Chapter XVII: Part 17

Of prechers nowe adayes
Be many Fariseyes,
That leue the Lordes layes,
And preche ther owne wayes;
Wherof nowe of late
Hathe risen great debate;
For some champe and chaffe
As hogges do in draffe,
And some cry out apase
As houndes at a chase,
Whiche for lacke of grace
The playne truthe wold defase.
So busely they barke,
An other in the darke,
That is a busarde starke,
And cane not se the marke,
Wondereth at this warke,
And therfore taketh carke
Bycause he is no clarke.
Some be soft and still
As clappes in a mill,
And some cry and yell
As sprites do in hell;
Some be here and ther,
And some I wote not wher;
Some holde vpp, yea and nay,
And some forsake ther lay;
Some be still and stey,
And hope to haue a daye;
Some wote not what to say,
But dout whether they may
Abide or rune away;
Ther wittes be so weake,
They say they dare not speake,
They be afrayd of heate;
Some be sycke and sadd,
For sorrowe almost madd;
I tell youe veryly,
Ther wittes be awry,
They peyne themselves greatly
To haue the trouth go by;
Some on bokes dayly prye,
And yett perceyve not reason whie;
Tho some affirme, some do deny,
With nowe a trouth and then a ly,
To say one thinge openly,
And an other prively;—
Here be but youe and I;
Say to me your mynd playnlye,
Is it not open heresy?
Thus say they secretly,
Whisperinge with sorrowe
That they deny to morowe.
Ther tales be so dobble,
That many be in trobble,
And doubt which way to take,
Themselves sure to make:
A lorde, it makes me shake!
For pyty that I quake.
They be so colde and horse.
That they haue no forse,
So they be prefarred,
Tho all the rest were marred.
Thus the people smatter,
That dayly talke and clatter,
Oure preachers do but flatter,
To make themselves the fatter,
And care not thoughe the matter
Were clerely layde a watter.
Douse men chatt and chide it,
For they may not abid it;
The Thomistes wold hide it,
For _littera occidit_.
Thus these sysmatickes,
And lowsy lunatickes,
With spurres and prickes
Call true men heretickes.
They finger ther fidles,
And cry in quinibles,
Away these bibles,
For they be but ridles!
And give them Robyn Whode,
To red howe he stode
In mery grene wode,[596]
When he gathered good,
Before Noyes ffloodd!
For the Testamentes
To them, they sey, sente is,
To gather vpp ther rentes,
After ther intentes:
Wherby it by them ment is,
That lay men be but lowtes;
They may not knowe the clowtes,
Nor dispute of the doubtes,
That is in Christes lawe;
For why, they never sawe
The bagg nor the bottell
Of oure Arrestotle,
Nor knowe not the toyes
Of Doctore Averroyes;
It is no play for boyes,
Neyther for lay men;
But only for schole men,
For they be witty men,
As wise as any wrenne,
And holy as an henne.
For Doctoure Bullatus,
Though[597] _parum literatus_,
Will brable and prate thus;
Howe Doctoure Pomaunder,
As wise as a gander,
Wotes not wher to wander,
Whether to Meander,
Or vnto Menander;[598]
For of Alexander,
Irrefragable Hales,
He cane tell many tales,
Of many parke pales,
Of butgettes and of males,
Of Candy and of Cales,
And of West Wales.
But Doctoure Dorbellous
Doth openly tell vs
Howe they by and sell vs:
And Doctoure Sym Sotus
Cann goostely grope vs;
For he hathe rad Scotus,
And so the dawe dotus
Of Doctour Subtyles;
Yea, three hundreth myles,
With sutch crafty wyles
He many men begiles,
That never knewe an vnce
At full of Master Dunce.
Then Doctoure Bonbardus
Can skill of Lombardus;
He wonnes at Malepardus,[599]
With Father Festino,
And Doctoure Attamino,
_Dudum de camino_,
With ther _consobrino,_
_Capite equino_
_Et corde asinino;_
_Hi latent in limo_
_Et in profundo fimo,_
_Cubantes in culino_
_Cum Thoma de Aquino,_
_Tractantes in ima_
_De pelle canina_
_Et lana caprina._
Then Doctoure Chekmate
Hath his pardoned pate,
A man yll educate;
His harte is indurate,
His heade eke edentate;
His wittes be obfuscate,
His braynes obumbrate,
Oure questions to debate;
For thoughe cam but late,
His cause is explicate
With termes intricate,
I note wherof conflate;
And therfore must he make
His bull and antedate.
Then Doctour Tom-to-bold
Is neyther whote nor colde,
Till his coles be solde;
His name may not be tolde
For syluer nor for golde;
But he is sutch a scolde,
That no play may hym holde
For anger vnbepyst,
Yf his name were wist;
Ye may judge as ye liste;
He is no Acquiniste,
Nor non Occanist,[600]
But a mockaniste;
This man may not be myste,
He is a suer sophiste,
And an olde papist.
But nowe we haue a knighte[601]
That is a man of mighte,
All armed for to fighte,
To put the trouthe to flighte
By Bowbell pollecy,
With his poetry
And his sophestry;
To mocke and make a ly,
With quod he and quod I;
And his appologye,
Made for the prelacy,
Ther hugy pompe and pride
To coloure and to hide;
He maketh no nobbes,
But with his diologges
To prove oure prelates goddes,
And lay men very lobbes,
Betinge they[m] with bobbes,
And with ther ow[n]e roddes;
Thus he taketh payne
To fable and to fayne,
Ther myscheff to mayntayne,
And to haue them rayne
Over hill and playne,
Yea, over heaven and hell,
And wheras sprites dwell,
In purgatorye holles,
With whote ffier and coles,
To singe for sely soules,
With a supplication,
And a confutation,
Without replication,
Havinge delectation
To make exclamation,
By way of declamation,
In his Debellation,[602]
With a popishe fasshion
To subvert oure nation:
But this daucok doctoure
And purgatory proctoure
Waketh nowe for wages,
And, as a man that rages
Or overcome with ages,[603]
Disputith _per ambages_,
To helpe these parasites
And naughty ipocrites,
With legendes of lyes,
Fayned fantasies,
And very vanyties,
Called veryties,
Vnwritten and vnknowen.
But as they be blowne
From lyer to lyer,
Inventyd by a ffryer
_In magna copia_,
Brought out of Vtopia
Vnto the mayde of Kent,[604]
Nowe from the devill sent,
A virgyne ffayre and gent,
That hath our yees blent:
Alas, we be myswent!
For yf the false intent
Were knowen of this witche,
It passeth dogg and bitche:
I pray God, do so mutche
To fret her on the itche,
And open her in tyme!
For this manly myne
Is a darke devyne,
With his poetry,
And her iugglery,
By conspiracy
To helpe our prelacy,
She by ypocresye,
And he by tyranny,
That causeth cruelly
The simple men to dye
For fayned herisye:
He saythe that this nody
Shall brenne, soule and body,
Or singe his palanody,
With feare till he pant,
To make hym recreante
His sayinges to recante,
So as he shalbe skante
Able for to loke
In writinge or in booke,
That treatithe of the rote
Or of the base and fote
Of ther abhomynation:
He vsethe sutche a fasshion,
To send a man in station
With an evill passion
To his egression,
Before the procession
Slylye for to stalke,
And solempeny to walke,
To here the preacher talke,
Howe he hath made a balke;
And so the innocent,
For feare to be brent,
Must suffer checke and checke,
His faccott on his necke,
Not for his life to quecke,
But stande vpp, like a bosse,
In sighte at Paules crosse,
To the vtter losse
Of his goode name and fame:
Thus with great payne and shame
He kepethe men in bandes,
Confiskinge goods and landes,
And then to hete ther handes
With faccottes and with brandes,
Or make them be abjure:
These thinges be in vre;
Youe leade vs with the lure
Of your persecution
And cruell execution,
That the fyry fume
Oure lyves shall consume
By three, by two, and one;
Men say ye will spare none
Of hye nor lowe degre,
That will be eneme
To your ipocrese,
Or to your god the bele;
For who dare speake so felle
That clerkes should be simple,
Without spott or wrinkell?
Yett nathelesse alwey
I do protest and saye,
And shall do while I may,
I never will deny,
But confesse openly,
That punnysshement should be,
In every degre,
Done with equite;
When any doth offende,
Then oughte youe to attende
To cause hyme to amend,
Awaytinge tyme and place,
As God may give youe grace,
To haue hyme fase to fase,
His fautes to deface,
With hope to reconcyle hyme;
But not for to begile hym,
Or vtterly to revile hyme,
As thoughe ye wold excile hyme;
For then, the trouth to tell
Men thinke ye do not well.
Ye call that poore man wretch,
As thoughe ye hadd no retche,
Or havinge no regarde,
Whiche ende should go forwarde:
Ye be so sterne and harde,
Ye rather drawe backwarde,
Your brother so to blinde,
To grope and sertche his mynde,
As thoughe youe were his frinde,
Some worde to pike and finde,
Wherby ye may hyme blinde;
With your popishe lawe
To kepe vs vnder awe,
By captious storyes
Of interrogatoryes:
Thus do ye full vnkindly,
To feyne yourselves frindley,
And be nothinge but fyndly.
I tell youe, men be lothe
To se youe wode and wrothe,
And then for to be bothe
Th’accuser and the judge:
Then farewell all refuge,
And welcom sanguisuge!
When ye be madd and angry,
And an expresse enemy,
It is ageynst all equitye
Ye shoulde be judge and partye:
Therfore the kinges grace
Your lawes muste deface;
For before his face
Youe should your playntes bringe,
As to your lorde and kinge
And judge in euery thinge,
That, by Godes worde,
Hathe power of the sworde,
As kinge and only lorde,
So scripture doth recorde;
For her within his lande
Should be no counterband,
But holy at his hande
We shoulde all be and stande,
Both clerkes spirituall,
And lay men temporall:
But youe make lawe at will,
The poore to plucke and pill,
And some that do no yll,
Your appetites to ffill,
Ye do distroy and kill.
Lett Godes worde try them,
And then ye shall not frye them;
Yea, lett the worde of God
Be every mannes rode,
And the kinges the lawe
To kepe them under awe,
To fray the rest with terroure,
They may revoke ther erroure:
And thus, I say agayne,
The people wolde be fayne
Ye prelates wolde take payne
To preache the gospell playne;
For otherwise certayne
Your laboure is in vayne;
For all your crueltye,
I knowe that you and we
Shall never well agree:
Ye may in no wise se
Sutch as disposed be
Of ther charitye
To preach the verytye;
Ye stope them with decrees,
And with your veritees,
Unwritten, as ye saye;
Thus ye make them stay:
But God, that all do may,
I do desire and pray,
To open us the day,
Which is the very kaye
Of knowledge of his way,
That ye have stolen awaye!
And then, my lordes, perfay,
For all your popishe play,
Not all your gold so gay,
Nor all your riche araye,
Shall serve youe to delaye
But some shall go astraye,
And lerne to swyme or sinke;
For truly I do thinke,
Ye may well wake or wynke,
For any meat or drinke
Ye geitt, without ye swynke.
But that wold make youe wrothe;
For, I trowe, ye be lothe
To do eyther of both,
That is, yourself to cloth
With laboure and with sweate
And faste till youe eate
But that youe erne and geate;
Like verlettes and pages,
To leve your parsonages,
Your denns and your cages,
And by[605] dayly wages:
God blesse us, and Sainct Blase!
This were a hevy case,
A chaunce of ambesase,
To se youe broughte so base,
To playe without a place:
Now God send better grace!
And loke ye lerne apase
To tripe in trouthes trace,
And seke some better chaunce
Yourselves to avaunce,
With sise synke or synnes;
For he laughe[s] that wynnes,
As ye haue hetherto,
And may hereafter do;
Yf ye the gospell preche,
As Christ hymself did teche,
And in non other wise
But after his devise,
Ye may with good advyse
Kepe your benefise
And all your dignite,
Without malignite,
In Christes name, for me;
I gladely shall agre
It ever may so be.
But this I say and shall,
What happ soeuer fall,
I pray and call
The Kinge celestiall,
Ones to give youe grace
To se his worde haue place;
And then within shorte space
We shall perceyve and se
Howe euery degre
Hath his auctorite
By the lawe of Christ,
The lay man and the prest,
The poore man and the lorde;
For of that monocorde
The scripture doth recorde;
And then with good accorde,
In love and in Concorde
We shall together holde;
Or elles ye may be bolde,
For heate or colde
Say ye what ye will,
Yt were as good be still;
For thoughe ye glose and frase
Till your eyes dase,
Men holde it but a mase
Till Godes worde haue place,
That doth include more grace
Then all erthly men
Could ever knowe or ken.

