The sentence of my vers? 240
In them be no scholys
For braynsycke frantycke folys:
_Construas hoc_,
_Domine_ Dawcocke!
Ware the hawke!
Maister _sophista_,
Ye _simplex syllogista_,
Ye[628] deuelysh _dogmatista_,
Your hawke on your fista,
To hawke when you[629] lista 250
_In ecclesia ista_,
_Domine concupisti_,[630]
With thy hawke on thy fisty?
_Nunquid sic dixisti?_
_Nunquid sic fecisti?_
_Sed ubi hoc legisti_
_Aut unde hoc_,
Doctor Dawcocke?
Ware the hawke!
Doctor _Dialetica_,[631] 260
Where fynde you in _Hypothetica_,
Or in _Categoria_,
_Latina sive Dorica_,
To vse your hawkys _forica_
_In propitiatorio_,
_Tanquam diversorio?_
_Unde hoc_,
_Domine_ Dawcocke?
Ware the hawke!
Saye to me, Jacke Harys, 270
_Quare aucuparis_
_Ad sacramentum altaris?_
For no reuerens[632] thou sparys
To shake my pygeons federis
_Super arcam fœderis_:
_Unde hoc_,
Doctor Dawcocke?
Ware the hawke!
Sir _Dominus vobiscum_,
_Per[633] aucupium_ 280
Ye made your hawke to cum
_Desuper candelabrum_
_Christi crucifixi_
To fede vpon your fisty:
_Dic, inimice crucis Christi_,
_Ubi didicisti_
_Facere hoc_,
_Domine_ Dawcocke?
Ware the hawke!
Apostata Julianus, 290
Nor yet Nestorianus,
Thou shalt no[634] where rede
That they dyd suche a dede,
To let theyr hawkys fly
_Ad ostium tabernaculi_,
_In quo est corpus Domini_:
_Cave hoc_,
Doctor Dawcocke!
Ware the hawke!
This dowtles ye rauyd, 300
Dys church ye thus deprauyd;
Wherfore, as I be sauyd,
Ye are therefore beknauyd:
_Quare? quia Evangelia_,
_Concha et conchylia_,
_Accipiter[635] et sonalia_,
_Et bruta animalia_,[636]
_Cætera quoque talia_
_Tibi sunt æqualia_:
_Unde hoc_, 310
_Domine_ Dawcocke?
Ware the hawke!
_Et relis et ralis_,
_Et reliqualis_,
From Granado to Galis,
From Wynchelsee to Walys,[637]
_Non est_ braynsycke _talis_,
_Nec minus rationalis_,
_Nec magis bestialis_,[638]
That synggys with a chalys: 320
_Construas hoc_,
Doctor Dawcocke!
Ware the hawke!
Masyd, wytles, smery smyth,
Hampar with your hammer vpon thy styth,
And make hereof a syckyll or a saw,
For thoughe ye lyue a c. yere, ye shall dy a daw.
_Vos valete_,
_Doctor indiscrete!_
[604] _Ware the Hauke_] From the ed. by Kynge and Marche of _Certaine
bokes compyled by mayster Skelton_, n. d., collated with the same work,
ed. Day, n. d., and ed. Lant, n. d., and with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s
_Workes_, 1568.
[605] _aulter_] Here Lant’s ed. has “auter.” (In the spelling of this
word the eds. are not consistent; see vv. 49, 59, 189.)
[606] _complaynte_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “complaunt.”
[607] _Be_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “By.”
[608] _fauconer_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant,
“fouconer.”
[609] _pawtenar_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “pawtner.”
[610] _auter_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “aulter:” see note, ante, p. 155.
[611] _prest_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, and of Day,
“priest.”
[612] _mete_] So Lant’s ed. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “mere.” Other eds.
“meate.”
[613] _frounce_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “fronnce” and “fronce.”
[614] _I hym_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “him I.”
[615] _then_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe.
[616] _he_] Marshe’s ed. “her.”
[617] _no_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “na.”
[618] _For reconciliacion_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe.
