Wherto she answeryd, and breuely me tolde,
How from the est vnto the occident,
And from the sowth vnto the north so colde,
Theis yatis, she sayd, which that ye beholde,
Be issuis and portis from all maner of nacyons; 580
And seryously she shewyd me ther denominacyons.
They had wrytyng, sum Greke, sum Ebrew,
Some Romaine letters, as I vnderstode;
Some were olde wryten, sum were writen new,
Some carectis of Caldy, sum Frensshe was full good;
But one gate specyally, where as I stode,
Had grauin in it of calcydony a capytall A;
What yate[1620] call ye this? and she sayd, Anglia.[1621]
The beldynge therof was passynge commendable;
Wheron stode a lybbard, crownyd with golde and stones, 590
Terrible of countenaunce and passynge formydable,
As quikly towchyd as it were flesshe and bones,
As gastly that glaris, as grimly that gronis,
As fersly frownynge as he had ben fyghtyng,
And with his forme foote he shoke forthe this wrytyng:
[Sidenote: Cacosinthicon[1622] ex industria.]
_Formidanda nimis Jovis ultima fulmina tollis:_
_Unguibus ire parat loca singula livida curvis_
_Quam modo per Phœbes nummos raptura Celæno;_
_Arma, lues, luctus, fel, vis, fraus, barbara tellus;_
_Mille modis erras odium tibi quærere Martis:_ 600
_Spreto spineto cedat saliunca roseto._
Then I me lent, and loked ouer the wall:
Innumerable people presed to euery gate;
Shet were the gatis; thei might wel knock and cal,
And turne home ageyne, for they cam al to late.
I her demaunded of them and ther astate:
Forsothe, quod she, theys be haskardis[1623] and rebawdis,
Dysers, carders, tumblars with gambawdis,
Furdrers of loue, with baudry aqueinted,
Brainles blenkardis that blow at the cole, 610
Fals forgers of mony, for kownnage[1624] atteintid,
Pope holy ypocrytis, as they were golde and hole,
Powle hatchettis, that prate wyll[1625] at euery ale pole,
Ryot, reueler, railer, brybery, theft,
With other condycyons that well myght be left:
Sume fayne themselfe folys, and wolde be callyd wyse,
Sum medelynge spyes, by craft to grope thy mynde,
Sum dysdanous dawcokkis that all men dispyse,
Fals flaterers that fawne thé, and kurris of kynde
That speke fayre before thé and shrewdly behynde; 620
Hither they come crowdyng to get them a name,
But hailid they be homwarde with sorow and shame.
With that I herd gunnis russhe out at ones,
Bowns, bowns, bowns! that all they out cryde;
It made sum lympe legged and broisid there bones;
Sum were made peuysshe, porisshly pynk iyde,
That euer more after by it they were aspyid;
And one ther was there, I wondred of his hap,
For a gun stone, I say, had all to-iaggid[1626] his cap,
Raggid, and daggid, and cunnyngly cut; 630
The blaste of the byrnston[1627] blew away his brayne;
Masid as a marche hare, he ran lyke a scut;
And, sir, amonge all me thought I saw twaine,
The one was a tumblar, that afterwarde againe
Of a dysour, a deuyl way, grew a ientilman,
Pers Prater, the secund, that[1628] quarillis beganne;
With a pellit of peuisshenes they had suche a stroke,
That all the dayes of ther lyfe shall styck by ther rybbis:
Foo, foisty bawdias! sum smellid of the smoke;
I saw dyuers that were cariid away thens in cribbis, 640
Dasyng after dotrellis, lyke drunkardis that dribbis;
Theis titiuyllis[1629] with taumpinnis wer towchid and tappid;
Moche mischefe, I hyght you, amonge theem ther happid.
Sometyme, as it semyth, when the mone light
By meanys of a grosely endarkyd clowde
Sodenly is eclipsid in the wynter night,
In lyke maner of wyse a myst did vs shrowde;
But wele may ye thynk I was no thyng prowde
Of that auenturis, whiche made me sore agast.
In derkenes thus dwelt we, tyll at the last 650
The clowdis gan[1630] to clere, the myst was rarifiid:
In an herber[1631] I saw, brought where I was,
There birdis on the brere sange on euery syde;
With alys ensandid about in compas,
The bankis enturfid with singular solas,
Enrailid with rosers, and vinis engrapid;
It was a new comfort of sorowis escapid.
