Chapter VII: Part 7

_Beati im ma cu la ti in via,_
_O gloriosa fœmina!_
Now myne hole imaginacion
And studyous medytacion
Is to take this commendacyon
In this consyderacion; 850
And vnder pacyent tolleracyon
Of that most goodly[416] mayd
That _Placebo_ hath sayd,
And for her sparow prayd
In lamentable wyse,
Now wyll I enterpryse,
Thorow the grace dyuyne
Of the Muses nyne,
Her beautye to commende,
If Arethusa wyll send 860
Me enfluence to endyte,
And with my pen to wryte;
If Apollo wyll promyse
Melodyously it to[417] deuyse
His tunable harpe stryngges
With armony that synges
Of princes and of kynges
And of all pleasaunt thynges,
Of lust and of delyght,
Thorow his godly myght; 870
To whom be the laude ascrybed
That my pen hath enbybed
With the aureat droppes,
As verely my hope is,
Of Thagus, that golden flod,
That passeth all[418] erthly good;
And as that flode doth pas
Al floodes that euer was
With his golden sandes,
Who so that vnderstandes 880
Cosmography, and the stremys
And the floodes in straunge remes,
Ryght so she doth excede
All other of whom we rede,
Whose fame by me shall sprede
Into Perce and Mede,
From Brytons Albion
To[419] the Towre of Babilon.
I trust it is no shame,
And no man wyll me blame, 890
Though I regester her name
In the courte of Fame;
For this most goodly floure,
This blossome of fresshe coulour,
So Jupiter me socour,
She floryssheth new and new
In bewte and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Retribue servo tuo, vivifica me!_ 900
_Labia mea laudabunt te._
But enforsed am I
Openly to askry,
And to make an[420] outcri
Against odyous Enui,
That euermore wil ly,
And say cursedly;
With his ledder ey,
And chekes dry;
With vysage wan, 910
As swarte[421] as tan;
His bones crake,
Leane as a rake;
His gummes rusty
Are full vnlusty;
Hys herte withall
Bytter as gall;
His lyuer, his longe[422]
With anger is wronge;
His serpentes tonge 920
That many one hath stonge;
He frowneth euer;
He laugheth neuer,
Euen nor morow,
But other mennes sorow
Causeth him to gryn
And reioyce therin;
No slepe can him catch,
But euer doth watch,
He is so bete 930
With malyce, and frete
With angre and yre,
His foule desyre
Wyll suffre no slepe
In his hed to crepe;
His foule[423] semblaunt
All displeasaunte;[424]
Whan other ar glad,
Than is he sad;
Frantyke and mad; 940
His tong neuer styll
For to say yll,
Wrythyng and wringyng,
Bytyng and styngyng;
And thus this elf
Consumeth himself,
Hymself doth slo
Wyth payne and wo.
This fals Enuy
Sayth that I 950
Vse great folly
For to endyte,
And for to wryte,
And spend my tyme
In prose and ryme,
For to expres
The noblenes
Of my maistres,
That causeth me
Studious to be 960
To[425] make a relation
Of her commendation;
And there agayne
Enuy doth complayne,
And hath disdayne;
But yet certayne
I wyll be[426] playne,
And my style dres
To this prosses.
Now Phebus me ken 970
To sharpe my pen,
And lede my fyst
As hym best lyst,
That I may say
Honour alway
Of womankynd!
Trouth doth me bynd
And loyalte
Euer to be
Their true bedell, 980
To wryte and tell
How women excell
In noblenes;
As my maistres,
Of whom I thynk
With pen and ynk
For to compyle
Some goodly[427] style;
For this most goodly[428] floure,
This blossome of fresh coloure, 990
So Jupyter me socoure,
She flourissheth new and new
In beaute and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Legem pone mihi, domina,[429] in viam justificationum tuarum!_
_Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum._
How shall I report
All the goodly sort
Of her fetures clere, 1000
That hath non erthly pere?
Her[430] fauour of her face
Ennewed all with[431] grace,
Confort, pleasure, and solace,
Myne hert doth so enbrace,
And so hath rauyshed me
Her to behold and se,
That in wordes playne
I cannot me refrayne
To loke on[432] her agayne: 1010
Alas, what shuld I fayne?
It wer a plesaunt payne
With her aye to remayne.
Her eyen gray and stepe
Causeth myne hert to lepe;
With her browes bent
She may well represent
Fayre Lucres, as I wene,
Or els fayre Polexene,
Or els Caliope, 1020
Or els Penolope;
For this most goodly floure,
This blossome of fresshe coloure,
So Jupiter me socoure,
She florisheth new and new
In beautye and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo!_
_Servus tuus sum ego._ 1030
The Indy saphyre blew
Her vaynes doth ennew;
The orient perle so clere,
The whytnesse of her lere;
The[433] lusty ruby ruddes
Resemble the rose buddes;
Her lyppes soft and mery
Emblomed lyke the chery,
It were an heuenly blysse
Her sugred mouth to kysse. 1040
Her beautye to augment,
Dame Nature hath her lent
A warte vpon her cheke,
Who so lyst to seke
In her vysage a skar,
That semyth from afar
Lyke to the radyant star,
All with fauour fret,
So properly it is set:
She is the vyolet, 1050
The daysy delectable,
The columbine[434] commendable,
The[435] ielofer amyable;
[For][436] this most goodly floure,
This blossom of fressh colour,
So Jupiter me succour,
She florysheth new and new
In beaute and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_ 1060
_Bonitatem fecisti cum servo tuo, domina,_
_Et ex præcordiis sonant præconia!_
And whan I perceyued
Her wart and conceyued,
It cannot be denayd
But it was well conuayd,
And set so womanly,
And nothynge wantonly,
But ryght conuenyently,
And full congruently, 1070
As Nature cold deuyse,
In most goodly wyse;
Who so lyst beholde,
It makethe louers bolde
To her to sewe for grace,
Her fauoure to purchase;
The sker upon her chyn,
Enhached[437] on her fayre skyn,
Whyter than the swan,
It wold make any man 1080
To forget deadly syn
Her fauour to wyn;
For this most goodly[438] floure,
This blossom of fressh coloure,
So Jupiter me socoure,
She flouryssheth new and new
In beaute and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Defecit in salutatione tua[439] anima mea;_ 1090
_Quid petis filio, mater dulcissima? babæ!_[440]
Soft, and make no dyn,
For now I wyll begyn
To haue[441] in remembraunce
Her goodly dalyaunce,
And her goodly pastaunce:
So sad and so demure,
Behauynge her so sure,
With wordes of pleasure
She wold make to the lure 1100
And any man conuert
To gyue her his hole hert.
She made me sore amased
Vpon her whan I gased,
Me thought min hert was crased,
My eyne were so dased;
For this most goodly flour,
This[442] blossom of fressh colour,
So Jupyter me socour,
She flouryssheth new and new 1110
In beauty and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Quomodo dilexi legem tuam, domina!_
_Recedant vetera, nova sint[443] omnia._
And to amende her tale,
Whan she lyst to auale,
And with her fyngers smale,
And handes soft as sylke,
Whyter than the[444] mylke, 1120
That are so quyckely vayned,
Wherwyth my hand she strayned,
Lorde, how I was payned!
Vnneth I me refrayned,
How she me had reclaymed,
And me to her retayned,
Enbrasynge therwithall
Her goodly[445] myddell small
With sydes longe and streyte;
To tell you what conceyte 1130
I had than in a tryce,
The matter were to nyse,
And yet there was no vyce,
Nor yet no villany,
But only fantasy;
For this most goodly floure,
This[446] blossom of fressh coloure,
So Jupiter me succoure,
She floryssheth new and new
In beaute and vertew: 1140
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Iniquos odio habui!_
_Non calumnientur me superbi._
But whereto shulde I note
How often dyd I tote
Vpon her prety fote?
It raysed myne hert rote
To se her treade the grounde
With heles short and rounde. 1150
She is playnly expresse
Egeria, the goddesse,
And lyke to her image,
Emportured with corage,
A louers pylgrimage;
Ther is no beest sauage,
Ne no tyger so wood,
But she wolde chaunge his mood,
Such relucent grace
Is formed in her face; 1160
For this most goodly floure,
This blossome of fresshe coloure,
So Jupiter me succour,
She flouryssheth new and new
In beaute and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Mirabilia testimonia tua!_
_Sicut novellæ plantationes in juventute sua._
So goodly as she dresses, 1170
So properly[447] she presses
The bryght golden tresses
Of her heer so fyne,
Lyke Phebus beames shyne.
Wherto shuld I disclose
The garterynge of her hose?
It is for to suppose
How that she can were
Gorgiously her gere;
Her fresshe habylementes 1180
With other implementes
To serue for all ententes,
Lyke dame Flora, quene
Of lusty somer grene;
For[448] this most goodly floure,
This blossom of fressh coloure,
So Jupiter me socoure,
She florisheth new and new
In beautye and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_ 1190
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Clamavi in toto corde, exaudi me!_
_Misericordia tua magna est super me._
Her kyrtell so goodly lased,
And vnder that is brased
Such plasures that I may
Neyther wryte nor say;
Yet though I wryte not with ynke,
No man can let me thynke,
For thought hath lyberte, 1200
Thought is franke and fre;
To thynke a mery thought
It cost me lytell nor[449] nought.
Wolde God myne homely style
Were pullysshed with the fyle
Of Ciceros eloquence,
To prase her excellence!
For this[450] most goodly floure,
This[451] blossome of fressh coloure,
So Jupiter me succoure, 1210
She flouryssheth new and new
In beaute and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina,_
_Principes persecuti sunt me gratis!_
_Omnibus consideratis,_
_Paradisus voluptatis_
_Hæc virgo est dulcissima._
My pen it is vnable,
My hand it is vnstable, 1220
My reson rude and dull
To prayse her at the full;
Goodly maystres Jane,
Sobre, demure Dyane;
Jane this maystres hyght
The lode star[452] of delyght,
Dame Venus of all pleasure,
The well of worldly treasure;
She doth excede and pas
In prudence dame Pallas; 1230
[For][453] this[454] most goodly floure,
This blossome of fresshe colour,
So Jupiter me socoure,
She floryssheth new and new
In beaute and vertew:
_Hac claritate gemina_
_O gloriosa fœmina!_
_Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine!_
With this psalme, _Domine, probasti me_,
Shall sayle ouer the see, 1240
With _Tibi, Domine, commendamus_,
On pylgrimage[455] to saynt Jamys,
For shrympes, and for pranys,
And for stalkynge[456] cranys;
And where my pen hath offendyd,
I pray you it may be amendyd
By discrete consyderacyon
Of your wyse reformacyon;
I haue not offended, I trust,
If it be sadly dyscust. 1250
It were no gentle gyse
This treatyse to despyse
Because I haue wrytten and sayd
Honour of this fayre mayd;
Wherefore shulde I be blamed,
That I Jane haue[457] named,
And famously proclamed?
She is worthy to be enrolde
With letters of golde.
_Car elle vault._ 1260
_Per me laurigerum Britonum Skeltonida vatem[458]_
_Laudibus eximiis merito hæc redimita puella est:_
_Formosam cecini,[459] qua non formosior ulla est;_
_Formosam potius quam commendaret Homerus._
_Sic juvat interdum rigidos recreare labores,_
_Nec minus hoc titulo tersa Minerva mea est._
_Rien que playsere._