Thuse endith the thirde parte of this present treatise called the Image of Ypocresye.

Nowe with sondry sectes
The world sore infectes,
As in Christes dayes
Amonge the Pharisees,
In clothinge and in names;
For some were Rhodyans,
And Samaritans,
Some were Publicanes,
Some were Nazarenes,
Bisshops and Essenes,
Preestes and Pharisees;
And so of Saducees,
Prophetes and preachers,
Doctours and teachers,
Tribunes and tribes,
Lawers and scribes,
Deacons and levytes,
With many ipocrites;
And so be nowe also,
With twenty tymes[606] mo
Then were in Christes dayes
Amonge the Pharisees:
The Pope, whom first they call
Ther lorde and principall,
The patriarke withall;
And then the Cardinall
With tytles all of pride,
As legates of the side,
And some be cutt and shorne
That they be legates borne;
Then archebisshops bold,
And bisshops for the folde,
They metropolitannes,
And these diocysanyes,
That haue ther suffraganyes
To blesse the prophanyes;
Then be ther curtisanes
As ill as Arrianes
Or Domicianes,
Riall residentes,
And prudent presidentes;
So be their sensors,
Doughty dispensors,
Crafty inventors,
And prevy precentors,
With chaplaynes of honour
That kepe the Popes bower;
Then allmoners and deanes,
That geit by ther meanes
The rule of all reames;
Yett be ther subdeanes,
With treasorers of trust,
And chauncelours iniust,
To scoure of scab and rust,
With vicars generalls,
And ther officialles,
Chanons and chaunters,
That be great avaunters;
So be ther subchaunters,
Sextons and archedeakons,
Deakons and subdeakons,
That be ypodeakons,
Parsonnes and vicars,
Surveyors and sikers,
Prevy pursepikers,
Provostes and preachers,
Readers and teachers,
With bachilers and maysters,
Spenders and wasters;
So be ther proctors,
With many dull doctors,
Proude prebendaryes,
Colde commissaries,
Synfull secundaries,
Sturdy stipendaries,
With olde ordinaryes,
And penytencyaryes,
That kepe the sanctuaries;
So be ther notaries,
And prothonotaries,
Lawers and scribes,
With many quibibes,
Redy regesters,
Pardoners and questers,
Maskers and mummers,
Deanes and sumners,
Apparatoryes preste
To ride est and weste;
Then be ther advocates,
And _parum_ litterates,
That eate vpp all estates,
With wyly visitors,
And crafty inquisitors,
Worse then Mamalokes,
That catche vs with ther crokes,
And brenne vs and oure bokes;
Then be ther annivolors,
And smalle benivolers,
With chauntry chapleynes,
Oure Ladyes chamberleynes;
And some be Jesu Christes,
As be oure servinge pristes,
And prestes that haue cure
Which haue ther lyvinge sure,
With clerkes and queresters,
And other smale mynisters,
As reders and singers,
Bedemen and bellringers,
That laboure with ther lippes
Ther pittaunce out of pittes,
With Bennet and Collet,
That bere bagg and wallett;
These wretches be full wely,
They eate and drinke frely,
Withe _salve, stella cœli_,[607]
And ther _de profundis_;
They lye with _immundis_,
And walke with vacabundis,
At good ale and at wynne
As dronke as any swynne;
Then be ther grosse abbottes,
That observe ther sabbottes,
Fayer, ffatt, and ffull,
As gredy as a gull,
And ranke as any bull,
With priors of like place,[608]
Some blacke and some white,
As channons be and monkes,
Great lobyes and lompes,
With Bonhomes and brothers,
Fathers and mothers,
Systers and nonnes,
And littell prety bonnes,
With lictors and lectors,
Mynisters and rectors,
Custos and correctors,
With papall collectors,
And popishe predagoges,[609]
Mockinge mystagoges,
In straunge array and robes,
Within ther sinagoges;
With sectes many mo,
An hundreth in a throo
I thinke to name by roo,
As they come to my mynde,
Whom, thoughe they be vnkind,
The lay mens labor finde;
For some be Benedictes
With many maledictes;
Some be Cluny,
And some be Plumy,
With _Cistercyences_,
_Grandimontences_,
_Camaldulences_,
_Premonstratences_,
_Theutonycences_,
_Clarrivallences_,
And _Easiliences_:
Some be Paulines,
Some be Antonynes,
Some be Bernardines,
Some be Celestines,
Some be Flamynes,
Some be Fuligines,
Some be Columbines,
Some be Gilbertines,
Some be Disciplines,
Some be Clarines,
And many[610] Augustines,
Some Clarissites,
Some be Accolites,
Some be Sklavemytes,
Some be Nycolites,
Some be Heremytes,
Some be Lazarites,
Some be Ninivites,
Some be Johannytes,
Some be Josephites,
Some be Jesuytes,
_Servi_ and Servytes,
And sondry Jacobites;
Then be ther Helenytes,
Hierosolymites,
Magdalynites,
Hieronimytes,
Anacorites,
And Scenobites;
So be ther Sophrans,
Constantinopolitanes,
Holy Hungarians,
Purgatorians,
Chalomerians,
And Ambrosians;
Then be ther Indianes,
And Escocyanes,
Lucifrans,
Chartusyanes,
Collectanes,
Capusianes,
Hispanians,
Honofrianes,
Gregorianes,
Vnprosianes,
Winceslanes,
With Ruffianes,
And with Rhodianes;
Some be Templers,
And Exemplers,
Some be Spitlers,
And some be Vitlers,
Some be Scapelers,
And some Cubiculers,
Some be Tercyaris,
And some be of St. Marys,
Some be Hostiaris,
And of St. Johns frarys,
Some be Stellifers,
And some be Ensefers,
Some Lucifers,
And some be Crucyfers,
Some haue signe of sheres,
And some were shurtes of heres,
Some be of the spone,
And some be crossed to Rome,
Some daunte and daly
In Sophathes valley,
And in the blak alley
Wheras it ever darke is,
And some be of St Markis
Mo then be good clarkes,
Some be Mysiricordes,
Mighty men and lordes,
And some of Godes house
That kepe the poore souse,
_Minimi_ and Mymes,
And other blak devines,
With Virgins and Vestalles,
Monkes and Monyalles,
That be conventualles,
Like frogges and todes;
And some be of the Rhodes,
Swordemen and knightes,
That for the [faith] fightes
With sise, sinke, and quatter.
But nowe never the latter
I intend to clatter
Of a mangye matter,
That smelles of the smatter,
Openly to tell
What they do in hell,
Wheras oure ffryers dwell
Everich in his sell,
The phane and the prophane,
The croked and the lame,
The mad, the wild, and tame,
Every one by name:
The formest of them all
Is ther Generall;
And the next they call
Ther hie Provincyall,
With Cvstos and Wardyn
That lye next the gardeyn;
Then oure father Prior,
With his Subprior
That with the covent comes
To gather vpp the cromes;
Then oure fryer Douche
Goeth by a crouche,
And slouthfull ffryer Slouche
That bereth Judas pouche;
Then ffryer Domynike
And ffryer Demonyke,
Fryer Cordiler
And ffryer Bordiler,
Fryer Jacobine,
Fryer Augustyne,
And ffryer Incubyne
And ffryer Succubine,
Fryer Carmelyte
And ffryer Hermelite,
Fryer Mynorite
And ffryer Ipocrite,
Frier ffranciscane
And ffrier Damiane,
Frier Precher
And ffrier Lecher,
Frier Crusifer
And ffrier Lusifer,
Frier Purcifer
And ffrier _Furcifer_,
Frier Ferdifer
And ffrier _Merdifer_,
Fryer Sacheler
And ffryer Bacheler,
Fryer Cloysterer
And ffrier Floysterer,
Frier _Pallax_
And ffrier _Fallax_,
Frier _Fugax_
And ffrier _Nugax_,
Frier _Rapax_
And ffrier _Capax_,
Frier _Lendax_
And ffrier _Mendax_,
Frier _Vorax_
And ffrier _Nycticorax_,[611]
Fryer _Japax_,
Frier Furderer
And ffrier Murderer,
Frier Tottiface
And ffrier Sottiface,
Frier Pottiface
And frier Pockyface,
Frier Trottapace