In the middis a coundight,[1632] that coryously[1633] was cast,
With pypes of golde engusshing out stremes;
Of cristall the clerenes theis waters far past, 660
Enswymmyng with rochis, barbellis, and bremis,
Whose skales[1634] ensilured again the son beames
Englisterd, that ioyous it was to beholde.
Then furthermore aboute me my syght I reuolde,
Where I saw growyng a goodly laurell tre,
Enuerdurid with leuis[1635] contynually grene;
Aboue in the top a byrde of Araby,
Men call a phenix; her wynges bytwene
She bet vp a fyre with the sparkis full kene
With braunches and bowghis of the swete olyue, 670
[Sidenote: Oliva speciosa in campis. Nota[1636] excellentiam virtutis in
oliva.]
Whos flagraunt flower was chefe preseruatyue
Ageynst all infeccyons with cancour[1637] enflamyd,
Ageynst all baratows broisiours of olde,
It passid all bawmys that euer were namyd,
Or gummis of Saby so derely that be solde:
There blew in that gardynge a soft piplyng colde
Enbrethyng of Zepherus with his pleasant wynde;
All frutis and[1638] flowris grew there in there kynde.
Dryades there daunsid vpon that goodly soile,
With[1639] the nyne Muses, Pierides by name; 680
Phillis and Testalis,[1640] ther tressis with oyle
Were newly enbybid; and rownd about the same
Grene tre of laurell moche solacyous game
They made, with chapellettes and garlandes grene;
And formest of all dame Flora, the quene
Of somer, so formally she fotid the daunce;
There Cintheus sat twynklyng vpon his harpe stringis;
And Iopas his instrument did auaunce,
The poemis and storis auncient inbryngis
Of Athlas astrology, and many noble thyngis, 690
Of wandryng of the mone, the course of the sun,
Of men and of bestis, and whereof they begone,
What thynge occasionyd the showris of rayne,
Of fyre elementar in his supreme spere,
And of that pole artike whiche doth remayne
Behynde the taile of Vrsa so clere;
Of Pliades he prechid with ther drowsy chere,
Immoysturid with mislyng and ay droppyng dry,
And where the two Trions[1641] a man shold aspy,
And of the winter days that hy them so fast, 700
And of the wynter nyghtes that tary so longe,
And of the somer days so longe that doth[1642] last,
And of their shorte nyghtes; he browght in his songe
How wronge was no ryght, and ryght was no wronge:
There was counteryng of carollis in meter and[1643] verse
So many, that longe it[1644] were to reherse.
_Occupacyon to Skelton._
How say ye? is this after your appetite?
May this contente you and your mirry mynde?
Here dwellith pleasure, with lust and delyte;
Contynuall comfort here ye may fynde, 710
Of welth and solace no thynge left behynde;
All thynge conuenable[1645] here is contryuyd,[1646]
Wherewith your spiritis may be reuyuid.
_Poeta Skelton answeryth._
Questionles no dowte of that ye say;
Jupiter hymselfe this lyfe myght endure;
This ioy excedith all worldly[1647] sport and play,
Paradyce this place is of syngular pleasure:
O wele were hym that herof myght be sure,
And here to inhabite and ay for to dwell!
But, goodly maystres, one thynge ye me tell. 720
_Occupacyon to Skelton._
Of your demawnd shew me the content,
What it is, and where vpon it standis;
And if there be in it any thyng ment,
Wherof the answere restyth in my[1648] handis,
It shall be losyd[1649] ful sone out of the bandis
Of scrupulus[1650] dout; wherfore your mynde discharge,
And of your wyll the plainnes shew at large.
_Poeta Skelton answeryth._
I thanke you, goodly maystres, to me most benynge,
That of your bounte so well haue me assurid;
But my request is not[1651] so great a thynge, 730
That I ne force what though[1652] it be discurid;
I am not[1653] woundid but that I may be cured;
I am not ladyn of liddyrnes with lumpis,
As dasid doterdis that dreme in their dumpis.
_Occupacyon to Skelton._
Nowe what ye mene, I trow I coniect;
Gog[1654] gyue you good yere, ye make me to smyle;
Now, be[1655] your faith, is not[1656] this theffect[1657]
Of your questyon ye make all this whyle,
To vnderstande who dwellyth in yone[1658] pile,
And what blunderar is yonder that playth didil diddil? 740
He fyndith fals mesuris out[1659] of his fonde fiddill.
