ba ba.   

SOft and make no din  
For now I will begin  
To have in remembrance  
Her goodly dalliance  
And her goodly pastance  
So sad and so demure  
Behaving her so sure  
With words of pleasure  
She would make to the lure  
And any man convert  
To give her his whole heart  
She made me sore amazed  
Upon her when I gazed  
Me thought mine heart was crazed  
My eyen were so dazed  
For this most goodly flower  
The blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claricate gemina  
O gloriosa femina   

Quomodo dilixi legem tuam domina.  
Recedant vetera nova sunt omnia.  
ANd to amend her tale  
When she list to avail  
And with her fingers small  
And hands soft as silk  
Whiter than milk  
That are so quickly vained  
Wherewith my hand she strained  
Lord how I was pained  
Unneth I me refrained  
How she me had reclaimed  
And me to her retained  
embracing there with all  
Her goodly middle small  
With sides long and straight  
To tell you what conceit  
I had then in a trice  
The matter were to nice  
And yet there was no vice  
Nor yet no villainy  
But only fantasy  
For this most goodly flower  
The blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina  
¶ Iniquos odio habui  
Non calumnientur me superbi.   

BUt whereto should I note  
How often did I ●ote  
Upon her pretty foot  
It raised mine heart rote  
To see her tread the grounds  
With heel's short and round  
She is plainly express  
Egeria the goddess  
And like to her image  
Importured with courage  
A lovers pilgrimage  
There is no best savage  
Ne no tiger so wood  
But she would change his mood  
Such relucent grace  
Is form in her face  
For this most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina  
Mirabilia testimonia tua  
Sicut novelle plantacomes in inventute sua   

SO goodly as she dresses  
So properly she presses  
The bright golden tresses  
Of her hear so fine  
Like Phoebus' beams shine  
Where to should I disclose  
The gartering of her hose  
It is for to suppose  
How that she can wear  
Gorgiouslye her gear  
Her fresh habilementes  
With other implements  
To serve for all intents  
Like dame flora queen  
Of lusty summer green  
This most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina  
Clamavi in toto cord exaudi me▪  
Mia tua magna est super me.   

HEr kyrtel so goodly lase  
And under that is braced  
Such pleasures that I may  
Neither write nor say  
Yet though I writ not with ink  
No man can let me think  
For thought hath liberti  
Thought is frank and free  
To think a merry thought  
It cost me little or nought  
Would god mine homely style  
Were polished with the file  
Of Cicero's eloquence  
To praise her excellence  
The most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac claritate gemina  
O gloriosa femina  
Principes persecuti sunt me gratis  
Omnibus consideratis. Paradisus voluptatis, hec virgo est dulcissima.   

MI pen it is unable  
My hand it is unstable  
My reason rude and dull  
To praise her at the full  
Goodly mistress jane  
Sober, demure Diane  
jane this mistress hight  
The load star of delight  
Dame Venus of all pleasure  
The well of worldly treasure  
She doth exceed and pass  
In Prudence dame Pallas  
The most goodly flower  
This blossom of fresh colour  
So jupiter me succour  
She flourisheth new and new  
In beauty and virtue  
Hac cla●itate gemina  
O gloriosa femina   

RFquiem eternam dona eis domine  
With this psalm. Domine probasti me  
Shall sail over the sea  
With tibi domine commendamus  
On pilgrimages to saint jamys  
For shrimps, and for pranes  
And for stalking crane's  
And where my pen hath offended  
I pray you it may be amended  
By discrete consideration  
Of your wise reformation  
I have not offended I trust  
If it be sadly discussed  
It were no gentle guise  
This treatise to despise  
Because I have written and said  
Honour of this fair maid  
Wherefore should I be blamed  
That I jave named  
And famously proclaimed  
She is worthy to be enrolled  
With letters of gold.  
PEr me Laurigerum Britonum  
Skeltonida latem  
Laudibus eximiis merito, hec remedita puella est  
Formosam poc●cini qua non formosior Vlla est  
Formosam pocius, quam commendaret homerus  
Sic juuat interdum regidos recreare labores  
Nec minus hoc titulo tersa minerva mea est.  
Rien que plaisere.  
Thus endeth the book of Philip sparrow, & here followeth an addition made by master Skelton.   

THe guise now a days  
Of some jangling jays  
Is to discommend  
That they cannot amend  
Though they would spanned  
All the wits they have  
What ail them to deprave  
Philip sparrows grave  
His dirige: her commendation  
Can be no derogation  
But mirth and consolation  
Made by protestation  
No man to miscontent  
With Phillippes interment  
Alas that goodly maid  
Why should she be afraid  
Why should she take shame  
That her goodly name  
Honourably reported  
Should be set and sorted  
To be matriculate  
With Ladies of estate  
I conjure the Philip sparrow  
By Hercules that hell did harow  
And with a venomous a-row  
Slew of the Epidaures  
One of the Centaurs  
Or Onocentaures  
Or Hipocentaurius  
By whose might and main  
An heart was slain  
With horns twain  
Of glittering gold  
And the apples of gold  
Of Hesperides withhold  
And with a dragon kept  
That never more slept  
By martial strength  
He won at length  
And slew Geryon  
With three bodies in one  
With mighty courage  
Auaunted the rage  
Of a Lion savage  
Of Dyomedes' stable  
He brought out a rabble  
Of coursers and rounses  
With leaps and bounses  
And with mighty lugging  
Wrestling and tugging  
He plucked the bull  
By the horned skull  
And offered to Cornucopia  
And so forth per cetera  
Also by Ecates' bower  
In Plutus ghastly tower  
By the ugly Eumenides  
That never have rest nor ease  
By the venomous serpent  
That in hell is never brent  
In Lerna the Greeks ●en  
That was engendered then  
By Chemeras' flames  
And all the deadly names  
Of infernal posty  
Where souls fry and rosty  
By the stigial flood  
And the streams would  
Of Cocytus botumles well  
By the ferryman of hell  
Charon with his beard hoar  
That roweth with a rude ore  
And with his fore top  
Gideth his boat with a prop  
I conjure Philip and call  
In the name of king Saul  
Primo regum express  
He had the Phitonesse  
To witchcraft her to dres  
And by her abusions  
And damnable illusions  
Of marvelous conclusions  
And by her superstitions  
And wonderful conditions  
She raised up in that stead  
Samuel that was dead  
But whether it were so  
He were, idem in numero  
The self same Samuel  
How be it to Saul did he tell  
The Philistines should him ascry  
And the next day he should die  
I will myself discharge  
To lettred men at large  
But Philip I conjure thee  
Now by these names three  
Diana in the woods green  
Luna that so bright doth shine  
Proserpina in hell  
That thou shortly tell  
And show now unto me  
What the cause may be  
Of this perplexity  
Inferia phillippe Scroupe pulchra johanna  
Instanter perfect, cur nostri camis nis illam  
Nunc puder, est sero, minor est infamia Vero.  
Than such as have disdained  
And of this work complained  
I pray God they be pained  
No worse than is contained  
In verses two or three  
That follow as ye may see  
Luride cur livor Voluctis pia funera damnas  
Taliate rapiant, rapiunt que fata Volucrum  
Est tamen invidiu mors tibi contnua.    

Skelton Laureate against a comel Coystrowne that curiowsly chauntyd And curryshly cowntred, And madly in his Musics mokkyshly made, Against the ix. Musis of politic Poems and Poettys matriculat.  


OF all nations under the heaven.  
These frantyke fools I hate most of all.  
For though they stumble in the sins seven.  
In pevyshnes yet they snapper and fall.  
Which men the. viii. deadly sins call.  
This peevish proud this prender guessed.  
When he is well yet can he not rest.   

