Chapter I: Part 1

Transcriber’s Note: Volume I is available as PG ebook #59997.

THE POETICAL WORKS OF SKELTON.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY LEVEY, ROBSON, AND FRANKLYN,
Great New Street, Fetter Lane.

THE
POETICAL WORKS
OF
JOHN SKELTON:

WITH NOTES,
AND
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS WRITINGS,

BY THE
REV. ALEXANDER DYCE.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
THOMAS RODD, GREAT NEWPORT STREET.
MDCCCXLIII.

THE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN SKELTON.

SPEKE, PARROT.[1]

THE BOKE[2] COMPILED BY MAISTER SKELTON, POET LAUREAT, CALLED SPEAKE, PARROT.

[_Lectoribus auctor recipit[3] opusculi hujus auxesim._

_Crescet in immensum me vivo pagina præsens;_
_Hinc mea dicetur Skeltonidis aurea fama._

_Parot._]

[Sidenote: Lucanus.[4] Tigris et Euphrates uno se fonte resolvunt.]

My name is Parrot, a byrd of paradyse,
By nature deuysed of a wonderous[5] kynde,
Dyentely dyeted with dyuers dylycate spyce,
Tyl Euphrates, that flode, dryueth me into Inde;
Where men of that countrey by fortune me fynd,
And send me to greate ladyes[6] of estate:
Then Parot must haue an almon or a date;

[Sidenote: Topographia, quam habet hæc avicula in deliciis.]

A cage curyously caruen, with syluer pyn, 10
Properly paynted, to be my couertowre;
A myrrour of glasse, that I may toote therin;
These maidens ful mekely with many a diuers[7] flowre
Freshly they dresse, and make swete my bowre,
With, Speke, Parrot, I pray you, full curtesly they say;
Parrot is a goodly byrd, a[8] prety popagey:

[Sidenote: Delectatur in factura sua, tamen res est forma fugax.]

With my becke bent, my[9] lyttyl wanton eye,
My fedders freshe as is the emrawde grene,
About my neck a cyrculet lyke the ryche rubye,
My lyttyll leggys, my feet both fete and clene, 20
I am a mynyon to wayt vppon a[10] quene;
My proper Parrot, my lyttyl prety foole;
With ladyes I lerne, and go with them to scole.

[Sidenote: Psittacus a vobis aliorum nomina disco: Hoc per me didici dicere,[11] Cæsar, ave.]

Hagh, ha, ha, Parrot, ye can laugh pretyly!
Parrot hath not dyned of al this[12] long day:
Lyke your[13] pus cate, Parrot can mute and cry
In Lattyn, in Ebrew, Araby, and Caldey;[14]
In Greke tong Parrot can bothe speke and say,
As Percyus, that poet, doth reporte of me,
_Quis expedivit psittaco suum chaire?_ 30

[Sidenote: Docibilem se pandit in omni idiomate. Polichronitudo Basileos.]

Dowse[15] French of Parryse Parrot can lerne,
Pronounsynge my purpose after my properte,
With, _Perliez byen_, Parrot, _ou perlez rien_;
With Douch, with Spanysh, my tong can agre;
In Englysh to God Parrot can supple,[16]
Cryst saue Kyng Henry[17] the viii., our royall kyng,
The red rose in honour to florysh and sprynge!

[Sidenote: Katerina universalis vitii ruina, Græcum est. Fidasso de cosso, i. habeto fidem in temet ipso. Auctoritate[m] inconsultam taxat hic. Lege Flaccum, et observa plantatum diabolum.]

With Kateryne incomparable, our ryall[18] quene also,
That pereles pomegarnet, Chryst saue her noble grace!
Parrot, _saves[19] habler Castiliano_, 40
With _fidasso de cosso_[20] in Turkey and in Trace;
_Vis consilii expers_,[21] as techith me Horace,
_Mole ruit sua_, whose dictes ar[22] pregnaunte,
_Souentez foys_,[23] Parrot, _en souenaunte_.

[Sidenote: Sæpenumero hæc pensitans psittacus ego pronuntio.[24] Aphorismo, quia paronomasia certe incomprehensibilis.]

My lady maystres,[25] dame Philology,
Gaue me a gyfte in my nest whan I[26] laye,
To lerne all language, and it to spake aptely:
Now _pandez mory_,[27] wax frantycke, some men[28] saye;
Phroneses for[29] Freneses may not holde her way.
An almon now for Parrot, dilycatly drest; 50
In _Salve festa dies, toto_ theyr doth[30] best.

[Sidenote: Aptius hic loquitur animus quam lingua. Notum adagium et exasperans.]

_Moderata juvant_, but _toto_ doth excede;
Dyscressyon is moder of noble vertues all;
_Myden[31] agan_ in Greke[32] tonge we rede;
But reason and wyt wantyth theyr prouyncyall
When wylfulnes is vycar generall.
_Hæc res acu tangitur_, Parrot, _par ma foy_:
_Ticez vous_, Parrot, _tenez vous coye_.

Besy, besy,[33] besy, and besynes agayne!
_Que pensez voz_, Parrot? what meneth this besynes? 60
_Vitulus_ in Oreb troubled Arons brayne,
Melchisedeck mercyfull made Moloc mercyles;
To wyse is no vertue, to medlyng, to restles;
In mesure is tresure, _cum sensu maturato_;[34]
_Ne tropo sanno,[35] ne tropo mato_.