[619] _Divinitate_] Qy. “Divinate?”
[620] _Nor yet_] Lant’s ed. “Nother.”
[621] _Bacus_] Marshe’s ed. “Baccus.”
[622] _Constantinopell_] Marshe’s ed. “Constantinobel.”
[623] _būraarā_] In Day’s ed. the final letter of this word being blurred
looks like a _d_; and Marshe’s ed. has “bunraard.” The meaning of this
“tabull playne” is quite beyond my comprehension.
[624] _tuntantes_] Marshe’s ed. “tauntantes.”
[625] _Natābrian_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Natanbrian.” The Editor of
1736 prints “_Natanbrianum sudus_.”
[626] _tēualet_] Perhaps, “ten (10) _valet_.”
[627] _nullo_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “uello.”
[628] _Ye_] Eds. “The.”
[629] _you_] Eds. “your.”
[630] _concupisti_] Eds. “racapisti” and “cacapisti.”
[631] _Dialetica_] So written in eds. for the rhyme.
[632] _reuerens_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “reuens.”
[633] _Per_] Eds. “Par.”
[634] _no_] Day’s ed. “ne.”
[635] _Accipiter_] Eds. “Ancipiter.”
[636] _animalia_] Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, (in which
impressions only this line is found), “aīlia.”
[637] _Walys_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Wales,” and in the next line
“tales.”
[638] _bestialis_] Day’s ed. “bestia.” Marshe’s ed. “bestis.”
SKELTONIS APOSTROPHAT AD DIVUM JOHANNEM DECOLLATUM, IN CUJUS PROFESTO
FIEBAT HOC AUCUPIUM.
_O memoranda dies, qua, decollate[639] Johannes,_
_Aucupium facit, haud[640] quondam[641] quod fecerit, intra[642]_
_Ecclesiam de Dis, violans tua[643] sacra sacrorum!_
_Rector de Whipstok, doctor cognomine Daucock,_
_Et dominus Wodcock; probat is, probat hic, probat hæc hoc._
IDEM[644] DE LIBERA DICACITATE POETICA IN EXTOLLENDA PROBITATE, ET IN
PERFRICANDA IGNOBILITATE.
_Libertas veneranda piis concessa poetis_
_Dicendi est quæcunque placent, quæcunque juvabunt,_
_Vel quæcunque valent justas defendere causas,_
_Vel quæcunque valent[645] stolidos mordere petulcos._
_Ergo dabis veniam._
Quod Skelton, laureat.
EPITHAPHE.[646]
This tretise devysed it is
Of two knaues somtyme of Dis.
Though this knaues be deade,
Full of myschiefe and queed,
Yet, where so euer they ly,
Theyr names shall neuer dye.
_Compendium de duobus versipellibus, John Jayberd, et Adam all[647] a
knaue, deque illorum notissima vilitate._
A DEUOUTE TRENTALE FOR OLD JOHN CLARKE, SOMETYME THE HOLY PATRIARKE OF
DIS.
_Sequitur trigintale_
_Tale quale rationale,_
_Licet parum curiale,_
_Tamen satis est formale,_
_Joannis Clerc, hominis_
_Cujusdam multinominis,[648]_
_Joannes Jayberd qui vocatur,_
_Clerc cleribus nuncupatur._
_Obiit sanctus iste pater_
_Anno Domini MD. sexto._ 10
_In parochia de Dis_
_Non erat sibi similis;_
_In malitia vir insignis,_
_Duplex corde et bilinguis;_
_Senio confectus,_
_Omnibus suspectus,_
_Nemini dilectus,_
_Sepultus est_ amonge the wedes:
God forgeue hym his mysdedes!