_Thus endeth the boke of Philip Sparow, and here foloweth an adicyon made by maister Skelton._

The gyse now a dayes
Of some ianglynge iayes
Is to discommende 1270
That they cannot amend,
Though they wold spend
All the wyttes they haue.
What ayle them to depraue
Phillip Sparowes graue?
His _Dirige_, her Commendacyon
Can be no derogacyon,
But myrth and consolacyon
Made by protestacyon,
No man to myscontent 1280
With Phillyppes enterement.
Alas, that goodly mayd,
Why shuld she be afrayde?
Why shuld she take shame
That her goodly name,
Honorably reported,
Sholde be set and sorted,
To be matriculate
With ladyes of estate?
I coniure thé, Phillip Sparow, 1290
By Hercules that hell dyd harow,
And with a venemous arow
Slew of the Epidaures
One of the Centaures,
Or Onocentaures,
Or Hipocentaures;[460]
By whose myght and mayne
An hart was slayne
With hornes twayne
Of glytteryng gold; 1300
And the appels of gold
Of Hesperides withhold,
And with a dragon kept
That neuer more slept,
By marcyall strength
He wan at length;
And slew Gerion
With thre bodyes in one;
With myghty corage
Adauntid[461] the rage 1310
Of a lyon sauage;
Of Dyomedes stable
He brought out a rable
Of coursers and rounses
With leapes and bounses;
And with mighty luggyng,
Wrestlyng and tuggyng,
He plucked the bull
By the horned skull,
And offred to Cornucopia; 1320
And so forth _per cetera_:
Also by Ecates bower
In Plutos[462] gastly tower;
By the vgly Eumenides,
That neuer haue rest nor ease;
By the venemous serpent,
That in hell is neuer brent,
In Lerna the Grekes fen,
That was engendred then;
By Chemeras flames, 1330
And all the dedly names
Of infernall posty,
Where soules frye and rosty;[463]
By the Stygyall flood,
And the streames wood
Of Cocitus botumles well;
By the feryman of hell,
Caron with his beerd hore,
That roweth with a rude ore
And with his frownsid[464] fore top 1340
Gydeth his bote with a prop:
I coniure[465] Phylyp, and call
In the name of kyng Saul;
_Primo Regum_ expresse,
He bad[466] the Phitonesse
To wytchcraft her to dresse,
And by her abusyons,
And dampnable illusyons
Of marueylus conclusyons,
And by her supersticyons, 1350
And wonderfull condityons,
She raysed vp in that stede
Samuell that was dede;
But whether it were so,
He were _idem in numero_,
The selfe same Samuell,
How be it to Saull dyd he tell
The Philistinis shuld hym ascry,
And the next day he shuld dye,
I wyll my selfe dyscharge 1360
To lettred men at large:
But, Phylyp, I coniure thee
Now by these names thre,
Diana in the woodes grene,
Luna that so bryght doth shene,[467]
Procerpina in hell,
That thou shortly tell,
And shew now vnto me
What the cause may be
Of this perplexite! 1370