Aram was fyred with Caldies fyer called Ur;
Iobab[36] was brought vp in the lande of Hus;[37]
The lynage of Lot toke supporte of Assur;
Iereboseth is Ebrue, who lyst the cause[38] dyscus.
Peace, Parrot, ye prate, as ye were _ebrius_: 70
Howst thé, _lyuer god van hemrik, ic seg_;
In Popering[39] grew peres, whan Parrot was an eg.

What is this to purpose? Ouer in a whynnymeg![40]
Hop Lobyn of Lowdeon wald haue e[41] byt of bred;
The iebet of Baldock was made for Jack Leg;
An arrow vnfethered and without an hed,
A bagpype[42] without blowynge standeth in no sted:
Some run to far before, some run to far behynde,
Some be to churlysshe, and some be to kynde.

_Ic dien_ serueth for the[43] erstrych[44] fether, 80
_Ic dien_ is the language of the land of Beme;
In Affryc tongue _byrsa_ is a thonge of lether;
In Palestina there is Ierusalem.
_Colostrum_ now for Parot, whyte bred and swete creme!
Our Thomasen[45] she doth trip, our Ienet she doth shayle:
Parrot hath a blacke beard and a fayre grene tayle.

Moryshe myne owne shelfe, the costermonger sayth;[46]
Fate, fate, fate, ye Irysh[47] water lag;
In flattryng fables men fynde but lyttyl fayth:
But _moveatur terra_, let the world wag; 90
Let syr Wrig wrag[48] wrastell with syr Delarag;[49]
Euery man after his maner of wayes,
_Pawbe une aruer_, so the Welche man sayes.

Suche shredis of sentence, strowed in the shop
Of auncyent Aristippus and such other mo,
I gader togyther and close in my crop,[50]
Of my wanton conseyt, _unde depromo_
_Dilemmata docta in pædagogio_
_Sacro vatum_, whereof to you I breke:
I pray you, let Parot haue lyberte to speke. 100

But ware the cat, Parot, ware the fals cat!
With, Who is there? a mayd? nay, nay, I trow:
Ware ryat, Parrot, ware ryot, ware that!
Mete, mete for Parrot, mete, I say, how!
Thus dyuers of language by lernyng I grow:
With, Bas me, swete Parrot, bas me, swete swete;
To dwell amonge ladyes Parrot is mete.

Parrot, Parrot, Parrot, praty popigay!
With my beke I can pyke my lyttel praty too;
My delyght is solas, pleasure, dysporte, and pley; 110
Lyke a wanton, whan I wyll, I rele to and froo:
Parot can say, _Cæsar, ave_, also;
But Parrot hath no fauour to Esebon:
Aboue all other byrdis, set Parrot alone.

_Ulula_, Esebon, for Ieromy doth wepe!
Sion is in sadnes, Rachell ruly doth loke;
Madionita Ietro, our Moyses kepyth his shepe;
Gedeon is gon, that Zalmane vndertoke,
Oreb _et_ Zeb, of _Judicum_ rede the boke;
Now Geball, Amon, and Amaloch,—harke, harke! 120
Parrot pretendith to be a bybyll clarke.

O Esebon, Esebon! to thé is cum agayne
Seon, the regent _Amorræorum_,
And Og, that fat hog of[51] Basan, doth retayne,
The crafty _coistronus Cananæorum_;[52]
And _asylum_, whilom _refugium miserorum_,
_Non fanum, sed profanum_, standyth in lyttyll sted:
_Ulula_, Esebon, for Iepte is starke ded!

Esebon, Marybon, Wheston next Barnet;
A trym tram for an horse myll it were a nyse thyng; 130
Deyntes for dammoysels, chaffer far fet:
Bo ho doth bark wel, but Hough ho he rulyth[53] the ring;
From Scarpary to Tartary renoun therin doth spryng,
With, He sayd, and we said, ich wot now what ich wot,
_Quod magnus est dominus Judas Scarioth_.

Tholomye and Haly were cunnyng and wyse
In the volvell, in the quadrant, and in the astroloby,
To pronostycate truly the chaunce of fortunys dyse;
Som trete of theyr tirykis, som of astrology,
Som _pseudo-propheta_ with chiromancy:[54] 140
Yf fortune be frendly, and grace be the guyde,
Honowre with renowne wyll ren on[55] that syde.

_Monon calon agaton_,
Quod Parato
_In Græco_.

Let Parrot, I pray you, haue lyberte to prate,
For _aurea lingua Græca_ ought to be magnyfyed,
Yf it were cond perfytely, and after the rate,
As _lingua Latina_, in scole matter occupyed;
But our Grekis theyr Greke so well haue applyed, 150
That they cannot say in Greke, rydynge by the way,
How, hosteler, fetche my hors a botell of hay!

Neyther frame a silogisme in _phrisesomorum_,
_Formaliter et Græce, cum medio termino:_
Our Grekys ye walow in the washbol _Argolicorum_;
For though ye can tell in Greke what is _phormio_,
Yet ye seke out your Greke in _Capricornio_;
For they[56] scrape[57] out good scrypture, and set in a gall,
Ye go about to amende, and ye mare all.

Some argue _secundum quid ad simpliciter_, 160
And yet he wolde be rekenyd _pro Areopagita_;
And some make distinctions _multipliciter_,
Whether _ita_ were before _non_, or _non_[58] before _ita_,
Nether wise nor wel lernid, but like _hermaphrodita_:
Set _sophia_ asyde, for euery Jack Raker
And euery mad medler must now be a maker.

