Part 19

So many lollers, So few true tollers, So many baudes and pollers, Sawe I never: Such treachery, Simony and usury, 150 Poverty and lechery, Saw I never.

So many avayles, So many geales, And so many fals baylies,[602] Sawe I never: By fals and subtyll wayes All England decayes, For more envy and lyers[603] Sawe I never. 160

So new facioned jackes With brode flappes in the neckes, And so gay new partlettes, Sawe I never: So many slutteshe cookes, So new facioned tucking hookes, And so few biers of bookes, Saw I never.

Sometime we song of myrth and play, But now our joy is gone away, 170 For so many fal in decay Sawe I never: Whither is the welth of England gon? The spiritual saith they have none, And so many wrongfully undone Saw I never.

It is great pitie that every day So many brybors go by the way, And so many extorcioners in eche cuntrey Sawe I never. 180 To thé, Lord, I make my mone, For thou maist healpe us everichone: Alas, the people is so wo begone, Worse was it never!

Amendment Were convenient, But it may not be; We have exiled veritie. God is neither dead nor sicke; He may amend al yet, 190 And trowe ye so in dede, As ye beleve ye shal have mede. After better I hope ever, For worse was it never.

Finis. J. S.

[601] _The Maner of the World now a dayes_] Was _Imprinted at London in Flete Strete at the signe of the Rose Garland by W. Copland_, n. d. This piece (of the original impression of which I have not been able to procure a sight) is now given from _Old Ballads_, 1840, edited by J. P. Collier, Esq., for the Percy Society.

[602] _baylies_] Qy. “bayles?”

[603] _lyers_] Qy. “lyes?”

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH THE BOKE ENTYTULED WARE THE HAUKE,[604] PER SKELTON, LAUREAT.

PROLOGUS SKELTONIDIS LAUREATI SUPER WARE THE HAWKE.

This worke deuysed is For such as do amys; And specyally to controule Such as haue cure of soule, That be so farre abused, They cannot be excused By reason nor by law; But that they play the daw, To hawke, or els to hunt From the aulter[605] to the funte, 10 With cry vnreuerent, Before the sacrament, Within the holy church bowndis, That of our faith the grounde is. That pryest that hawkys so, All grace is farre him fro; He semeth a sysmatyke, Or els an heretyke, For fayth in him is faynte. Therefore to make complaynte[606] 20 Of such mysaduysed Parsons and dysgysed, This boke we haue deuysed, Compendiously comprysed, No good priest to offende, But suche dawes to amende, In hope that no man shall Be[607] myscontent withall. I shall you make relacion, By waye of apostrofacion, 30 Vnder supportacion Of youre pacyent tolleracion, How I, Skelton Laureat, Deuysed and also wrate Vpon a lewde curate, A parson benyfyced, But nothing well aduysed: He shall be as now nameles, But he shall not be blameles, Nor he shal not be shameles; 40 For sure he wrought amys, To hawke in my church of Dis. This fonde frantyke fauconer,[608] With his polutid pawtenar,[609] As priest vnreuerent, Streyght to the sacrament He made his hawke to fly, With hogeous showte and cry. The hye auter[610] he strypt naked; There on he stode, and craked; 50 He shoke downe all the clothis, And sware horrible othes Before the face of God, By Moyses and Arons rod, Or that he thens yede, His hawke shoulde pray and fede Vpon a pigeons maw. The bloude ran downe raw Vpon the auter stone; The hawke tyrid on a bonne; 60 And in the holy place She mutid there a chase Vpon my corporas face. Such _sacrificium laudis_ He made with suche gambawdis.

OBSERVATE.

His seconde hawke wexid gery, And was with flying wery; She had flowin so oft, That on the rode loft She perkyd her to rest. 70 The fauconer then was prest[611], Came runnyng with a dow, And cryed, Stow, stow, stow! But she would not bow. He then, to be sure, Callid her with a lure. Her mete[612] was very crude, She had not wel endude; She was not clene ensaymed, She was not well reclaymed: 80 But the fawconer vnfayned Was much more febler brayned. The hawke had no lyst To come to hys fyst; She loked as she had the frounce;[613] With that he gaue her a bounce Full vpon the gorge: I wyll not fayne nor forge; The hawke with that clap Fell downe with euyll hap. 90 The church dores were sparred, Fast boltyd and barryd, Yet wyth a prety gyn I fortuned to come in, This rebell to beholde, Wherof I hym[614] controlde; But he sayde that he woulde, Agaynst my mynde and wyll, In my churche hawke styll.