_Dulce melos_
_Penetrans cœlos._
_Carmina cum cannis_
_cantemus festa Joannis:_
_Clerk obiit vere,_
_Jayberd nomenque dedere;_
_Dis populo[649] natus,_
_Clerk cleribus estque vocatus._
_Hic vir Chaldæus,_
_nequam vir, ceu Jebusæus,_
_In Christum Domini_
_fremuit de more cameli,_ 10
_Rectori proprio_
_tam verba retorta loquendo_
_Unde resultando—_
_que Acheronta[650] boando tonaret._
_Nunquam sincere_
_solitus sua crimina flere;_
_Cui male lingua loquax—_
_que dicax mendaxque, fuere_
_Et mores tales_
_resident in nemine quales;_ 20
_Carpens vitales_
_auras, turbare sodales_
_Et cines socios,[651]_
_asinus, mulus velut, et bos._
_Omne suum studium_
_rubeum pictum per amictum_
_Discolor; et victum_
_faciens semper maledictum_
_Ex intestinis ovium—_
_que boumque caprorum;_ 30
_Tendens adque forum,_
_fragmentum colligit horum,_
_Dentibus exemptis_
_mastigat cumque polentis_
_Lanigerum caput aut ovis[652]_
_aut vaccæ mugientis._
_Quid petis, hic sit quis?_
_John Jayberd, incola[653] de Dis;_
_Cui, dum vixerat is,_
_sociantur jurgia, vis, lis._ 40
_Jam jacet hic_ starke deed,
Neuer a toth in his heed.
Adieu, Jayberd, adue,
I faith, dikkon thou crue!
_Fratres, orate_
For this knauate,
By the holy rode,
Dyd neuer man good:
I pray you all,
And pray shall, 50
At this trentall
On knees to fall
To the fote ball;
With, fill the blak bowle
For Jayberdes sowle.
_Bibite multum:_
_Ecce sepultum_
_Sub pede stultum,_
_Asinum, et mulum!_
The deuill kis his _culum_! 60
Wit[h], hey, howe, rumbelowe,
_Rumpopulorum,_
_Per omnia secula seculorum! Amen._
_Requiem, &c._
_Per Fredericum Hely,_
_Fratrem de Monte Carmeli,_
_Qui condunt sine sale_
_Hoc devotum trigintale._
_Vale Jayberd, valde male!_
Adam Vddersall,[654]
_Alias dictus_ Adam all
a knaue, his
Epitaph foloweth deuoutly;
He was somtime the holy
Baillyue of Dis.
Of Dis
_Adam degebat:_
_dum vixit, falsa gerebat,_
_Namque extorquebat_
_quicquid nativus habebat,_
_Aut liber natus; rapidus[655]_
_lupus inde vocatus:_
_Ecclesiamque satus_
_de Belial iste Pilatus_
_Sub pede calcatus_
_violavit, nunc violatus:_ 10
_Perfidus, iratus,_
_numquam fuit ille beatus:_
_Uddersall stratus_
_benedictis[656] est spoliatus,_
_Improbus, inflatus,_
_maledictis jam laceratus:_
_Dis,[657] tibi bacchatus_
_ballivus prædominatus:_
_Hic fuit ingratus,_
_porcus velut insatiatus,_ 20
_Pinguis, crassatus;_
_velut Agag sit[658] reprobatus!_
_Crudelisque Cacus_
_barathro, peto, sit tumulatus!_
_Belsabub his soule saue,_
_Qui jacet hic_, like a knaue!
_Jam scio mortuus est,_
_Et jacet hic_, like a best.
_Anima ejus_
_De malo in pejus.[659] Amen._ 30
_De Dis hæc semper erit camena,_
_Adam Uddersall sit anathema!_
_Auctore Skelton, rectore de Dis._
_Finis, &c. Apud Trumpinton scriptum[660] per Curatum ejusdem, quinto die
Januarii Anno Domini, secundum computat. Angliæ, MDVII._
_Adam, Adam, ubi es?_ Genesis. Re. _Ubi nulla requies, ubi nullus ordo,
sed sempiternus horror inhabitat._ Job.
[639] _decollate_] Eds. “decolare.”
[640] _haud_] Eds. “hod.”
[641] _quondam_] Marshe’s ed. “quandam.”
[642] _intra_] Eds. “infra.”