And ffrier Topiace,
Frier Futton
And ffrier Glotton,
Frier Galiard
And ffrier Paliard,
Frier Goliard
And ffrier Foliard,
Frier Goddard
And ffrier Foddard,
Frier Ballard
And ffrier Skallard,
Frier Crowsy
And ffrier Lowsy,
Frier Sloboll
And ffrier Bloboll,
Frier Toddypoll
And ffrier Noddypoll,
Frier fflaphole
And ffrier Claphole,
Frier Kispott
And ffrier Pispott,
Frier Chipchop
And ffrier Likpott,
Frier Clatterer
And ffrier fflatterer,
Frier Bib, ffrier Bob,
Frier Lib, ffrier Lob,
Frier Fear, ffrier Fonde,
Frier Beare, ffrier Bonde,
Frier Rooke, ffrier Py,
Frier Flooke, ffrier Flye,
Frier Spitt, ffrier Spy,
Frier Lik, ffrier Ly,
With ffrier We-he
Found by the Trinytye,
And frier Fandigo,
With an hundred mo
Could I name by ro,
Ne were for losse of tyme,
To make to longe a ryme:
_O squalidi laudati,_
_Fœdi[612] effeminati,_
_Falsi falsati,_
_Fuci fucati,_
_Culi cacati,[613]_
_Balbi braccati,_
_Mimi merdati,[614]_
_Larvi larvati,[615]_
_Crassi cathaphi,[616]_
_Calvi cucullati,_
_Curvi curvati,_
_Skurvi knavati,_
_Spurci spoliati,_
_Hirci armati,_
_Vagi devastati,_
_Devii debellati,_
_Surdi sustentati,_
_Squalidi laudati,_
_Tardi terminati,_
_Mali subligati,_
_Inpii conjurati,_
_Profusi profugi,_
_Lapsi lubrici,_
_Et parum pudici!_
Oth ye drane bees,
Ye bloody flesheflees,
Ye spitefull spittle spyes,
And grounde of herisees,
That dayly without sweat
Do but drinke and eate,
And murther meat and meat,
_Ut fures et latrones_!
Ye be _incubiones_,[617]
But no _spadones_,
Ye haue your _culiones_;
Ye be _histriones_,
Beastely _balatrones_,[618]
_Grandes thrasones_,[619]
_Magni nebulones_,
And _cacodæmones_,[620]
That [eat] vs fleshe and bones
With teeth more harde then stones;
Youe make hevy mones,
As it were for the nones,
With great and grevous grones,
By sightes and by sobbes
To blinde vs with bobbes;
Oh ye false faytours,
Youe theves be and tratours,
The devils dayly wayters!
Oh mesell Mendicantes,
And mangy Obseruauntes,
Ye be _vagarantes_!
As persers _penitrantes_,
Of mischef _ministrantes_,[621]
In pillinge _postulantes_,
In preachinge _petulantes_,
Of many _sycophantes_,[622]
That gather, as do antes,
In places wher ye go,
With _in principio_
Runnynge to and ffro,
Ye cause mikle woo
With hie and with loo;
Wher youe do resorte,
Ye fayne and make reporte
Of that youe never harde,
To make foles aferde
With visions and dremes,[623]
Howe they do in hevens,
And in other remes
Beyonde the great stremes
Of Tyger and of Gange,
Where tame devils range,
And in the black grange,
Thre myle out of hell,
Where sely sowles dwell,
In paynes wher they lye,
Howe they lament and cry
Vnto youe, holy lyars,
And false fflatteringe ffriers,
For _Dirige_ and masses;
Wherwith, like very asses,
We maynteyn youe and your lasses;
But in especiall
Ye say, the sowles call
For the great trentall;
For some sely sowles
So depe ly in holes
Of ffier and brennyng coles,
That top and tayle is hid;
For whom to pray and bid
Thens to haue them rid,
Ye thinke it but a foly;
Althoughe the masse be holy,
The fendes be wyly;
Till masse of _scala cœli_,[624]
At Bathe or at Ely,
Be by a ffrier saide
That is a virgine mayde,
These sowles may not away,
As all yow ffriers say;
So trowe I without doubte
These sowles shall never out;
For it is _rara avis_,
Ye be so many knaves;
I swere by crosses ten,
That fewe be honest men;
So many of youe be
Full of skurrilite,
That throughly to be sought
The multitude is noughte:
Ye be nothinge denty;
Ye come among vs plenty
By coples in a peire,
As sprites in the heire,
Or dogges in the ffayre;
Where yow do repayre,
Ye ever ride and rune,
As swifte as any gune,
With nowe to go and come,
As motes in the sonne,
To shrive my lady nonne,
With humlery hum,
_Dominus vobiscum_!
God knoweth all and some,
What is and hath bene done,
Syns the world begone,
Of russett, gray, and white,
That sett ther hole delighte
In lust and lechery,
In thefte and trecherey,
In lowsy lewdenes,
In synne and shrodenes,
In crokednes acurst,
Of all people the worste,
Marmosettes and apes,
That with your pild pates
Mock vs with your iapes:
Ye holy caterpillers,
Ye helpe your wellwillers
With prayers and psalmes,
To devoure the almes
That Christians should give
To meynteyne and releve
The people poore and nedy;
But youe be gredy,
And so great a number,
That, like the ffier of thunder,
The worlde ye incomber:
But hereof do I wonder,
Howe ye preache in prose,
And shape therto a glose,
Like a shipmans hose,
To fayne yourse[l]ves ded,
Whiche nathelesse be fed,
And dayly eate oure bred,
That ye amonge vs beg,
And gett it spite of oure hede:
It wonder is to me,
Howe ye maye fathers be
Your sede to multiply,
But yf yow be _incubi_,[625]
That gender gobolynes:
Be we not bobolynes,
Sutch lesinges to beleve,
Whiche ye amonge vs dry[ve]?
Because ye do vs shrive,
Ye[626] say we must youe call
Fathers seraphicall
And angelicall,
That be fantasticall,
Brute and bestiall,
Yea, diabolicall,
The babes of Beliall,
The sacrifise of Ball,
The dregges of all durte,
Fast bounde and girte
Vnder the devils skyrte;
For _pater_ Priapus,
And _frater Polpatus_,
With _doctor Dulpatus_,
_Suffultus fullatus_,[627]
_Pappus paralyticus_,[628]
And _pastor improvidus_,
Be false and frivolus,
Proude and pestiferous,
Pold and pediculous,
Ranke and ridiculous,
Madd and meticulous,
Ever invidious,
Never religious,
In preachinge prestigious,
In walkinge prodigious,
In talkinge sedicious,
In doctrine parnicious,
Haute and ambicious,
Fonde and supersticious,
In lodginge prostibulus,
In beddinge promiscuous,
In councells myschevous,
In musters monstrous,
In skulkinge insidicious,
Vnchast and lecherous,
In excesse outragious,
As sicknesse contagious,[629]
The wurst kind of edders,
And stronge sturdy beggers:
Wher one stande and teaches,
An other prate and preches,
Like holy horseleches:
So this rusty rable
At bourd and at table
Shall fayne and fable,
With bible and with bable,
To make all thinge stable,
By lowringe and by lokinge,
By powrynge and by potinge,
By standinge and by stopinge,
By handinge and by ffotinge,
By corsy and by crokinge,
With their owne pelf promotinge,
With ther eyes alweyes totinge
Wher they may haue shotinge
Ther and here ageyne:
Thus the people seyne,[630]
With wordes true and playne,
Howe they jest and ioll
With ther nody poll,
With rownynge and rollinge,
With bowsinge and bollinge,
With lillinge and lollinge,
With knyllinge and knollinge,
With tillinge and tollinge,
With shavinge and pollinge,
With snyppinge and snatchinge,
With itchinge and cratchinge,
With kepinge and katchinge,
With wepinge and watchinge,
With takinge and catchinge,
With peltinge and patchinge,
With findinge and fatchinge,
With scriblinge and scratchinge,
With ynkinge and blatchinge;
That no man can matche them,
Till the devill fatche them,
And so to go together
Vnto their denne for ever,
Wher hens as they never
Hereafter shall dissever,
But dy eternally,
That lyve so carnally;
For that wilbe ther ende,
But yf God them sende
His grace here to amend:
And thus I make an ende.