CONSIDERATE.

On Sainct John decollacion 100 He hawked on this facion, _Tempore vesperarum,_ _Sed non secundum Sarum_, But lyke a Marche harum, His braynes were so _parum_. He sayde he would not let His houndis for to fet, To hunte there by lyberte In the dyspyte of me, And to halow there the fox: 110 Downe went my offerynge box, Boke, bell, and candyll, All that he myght handyll; Cros, staffe, lectryne, and banner, Fell downe on this manner.

DELIBERATE.

With, troll, cytrace, and trouy, They ranged, hankin bouy, My churche all aboute. This fawconer then[615] gan showte, These be my gospellers, 120 These be my pystillers, These be my querysters To helpe me to synge, My hawkes to mattens rynge. In this priestly gydynge His hawke then flew vppon The rode with Mary and John. Delt he not lyke a fon? Delt he not lyke a daw? Or els is this Goddes law, 130 Decrees or decretals, Or holy sinodals, Or els prouincials, Thus within the wals Of holy church to deale, Thus to rynge a peale With his hawkis bels? Dowtles such losels Make the churche to be In smale auctoryte: 140 A curate in speciall To snappar and to fall Into this open cryme; To loke on this were tyme.

VIGILATE.

But who so that lokys In the officiallis bokis, Ther he[616] may se and reed That this is matter indeed. How be it, mayden Meed Made theym to be agreed, 150 And so the Scrybe was feed, And the Pharasay Than durst nothing say, But let the matter slyp, And made truth to trip; And of the spiritual law They made but a gewgaw, And toke it out in drynke, And this the cause doth shrynke: The church is thus abused, 160 Reproched and pollutyd; Correccion hath no[617] place, And all for lacke of grace.

DEPLORATE.

Loke now in _Exodi_, And _de arca Domini_, With _Regum_ by and by; The Bybyll wyll not ly; How the Temple was kept, How the Temple was swept, Where _sanguis taurorum,_ 170 _Aut sanguis vitulorum_, Was offryd within the wallis, After ceremoniallis; When it was poluted, Sentence was executed, By wey of expiacion, For reconciliacion.[618]

DIVINITATE.[619]

Then muche more, by the rode, Where Christis precious blode Dayly offred is, 180 To be poluted this; And that he wyshed withall That the dowues donge downe might fal Into my chalis at mas, When consecrated was The blessed sacrament: O prieest vnreuerent! He sayde that he woulde hunt From the aulter to the funt.

REFORMATE.

Of no tyrande I rede, 190 That so farre dyd excede; Neyther yet Dioclesyan, Nor yet Domisian, Nor yet[620] croked Cacus, Nor yet dronken Bacus;[621] Nother Olibrius, Nor Dionisyus; Nother Phalary, Rehersed in Valery; Nor Sardanapall, 200 Vnhappiest of all; Nor Nero the worst, Nor Clawdius the curst; Nor yet Egeas, Nor yet Syr Pherumbras; Nother Zorobabell, Nor cruel Jesabell; Nor yet Tarquinius, Whom Tytus Liuius In wrytynge doth enroll; 210 I haue red them poll by poll; The story of Arystobell, And of Constantinopell,[622] Whiche citye miscreantys wan, And slew many a Christen man; Yet the Sowden, nor the Turke, Wrought neuer suche a worke, For to let theyr hawkes fly In the Church of Saint Sophy; With much matter more, 220 That I kepe in store.

PENSITATE.

Then in a tabull playne I wroute a verse or twayne, Whereat he made dysdayne: The pekysh parsons brayne Cowde not rech nor attayne What the sentence ment; He sayde, for a crokid intent The wordes were paruerted: And this he ouerthwarted. 230 Of the which proces Ye may know more expres, If it please you to loke In the resydew of this boke.

_Here after followeth the tabull._

Loke on this tabull, Whether thou art abull To rede or to spell What these verses tell.