_In Academia_ Parrot dare no probleme kepe;
For _Græce fari_[59] so occupyeth the chayre,
That _Latinum fari_ may fall to rest and slepe,
And _syllogisari_ was drowned at Sturbrydge fayre; 170
Tryuyals[60] and quatryuyals so sore now they appayre,
That Parrot the[61] popagay hath pytye to beholde
How the rest of good lernyng is roufled[62] vp and trold.

_Albertus de modo significandi_,
And _Donatus_ be dryuen out of scole;
Prisians hed broken now handy dandy,
And _Inter didascolos_ is rekened for a fole;
Alexander, a gander of Menanders[63] pole,
With _Da Cansales_, is cast out of the gate,
And _Da Racionales_ dare not shew his pate. 180

_Plauti_[64] in his comedies a chyld shall now reherse,
And medyll with Quintylyan in his Declamacyons,[65]
That Pety Caton can scantly construe a verse,
With _Aveto in Græco_, and such solempne salutacyons,
Can skantly the tensis of his coniugacyons;
Settynge theyr myndys so moche of eloquens,
That of theyr scole maters lost is the hole sentens.

Now a nutmeg, a nutmeg, _cum gariopholo_,[66]
For Parrot to pyke vpon, his brayne for to stable,
Swete synamum styckis and _pleris cum musco_![67] 190
In Paradyce, that place of pleasure perdurable,
The progeny of Parrottis were fayre and fauorable;
Nowe _in valle_ Ebron Parrot is fayne to fede:
Cristecrosse and saynt Nycholas, Parrot, be your good spede!

The myrrour that I tote in, _quasi diaphanum_,
_Vel quasi speculum, in ænigmate_,
_Elencticum_,[68] or ells _enthymematicum_,[69]
For logicions to loke on, somwhat _sophistice_:
Retoricyons[70] and oratours in freshe humanyte,
Support Parrot, I pray you, with your suffrage ornate, 200
Of _confuse tantum_ auoydynge the chekmate.

But of that supposicyon that callyd is arte
_Confuse distributive_, as Parrot hath deuysed,
Let euery man after his merit take his parte,
For in this processe Parrot nothing hath surmysed,
No matter pretendyd, nor nothyng enterprysed,
But that _metaphora_, _allegoria_ with all,
Shall be his protectyon, his pauys, and his wall.

For Parot is no churlish chowgh, nor no flekyd pye,
Parrot is no pendugum, that men call a carlyng, 210
Parrot is no woodecocke, nor no butterfly,
Parrot is no stameryng stare, that men call a starlyng;
But Parot is my[71] owne dere harte and my dere[72] derling;
Melpomene, that fayre mayde, she burneshed his beke:
I pray you, let Parrot haue lyberte to speke.

Parrot is a fayre byrd for a lady;
God of his goodnes him framed and wrought;
When Parrot is ded, she dothe not putrefy:
Ye, all thyng mortall shall torne vnto nought,
Except mannes soule, that Chryst so dere bought; 220
That neuer may dye, nor neuer dye shall:
Make moche of Parrot, the[73] popegay ryall.[74]

For that pereles prynce that Parrot dyd create,
He made you of nothynge by his magistye:
Poynt well this probleme that Parrot doth prate,
And remembre amonge how Parrot and ye
Shall lepe from this lyfe, as mery as we be;
Pompe, pryde, honour, ryches, and worldly lust,
Parrot sayth playnly, shall tourne all to dust.

Thus Parrot dothe pray you 230
With hert most tender,
To rekyn with this recule now,[75]
And it to remember.

_Psittacus, ecce, cano, nec sunt mea carmina Phœbo_
_Digna scio, tamen est plena camena deo._

_Secundum Skeltonida famigeratum,_
_In Piereorum catalogo numeratum._

_Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis, &c._[76]

_Candidi lectores, callide callete; vestrum fovete Psittacum, &c._[77]

[_Galathea._

[Sidenote: Hic occurrat[78] memoriæ Pamphilus de amore Galatheæ.]

Speke, Parotte, I pray yow, for Maryes saake,
Whate mone he made when Pamphylus loste hys make.

_Parrotte._

[Sidenote: In ista cantilena[79] ore stilla plena abjectis frangibulis et aperit.]

My propire Besse, 240
My praty Besse,
Turne ones agayne to me:
For slepyste thou, Besse,
Or wakeste thow, Besse,
Myne herte hyt ys with thé.

[Sidenote: Quid quæritis tot capita, tot census?]

My deysy delectabyll,
My prymerose commendabyll,
My vyolet amyabyll,
My ioye inexplicabill,
Nowe torne agayne to me. 250

I wylbe ferme and stabyll,
And to yow seruyceabyll,
And also prophytabyll,
Yf ye be agreabyll
To turne agayne to me,
My propyr Besse.

[Sidenote: Maro: Malo me Galatea petit, lasciva puella, Et fugit ad salices, &c.]

Alas, I am dysdayned,
And as a man halfe maymed,
My harte is so sore payned!
I pray thé, Besse, vnfayned, 260
Yet com agayne to me!
Be loue I am constreyned
To be with yow retayned,
Hyt wyll not be refrayned:
I pray yow, be reclaymed,
And torne agayne to me,
My propyr Besse.