A sweet sugar loaf & sour bayards bun.  
Besumdele like in form and shap  
The one for a duke the other for dun.  
A manchet for morel thereon to snap.  
His heart is to hy to have any hap.  
But for in his game ut carp that he can.  
Lo Jack would be a jentylman   

With hay troly loly lo whip here Jack.  
Alumbek sodyldym syllorym been.  
Curyowsly he can both counter and knak  
Of Martin swart and all his merry men.  
Lord how perkyn is proud of his Pohen.  
But ask where he fyndyth among his monacordes.  
An holy water clerk a ruler of lords.   

He can not find it in rule nor in space.  
He solfyth to haute his Trybyll is to high.  
He braggyth of his birth that borne was full base  
His music without measure to sharp is his mies.  
He trymmyth in his tenor to counter pridewy.  
His discant is busy it is without a mean.  
To fat is his fantsy his wit is to lean.   

He lumbryth on a lewd lewte roty bull Ioyse.  
Rumbill down tumbil down hay go now now.  
He fumblyth in his fyngering an ugly good noise.  
It seemeth the sobbing of an old sow.  
He would be made much of & he wist how.  
We'll sped In spyndels & turning of tavellies.  
Abungler, a brawler, a pyker of quarrels.   

Comely he clappyth a pair of clavycordies.  
He whystelyth so sweetly he maketh me to sweat.  
His descant is dashed full of discords  
ar angry man but easy to entreat.  
An usher of the hall fain would I get.  
To point this proud page a place and a room  
For Jack would be a jentilman that late was a groom   

Jack would jet and yet jyll said nay.  
He counteth in his countenance to check with that best.  
A malapert meddler that pryeth for his prey  
In a dish dare he rush at the rypest,  
Dreaming in dumpies to wrangill & to wrest.  
He findeth a proportion in his prick song.  
To drink at a draft a large and a long   

Nay jape not with him he is no small fool  
It is a solemn sire and a solayne.  
For lords and ladies learn at his school  
He teacheth them so wisely to solf and to feign  
That neither they sing well prike song nor plain  
This doctor dellias commensyd in a cart.  
A master, a minstrel, a fydler, a fart.   

What though ye can cownter Custodinos.  
As well it becomith you a parish town Clarke.  
To sing Supitati dedit Egros  
Yet bear ye not to bold to brawl ne to bark  
At me, that medeled nothing with your wark.  
Correct first thyself, walk and be nought.  
deem what thou list thou knowist not my thought.   

A proverb of old say well or be still.  
Ye are to unhappy occasion to find.  
Upon me to clater or else to say ill.  
Now have I showed you part of your proud mind  
Take this in worth the best is behind.  
written at Croyden by Crowland in the Clay.  
On Candelmas even the Kalendas of May.   
FINIS.   


Contra alium Cantitatem & Organisantem  
Asinum, qui impugnabat Skeltonida  
Pierium, Sarcasmos.   

PRponenda meis non sunt tua plectra camenis. Necquantum nostra fistula clara tua est.  
Sepelicet liricos modularis arundine psalmos, Et tremulos calamis concinis ipse modos:  
Quamuis mill tuus digitus dat carmine plausus, Nam tua quam tua vox est mage docta manus:  
Quamuis cuncta facis tumida sub mente superbus, Gratior est Phaebo fistula nostra tamen.  
Ergo tuum stude as animo deponere fastum, Et violare sacrum desine Stulte virum.     

Skelton Laureate upon a deedmans' head that was sent to him from an honourable jentil woman for a token, Devysyd this ghostly meditation in English, Covenable in sentence Commendable, Lamentable, Lacrimable, Profitable for the soul.  
your ugly token,  
My mind hath broken,  
From worldly lust.  
For I have dyscust,  
We are but dust,  
And die we must.  

It is general  
To be mortal,  
I have well espied  
No man may him hide:  
From death hollow eyed.  
With sinews wyderyd,  
With bones shyderyd,  
With his worm etyn maw,  
And his ghastly jaw.  
Gasping aside,  
naked of hide,  
Neither flesh not fell.  
Then by my council,  
Look that ye spell,  
Well this gospel.  
For where so we dwell,  
Death will us qwell,  
And with us mell.  
For all our pamperde paunchiss  
There may no fraunchies,  
Nor worldly bliss,  
Redeem us from this,  
Our days be datyd,  
To be check matyd,  
With drawtties of death,  
Stopping our breath,  
Our eyen sinking,  
Our bodies stinking,  
Our gummies grynning.  
Our souls brynning.  
To whom then shall we sew,  
For to have rescue,  
But to sweet jesus,  
On us then for to rue.  
O goodly child,  
Of Mary mild,  
Then be our shield.  
That we be not exyld,  
To the dine dale,  
Of botemles bale,  
Nor to the lake,  
Of fendys' black.  
But grant us grace  
To see thy face,  
And to purchase,  
Thine heavenly place.  
And thy palace,  
Full of solace.  
Above the sky,  
That is so hy. Eternally.  
To behold and see.  
The trinity. Amen.  
Mirres vous y.    


VUomanhod wanton ye want.  
Your medeling masters is manerles.  
Plenty of ill of goodness scant.  
Ye rayll at riot reckless.  
To praise your port it is needles.  
For all your draff yet and your dreggys'.  
As well borne as ye full oft time beggys'.   

Why so koy and full of scorn.  
Mine horse is sold I ween you say.  
My new furred gown when it is worn.  
Put up your purse ye shall none pay.  
By Crede I trust to see the day.  
As proud a pohen as ye spread.  
Of me and other ye may have need.   

Though angelic be your smiling.  
Yet is your tongue an adders tail.  
Full like a scorpion stinging.  
All those by whom ye have avail.  
Good masters Anne there ye do shayle.  
What prate ye praty pyggys' nigh.  
I trust to quite you or I die.   

Your key is meet for every lok.  
Your key is comen and hangyth out.  
Your key is ready we need not knok.  
Nor stand long wresting there about.  
Of your doregate ye have no doubt.  
But one thing is that ye be lewd.  
Hold your tongue now all be shrewd.   

To masters Anne that farly sweet.  
That wonnes at the key intemmys street.    

The book of three fools M. Skelton poet Laureate, Gave to my Lord cardinal  

The first fool.  
The man that doth wed a wife  
For her goods and her richesse  
And not for lineage femynatyfe  
Procureth dolour and distress  
With infinite pain and heaviness  
For she will do him much sorrow  
Both at even and at morrow.   

The second fool  
The darts right cursed of envy  
Hath rained sith the world began  
Which bringeth man evidently  
In to the bonds of Satan  
Wherefore he is a discrete man  
That can eschew that evil sin  
Where body and soul is lost in   

The third fool  
divers by voluptuousness  
Of women the which be present  
Be brought in to full great distress  
Forgetting virtues excellent  
Of god the which is permanent  
And suffereth themself to be bound  
In cords as it were a hound.   