_Inferias,[468] Philippe, tuas[469] Scroupe pulchra Joanna_
_Instanter petiit:[470] cur nostri carminis illam_
_Nunc pudet?[471] est sero; minor est infamia vero._

Than suche as haue disdayned
And of this worke complayned,
I pray God they be payned
No worse than is contayned
In verses two or thre
That folowe as you[472] may se.

_Luride, cur, livor, volucris pia funera damnas?_ 1380
_Talia te rapiant rapiunt quæ fata volucrem!_[473]
_Est tamen invidia mors tibi continua._

[335] _Here after_, &c.] From the ed. by Kele, n. d., collated with that by Kitson, n. d. (which in some copies is said to be printed by Weale), and with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568.

[336] _had_] Not in other eds.

[337] _For_] Other eds. “From.”

[338] _From_] Eds. “For.”

[339] _montes_] Marshe’s ed. “montis.”

[340] _Zenophontes_] Other eds. “Zenophontis.”

[341] _Andromach_] Marshe’s ed. “Andromaca.”

[342] _syt_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “set;” but see fifth line after.

[343] _Sulpicia_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Sulspicia.”

[344] _that_] Not in Marshe’s ed.

[345] _eloquently_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “eloquenly.”

[346] _fly_] Other eds. “fle.”

[347] _fethers_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “fether.”

[348] _though_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “thought.”

[349] _in_] Not in other eds.

[350] _Attalus_] Eds. “Artalus.”

[351] _ofsprynge_] Other eds. “sprynge.”

[352] _opened_] Marshe’s ed. “open.”

[353] _waxed_] Marshe’s ed. “ware.”

[354] _birdes_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “bordes,” which, perhaps, is the right reading. See notes.

[355] _haue yet_] Other eds. “yet haue.”

[356] _carlyshe_] Other eds. “churlyshe.”

[357] _The_] Eds. “These.”

[358] _serpentes_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “serpens.”

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

[360]

_And go in at my spayre,_
_And crepe in at my gore_

Kitson’s ed.;

“_And_ often _at my spayre_
_And_ gape _in at my gore_.”

[361] _his_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “this.”

[362] _on_] Marshe’s ed. “an.”

[363] _a_] Not in Marshe’s ed.

[364] _Softly_] Marshe’s ed. “Loftly.”

[365] _bitter_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “better.”

[366] _Menander_] See notes.

[367] _the_] So other eds. Not in Kele’s ed.

[368] _is_] Not in other eds.

[369] _gaunce_] Other eds. “gaunte.”

[370] _cormoraunce_] Other eds. “cormoraunte.”

[371] _The route and the kowgh_] See notes.

[372] _wilde_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “wynde.”

[373] _water hen_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “wather _hen_.”

[374] _puffin_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “pussyn.”

[375] _No_] Kitson’s ed. “Nor.”

[376] _doth freat_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “so great.”

[377] _Ga_] Marshe’s ed. “Fa.”

[378] _cought_] Other eds. “caught.”

[379] _tought_] Other eds. “taught.”

[380] _nightly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “nyghly.”

[381] _summes_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “sumes.”

[382] _a_] Not in other eds.

[383] _reflary_] Qy. “reflayre?”

[384] _eyre_] Other eds. “ayre.”

[385] _to_] Not in Marshe’s ed.

[386] _Whyles_, &c.] So, perhaps, Skelton wrote: the line is imperfect in eds.

[387] _the_] Eds. “thye” and “thy.”

[388] _gerfawcon_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “grefawcon.”

[389] _the_] Not in other eds.

[390] _holy water_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “_holy_ wather.”

[391] _eis_] I may just notice that here Skelton quotes literatim the _Off. Defunct_.

[392] _re_] So Kitson’s ed. Not in other eds.

[393] _Tyll_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Thyll.”

[394] _desteny_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “destey.”

[395] _to mynde_] Kitson’s ed. “_to_ mi _mynde_.”

[396] _That_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “Thay” and “They.”

[397] _comyne_] Other eds. “commen” and “common.”

[398] _Amund_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Emund.”

[399] _then_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “than.”

[400] _of_] Not in other eds.

[401] _though_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “thought.”

[402] _Hannyball_] Other eds. “of _Hannyball_.”

[403] _That_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “What.”

[404] _unmerciful_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “mercyfull.”

[405] _the_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “tha.”

[406] _sweat_] Eds. “smart.”

[407] _Or_] Kitson’s ed. “_Or_ of.”

[408] _Symonides_] Eds. “Dymonides.”

[409] _Philistion_] Marshe’s ed. “Philiston.”

[410] _elect_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “clere.”

[411] _ornatly_] Other eds. “ordinately.”

[412] _told_] Other eds. “is _tolde_.”

[413] _No_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Ne.”

[414] _Flos volucrum_, &c.] So these lines (each one cut into two) are given in the eds.

[415] _eras_] Eds. “eris.”

[416] _goodly_] Other eds. “godly.”

[417] _it to_] Qy. “_to it?_”

[418] _all_] Other eds. “_all_ the.”

[419] _To_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Bo.”

[420] _an_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “a.”

[421] _swarte_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “wart” and “warte.”

[422] _longe_] Other eds. “longes.”

[423] _foule_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “feule.”

[424] _displeasaunte_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “displseaunt.”

[425] _To_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Bo.”

[426] _be_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “me.”

[427] _goodly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “godly.”

[428] _goodly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “gooly.”

[429] _domina_] Eds. “domine,” but afterwards, in similar passages, v. 1061, 1114, “domina.”

[430] _Her_] Qy. “The?”

[431] _all with_] Other eds. “_with al_.”

[432] _on_] Marshe’s ed. “to.”

[433] _The_] Qy. “Her?”

[434] _columbine_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “calumbyn.”

[435] _The_] Eds. “This.”

[436] _[For]_] Compare vv. 989, 1022, 1083, 1107, &c.

[437] _Enhached_] The editor of 1736 chose to print “Enchased.”

[438] _goodly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “godly.”