Quod[80] Parot, the popagay royall.

_Martialis cecinit carmen fit mihi scutum:—_
_Est mihi lasciva pagina, vita proba.[81]_

_Galethea._

[Sidenote: Zoe kai psyche.[82] Non omnes capiunt verbum istud, sed quibus datum est desuper.]

Now kus me, Parrot, kus me, kus, kus, kus:[83]
Goddys blessyng lyght on thy swete lyttyll[84] mus! 270
_Vita et anima,_
_Zoe kai psyche._[85]

[Sidenote: Aquinates.[86]]

_Concumbunt[87] Græce. Non est hic sermo pudicus._

[Sidenote: Sua consequentia[88] magni æstimatur momenti Attica sane eloquentia.]

_Ergo_[89] _Attica[90] dictamina_
_Sunt[91] plumbi lamina,_
_Vel[92] spuria vitulamina:_
_Avertat hæc[93] Urania!_[94]

[_Amen._]

_Amen, Amen_,[95]
And set to[96] a D,
And then it is, Amend
Our new found A, B, C.

_Cum cæteris paribus._[97]

[_Lenuoy primere._

Go, litell quayre, namyd the Popagay, 280
Home to resorte Jerobesethe perswade;
For the cliffes of Scaloppe they rore wellaway,
And the sandes of Cefas begyn to waste and fade,
For replicacion restles that he of late ther made;
Now Neptune and Eolus ar agreed of lyclyhode,
For Tytus at Dover abydythe in the rode;

Lucina she wadythe among the watry floddes,
And the cokkes begyn to crowe agayne the day;
_Le tonsan de Jason_ is lodgid among the shrowdes,
Of Argus revengyd, recover when he may; 290
Lyacon of Libyk and Lydy hathe cawghte hys pray:
Goe, lytyll quayre, pray them that yow beholde,
In there remembraunce ye may be inrolde.

Yet some folys say that ye arre ffurnysshyd with knakkes,
That hang togedyr as fethyrs in the wynde;
But lewdlye ar they lettyrd that your lernyng lackys,
Barkyng and whyning, lyke churlysshe currys of kynde,
For whoo lokythe wyselye in your warkys may fynde
Muche frutefull mater: but now, for your defence
Agayne all remordes arme yow with paciens. 300

_Monostichon._

_Ipse sagax æqui ceu verax nuntius ito._
_Morda[98] puros mal desires. Portugues._
_Penultimo die Octobris, 33ᵒ._

_Secunde Lenuoy._

Passe forthe, Parotte, towardes some passengere,
Require hym to convey yow ovyr the salte fome;
Addressyng your selfe, lyke a sadde messengere,
To ower soleyne seigneour Sadoke, desire hym to cum home,
Makyng hys pylgrimage by _nostre dame de Crome_;
For Jerico and Jerssey shall mete togethyr assone
As he to exployte the man owte of the mone.

With porpose and graundepose he may fede hym fatte,
Thowghe he pampyr not hys paunche with the grete seall: 310
We haue longyd and lokyd long tyme for that,
Whyche cawsythe pore suters haue many a hongry mele:
As presydent and regente he rulythe every deall.
Now pas furthe, good Parott, ower Lorde be your stede,[99]
In this your journey to prospere and spede!

And thowe sum dysdayne yow, and sey how ye prate,
And howe your poemys arre barayne of polyshed eloquens,
There is none that your name woll abbrogate
Then nodypollys and gramatolys of smalle intellygens;
To rude ys there reason to reche to your sentence: 320
Suche malyncoly mastyvys and mangye curre dogges
Ar mete for a swyneherde to hunte after hogges.

_Monostichon._

_Psittace, perge[100] volans, fatuorum tela retundas._
_Morda[101] puros mall desers. Portugues._
_In diebus Novembris, 34._

_Le dereyn Lenveoy._

Prepayre yow, Parrot, breuely your passage to take,
Of Mercury vndyr the trynall aspecte,
And sadlye salute ower solen syre Sydrake,
And shewe hym that all the world dothe coniecte,
How the maters he mellis in com to small effecte;
For he wantythe of hys wyttes that all wold rule alone;
Hyt is no lytyll bordon to bere a grete mylle stone: 330

To bryng all the see into a cheryston pytte,
To nombyr all the sterrys in the fyrmament,
To rule ix realmes by one mannes wytte,
To suche thynges ympossybyll reason cannot consente:
Muche money, men sey, there madly he hathe spente:
Parrot, ye may prate thys vndyr protestacion,
Was neuyr suche a senatour syn Crystes incarnacion.

Wherfor he may now come agayne as he wente,
_Non sine postica sanna_, as I trowe,
From Calys to Dovyr, to Caunterbury in Kente, 340
To make reconyng in the resseyte how Robyn loste hys bowe,
To sowe corne in the see sande, ther wyll no crope growe.
Thow ye be tauntyd, Parotte, with tonges attayntyd,
Yet your problemes ar preignaunte, and with loyalte acquayntyd.

_Monostichon._

_I, properans, Parrot[e],[102] malas sic corripe linguas._
_Morda puros mall desires. Portigues._
_15 kalendis Decembris, 34._

_Distichon miserabile._

_Altior, heu, cedro, crudelior, heu, leopardo!_
_Heu, vitulus bubali fit dominus Priami!_

_Tetrastichon,—Unde species Priami est digna imperio._

_Non annis licet et Priamus sed honore voceris:_
_Dum foveas vitulum, rex, regeris, Britonum;_
_Rex, regeris, non ipse regis: rex inclyte, calle;_ 350
_Subde tibi vitulum, ne fatuet nimium._

God amend all,
That all amend may!
Amen, quod Parott,
The royall popagay.