COme hither & take this Book & read therein for your learning with clear iyeu, and look in this book that showeth you foolish Fools, without wit or understanding Pecunyous Fools that be avarice, and for to have good time, and to live merrily, weddeth these old wyddred women, which hath sacks full of nobles, claryfye here your sight, & ye shall know what goodness cometh thereby, and what joy and gladness Some there be that habandoneth themself for to gather together the dung that yssuethoute of their asses arse, for to find evermore grese, it is great folly truly, but yet the young man is more folyssher, the which weddeth an old wife, for to have her gold & silver. I say that he is a great Fool that taketh anne old wife, for her goods and is much to blame  
They the which do so, procureth all tribulations. For with her he shall neither have joy, recreation, nor rest. He nourisheth strifes, and great debates, thought, pain, anguish, & melancholy. And if he would accomplish the works of marriage, he may not, for she is so debility cold, unpropyce, unnatural, and undyscur rent, for the coldness that is in her. The husband of this old wife hath none esperance to have lineage by her, for he never loved her. The man is a very Fool to make his demoraunce upon such an old wife, when he thinketh sometime upon such things, he loseth his natural wit, in cursing himself more than a. M. times with the gold and the silver, & the cursed hazard of Fortune. And when he seeth his poor life in such distress, his heart is all oppressed with melancholy and dolour, but when the unhappy man seeth that it is force and that he is constraineth to have patience, he puttteth his cure to draw to him the money of the old wyddred woman in making to her glad cheer. And when he hath the money and the bag with nobles, God knoweeth what cheer he maketh, without thinking on them that gathereth it And when he hath spent all, he is more unhappyer than he was before, if that the fool be unhappy, it is well right, for he hath wedded avarice, mother of all evils, if he had taken a wife that had been fair and young after his complexion, he had not fallen into so great an inconvenience. It is written in ancient books that he which weddeth a wife by avarice, and not for to have lineage, hath no cure of the honesty of matrimony, and thinketh full evil on his conscience, The Unyon of marriage in decayed, for under the colour of good and loyal marriage is wedded avarice as we secuery day by experience through the world And one will have a wife, and that he mark his to be demanded in marriage, they will inquire of his riches and cunning. And on the other side he will demand great goods with her, to nourish her with. For and her father and mother and friends have no great riches, he will not of her. But, and she be rich he demandeth none other thing. It is written that one were better have his house in desert, where as no mention should be of him, thenne to bide with such wives, for they be replete with all cursedness. And the poor fool breaketh his heart, he loseth his soul and corrompeth his body. He selleth his youth unto the old wife that weddeth her for anaryce, and hath but noise and dissension, in using his life thus in sin Consydre you fools what servitude ye put yourself in, when ye wed such wives. I pray you be chaste if that ye will live without unhap. My friends which be not in that band, put you not therein, and ye shallbe well happy Notwithstanding I defend you not to marry but I exhort you to take a wife that ye may have progeny by, & solace bodily and ghostly, and thereby to win the joys of paradise.   

Of Envy, the second Foole.  
Approach you folly she envious, the which can say no good by them that ye hate, come and see in this Book, your perverse and evil conditions. O envy that devoureth the conditions of men, and dyssypers of honour. Thou makest to have ravisshing hearts famished, thou brennest the desires, and slayeth the soul in the end, thou engendrest the dart environed with mischief that which traveleth divers folks. Cursed fool how hast thou thy heart so replete with cruelty, for if I have temporal goods thou wilt have envy thereat, or if that I can work well, & that I apply me unto divers things the which be honest, or if that I have castles, lands, and tenements or if that I am exalted unto honour by my science, or won it by hardiness truly and iustyle, or if that I am beloved of divers persons which reclaimeth me good & virtuous, and of a noble courage, thou wilt vilep end me with thy words, thou wottest never in what manner thou mayst adnychell mine honour, Thy malicious heart is hurt with a mortal wound in such wise that thou haste no joy nor solace in this world, for the dart of Envy pierceth thy heart like a spear. Thou hast wild liquor, the which maketh all thy stomach to be on a flame. There is no medicine that may hele thy mortal wound. I being in a place, where as mine honour was magnified, thought for to have taken alliance with an odyffe rant flower, but all suddenly I was smitten with a dart of envy be hind my back, wherthroughe all though that were on my party turned their backs upon me, for to agree to one of Venus' dissolate servants, proceeding, from a heart, envenomed with envy. Wherefore I shall specify unto you the conditions of the envious. who that holdeth him of the subjects of envy, she constytueth to devour, and bite every bodyegyving unhaps and miseries unto her servants. Such folks doth the innocent a thousand wrongs. They be replenished with so many treasons, that they can not siepe in their beds, they have no sweet canticles nor songs. They have their tongues honeyed with sweet words under the colour of love, they be lean, and infect of rigour: these envious more bytterer then the gall of the fish Glauca, with their eyen beholding a travers of stomachs chaufed syntillously, and without these mouths as the vine that is new cut, they be environed with rage and great anguish, beholding evermore to destroy some body. conceive the history of joseph in your minds, the which had seven. brethren that were envious against him which was the youngest and sold him unto the merchants of egypt by envy, & betrayed him. The which were delivered of a long time to have destroyed him. These ewious never laugh, but when some good man hath damage upon the see or land, or at the disfortune of some body, he drinketh his blood as milk, notwithstanding, his heart is ever embraced with envy, and as long as he liveth it shall gnaw his heart. He resembleth unto Ethua which brenneth always. As of Romulus and Remus his brother, the which Romulus edified first Rome, and gave it to name Rome, after his own name. Nevertheless they were passed ours for they established laws in the city And Romulus punished every body equally. He did institute limits or marks about the city, and ordained that he that passed the limits should be put to death. His brother passed them, wherefore he was put unto death incontinente in the same place. We read also how Cayme slew his own brother by envy. Have we not ensample semblably of Atreus, of whom his brother occupied the park, how well that they were in the realm strong and puissant, for to defend them, It was Theseus' that expulsed his brother out of the realm by envy, and was called again because that he had taken the park, & finally was banished, and by envy and under the colour of peace he was sent for. And when he was comen unto a Feast, he made his two children for to be rested, and made them to drink their blood. O what horror was it to see his two children die that were so discrete? In likewise Ethiocles by his brethren received great enormities by that cursed envy. O thou prudent man if thou wilt be discrete, good, and wise fly from envy, and thou shalt find thyself sound of body and soul.   

Of the voluptuousness corporal The third Foole.  
Right heartily I beseech you foolish & Lecherous people, that it will please you for to come and make a little Collation in this Book, and if there be any thing, that I can do for you, I am all yours both body and goods, for truly I have an ardaunte desire to do you some meditorious deed, because that I have ever frequented your service.  
Now hearken what I have found you cautelous women. They that the Paps be seen all naked, their heir combed and trussed in divers places marvelously be unreasonable Fools, for they dress them like voluptuous harlots that make their heir to appear at their brows yellow as fine gold made in little tresses for to draw young folk to their love. Some for to have their goods presenteth to them their beds for to take their carnal desires And after that they have taken all their disports, they pill them as an Onion, The other for to have their pleasures mondayne chooseth them that we love best & maketh sygnyfyaunce to them saying that she is anamoured on them Thou art a very Idyot so to abandon thyself unto the vile sin of Lechery, for thou lettest thyself be wrapped therein, like as a calf, or a sheep is bound in a cord. In such wise that ye can not unbind yourself. O fool have aspect unto that which thou commyttest for thou puttest thy poor soul in great danger of damnation eternal, thou puttest thy goods, thine understanding, and thy joy, unto dolorous perdition and for all that ye be in your worldly pleasures, yet it is mingled with distress, or with misery, great thought or melancholy. I require thee leave thy wordly pleasures that endureth no longer than the Grass of the field If you have joy one only moment thou shalt have twain of sorrow for it. We read of Sardanapalus that for his lechery and lybidinosite fell into hell, the which put himself in the guise of a poor woman, his men seeing him so obstinate in that vile sin, slew him, and so finished he his days for following of his pleasance mundane. The sovereign creator was more puissant then this wretched sinner, let us not apply ourself thereto sith that he punisheth sinners so asperly, but with all our hearts enfarce we ourself for to 〈◊〉 against that vile and abominable sin of lechery, the which 〈…〉 of enfection and bitterness, 〈◊〉 it sustaineth the soul of man: flefrome the foolish women that pilleth the lovers unto the hard bones, and you shall be beloved of GOD, and also of the world.    


En Parlement à Paris.  
justice est morte & verité sommeille,  
Droit & raison sont allez aux pardons  
Les deux premiers: Nul ne les resueille,  
Et les derniers, sont corrompus par dons.   

Out of French into Latin.  
Abstulit atra dies Astream: cana fides sed somno praessa jacet: ius iter arripuit.  
Et secum ratio proficiscens limit longo. Nemo duas primas evigilare parat;  
Atque duo postrema absunt, & numera tantum Impediunt, nequeunt ꝓ remeari domum.   