Thus endeth the ffourthe and laste parte of this treatise called the Image of Ypocresy.

_The grudge of ypocrites conceyved ageynst the auctor of this treatise._

These be as knappishe knackes
As ever man made,
For javells and for iackes,
A jymiam for a iade.

Well were we, yf we wist
What a wight he were
That starred vpp this myst,
To do vs all this dere:

Oh, yf we could attayne hym,
He mighte be fast and sure
We should not spare to payne hym,
While we mighte indure!

_The awnswer of the auctor._

_Ego sum qui sum_,
My name may not be told;
But where ye go or come,
Ye may not be to bold:

For I am, is, and was,
And ever truste to be,
Neyther more nor las
Then asketh charite.

This longe tale to tell
Hathe made me almost horse:
I trowe and knowe right well
That God is full of force,

And able make the dome
And defe men heare and speake,
And stronge men overcome
By feble men and weke:

So thus I say my name is;
Ye geit no more of me,
Because I wilbe blameles,
And live in charite.

Thuse endith this boke called the Image of Ypocresye.

[468] _The Image of Ipocrysy_] Is now printed from _MS. Lansdown_ 794. The original has very considerable alterations and additions by a different hand: the first page is here and there illegible, partly from the paleness of the ink, and partly from the notes which Peter Le Neve (the possessor of the MS. in 1724) has unmercifully scribbled over it. I give the title here as it stands at the end of the First Part.

Hearne and others have attributed this remarkable production to Skelton. The poem, however, contains decisive evidence that he was not its author: to say nothing of other passages,—the mention of certain writings of Sir Thomas More and of “the mayde of Kent” (Elizabeth Barton), which occurs in the Third Part, would alone be sufficient to prove that it was the composition of some writer posterior to his time.

[469] _Vp to the clowdy skye_] Originally “_Vp_ into _the skye_.”

[470] _Our parsons and curates_] This line (now pasted over in the MS.) has been obtained from a transcript of the poem made by Thomas Martin of Palgrave.

[471] _Glottons_] Originally “Prelates.”

[472] _And_] Substituted for “To,” when the preceding line was added.

[473] _him_] Originally “vs.”

[474] _Take_] Originally “haue.”

[475] _Dothe_] Originally “Or.”

[476] _Doo_] Originally “That.”

