Part 1

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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. I.

LONDON: THOMAS RODD, GREAT NEWPORT STREET. MDCCCXLIII.

PREFACE.

The very incomplete and inaccurate volume of 1736, and the reprint of it in Chalmers’s _English Poets_,[1] 1810, have hitherto been the only editions of Skelton accessible to the general reader.

In 1814, the Quarterly Reviewer,—after censuring Chalmers for having merely reprinted the volume of 1736, with all its errors, and without the addition of those other pieces by Skelton which were known to be extant,—observed, that “an editor who should be competent to the task could not more worthily employ himself than by giving a good and complete edition of his works.”[2] Prompted by this remark, I commenced the present edition,—perhaps with too much self-confidence, and certainly without having duly estimated the difficulties which awaited me. After all the attention which I have given to the writings of Skelton, they still contain corruptions which defy my power of emendation, and passages which I am unable to illustrate; nor is it, therefore, without a feeling of reluctance that I now offer these volumes to the very limited class of readers for whom they are intended. In revising my Notes for press, I struck out a considerable portion of conjectures and explanations which I had originally hazarded, being unwilling to receive from any one that equivocal commendation which Joseph Scaliger bestowed on a literary labourer of old; “Laudo tamen studium tuum; quia in rebus obscuris ut errare necesse est, ita fortuitum non errare.”[3]

Having heard that Ritson had made some collections for an edition of our author, I requested the use of those papers from his nephew, the late Joseph Frank, Esq., who most obligingly put them into my hands: they proved, however, to be only a transcript of _Vox Populi, vox Dei_ (from the Harleian MS.), and a few memoranda concerning Skelton from very obvious sources.

The individual to whom I have been the most indebted for assistance and encouragement in this undertaking has not survived to receive my acknowledgments; I mean the late Mr. Heber, who not only lent me his whole collection of Skelton’s works, but also took a pleasure in communicating to me from time to time whatever information he supposed might be serviceable. Indeed, without such liberality on the part of Mr. Heber, a complete edition of the poet’s extant writings could not have been produced; for his incomparable library (now unfortunately dispersed) contained some pieces by Skelton, of which copies were not elsewhere to be found.

To Miss Richardson Currer; the Right Hon. Thomas Grenville; the Hon. and Rev. G. N. Grenville, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge; Sir Harris Nicolas; Sir Francis Palgrave; Rev. Dr. Bandinel; Rev. Dr. Bliss; Rev. John Mitford; Rev. J. J. Smith of Caius College, Cambridge; Rev. Joseph Hunter; Rev. Joseph Stevenson; W. H. Black, Esq.; Thomas Amyot, Esq.; J. P. Collier, Esq.; Thomas Wright, Esq.; J. O. Halliwell, Esq.; Albert Way, Esq.; and David Laing, Esq.;—I have to return my grateful thanks for the important aid of various kinds which they so readily and courteously afforded me.

ALEXANDER DYCE.

_London, Gray’s Inn, Nov. 1st, 1843._

[1] “Mr. A. Chalmers,” says Haslewood, “has since given place [_sic_] to Skelton’s name among the English poets [vol. ii. p. 227]: and having had an opportunity to compare the original edition [that of Marshe, 1568] with Mr. Chalmers’s volume, I can pronounce the text verbally accurate, although taken from the reprint of 1736.” _Brit. Bibliogr._ iv. 389. As Haslewood was generally a careful collator, I am greatly surprised at the above assertion: the truth is, that the reprint of 1736 (every word of which I have compared with Marshe’s edition—itself replete with errors) is in not a few places grossly inaccurate.—The said reprint is without the editor’s name; but I have seen a copy of it in which Gifford had written with a pencil, “Edited by J. Bowle, the stupidest of all two-legged animals.”

[2] _Q. Rev._ xi. 485. The critique in question was written by Mr. Southey,—who, let me add, took a kind interest in the progress of the present edition.

[3] Joanni Isacio Pontano—_Epist._ p. 490. ed. 1627.

The preceding Preface was already in type, when Mr. W. H. Black discovered, among the Public Records, an undoubted poem by Skelton (hitherto unprinted), which I now subjoin.

A LAWDE AND PRAYSE MADE FOR OUR SOUEREIGNE LORD THE KYNG.[4]

[Sidenote: Candida, punica, &c.]

The Rose both White and Rede In one Rose now dothe grow; Thus thorow every stede[5] Thereof the fame dothe blow: Grace the sede did sow: England, now gaddir flowris, Exclude now all dolowrs.

[Sidenote: Nobilis Henricus, &c.]

Noble Henry the eight, Thy loving souereine lorde, Of kingis line moost streight, His titille dothe recorde: In whome dothe wele acorde Alexis yonge of age, Adrastus wise and sage.