Out of Latin into English.  
justice now is dead,  
Troth with a drowsy head,  
As heavy as the lead  
Is laid down to sleep,  
And bidythe no keep  
And right is ever fallow;  
Gone to seek halows  
With Reason to gidder  
No man can tell whether  
No man will undertake  
The first twain to a wake:  
And the twain last  
Be withhold so fast  
With money, as men say  
They can not come again,    

Epithaphe.  
This treatise devysed it is  
Of two knaves sometime of dis.  
Though this knaves be dead  
Full of mischief and queed  
Yet where so ever they lie  
Their names shall never die.  
❧ Compendium de duobus versipellibus john jayberd & Adam ali. a knave Deque illorum notissima vilitate.  

¶ A devout trentale for old john Clarke, sometime the holy patriarch of dis.  

Sequitur trigentale  
Tale quale rationale  
Licet parum curiale  
Tamen satis est formale  
joannis Clerc hominis  
Cuiusdam maltimonijs  
joannes jayberd qui vocatur  
Clerc cleribus nuncupatur  
Obijt sanctus iste pater  
Anno domini. M. D. Sexto  
In parochia de dis  
Non erat sibi similis  
In malicia vir insignis  
Duplex cord & bilinguis  
Senio confectus  
Omnibus suspectus  
Nemini dilectus  
Sepultus est among the weeds  
God forgive him his misdeeds   

❧ Dulce melos penetrans Celos.  
Carmina cum cannis  
Cantemus festa joannis  
Clerke obijt vere  
jayberde nomen quae dedere  
Dis populus natus  
Clerk cleribus est quae vocatus  
Hic vir caldeus  
Nequam vir ceu jebuseus  
In christum domini  
Fremuit de more cameli  
Rectori proprio  
Tam verba retorta loquende  
unde resultando  
Quae acheronta boando tonaret  
Nunquam sincere  
Solitus sua crimina flere  
Cui male lingua loquax  
Quae dicax mendax quae fuere  
Et mores tales  
Resident in nemine quales  
Carpens vitales  
Auras turbare sodales  
Et cines socias  
Asinus mulus velut & bos  
O mne suum studium  
Rubium pictum per amictum  
Discolor & victum  
Faciens semper maledictum  
Ex intestinis ovium  
Quae boum quae caprorum  
Tendens ad quae forum  
Fragmentum colligit horum  
Dentibus exemptis  
Mastigat cum quae polentis  
Lanigerum caput caput  
Aut vacce mugientis  
Quid petis? hic sit quis  
john jayberd. Nicolas de dis  
Cui dum vixerat is  
Sociantur iurgia vis lis   

jam jacet hic stark deed  
Never a tooth in his heed  
A dieu. jayberd. a due  
I faith dikkon thou crew  
Fratres orate  
For this knavate  
By the holy Rode  
Did never man good  
I pray you all  
And pray shall  
At this trental  
On knees to fall  
To the foot ball  
With fill the black bowl  
For jayberdes' soul  
Bibite multum  
Ecce sepultum  
Sub pede stultum  
Asinum & mulum  
The devil kiss his culum  
Wit hey how Rumbelowe  
Rumpopulornm  
Per omnia secula seculorum.  
Amen.   

Requiem, etc.   

Per fredericum hely  
Fratrem de monte carmeli  
Qui condunt sine sale  
Hoc devotum Trigintale  
Vale jayberd, valde male.   
Finis.   

Adam uddersale. alias dictus Adam all. a knave his Epitaph. Followeth devoutly, He was sometime the holy baillyve of dis.  

Of dis.  
Adam degebat  
Dum vixit falsa gerebat  
namquae extorquebat  
Quicquid natiuus habebat  
Aut liber natus. Rapidus  
Lupus inde vocatus.  
Ecclesiam quae satus  
De belial iste Pilatus  
Sub pede calcatus  
Violavit nunc violatus  
Perfidus iratus  
Numquam fuit ille beatus  
Vddersall stratus  
Benedictus est spoliatus  
Improbus inflatus  
Maledictus iam laceratus  
Sis tibi baccatus  
Balians predominatus  
Hic fuit ingratus  
Porcus velut insaciatus  
Pinguis crassatus  
Velut aggag fit reprobatus  
Crudelis quae cacus  
Baratro peto sit timulatus  
Beelzebub his soul save  
Qui jacet hic like a knave.  
I am scio mortuus est  
& lacet hic like a best.  
Anima eius,  
De malo in pevis  
Amen.   

De dis hec semper erit camena,  
Adam uddersall sit anathema.   
Auctore Skelton Rectore de Dis.   
Finis. etc.  
Apud Trumpiton scripter per Curatum eiusdem quinto die januarij Anno domini secundum computat Anglie M. D. Seven.  Adam adam ubi es. Genesis ℟ ubi nulla requies. Vbi nullus ordo, sed sempiternus horror inhabitat. job. 
❧ Finis.   

Diligo rustincum cum portant bis duo quonintum  
Et cantant delos est mihi dulce melos.  1. Canticum dolorosum. 
Lamentatio urbis Norwicen.  
O lachrimosa lues nimis O quàm flebile fatum  
Ignibus exosis urbs veneranda ruis  
Fulmina sive iovis sive ultima fata vocabant  
Vulcani rapidis ignibus ipsa peris  
An decus au patrie specie pulcherima dudum  
Vrbs Norwicensis labitar in cineres  
Vrbs tibi quid referam? breviter tibi pauca reponam,  
Prospera raro manent, utere sort tua.  
Perpetuum mortale nihil, sors omnia versat,  
Vrbs miseranda vale, sors miseranda tua est.  
inifiranda. Skelton.   

Vilitissimus Scotus dundas allegat caudas contra, Angligenas  

Caudatos Anglos, spurcissime Scote quid effers?  
Effrons es, quo quae sons: mendax, tua spureaquae bucca est.   

Anglicus a tergo  
Caudant gerit.  
Est canis ergo.  
Anglice caudate  
Cape caudam  
Ne cadat a te.  
Ex causa caude  
Manet Anglica  
Gens sive laud.  
Skelton nobilis Poeta,   

Gup Scot ye blot,  
Laudate Caudate  
Set in better  
Thy pentameter  
This dundas  
This Scottish as  
He rhymes and rails  
That Englishmen have fails.  
Skeltonus laureatus,  
Anglicus natus,  
Provocat musas  
Contra Dundas  
Norpacissimum Scotum,  
Vndiquae notum,  
Rusticè fotum  
Vapidè potum,  
Skelton Laureate  
After this rate  
Defendeth with his pen  
All English men. Again dundas  
That Scottish ass  
Shake thy tail Scot like a cur,  
For thou beggest at every man's dur.   

Diffamas patriam qua non est melior usqm  
Cum cauda plaudis dum possis ad hostia pultes  
Mendicans mendicus eris, mendax quae bilinguis,  
Scabidus horribilis, quem vermes sex quae pedales  
Corrodunt misere, miseres genus est maledictum.   

Tut Scot I say  
Go shake thy dog hay  
Dundas of Galaway  
With thy versyfyeng rails  
How they have tails.  
By jesus Christ, falls scot thou liest,  
But behind in our hose  
We bear there a rose  
For thy scottish nose,  
A spectacle case  
To cover thy face  
With trey deux ase  
A tolman to blot  
A rough footed Scot  
Dundas sir knave  
Why dost thou deprave,  
This Royal Ream,  
Whose radiant beam  
And relucent light  
Thou hast in despite  
Thou dunghill knight  
But thou lakest might  
Dundas, drunken, and drowsy  
Skabed scurvy and lousy  
Of unhappy generation  
And most ungracious nation.  
Dundas that drunk ass  
That ratis and rankis  
That prates and pranks  
On huntley banks  
Take this our thanks  
Dunde bar,  
Walk Scot  
Walk sot  
Rail not to far.    

Admonitio Skeltonis ut omnes Arbores viridi Laureo concedant.  