[439] _salutatione tua_] Eds. “salutare tuum” and “salutate tuum.”

[440] _babæ_] Eds. “ba ba.”

[441] _haue_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “heue.”

[442] _This_] Other eds. “The.”

[443] _sint_] Other eds. “sunt.”

[444] _the_] Not in other eds.

[445] _goodly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “godly.”

[446] _This_] Eds. “The:” but see the frequent repetition of the passage.

[447] _properly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “propeeyly.”

[448] _For_] Not in other eds.

[449] _nor_] Other eds. “or.”

[450] _For this_] Other eds. “The.”

[451] _This_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “Thus.”

[452] _star_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “stare.”

[453] _[For]_] See note, ante, p. 83.

[454] _this_] Other eds. “the.”

[455] _pilgrimage_] Marshe’s ed. “pilgrimages.”

[456] _stalkynge_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “stalke.”

[457] _haue_] Not in Marshe’s ed.

[458] _vatem_] Eds. “latem.”

[459] _cecini_] Eds. “pocecini.”

[460] _Hipocentaures_] Eds. “Hipocentaurius.”

[461] _Adauntid_] So our author in _The Garlande of Laurell_, where he cites this “Adycion.” Eds. “Auaunted.”

[462] _Plutos_] So in _The Garlande of Laurell_. Eds. “Plutus.”

[463] _rosty_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “rousty.”

[464] _frownsid_] Supplied by _The Garlande of Laurell_. Not in eds.

[465] _coniure_] Qy. “_coniure_ thé?” as before and after.

[466] _bad_] So in _The Garlande of Laurell_. Eds. “_had_.”

[467] _shene_] So in _The Garlande of Laurell_. Eds. “shyne.”

[468] _Inferias_] So ibid. Eds. “Infera” and “Inferia.”

[469] _tuas_] So ibid. Not in eds.

[470] _petiit_] Other eds. “persit.”

[471] _pudet_] Other eds. “puder.”

[472] _you_] Other eds. “ye.”

[473] _volucrem_] Other eds. “volucrum.”

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH[474] THE BOOKE CALLED ELYNOUR RUMMYNGE.

THE TUNNYNG OF ELYNOUR RUMMYNG PER SKELTON LAUREAT.

Tell you I chyll,
If that ye wyll
A whyle be styll,
Of a comely gyll
That dwelt on a hyll:
But she is not gryll,
For she is somwhat sage
And well worne in age;
For her vysage
It would aswage 10
A mannes courage.
Her lothely lere
Is nothynge clere,
But vgly of chere,
Droupy and drowsy,
Scuruy and lowsy;
Her face all bowsy,
Comely crynklyd,
Woundersly wrynkled,
Lyke a rost pygges eare, 20
Brystled wyth here.
Her lewde lyppes twayne,
They slauer, men sayne,
Lyke a ropy rayne,
A gummy glayre:
She is vgly fayre;
Her nose somdele hoked,
And camously croked,
Neuer stoppynge,
But euer droppynge; 30
Her skynne lose and slacke,
Grained[475] lyke a sacke;
With a croked backe.
Her eyen gowndy
Are full vnsowndy,
For they are blered;
And she gray hered;
Jawed lyke a jetty;
A man would haue pytty
To se how she is gumbed, 40
Fyngered and thumbed,
Gently ioynted,
Gresed and annoynted
Vp to the knockels;
The bones [of] her huckels[476]
Lyke as they were with buckels[477]
Togyther made fast:
Her youth is farre past:
Foted lyke a plane,
Legged[478] lyke a crane; 50
And yet she wyll iet,
Lyke a iolly fet,[479]
In her furred flocket,
And gray russet rocket,
With symper the cocket.
Her huke of Lyncole grene,
It had ben hers, I wene,
More then fourty yere;
And so doth it[480] apere,
For[481] the grene bare thredes 60
Loke lyke sere wedes,
Wyddered lyke hay,
The woll worne away;
And yet I dare saye
She thynketh herselfe gaye
Vpon the holy daye,
Whan she doth her aray,
And gyrdeth in her gytes[482]
Stytched and pranked with pletes;[483]
Her kyrtel Brystow red, 70
With clothes vpon her hed
That wey[484] a sowe of led,
Wrythen in[485] wonder wyse,
After the Sarasyns gyse,
With a whym wham,
Knyt with a trym tram,
Vpon her brayne pan,
Lyke an Egyptian,
Capped[486] about:
Whan she goeth out 80
Herselfe for to shewe,
She dryueth downe the dewe
Wyth a payre of heles
As brode as two wheles;
She hobles as a gose[487]
With her blanket[488] hose
Ouer the falowe;[489]
Her shone smered wyth talowe,
Gresed vpon dyrt
That baudeth her skyrt. 90

_Primus passus._

And this comely dame,
I vnderstande, her name
Is Elynour Rummynge,
At home in her wonnynge;
And as men say
She dwelt[490] in Sothray,
In a certayne stede
Bysyde Lederhede.
She is a tonnysh gyb;
The deuyll and she be syb. 100
But to make vp my tale,
She breweth noppy ale,
And maketh therof port sale[491]
To trauellars, to tynkers,
To sweters, to swynkers,
And all good ale drynkers,
That wyll nothynge spare,
But drynke tyll they stare
And brynge themselfe bare,
With, Now away the mare, 110
And let vs sley care,
As wyse as an hare!
Come who so wyll
To Elynour on the hyll,
Wyth, Fyll the cup, fyll,
And syt there by styll,
Erly and late:
Thyther cometh Kate,
Cysly, and Sare,
With theyr legges bare, 120
And also theyr fete
Hardely full vnswete;
Wyth theyr heles dagged,
Theyr kyrtelles all to-iagged,
Theyr smockes all to-ragged,
Wyth tytters and tatters,
Brynge dysshes and platters,
Wyth all theyr myght runnynge
To Elynour Rummynge,
To haue of her tunnynge: 130
She leneth them on[492] the same,
And thus begynneth the game.
Some wenches come vnlased,[493]
Some huswyues[494] come vnbrased,
Wyth theyr naked pappes,
That flyppes and flappes;
It wygges and it[495] wagges,
Lyke tawny saffron bagges;
A sorte of foule drabbes
All scuruy with scabbes: 140
Some be flybytten,
Some skewed as a kytten;
Some wyth a sho clout
Bynde theyr heddes about;
Some haue no herelace,
Theyr lockes about theyr face,
Theyr tresses vntrust,
All full of vnlust;
Some loke strawry,
Some cawry mawry; 150
Full vntydy tegges,
Lyke rotten egges.
Suche a lewde sorte
To Elynour resorte
From tyde to tyde:
Abyde, abyde,
And to you shall be tolde
Howe hyr ale is solde
To Mawte and to Molde.