_Sicculo lutueris est colo būraarā[623]_ _Nixphedras uisarum caniuter tuntantes[624]_ _Raterplas Natābrian[625] umsudus itnugenus._ _18. 10. 2. 11. 19. 4. 13. 3. 3. 1. tēualet.[626]_ _Chartula stet, precor, hæc nullo[627] temeranda petulco:_ _Hos rapiet numeros non homo, sed mala bos._ _Ex parte rem chartæ adverte aperte, pone Musam Arethusam hanc._

Whereto should I rehers The sentence of my vers? 240 In them be no scholys For braynsycke frantycke folys: _Construas hoc_, _Domine_ Dawcocke! Ware the hawke! Maister _sophista_, Ye _simplex syllogista_, Ye[628] deuelysh _dogmatista_, Your hawke on your fista, To hawke when you[629] lista 250 _In ecclesia ista_, _Domine concupisti_,[630] With thy hawke on thy fisty? _Nunquid sic dixisti?_ _Nunquid sic fecisti?_ _Sed ubi hoc legisti_ _Aut unde hoc_, Doctor Dawcocke? Ware the hawke! Doctor _Dialetica_,[631] 260 Where fynde you in _Hypothetica_, Or in _Categoria_, _Latina sive Dorica_, To vse your hawkys _forica_ _In propitiatorio_, _Tanquam diversorio?_ _Unde hoc_, _Domine_ Dawcocke? Ware the hawke! Saye to me, Jacke Harys, 270 _Quare aucuparis_ _Ad sacramentum altaris?_ For no reuerens[632] thou sparys To shake my pygeons federis _Super arcam fœderis_: _Unde hoc_, Doctor Dawcocke? Ware the hawke! Sir _Dominus vobiscum_, _Per[633] aucupium_ 280 Ye made your hawke to cum _Desuper candelabrum_ _Christi crucifixi_ To fede vpon your fisty: _Dic, inimice crucis Christi_, _Ubi didicisti_ _Facere hoc_, _Domine_ Dawcocke? Ware the hawke! Apostata Julianus, 290 Nor yet Nestorianus, Thou shalt no[634] where rede That they dyd suche a dede, To let theyr hawkys fly _Ad ostium tabernaculi_, _In quo est corpus Domini_: _Cave hoc_, Doctor Dawcocke! Ware the hawke! This dowtles ye rauyd, 300 Dys church ye thus deprauyd; Wherfore, as I be sauyd, Ye are therefore beknauyd: _Quare? quia Evangelia_, _Concha et conchylia_, _Accipiter[635] et sonalia_, _Et bruta animalia_,[636] _Cætera quoque talia_ _Tibi sunt æqualia_: _Unde hoc_, 310 _Domine_ Dawcocke? Ware the hawke! _Et relis et ralis_, _Et reliqualis_, From Granado to Galis, From Wynchelsee to Walys,[637] _Non est_ braynsycke _talis_, _Nec minus rationalis_, _Nec magis bestialis_,[638] That synggys with a chalys: 320 _Construas hoc_, Doctor Dawcocke! Ware the hawke! Masyd, wytles, smery smyth, Hampar with your hammer vpon thy styth, And make hereof a syckyll or a saw, For thoughe ye lyue a c. yere, ye shall dy a daw. _Vos valete_, _Doctor indiscrete!_

[604] _Ware the Hauke_] From the ed. by Kynge and Marche of _Certaine bokes compyled by mayster Skelton_, n. d., collated with the same work, ed. Day, n. d., and ed. Lant, n. d., and with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568.

[605] _aulter_] Here Lant’s ed. has “auter.” (In the spelling of this word the eds. are not consistent; see vv. 49, 59, 189.)

[606] _complaynte_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “complaunt.”

[607] _Be_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “By.”

[608] _fauconer_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, “fouconer.”

[609] _pawtenar_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “pawtner.”

[610] _auter_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “aulter:” see note, ante, p. 155.

[611] _prest_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, and of Day, “priest.”

[612] _mete_] So Lant’s ed. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “mere.” Other eds. “meate.”

[613] _frounce_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “fronnce” and “fronce.”

[614] _I hym_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “him I.”

[615] _then_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe.

[616] _he_] Marshe’s ed. “her.”

[617] _no_] So other eds. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “na.”

[618] _For reconciliacion_] Not in eds. of Day, and Marshe.

[619] _Divinitate_] Qy. “Divinate?”

[620] _Nor yet_] Lant’s ed. “Nother.”

[621] _Bacus_] Marshe’s ed. “Baccus.”

[622] _Constantinopell_] Marshe’s ed. “Constantinobel.”