Fraxinus in siluis, altis in montibus Ornus Populus in flwijs, Abies patulissima, Fagus  
Lenta salix, platanus pinguis, Ficulnea Ficus, Gladifera & quercus, Pirus, Esculus, Ardua pinus,  
Basamus exudans, Oleaster, Oliva Mineruae, juniperus, Buxus, Lentiscus cuspide lenta  
Botrigera, & domino, vitis gratissima, baccho, Ilex & sterilis, Labrusta parosa colonis,  
Mollibus exudans fragrantia thura sabeis Thus redolens, Arabis panter, notissima mirrha,  
Et vos O Corili fragiles, humilesque Mirice Et vos O Cedri redolentes, vos quoque Mirti.  
Arboris omne genu viridi concedite Lauro.   
Prenes' en gre. The Laurelle.   

Diligo rusticum cum portant bis duo quointum  
Et cantant delos est mihi dulce melos  1. Canticum dolorosum. 
M. D. XVIII.  
In Bedell quondam Belial incarnantum, devotum Epitaphium.  

Ismal eccae Bedel, non mel, sed fel, sibi des el. Perfidus acchitephel: Luridus atquae lorell:  
Nunc olet iste jebal. Nabal. S. Nabal ecce Ribaldus Omnibus exosus atquae perosus erat.  
In plateaquae cadens Animam spiravit oleto, Presbiteros Odiens sic sine mente ruit  
Discite vos omnes quid sit violare sacratos Presbiteros, quia sic corruit iste canis.  
Cocytus cui sic petus per Tartara totus Sit peto promotus Cerberus hiuncquae voret  
At mage sancta tamen mea musa precabiturum atros Hos limures ꝙ eat sic bedel ad superes  
Non eat, immo ruat, non scandat sed mage tendat, Inquae caput preceps mox acheronto petat.   Bedel. Quamta malignatus est Inimicus in sāctam. psa. 73. 

Mortus est asinus  
Qui vixit multum  
Hic jacet barbarus  
The devil kiss his culum.  
Amen.   

Hanc volo transcribas, transcriptam mox quae remittas  
Pagellam: quia sunt qui mea scripta sciunt  
Redde. Igitur quia sunt qui mala cuncta frenuitur  
Redde. Igitur quia sunt qui bona cuncta prenuitur  
Nec tamen expaveo de fatuo labio,  
Nec multum paveo de scolido Rabulo.    

❧ Poeta Skelton Laureatus Libellum suum metrice Aloquitur.  
Ad dominum properato meum mea pagina percy, qui Northumbrorum iura paterna gerit. Ad nutum celebris tu prona repone Leonis, quequae suo patri tristia justa. Ast ubi perlegit dubiam sub ment volutet, fortunam cuncta quae male fida rotat, qui leo sit felix & nestoris occupet Annos, ad libitum cuius ipse paratus ero.  
❧ Skelton Laureate upon the doulours death and much lamentable chance of the most honourable earl of Northumberlande.  

I Wail, I weep, I sob, I sigh fulsore  
The deadly fate. the dolefulle destiny  
Of him that is gone, alas without restore  
Of the blood royal descending nobelly  
Whose lordship doubtless, was slain lamentably  
Thorough treason, again him compassed & wrought  
True to his prince, in word, in deed, & thought.   

Of heavenly poems. O. Clyo called by name  
In the college of musis gods hystoriall  
Adres the to me which am both halt I lame  
In elect utterance to make memorial  
To the for succour to the for help I call  
Mine homely rudeness & dryghnes to expel  
With the fresh waters of Elyconies well.   

Of noble Acts Anciently enrolled  
Of famous princes and lords of estate  
By thy report are wont to be extolled  
Regestringe truly every formare date  
Of thy bounty after the usual rate  
Kyndell in me such plenty of thy nobles  
These sorowfulle dites that I may show express.   

In sesons past who hath herd or seen  
Of former writing by any presidente  
That villain hastarddis in their furious tene  
fulfilled with malice of froward intent  
Confetered together of cominion consent  
Falsely to slay their most singular good lord  
It may be regestrede of shameful record.   

So noble a man so valiant lord & knight  
Fulfilled with honour as all the would doth ken  
At his commandment which had both day & night  
Knights & squires: at every season when  
He called upon them, as menial household men  
Were not these commons uncurteis karlis of kind  
To slow their own lord: god was not i their mind   

And were not they to blame I say also  
That were a bout him his one servants of trust  
To suffer him slain of his mortal foe  
Fled away from him let him lie in the dust  
They bode not till the reckoning were discussed  
What should I flatter what should I gloze or paint  
Fie fie for shame their hearts were to faint.   

In England & france which greatly was redoubted  
Of whom both Flaunders & Scotland stood in dread  
To whom great estates obeyed & lowted  
Amayny of rude villains made him for to bleed  
Unkyndly they flew him, that holp them oft at need  
He was their bulwark their paves & their wall  
Yet shafully they flew him the shame mot them befall   

I say ye commoners why were ye so stark mad  
What frantyk frenzy fill in your brain  
Where was your wit & reason ye should have had  
What wilful folly made you to rise a gain  
Your natural lord: alas I can not feign  
Ye armed you with will, & left your wit behind  
Well may you be called comones most unkind.  
He was your chefteyne your shield your chef defence  
Ready to assist you in every time of need  
Your worship depended of his excellence  
Alas ye mad men to far ye did exceed  
Your hap was unhappy to ill was your speed  
What moved you again him to war or to fight  
What ailed you to slay your lord again all right.   

The ground of his quarrel was for his sovereign lord  
The well concerning of all the hole Land  
Demanding such duties as needs most accord  
To the right of his prince which should not be with stand  
For whose cause ye slew him with your own hand  
But had his noble men done well that day  
Ye had not been able to have said him nay   

But there was falls packing or else I am beguiled  
How be it the matter was evident and plain  
For if they had occupied their spear & their shield  
This noble man doubtless had not been slain  
But men say they were linked with a double chain  
And held with the comones under a cloak  
Which kindled the wild fyr that made all this smoke.   

The commons Renyed their tars to pay  
Of them demanded and asked by the king  
With one voice importune they plainly said nay  
They buskt them on a bushment themselves in bail to bring  
Again the kings pleasure to wrestle or to wring  
Bluntly as bestis with boast and with cry  
They said they forced not, nor cared not to die.   

The nobelnes of the north this valiant lord & knight  
As man that was Innocent of treachery or train  
pressed forth boldly to withstand the might  
And like martial Hector he fought them a gain  
Uygorously upon them with might & with main  
Trusting in noble men that were with him there  
But all they fled from him for falsehood or fere.   

Barones', knights, squires and all  
together with servants of his famuly  
Turned their back, and let their master fall  
Of whom they counted not a fly  
Take up whose would for there they let him lie  
Alas his gold, his fee, his Annual rent  
Upon such a sort was Ille bestowed & spent.   

He was environed about on every side  
With his enemies, that were stark mad & wooed  
Ye while he stood he gave them wounds wide  
Alas for ruth what though his mind were good  
His courage manly, yet there he shed his blood  
Al left alone alas he fought in vain  
For cruelly among them there he was slain.   

Alas for pite that percy thus was spilled  
The famous Earl of Northumberland  
Of knightly prows the sword pommel & hylt  
The mighty Lion doutted by se and Land  
O dolorous chance of fortunes froward hand  
What man remembering how shamefully he was slain  
From bitter weeping himself can restrain.   

O cruel Mars thou deadly God of war  
O dolorous tewisday dedicated to thy name  
When thou shaken thy sword so noble a man to mar  
O ground ungracious unhappy be thy fame  
Which wert endyed with read blood of the same  
Most noble earl: O foul mysuryd ground  
Where on he got his final deadly wound.   