[477] _seem_] Is the substitution of a somewhat later hand, the original word being faded: qy. “self?”

[478] _runne in att the rove_] Originally “runnynge _at the_ masse.”

[479] _prove_] Originally “presse.”

[480] _Wher they may be sure_] Followed by a deleted line, now partly illegible,—

“ ... wayte to haue wynnynge.”

[481] _To fyshe for any gayne_] Followed by a deleted line which seems to have been,—

“With shotinge or with singinge.”

[482] _Shall pryck, &c._] The position of this line, and of the next but one, was originally different.

[483] _Chafyng_] Which seems to be the reading intended, was originally preceded by “Wyll.”

[484] _And then_] Originally “At lenghe.”

[485] _Thoughe_] MS. “Throughe”

[486] _Which_] Qy. “With?”

[487] _bowes_] Qy. “vowes?”

[488] _of ther_] Qy. “other?”

[489] _backe_] Something wanting here.

[490] _No man wyll they spare_] Originally,—

“They passe not of a sparre.”

[491] _Your_] Originally “For.”

[492] _In_] Originally “And.”

[493] _Youre_] Originally “And.”

[494] _Wher God his gyfte or grace_] Originally,

“_Wher god_ of _his grace_.”

[495] _And all his kingdom, whan_] Originally,

“At the good tyme _whan_.”

[496] _Ye_] Originally “That.”

[497] _Lordely, &c._] On the outer margin of the MS., opposite this verse, are the following lines, partly cut off by the binder;

“Thes be the knavysh
knackes that ever w ...
o ...
ffor Javelles and for J[ackes].”

[498] _And worldly welth to haue_] Originally “_And_ possession _to haue_.”

[499] _chippe_] Qy. “clippe?”

[500] _When masse and all is done_] Followed by a deleted line;

“The paynes to release.”

[501] _as_] Originally “that.”

[502] _All_] Originally “_All_ ys.”

[503] _For lust fyndes no lett_] Occupies the place of the following three deleted lines;

“be she ffayre or fowle
for vnderneth an amys
alyke ther hart is.”

[504] _or_] MS. “as.”

[505] _Or owgly_] Over this is the deleted word “blobcheked.”

[506] _pretens_] Originally “the bande.”

[507] _not I_] Originally “for why.”

[508] _Lest here you_] Originally “_Here lest youe_.”

[509] _with vs_] Originally “your.”

[510] _treuth_] Originally “the _treuth_.”

[511] _That all the falt doth lye_] Originally “But _all the falt_ do _lye_.”

[512] _oure_] Qy. “youre?” but compare 6th line of next column. In the following line, “_sanguinolently_” should perhaps be printed as Latin,—“_sanguinolenti_.”

[513] _cokold foles_] Originally “loutes and knaves.”

[514] _We wer an oxes fether_] Originally “And in oure hoode a _fether_.”

[515] _Oure hedes for to gnob_] Followed by two deleted lines;

“And make vs soch a lob
To vse one lyke a lob.”

[516] _For your_] Originally “With.”

[517] _Through_] Originally “With.”

[518]

_And small, &c._
...
_To make soch recompens_

This passage is substituted for two deleted lines;

“To your possessyon
Without discretion.”

[519]

_By gyvyng, &c._
...
_Of harty penytens_

This passage is substituted for three deleted lines;

“S ... fonde affection
To oure correccion
Without protection.”

[520] _yowe_] Originally “them.”

[521] _that_] Originally “an.”

[522] _be_] Originally “to _be_.”

[523] _For you on_] Originally “_For on_.”

[524] _Can suffre or abyde_] Originally “Ye _cane_ here _abide_.”

[525] _vehement_] Originally “diligent.”

[526] _So_] Originally “That.”

[527] _We_] Originally “And.”

[528] _And be thus_] Originally “That we _be_.”

[529] _We know not_] Originally “_Not_ knowing.”—After this line is one cut off by the binder.

[530] _That when he eat_] Originally “_When he_ shall _eat_.”

[531] _Slepe, awake_] Originally “_Slepe_ or wake.”

[532] _Doth styll_] Originally “He must.”

[533] _Kepe_] Before this word stood originally “And,” afterwards altered to “To,” which is also deleted.

[534] _Be made vnto his heste_] Originally,

“_Be made_ to _his heste_;”

for which, was first substituted,

“_Made be_ to _his hest_.”

[535] _To governe_] Originally “Wisely _to_.”

[536] _evyll_] Originally “ill.”

[537] _Lyke Lucyfer, the devyll_] Originally,

“In Judgement of _the devill_.”

[538] _And so_] Originally “For.”

[539] _That thei fall not vnware_] Originally,

“Or elles may _vnware_.”

[540] _Into_] Originally “Fall in.”

[541]

_All maner_, &c.
...
To _gather and to kepe_

These three lines substituted for two deleted lines;

“_To gather and to kepe_
Treasure in _a hepe_.”

[542] _sylver_] Originally “mony.”

[543] _The craft, &c._] Originally,

“Yf all _the chraft_ were _tolde_.”

[544] _Antychryst_] Originally “the courte.”

[545] _For thens, &c._] Originally,

“_For_ ther _sourdes the springe_.”

[546] _geate_] Followed by a deleted line;

“Be it by colde or heate.”

[547] _Which at his_] Originally “That _his_.”

[548] _May ech man, &c._] Originally,

“_May_ bothe _saue_ and _spill_.”

[549] _As he lyste_] Originally “At will to.”

[550] _And at his, &c._] Originally,

“_And_ wyll it clere _enhibyte_.”

[551] _wyse_] Originally “true.”

[552] _shall_] Originally “must.”

[553] _above or hell_] Originally “_or_ in _hell_.”

[554] _Then_] Originally “But.”

[555] _Thou gettest true remyssion_] Originally,

“To haue _remission_.”

[556] _That never, &c._] Originally “_That_ haue _hadd_ no _regarde_.”

[557] _palia ... Bacchanalia_] It would seem from the context that the right reading is “Palilia.” The MS. has “Bacchanallia.”

[558] _after_] Originally “_after_warde.”

[559] _Colde_] Originally “Olde.”

[560] _Sustentations_] MS. “Sustentions,” and originally “Substentions.”

[561] _Excusations_] Substituted for a word now illegible.

[562] _his_] Originally “oure.”

[563] _pylde_] Originally “_pylde_ and.”

[564] _a_] Originally “the.”

[565] _yf_] Originally “leste.”

[566] _curse_] Originally “course.”

[567] _inamœna_] MS. “_In amena_” the latter word being substituted for one now illegible.

[568] _no_] Originally “out.”

[569]_Iscarioth_] Originally “Scarioth.”

[570] _galefull_] Originally “gale.”

[571] _bogorian_] Originally “bogorane.”

[572] _A privye_] Originally “And _a_.”

[573] _That_] Originally “And.”

[574] _As hogges, &c._] Originally,

“_As_ any pigge _in stye_.”

[575] _With confytes, &c._] Originally,

“_And_ portingale _fartes_.”

[576] _They robbe, &c._] Originally “Wher _they_ take _pillage_.”

[577] _them_] Originally “that.”

[578] _Of_] Originally “By.”

[579] _aspyre_] Followed by a deleted line (inserted above with a slight variation);

“Thyr hartes ar so on fyer.”

[580] _Performe_] Originally “We do,” the preceding line being an addition.

[581] _Hys_] Originally “Ther.”

[582] _That dare ons be_] Originally “No man _dare be_,” the preceding line being an addition.

[583] _Nor_] Originally “For.”

[584] _soch men_] Originally “them.” This line is followed by three deleted lines (inserted above,—the first two slightly altered);

“Mony meat or golde
But be they shorne or polde
Ther lyves not suche a scolde.”

[585] _For_] Originally “And.”

[586] _And in, &c._] Originally,

“_In_ all the all _the world wide_
_Vse such pompe_,” &c.

