Chapter XIII: Part 13

What can it auayle
To dryue forth a snayle,
Or to make a sayle
Of an herynges tayle;
To ryme or to rayle,
To wryte or to indyte,
Eyther for delyte[877]
Or elles for[878] despyte;[879]
Or bokes to compyle
Of dyuers maner[880] style, 10
Vyce to reuyle
And synne to[881] exyle;
To teche or to preche,
As reason wyll reche?[882]
Say this, and[883] say that,
His hed is so fat,
He wotteth[884] neuer what
Nor wherof he speketh;
He cryeth and[885] he creketh,
He pryeth and[886] he peketh, 20
He chydes[887] and he chatters,
He prates and he patters,
He clytters and he clatters,
He medles and he smatters,
He gloses and he flatters;
Or[888] yf he speake playne,
Than he lacketh brayne,
He is but a fole;
Let hym go to scole,
On[889] a thre foted stole 30
That he may downe syt,
For he lacketh wyt;
And yf that he hyt
The nayle on the hede,
It standeth in no stede;
The deuyll, they say, is dede,
The deuell is dede.[890]
It may well so[891] be,
Or els they wolde se
Otherwyse, and fle 40
From worldly[892] vanyte,
And foule couetousnesse,
And other wretchednesse,
Fyckell[893] falsenesse,
Varyablenesse,
With vnstablenesse.
And if ye[894] stande in doute
Who brought this ryme aboute,
My name is Colyn Cloute.
I[895] purpose to shake oute 50
All my connyng bagge,
Lyke a clerkely hagge;
For though my ryme be ragged,
Tattered and iagged,
Rudely rayne beaten,
Rusty and moughte[896] eaten,
If ye[897] take well therwith,
It hath in it some pyth.
For, as farre as I can se,
It is wronge with eche degre: 60
For the temporalte
Accuseth the spiritualte;
The spirituall[898] agayne
Dothe grudge and complayne
Vpon the[899] temporall men:
Thus eche of other blother[900]
The tone agayng[901] the tother:
Alas, they make me shoder!
For in hoder moder
The Churche is put in faute; 70
The prelates ben[902] so haut,
They say, and loke so hy,
As though they wolde fly
Aboue the sterry skye.
Laye men say indede
How they take no[903] hede
Theyr sely shepe to fede,
But plucke away and pull
The fleces of theyr[904] wull,
Vnethes[905] they leue a locke 80
Of wull amonges[906] theyr[907] flocke;
And as for theyr connynge,
A glommynge and a mummynge,
And make therof a iape;
They gaspe and they gape
All to haue promocyon,
There is theyr hole[908] deuocyon,
With money, if it wyll hap,
To catche the[909] forked cap:
Forsothe they are to[910] lewd 90
To say so, all beshrewd!
What trow ye they say more
Of the bysshoppes lore?
How in matters they be rawe,
They lumber forth[911] the lawe,
To herken[912] Jacke and Gyll,
Whan they put vp a byll,
And iudge it[913] as they wyll,
For other mennes skyll,
Expoundyng out theyr clauses, 100
And leue theyr owne causes:
In theyr prouynciall[914] cure
They make but lytell sure,
And meddels[915] very lyght
In the Churches[916] ryght;
But _ire_ and _venire_,
And solfa[917] so alamyre,
That the premenyre
Is lyke to be set[918] a fyre
In theyr iurisdictions[919] 110
Through temporall afflictions:[920]
Men say they haue prescriptions[921]
Agaynst spirituall[922] contradictions,[923]
Accomptynge them as fyctions.[924]
And whyles the heedes do this,
The remenaunt is amys
Of the clergy all,
Bothe great[925] and small.
I wot neuer[926] how they warke,
But thus[927] the people barke;[928] 120
And surely thus they say,
Bysshoppes, if they may,
Small houses wolde[929] kepe,
But slumbre forth and slepe,
And assay to crepe
Within the noble walles
Of the kynges halles,
To fat theyr bodyes full,
Theyr soules lene[930] and dull,
And haue full lytell care[931] 130
How euyll[932] theyr shepe fare.
The temporalyte say[933] playne,
Howe bysshoppes dysdayne
Sermons for to make,
Or suche laboure to take;
And for to say trouth,
A great parte is for[934] slouth,
But the greattest parte
Is for[935] they haue but small arte
And ryght sklender[936] connyng 140
Within theyr heedes wonnyng.
But this reason they take
How they are able to make
With theyr golde and treasure
Clerkes out of[937] measure,
And yet that is a pleasure.
Howe be it some there be,
Almost two or thre,
Of that dygnyte,
Full worshypfull clerkes, 150
As[938] appereth by theyr werkes,
Lyke Aaron and Ure,
The wolfe from the dore
To werryn[939] and to kepe
From theyr goostly shepe,
And theyr[940] spirituall lammes
Sequestred from rammes
And from the[941] berded gotes
With theyr heery cotes;
Set nought by golde ne grotes, 160
Theyr names if I durst tell.
But they are[942] loth to mell,
And loth to hang the bell
Aboute the cattes necke,
For drede to haue a checke;
They ar fayne to play deuz decke,[943]
They ar made[944] for the becke.
How be it they are good men,
Moche[945] herted lyke an hen:
Theyr lessons forgotten they haue 170
That Becket them[946] gaue:
Thomas _manum mittit ad fortia,_
_Spernit damna, spernit opprobria,_
_Nulla Thomam frangit injuria_.
But nowe euery spirituall father,
Men say, they[947] had rather
Spende moche[948] of theyr share
Than to be combred with care:
Spende! nay, nay,[949] but spare;
For let se who that[950] dare 180
Sho the mockysshe mare;
They make her wynche and keke,
But it is not[951] worth a leke:
Boldnesse is to seke
The Churche[952] for to defend.
Take me as I intende,
For lothe[953] I am to offende
In this that I haue pende:
I tell you as men say;
Amende whan[954] ye may, 190
For, _usque ad montem Sare_,[955]
Men say ye can not appare;[956]
For some say ye hunte in[957] parkes,
And hauke on hobby larkes,
And other wanton warkes,
Whan the nyght darkes.
What hath lay men to[958] do
The gray gose[959] for to sho?
Lyke houndes of hell,
They crye and they yell, 200
Howe that ye[960] sell
The grace of the Holy Gost:
Thus they make theyr bost
Through owte[961] euery cost,
Howe some of you do eate
In Lenton season[962] fleshe mete,
Fesauntes, partryche, and cranes;
Men call you therfor prophanes;
Ye pycke no shrympes nor[963] pranes,
Saltfysshe, stocfysshe, nor[964] heryng, 210
It is not for your werynge;
Nor in holy Lenton[965] season
Ye[966] wyll netheyr benes ne peason,
But ye loke to be let lose[967]
To a pygge[968] or to a gose,
Your gorge not endewed
Without a capon stewed,
Or a stewed cocke,
To knowe[969] whate ys a clocke
Vnder her surfled[970] smocke, 220
And her wanton wodicocke.
And howe whan ye[971] gyue orders
In your prouinciall borders,
As at _Sitientes_,[972]
Some are _insufficientes_,[973]
Some _parum sapientes_,
Some _nihil intelligentes_,
Some _valde negligentes_,
Some _nullum sensum habentes_,
But bestiall[974] and vntaught;[975] 230
But whan thei haue ones caught
_Dominus vobiscum_ by the hede,
Than renne they in euery stede,
God wot, with dronken nolles;
Yet take they[976] cure[977] of soules,
And woteth neuer[978] what thei rede,
Paternoster, Ave,[979] nor Crede;
Construe not worth a whystle
Nether Gospell nor Pystle;
Theyr mattyns madly sayde, 240
Nothynge deuoutly prayde;
Theyr lernynge is so small,[980]
Theyr prymes[981] and houres fall
And lepe[982] out of theyr lyppes
Lyke sawdust or drye chyppes.
I speke not nowe of all,
But the moost parte in[983] generall.
Of suche vagabundus[984]
Speketh _totus mundus_;
Howe some synge _Lætabundus_ 250
At euery ale stake,
With, welcome hake and make!
By the brede that God brake,
I am sory[985] for your sake.
I speke not of the[986] good[987] wyfe,
But of theyr apostles[988] lyfe;
_Cum ipsis[989] vel illis_
_Qui manent in villis_
_Est uxor vel ancilla_,