O Atropos of the fatal sisters. three  
Gods most cruel unto the life of man  
All merciless in the is no pite  
O homicide which sleest, all that thou can  
So forcibly upon this earl thou ran  
That with thy sword enharpit of mortal dread  
Thou kit a sunder his perfect vital thread.   

My words unpullysht be nakide and plain  
Of Aureat poems they want ellumyning  
But by them to knowledge ye may attain  
Of this lords death and of his murdering  
Which whiles he lived had fuyson of every thing  
Of knights of squires chyf lord of tour & town  
Till fykkell fortune began on him to frown   

Paregall to dukes with kings he might compare  
surmounting in honour all erlis he did exceed  
To all countries about him report me I dare  
Like to Aeneas' benign in word and deed  
Ualiant as Hector in every martial need  
Prudent, discrete, circumspect and wise  
Till the chance ran again him of fortunes double dice.   

What needeth me for to extol his fame  
With my rude pen enkankered all with rust  
Whose noble acts show worshiply his name  
Transending for mine homely muse. that must  
Yet somewhat wright surprised with hearty lust  
Truly reporting his right noble estate  
Immortally which is immaculate.   

His noble blood never destayned was  
True to his prince for to defend his right  
Doblenes hating, falls matters to compass  
Treytory and treason he banished out of sight  
with truth to meddle was all his holl delight  
As all his country can testify the same  
To slay such a lord alas it was great shame.   

If the hole quere of the musis nine  
In me all only were set and comprised  
Enbrethed with the blast of Influence divine  
As perfitly as could be thought or devised  
To me also all though it were promised  
Of Laureate Phoebus' holy the eloquence  
All were to little for his magnificence   

O young Lion but tender yet of age  
Grow and increase remember thine estate  
God the assist unto thine heritage  
And give the grace to be more fortunate  
Again rebellyones arm the to make debate  
And as the Lyone which is of beasts king  
Unto thy subjects be curteis and benign   

I pray God send the prosperous life and long  
Stable thy mind constant to be and fast  
Right to maintain & to resist all wrong  
All flattering faytors abhor & from the cast  
Of foul detraction God keep the from the blast  
Let double delyngin the have no place,  
And be not light of credence in no case.   

With heavy cheer, with dolorous heart and mind  
Each man may sorrow in his inward thought  
This lords death whose peer is hard to find  
All gife england & France were thorough sought  
All kings, all princes, all dukes, well they ought  
Both temporal and spiritual for to complain  
This noble man that cruelly was slain.   

More specially Barons and those knygtes bold  
And all other Gentlemen with him entertained  
In fee: as menyall men of his housold  
Whom he as lord worshyply maintained  
To sorrowful weeping they ought to be constresned  
As oft as they call to their remembrance,  
Of their good lord the fate and deadly chance.   

Perlese prince of heaven imperial  
That with one word form all thing of nought  
Heaven, hell, and earth, obey unto thy call  
Which to thy resemblance wondrously hast wrought  
All makynd, whom thou full dear hast bought  
with thy blood precious our finance thou did pay  
And us redeemed, from the fendies pray   

To the pray we as prince Incomparable  
As thou art of mercy and pity the well  
Thou bring unto thy joy eterminable  
The soul of this lord from all danger of hell  
In endless bliss with the to bide and dwell  
In thy palace, above the orient  
Where thou art lord, and God omnipotent.   

O Ouene of mercy O lady full of grace  
Maiden most pure & god's mother dear  
To sorrowful hearts chef comfort and solace  
Of all women O flower without peer  
Pray to thy son above the sterr is clear  
He to vouchsafe by thy mediation  
To pardon thy servant & bring to salvation   

In joy unchangeable the heavenly gerarchy  
With all the hole sort of that glorious place  
His soul mote receive in to their company  
Thorough bounty of him that formed all solace  
well of pite, of mercy, and of grace  
The father, the son, and the holy ghost  
In Trinitate one God of mights moste.   

Non sapit humanis qui certam ponere rebus  
spem cupit est hominum Raraquae ficta fides  
Tetrasticon Skelton Laureati ad magistrum Rukshaw  
Sacre theology aegregium professorem  
Accipe nunc demum doctor celeberrime Rukshaw  
Carmina: de calamo quae occidere meo,  
Et quaqua placidis non sunt modulata carmenis  
Sunt tamen ex nostro pectore prompta pio.   
Vale feliciter, virorum,  
Laudatissimè.  
FINIS.   

Elegia in Serenissimae principis & domine domine Margarete nuper Comitisse de Darby Strenuissimi Regis Henrici Septimi matris funebre ministerium. Per Skelonida Laureatum Oratorem Regium. XVI. mensis Angusti. Anno salutis. M. D. XVI.  

ASpirate meis eligis pia turma sororum  
Et Margaretam collacrimate piam  
Hac sub mole latet Regis celebrima mater  
Henrici magni quem locus iste fovet  
Quem locus iste sacer celebri celebrat poliandro  
Illius en genitrix hac tumulatur humo  
Cui cedat tanaquil (titus hanc super astra reportat)  
Cedat pennolope carus ulixis amor  
Hec Abigail velut Hester erat pietate secunda  
En tres iam proceres nobilitate pares  
Pro domina precor implora pro principe tanta  
Flecte deum precibus qui legis hos apices  
Plura referre piget calamus torpore rigescit  
Dormit Mycenae, negligitur probitas  
Nec juuat aut modicum prodest nunc ultima versu  
Facta recensere (mortua mors reor est)  
Queris quid decus est? decus est modo dicier  
Cedit honos hirco, cedit honor que capro  
Falleris ipse Charon iterum surrexit abyron  
Et stigios remos despicit ille tuos  
Vivitur ex voto: mentis precordia tangunt  
Nulla sepulcra ducum nec monumenta patrum  
Non regum non ulla hominum labentia fato  
Tempora nec tociens mortua turba ruens.  
Hunc statuo certe periturae parcere cartae  
Ceu Iuuenalis ovat eximius satirus.   

Disticon execrationis in fagolidoros  
Qui lacerat, violat, ve rapit presens Epitoma  
Hunc laceretque voret Cerberus absque mora.   

Calon. Agaton. cum Areta. Re. in. Pa.  
Hanc tecum statuas dominam (precor) ô sator orbis,  
Quo regnas rutilans rex sine fine manens:    

Orator Regius Skeltonis Laureatus in singulare meritis simumque praeconium nobilissim i principis Henrici Septimi nuper strenuissime Regis Anglie hoc Epitaphium edidit. Ad sinceram contemplationem reverendi in Cristo patris ac domini Dompni johannis Islip Abbatis Westmonastericij optime meriti Anno domini. M. D. XII. pridie domini Andree Apostoli. etc.  

TRistia melpomenes cogor mode plectra sonare  
Hos elegos foveat Cinthius ille meos  
Si quas fata movent lacrimas: lacrimare vide●  
I am been maturum si bene mente sapis  
Flos Britonum, regum speculum Salamonis Ymago  
Septimus Henricus mole sub hac tegitur  
Punica dum regnat (redolens rosa digna vocari  
jam iam Marcescit ceu levis umbra fugit)  
Multa novercantis fortunae multa faventis  
Passus: & infractus tempus utrumquae tulit  
Nobilis anchises Armis metuendus Atrides  
Hic erat: hunc Scottus rex timuit jacobus  
Spiramenta anime vegitans dum vescitur aura  
Francorum populus conticuit pavidus  
Inmensas sibi divicias cumulasse quid horres  
Ni cumulasset opes forte Britainie Luas  
Vrgentes casus tacita si mente volutes  
Vix tibi sufficeret aurea ripa thagi  
Ni sua te probitas consulta mente laborans  
Rexisset satius: vix tibi tuta salus  
Sed quid plura can o? meditans quid plura voluto  
Quis quae vigil sibi sit mors sine lege rapit  
Ad domiwm qui cuncta regit pro principe tanto fund preces quis quis carmina nostra legis.   