_Interpolata,[1660] quæ industriosum postulat[1661] interpretem, satira
in vatis adversarium._
_Tressis agasonis species prior, altera Davi:_
_Aucupium culicis, limis dum torquet ocellum,_
_Concipit, aligeras rapit, appetit,[1662] aspice, muscas!_
[Sidenote: Nota Alchimaiam et 7 metalla.]
_Maia quæque fovet, fovet aut quæ Jupiter, aut quæ_
_Frigida Saturnus, Sol, Mars, Venus, algida Luna,_
_Si tibi contingat verbo aut committere scripto,_
_Quam sibi mox tacita sudant præcordia culpa!_
_Hinc ruit in flammas, stimulans[1663] hunc urget et illum,_
_Invocat ad rixas, vanos tamen excitat ignes,_ 750
_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 lyst,
Enuyous Rancour truely he hight:
Beware of hym, I warne you; for and[1664] ye wist
How daungerous it were to stande in his lyght[1665],
Ye wolde not[1666] dele with hym, thowgh[1667] that ye myght,
For by his deuellysshe drift and graceles prouision
An hole reame[1668] he is able to set at deuysion:
For when he spekyth fayrest, then thynketh he moost yll;
Full gloryously can he glose, thy mynde for to fele; 760
He wyll set men a feightynge[1669] and syt[1670] hymselfe styll,
And smerke, lyke a smythy kur, at[1671] sperkes of steile;
He[1672] can neuer leue warke whylis it is wele;
To tell all his towchis it were to grete wonder;
The deuyll of hell and he be seldome asonder.
Thus talkyng we went forth[1673] in at a postern gate;
Turnyng[1674] on the ryght hande, by a[1675] windyng stayre,
She brought me to[1676] a goodly chaumber of astate,
Where the noble Cowntes of Surrey in a chayre
Sat honorably, to whome did repaire 770
Of ladys a beue[1677] with all dew reuerence:
Syt downe, fayre ladys, and do your diligence!
Come forth, ientylwomen, I pray you, she sayd;
I haue contryuyd for you a goodly warke,
And who can worke beste now shall be asayde;
A cronell of lawrell with verduris light and darke
I haue deuysyd for Skelton, my clerke;
For to his seruyce I haue suche regarde,
That of our bownte we wyll hym rewarde:
For of all ladyes he hath the library, 780
Ther names recountyng in the court of Fame
Of all gentylwomen he hath the scruteny,[1678]
In Fames court reportynge the same;
For yet of women he neuer sayd shame,
But if they were counterfettes that women them call,
That list of there lewdnesse with hym for to brall.
With that the tappettis and carpettis were layd,
Whereon theis ladys softly myght rest,
The saumpler to sow on, the lacis to enbraid;
To weue in the stoule sume were full preste, 790
With slaiis, with tauellis, with hedellis well drest;
The frame was browght forth with his weuyng pin:
God geue[1679] them good spede there warke[1680] to begin!
Sume to enbrowder put them in prese,
Well gydyng ther[1681] glowtonn to kepe streit theyr sylk,
Sum pirlyng of goldde theyr worke to encrese
With fingers smale, and handis whyte[1682] as mylk;
With, Reche me that skane of tewly sylk;
And, Wynde me that botowme of such an[1683] hew,
Grene, rede, tawny, whyte, blak,[1684] purpill, and blew. 800
Of broken warkis[1685] wrought many a goodly thyng,
In castyng, in turnynge, in florisshyng of flowris,
With burris rowth[1686] and bottons surffillyng,[1687]
In nedill wark raysyng byrdis in bowris,[1688]
With vertu enbesid all tymes and howris;
And truly of theyr bownte thus were they bent
To worke me this chapelet by goode aduysemente.[1689]
_Occupacyon to Skelton._
Beholde and se in your aduertysement
How theis ladys and gentylwomen all
For your pleasure do there endeuourment, 810
And for your sake how fast to warke[1690] they fall:
To your remembraunce wherfore ye must call
In goodly wordes plesauntly comprysid,
That for them some goodly conseyt be deuysid,
With proper captacyons of beneuolence,
Ornatly pullysshid after your faculte,
Sith ye must nedis afforce it by pretence
Of your professyoun vnto vmanyte,[1691]
Commensyng your proces after there degre,
To iche of them rendryng thankis commendable, 820
With sentence fructuous and termes couenable.