_Kalendis Decembris, 34._

_Lenvoy royall._

Go, propyr Parotte, my popagay,
That lordes and ladies thys pamflett may behold,
With notable clerkes: supply to them, I pray,
Your rudenes to pardon, and also that they wolde
Vouchesafe to defend yow agayne the brawlyng scolde, 360

Callyd Detraxion, encankryd with envye,
Whose tong ys attayntyd with slaundrys obliqui.

For trowthe in parabyll ye wantonlye pronounce,
Langagys diuers, yet vndyr that dothe reste
Maters more precious then the ryche jacounce,
Diamounde, or rubye, or balas of the beste,
Or eyndye sapher with oryente perlys[103] dreste:
Wherfor your remorde[r]s ar madde, or else starke blynde,
Yow to remorde erste or they know your mynde.

_Distichon._

_I, volitans,[104] Parrote, tuam moderare Minervam:_ 370
_Vix tua percipient, qui tua teque legent._

_Hyperbato[n]._

_Psittacus hi notus[105] seu Persius est puto notus,_
_Nec reor est nec erit licet est erit._

_Maledite soyte bouche malheurewse! 34_

_Laucture de Parott._

O my Parrot, _O unice dilecte, votorum meorum omnis lapis,
lapis pretiosus operimentum tuum!_

_Parrott._

_Sicut Aaron populumque, sic bubali vitulus, sic bubali
vitulus, sic bubali vitulus._

Thus myche Parott hathe opynlye expreste:
Let se who dare make vp the reste.

_Le Popagay sen va complayndre._[106]

Helas! I lamente the dull abusyd brayne,
The enfatuate fantasies, the wytles wylfulnes
Of on and hothyr at me that haue dysdayne:
Som sey, they cannot my parables expresse;
Som sey, I rayle att ryott recheles; 380
Some say but lityll, and thynke more in there thowghte,
How thys prosses I prate of, hyt ys not all for nowghte.

O causeles cowardes, O hartles hardynes!
O manles manhod, enfayntyd all with fere!
O connyng clergye, where ys your redynes
To practise or postyll thys prosses here and there?
For drede ye darre not medyll with suche gere,
Or elles ye pynche curtesy, trulye as I trowe,
Whyche of yow fyrste dare boldlye plucke the crowe.

The skye is clowdy, the coste is nothyng clere; 390
Tytan bathe truste vp hys tressys of fyne golde;
Iupyter for Saturne darre make no royall chere;
Lyacon lawghyth there att, and berythe hym more bolde;
Racell, rulye ragged, she is like to cache colde;
Moloc, that mawmett, there darre no man withsay;
The reste of suche reconyng may make a fowle fraye.

_Dixit_, quod Parrott, the royall popagay.

_Cest chose maleheure[u]se,_
_Que mall bouche._

_Parrotte._

_Jupiter ut nitido deus est veneratus Olympo;_
_Hic coliturque deus._ 400
_Sunt data thura Jovi, rutilo solio residenti;_
_Cum Jove thura capit._
_Jupiter astrorum rector dominusque polorum;[107]_
_Anglica sceptra regit._

_Galathea._

I compas the conveyaunce vnto the capitall
Of ower clerke Cleros, whythyr, thydyr, and why not hethyr?
For passe a pase apase ys gon to cache a molle,
Over Scarpary _mala vi_, Monsyre cy and sliddyr:
Whate sequele shall folow when pendugims mete togethyr?
Speke, Parotte, my swete byrde, and ye shall haue a date, 410
Of frantycknes and folysshnes whyche ys the grett state?

_Parotte._

Difficille hit ys to ansswere thys demaunde;
Yet, aftyr the sagacite of a popagay,—
Frantiknes dothe rule and all thyng commaunde;
Wylfulnes and braynles no[w] rule all the raye;
Agayne ffrentike frenesy there dar no man sey nay,
For ffrantiknes, and wylfulnes, and braynles ensembyll,
The nebbis of a lyon they make to trete and trembyll;

To jumbyll, to stombyll, to tumbyll down lyke folys,
To lowre,[108] to droupe, to knele, to stowpe, and to play cowche
quale, 420
To fysshe afore the nette, and to drawe polys;
He make[th] them to bere babylles, and to bere a lowe sayle;
He caryeth a kyng in hys sleve, yf all the worlde fayle;
He facithe owte at a fflusshe, with, shewe, take all!
Of Pope Julius cardys he ys chefe cardynall.

He tryhumfythe, he trumpythe, he turnythe all vp and downe,
With, skyregalyard, prowde palyard, vaunteperler, ye prate!
Hys woluys hede, wanne, bloo as lede, gapythe over the crowne:
Hyt ys to fere leste he wolde were the garland on hys pate,
Peregall with all prynces farre passyng hys estate; 430
For of ower regente the regiment he hathe, _ex qua vi,_
_Patet per versus_, quod _ex vi bolte harvi_.