[643] _tua_] Eds. “sua.”
[644] _Idem, &c._] These lines follow _Ware the Hawk_ in all the eds.
[645] _valent_] Eds. “volent.”
[646] _Epithaphe, &c._] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568.
[647] _all_] Ed. “ali.:” but compare p. 171.
[648] _multinominis_] Ed. “maltimoniis.”
[649] _populo_] The correction of the Rev. J. Mitford. Ed. “populus.”
[650] _que Acheronta, &c. ... que dicax, &c._] Perhaps these passages
ought to be arranged thus for the sake of the rhyme;
_“que Acheronta boando_
_tonaret. Nunquam sincere,” &c._
...
_“que dicax mendax—_
_que, fuere Et mores tales,” &c._
But from the rest of the poem it seems that Skelton intended each
hexameter to be cut only into two parts.
[651] _socios_] Ed. “socias.”
[652] _caput aut ovis_] Ed. “caput caput.” I give the conjectural reading
of the Rev. J. Mitford. The rhyme suggests (but the metre will not allow)
“bidentis.”
[653] _incola_] Ed. “Nicolas.”
[654] _Vddersall, &c._] Ed. “Vddersale:” but compare vv. 13, 32. In
this passage I have adopted the arrangement proposed by the Rev. J.
Mitford.—Ed. thus;
“Adam Vddersale. alias dictus
Adam all. a knaue his Epitaph.
Foloweth deuoutly,
He was somtime the holy
baillyue of dis.”
[655] _rapidus_] The Rev. J. Mitford conjectures, “rabidus;” but
_rapidus_ is frequently used in the same sense.
[656] _benedictis_] Ed. “Benedictus;” and in the next line but one,
“Maledictus.”
[657] _Dis, tibi, &c._] The emendation of the Rev. J. Mitford: compare
above, “Baillyue of Dis.”—Ed.
“Sis _tibi baccatus_
Balians _prædominatus_.”
[658] _sit_] Ed. “fit.”
[659] _pejus_] Ed. “peuis.”
[660] _scriptum_] Ed. “scripter.”
_Diligo rustincum[661] cum portant bis duo quointum,_
_Et cantant delos est mihi dulce melos._
1. _Canticum dolorosum._
[661] _Diligo rustincum, &c._] This and the following piece are from
Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568. In that collection the present
couplet is twice printed: “_rustincum_” is the reading of the first copy,
“_rusticum_” (which the metre will not admit) of the second: the first
copy has “_quonintum_,” the second “_quointum_;” the Editor of 1736 gave
“_quantum_.” See notes for the conjectures of the Rev. J. Mitford on this
enigma. “_Canticum dolorosum_” is probably part of the title of the next
piece.
LAMENTATIO URBIS NORVICEN.
_O lacrymosa lues nimis, O quam flebile fatum!_
_Ignibus exosis, urbs veneranda, ruis;_
_Fulmina sive Jovis sive ultima fata vocabant,_
_vulcani rapidis ignibus ipsa peris._
_Ah[662] decus, ah patriæ specie pulcherrima dudum!_
_Urbs Norvicensis labitur[663] in cineres._
_Urbs, tibi quid referam? breviter tibi pauca reponam:_
_Prospera rara[664] manent, utere sorte tua;_
_Perpetuum mortale nihil, sors omnia versat:_
_Urbs miseranda, vale! sors miseranda tua est._ 10
Skelton.[665]
[662] _Ah ... ah_] Ed. “Au ... au.”
[663] _labitur_] Ed. “labitar.”
[664] _rara_] Ed. “raro.”
[665] _Skelton_] Ed. “inifiranda _Skelton_:” the former word perhaps
having been inserted by some mistake of the printer, whose eye had caught
“miseranda” in the preceding line.
IN BEDEL, QUONDAM BELIAL INCARNATUM, DEVOTUM EPITAPHIUM.