_Poeta Skelton._[1692]
Auaunsynge my selfe sum thanke[1693] to deserue,
I me determynyd for to sharpe my pen,
Deuoutly arrectyng my prayer to Mynerue,
She to vowchesafe me to informe and ken;
To Mercury also hertely prayed I then,
Me to supporte, to helpe, and to assist,
To gyde and to gouerne my dredfull tremlyng[1694] fist.
As a mariner that amasid[1695] is in a stormy rage,
Hardly bestad and[1696] driuen is to hope 830
Of that the tempestuows[1697] wynde wyll aswage,
In trust[1698] wherof comforte[1699] his hart doth grope,
From the anker he kuttyth[1700] the gabyll rope,
Committyth all to God, and lettyth his shyp ryde;
So I beseke[1701] Ihesu now to be my gyde.
_To the ryght noble Countes of Surrey._
After all duly ordred obeisaunce,
In humble wyse as lowly[1702] as I may,
Vnto you, madame, I make reconusaunce,[1703]
My lyfe endurynge I shall both wryte and say,
Recount, reporte, reherse without delay 840
The passynge bounte of your noble astate,
Of honour and worshyp which hath the formar date:
Lyke to Argyua by iust resemblaunce,
The noble wyfe of Polimites kynge;
Prudent Rebecca, of whome remembraunce
The Byble makith; with whos chast lyuynge
Your noble demenour is counterwayng,
Whos passynge bounte, and ryght noble astate,
Of honour and worship it hath the formar date.
The noble Pamphila,[1704] quene of the Grekis londe,[1705] 850
Habillimentis royall founde out industriously;
Thamer also wrought with her goodly honde
Many diuisis passynge curyously;
Whome ye represent and exemplify,
Whos passynge bounte, and ryght noble astate,
Of honour and worship it hath the formar date.
As dame Thamarys, whiche toke the kyng of Perce,
Cirus by name, as wrytith the story;
Dame Agrippina also I may reherse
Of ientyll corage the perfight[1706] memory; 860
So shall your name endure perpetually,
Whos passyng bounte, and ryght noble astate,
Of honour and worship it hath the formar date.
_To my lady Elisabeth Howarde._
To be your remembrauncer,[1707] madame, I am bounde,
Lyke to Aryna, maydenly of porte,
Of vertu and[1708] konnyng the well and perfight grounde;
Whome dame Nature, as wele I may reporte,
Hath fresshely enbewtid with many a goodly sorte
Of womanly feturis, whos florysshyng tender age
Is lusty to loke on, plesaunte, demure, and sage: 870
Goodly Creisseid, fayrer than Polexene,[1709]
For to enuyue Pandarus appetite;
Troilus, I trowe, if that he had you sene,
In you he wolde haue set his hole delight:
Of all your bewte I suffyce not[1710] to wryght;
But, as I sayd, your florisshinge tender age
Is lusty to loke on, plesaunt, demure, and sage.
_To my lady Mirriell Howarde._
Mi litell lady I may not[1711] leue behinde,
But do her[1712] seruyce nedis now I must;
Beninge, curteyse, of ientyll harte and mynde, 880
Whome fortune and fate playnly haue discust
Longe to enioy plesure, delyght, and lust:
The enbuddid blossoms of[1713] roses rede of hew
With lillis[1714] whyte your bewte doth renewe.
Compare you I may to Cidippes, the mayd,
That of Aconcyus whan she founde the byll
In her bosome, lorde, how[1715] she was afrayd!
The ruddy shamefastnes in her vysage fyll,
Whiche maner of abasshement became her not yll;
Right so, madame, the roses redde of hew 890
With lillys whyte your bewte dothe renewe.
_To my lady Anne Dakers of the Sowth._
Zeuxes,[1716] that enpicturid fare Elene the quene,
You to deuyse his crafte were to seke;
And if Apelles your countenaunce had sene,
Of porturature which was the famous Greke,
He coude not deuyse the lest poynt of your cheke;
Princes of yowth, and flowre of goodly porte,
Vertu, conyng, solace, pleasure, comforte.[1717]
Paregall in honour vnto Penolepe,
That for her trowth is in remembraunce had; 900
Fayre Diianira surmountynge[1718] in bewte;
Demure Diana womanly and sad,
Whos lusty lokis make heuy hartis glad;
Princes of youth, and flowre of goodly porte,
Vertu, connyng, solace, pleasure, comforte.[1719]
_To mastres Margery Wentworthe._
With margerain ientyll,
The flowre of goodlyhede,[1720]
Enbrowdred the mantill
Is of your maydenhede.[1721]
Plainly I can not[1722] glose; 910
Ye be, as I deuyne,
The praty primrose,
The goodly columbyne.