Welcome Jacke and Gylla! 260
My prety Petronylla,
And you wyll[990] be stylla,
You shall haue your wylla.
Of suche Paternoster pekes
All the worlde spekes.
In you the faute is supposed,
For that they are not apposed
By iust[991] examinacyon
In connyng and[992] conuérsacyon;
They haue none instructyon 270
To make a true[993] constructyon:
A preest without a[994] letter,
Without his vertue be gretter,
Doutlesse were[995] moche[996] better
Vpon hym for to take
A mattocke or a rake.
Alas, for very shame!
Some can not declyne their[997] name;
Some can not scarsly[998] rede,
And yet he[999] wyll not drede 280
For to kepe a cure,
And in nothyng is sure;
This _Dominus vobiscum_,
As wyse as Tom a thrum,[1000]
A chaplayne of trust
Layth all in the dust.
Thus I, Colyn Cloute,
As I go aboute,
And wandrynge as I walke,
I here the people talke. 290
Men say, for syluer[1001] and golde
Myters are bought and solde;
There[1002] shall no clergy appose
A myter nor[1003] a crose,
But a full purse:
A strawe for Goddes curse!
What are they[1004] the worse?
For a symonyake
Is[1005] but a hermoniake;[1006]
And no more ye[1007] make 300
Of symony, men say,
But a chyldes play.
Ouer this,[1008] the foresayd laye
Reporte[1009] howe the Pope may
An[1010] holy anker call
Out of the stony[1011] wall,
And hym a bysshopp make,
If he on hym dare[1012] take
To kepe so harde a rule,
To ryde vpon a mule 310
With golde all betrapped,
In purple and paule belapped;
Some hatted and some capped,
Rychely and warme[1013] bewrapped,[1014]
God wot to theyr great paynes,
In rotchettes of fyne Raynes,
Whyte as morowes[1015] mylke;
Theyr tabertes of fyne silke,
Theyr styrops of myxt gold begared;[1016]
There may no cost be spared; 320
Theyr moyles[1017] golde dothe eate;
Theyr neyghbours dye for meate.
What care they though Gil sweate,
Or[1018] Jacke of the Noke?
The pore people they yoke[1019]
With sommons[1020] and citacyons
And excommunycacyons,[1021]
About churches[1022] and market:
The bysshop on his carpet
At home full softe dothe syt. 330
This is a farly[1023] fyt,
To here the people iangle,
Howe warely[1024] they wrangle:
Alas, why do ye not handle
And them all to-mangle?[1025]
Full[1026] falsely on you they lye,
And[1027] shamefully you ascrye,
And say as vntruely,[1028]
As the[1029] butterflye
A man myght[1030] saye in mocke 340
Ware the[1031] wethercocke
Of the steple of Poules;
And thus they hurte theyr soules
In sclaunderyng[1032] you for[1033] truthe:
Alas, it is great ruthe!
Some say ye syt in trones,
Lyke prynces[1034] _aquilonis_,
And shryne your rotten bones
With perles[1035] and precyous stones;
But howe the commons grones, 350
And the people mones[1036]
For prestes and for lones
Lent and neuer payd,
But from day to day delayde,
The commune welth decayde,
Men say ye are tonge tayde,[1037]
And therof speke[1038] nothynge
But dyssymulyng and glosyng.
Wherfore men be[1039] supposyng
That ye gyue shrewd counsell 360
Agaynst the commune well,
By poollynge and pyllage
In cytyes and vyllage,
By taxyng and tollage,[1040]
Ye make[1041] monkes to[1042] haue the culerage
For couerynge of an olde cottage,
That commytted[1043] is a collage
In the charter of dottage,
_Tenure par seruyce[1044] de sottage_,
And not _par seruyce de socage_, 370
After olde seygnyours,
And the lerning of Lytelton tenours:
Ye haue so ouerthwarted,
That good lawes are subuerted,
And good reason peruerted.
Relygous men are fayne
For to tourne[1045] agayne
_In[1046] secula seculorum_,
And to forsake[1047] theyr corum,
And _vagabundare per forum_, 380
And take a fyne _meritorum_,
_Contra regulam morum,_
_Aut_ blacke _monachorum,_
_Aut canonicorum,_
_Aut Bernardinorum,_
_Aut crucifixorum_,
And to synge from place to place,
Lyke apostataas.
And the selfe same game
Begone ys[1048] nowe with shame 390
Amongest[1049] the sely nonnes:
My lady nowe[1050] she ronnes,
Dame Sybly[1051] our abbesse,
Dame Dorothe and lady Besse,
Dame Sare[1052] our pryoresse,
Out of theyr[1053] cloyster and quere
With an heuy chere,
Must cast vp theyr blacke vayles,
And set vp theyr fucke sayles,
To catch wynde with their ventales— 400
What, Colyne,[1054] there thou shales!
Yet thus with yll hayles
The lay fee[1055] people rayles.
And all the fawte[1056] they lay
On you, prelates,[1057] and say
Ye do them wrong[1058] and no ryght
To put them thus to flyght;
No matyns at mydnyght,
Boke and chalys gone quyte;
And[1059] plucke awaye the leedes 410
Evyn[1060] ouer theyr heedes,
And sell away theyr belles,
And all that they[1061] haue elles:
Thus the people telles,
Rayles lyke[1062] rebelles,
Redys[1063] shrewdly and spelles,
And with foundacyons[1064] melles,
And talkys[1065] lyke tytyuelles,
Howe ye brake the dedes[1066] wylles,
Turne monasteris into[1067] water milles, 420
Of an abbay ye[1068] make a graunge;
Your workes,[1069] they saye, are straunge;
So that theyr founders soules
Haue lost theyr beade rolles,
The mony for theyr masses
Spent[1070] amonge wanton lasses;
The _Diriges_ are[1071] forgotten;
Theyr founders lye there rotten,
But where[1072] theyr soules dwell,
Therwith I wyll not mell. 430
What coulde[1073] the Turke do more
With all his false[1074] lore,
Turke, Sarazyn,[1075] or Jew?
I reporte me to you,
O mercyfull Jesu,
You supporte and rescue,[1076]
My style for to dyrecte,
It may take some effecte!
For I abhorre to wryte
Howe the lay fee dyspyte 440
You prelates, that of ryght
Shulde be lanternes of lyght.
Ye lyue, they say, in delyte,
Drowned _in deliciis,_
_In gloria et divitiis,_
_In admirabili honore,[1077]_
_In gloria, et splendore_
_Fulgurantis hastæ,[1078]_
_Viventes parum caste_:
Yet swete meate hath soure sauce, 450
For after _gloria,[1079] laus_,
Chryst by cruelte
Was nayled vpon[1080] a tre;
He payed a bytter pencyon
For mannes redemcyon,
He dranke eysell and gall
To redeme vs withall;
But swete ypocras ye drynke,
With, Let the cat wynke!
Iche wot what eche[1081] other thynk; 460
Howe be it _per assimile_
Some men thynke that ye
Shall haue penalte[1082]
For your iniquyte.
_Nota_[1083] what I say,
And bere it well away;
If it please not theologys,[1084]
It is good for astrologys;[1085]
For Ptholome tolde me
The sonne somtyme to be 470
_In Ariete_,
Ascendent a degre,[1086]
Whan Scorpion descendynge,
Was so then[1087] pretendynge
A fatall fall of one[1088]
That shuld[1089] syt on[1090] a trone,
And rule all thynges[1091] alone.
Your teth whet on this bone
Amongest[1092] you euerychone,
And let Collyn Cloute haue none[1093] 480
Maner of cause to mone:
Lay salue to your owne sore,
For els, as I sayd before,
After _gloria_, _laus_,
May come a soure sauce;
Sory therfore am I,
But trouth can neuer lye.
With language thus poluted
Holy Churche is bruted
And shamfully confuted. 490
My penne nowe wyll I sharpe,
And wrest vp my harpe
With sharpe twynkyng trebelles,
Agaynst all suche rebelles
That laboure to confounde
And bryng the Churche to the grounde;
As ye may dayly se
Howe the lay fee
Of one affynyte
Consent and agre 500
Agaynst the Churche to be,
And the dygnyte
Of the bysshoppes see.[1094]
And eyther ye be to bad,
Or els they ar mad
Of this to reporte:
But, vnder your supporte,
Tyll my dyenge day
I shall bothe wryte and say,
And ye shall do the same, 510
Howe they are to[1095] blame
You thus to dyffame:
For it maketh me sad
Howe that the people[1096] are glad