_Ismal, ecce, Bedel, non mel, sed fel, sibi des el![666]_
_Perfidus Achitophel, luridus atque lorell;_
_Nunc olet iste Jebal,[667] Nabal. S. Nabal, ecce, ribaldus!_
_Omnibus exosus atque perosus erat;_
_In plateaque cadens animam spiravit oleto:_
_Presbyteros odiens sic sine mente ruit._
_Discite vos omnes quid sit violare sacratos_
_Presbyteros, quia sic corruit iste canis._
_Cocytus cui si detur[668] per Tartara totus,_
_Sit, peto, promotus Cerberus huncque voret._ 10
_At mage sancta tamen mea Musa precabitur[669] atros_
_Hos lemuresque eat sic Bedel ad superos;_
_Non eat, immo ruat, non scandat, sed mage tendat,_
_Inque caput præceps mox Acheronta petat._
_Bedel. Quanta malignatus est inimicus in sancto!_[670]
Psa. 73.
[666] _des el_] The Rev. J. Mitford proposes “dorell.”
[667] _Jebal_] Qy. “Jabel?” but I do not understand the line.
[668] _si detur_] So the Rev. J. Mitford reads. Ed. “sic petus.”
[669] _precabitur_] Ed. “precabiturum.”
[670] _sancto_] Ed. “sāctā.”
_Mortuus est asinus,_
_Qui pinxit mulum:[671]_
_Hic jacet barbarus_;
The deuill kys his _culum_! _Amen._
_Hanc volo transcribas, transcriptam moxque remittas Pagellam; quia sunt
qui mea scripta sciunt._
[671] _pinxit mulum_] Corrected by the Rev. J. Mitford. Ed. “vixit
multum.” The progress of the error was evidently—pinxit, _vinxit_,
_vixit_. See notes.
_Redde_ { _Igitur quia sunt qui mala cuncta fremunt,[672]_
{ _Igitur quia sunt qui bona cuncta premunt._
_Nec tamen expaveo de fatuo labio,_
_Nec multum paveo de stolido[673] rabulo._
[672] _fremunt ... premunt_] So Editor of 1736. Ed. “frenuitur,”
“prenuitur.”
[673] _stolido_] Ed. “scolido.”
_Salve plus[674] decies quam[675] sunt momenta dierum!_
_Quot generum species,[676] quot res, quot nomina rerum,_
_Quot prati[677] flores, quot sunt et[678] in orbe colores,_
_Quot pisces, quot aves, quot sunt et[679] in æquore naves,_
_Quot volucrum pennæ, quot sunt tormenta gehennæ,_
_Quot cœli stellæ, quot sunt et[680] in orbe puellæ,_
_Quot sancti Romæ, quot sunt miracula Thomæ,_
_Quot sunt virtutes, tantas tibi[681] mitto salutes._
[674] _Salve plus, &c._] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568,
(where it is printed on the reverse of the title-page), collated with a
copy in Additional MSS. Brit. Mus. (4787, fol. 224), which is headed “Ex
Jo. Skeltono Poeta Laureato.”
[675] _quam_] So MS. In Marshe’s ed. a contraction, which the Editor of
1736 resolved into “quot.”
[676] _generum species_] MS. “_species generum_.”
[677] _prati_] MS. “pratis.”
[678] _et_] Not in Marshe’s ed.
[679] _et_] Not in Marshe’s ed.
[680] _et_] Not in Marshe’s ed.
[681] _tantas tibi_] So MS. Marshe’s ed. “tot vobis;” but compare v. 1.
“_Salve_,” &c.
ORATOR[682] REGIUS SKELTONIS[683] LAUREATUS IN SINGULARE MERITISSIMUMQUE
PRÆCONIUM NOBILISSIMI PRINCIPIS HENRICI SEPTIMI, NUPER STRENUISSIMI
REGIS ANGLIÆ, HOC EPITAPHIUM EDIDIT, AD SINCERAM CONTEMPLATIONEM
REVERENDI IN CHRISTO PATRIS AC DOMINI, DOMINI JOHANNIS ISLIPPÆ[684]
ABBATIS WESTMONASTERIENSIS[685] OPTIME MERITI, ANNO DOMINI MDXII. PRIDIE
DIVI[686] ANDREÆ APOSTOLI, &c.