Now, Galathea, lett Parrot, I pray yow, haue hys date;
Yett dates now ar deynte, and wax verye scante,
For grocers were grugyd at and groynyd at but late;
Grete reysons with resons be now reprobitante,
For reysons ar no resons, but resons currant:
Ryn God, rynne Devyll! yet the date of ower Lord
And the date of the Devyll dothe shrewlye accord.

_Dixit_, quod Parrott, the popagay royall.

_Galathea._

Nowe, Parott, my swete byrde, speke owte yet ons agayne, 440
Sette asyde all sophysms,[109] and speke now trew and playne.

_Parotte._

So many[110] morall maters, and so lytell vsyd;
So myche newe makyng, and so madd tyme spente;
So myche translacion in to Englyshe confused;
So myche nobyll prechyng, and so lytell amendment;
So myche consultacion, almoste to none entente;
So myche provision, and so lytell wytte at nede;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde there can no clerkes rede.

So lytyll dyscressyon, and so myche reasonyng;
So myche hardy dardy, and so lytell manlynes; 450
So prodigall expence, and so shamfull reconyng;
So gorgyous garmentes, and so myche wrechydnese;
So myche portlye pride, with pursys penyles;
So myche spente before, and so myche vnpayd behynde;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde there can no clerkes fynde.

So myche forcastyng, and so farre an after dele;
So myche poletyke pratyng, and so lytell stondythe in stede;
So lytell secretnese, and so myche grete councell;
So manye bolde barons, there hertes as dull as lede;
So many nobyll bodyes vndyr on dawys hedd; 460
So royall a kyng as reynythe vppon vs all;—
Syns Dewcalions flodde was nevyr sene nor shall.

So many complayntes, and so smalle redresse;
So myche callyng on, and so smalle takyng hede;
So myche losse of merchaundyse, and so remedyles;
So lytell care for the comyn weall, and so myche nede;
So myche dowȝtfull daunger, and so lytell drede;
So myche pride of prelattes, so cruell and so kene;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trowe, was nevyr sene.

So many thevys hangyd, and thevys never the lesse; 470
So myche prisonment ffor matyrs not worthe an hawe;
So myche papers weryng for ryghte a smalle exesse;
So myche pelory pajauntes vndyr colower of good lawe;
So myche towrnyng on the cooke stole for euery guy gaw;
So myche mokkyshe makyng of statutes of array;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr, I dar sey.

So braynles caluys hedes, so many shepis taylys;
So bolde a braggyng bocher, and flesshe sold so dere;
So many plucte partryches, and so fatte quaylles;
So mangye a mastyfe curre, the grete grey houndes pere; 480
So bygge a bulke of brow auntlers cabagyd that yere;
So many swannes dede, and so small revell;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trow, no man can tell.

So many trusys takyn, and so lytyll perfyte[111] trowthe;
So myche bely joye, and so wastefull banketyng;
So pynchyng and sparyng, and so lytell profyte growthe;
So many howgye howsys byldyng, and so small howse-holding;
Suche statutes apon diettes, suche pyllyng and pollyng;
So ys all thyng wrowghte wylfully withowte reson and skylle;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde the world[112] was never so yll. 490

So many vacabondes, so many beggers bolde;
So myche decay of monesteries and of relygious places;
So hote hatered agaynste the Chyrche, and cheryte so colde;
So myche of my lordes grace, and in hym no grace ys;
So many holow hartes, and so dowbyll faces;
So myche sayntuary brekyng, and preuylegidde barrydd;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr sene nor lyerd.

So myche raggyd ryghte of a rammes horne;
So rygorous revelyng[113] in a prelate specially;
So bold and so braggyng, and was so baselye borne; 500
So lordlye of hys lokes and so dysdayneslye;
So fatte a magott, bred of a flesshe flye;
Was nevyr suche a ffylty gorgon,[114] nor suche an epycure,
Syn[s] Dewcalyons flodde, I make thé faste and sure.

So myche preuye wachyng in cold wynters nyghtes;
So myche serchyng of loselles, and ys hymselfe so lewde;
So myche coniuracions for elvyshe myday sprettes;
So many bullys of pardon puplysshyd and shewyd;
So myche crossyng and blyssyng, and hym all beshrewde;
Suche pollaxis and pyllers, suche mvlys trapte with gold;— 510
Sens Dewcalyons flodde in no cronycle ys told.

_Dixit_, quod Parrot.

_Crescet in immensum me vivo Psittacus iste;_
_Hinc mea dicetur Skeltonidis inclyta fama._

Quod Skelton Lawryat, _Orator Regius_. 34.]

[1] _Speke, Parrot_] From the ed. by Lant of _Certayne bokes compyled by mayster Skelton, &c._, n. d., collated with the same work ed. Kynge and Marche, n. d., and ed. Day, n. d.; with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568; and with a MS. in the Harleian Collection, 2252. fol. 133, which has supplied much not given in the printed copies, and placed between brackets in the present edition. The marginal notes are found only in MS.

[2] _The boke, &c.... Speake, Parrot_] So Marshe’s ed. Not in other eds.

[3] _recipit_] MS. “_recepit_.” The next two lines are given very inaccurately here in MS., but are repeated (with a slight variation) more correctly at the end of the poem. The Latin portions of the MS. are generally of ludicrous incorrectness, the transcriber evidently not having understood that language.

[4] _Lucanus_] See _Phar._ iii. 256. But the line here quoted is from Boethii _Consol. Phil._ lib. v. met. 1.

[5] _wonderous_] So other eds. Lant’s ed. “wonderuos.”