The Churche to depraue;
And some there are that raue,
Presumynge on theyr wyt,[1097]
Whan there is neuer a whyt,
To maynteyne argumentes
Agaynst the sacramentes. 520
Some make epylogacyon
Of hyghe predestynacyon;[1098]
And of resydeuacyon[1099]
They make interpretacyon
Of an aquarde facyon;
And of the prescience
Of dyuyne essence;[1100]
And what ipostacis[1101]
Of Christes manhode is.
Suche logyke men wyll chop, 530
And in theyr fury hop,
When the good ale sop
Dothe daunce in theyr fore top;
Bothe women and men,
Suche ye may well knowe and ken,
That agaynst[1102] preesthode
Theyr malyce sprede abrode,
Raylynge haynously
And dysdaynously
Of preestly dygnytes, 540
But theyr malygnytes.
And some haue a smacke
Of Luthers sacke,
And a brennyng sparke
Of Luthers warke,[1103]
And are somewhat suspecte
In Luthers secte;
And some of them barke,[1104]
Clatter and carpe
Of that heresy arte, 550
Called Wicleuista,[1105]
The deuelysshe dogmatista;
And some be Hussyans,
And some be Arryans,
And some be Pollegians,
And make moche varyans
Bytwene the clergye
And the temporaltye,
Howe the Church[1106] hath to mykel,
And they haue to lytell, 560
And bryng in[1107] materialites[1108]
And qualyfyed qualytes
Of pluralytes,
Of tryalytes,
And of tot quottes,
They commune lyke sottes,[1109]
As commeth to theyr lottes;
Of prebendaries and deanes,
Howe some of them gleanes
And gathereth[1110] vp the store 570
For to catche more and more;
Of persons and vycaryes
They make many outcryes;
They cannot kepe theyr wyues
From them for theyr lyues;
And thus the loselles stryues,
And lewdely sayes by[1111] Christ
Agaynst the sely preest.
Alas, and well away,
What ayles[1112] them thus to say? 580
They mought[1113] be better aduysed[1114]
Then to be so[1115] dysgysed:
But they haue enterprysed,
And shamfully surmysed,
Howe prelacy[1116] is solde and bought,
And come vp of nought;
And where the[1117] prelates be
Come[1118] of lowe degre,
And set in[1119] maieste
And spirituall dyngnyte, 590
Farwell benygnyte,
Farwell symplicite,[1120]
Farwell humylyte,
Farwell good charyte!
Ye[1121] are so puffed wyth pryde,
That no man may abyde
Your hygh and lordely lokes:
Ye cast vp then[1122] your bokes,
And vertue is forgotten;
For then ye wyll be wroken 600
Of euery lyght quarell,
And call a lorde a[1123] iauell,
A knyght a knaue ye[1124] make;
Ye bost, ye face, ye crake,
And vpon you ye[1125] take
To rule bothe[1126] kynge and kayser;
And yf ye[1127] may haue layser,
Ye wyll[1128] brynge all to nought,
And that is all[1129] your thought:
For the lordes temporall, 610
Theyr rule is very small,
Almost nothyng at all.
Men saye howe ye[1130] appall
The[1131] noble blode royall:
In ernest and in game,
Ye are the lesse to blame,
For lordes of noble blode,
If they well vnderstode[1132]
How connyng myght them auaunce,[1133]
They wold pype you another[1134] daunce: 620
But noble men borne
To lerne they haue scorne,[1135]
But hunt[1136] and blowe an horne,
Lepe ouer[1137] lakes and dykes,
Set nothyng by[1138] polytykes;
Therfore ye kepe them bace,
And mocke them to[1139] theyr face:
This is a pyteous case,
To you that ouer[1140] the whele
Grete[1141] lordes must crouche[1142] and knele, 630
And breke theyr hose at the kne,
As dayly men may se,
And to remembraunce call,[1143]
Fortune so turneth the ball
And ruleth so ouer all,
That honoure hath a great fall.
Shall I tell you[1144] more? ye, shall.
I am loth to tell all;
But the communalte yow[1145] call
Ydolles of Babylon, 640
_De terra_ Zabulon,
_De terra_ Neptalym;
For ye[1146] loue to go trym,
Brought vp of poore estate,
Wyth pryde inordinate,
Sodaynly vpstarte
From the donge carte,
The mattocke[1147] and the shule,[1148]
To reygne and to rule;
And haue[1149] no grace to thynke 650
Howe ye[1150] were wonte to drynke
Of a lether bottell
With a knauysshe stoppell,
Whan mamockes was your meate,
With moldy[1151] brede to eate;
Ye cowde[1152] none other gete
To chewe and to gnawe,
To fyll therwith your mawe;
Loggyng in fayre[1153] strawe,
Couchyng your drousy heddes 660
Somtyme in lousy beddes.[1154]
Alas, this is out[1155] of mynde!
Ye growe nowe out of kynde:
Many one ye haue vntwynde,[1156]
And made[1157] the commons blynde.
But _qui se[1158] existimat stare_,
Let hym well beware[1159]
Lest that his fote slyp,
And haue suche a tryp,
And falle[1160] in suche dekay, 670
That all the worlde may[1161] say,
Come downe, in[1162] the deuyll[1163] way!
Yet, ouer all that,[1164]
Of bysshops they[1165] chat,
That though ye round your hear
An ynche aboue your ear,
And haue[1166] _aures patentes_
And _parum intendentes_,
And your tonsors be croppyd,[1167]
Your eares they be[1168] stopped; 680
For maister _Adulator_,
And doctour _Assentator_,
And _Blandior blandiris_,
With _Mentior mentiris_,
They folowe[1169] your desyres,
And so they blere your eye,
That ye can not espye
Howe the male dothe wrye.[1170]
Alas, for Goddes wyll,
Why syt ye, prelates,[1171] styll, 690
And suffre all this yll?
Ye bysshops of estates[1172]
Shulde open the brode gates[1173]
Of[1174] your spirituall charge,
And com forthe[1175] at large,
Lyke lanternes of lyght,
In the peoples syght,
In pullpettes[1176] awtentyke,[1177]
For the wele publyke
Of preesthode[1178] in this case; 700
And alwayes to chase
Suche maner of sysmatykes
And halfe heretykes,
That wolde intoxicate,[1179]
That wolde conquinate,
That wolde contaminate,[1180]
And that[1181] wolde vyolate,
And that wolde derogate,
And that[1182] wolde abrogate
The Churchis[1183] hygh estates,[1184] 710
After this maner rates,[1185]
The which shulde be
Both franke and free,
And haue theyr[1186] lyberte,
As[1187] of antiquyte
It was ratefyed,
And also gratifyed,
By holy synodalles
And bulles papalles,[1188]
As it is _res certa_ 720
Conteyned in _Magna Charta_.
But maister[1189] Damyan,
Or some other man,
That clerkely is and can
Well scrypture expounde
And hys[1190] textes grounde,
His benefyce worthe ten pounde,
Or skante worth twenty marke,
And yet[1191] a noble clerke,
He must do this werke; 730
As I knowe a parte,
Some maisters of arte,
Some doctours of lawe,
Some lernde in other sawe,
As in dyuynyte,
That hath no dygnyte
But the pore degre
Of the vnyuersyte;
Or els frere Frederycke,
Or els[1192] frere Dominike, 740
Or frere Hugulinus,
Or frere Agustinus,
Or frere Carmelus,[1193]
That gostly can heale vs;
Or els yf we may
Get a frere graye,
Or els of the order
Vpon[1194] Grenewyche border,
Called Obseruaunce,
Or[1195] a frere of Fraunce; 750
Or els the poore Scot,
It must come to his lot
To shote forthe his[1196] shot;
Or of Babuell besyde Bery,
To postell vpon a[1197] kyry,
That wolde it shulde be[1198] noted
Howe scripture shulde be coted,
And so clerkley[1199] promoted;
And yet the frere doted.
But men sey your awtoryte,[1200] 760
And your noble se,[1201]
And your[1202] dygnyte,
Shulde be imprynted better
Then all[1203] the freres letter;
For if ye wolde take payne
To preche a worde or twayne,
Though it were neuer so playne,
With clauses two or thre,
So as they myght be
Compendyously conueyde, 770
These[1204] wordes shuld be more weyd,
And better perceyued,
And thankfullerlye[1205] receyued,
And better shulde remayne[1206]
Amonge[1207] the people playne,
That wold your wordes retayne[1208]
And reherce them agayne,
Than a thousand thousande[1209] other,