[Sidenote: Sedibus ætheriis, &c.]

Astrea, Justice hight, That from the starry sky Shall now com and do right, This hunderd yere scantly A man kowd not aspy That Right dwelt vs among, And that was the more wrong:

[Sidenote: Arcebit vulpes, &c.]

Right shall the foxis chare,[6] The wolvis, the beris also, That wrowght have moche care, And browght Englond in wo: They shall wirry no mo,[7] Nor wrote[8] the Rosary[9] By extort trechery:

[Sidenote: Ne tanti regis, &c.]

Of this our noble king The law they shall not breke; They shall com to rekening; No man for them wil speke: The pepil durst not creke Theire grevis to complaine, They browght them in soche paine:

[Sidenote: Ecce Platonis secla, &c.]

Therfor no more they shall The commouns ouerbace, That wont wer ouer all Both lorde and knight to face;[10] For now the yeris of grace And welthe ar com agayne, That maketh England faine.[11]

[Sidenote: Rediit jam pulcher Adonis, &c.]

Adonis of freshe colour, Of yowthe the godely flour, Our prince of high honour, Our paves,[12] our succour, Our king, our emperour, Our Priamus of Troy, Our welth, our worldly joy;

[Sidenote: Anglorum radians, &c.]

Vpon vs he doth reigne, That makith our hartis glad, As king moost soueraine That ever Englond had; Demure, sober, and sad,[13] And Martis lusty knight; God save him in his right!

Amen.

_Bien men souient._[14]

_Per me laurigerum Britonum Skeltonida vatem._

[4] _A lawde and prayse made for our souereigne lord the kyng_] Such (in a different handwriting from that of the poem) is the endorsement of the MS., which consists of two leaves, bound up in the volume marked _B._ 2. 8 (pp. 67-69), among the Records of the Treasury of the Receipt of the Exchequer, now at the Rolls House.—Qy. is this poem the piece which, in the catalogue of his own writings, Skelton calls “The Boke of the Rosiar,” _Garlande of Laurell_, v. 1178, vol. i. 408?

[5] _stede_] i. e. place.

[6] _chare_] i. e. chase, drive away (see _Prompt. Parv._ i. 70. Camden Soc. ed.).

[7] _mo_] i. e. more.

[8] _wrote_] i. e. root.

[9] _Rosary_] i. e. Rose-bush.

[10] _face_] See Notes, vol. ii. 216.

[11] _faine_] i. e. glad.

[12] _paves_] i. e. shield (properly, a large shield covering the body).

[13] _sad_] i. e. grave—discreet.

[14] _Bien men souient_] These words are followed in the MS. by a sort of flourished device, which might perhaps be read—“_Deo (21ͦ) gratias_.”

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

PAGE

SOME ACCOUNT OF SKELTON AND HIS WRITINGS v

APPENDIX I. Merie Tales of Skelton, and Notices of Skelton from various sources liii

APPENDIX II. List of Editions, &c. lxxxix

APPENDIX III. Extracts from pieces which are written in, or which contain examples of, the metre called Skeltonical cv

Of the death of the noble prince, Kynge Edwarde the Forth 1

_Poeta Skelton laureatus libellum suum metrice alloquitur_ 6

Vpon the doulourus dethe and muche lamentable chaunce of the most honorable Erle of Northumberlande 6

_Tetrastichon ad Magistrum Rukshaw_ 14

Agaynste a comely coystrowne, that curyowsly chawntyd, and curryshly cowntred, &c. 15

_Contra alium cantitantem et organisantem asinum_, &c. 17

Vppon a deedmans hed, that was sent to hym from an honorable jentyllwoman for a token, &c. 18