_Tristia Melpomenes cogor modo plectra sonare;_
_Hos elegos foveat Cynthius ille meos._
_Si quas fata movent lacrymas, lacrymare videtur[687]_
_Jam bene maturum, si bene mente sapis._
_Flos Britonum, regum speculum, Salomonis imago,_
_Septimus Henricus mole sub hac tegitur._
_Punica, dum regnat, redolens rosa digna vocari,_
_Jam jam marcescit, ceu levis umbra fugit._
_Multa novercantis fortunæ, multa faventis_
_Passus, et infractus tempus utrumque tulit._ 10
_Nobilis Anchises, armis metuendus Atrides,_
_Hic erat; hunc Scottus rex timuit Jacobus._
_Spiramenta animæ vegetans dum vescitur aura,_
_Francorum populus conticuit pavidus._
_Immensas sibi divitias cumulasse quid horres?_
_Ni cumulasset opes, forte, Britanne,[688] luas._
_Urgentes casus tacita si mente volutes,_
_Vix tibi sufficeret aurea ripa Tagi._
_Ni sua te probitas consulta mente laborans_
_Rexisset satius, vix tibi tuta salus._ 20
_Sed quid plura cano? meditans quid plura voluto?_
_Quisque vigil sibi sit: mors sine lege rapit._
_Ad Dominum, qui cuncta regit, pro principe tanto_
_Funde preces quisquis carmina nostra legis._
_Vel mage,[689] si placeat, hunc[690] timuit Jacobus,_
_Scottorum dominus, qui sua fata luit;_
_Quem Leo Candidior Rubeum necat ense Leonem,_
_Et jacet usque modo non tumulatus humo._
_Refrigerii sedem, quietis beatitudinem, luminis habeat
claritatem. Amen._
[682] _Orator, &c._] This and the next piece from Marshe’s ed. of
Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568, collated with the poems as given in _Reges,
Reginæ, Nobiles, et alii in Ecclesia Collegiata B. Petri Westmonasterii
sepulti_, &c., 1603, 4to.
[683] _Skeltonis_] _Reges_, &c. “Skeltonus;” but see _ante_ and _post_.
[684] _Islippæ_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “Islip.”
[685] _Westmonasteriensis_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed.
“Westmonastericii.”
[686] _divi_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “domini.”
[687] _videtur_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “videt.”
[688] _Britanne_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “Britainie.”
EULOGIUM PRO SUORUM TEMPORUM CONDITIONE, TANTIS PRINCIPIBUS NON INDIGNUM,
PER SKELTONIDA LAUREATUM, ORATOREM REGIUM.
_Huc, pia Calliope, propera, 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 Acestes,_
_Sub gelido clausus marmore jam recubat.[691]_
_Sic[692] honor omnis, opes, probitas, sic gloria regum,_
_Omnia nutabunt[693] mortis ad imperium._
_Anglia, num lacrymas? rides; lacrymare quid obstas?_
_Dum vixit, lacrymas; dum moritur, jubilas._ 10
_Canta,[694] tamen penses, dum vixerat, Angligenenses_
_Vibrabant enses, bella nec ulla timent._
_Undique bella fremunt nunc, undique prœlia surgunt:_
_Noster honor solus, filius, ecce, suus!_
_Noster honor solus, qui pondera tanta subire_
_Non timet, intrepidus arma gerenda vocat;_
_Arma gerenda vocat, (superi sua cœpta secundent!)_
_Ut quatiat Pallas ægida sæpe rogat._
_Sors tamen est versanda diu, sors ultima belli:_
_Myrmidonum dominus Marte[695] silente ruit;_ 20
_Et quem non valuit validis superare sub armis_
_Mars, tamen occubuit insidiis Paridis._
_Nos incerta quidem pro certis ponere rebus_
_Arguit, et prohibet Delius ipse pater._
_Omnia sunt hominum dubio labentia fato,_
_Marte sub incerto militat omnis homo._
_Omne decus nostrum, nostra et spes unica tantum,_
_Jam bene qui regnat, hunc Jovis umbra tegat!_
_Ut quamvis mentem labor est inhibere volentem,_
_Pauca tamen liceat dicere pace sua:_ 30
_Pace tua liceat mihi nunc tibi dicere pauca,_
_Dulce meum decus, et sola Britanna salus._
_Summa rei nostræ remanet, celeberrime princeps,_
_In te præcipuo, qui modo sceptra geris._
_Si tibi fata favent, faveant[696] precor atque precabor,_
_Anglia, tunc plaude; sin minus, ipsa[697] vale._
_Polychronitudo basileos._
[689] _Vel mage ... humo_] Not in _Reges_, &c. These lines (containing an
allusion to the battle of Flodden) are of a later date than the preceding
poem, to the 12th verse of which they are intended as a sort of note.