That blaber,[1210] barke, and blother,[1211]
And make a Walshmans hose 780
Of the texte and of the[1212] glose.
For protestatyon made,
That I wyll not wade
Farther in this broke,[1213]
Nor farther for[1214] to loke
In deuysynge of[1215] this boke,
But[1216] answere that I may
For my selfe alway,
Eyther _analogice_[1217]
Or els _categorice_,[1218] 790
So that in diuinite[1219]
Doctors that lerned be,
Nor bachelers of that faculte
That hath[1220] taken degre
In the vniuersite,
Shall not be obiecte at by[1221] me.
But doctour Bullatus,
_Parum litteratus,_
_Dominus doctoratus_
At the brode gatus,[1222] 800
Doctour Daupatus,
And bacheler _bacheleratus_,[1223]
Dronken as a mouse,
At the[1224] ale house,
Taketh[1225] his pyllyon and his cap[1226]
At the good ale tap,
For lacke of good wyne;
As wyse as Robyn[1227] swyne,
Vnder a[1228] notaryes sygne
Was made a dyuyne; 810
As wyse as Waltoms calfe,
Must preche, a Goddes halfe,
In the pulpyt solempnely;
More mete in the[1229] pyllory,
For, by saynt Hyllary,
He can nothyng smatter
Of logyke nor[1230] scole matter,
Neyther _syllogisare_,[1231]
Nor _enthymemare_,[1232]
Nor knoweth his elenkes[1233] 820
Nor his predicamens;[1234]
And yet he wyll mell[1235]
To amend the gospell,
And wyll preche and tell
What they do in hell;
And he dare not well neuen[1236]
What they do in heuen,
Nor[1237] how farre Temple barre is
From the seuen starrys.[1238]
Nowe wyll I[1239] go 830
And tell of other mo,
_Semper protestando_
_De non impugnando_
The foure ordores of fryers,[1240]
Though[1241] some of them be lyers;
As Lymyters at large
Wyll charge and dyscharge;
As many a frere, God wote,
Preches[1242] for his grote,
Flatterynge[1243] for a newe cote 840
And for to haue his fees;
Some to gather chese;
Loth they are to lese
Eyther corne or malte;[1244]
Somtyme meale and salte,
Somtyme a bacon flycke,
That is thre fyngers thycke
Of larde and of greace,
Theyr couent to encreace.
I put you out of doute, 850
This can not be brought aboute
But they theyr tonges fyle,
And make a plesaunt style
To Margery and to[1245] Maude,
Howe they haue no fraude;[1246]
And somtyme they prouoke
Bothe Gyll and Jacke at Noke
Their dewtyes to withdrawe,
That they ought by the lawe
Theyr curates to[1247] content 860
In open tyme and in Lent:[1248]
God wot, they take great payne
To flatter and to fayne;
But[1249] it[1250] is an[1251] olde sayd sawe,
That nede hath[1252] no lawe.
Some walke aboute in melottes,[1253]
In gray russet and heery cotes;
Some wyl[1254] neyther golde ne grotes;[1255]
Some plucke a partrych in remotes,
And by the barres of[1256] her tayle 870
Wyll knowe a rauen from[1257] a rayle,
A quayle, the raile, and the olde rauen:[1258]
_Sed libera nos a malo_! _Amen._
And by _Dudum_, theyr Clementine,[1259]
Agaynst curates they[1260] repyne;
And say propreli they ar[1261] _sacerdotes_,
To shryue, assoyle, and reles[1262]
Dame Margeries[1263] soule out of hell:
But when the freare fell[1264] in the well,
He coud not syng himselfe therout[1265] 880
But by the helpe of Christyan Clout.
Another Clementyne also,[1266]
How frere Fabian, with other mo,
_Exivit de Paradiso_;
Whan they agayn theder shal come,
_De hoc petimus consilium_:
And through all the world they go
With[1267] _Dirige_ and _Placebo_.
But nowe my mynd ye vnderstand,
For they[1268] must take in hande 890
To prech, and to[1269] withstande
Al maner of abiections;[1270]
For bysshops haue protections,
They say, to do corrections,
But they haue no affections[1271]
To take the sayd[1272] dyrections;
In such maner of cases,[1273]
Men say, they bere no faces
To occupye suche places,
To sowe the sede of graces:[1274] 900
Theyr hertes are so faynted,
And they be so attaynted
With coueytous and ambycyon,[1275]
And other superstycyon,
That they be[1276] deef and dum,
And play scylens and glum,[1277]
Can say nothynge but mum.
They occupye them so
With syngyng _Placebo_,
They wyll no farther go: 910
They had leuer to please,
And take their worldly ease,
Than to take on hande
Worsshepfully[1278] to withstande
Such temporall warre and bate,
As nowe is made of late
Agaynst holy Churche[1279] estate,
Or to maynteyne good[1280] quarelles.
The lay men call them barrelles
Full of glotony 920
And of hypocrysy,
That counterfaytes[1281] and payntes
As they were very sayntes:
In matters that them lyke[1282]
They shewe them polytyke,
Pretendyng grauyte
And sygnyoryte,
With all solempnyte,
For theyr indempnyte;
For they wyll haue no losse[1283] 930
Of a peny nor of a crosse[1284]
Of theyr predyall landes,
That cometh to theyr handes,
And[1285] as farre as they dare set,
All is fysshe that cometh to net:[1286]
Buyldyng royally[1287]
Theyr mancyons curyously,
With turrettes and with toures,
With halles and with boures,
Stretchynge[1288] to the starres, 940
With glasse wyndowes and barres;
Hangynge aboute[1289] the walles
Clothes of golde and palles,
Arras of ryche aray,
Fresshe[1290] as flours in May;
Wyth dame Dyana naked;
Howe lusty Venus quaked,
And howe[1291] Cupyde shaked
His darte, and bent his[1292] bowe
For to shote a crowe 950
At her tyrly tyrlowe;
And howe Parys of Troy
Daunced a lege de moy,[1293]
Made lusty sporte and ioy
With dame Helyn the quene;
With suche storyes bydene
Their chambres well besene;
With triumphes of Cesar,
And of[1294] Pompeyus war,
Of renowne and of[1295] fame 960
By them to get a name:
Nowe[1296] all the worlde stares,
How they ryde in goodly chares,
Conueyed by olyphantes,
With lauryat garlantes,[1297]
And by vnycornes
With their semely hornes;
Vpon these beestes rydynge,
Naked boyes strydynge,
With wanton wenches winkyng. 970
Nowe truly, to my thynkynge,
That[1298] is a speculacyon
And a mete meditacyon
For prelates of estate,
Their courage to abate
From worldly wantonnesse,
Theyr chambres[1299] thus to dresse
With suche parfetnesse
And all suche holynesse;
How be it they let downe fall 980
Their churches[1300] cathedrall.
Squyre, knyght, and lorde,
Thus the Churche[1301] remorde;
With all temporall people
They rune agaynst[1302] the steple,
Thus talkynge and tellyng[1303]
How some of you are mellyng;
Yet[1304] softe and fayre for swellyng,
Beware of a quenes yellyng.[1305]
It is a besy thyng 990
For one man[1306] to rule a kyng[1307]
Alone and[1308] make rekenyng,
To gouerne ouer all
And rule a realme royall
By one mannes verrey[1309] wyt;
Fortune may chaunce to flyt,
And whan[1310] he weneth to syt,
Yet may he mysse the quysshon:
For I rede a[1311] preposycyon,
_Cum[1312] regibus amicare,[1313]_ 1000
_Et omnibus dominari,_
_Et supra te pravare_;[1314]
Wherfore[1315] he hathe good vre
That can hymselfe assure
Howe fortune wyll endure.
Than let reason you supporte,
For the communalte dothe reporte[1316]
That[1317] they haue great wonder
That ye[1318] kepe them so vnder;
Yet[1319] they meruayle so moche[1320] lesse, 1010
For ye play so at the chesse,
As they suppose and gesse,
That some of you but late
Hath played so checkemate
With lordes of great estate,[1321]
After suche a rate,
That they shall mell[1322] nor make,
Nor vpon them take,[1323]
For[1324] kynge nor kayser sake,
But at the playsure of[1325] one 1020
That ruleth the roste[1326] alone.
Helas,[1327] I say, helas!
Howe may this come to passe,
That a man shall here a[1328] masse,
And not[1329] so hardy on his hede
To loke on God in forme of brede,