[587] _Of no, &c._] Originally “_Of no prince nor_ of _duke_.”

[588] _wonder_] Originally “wonderfull.”

[589] _agast_] Followed by a deleted line;

“But fede whilst they do brast.”

[590] _vpp stoores_] Originally “_vpp_ ther _stoores_.”

[591] _hym_] Originally “them.”

[592] _or advayle_] Originally “_or_ for avayle.”

[593] _And_] Originally “Their.”

[594] _But who so_] Originally “_But who_ euer.”

[595] _conquer_] Originally “subdue.”

[596] _grene wode_] Is obviously the right reading. MS. has merely “grenes.”

[597] _Though, &c._] This line is added by a comparatively modern hand.

[598] _Menander_] See note, p, 130.

[599] _Malepardus_] The abode of Reynard according to the famous old romance: “reynart had many a dwellyng place, but the castel of _maleperduys_ was the beste and the fastest burgh that he had, ther laye he inne whan he had nede and was in ony drede or fere.” Sig. a 8. ed. 1481.

[600] _Occanist_] So written, it would seem, for the rhyme; properly “Occamist.”

[601] _a knighte_] i. e. Sir Thomas More.

[602] _his Debellation_] i. e. Sir Thomas More’s _Debellacyon of Salem vnd Byzance_.

[603] _ages_] i. e. age is.

[604] _the mayde of Kent_] i. e. Elizabeth Barton.

[605] _by_] i. e. buy,—acquire, earn.

[606] _tymes_] MS. “tynes.”

[607] _cœli_] MS. “cely.”

[608] _place_] Should perhaps be “plite”—or there may be some omission in the MS. after this line.

[609] _predagoges_] Qy. “pædagoges?”

[610] _And many_] Originally “Some be.”

[611] _Nycticorax_] MS. “Necticorax.”

[612] _Fœdi_] MS. “Fedi.”

[613] _cacati_] MS. “caccati.”

[614] _merdati_] MS. “mardati.”

[615] _Larvi larvati_] MS. “Lerui leruati.” The line ought properly to be “Larvæ larvatæ.”

[616] _cathaphi_] Qy. “cataphagi” (voraces)?

[617] _incubiones_] Properly “incubones.”

[618] _balatrones_] MS. “ballatrones.”

[619] _thrasones_] MS. “thrassones.”

[620] _cacodæmones_] MS. “cacademones.”

[621]

_penitrantes_ ] }
_ministrantes_] }

MS. “pennytrantes” and “mynistrantes.”

[622] Of many _sycophantes_] Perhaps “many” should be “mony.” MS. “sicophantes:” the proper form is “sycophantæ.”

[623] _dremes_] I suspect the author wrote “_sweuens_,” and that “_dremes_,” a gloss on the word, crept by mistake into the text.

[624] _cœli_] MS. “cely.”

[625] _incubi_] MS. “incuby.”

[626] _Ye_] MS. “We.”

[627] _fullatus_] Qy. “fulcratus?”

[628] _paralyticus_] MS. “paraliticus.”

[629] _contagious_] MS. “contragious.”

[630] _seyne_] Originally “sey.”

CORRIGENDA AND ADDENDA.

VOL. I.

DYUERS BALETTYS, &c.

Page 22. v. 13.

“He trusted her payment, and lost all hys pray.”

Dele the foot-note “Qy. pay?”—_pray_ (as I have mentioned in note, vol. ii. 98) being doubtless the right reading.

—— v. 15.

“The ryuers rowth, the waters wan;
She sparyd not to wete her fete.”

The proper punctuation seems to be,

“The ryuers rowth, the waters wan,
She sparyd not, to wete her fete.”

THE BOWGE OF COURTE.

Page 38. v. 215. In some copies the semicolon at the end of the line has dropt out—

“To you oonly, me thynke, I durste shryue me;”

Page 44. v. 368.

“What reuell route! quod he, and gan to rayle.”

Point,

“What, reuell route! quod he,” &c.

Here (as in the line cited from the _Digby Mysteries_, Notes, vol. ii. 116) “route” is of course a verb—What, let revel roar! I might have added to the note on this passage, that the compound substantive _revel-rout_ is used by Rowe;

“for this his minion,
The _revel-rout_ is done.”

_Jane Shore_, act i. sc. 1.

PHYLLYP SPAROWE.

Page 58. v. 245.

“_Ma gni fi cat._”

In some copies the line stands erroneously,

“_Mag gni_ fi cat.”

ELYNOUR RUMMYNG.

Page 101. v. 185.

“God gyue it yll preuynge,
Clenly as yuell cheuynge!”

_Dele_ the comma after “preuynge.” _Clenly_, i. e. Wholly.

POEMS AGAINST GARNESCHE.

Page 119. v. 40.

“Wranglynge, waywyrde, wytles, _wraw_, and nothyng meke.”

_wraw_, i. e. peevish, angry: see Tyrwhitt’s Gloss. to Chaucer’s _Cant. Tales_.

Page 120. v. 3. For “_shryke_” read “skrybe.”

AGAINST VENEMOUS TONGUES.

Page 133. v. 2.

“In Romaine letters I neuer founde lack:”

Put a semicolon at the end of this line.

THE MANER OF THE WORLD NOW A DAYES.

Page 148.

This piece (see Notes, vol. ii. 199) ought, I believe, to have been inserted among the _Poems attributed to Skelton_,—not among his undoubted productions.

TETRASTICHON VERITATIS.

Page 181.

The indentation of the second and fourth lines has been retained by mistake from the old ed.

AGAINST THE SCOTTES.

Page 185. v. 103.

“Your lege ye layd and your aly
Your frantick fable,” &c.

Put a comma after “aly.”

ELEGIA IN COMITISSAM DE DERBY.

Page 196. The last line in this page,

“_Quo regnas rutilans rex sine fine manens_,”

as it is a pentameter, ought to have been indented.

MAGNYFYCENCE.

Page 234. v. 281.

“_Magn._ Largesse is laudable, so it in measure be.”

The rhyme seems to require,

“_Magn._ Largesse is laudable, so it be in measure.”

Page 243. v. 540.

“_Cr. Con._ By God, had not I it conuayed,
Yet Fansy had ben _dysceyued_.”

Qy. “dyscryued?” In v. 2398 of this drama, Skelton appears to employ “dyscryue” in the (unusual) sense of—discover, search, try; and in the present passage a word equivalent to _discovered_ seems necessary.

Page 247. v. 681.

“_Fan._ Ye, my Fansy was out of owle flyght”

would perhaps stand more properly,

“_Fan._ Ye, my fansy,” &c.

Page 249. v. 746.

“I muster, I medle amonge these grete estates,
I sowe sedycyous sedes of dyscorde and debates”

ought probably to be pointed thus,

“I muster, I medle; amonge these grete estates
I sowe sedycyous sedes of dyscorde and debates.”

Page 258. v. 1033.

“That I wote not where I may rest.
Fyrst to tell you what were best,
Frantyke Fansy seruyce I hyght;”

Perhaps there should be a comma after “rest” and a full-point after “best.” In the last line, for “Fansy seruyce” read “Fansy-seruyce.”

Page 261. v. 1128.

“For Goddes cope thou wyll spende.”

Point,

“For, Goddes cope, thou wyll spende.”

Page 272. v. 1442.

“_Magn._ What can ye agree thus and appose?”

Point,

“_Magn._ What, can ye agree thus and appose?”

—— v. 1444.

“_Lyb._ Ye, of Jacke a thrommys bybyll can ye make a glose?”

is not a question: put a full-point at the end of the line.

Page 272. v. 1446.

“What sholde a man do with you, loke you vnder kay.”

Point,

“What sholde a man do with you? loke you vnder kay?”

Page 293. v. 2090.

“ye mary.”

Put a comma between these words.

Page 295. v. 2166.

“And some fall prechynge at the Toure Hyll.”

Qy.

“And some fall _to_ prechynge,” &c.?

compare the preceding line.