_Secundus passus._

Some haue no mony 160
That thyder commy,
For theyr ale to pay,
That is a shreud aray;
Elynour swered, Nay,
Ye shall not beare away
My[496] ale for nought,
By hym that me bought!
With, Hey, dogge, hay,
Haue these hogges[497] away!
With, Get me a staffe, 170
The swyne eate my draffe!
Stryke the hogges with a clubbe,
They haue dronke vp my swyllynge tubbe!
For, be there neuer so much prese,
These swyne go to the hye dese,
The sowe with her pygges;
The bore his tayle wrygges,
His rumpe[498] also he frygges
Agaynst[499] the hye benche!
With, Fo, ther is a stenche! 180
Gather vp, thou wenche;
Seest thou not what is fall?
Take vp dyrt[500] and all,
And bere out of the hall:
God gyue it yll preuynge,
Clenly as yuell cheuynge!
But let vs turne playne,
There we lefte agayne.
For, as yll a patch as that,
The hennes ron in the mashfat; 190
For they go to roust
Streyght ouer the ale ioust,
And donge, whan it commes,
In the ale tunnes.
Than Elynour taketh
The mashe bolle, and shaketh
The hennes donge away,
And skommeth it into[501] a tray
Whereas the yeest is,
With her maungy fystis: 200
And somtyme she blennes
The donge of her hennes
And the ale together;
And sayeth, Gossyp, come hyther,
This ale shal be thycker,
And flowre the more quicker;
For I may tell you,
I lerned it of a Jewe,
Whan I began to brewe,
And I haue founde it trew; 210
Drinke now whyle it is new;
And ye may it broke,
It shall make you loke
Yonger than ye be
Yeres two or thre,
For ye may proue it by me;
Beholde, she sayde, and se
How bryght I am of ble!
Ich am not cast away,
That can my husband say, 220
Whan we kys and play
In lust and in lykyng;
He calleth me his whytyng,
His mullyng and his mytyng,[502]
His nobbes and his conny,
His swetyng and his honny,
With, Bas, my prety bonny,
Thou art worth good and monny.
This make I my falyre fonny,[503]
Til that he dreme and dronny; 230
For, after all our sport,
Than wyll he rout and snort;
Than swetely together we ly,
As two pygges in a sty.
To cease me semeth best,
And of this tale to rest,
And for to leue this letter,
Because it is no better,
And because it is no swetter;
We wyll no farther ryme 240
Of it at this tyme;
But we wyll turne playne
Where we left agayne.

_Tertius passus._

Instede of coyne and monny,[504]
Some brynge her a conny,
And some a pot with honny,
Some a salt, and some a spone,
Some theyr hose, some theyr shone;
Some ran[505] a good trot
With a skellet or a pot; 250
Some fyll theyr pot full
Of good Lemster woll:
An huswyfe of trust,
Whan she is athrust,
Suche a webbe can spyn,
Her thryft is full thyn.
Some go streyght thyder,
Be it slaty or slyder;
They holde the hye waye,
They care not what men say, 260
Be that as be maye;
Some, lothe to be espyde,
Start[506] in at the backe syde,
Ouer the hedge and pale,
And all for the good ale.
Some renne tyll they swete,
Brynge wyth them malte or whete,
And dame Elynour entrete
To byrle them of the best.
Than cometh an other gest; 270
She swered by the rode of rest,
Her lyppes are so drye,
Without drynke she must dye;
Therefore fyll it by and by,
And haue here a pecke of ry.
Anone cometh another,
As drye as the other,
And wyth her doth brynge
Mele, salte, or other thynge,
Her haruest[507] gyrdle, her weddynge rynge, 280
To pay for her scot
As cometh to her lot.
Som bryngeth her husbandes hood,
Because the ale is good;
Another brought her his cap
To offer to the ale tap,
Wyth flaxe and wyth towe;
And some brought sowre dowe;
Wyth, Hey, and wyth, howe,
Syt we downe a rowe, 290
And drynke tyll we blowe,
And pype tyrly tyrlowe!
Some layde to pledge
Theyr hatchet and theyr wedge,
Theyr hekell and theyr rele,
Theyr rocke, theyr spynnyng whele;
And some went so narrowe,
They layde to pledge theyr wharrowe,
Theyr rybskyn and theyr spyndell,
Theyr nedell and theyr thymbell: 300
Here was scant thryft
Whan they made suche shyft.
Theyr thrust was so great,
They asked neuer for mete,
But drynke, styll drynke,
And let the cat wynke,
Let vs washe our gommes
From the drye crommes.

_Quartus passus._

Some for very nede
Layde[508] downe a skeyne of threde, 310
And some a skeyne of yarne;
Some brought[509] from the barne
Both benes and pease;
Small chaffer doth ease
Sometyme, now and than:
Another there was that ran
With a good brasse pan;
Her colour was full wan;
She ran in all the hast
Vnbrased and vnlast; 320
Tawny, swart, and sallowe,[510]
Lyke a cake of tallowe;
I swere by all hallow,
It was a stale[511] to take
The deuyll in a brake.
And than came haltyng Jone,
And brought a gambone
Of bakon that was resty:
But, Lorde, as she was testy,
Angry as a waspy! 330
She began to yane and gaspy,
And bad Elynour go bet,
And fyll in good met;[512]
It was dere that was farre fet.
Another brought a spycke
Of a bacon flycke;
Her tonge was verye quycke,
But she spake somwhat thycke:
Her felow did stammer and stut,
But she was a foule slut, 340
For her mouth fomyd
And her bely groned:
Jone sayne[513] she had eaten a fyest;
By Christ, sayde she, thou lyest,
I haue as swete a breth
As thou, wyth shamfull deth!
Than Elynour sayde, Ye callettes,
I shall breake your palettes,
Wythout ye now cease!
And so was made the peace.[514] 350
Than thyder came dronken Ales;
And she was full of tales,
Of tydynges in Wales,
And of sainct James in Gales,
And of the Portyngales;
Wyth, Lo, gossyp, I wys,
Thus and thus it is,
There hath ben great war
Betwene Temple Bar
And the Crosse in Chepe, 360
And there came an hepe
Of mylstones in a route:
She speketh thus in her snout,
Sneuelyng in her nose,
As thoughe she had the pose;
Lo, here is an olde typpet,
And ye wyll gyue me a syppet
Of your stale ale,
God sende you good sale!
And as she was drynkynge, 370
She fyll[515] in a wynkynge
Wyth a barlyhood,
She pyst where she stood;
Than began she to wepe,
And forthwyth fell on slepe.
Elynour toke her vp,
And blessed her wyth a cup
Of newe ale in cornes;
Ales founde therin no thornes,
But supped it vp at ones, 380
She founde therin no bones.[516]