But that[1330] the parysshe clerke
There vpon must herke,[1331]
And graunt hym at[1332] his askyng
For to se the sacryng? 1030
And[1333] howe may this accorde,
No man to our souerayne lorde
So hardy to make sute,
Nor yet[1334] to execute
His commaundement,
Without the assent
Of our presydent,
Nor to expresse[1335] to his person,[1336]
Without your consentatyon[1337]
Graunt hym his lycence 1040
To preas to his presence,
Nor to speke to hym[1338] secretly,
Openly nor[1339] preuyly,
Without his[1340] presydent be by,
Or els his substytute
Whom he wyll depute?
Neyther erle ne duke[1341]
Permytted? by[1342] saynt Luke,
And by swete saynt Marke,
This is a wonderous warke![1343] 1050
That the people talke this,
Somewhat there is amysse:
The deuil cannot stop their mouthes,
But they wyl talke of such vncouthes,[1344]
All that euer they ken
Agaynst all spirituall[1345] men.
Whether it be wrong or ryght,
Or els for dyspyght,
Or howe euer it hap,[1346]
Theyr tonges thus do[1347] clap, 1060
And through suche detractyon
They put you to your actyon;
And[1348] whether they say trewly
As they may abyde therby,
Or els that they do lye,
Ye knowe better then I.
But nowe _debetis scire_,
And groundly _audire_,
In your _convenire_,[1349]
Of this premenire, 1070
Or els in the myre
They saye they wyll you cast;
Therfore stande sure and fast.[1350]
Stande sure, and take[1351] good fotyng,
And let be all your motyng,
Your gasyng and your totyng,
And[1352] your parcyall promotyng
Of those that stande[1353] in your grace;
But[1354] olde seruauntes ye chase,
And put them out of theyr place. 1080
Make ye no murmuracyon,
Though I wryte after[1355] this facion;
Though I, Colyn Cloute,
Among the hole route
Of you that clerkes be,
Take nowe vpon[1356] me
Thus[1357] copyously to wryte,
I do it for[1358] no despyte.
Wherfore take no dysdayne
At my style rude[1359] and playne; 1090
For I rebuke no man
That vertuous[1360] is: why than
Wreke ye your anger on me?
For those[1361] that vertuous be
Haue no cause to say
That I[1362] speke out of the way.
Of no good bysshop speke I,
Nor[1363] good preest I escrye,[1364]
Good frere, nor good chanon,
Good nonne, nor good canon, 1100
Good monke, nor good clercke,
Nor yette[1365] of no good werke:
But my recountyng is
Of them that do[1366] amys,
In speking and rebellyng,[1367]
In hynderyng and dysauaylyng
Holy Churche,[1368] our mother,
One agaynst[1369] another;
To vse suche despytyng[1370]
Is all my hole wrytyng; 1110
To hynder no man,
As nere as I can,
For no man haue I named:
Wherfore sholde I be[1371] blamed?
Ye ought to be ashamed,
Agaynst[1372] me to be gramed,[1373]
And can[1374] tell no cause why,
But that I wryte trewly.
Then yf any there be
Of hygh or[1375] lowe degre 1120
Of the spiritualte,
Or of[1376] the temporalte,
That dothe thynke or wene
That[1377] his conscyence be not clene,
And feleth[1378] hymselfe sycke,
Or touched on the quycke,
Suche grace God them sende
Themselfe to[1379] amende,
For I wyll not pretende
Any man to offende. 1130
Wherfore, as thynketh[1380] me,
Great ydeottes[1381] they be,
And lytell grace they haue,
This treatyse to depraue;
Nor wyll here no prechyng,
Nor no vertuous techyng,
Nor wyll haue no resytyng
Of any[1382] vertuous wrytyng;
Wyll knowe none intellygence
To refourme theyr neglygence, 1140
But lyue styll out of facyon,
To theyr owne dampnacyon.
To do shame they haue no shame,
But they wold[1383] no man shulde them blame:
They haue an euyl name,
But[1384] yet they wyll occupy the same.
With them the worde of God
Is counted for no rod;[1385]
They counte it for a raylyng,
That nothyng is[1386] auaylyng; 1150
The prechers with euyll[1387] hayling:
Shall they daunt[1388] vs prelates,
That be theyr[1389] prymates?
Not so hardy on theyr pates!
Herke, howe the losell[1390] prates,
With a wyde wesaunt!
Auaunt, syr Guy of Gaunt!
Auaunt, lewde preest, auaunt!
Auaunt, syr doctour Deuyas![1391]
Prate of[1392] thy matyns and thy masse, 1160
And let our maters[1393] passe:
Howe darest[1394] thou, daucocke, mell?
Howe darest thou, losell,[1395]
Allygate the gospell
Agaynst vs of the counsell?[1396]
Auaunt[1397] to the deuyll of hell!
Take hym, wardeyne[1398] of the Flete,
Set hym fast by the fete!
I say, lyeutenaunt of the Toure,
Make this lurdeyne for to loure; 1170
Lodge hym in Lytell Ease,
Fede hym with beanes and pease!
The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy,
Haue hym[1399] thyder by and by!
The vyllayne[1400] precheth openly,
And declareth our vyllany;
And of our fre[1401] symplenesse
He sayes that we are[1402] rechelesse,
And full of wylfulnesse,
Shameles and mercylesse,[1403] 1180
Incorrigible and insaciate;[1404]
And after this rate
Agaynst vs dothe[1405] prate.
At Poules Crosse or els where,
Openly at Westmynstere,
And Saynt Mary[1406] Spyttell,
They set not by[1407] vs a whystell:[1408]
At the Austen fryers
They count vs for[1409] lyers:
And[1410] at Saynt Thomas of Akers 1190
They carpe vs[1411] lyke crakers,
Howe we wyll rule[1412] all at wyll
Without good reason or[1413] skyll;
And say how that we be
Full of parcyalyte;[1414]
And howe at a pronge
We tourne ryght into[1415] wronge,
Delay causes so longe
That ryght no man can fonge;
They say many matters be[1416] born 1200
By the ryght of[1417] a rambes horne.
Is not this a shamfull scorne,
To be[1418] teared thus and torne?
How may we thys[1419] indure?
Wherfore we make you sure,
Ye[1420] prechers shall be yawde;
And[1421] some shall be sawde,
As noble[1422] Ezechyas,
The holy prophet, was;
And some of you shall dye, 1210
Lyke holy Jeremy;
Some hanged, some[1423] slayne,
Some beaten to the brayne;
And we wyll rule[1424] and rayne,
And our matters mayntayne
Who dare say there agayne,
Or who dare dysdayne
At our[1425] pleasure and wyll:
For, be it good or be it yll,
As it is, it shall be styll, 1220
For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426]
Or of Diuine,[1427] or doctour Dryuyll,
Let hym cough, rough,[1428] or sneuyll;
Renne[1429] God, renne deuyll,
Renne who may renne[1430] best,
And let take all the rest![1431]
We[1432] set not a nut shell
The way to heuen or to[1433] hell.
Lo, this is the gyse now a dayes!
It is to drede, men sayes, 1230
Lest they be Saduces,[1434]
As they be sayd sayne
Whiche[1435] determyned[1436] playne
We shulde not ryse agayne
At dredefull domis day;
And so it semeth[1437] they play,
Whiche hate to be corrected
Whan they be infected,
Nor wyll[1438] suffre this boke
By hoke ne[1439] by croke 1240
Prynted for to be,
For that no man shulde se
Nor rede in any scrolles[1440]
Of theyr drunken nolles,
Nor of theyr noddy polles,
Nor of theyr sely soules,
Nor of some wytles pates
Of dyuers great estates,
As well[1441] as other men.
Now to withdrawe my pen, 1250
And now a whyle to rest,
Me semeth it[1442] for the best.
The forecastell of my shyp
Shall glyde, and smothely slyp
Out of the wawes wod
Of[1443] the stormy flod;
Shote anker, and lye at rode,
And sayle not farre abrode,
Tyll the cost be clere,
And[1444] the lode starre appere: 1260
My shyp nowe wyll I stere[1445]
Towarde the porte salu[1446]
Of our Sauyour Jesu,
Suche grace that he vs sende,
To rectyfye and[1447] amende
Thynges that are amys,
Whan that[1448] his pleasure is.
Amen![1449]
_In opere imperfecto,_
_In opere semper perfecto,_
_Et in opere plusquam perfecto!_[1450] 1270