“Womanhod, wanton, ye want,” &c. 20

Dyuers Balettys and Dyties solacyous:—

“My darlyng dere, my daysy floure,” &c. 22

“The auncient acquaintance, madam, betwen vs twayn,” &c. 23

“Knolege, aquayntance, resort, fauour with grace,” &c. 25

“_Cuncta licet cecidisse putas discrimina rerum_,” &c. 26

“Though ye suppose all jeperdys ar paste,” &c. 26

“Go, pytyous hart, rasyd with dedly wo,” &c. 27

Manerly Margery Mylk and Ale 28

The Bowge of Courte 30

Phyllyp Sparowe 51

The tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng 95

Poems against Garnesche 116

Against venemous tongues, &c. 132

How euery thing must haue a tyme 137

Prayer to the Father of Heauen 139

To the Seconde Parson 139

To the Holy Gooste 140

“Woffully araid,” &c. 141

“Now synge we, as we were wont,” &c. 144

“_I, liber, et propera, regem tu pronus adora_,” &c. 147

The maner of the world now a dayes 148

Ware the Hauke 155

_Epithaphe. A Deuoute Trentale for old John Clarke_, &c. 168

“_Diligo rustincum cum portant_,” &c. 174

_Lamentatio urbis Norvicen_ 174

_In Bedel_, &c. 175

“_Hanc volo transcribas_,” &c. 175

“_Igitur quia sunt qui mala cuncta fremunt_,” &c. 176

“_Salve plus decies quam sunt momenta dierum_,” &c. 177

_Henrici Septimi Epitaphium_ 178

_Eulogium pro suorum temporum conditione, tantis principibus non indignum_ 179

_Tetrastichon veritatis_ 181

Against the Scottes 182

Vnto diuers people that remord this rymynge, &c. 188

_Chorus de Dis contra Scottos_, &c. 190

_Chorus de Dis_, &c. _super triumphali victoria contra Gallos_, &c. 191

_Vilitissimus Scotus Dundas allegat caudas contra Angligenas_ 192

_Elegia in Margaretæ nuper comitissæ de Derby funebre ministerium_ 195

Why were ye _Calliope_ embrawdred with letters of golde? 197

_Cur tibi contexta est aurea_ Calliope? 198

The Boke of Three Fooles 199

A replycacion agaynst certayne yong scolers abiured of late, &c. 206

Magnyfycence, a goodly interlude and a mery 225

Colyn Cloute 311

A ryght delectable tratyse vpon a goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, &c. 361

_Admonet Skeltonis omnes arbores dare locum viridi lauro juxta genus suum_ 425

_En Parlament a Paris_ 426

Out of Frenshe into Latyn 426

Owt of Latyne into Englysshe 426

CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.

PAGE

Speke, Parrot 1

Why come ye nat to Courte 26

Howe the douty Duke of Albany, lyke a cowarde knyght, ran awaye shamfully, &c. 68

NOTES TO VOLUME I. 85

NOTES TO VOLUME II. 338

POEMS ATTRIBUTED TO SKELTON.

Verses presented to King Henry the Seventh at the feast of St. George, &c. 387

The Epitaffe of the moste noble and valyaunt Jaspar late Duke of Beddeforde 388

Elegy on King Henry the Seventh 399

_Vox populi, vox Dei_ 400

The Image of Ipocrysy 413

CORRIGENDA AND ADDENDA 449

INDEX TO THE NOTES 457

SOME ACCOUNT OF SKELTON AND HIS WRITINGS.

John Skelton[15] is generally said to have been descended from the Skeltons of Cumberland;[16] but there is some reason to believe that Norfolk was his native county. The time of his birth, which is left to conjecture, cannot well be carried back to an earlier year than 1460.

The statement of his biographers, that he was educated at Oxford,[17] I am not prepared to contradict: but if he studied there, it was at least after he had gone through an academical course at the sister university; for he has himself expressly declared,

“Alma parens O Cantabrigensis, ... ...tibi quondam carus alumnus eram;”

adding in a marginal note, “Cantabrigia Skeltonidi laureato primam mammam eruditionis pientissime propinavit.”[18] Hence it is probable that the poet was the “one Scheklton,” who, according to Cole, became M.A. at Cambridge in 1484.[19]

Of almost all Skelton’s writings which have descended to our times, the first editions[20] have perished; and it is impossible to determine either at what period he commenced his career as a poet, or at what dates his various pieces were originally printed. That he was the author of many compositions which are no longer extant, we learn from the pompous enumeration of their titles in the _Garlande of Laurell_[21]. The lines _Of the death of the noble prince, ynge Edwarde the forth_[22], who deceased in 1483, were probably among his earliest attempts in verse.

In 1489 Skelton produced an elegy _Vpon the doulourus dethe and muche lamentable chaunce of the most honorable Erle of Northumberlande_,[23] who was slain during a popular insurrection in Yorkshire. His son Henry Algernon Percy, the fifth earl, who is there mentioned as the “yonge lyon, but tender yet of age,”[24] appears to have afterwards extended his patronage to the poet:[25] at a time when persons of the highest rank were in general grossly illiterate, this nobleman was both a lover and a liberal encourager of letters.