[6] _to greate ladyes_] MS. “_to_ grece to lordes.”

[7] _ful mekely with many a diuers_] MS. “_full_ meryly _with many dyuors_.”

[8] _a_] MS. “and _a_.”

[9] _my_] MS. “and _my_.”

[10] _a_] So MS. Eds. “the.”

[11] _dicere_] MS. (which alone has these marginal notes) “_dictorem:_” the whole runs in Martial thus:

“_Psittacus a vobis aliorum nomina_ discam:
_Hoc didici per me dicere, Cæsar, ave_.”

xiv. 73.

[12] _this_] Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “thie.”

[13] _your_] MS. “ower.”—In this line a friend would read “muie;” but MS. has “mewte.”

[14] _Ebrew, Araby, and Caldey_] MS. “_Ebrue and_ in _Caldee_.”

[15] _Dowse_] Other eds. “Howse.” MS. “Dowche.”

[16] _can supple_] MS. “_can_ shewe propyrlye.”

[17] _Henry_] MS. “herry.”

[18] _ryall_] Other eds. and MS. (with various spelling) “roial.”

[19] _saves_] So MS. Eds. “_sauies:_”—“_habler_” ought to be “_hablar_;” but throughout this work I have not altered the spelling of quotations in _modern_ languages, because probably Skelton wrote them inaccurately.

[20] _fidasso de cosso_] So MS. Eds. of Lant, and of Kynge and Marche, “sidasso _de cosso_.” Eds. of Day, and of Marshe, “sidasso _de_ costo.” See notes.

[21] _expers_] Not in MS.

[22] _dictes ar_] Other eds. “dices at.”

[23] _Souentez foys, &c._] This line found only in Lant’s ed. and MS. The latter has “_Souentem_,” (or “_Sonentem_,”) &c.

[24] _pronuntio_] Probably not the right reading. The MS. seems to have either “pō sio” or “pō fio.”

[25] _maystres_] Other eds. “maysters” and “maisters.”

[26] _I_] MS. “he.”

[27] _mory_] MS. “mery:” but the context seems to confirm the other reading.

[28] _men_] MS. “mad.”

[29] _for_] Other eds. “sor” and “or.”

[30] _theyr doth_] MS. “ys the.”

[31] _Myden_] So MS. Eds. “_Niden_.”

[32] _Greke_] MS. “grekys.”

[33] _Besy, besy, &c._] Instead of this stanza, MS. has,—

“_Besy, besy, besy, and Besynes agayne_
_Thus parott dothe pray yow with herte moste tentyr,” &c._

omitting what occurs between the first of these lines and the second (p. 11) in eds.

[34] _maturato_] Other eds. “_marturato_.”

[35] _sanno_] Marshe’s ed. “_saung_.”

[36] _Iobab_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Iob.” See notes.

[37] _Hus_] Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “Pus.”

[38] _cause_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “law.”

[39] _Popering_] Other eds. “popeting.”

[40] _whynnymeg_] Other eds. (with various spelling) “whynnynmeg.”

[41] _wald haue e_] Other eds. “would (and “wold”) _haue_ a:” but the reading of Lant’s ed. seems to have been intended for Scotch.

[42] _bagpype_] So other eds. (with various spelling). Lant’s ed. “Bagbyte.”

[43] _the_] Not in other eds.

[44] _erstrych_] So other eds. Lant’s ed. “exstrych.”

[45] _Thomasen_] Marshe’s ed. “thomase.”

[46] _sayth_] Other eds. “say.”

[47] _Irysh_] Marshe’s ed. “trysh.”

[48] _Wrig wrag_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “_wrig_ wag.”

[49] _Delarag_] Other eds. “declarag.”

[50] _crop_] Other eds. “cryp” and “crip.”

[51] _Og, that fat hog of_] Other eds. “hog _that fat hog_ or.”

[52] _Cananæorum_] Eds. “canaueorum.”

[53] _Hough ho he rulyth_] Day’s ed. “_hough he ruleth_.” Marshe’s ed. “_hough ho ruleth_.”

[54] _chiromancy_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “ciromancy.”

[55] _on_] Other eds. “of.”

[56] _they_] Qy. “ye” here—or “they” in the three preceding lines?

[57] _scrape_] Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Day, “scape.”

[58] _non, or non_] Lant’s ed. “_non or_ uou.” Other eds. “uou _or_ uou.”

[59] _Græce fari_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “_grecisari_.”

[60] _Tryuyals_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Triuiale.”

[61] _the_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “that.”

[62] _roufled_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “roulled.”

[63] _Menanders_] See notes.

[64] _Plauti_] Lant’s ed. “Plautfi.” Other eds. “Plaut si.”

[65] _Declamacyons_] Eds. (with various spelling) “declaracyons.” See _ante_ p. 374, note 5.

[66] _gariopholo_] See notes.

[67] _pleris cum musco_] Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “_pleris_ com _musco_.” Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “_pleris_ commusco.” Instead of “_pleris_,” the Rev. J. Mitford proposes “flarnis” (_species placentæ_).

[68] _Elencticum_] Eds. “_Elencum_.”

[69] _enthymematicum_] Eds. “_Emtimematicum_” and “_Emtimaticum_.”

[70] _Retoricyons_] Other eds. “_Retorcions_.”

[71] _my_] Other eds. “myne” and “mine.”

[72] _dere_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe.

[73] _the_] Other eds. “that.”