* * * * *

_Colinus Cloutus,[1451] quanquam mea[1452] carmina multis_
_Sordescunt stultis,[1453] sed_ puevinate _sunt_ rare _cultis,_
Pue vinatis altisem _divino flamine flatis.[1454]_
_Unde meâ refert[1455] tanto minus, invida quamvis_
_Lingua nocere parat, quia, quanquam rustica canto,_
_Undique cantabor tamen et celebrabor ubique,_
_Inclita dum maneat gens Anglica. Laurus[1456] honoris,_
_Quondam regnorum regina et gloria regum,_
_Heu, modo marcescit, tabescit, languida torpet![1457]_
_Ah pudet, ah miseret! vetor hic ego pandere plura_ 10
_Pro gemitu et lacrimis: præstet peto præmia pæna._

[875] _Colyn Cloute_] From the ed. by Kele, n. d., collated with the ed. by Kytson, n. d., with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568, and with a MS. in the Harleian Collection, 2252. fol. 147.

[876] _consurget, &c._] Eds. “consurgat,” &c. MS. “resurgat ad _malignantes_.”

[877] _for delyte_] MS. “_for_ to endyte.”

[878] _for_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. and MS. “_for_ to.”

[879] _despyte_] MS. “desyte.”

[880] _maner_] MS. “_maner_ of.”

[881] _to_] MS. “for _to_.”

[882] _wyll reche_] MS. “wold reherse.”

[883] _this, and_] MS. “thus, or.”

[884] _He wotteth, &c._] MS. “And saythe _he_ wott not _whate_.”

[885] _and_] Not in MS.

[886] _and_] Not in MS.

[887] _He chydes ... flatters_] MS.;

“_He_ chydethe _he chaters_
_He_ praytythe _he patyrs_
_He_ cleteryth _he claters_
_He_ medelythe _he smaters_
_He_ glosythe _he fflaters_.”

[888] _Or_] MS. (perhaps) “And.”

[889] _On_] So MS. Not in eds.

[890] _The deuell is dede_] Not in MS.

[891] _well so_] MS. “_so well_.”

[892] _worldly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “wordly.”

[893] _Fyckell ... vnstablenesse_] MS.;

“And _fykyll falsenes_
And _varyabulnes_
_With_ vnstedfastnes.”

[894] _ye_] MS. “they.”

[895] _I_] MS. “And.”

[896] _moughte_] Other eds. “moothe.” MS. “mothe.”

[897] _If ye, &c._] MS. “And _yf_ thow _take well_ it _wythe_.”—The eds. give the line as in the text, except that they have “talke” instead of “_take_:” compare v. 186.

[898] _spirituall_] MS. “spiritualte.”

[899] _the_] Not in Marshe’s ed.

[900] _blother_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “bloder.”—In MS. the line runs,

“Thys _eche_ with _hothyr_ blen.”

[901] _agayng_] Other eds. “against.” MS. “ayenste.”

[902] _ben_] MS. “be.”

[903] _no_] MS. “none.”

[904] _theyr_] Not in MS.

[905] _Vnethes_] MS. “Scantly.”

[906] _amonges_] Other eds. and MS. “amonge.”

[907] _theyr_] MS. “the.”

[908] _theyr hole_] MS. “all _ther_.”

[909] _the_] MS. “them a.”

[910] _to_] Not in MS.

[911] _lumber forth_] MS. “labor _forthe_ so in.”

[912] _herken_] Marshe’s ed. “herke.”

[913] _it_] MS. “all.”

[914] _theyr prouynciall_] Eds. (with various spelling) “_theyr_ pryncypall.” MS. “_the prouynciall_:” compare v. 223.

[915] _meddels_] MS. “medlythe.”

[916] _Churches_] MS. “chyrche.”

[917] _solfa_] MS. “solfe.”

[918] _to be set_] MS. “_to sett_.”

[919] _iurisdictions_] MS. “juridiccion.”

[920] _afflictions_] MS. “afflyccion.”

[921] _prescriptions_] MS. “prescripcion.”

[922] _spirituall_] So MS. Eds. “the _spiritual_.”

[923] _contradictions_] MS. “contradiccion.”

[924] _fyctions_] MS. “affeccions.”

[925] _great_] MS. “the _grete_.”

[926] _neuer_] MS. “not.”

[927] _thus_] MS. “thys.”

[928] _barke_] So MS. Eds. “carke” (are careful, anxious,—which does not well suit the sense of the passage). Perhaps Skelton wrote “carpe” (talk, prate); for in the present poem we find the following similar, imperfect rhymes;

“And some of them _barke_,
Clatter and _carpe_.”—v. 549.

“About churches and _market_:
The bysshop on his _carpet_.”—v. 328.

[929] _houses wolde_] MS. “howsoldes woll.”

[930] _lene_] So MS. Eds. “lame.”

[931] _haue full lytell care_] MS. “hathe but _lytell_ cure.”

[932] _euyll_] MS. “yll.”

[933] _say_] MS. “sathe.”

[934] _for_] So MS. Eds. “full” and “ful.” See notes.

[935] _Is for, &c._] MS. “_Ys they haue_ lytell _arte_.”

[936] _sklender_] MS. “slendyr.”

[937] _out of_] MS. “with _owte_.”

[938] _As_] MS. “_As_ hyt.”

[939] _werryn_] So MS. Eds. “wary.”

[940] _theyr_] Not in MS.

[941] _the_] MS. “thyse.”

[942] _are_] MS. “be.”

[943] _deuz decke_] MS. “decke.”

[944] _They ar made, &c._] This line only in MS.

[945] _Moche ... an_] MS. “Myche ... a.”

[946] _Becket them_] MS. “Saynt Thomas of Canterbury.”

[947] _they_] MS. “that _they_.”

[948] _moche_] MS. “myche.”

[949] _nay, nay_] So MS. Eds. “_nay_.”

[950] _that_] Not in MS.

[951] _But it is not, &c._] This line not in MS.

[952] _Churche_] MS. “chyrche.”

[953] _For lothe, &c._] This line not in MS.

[954] _whan_] MS. “_when_ that.”

[955] _Sare_] Other eds. “fare.” MS. “sciire.” (Perhaps Skelton wrote “_Seir_”—and in the next line “appeire.”) See notes.

[956] _appare_] MS. “payre.”

[957] _in_] Not in MS.

[958] _to_] Not in Kytson’s ed.

[959] _gose_] So other eds. and MS. Kele’s ed. “gooes.”

[960] _ye_] MS. “yow.”

[961] _owte_] So MS. Not in eds.

[962] _In Lenton season_] MS. “_In_ lente so myche.”

[963] _Ye pycke no shrympes nor_] MS. “Thus _pyke_ ne _shrympes_ ne.”

[964] _nor_] MS. “ne.”

[965] _Lenton_] MS. “lente.”

[966] _Ye ... ne_] MS. “They ... nor.”

[967] _lose_] So MS. Kele’s ed. “losse.” Other eds. “loose” (having in the next line “goose”).

[968] _To a pygge, &c._] This line in MS. thus, “_To_ ete eythyr _pygge or gose_.”

[969] _To knowe, &c._] This line found only in MS.

[970] _surfled_] MS. “surfuld.” See notes.

[971] _And howe whan ye_] MS. “And when they.”

[972] _As at Sitientes_] MS. “At _att citientes_.” The editor of 1736 printed “As _Insipientes_.” See notes.

[973] _are insufficientes_] MS. “_ad sufficientes_.”

[974] _bestiall_] So MS. Eds. “bestyali” and “bestially.”

[975] _vntaught_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “vntought.”

[976] _take they_] MS. “they take.”

[977] _cure_] Other eds. “cures.”

[978] _woteth neuer_] MS. “wot not.”

[979] _Ave_] So MS. Not in eds.

[980] _small_] MS. “lewde.”

[981] _prymes_] MS. “prime.”

[982] _And lepe, &c._] This line, and the two following lines, not in MS.

[983] _in_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “en.”

[984] _vagabundus_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “vacabundus.” MS. “vacabondes.”

[985] _sory_] MS. “seke.”

[986] _the_] MS. “every.”

[987] _good_] Marshe’s ed. “god.”