Skelton had acquired great reputation as a scholar, and had recently been laureated at Oxford,[26] when Caxton, in 1490, published _The boke of Eneydos compyled by Vyrgyle_,[27] in the Preface to which is the following passage: “But I praye mayster John Skelton, late created poete laureate in the vnyuersite of oxenforde, to ouersee and correcte this sayd booke, And taddresse and expowne where as shalle be founde faulte to theym that shall requyre it. For hym I knowe for suffycyent to expowne and englysshe euery dyffyculte that is therin. For he hath late translated the epystlys of Tulle,[28] and the boke of dyodorus syculus,[29] and diuerse other werkes oute of latyn in to englysshe, not in rude and olde langage, but in polysshed and ornate termes craftely, as he that hath redde vyrgyle, ouyde, tullye, and all the other noble poetes and oratours, to me vnknowen: And also he hath redde the ix. muses and vnderstande theyr musicalle scyences, and to whom of theym eche scyence is appropred. I suppose he hath dronken of Elycons well. Then I praye hym & suche other to correcte adde or mynysshe where as he or they shall fynde faulte,”[30] &c. The laureatship in question, however, was not the office of poet laureat according to the modern acceptation of the term: it was a degree in grammar, including rhetoric and versification, taken at the university, on which occasion the graduate was presented with a wreath of laurel.[31] To this academical honour Skelton proudly alludes in his fourth poem _Against Garnesche_;

“A kyng to me myn habyte gaue: At Oxforth, the vniversyte, Auaunsid I was to that degre; By hole consent of theyr senate, I was made poete lawreate.”[32]

Our laureat, a few years after, was admitted _ad eundem_ at Cambridge: “An. Dom. 1493, et Hen. 7 nono. Conceditur Johī Skelton Poete in partibus transmarinis atque Oxon. Laurea ornato, ut apud nos eadem decoraretur;” again, “An. 1504-5, Conceditur Johi Skelton, Poetæ Laureat. quod possit stare eodem gradu hic, quo stetit Oxoniis, et quod possit uti habitu sibi concesso a Principe.” Warton, who cites both these entries,[33] remarks, “the latter clause, I believe, relates to some distinction of habit, perhaps of fur or velvet, granted him by the king.” There can be no doubt that Skelton speaks of this peculiar apparel in the lines just quoted, as also in his third poem _Against Garnesche_, where he says,

“Your sworde ye swere, I wene, So tranchaunt and so kene, Xall kyt both _wyght and grene_: Your foly ys to grett _The kynges colours_ to threte;”[34]

from which we may infer that he wore, as laureat, a dress of white and green, or, perhaps, a white dress with a wreath of laurel. It was most probably on some part of the same habit that the word _Calliope_ was embroidered in letters of silk and gold:

“Calliope, As ye may se, Regent is she Of poetes al, Whiche gaue to me The high degre Laureat to be Of fame royall; _Whose name enrolde_ _With silke and golde_ _I dare be bolde_ _Thus for to were_,”[35] &c.

In the following passage Barclay perhaps glances at Skelton, with whom (as will afterwards be shewn) he was on unfriendly terms;

“But of their writing though I ensue the rate, No name I chalenge of _Poete laureate_: That name vnto them is mete and doth agree Which writeth matters with curiositee. Mine habite blacke accordeth not with _grene_, Blacke betokeneth death as it is dayly sene; The _grene_ is pleasour, freshe lust and iolite; These two in nature hath great diuersitie. Then who would ascribe, except he were a foole, The pleasaunt _laurer_ vnto the mourning cowle?”[36]

Warton has remarked, that some of Skelton’s Latin verses, which are subscribed—“Hæc laureatus Skeltonis, regius orator”—“Per Skeltonida laureatum, oratorem regium,”—seem to have been written in the character of _royal_ laureate;[37] and perhaps the expression “of fame royall” in Skelton’s lines on _Calliope_ already cited, may be considered as strengthening this supposition. There would, indeed, be no doubt that Skelton was not only a poet laureated at the universities, but also poet laureat or court poet to Henry the Eighth, if the authenticity of the following statement were established; “la patente qui declare Skelton poète laureat d’Henry viii. est datée de la cinquième année de son règne, ce qui tombe en 1512 ou 1513:” so (after giving correctly the second entry concerning Skelton’s laureation at Cambridge) writes the Abbé du Resnel in an essay already mentioned; having received, it would seem, both these statements concerning Skelton from Carte the historian,[38] who, while he communicated to Du Resnel one real document, was not likely to have forged another for the purpose of misleading the learned Frenchman. On this subject I can only add, that no proof has been discovered of Skelton’s having enjoyed an annual salary from the crown in consequence of such an office.

The reader will have observed that in the first entry given above from the Cambridge Univ. Regist., Skelton is described as having been laureated not only at Oxford but also “transmarinis partibus.” That the foreign seat of learning at which he received this honour was the university of Louvaine,[39] may be inferred from the title of a poem which I subjoin entire, not only because it occurs in a volume of the greatest rarity, but because it evinces the celebrity which Skelton had attained.

“IN CLARISSIMI SCHELTONIS _LOUANIENSIS_ POETÆ LAUDES EPIGRAMMA.