COLYN CLOUTE.

Page 328. v. 460.

“Iche wot what _eche_ other thynk.”

The reading of Kele’s ed. “yehe” ought not to have been rejected, as the earlier part of the line seems to mean—Each knows (not, I know), &c.

Page 332. v. 562.

“And qualyfyed qualytes”

ought perhaps to be followed by a semicolon: but the passage is very obscure.

Page 358. v. 1208.

“As noble _Ezechyas_.”

Read “Isaias” (MS. has “Isay,” _vide_ foot-note). See Notes, vol. ii. 298.

GARLANDE OF LAURELL.

Page 381. v. 477.

“Thus passid we forth walkynge vnto the pretory”—

insert a comma after “forth” and at the end of the line.

Page 384. v. 581.

“And _seryously_ she shewyd me ther denominacyons.”

_seryously_, i. e. seriatim. So in a letter from Tuke to Wolsey; “Thus preceding to the letters, to shewe Your Grace summarily, for rehersing every thing _seriously_ I shal over long moleste Your Grace,” &c. _State Papers_ (1830), i. 299.

Page 393. v. 790.

“To weue in the stoule sume were full preste,
With slaiis, with tauellis, with hedellis well drest;
The frame was browght forth with his weuyng pin,” &c.

Perhaps the right punctuation may be,

“To weue in the stoule sume were full preste;
With slaiis, with tauellis, with hedellis well drest,
The frame was browght forth with his weuyng pin,” &c.

Page 417. v. 1418.

“With, Wofully arayd, and shamefully betrayd;
Of his makyng deuoute medytacyons.”

Two pieces seem to be mentioned here; and therefore the passage ought to stand,

“With, Wofully arayd, and Shamefully betrayd,
Of his makyng deuoute medytacyons.”

The sacred poem _Wofully arayd_ occurs in vol. i. 141.

VOL. II.

SPEKE, PARROT.

Page 22. v. 441.

“Sette asyde all _sophysms_,” &c.

I ought to have altered the reading of the MS. “sophyns” to “sophyms” (not to “sophysms”): see “sophime” (i. e. sophism) in Tyrwhitt’s _Gloss._ to Chaucer’s _Cant. Tales_.

WHY COME YE NAT TO COURTE?

Page 36. v. 290.

“Into a mouse hole they wolde
Rynne away and crepe,
Lyke a mayny of shepe;
Dare nat loke out at dur,” &c.

The proper punctuation is,

“Into a mouse hole they wolde
Rynne away and crepe;
Lyke a mayny of shepe,
Dare nat loke out at dur,” &c.

NOTES.

Page 110.—“Page 40. v. 252. _Heue and how rombelow_]” I might have added, that “_heaue and hoe Rumbelo_” occurs in a nonsensical song (No. 31) in Ravenscroft’s _Pammelia_, 1609.

Page 124.—“Page 54. v. 118. _For to kepe his cut, &c._]” So in the _Coventry Mysteries_, the Pharisee says to the woman taken in adultery;

“We xal the teche with carys colde
A lytyl bettyr _to kepe thi kutte_.”

_MS. Cott. Vesp. D_ viii. fol. 123.

Page 132.—“Page 66. v. 485. _at a brayde_]” This expression is used here in connexion with singing: and in one of the _Christmas Carols_ printed for the Percy Society, p. 51, we find,

“Wherefor syng we alle _atte a brayde_, nowell.”

Page 147.—“Page 84. v. 1078. _Enhached_] i. e. Inlaid,” &c. I ought to have observed that, though in the preceding line Skelton calls this beauty-spot a “sker” (scar), he means the wart already mentioned;

“Her beautye to augment,
Dame Nature hath her lent
A _warte_ vpon her cheke,
Who so lyst to seke
In her vysage a _skar_,” &c.

v. 1041.

and see too v. 1064.

Page 148.—“Page 86. v. 1151.

_She is playnly expresse_
_Egeria, the goddesse,_
_And lyke to her image,_
_Emportured with corage,_
_A louers pilgrimage_]

I must leave the reader to form his own idea of the meaning of the last two lines,” &c. The following lines of Lydgate may be cited as somewhat resembling the present passage;

“To hym appered a monstruous _ymage_
Parted on twayne of colour and _corage_,” &c.

_Fall of Prynces_, B. vi. leaf cxxxiiii. ed. Wayland.

Page 157. last line but one. “The gist or point of this satire had a noble origin, or there must be an extraordinary coincidence of thought in the _Beoni_, or Topers, a ludicrous effusion of the great Lorenzo de Medici, when a young man.” Dallaway was led to this remark by the following passage in Spence’s _Anecdotes_, &c.; “Skelton’s poems are all low and bad: there’s nothing in them that’s worth reading.—P. [Mr. Cleland, who was by, added, that the Tunning of Ellinor Rummin, in that author’s works, was taken from a poem of Lorenzo de’ Medici’s].” p. 173. ed. 18-20.—_I Beoni_, observes Mr. D’Israeli (referring to Roscoe’s _Life of Lorenzo de’ Medici_, i. 290), “was printed by the Giunti in 1568, and therefore this burlesque piece could never have been known to Skelton.” _Amen. of Lit._ ii. 79.

Page 166.—“Page 102. v. 229.... _fonny_ is, I suppose, foolishly amorous,” &c. I ought to have said “_fonny_, i. e. to _fon_, to be foolishly amorous,” &c.

Page 172. line 3. for “v. 490,” read “v. 400.”

Page 176.—“Page 113. v. 560. _mote I hoppy_] i. e. may I have good hap.” Rather, I believe—may I hop. “_Hoppy_, to hop or caper. Exm.” Grose’s _Prov. Gloss._ ed. 1839.

Page 184.—“Page 121. v. 46. _dud frese_] i. e. coarse frieze.” But in _Prompt. Parv._ we find “_Dudde clothe_. Amphibolus. Burrus.” ed. 1499.

Page 188.—“Page 125. v. 178. _Soche pelfry thou hast pachchyd.”_ Add to note on this line,—Dekker, describing “The Blacke Arte” (or “Picking of Lockes”), tells us that “The gaines gotten is _Pelfry_.” _The Belman of London_, &c. sig. F 4. ed. 1608.

Page 190. “—— _goliardum_].” “Goliardeis, _one who gains his living by following rich men’s tables, and telling tales and making sport for the guests_. See on this word the Introduction to the Poems of Walter Mapes.” Wright’s Gloss, to _Piers Ploughman_.

Page 195.—“Page 133. v. 3. _In your crosse rowe nor Christ crosse you spede_]” Add to note on this line that—in _The Boke of Curtasye_ we find;

“Yff that thou be a ȝong enfaunt,
And thenke tho scoles for to haunt,
This lessoun schulle thy maister the merke,
_Cros Crist the spede_ in alle thi werke.”

_The sec. Boke_, p. 7. (printed for the Percy Society.)

Page 206.—“Page 157. v. 73 ... So Fansy, in our author’s _Magnyfycence_, exclaims to his _hawk_,” &c. But, though Fansy calls his bird a _hawk_, it appears to have been an _owl_.

Page 207.—“Page 157. v. 78 ... Juliana _Barnes_.” Read “Juliana Berners.”

Page 244.—“Page 246. v. 658. _a pystell of a postyke_]” Cotgrave has “_Postiquer_. To play the vagrant Impostor,” &c.: “_Postiqueries_. Cousening sleights,” &c.: “_Postiqueur._ A wandering impostor,” &c.

Page 271.—“Page 297. v. 2211. _rede_] i. e. advice.” Read “i. e. advise.”

—— “Page 298. v. 2233. _rode_] i. e. road, cross.” Read “i. e. rood, cross.”