[988] _apostles_] MS. “postylles.”

[989] _Cum ipsis ... villis_] MS.

“_Cum ipso vell cum ipsa_
_Que invenitur villi._”

[990] _And you wyll_] MS. “_And_ ye can.”

[991] _iust_] MS. “fyrste.”

[992] _and_] Not in MS.

[993] _a true_] MS. “trewe.”

[994] _a_] MS. “hys.”

[995] _were_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “where.”

[996] _were moche_] MS. “we _were_ myche.”

[997] _their_] MS. “_ther_ owne.”

[998] _can not scarsly_] MS. “scantlye.”

[999] _he_] Not in other eds. nor in MS.

[1000] _Tom a thrum_] MS. “Jacke _athrum_.”

[1001] _syluer_] MS. “money.”

[1002] _There_] MS. “They.”

[1003] _nor_] MS. “or.”

[1004] _they_] MS. “ye.”

[1005] _Is_] MS. “Hyt _ys_.”

[1006] _hermoniake_] MS. “harman jake.”

[1007] _ye_] MS. “they.”

[1008] _Ouer this_] MS. “Also.”

[1009] _Reporte_] MS. “Reportythe.”

[1010] _An_] So MS. Eds. “A.”

[1011] _the stony_] MS. “a stone.”

[1012] _dare_] MS. “can.”

[1013] _and warme_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1014] _bewrapped_] MS. “wrappyd.”

[1015] _morowes_] MS. “marys.”

[1016] _of myxt gold begared_] Marshe’s ed. “_of mixt golde_ begarded.” MS. “with _golde be_ gloryd.”

[1017] _moyles_] MS. “mvles.”

[1018] _Or_] MS. “_Or_ else.”

[1019] _yoke_] MS. “choke.”

[1020] _sommons_] MS. “somners.”

[1021] _excommunycacyons_] MS. “extermynacions.”

[1022] _churches_] MS. “chyrche.”

[1023] _farly_] So MS. Eds. (with various spelling) “fearfull.”

[1024] _Howe warely, &c._] This line and the following one not in MS.

[1025] _all to-mangle_] So MS. Eds. “_all mangle_.”

[1026] _Full_] MS. “For.”

[1027] _And_] MS. “_And_ as.”

[1028] _as vntruely_] MS. “vtterly.”

[1029] _As the_] MS. “That a.”

[1030] _A man myght, &c._] This line not in MS.

[1031] _Ware the_] MS. “Was a.”

[1032] _sclaunderyng_] MS. “slaunderynge.”

[1033] _for_] MS. “of.”

[1034] _Lyke prynces_] MS. “As prinopes” (_principes_).

[1035] _perles_] MS. “perle.”

[1036] _mones_] MS. “mornys.”

[1037] _tonge tayde_] MS. “_tonge_ tyed.”

[1038] _speke_] MS. “spekys.”

[1039] _be_] MS. “ar.”

[1040] _tollage_] MS. “tollynge.”

[1041] _make_] Other eds. “haue.”

[1042] _to_] Not in MS.

[1043] _commytted_] MS. “vnnethe.”

[1044] _Tenure par seruyce, &c._] This line and the six following ones not in MS.

[1045] _tourne_] MS. “returne.”

[1046] _In_] MS. has “_In_ to;” and, after this line, it gives

“_Contra presepta morum_:”

but see v. 382.

[1047] _And to forsake, &c._] This line and the nine following ones not in MS.

[1048] _ys_] So MS. Eds. “and.”

[1049] _Amongest_] MS. “Amonge.”

[1050] _nowe_] MS. “nonne.”

[1051] _Dame Sybly_] This line not in MS.

[1052] _Sare_] MS. “Sybylle.”

[1053] _theyr_] MS. “the.”

[1054] _What, Colyne, &c._] This line and the following one not in MS.

[1055] _The lay fee_] MS. “Thus _the lay_.”

[1056] _the fawte_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1057] _On you, prelates_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “In _you prelates_.” MS. “In your presepte.”

[1058] _Ye do them wrong_] Other eds. “_Ye do wrong_.”

[1059] _And_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1060] _Evyn_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1061] _that they_] Kytson’s ed. “_they that_.”

[1062] _lyke_] MS. “and.”

[1063] _Redys_] So MS. Eds. “Rede.”

[1064] _foundacyons_] MS. “foundacion.”

[1065] _talkys_] So MS. Eds. “talke.”

[1066] _Howe ye brake the dedes_] MS. “_How_ that he brekes _the_ deths.”

[1067] _Turne monasteris into_] MS. “To _torne monestarys_ to.”

[1068] _ye_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “they.” MS. “to.”

[1069] _workes ... are_] MS. “worke ... ys veraye.”

[1070] _Spent_] MS. “Spend.”

[1071] _Diriges are_] MS. “dyrige.”

[1072] _But where, &c._] This and the following line not in MS.

[1073] _coulde_] MS. “can.”

[1074] _false_] MS. “hole.”

[1075] _Turke, Sarazyn, &c._] This line and the twenty-seven lines which follow not in MS.

[1076] _rescue_] Other eds. “rescite.”

[1077] _In admirabili honore_] Kele’s ed. “_In o admirabile honore_.” Kytson’s ed. “Into _admirabile honore_.” Marshe’s ed. “Into honorable _honore_.”

[1078] _Fulgurantis hastæ_] Eds. “Fulgurantes haste.” See notes.

[1079] _gloria_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “glyria.”

[1080] _vpon_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “vpyn.”

[1081] _eche_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “yche.”

[1082] _penalte_] So MS. and other eds. (with various spelling). Kele’s ed. “penalyte.”

[1083] _Nota_] MS. “Note.”

[1084] _theologys_] MS. “theologi.”

[1085] _astrologys_] MS. “astrologi.”

[1086] _Ascendent a degre_] This passage seems to be corrupted. MS. “Assendente a _dextre_:” (and compare the Lansdown MS. quoted below.)

[1087] _Was so then, &c._] This line not in MS.

[1088] _A fatall fall of one_] So MS. (and compare the Lansdown MS. quoted below). Eds. “All _fatall_ for _one_.”

[1089] _shuld_] So MS. Eds. “shall.”

[1090] _on_] MS. “in.”

[1091] _thynges_] MS. “thynge.”

[1092] _Amongest_] MS. “Amonge.”

[1093] _haue none_] MS. has “alone;” and omits the seventy-eight lines which follow. Among the _Lansdown MSS._ (762. fol. 75) I find the subjoined fragment:

“Som men thynke that ye
shall haue penaltie
for youre Inyquytie
Note well what to saye
yf yt please the not onely
yt is good for astrollogy
ffor tholomy tolde me
the sonn somtyme to be
In a Signe called ariotte
assendam ad dextram
when Scorpio is descendyng
affatuall fall of one
that syttys now on trone
and rewles all thynge alone
your tethe whet on this bone
Amonge you euery chone
And lett colen clowte alone.

The profecy of Skelton 1529.”

(The name originally written “_Skylton_.”)

[1094] _see_] Eds. “fee.”

[1095] _to_] Not in Marshe’s ed.

[1096] _that the people_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “the the peope.”

[1097] _wyt_] So (“_wit_”) other eds. Kele’s ed. “owne _wyt_.”

[1098] _predestynacyon_] Other eds. (with various spelling) “predestitacion.”

[1099] _resydeuacyon_] Eds. (with various spelling) “resydenacyon.”

[1100] _essence_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “assence.”

[1101] _ipostacis_] Other eds. “ipostatis.”

[1102] _agaynst_] Other eds. “agayn.”

[1103] _warke_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “weike.”

[1104] _barke_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “barek.”

[1105] _Wicleuista_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Wytclyftista.”

[1106] _Howe the Church, &c._] This passage in MS. stands thus:

“Some sey holy chyrche haue to mykell
Som sey they haue tryalytes
And some sey they brynge pluralites
And qualifie qualites
And also tot cotte
They talke lyke sottes
Makynge many owte cryes
That they cannot kepe ther wyffes
And thus the losselles stryvys.”

[1107] _in_] Other eds. “him _in_.”

[1108] _materialites_] Eds. (with various spelling) “maierialites.”

[1109] _sottes_] Marshe’s ed. “scottes.”

[1110] _gathereth_] Marshe’s ed. “gathered.”

[1111] _by_] MS. “be.”

[1112] _ayles_] MS. “eylythe.”