Vel mage si placeat hunc  
Hunc timuit jacobus  
Scottorum dominus  
Qui sua fata luit  
Quem leo candidior  
Rubeum necatense Leonem  
Etiacet vsquę modo  
Non tumulatus humo.   

Refrigerij sedem quietis beatitudinem  
Luminis habeat claritatem.   
AMEN.   

Eulogium pro suorum Temporum Condicione Tantis principibus non indignum per Skeltonida Laure atum Oratorem Regium.  

Huc pia Calliope ꝓpera mea casta puella  
Et mecum resona carmina plena deo  
Septimus Henricus britonum memorabilis heros  
Anglica terra tuus magnanimus priamus  
Attalus hic opibus rigidus Cato, clarus Aestes  
Sub gelido clausus marmore iam recubit  
Hic honor omnis opes, probitas sic gloria regum  
Omnia nutabunt mortis ad nuperium  
Anglia num lacrimas: rides: lacrimare quid obstas?  
Dum vixit lacrimas: dum moritur iubilas  
Cauta tamen penses, dum vixerat Angligenenses  
Vibrabant enses. bella nec ulla timent  
Vndiquae bella fremunt nunc undiquae prelia surgunt  
Noster honor solus fiilius ecce suus  
Noster honor solus qui qondera tanta subire  
Non timet: intrepidus arma gerenda vocat  
Arma geranda vocat (superi sua cepta secundent)  
Vt quatiat pallos egida sepe rogat  
Sors tamen est versanda diu sors ultima belli  
Mirmidonum dominus mater silente ruit  
Et quem non valuit validis superare sub armis  
Mars? tamen occubuit insidijs Paridis  
Nos incerta quidem pro certis ponere rebus  
Arguit & prohibet delius ipse pater  
Omnia sunt hominum dubio labencia fato  
mart sub incerto militat omnis homo  
Omne decus nostrum nostra & spes unica tantum  
jam bene qui regnat hunc iovis umbra tegat  
Vt quamuis mentem labor est inhibere volentem  
Pauca tamen liceat dicere pace sua  
Pace tua liceat mihi nunc tibi dicere pauca  
Dulce meum decus & sola Britanna salus  
Summa rei nostre remanet celeberrime princeps  
In te precipuo qui modo sceptra geris  
Si tibi fata favent precor atquae precabor  
Anglia tunc plaude sui minus ipse vale.   
Policronitudo Basileos.  

Tetrasticon veritatis.  
Felix qui bustum torniasti  
Rex tibi cuprum  
Auro setectus fueras  
Fueras spoliatus  
Nudus prostratus  
Tanta est rabioso cupido  
undique Nummorum  
Rex pace precor requiescas.  
Amen.   
FINIS.   
In the fleet made by me William cornish otherwise called Nyshewhete chapelman with the most famous and noble King Henry the VII. his Reign the. XIX. year the month of july 
A treatise between Troth, and Information.  
A. B. of. E how. C. for. T. was. P. in. P  
Prologue.  

The hole content.  
The knowledge of God, passyth comparison  
The devil knoweth all ill thing, consented or done  
And man knoweth nothing, save only by reason  
And reason in man, is diverse of operation  
How can then man be perfect of cognition  
For reason shall so reason that sometime among  
A man by information may ryghtewisly do wrong   

Gospel.  
The authorized gospel and reason holdeth their which  
Whose literal sense agreeth to the fore seeing  
Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quo vadit  
Now moralyse ye farther & poise the contriving  
I mean, between trowth and sotele conveying  
Who goeth in the dark, must stumble among  
Blame never a blind man, thou he go wrong.   

Example.  
A judge to the jury needs must give credence  
Now what if they purpose false matters to compass  
The judge must proceed yet in him non offence,  
For as they give verdict, the judgement must pass.  
But where the fault is, non dormit judas  
For by false information many times among  
Right shallbe ruled & the righteous shall do wrong   

Evil information.  
But woe to such informers who they be  
That maketh their malice that matter of the power  
And cruelly without conscience right or pity  
Disgorgith their venom under that colour  
Alas not remembering their soul's dolour  
When, dies illa, dies ire, shallbe their song  
Ite maledicti, take that for your wrong.   
Aparable between information & Music  

The examples.  
Music in his Melody requiereth true sounds  
Who setteth a song, should give him to armony  
who keepeth true his tuenes may not pass his sonds  
His alterations & prolations must be pricked truly  
For music is true though minstrels maketh mastery  
The harper careth nothing but reward for his song  
Merrily soundith his mouth when his tongue goth all of wrong.   

The Harp.  
A harp giveth sound as it is set  
The harper may wrest it untunablye  
If he play wrong good tunes he doth let  
Or by mystuning the very true harmony  
A Harp well played on showeth sweet melody  
A harper with his wrist may tune the harp wrong  
Mys tuning of an instrument shall hurt a true song   

A song.  
A song that is true and full of sweetness  
May be evil song and tunyd amiss  
The song of himself yet never the les  
Is true and tunable, and sing it as it is  
Then blame not the song, but mark well this  
He that hath spit at an other man's song  
Will do what he can to have it song wrong.   

A claricorde.  
The claricord hath a tunely kind  
As the wire is wrested high and low  
So it tuenyth to the player's mind  
For as it is wrested so must it needs show  
As by this reason ye may well know  
Any Instrument mystunyd shall hurt a true song  
Yet blame not the claricord the wrester doth wrong.   

A trumpet.  
A trumpet blown high with to hard a blast  
Shall cause him to vary from the tunable kind  
But he that bloweth to hard must suage at that last  
And fain to fall lower with a temperate wind  
And then the trumpet the true tune shall find  
For an instrument over winded is tuned wrong  
Blame none but the blower, on him it is long.   

True counsel.  
Who playeth on the harp, he should play true  
Who singeth a song, let his voye be tunable  
Who wresteth the claricorde mystuning eschew  
Who bloweth a trumpet let his wind be measurable  
For instruments in themselves be farm & stable  
And of troth, would troth to every manes soge  
Tune them then truly for in them is no wrong.   

Colours of music.  
In music I have learned iiij. colours as this  
Blake, full black, verte, and in likewise red  
By these colours many subtle alterations there is  
That will beguile one though in cunning he be well sped  
With a prike of Indition from a body that is deed  
He shall try so his number with sweetness of his song  
That the ear shallbe pleased, and yet he all wrong.   

The practiser  
I poor man unable of this science to skill  
Save little practice I have by experience  
I mean but troth and of good will  
To remember the doers, that useth such offence  
Not one sole, but generally in sentence  
By cause I can skill of a little song  
To try the true cord to be known fro the wrong   

truth.  
Yet troth was drowned he not sank  
But still did fleet a 'bove the water  
Information had played him such a prank  
That with power the poor had lost his matter  
Because that troushe began to clater  
Information hath taught him to self his song  
Paciens parforce, content you with wrong   

Truth.  
I assayed these tunes me thought them not sweet  
The concords were nothing Musical  
I called Masters of Music cunning and discrete  
And the first principle whose name was tuballe  
Guido ●oice john de Murris, vitr●ace & them all  
I prayed them of help of this cumbrous song  
Priked with force and l●ttred with wrong   

True answer.  
They said I was hoarse I might not sing  
My voice is to poor it is not awdyble  
Information is so curious in his chanting  
That to bear the true plainsong, it is not possible  
His proportions be so hard which so high a quatrible  
And the plain song in the margyn so craftily bound  
That that true tunes of tubal can not have the right sound.   

Truth.  
Well quoth truth, yet once I trust verily  
To have my voice and sing a gain  
And to fleet out truth and clarify truly  
And eat sugar candy aday or twain  
And then to the desk to sing true and plain  
Information shall not alway entune his song  
My parts shallbe true, when his countrevers shallbe wrong.   