Page 284.—“Page 326, v. 397 ... Cole’s _Dict._” Read “Coles’s _Dict._”

Page 311.—“Page 380. v. 474. _The carpettis within and tappettis of pall_].” I may just notice that in an unpublished book of Kings Payments, in the Chapter-House, we find, under the first year of Henry 8;

“Item to Corneles Vanderstrete opon his waraunt for }
xv _Tappettes made for Wyndowes_ at the towre } ix s.”

Page 328.—“Page 410. v. 1219 ... but, though Skelton was in all probability an author as early as 1583,” &c. Read “1483.”

Page 345.—“Page 14. v. 280.” Latter part of the note—“if ‘33ᵒ’ and ‘34’” &c. I ought to have mentioned that at the end of _Why come ye nat to Courte_ (vol. ii. 67) we find (what is equally puzzling) “xxxiiii.”

INDEX TO THE NOTES.

[The figures indicate the pages of the Second Volume only, all the Notes being contained in that Volume.]

a, 245.

abbay, make a graunge of an, 285.

a tyd, 194.

abandune, 260.

abasshe, 106.

Abdalonimus, 362.

abiections, 294.

abolete, 366.

abused, 205.

abylyment, 275, 302.

_Abyron_, 227.

Acherontes, 123.

acomberyd, 271.

accompte, 275.

Acon, 366.

acquyte, 265 (see _aquyte_).

adnychell, 228.

adres, 218;
adresse, 276.

aduysed, 248 (see _auyse_).

aduysement, 275.

adyment, 307.

affyaunce, 276.

affyaunsynge, 312.

aforce, 105;
aforse, 276.

after none, 240.

again, 90 (see _agayn_, _gayne_, and _geyne_).

_Agarenæ, gentis_, 199.

agaspe, 260.

agayn, 226;
agayne, 112, 119, &c.;
agayng, 278;
ageyne, 303, 304 (see _again_, _gayne_, and _geyne_).

agerdows, 329.

agryse, 118.

Akers, Saynt Thomas of, 298.

alamyre, 279.

Albany, John Duke of, 359.

——, his invasion of the borders in 1523, 375.

——, said to have aimed at the destruction of James V., 377.

——, his passionate temper, 378.

_Albertus de modo significandi_, 343.

Albons, Saint, abbacy of, held by Wolsey _in commendam_, 371.

Albumazer, 133, 333, 361.

alcumyn, 369.

alderbest, 374.

ale, newe, in cornes, 171, 247.

ale pole, 175, 314.

ale stake, 282.

Alerycus, 260.

Alexander, kyng, 143.

Alexander de Villa Dei, 343.

algife, 92.

all and some, 109.

all hallow, 168.

all one, 271.

alle sellers, 203.

allectuary, 100 (see _lectuary_).

allygate, 297.

almesse, 258.

almon for parrot, 339.

alowde, 244;
alowed, 144, 195.

alumbek sodyldym syllorym ben, 93.

amense, 236.

_amicare_, 295.

ammas, 383 (see _amysse_).

amonge, 344.

amrell, 377, 379.

Amund, Quater Fylz, 138.

amysse, 134 (see _ammas_).

animosite, 382.

anker, 283.

Anteocus, 143.

antetyme, 241.

apayd, 367;
apayed, 113, 196, 275.

apayere, 178 (see _appare_).

apostata, 212;
apostataas, 284.

apostrofacion, 205.

appall, 352.

appare, 280;
appayre, 343 (see _apayere_).

appose, apposed, 282.

apposelle, 304.

aquyte, 194, 325 (see _acquyte_).

ar, 181.

arace, clothes of, 311 (see _Arras_).

araid, 197 (see _raist_).

aray, 164.

Arcet, 136.

arecte, 237;
arrect, 302;
arectyng, 300;
arrectinge, 310;
arrectyng, 320;
arrectyd, 100 (and see _erectyd_).

Arethusa, 145.

Argyua, 320.

Armony, 126.

armony, 218, 235, 306.

Arras, 294;
Arres, clothe of, 192 (see _arace_).

Arturis Creacyoun, Prince, 327.

Arturs rounde table, &c., 137.

—— auncyent actys, 182.

Aryna, 321.

Arystobell, 210.

as who sayth, 86.

ascry, 152, 377;
ascrye, 283 (see _askry_ and _escrye_).

Ashrige, 334.

askry, 145, 191 (see _ascry_ and _escrye_).

askrye, 368.

Asmodeus, 355.

asprely, 229.

aspy, 316;
aspyed, 333;
aspyid, 314.

assawte, 113.

assay, 171;
assaye, 112;
asayde, 136, 318.

assayes, at all, 242, 274.

assoyle, 291.

Assuerus, 143.

assurded, 307.

astate, 90, 302, 311, 313, &c. (see _estate_).

astrologys, 286.

astronomy, 133.

at nale, 117.

atame, 195;
attamed, 232.

athrust, 167.

auale, 147.

auaunce, 106, 108, 235, 240, &c.;
auaunced, 310;
auaunsid, 192;
auaunsyd, 276;
auaunsynge, 320.

auauns, 381.

auayle, 97;
avayles, 204.

avent, 104.

auenture, 113.

auenture, 118.

auncetry, 191.

auncyente, 143.

Aungell, Castell, 331.

Aungey, 254.

auowe, 109, 110, 116, &c.;
for God auowe, 265.

aureat, 91, 145.

_aurum musicum_, 326.

Austen fryers, 297.

auter, 205.

Auycen, 332.

auyse, 109.

auyse, 106;
auysed, 247;
auysid, 309;
auysynge, 105 (see _aduysed_).

away the mare, 162, 258.

awne, 176, 181, 183.

awtentyke, 288.

axes, 307;
axys, 100.

ba, 97 (see _bas_).

babell, 171.

babyls, 234;
babylles, 348.

babyone, 188.

baile, 91 (see _bale_).

baile, 182.

bake, 179.

balas, 347;
balassis, 326.

Baldock, the iebet of, 340, 370.

bale, 96, 245, 268, 309 (see first _baile_).

bale of dyce, 117.

balke, 176.

Baltazar, blake, 179.

Balthasor (see _Guercis_).

Balue, Cardinal, 366.

banketyng, 350;
banketynge, 352.

ban, 369;
banne, 272.

Barabas, 178.

baratows, 316.

barbican, 331.

barbyd, 252.

bare in hande, 241 (see _bereth on hand_).

barlyhood, 171.

barnacle, 131.

Barton, Elizabeth, 436.

bas, 97, 166, &c.;
basse, 262, 352;
bassed, 268;
bassyd, 184 (see _ba_).

Bas, 380.

basnet, 179.

Basyan, 260.

batowe, 247.

Bath, Wyfe of, 136.

baudeth, 161.

baudrie, 232.

baudy, 203;
bawdy, 184, 188, 193.

bawmys, 316.

Bayarde Mountalbon, 138.

bayarde, bolde, 186.

bayardys bun, 93.

bayned, 230.

be, 103, 104, 180, &c.;
bee, 227.

be come, 109, 119.

beade rolles, 285 (see _bederolle_).

becke, 252, 339.

becke, 280.

becked, 251.

bedawyd, 189.

bedell, 146.

bederolle, 128;
bederolles, 122;
bederoule, 126 (see _beade rolles_).

Bedford, Jasper Duke of, 388.

bedleme, 364.

begared, 283.

beholde, 240.

beholdinge a trauers, 228.

befole, 253, 265;
befoule, 250.

Bele Isold, 137.

belluyng, 301.

belymmed, 112.

Beme, 340.

bemole, 134.

ben, 278, 362, 372.

bende, 248.

bended, 371.

bene, 107.

bent, 146, 252.

bere coles, 356.

bereth on hand, 360 (see _bare in hande_).

Bernard, Saint, 88.

Bes, Lady, 87.

beseke, 320.

besene, 112, 295, &c.;
beseen, 190;
be seyn, 183.

besherewe, 103;
beshrew, 175;
beshrewde, all, 97, 192, 279, 350;
beshrowe, 244, 254.

best, 213, 374;
beste, 238.

bestad, 320.