[1113] _mought_] MS. “myghte.”

[1114] _aduysed_] MS. “avysed.”

[1115] _so_] Not in other eds.

[1116] _prelacy_] MS. “the prelacye.”

[1117] _where the_] MS. “whan they.”

[1118] _Come_] MS. “Comyn vp.”

[1119] _in_] MS. “_in_ ther.”

[1120] _Farwell symplicite_] Not in MS.

[1121] _Ye_] MS. “Theyse.”

[1122] _Ye cast vp then_] MS. “They _caste then vp_.”

[1123] _a_] Not in MS.

[1124] _ye_] So MS. Eds. “to.”

[1125] _ye_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1126] _bothe_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1127] _ye_] Other eds. “you.”

[1128] _wyll_] Not in other eds.

[1129] _And that is all_] MS. “_And that_ hyt _ys_.”

[1130] _howe ye_] MS. “that they.”

[1131] _The_] MS. “That.”

[1132] _vnderstode_] Other eds. “vnderstand.”

[1133] _auaunce_] MS. “avayle.”

[1134] _another_] MS. “a new.”

[1135] _scorne_] MS. “grete scorne.”

[1136] _hunt_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “hunet.”

[1137] _Lepe ouer_] MS. “Kepe vnnethe.”

[1138] _Set nothyng by_] MS. “And _sette_ nowghte _by_.”

[1139] _to_] Marshe’s ed. “so.”

[1140] _ouer_] MS. “be on.”

[1141] _Grete_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1142] _crouche_] Other eds. “couch.”

[1143] _call_] MS. “I haue _calle_.”

[1144] _you_] Not in MS.

[1145] _yow_] So MS. Eds. “ye.”

[1146] _ye_] So MS. Eds. “you.”

[1147] _mattocke_] Eds. “mattockes.” MS. “mactocke.”

[1148] _shule_] MS. “shovyll.”

[1149] _haue_] MS. “hathe.”

[1150] _ye_] Eds. and MS. “they.”

[1151] _moldy_] So MS. Eds. “moulde” and “mould.”

[1152] _cowde_] So MS. Eds. (with various spelling) “wolde.”

[1153] _Loggyng in fayre_] So MS. Eds. “Lodged in the.”

[1154] _lousy beddes_] MS. “a _lowsy_ bed.”

[1155] _Alas, this is out_] MS. “All _this ys owte_ owte.”

[1156] _Many one ye haue vntwynde_] So MS. See notes. Eds. (with various spelling) “_Many one haue_ but wynde.”

[1157] _made_] So MS. Eds. “make.”

[1158] _se_] Not in MS.

[1159] _well beware_] MS. “_be well ware_.”

[1160] _falle_] So Marshe’s ed. and MS. Other eds. “false.”

[1161] _may_] So MS. Eds. (with various spelling) “myght.”

[1162] _in_] So MS. Eds. “on.”

[1163] _deuyll_] Other eds. (with various spelling) “deuils.” See notes.

[1164] _Yet, ouer all that_] MS. “And _yete ouer that_.”

[1165] _they_] MS. “thus _they_.”

[1166] _haue_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1167] _tonsors be croppyd_] So MS. The reading of the eds. “coursers _be_ trapped,” does not accord so well with the context.

[1168] _they be_] MS. “_they_ sey byn.”

[1169] _They folowe, &c._] So these lines are rightly arranged in MS. In eds. of Kele, and Kytson, they stand thus;

“That ye can &c.
They folowe &c.
And so they &c.
Howe the &c.”

In Marshe’s ed. thus;

“They folow &c.
That ye can &c.
And so they &c.
How the &c.”

[1170] _wrye_] So MS. Eds. “wryte.”

[1171] _ye, prelates_] MS. “yow so.”

[1172] _Ye bysshops of estates_] MS. “The _Bysshoppes of_ estate.” Marshe’s ed. “_Ye_ Bysshoppe,” &c.

[1173] _gates_] MS. “gate.”

[1174] _Of_] So MS. Eds. “For.”

[1175] _com forthe_] So MS. Eds. “conforte” and “confort.”

[1176] _pullpettes_] MS. “pulpyt.”

[1177] _awtentyke_] So MS. Eds. “attentyke” and “antentike.”

[1178] _Of preesthode, &c._] This line and the following one not in MS.

[1179] _intoxicate_] MS. “intrixicate.”

[1180] _contaminate_] So Marshe’s ed. Kele’s ed. “contemminate.” Kytson’s ed. “contamininate.”

[1181] _that_] Not in MS.

[1182] _that_] Not in MS.

[1183] _Churchis_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “churche” and “church.” MS. “chyrchys.”

[1184] _estates_] Marshe’s ed. and MS. “estate.”

[1185] _rates_] MS. “of rate.”

[1186] _theyr_] MS. “her.”

[1187] _As_] So MS. Eds. “And.”

[1188] _papalles_] MS. “papall.”

[1189] _maister_] Not in MS.

[1190] _hys_] So MS. Not in eds.

[1191] _yet_] MS. “ys.”

[1192] _els_] Not in MS.

[1193] _Carmelus_] MS. “Carmelinus.”

[1194] _Vpon_] MS. “Of.”

[1195] _Or_] So MS. Eds. “And.”

[1196] _his_] MS. “thys.”

[1197] _a_] MS. “this.”

[1198] _be_] So other eds. and MS. Not in Kele’s ed.

[1199] _clerkley_] MS. “clerely.”

[1200] _But men sey your awtoryte_] So MS. Eds.;

“_Men say_
_But your auctoryte._”

(the last word variously spelt.)

[1201] _se_] Other eds. “fee.”

[1202] _your_] MS. “_your_ hye.”

[1203] _Then all, &c._] This line not in MS.

[1204] _These_] Marshe’s ed. “Those.” MS. gives the line thus, “This _shuld be_ now _more weyed_.”

[1205] _thankfullerlye_] So MS. Eds. “thankfully.”

[1206] _remayne_] MS. “rettayne.”

[1207] _Amonge_] Not in MS.

[1208] _your wordes retayne_] MS. “reherse these _wordes_ agayn,” omitting the following line.

[1209] _thousand thousande_] MS. “thowsand.”

[1210] _blaber_] MS. “babyll.”

[1211] _blother_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “bloder.” MS. “blondyr.”

[1212] _of the_] Not in MS.

[1213] _broke_] MS. “boke.”

[1214] _for_] Not in MS.

[1215] _of_] Not in MS.

[1216] _But_] MS. “_But_ to.”

[1217] _analogice_] MS, “anolegie.”

[1218] _categorice_] Eds. “cathagorice” and “rathagorice.” MS. gives the line thus, “_Or_ cathogory.”

[1219] _that in diuinite_] MS. “_that_ dyngnite.”

[1220] _That hath, &c._] This line and the following one not in MS.

[1221] _obiecte at by_] So MS. Eds “obiected for.”

[1222] _At the brode gatus_] Not in MS.

[1223] _bacheleratus_] MS. “bagalatus.”

[1224] _the_] MS. “an.”

[1225] _Taketh_] MS. “Take.”

[1226] _cap_] MS. “cuppe.”

[1227] _Robyn_] MS. “a.”

[1228] _a_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “an.”

[1229] _the_] So MS. Eds. “a.”

[1230] _nor_] MS. “and.”

[1231] _Neyther syllogisare_] MS. “Nothir foly _silogizare_.”

[1232] _Nor enthymemare_] Eds. “_Nor_ of _emptimeniare_.” MS. “_Nor entimemare_.”

[1233] _his elenkes_] Eds. “_his_ eloquens” and “_his_ eloquence.” MS. “not _hys elenkes_.”

[1234] _predicamens_] Other eds. “predicamence.” MS. “predictamenttes.”

[1235] _mell_] MS. “medyll.”

[1236] _And he dare not well neuen_] MS. “_And_ wyll newyn.”

[1237] _Nor_] MS. “And.”

[1238] _starrys_] So MS. Eds. “sterres” and “starres.”

[1239] _wyll I_] MS. “_I wyll_.”

[1240] _fryers_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “freres”—but at v. 1188 it gives “fryers” as the rhyme to “lyers.”

[1241] _Though_] MS. “There.”

[1242] _Preches_] MS. “Prechythe.”

[1243] _Flatterynge_] MS. “And flatyrs.”

[1244] _malte_] MS. “salte,” and in the next line “malte.”

[1245] _to_] Not in MS.