_Quintus passus._

Nowe in cometh another rabell;
Fyrst one wyth a ladell,
Another wyth a cradell,
And wyth a syde sadell:
And there began a fabell,
A clatterynge and a babell
Of folys fylly[517]
That had a fole wyth wylly,
With, Iast you, and, gup, gylly! 390
She coulde not lye stylly.
Then came in a genet,
And sware by saynct Benet,
I dranke not this sennet
A draught to my pay;
Elynour, I thé pray,
Of thyne ale let vs assay,
And haue here a pylche of gray;
I were skynnes of conny,
That causeth I loke so donny. 400
Another than dyd hyche her,
And brought a pottel pycher,
A tonnel, and a bottell,
But she had lost the stoppell;
She cut of her sho sole,
And stopped therwyth the hole.
Amonge all the blommer,
Another brought a skommer,
A fryinge pan, and a slyce;
Elynour made the pryce 410
For good ale eche whyt.
Than sterte in mad Kyt,
That had lyttle wyt;
She semed somdele seke,
And brought[518] a peny cheke
To dame Elynour,
For a draught of lycour.
Than Margery Mylkeducke
Her kyrtell she did vptucke
An ynche aboue her kne, 420
Her legges that ye myght se;
But they were sturdy and stubbed,[519]
Myghty pestels and clubbed,
As fayre and as whyte
As the fote of a kyte:
She was somwhat foule,
Crokenecked lyke an oule;
And yet she brought her fees,
A cantell of Essex chese
Was well a fote thycke, 430
Full of maggottes quycke;
It was huge and greate,
And myghty stronge meate
For the deuyll to eate;
It was tart and punyete.
Another sorte of sluttes,
Some brought walnuttes,[520]
Some apples, some peres,
Some brought theyr clyppynge sheres,
Some brought this and that, 440
Some brought I wote nere what,
Some brought theyr husbandes hat,
Some podynges and lynkes,
Some trypes that stynkes.[521]
But of all this thronge
One came them amonge,
She semed halfe a leche,
And began to preche
Of the tewsday in the weke
Whan the mare doth keke; 450
Of the vertue of an vnset leke;
Of her husbandes breke;
Wyth the feders of a quale
She could to Burdeou[522] sayle;
And wyth good ale barme
She could make a charme
To helpe wythall a stytch:
She semed to be a wytch.
Another brought two goslynges,
That were noughty froslynges; 460
She[523] brought them in a wallet,
She was a cumly callet:
The goslenges were untyde;
Elynour began to chyde,
They[524] be wretchockes[525] thou hast brought,
They are shyre shakyng nought!

_Sextus passus._

Maude Ruggy thyther skypped:
She was vgly hypped,
And vgly thycke lypped,
Lyke an onyon syded, 470
Lyke tan ledder hyded:
She had her so guyded
Betwene the cup and the wall,
That she was there wythall
Into a palsey fall;
Wyth that her hed shaked,
And her handes quaked:
Ones hed wold haue aked
To se her naked:
She dranke so of the dregges,[526] 480
The dropsy was in her legges;
Her face glystryng lyke glas;
All foggy fat she was;
She had also the gout
In all her ioyntes about;
Her breth was soure and stale,
And smelled all of ale:
Suche a bedfellaw
Wold make one cast his craw;
But yet for all that 490
She dranke on the mash fat.
There came an old rybybe;
She halted of a kybe,
And had broken her shyn
At the threshold comyng in,
And fell so wyde open
That one myght se her token,
The deuyll thereon be wroken!
What nede all this be spoken?
She yelled lyke a calfe: 500
Ryse vp, on Gods halfe,
Said Elynour Rummyng,
I beshrew thé for thy cummyng!
And[527] as she at her did pluck,
Quake, quake, sayd the duck
In that lampatrams lap;
Wyth, Fy, couer thy[528] shap
Wyth sum flyp flap!
God gyue it yll hap,
Sayde Elynour for shame, 510
Lyke an honest dame.
Vp she stert, halfe lame,
And skantly could go
For payne and for wo.
In came another dant,
Wyth a gose and a gant:
She had a wide[529] wesant;
She was nothynge plesant;
Necked lyke an olyfant;
It was a bullyfant, 520
A gredy cormerant.
Another brought her garlyke hedes;[530]
Another brought her bedes
Of iet or of cole,
To offer to the ale pole:
Some brought a wymble,
Some brought a thymble,
Some brought a sylke lace,
Some brought a pyncase,
Some her husbandes gowne, 530
Some a pyllow of downe,
Some of[531] the napery;
And all this shyfte they make
For the good ale sake.
A strawe, sayde Bele, stande vtter,
For we haue egges and butter,
And of[532] pygeons a payre.
Than sterte forth a fysgygge,[533]
And she brought a bore pygge;
The fleshe therof was ranke, 540
And her brethe strongly stanke,
Yet, or she went, she dranke,
And gat her great thanke
Of Elynour for her ware,
That she thyther bare
To pay for her share.
Now truly, to my thynkynge,
This is a solempne drinkynge.

_Septimus passus._

Soft, quod one, hyght[534] Sybbyll,
And let me wyth you bybyll. 550
She sat downe in the place,
With a sory face
Wheywormed about;
Garnyshed was her snout
Wyth here and there a puscull,
Lyke a scabbyd muscull.
This ale, sayde she, is noppy;
Let vs syppe and soppy,
And not spyll a droppy,
For so mote I hoppy, 560
It coleth well my croppy.[535]
Dame Elynoure, sayde she,
Haue here is for me,
A cloute of London pynnes;
And wyth that she begynnes
The pot to her plucke,
And dranke a good lucke;
She swynged[536] vp a quarte
At ones for her parte;
Her paunche was so puffed, 570
And so wyth ale stuffed,
Had she not hyed apace,
She had defoyled the place.
Than began the sporte
Amonge that dronken sorte:
Dame Eleynour, sayde they,
Lende here a cocke of hey,
To make all thynge cleane;
Ye wote well what we meane.
But, syr, among all 580
That sat in that hall,
There was a pryckemedenty,
Sat lyke a seynty,
And began to paynty,
As thoughe she would faynty;
She made it as koy
As a lege de moy;[537]
She was not halfe so wyse
As she was peuysshe nyse.
She sayde neuer a worde, 590
But rose from the borde,
And called for our dame,
Elynour by name.
We supposed, I wys,
That she rose to pys;
But the very grounde
Was for to compounde
Wyth Elynour in the spence,
To pay for her expence:
I haue no penny nor grote 600
To pay, sayde she, God wote,
For washyng of my throte;
But my bedes of amber
Bere them to your chamber.
Then Elynour dyd them hyde
Wythin her beddes syde.
But some than sat ryght sad
That nothynge had
There of theyr awne,[538]
Neyther gelt nor pawne; 610
Suche were there menny
That had not a penny,
But, whan they should walke,
Were fayne wyth a chalke
To score on the balke,
Or score on the tayle:
God gyue it yll hayle!
For my fyngers[539] ytche;
I haue wrytten to mytche
Of this mad mummynge 620
Of Elynour Rummynge.
Thus endeth the gest
Of this worthy fest.