Information.  
Information him enbolded of the monacorde  
From consonaunts to concords he Musyd his mastery  
I assayed the music both knight and lord  
But none would speak, the sound board was to high  
Then kept I the plain keys that marred all my melody  
information drove a crochet the past all my song  
With proportion parforce, driven on to long.   

Dialogue.  
Sufferance came in, to sing a part  
Go to quod troth, I pray you begin  
Nay sofft quoth he, the gise of my part  
Is to rest a long rest or I set in  
Nay by long resting ye shall nothing win  
For information is so crafty & so high in his song  
That if ye fall to resting infayth in willbe wrong   

Treweth.  
Information will teach a doctor his game  
From superacute to the noble dyapason  
I a said to acute and when I came  
information was meet for a double dyatessaron  
He song by a pothome that hath two kinds in one  
with many subtle semetnens most-met for his song  
Patience parforce, content you with wrong   

Troth.  
I keep he round and he by square  
The one is bemole & the other bequare  
If I might make trial as I could and dare  
I should show why these. ij. kinds do vary  
But God knoweth all, so doth not king Harry  
For if he did thanchaunge should this. iiii. song  
pity, for patience, and conscience, for wrong   
Nenysswhete Parabolam  
FINIS, Finis.   

SKELTON. LAVreate Oratoris Registertius. Against venomous tongues enpoisoned with slander and false detractions. etc.  Quid detur tibi aut quid apponatur tibi ad linguam dolosam? Psalm. C. xlij. Deus destruet te, in finem evellet te, & emigrabit te de tabernaculo tuo. & radicem tuam de terra viventium. Psal. lxvii. 
ALL matters well pondered, & well to be regarded  
How should a false lying tongue then be rewarded  
Such tongues should be torn out by that hard roots  
Hoyning like hogs that groynis and wrotes.  Dilexisti omnia verba precipitationis lingua dolosa. ubi. s. etc. 
For as I have read in volumes old  
A falls lying tongue is hard to withhold.  
A slanderous tongue, a tongue of a scold  
Worketh more mischief than can be told.  
That if I witted not to be controlled  
Yet somewhat to say I dare well be bold  
●ow some delight for to lie, thick and threefold.  
Ad sannam hominem redigit comite & graphice.  
For ye said, that he said, that I said, wot ye what  
I made (he said) a windmill of an old mat.  
If there be none other matter but that,  
Than ye may command me to gentle cock wat.  
Hic notat (purpuraria arte) intextas literas Romanas in amictibus post ambulonum ante & retro.  
For before on your breast, & behind on your back,  
In Roman letters I never found lack.  
In your cross row, nor Christ cross you speed,  
your Pater noster, your ave, nor your Crede.  
Who soever that tale unto you told,  
He saith untruly, to say, that I would  
Control the cognisance of noble men:  
Either by language, or with my pen.  
Pedagogium meum de sublimiori minerva constat esse. ergo. etc.  
My school is more solemn, & somewhat more haute  
Than to be found in any such fault.  
Pedagogium meum male sanos maledicos (sibulis, conplosique mantibus) explodit. etc.  
My schools are not for unthrifts untaught,  
For frantic faitours half mad, & half 'straught  
But my learning is of an other degree,  
To taunt them like liddrous, lewd as they ●ée  
Laxentergo antemnam elationis sue infla●●● vento vanitatis. li. ille. etc.  
For though some be lidder, and list for to rail,  
Yet to lie upon me they can not prevail.  
Then let them vale a bonnet of their proud sail.  
And of their taunting toys rest with ill hail.  
Nobilitati ignobilis cedat vilitas. etc.  
There is no noble man will judge in me,  
Any such folly to rest or to be.  
I care much the less what ever they say,  
For tongues untayde be renning a stray.  
But yet I may say safely, so many well lettered  
Embraudred, enlasid together, and fettered.  
And so little learning, so lewdly allowed:  
What fault find ye herein but may be avowed?  
But ye are so full of vertibilite,  
And of frenetyke folabilite.  
And of melancholy mutability.  
That ye would coarte, and enforce me.  
Nothing to write, but hay the gy of three.  
And I to suffer you lewdly toly,  
Of me, with your language full of villainy.  
Sicut novocla acuta fecisti dolum, ubi. s.  
Malicious tongues, though they have no bones,  
Are sharper than sword, sturdier than stones.  
Lege philostratum de vita tyanei Apollonij.  
Sharper than raysors, that shave & cut throats.  
More stinging them scorpions that stang Pharaotis  Venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum. Ps. 
More venomous and much more virulent,  
Then any poisoned toad, or any serpent.  
Quid peregrinis egemus exemplis, ad domestica recurramus. etc. li. ille.  
Such tongues unhappy hath made great division.  
In realms, in cities, by such falls abusion.  
Of false fickil tongues, such cloaked collusion.  
Hath brought noble princes to ertreme confusion.  Quicquid loquantur ut effeminantur ita effantur. etc. 
Sometime women were put in great blame,  
Men said they could not their tongues atame.  
But men take upon them now all the shame.  
with skeldig & sklaunderig make their tongues lame  
Novarum rerum cupidissimi. captatores. delatores. adulatores. invigilatores. deliratores. etc. id genus li. ille.  
For men be now trailers and tellers of tales,  
what tidings at Totman, what newis in wales?  
What ships are sailing to Scalis malis  
And all is not worth a couple of nut shalis  
But lering and lurking here and there like spies.  
The devil tere their tongues & pike out their ies.  
Then ren they which lesinges, and blow them about.  
With he wrote such a bill withouten doubt.  
With, I can tell you what such a man said,  
And you knew all, ye would be ill apaid.  
De more vulpino gannientes ad aurem, fictas fabellas fabricant. li. ille.  
In auspicatum. male ominatum. infortunatunse fateatur habuisse horoscopum quicunque maledixerit vati Pierio. S. L. etc.  
But if that I knew what his name hight,  
For clatering of me, I would him son quite.  
For his false lying, of that I spoke never,  
I could make him shortly repent him for ever.  
Although he made it never so tough,  
He might be sure to have shame enough.  
Cerberus horrendo baratri latrando, sub antro. Te rodatque voret lingua dolosa (precor)  
A falls double tongue is more fires and fell,  
Then Cerberus that cur couching in the kennel of hell  
Whereof hereafter, I think for to write,  
Of false double tongues in the despite.  
¶ Recipit se scripturum opus sancte, laudabile, acceptabile, memorabileque, & nimis honorificandun.  
¶ Disperdat dominus universa labia dolosa & linguam magniloquam.   

¶ Why were ye Calliope, embrawdred with letters of gold?  
Skelton Laureate Orato. Reg. maketh this answer. etc.  

CAlliope  
As ye may see  
Regent is she  
Of poets all  
Which gave to me  
The high degree  
Laureate to be.  
Of fame royal  
Whose name enrolled  
With silk and gold  
I dare be bold  
Thus for to were  
Of her I hold  
And her household  
Though I wax old  
And somedeal sear  
Yet is she fain  
Void of disdain  
Me to retain  
Her serviture.  
With her certain  
I will remain  
As my sovereign  
most of pleasure.  
¶ Maulgre touse malheureux.   

Latinum carmen sequitur. Cur tibi contexta est aurea Calliope? Responsio eiusdem vatis.  
CAndida Calliope vatum regina, coronans  
Pierios lauro, radiante intexta sub auro,  
Hanc ego Pierius, tanto dignabor honore  
Dum mihi vita manet, dum spiritus hos regit artus  
Quamquam conficior senio marcescoque sensim  
Ipse tamen gestare sua haec pia pignora certo,  
Assensuque suo placidis parebo camenis  
Inclita Calliope & semper mea maxima cura est.  
¶ Haec Pierius omni Spartane liberior.   

CALLIOPE,  
Musarum excellentissima,  
speciosissima, formosissima,  
Heroic is priest versibus.   
FINIS.   

❧ Imprinted at London in Fletestreate, near unto S. Dunston's church by Thomas Marsh.