With margerain iantill,
The flowre of goodlyhede,
Enbrawderyd the mantyll
Is of yowre maydenhede.
Benynge, corteise, and meke,
With wordes well deuysid;
In you, who list to seke, 920
Be vertus well comprysid.
With margerain iantill,
The flowre of goodlyhede,
Enbrawderid the mantill
Is of yowr maydenhede.
_To mastres Margaret Tylney._
I you assure,
Ful wel I know
My besy cure
To yow I owe;
Humbly and low 930
Commendynge me
To yowre bownte.
As Machareus
Fayre Canace,
So I, iwus,[1723]
Endeuoure me
Yowr name to se
It be enrolde,
Writtin with golde.
Phedra ye may 940
Wele represent;
Intentyfe ay
And dylygent,
No tyme myspent;
Wherfore delyght
I haue to whryght
Of Margarite,
Perle orient,
Lede sterre[1724] of lyght,
Moche relucent; 950
Madame regent
I may you call
Of vertues[1725] all.
_To maystres Iane Blenner-Haiset._[1726]
What though[1727] my penne wax faynt,
And hath smale lust to paint?
Yet shall there no restraynt
Cause me to cese,
Amonge this prese,
For to encrese
Yowre goodly name. 960
I wyll my selfe applye,
Trust[1728] me, ententifly,
Yow for to stellyfye;
And so obserue
That ye ne swarue
For to deserue
Inmortall fame.[1729]
Sith mistres[1730] Iane Haiset[1731]
Smale flowres helpt to sett
In my goodly chapelet, 970
Therfore I render of her the memory
Vnto the legend of fare Laodomi.[1732]
_To maystres Isabell Pennell._
By saynt Mary, my lady,
Your mammy and your dady
Brought forth a godely babi!
My mayden Isabell,
Reflaring rosabell,
The flagrant camamell;
The ruddy rosary,
The souerayne rosemary, 980
The praty strawbery;
The columbyne, the nepte,
The ieloffer well set,
The propre vyolet;
Enuwyd your[1733] colowre
Is lyke the dasy flowre
After the Aprill showre;
Sterre[1734] of the morow gray,
The blossom on the spray,
The fresshest flowre of May; 990
Maydenly demure,
Of womanhode[1735] the lure;
Wherfore I make you sure[1736],
It were an heuenly helth,
It were an endeles welth,
A lyfe for God hymselfe,
To here this nightingale,
Amonge the byrdes smale,
Warbelynge in the vale,
Dug, dug, 1000
Iug, iug,
Good yere and good luk,
With chuk, chuk, chuk, chuk!
_To maystres Margaret Hussey._
Mirry Margaret,
As mydsomer flowre,
Ientill as fawcoun
Or hawke of the towre;
With solace and gladnes,
Moche mirthe and no madnes,
All good and no badnes, 1010
So ioyously,
So maydenly,
So womanly
Her demenyng
In euery thynge,
Far, far passynge
That I can endyght,
Or suffyce to wryght
Of mirry Margarete,
As mydsomer flowre, 1020
Ientyll as fawcoun
Or hawke of the towre;
As pacient and as styll,
And as full of good wyll,
As fayre[1737] Isaphill;
Colyaunder,
Swete pomaunder,
Good cassaunder;
Stedfast of thought,
Wele made, wele wrought; 1030
Far may be sought
Erst that[1738] ye can fynde
So corteise, so kynde
As mirry Margarete[1739],
This[1740] midsomer flowre,
Ientyll as fawcoun
Or hawke of the towre.
_To mastres Geretrude Statham._
Though[1741] ye wer hard hertyd,
And I with you thwartid
With wordes that smartid, 1040
Yet nowe doutles ye geue me cause
To wryte of you this goodli clause,
Maistres[1742] Geretrude,
With womanhode[1743] endude,
With vertu well renwde.
I wyll that ye shall be
In all benyngnyte
Lyke to dame Pasiphe;
For nowe dowtles ye geue me cause
To wryte of yow this goodly clause, 1050
Maistres Geretrude,
With womanhode endude,
With vertu well renude.
Partly by your councell,
Garnisshed with lawrell
Was my fresshe coronell;
Wherfore doutles ye geue me cause
To wryte of you this goodly clause,
Maistres Geretrude,
With womanhode endude, 1060
With vertu well renude.