Quod Skelton, Laureat.

LAUREATI SKELTONIDIS IN DESPECTU MALIGNANTIUM DISTICHON.

_Quamvis insanis, quamvis marcescis inanis,_
_Invide,[540] cantamus: hæc loca plena jocis.[541]_
_Bien men souuient._

_Omnes fœminas, quæ vel nimis bibulæ sunt, vel quæ sordida labe squaloris, aut qua spurca[542] fœditatis macula, aut verbosa loquacitate notantur, poeta invitat ad audiendum hunc libellum, &c._

_Ebria, squalida, sordida fœmina, prodiga verbis,_
_Huc currat, properet, veniat! Sua gesta libellus[543]_
_Iste volutabit: Pæan sua plectra sonando_
_Materiam risus cantabit carmine rauco._

_Finis._

Quod Skelton, Laureat.

[474] _Here after foloweth_, &c.] 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., with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568, and occasionally with the comparatively modern ed. of _Elinovr Rummin_ by Rand, 1624.

[475] _Grained_] So eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand). Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, “Greuyned.”

[476] _huckels_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “buckels.”

[477] _Lyke as they were_, &c.] This line not in eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand).

[478] _Legged_] So Rand’s ed. Other eds. “Legges.”

[479] _iolly fet_] Lant’s ed. “Joyly _fet_.” Marshe’s ed., (and Rand’s ed.), “_iolly_ set.”

[480] _doth it_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “it dothe.”

[481] _For_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “And.”

[482] _gytes_] Marshe’s ed. “getes.” (Rand’s ed. “geetes.”)

[483] _pletes_] Qy. “plytes?”

[484] _That wey_] So Lant’s ed., (and Rand’s ed.) Other eds. “_That_ they _way_.”

[485] _in_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “_in_ a.”

[486] _Capped_] Lant’s ed. “Lapped”—rightly, perhaps.

[487] _as a gose_] So eds. of Day, and Marshe. Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, “_as_ she _gose_.”

[488] _blanket_] So Lant’s ed. (Rand’s ed. “blanked.”) Other eds. “blauket.”

[489] _Ouer the falowe_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand.)

[490] _dwelt_] Qy. “dwels?”

[491] _port sale_] So Lant’s ed. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “pore _sale_.” Day’s ed. “poore _sale_.” Marshe’s ed. “poorte _sale_.” (Rand’s ed. “pot-_sale_.”) See notes.

[492] _on_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “of.”

[493] _vnlased_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “vnbrased.”

[494] _Some huswyues_, &c.] This line not in eds. of Day, and Marshe. (Rand’s ed. “And some all unlaced.”)

[495] _It ... it_] Qy. “That ... that?”

[496] _My_] Lant’s ed. “Myne.”

[497] _hogges_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “dogges.”

[498] _His rumpe_, &c.] This line not in eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand).

[499] _Agaynst_] Day’s ed. “Againe.”

[500] _dyrt_] So Lant’s ed. (and Rand’s ed.) Other eds. “drit.”

[501] _into_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “in.”

[502] _mytyng_] Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, “nytyng.” Day’s ed. “nittinge.” Marshe’s ed. “nittine.” (Rand’s ed. “mittine.”) See notes.

[503] _fonny_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “fanny.”

[504] _Instede of coyne_, &c.] In Skelton’s _Workes_, 1736, the passage is thus exhibited:

“Some _instede of coine and monny_
Will come and _brynge her a conny_
Or else _a pot with honni_
_Some a_ knife _and some a spone_
_Some_ brynge _their hose, some ther shone_.”

[505] _ran_] Rand’s ed. “run,”—rightly, perhaps.

[506] _Start_] So Rand’s ed. Other eds. “Some _start_,” the eye of the original compositor having caught the word “Some” from the preceding line.

[507] _haruest_] So Day’s ed. Other eds. “heruest,” “hernest,” “harnest.”

[508] _Layde_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “Laye,” and “Lay.”

[509] _Some brought_, &c.] This line not in eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand.)

[510] _sallowe_] So Lant’s ed. (and Rand’s ed.) Other eds. “swallowe.”

[511] _stale_] Eds. “stare.” See notes.

[512] _met_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “meate.”

[513] _sayne_] Lant’s ed. “sayde.”

[514] _the peace_] Eds. “_the_ dronken _peace_” (except Rand’s ed., which has “a drunken,” &c.): but no doubt the word “dronken” crept into the original edition by a mistake of the compositor, his eye having caught it in the following line. See notes.

[515] _fyll_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “fell.”

[516] _bones_] Day’s ed. “bornes.”

[517] _fylly_] Marshe’s ed. (and Rand’s ed.) “silly.” See notes.

[518] _brought_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “_brought_ vp.”

[519] _stubbed_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “stubbled.”

[520] _walnuttes_] So Lant’s ed. (Rand’s, “walnuts.”) Other eds. “walnutes” and “waluntes.”

[521] _stynkes_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “stynges.”

[522] _Burdeou_] Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, “burde on.” Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “bourde on.” (Rand’s ed. “bord on.”)

[523] _She_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “Some.”

[524] _They_] Day’s ed. “The.”

[525] _wretchockes_] Day’s ed. “wrethockes.” Marshe’s ed. (and Rand’s ed.), “wrethocke.”

[526] _dregges_] So Marshe’s ed. (and Rand’s ed.) Other eds. “dragges.”

[527] _And_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand).

[528] _thy_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “the.”

[529] _wide_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “wyse.”

[530] _hedes_] Eds. “heddes” and “heds.”

[531] _Some of_, &c.] The line which rhymed with this has dropt out.

[532] _And of_, &c.] The line which rhymed with this has dropt out.

[533] _fysgygge_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “sysgygge.”

[534] _hyght_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “high.”

[535] _croppy_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “coppy.”

[536] _swynged_] Marshe’s ed. “swinge.”

[537] _lege de moy_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “lege moy.”

[538] _awne_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “owne,” and “one.”

[539] _fyngers_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “fynger.”

[540] _Invide_] Eds. “Inuidi.”

[541] _jocis_] Eds. “locis.”

[542] _qua spurca_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “quam spuria.”

[543] _sua gesta libellus_] Ed. of Day, “_sua libellus_.” Ed. of Marshe, “_sua_ facta _libellus_.” (The Latin at the end of this poem not in Rand’s ed.)

POEMS AGAINST GARNESCHE.

SKELTON LAURIATE[544] DEFEND[ER] AGENST M[ASTER] GARNESCHE CHALENGER, ET CETERA.