[74] _ryall_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (with various spelling), “royall.”

[75] _now_] Not in MS.

[76] _Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis, &c._] “&c.” not in eds. of Day, and Marshe. MS. “_Itaque consolamyni in verbis_ istibus.” Before these words eds. have “_Galathea_,” which MS. rightly, I think, omits.

[77] _Candidi lectores, callide callete; vestrum fovete Psittacum, &c._] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “—— seuete _psitacum_,” omitting “&c.” MS. omits this passage here, but gives it after the words with which the eds. of _Speke, Parrot_ conclude (see p. 14), having “callige” instead of “_callete_,” and wanting “&c.”

[78] _Hic occurrat, &c._] Was no doubt intended for a marginal note, though in MS. (it is wanting in eds.) it is not clearly distinguished from the text.

[79] _In ista cantilena, &c._] Grossly corrupted. The Rev. J. Mitford proposes “_ore stillanti_.” MS. has “_eperit_.”

[80] _Quod_] MS. “Quid.”

[81] _Est mihi lasciva pagina, vita proba_] “_Lasciva est nobis pagina, vita proba est._” _Ep._ i. 5.

[82] _Zoe kai psyche ... desuper_] Is plainly a marginal note, though in MS. (it is not in eds.) it is placed after “_Concumbunt Græce_,” &c.

[83] _kus, kus, kus_] MS. “_kus, kus._”

[84] _lyght on thy swete lyttyll_] MS. “lyghten _thy lytyll swete_.”

[85] _Zoe kai psyche_] Eds. “_zoelzepsiche_;” and so MS., with slight variation of spelling: the Latin which precedes shews the true reading. These words are followed in eds. by “Amen;” which MS. rightly gives a little after.

[86] _Aquinates_] Has crept into the text in eds., and is not clearly distinguished from the text in MS. But it is certainly a marginal note—meaning Juvenal, from whom “_Concumbunt Græce_,” &c. is quoted: see _Sat._ vi. 191.

[87] _Concumbunt_] Other eds. “_Concubunt._”

[88] _Sua consequentia, &c._] Another marginal note (not in eds.) which MS. does not clearly distinguish from the text.

[89] _Ergo_] Not in MS.

[90] _Attica_] So MS. Eds. “_Actica._”

[91] _Sunt_] So MS. Eds. “_Suus._”

[92] _Vel_] MS. “_Ve_.”

[93] _hæc_] So MS. Eds. “_hoc_.”

[94] _Urania_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “_Vxania_.”

[95] _Amen, Amen_] Occurs twice in MS. by a mistake of the transcriber.

[96] _to_] Not in MS.

[97] _Cum cæteris paribus_] After these words, MS. has the passage “_Candidi lectores ... fovete Psittacum_,” which has been already given: see p. 11.

[98] _Morda_] So MS. afterwards: here “_Merda_.”

[99] _stede_] MS. “spede.”

[100] _Psittace, perge_] MS. “_Psitago perage_.”

[101] _Morda_] So MS. afterwards: here “_Merda_.”

[102] _Parrot[e]_ Must be considered here as a Latin word, and a trisyllable—u.

[103] _perlys_] MS. “prelys.”

[104] _volitans_] MS. “_vtilans_”—not, I think, a mistake for “_rutilans_:” compare _ante_, “Psittace, perge, _volans_,” p. 16, and “I, properans, Parrot,” p. 17.

[105] _notus_] Qy. “_motus_?” but I have no idea what these two lines mean.

[106] _complayndre_] MS. “_complayndra._”

[107] _polorum_] MS. “_populorum._”

[108] _lowre_] Qy. “lowte?”

[109] _sophysms_] MS. “sophyns.”

[110] _many_] MS. “_many_ many.”

[111] _perfyte_] MS. “profyte.”

[112] _the world_] MS. “_the world_ the world.”

[113] _revelyng_] So MS. _literatim_,—meant for “ruelyng” (ruling).

[114] _ffylty gorgon_] MS. seems to have “ffyltyrͬgogon,”—the _r_ in the word (apparently) having been drawn through, and another _r_ placed over it, which, I suppose, ought to have stood above the _og_.

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH A LYTELL BOKE,[115] WHICHE HATH TO NAME WHY COME YE NAT[116] TO COURTE?

COMPYLED BY MAYSTER SKELTON, POETE LAUREATE.

The relucent mirror[117] for all Prelats and Presidents, as well spirituall as temporall, sadly to loke vpon, deuised in English by Skelton.

All noble men,[118] of this take hede,
And beleue it as your Crede.

To hasty of sentence,
To ferce for none offence,
To scarce of your expence,
To large in neglygence,
To slacke in recompence,
To haute in excellence,
To lyght [in] intellegence,
And to lyght in[119] credence; 10
Where these kepe resydence,
Reson is banysshed thence,
And also dame Prudence,
With sober Sapyence.[120]
All noble men, of this take hede,
And beleue it as your Crede.

Than without collusyon,
Marke well this conclusyon,
Thorow[121] suche abusyon,
And by suche illusyon, 20
Vnto great confusyon
A noble man may fall,
And his honour appall;
And[122] yf ye thynke this shall
Not rubbe you on the gall,
Than the deuyll take all!
All noble men, of this take hede,
And beleue it as your Crede.

_Hæc vates ille,_
_De quo loquuntur mille._[123] 30

WHY COME YE NAT TO COURT?