_To maystres Isabell[1744] Knyght._
But if I sholde aquyte your kyndnes,
Els saye ye myght
That in me were grete blyndnes,
I for to be so myndles,
And cowde not[1745] wryght
Of Isabell Knyght.
It is not[1746] my custome nor my gyse
To leue behynde
Her that is bothe womanly[1747] and wyse, 1070
And specyally which glad was to deuyse
The menes[1748] to fynde
To please my mynde,
In helpyng to warke my laurell grene
With sylke and golde:
Galathea, the made well besene,
Was neuer halfe so fayre, as I wene,
Whiche was extolde
A thowsande folde
By Maro, the Mantuan prudent, 1080
Who list to rede;
But, and I had leyser competent,
I coude shew you[1749] suche a presedent
In very dede
Howe ye excede.
_Occupacyon to Skelton._
Withdrawe your hande, the tyme passis[1750] fast;
Set on your hede this laurell whiche is wrought;
Here you[1751] not[1752] Eolus for you blowyth a blaste?
I dare wele saye that ye and I be sought:
Make no delay, for now ye must be brought 1090
Before my ladys grace, the Quene of Fame,
Where ye must breuely answere to your name.
_Skelton Poeta._
Castyng my syght the chambre aboute,
To se how duly ich thyng in ordre was,
Towarde the dore,[1753] as we were comyng oute,
I sawe maister Newton sit with his compas,
His plummet, his pensell, his spectacles of[1754] glas,
Dyuysynge in pycture, by his industrious wit,
Of my laurell the proces euery whitte.
Forthwith vpon this, as it were in a thought, 1100
Gower, Chawcer, Lydgate, theis thre
Before remembred, me curteisly[1755] brought
Into that place where as they left me,
Where all the sayd poetis sat in there degre.
But when they sawe my lawrell rychely wrought,[1756]
All other besyde were counterfete[1757] they thought
In comparyson of that whiche I ware:
Sume praysed the perle, some the stones bryght;
Wele was hym that therevpon myght stare;
Of this warke[1758] they had so great delyght, 1110
The silke, the golde, the flowris fresshe to syght,
They seyd my lawrell was the goodlyest
That euer they saw, and wrought it was the best.
In her astate there sat the noble Quene
Of Fame: perceyuynge how that I was cum,
She wonderyd me thought[1759] at my laurell grene;
She loked hawtly, and gaue[1760] on me a glum:
Thhere was amonge them no worde[1761] then but mum,
For eche man herkynde what she wolde to me[1762] say;
Wherof in substaunce I brought this away. 1120
_The Quene of Fame to Skelton._
My frende, sith ye ar before vs[1763] here present
To answere vnto this noble audyence,
Of that shalbe resonde you[1764] ye must be content;
And for as moche as, by the hy[1765] pretence
That ye haue now thorow[1766] preemynence
Of laureat triumphe,[1767] your place is here reseruyd,
We wyll vnderstande how ye haue it deseruyd.
_Skelton Poeta to the Quene of Fame._
Ryght high[1768] and myghty princes of astate,
In famous glory all other transcendyng,
Of your bounte the accustomable[1769] rate 1130
Hath bene full often and yet is entendyng[1770]
To all that to[1771] reason is condiscendyng,
But if hastyue[1772] credence by mayntenance of myght
Fortune to stande betwene you and the lyght:
But suche euydence I thynke for to[1773] enduce,
And so largely to lay for myne indempnite,
That I trust[1774] to make myne excuse
Of what charge soeuer ye lay ageinst[1775] me;
For of my bokis parte ye shall se,
Whiche in your recordes, I knowe well, be enrolde, 1140
And so Occupacyon, your regester, me tolde.
Forthwith she commaundid I shulde take my place;
Caliope poynted me where I shulde sit:
With that, Occupacioun presid in a pace;
Be mirry, she sayd, be not[1776] aferde a whit,
Your discharge here vnder myne arme is it.
So then commaundid she was vpon this
To shew her boke; and she sayd, Here it is.
_The Quene of Fame to Occupacioun._
Yowre boke[1777] of remembrauns we will now that ye rede;
If ony[1778] recordis in noumbyr can be founde, 1150
What Skelton hath compilid and wryton in dede
Rehersyng by ordre, and what is the grownde,
Let se now for hym how ye can expounde;
For in owr courte, ye wote wele, his name can not[1779] ryse
But if he wryte oftenner than ones or twyse.
_Skelton Poeta._