Sithe ye haue me chalyngyd, M[aster] Garnesche,
Ruduly revilyng me in the kynges noble hall,
Soche an odyr chalyngyr cowde me no man wysch,[545]
But yf yt war Syr Tyrmagant that tyrnyd with out nall;[546]
For Syr Frollo de Franko was neuer halfe so talle.
But sey me now, Syr Satrapas, what autoryte ye haue
In your chalenge, Syr Chystyn, to cale me knaue?

What, haue ye kythyd yow a knyght, Syr Dugles the dowty,
So currysly to beknaue me in the kynges place?[547]
Ye stronge sturdy stalyon, so sterne and stowty, 10
Ye bere yow bolde as Barabas, or Syr Terry of Trace;[548]
Ye gyrne grymly with your gomys and with your grysly face.
But sey me yet, Syr Satropas, what auctoryte ye haue
In your chalange, Syr Chesten, to calle me a knaue?

Ye fowle, fers and felle, as Syr Ferumbras the ffreke,
Syr capten of Catywade, catacumbas of Cayre,
Thow ye be lusty as Syr Lybyus launces to breke,
Yet your contenons oncomly, your face ys nat fayer:
For alle your proude prankyng, your pride may apayere.
But sey me yet, Syr Satrapas, wat auctoryte ye haue 20
In your chalenge, Syr Chesten, to cal me a knaue?

Of Mantryble the Bryge, Malchus the murryon,
Nor blake Baltazar with hys basnet routh as a bere,
Nor Lycon, that lothly luske, in myn opynyon,
Nor no bore so brymly brystlyd ys with here,
As ye ar brystlyd on the bake for alle your gay gere.
[But sey me yet, Syr Satrapas, what auctoryte ye haue
In your chalenge, Syr Chesten, to calle me a knaue?]

Your wynde schakyn shankkes, your longe lothy legges,
Crokyd as a camoke, and as a kowe calfles, 30
Bryngges yow out of fauyr with alle femall teggys:
That mastres Punt put yow of, yt was nat alle causeles;
At Orwelle hyr hauyn your anggre was laules.
[But sey me yet, Syr Satrapas, what auctoryte ye haue
In your chalenge, Syr Chesten, to calle me a knaue?]

I sey, ye solem Sarson, alle blake ys your ble;
As a glede glowynge, your ien glyster as glasse,
Rowlynge in yower holow hede, vgly to see;
Your tethe teintyd with tawny; your semely[549] snowte doth passe,
Howkyd as an hawkys beke, lyke Syr Topyas. 40
Boldly bend you to batell, and buske your selfe to saue:
Chalenge your selfe for a fole, call me no more knaue.

Be the kynges most noble commandement.

[544] _Skelton Lauriate, &c._] These Poems against Garnesche (now for the first time printed) are from a MS. in the Harleian Collection, 367 (fol. 101), which is in many parts scarcely legible, being written in a hand very difficult to decipher, as well as being much injured by damp.

[545] _wysch_] So MS. seems to read.

[546] _with out nall_] Seems to be the reading of MS.,—“nall” having been added, instead of “alle” which is drawn through with the pen.

[547] _place_] Might be read perhaps “palace.”

[548] _Trace_] MS. “Tracy.”

[549] _semely_] Appears at first sight to be “sriuely;” but compare v. 131 of the concluding poem against Garnesche.

SKELTON LAURYATE DEFENDER AGENST M[ASTER] GARNESCHE CHALANGAR, WITH GRESY, GORBELYD GODFREY [ET] CETERA.

How may I your mokery mekely tollerate,
[Your][550] gronynge, ȝour grontynge, your groinynge lyke a swyne?
[Your] pride ys alle to peuiche, your porte importunate;
[You] mantycore,[551] ye maltaperte, ye can bothe wins and whyne;
[Your] lothesum lere to loke on, lyke a gresyd bote dothe schyne.
Ye cappyd Cayface copious, your paltoke on your pate,
Thow ye prate lyke prowde Pylate, be ware yet of chek mate.

Hole[552] ys your brow that ye brake with Deu[ra]ndall your awne sworde;
Why holde ye on yer cap, syr, then? your pardone ys expyryd:
Ye hobble very homly before the kynges borde; 10
Ye countyr vmwhyle to capcyously, and ar ye be dysiryd;
Your moth etyn mokkysh maneres, they be all to myryd.
Ye cappyd Cayface copyous, your paltoke on your pate,
Thow ye prate lyke prowde Pylate, be ware of cheke mate.

O Gabionyte of Gabyone, why do ye gane and gaspe?
Huf a galante Garnesche, loke[553] on your comly cors!
Lusty Garnysche, lyke a lowse, ye jet full lyke a jaspe;
As wytles as a wylde goos, ye haue but small remorrs
Me for to chalenge that of your chalennge makyth so lytyll fors.
Ye capyd Cayfas copyous, your paltoke on your pate, 20
Tho ye prate lyke prowde Pylate, be ware of cheke mate.

Syr Gy, Syr Gawen, Syr Cayus, for and Syr Olyuere,
Pyramus, nor Priamus, nor Syr Pyrrus the prowde,
In Arturys auncyent actys no where ys prouyd your pere;
The facyoun of your fysnamy the devyl in a clowde;
Your harte ys to hawte, I wys, yt wyll nat be alowde.
Ye capyd Cayfas copyus, your paltoke on your pate,
Thow ye prate lyke prowde Pylate, be ware of cheke mate.

Ye grounde yow vpon Godfrey, that grysly gargons face,
Your stondarde, Syr Olifranke, agenst me for to splay: 30
Baile, baile at yow bothe, frantyke folys! follow on the chase!
Cum Garnyche, cum Godfrey, with as many as ȝe may!
I advyse yow be ware of thys war, rannge yow in aray.
Ye cappyd Cayfas copyous, [your paltoke on your pate,
Thow ye prate lyke prowde Pylate, be ware of cheke mate.]

Gup, gorbellyd Godfrey, gup, Garnysche, gaudy fole!
To turney or to tante with me ye ar to fare to seke:
For thes twayne whypslouens calle for a coke stole:
Thow mantycore, ye marmoset, garnyshte lyke a Greke,
Wranglynge, waywyrde, wytles, wraw, and nothyng meke. 40
Ye cappyd [Cayfas copyous, your paltoke on your pate,
Thow ye prate lyke prowde Pylate, be ware of cheke mate.]
_Mirres vous y,_
Loke nat to hy.

By the kynges most noble commaundment.

[550] _Your_] The beginning of this line, and of the next three lines, torn off in MS.

[551] _mantycore_] MS. “mantyca.”

[552] _Hole_] First written “Thow _hole_.”

[553] _loke_] MS. “kloke;” but the _k_ seems to have been purposely blotted out.

SKELTON LAWRYATE DEFENDER AGENYST LUSTY GARNYCHE WELLE BE SEYN CRYSTEOUYR CHALANNGER, ET CETERA.