This is not the only passage in our author’s Latin pieces where two
pentameters occur without an intervening hexameter: see conclusion of
_The Garlande of Laurell_.
[690] _hunc_] Ed. “hunc _hunc_.”
[691] _recubat_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “recubit.”
[692] _Sic_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “Hic.”
[693] _nutabunt_] _Reges_, &c. “mutabunt.”
[694] _Canta_] Marshe’s ed. “Cauta.” _Reges_, &c. “Tanta.”
[695] _Marte_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “mater.”
[696] _faveant_] So _Reges_, &c. Not in Marshe’s ed.
[697] _ipsa_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “ipse.”
TETRASTICHON VERITATIS.
_Felix qui bustum formasti,[698] rex, tibi cuprum;_
_Auro si tectus fueras, fueras spoliatus,_
_Nudus, prostratus, tanta est rabiosa cupido_
_Undique nummorum: rex, pace precor requiescas. Amen._
[698] _formasti_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “torniasti.”
SKELTON LAUREATE AGAINST THE SCOTTES.[699]
Agaynst the prowde Scottes clatterynge,
That neuer wyll leaue theyr tratlynge:
Wan they the felde, and lost theyr kynge?
They may well say, fye on that wynnynge!
Lo, these fonde sottes
And tratlynge Scottes,
How thei are blynde
In theyr owne mynde,
And wyll not know
Theyr ouerthrow 10
At Branxton[700] more!
They are so stowre,
So frantyke mad,
They say they had
And wan the felde
With spere and shelde:
That is as trew
As blacke is blew
And grene is gray.
What euer they say, 20
Jemmy is ded
And closed in led,
That was theyr owne kynge:
Fy on that wynnynge!
At Floddon[701] hyllys
Our bowys, our byllys,
Slewe all the floure
Of theyr honoure.
Are not[702] these Scottys
Folys and sottys, 30
Suche boste to make,
To prate and crake,
To face, to brace,
All voyde of grace,
So prowde of hart,
So ouerthwart,
So out of frame,
So voyde of shame,
As it is enrolde,
Wrytten and tolde 40
Within this quayre?
Who lyst to[703] repayre,
And therin reed,
Shall fynde indeed
A mad rekenynge,
Consyderynge al thynge,
That the Scottis may synge[704]
Fy on the wynnynge!
_When the Scotte lyued._
Joly Jemmy, ye scorneful Scot,
Is it come vnto your lot 50
A solempne sumner for to be?
It greyth nought for your degre
Our kynge of Englande for to syght,[705]
Your souerayne lord, our prynce of might:
Ye for to sende such a citacion,
It shameth all your noughty nacion,
In comparyson but kynge Koppynge
Vnto our prince, annoynted kynge.
Ye play Hob Lobbyn of Lowdean;
Ye shew ryght well what good ye can; 60
Ye may be lorde of Locrian,—
Chryst sence[706] you with a frying pan!—
Of Edingborrow and Saint Ionis towne:
Adieu, syr sumner, cast of youre crowne!
_When the Scot was slayne._