[623] _būraarā_] In Day’s ed. the final letter of this word being blurred looks like a _d_; and Marshe’s ed. has “bunraard.” The meaning of this “tabull playne” is quite beyond my comprehension.

[624] _tuntantes_] Marshe’s ed. “tauntantes.”

[625] _Natābrian_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Natanbrian.” The Editor of 1736 prints “_Natanbrianum sudus_.”

[626] _tēualet_] Perhaps, “ten (10) _valet_.”

[627] _nullo_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “uello.”

[628] _Ye_] Eds. “The.”

[629] _you_] Eds. “your.”

[630] _concupisti_] Eds. “racapisti” and “cacapisti.”

[631] _Dialetica_] So written in eds. for the rhyme.

[632] _reuerens_] So Lant’s ed. Other eds. “reuens.”

[633] _Per_] Eds. “Par.”

[634] _no_] Day’s ed. “ne.”

[635] _Accipiter_] Eds. “Ancipiter.”

[636] _animalia_] Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, (in which impressions only this line is found), “aīlia.”

[637] _Walys_] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Wales,” and in the next line “tales.”

[638] _bestialis_] Day’s ed. “bestia.” Marshe’s ed. “bestis.”

SKELTONIS APOSTROPHAT AD DIVUM JOHANNEM DECOLLATUM, IN CUJUS PROFESTO FIEBAT HOC AUCUPIUM.

_O memoranda dies, qua, decollate[639] Johannes,_ _Aucupium facit, haud[640] quondam[641] quod fecerit, intra[642]_ _Ecclesiam de Dis, violans tua[643] sacra sacrorum!_ _Rector de Whipstok, doctor cognomine Daucock,_ _Et dominus Wodcock; probat is, probat hic, probat hæc hoc._

IDEM[644] DE LIBERA DICACITATE POETICA IN EXTOLLENDA PROBITATE, ET IN PERFRICANDA IGNOBILITATE.

_Libertas veneranda piis concessa poetis_ _Dicendi est quæcunque placent, quæcunque juvabunt,_ _Vel quæcunque valent justas defendere causas,_ _Vel quæcunque valent[645] stolidos mordere petulcos._ _Ergo dabis veniam._

Quod Skelton, laureat.

EPITHAPHE.[646]

This tretise devysed it is Of two knaues somtyme of Dis. Though this knaues be deade, Full of myschiefe and queed, Yet, where so euer they ly, Theyr names shall neuer dye.

_Compendium de duobus versipellibus, John Jayberd, et Adam all[647] a knaue, deque illorum notissima vilitate._

A DEUOUTE TRENTALE FOR OLD JOHN CLARKE, SOMETYME THE HOLY PATRIARKE OF DIS.

_Sequitur trigintale_ _Tale quale rationale,_ _Licet parum curiale,_ _Tamen satis est formale,_ _Joannis Clerc, hominis_ _Cujusdam multinominis,[648]_ _Joannes Jayberd qui vocatur,_ _Clerc cleribus nuncupatur._ _Obiit sanctus iste pater_ _Anno Domini MD. sexto._ 10 _In parochia de Dis_ _Non erat sibi similis;_ _In malitia vir insignis,_ _Duplex corde et bilinguis;_ _Senio confectus,_ _Omnibus suspectus,_ _Nemini dilectus,_ _Sepultus est_ amonge the wedes: God forgeue hym his mysdedes!

_Dulce melos_ _Penetrans cœlos._

_Carmina cum cannis_ _cantemus festa Joannis:_ _Clerk obiit vere,_ _Jayberd nomenque dedere;_ _Dis populo[649] natus,_ _Clerk cleribus estque vocatus._ _Hic vir Chaldæus,_ _nequam vir, ceu Jebusæus,_ _In Christum Domini_ _fremuit de more cameli,_ 10 _Rectori proprio_ _tam verba retorta loquendo_ _Unde resultando—_ _que Acheronta[650] boando tonaret._ _Nunquam sincere_ _solitus sua crimina flere;_ _Cui male lingua loquax—_ _que dicax mendaxque, fuere_ _Et mores tales_ _resident in nemine quales;_ 20 _Carpens vitales_ _auras, turbare sodales_ _Et cines socios,[651]_ _asinus, mulus velut, et bos._ _Omne suum studium_ _rubeum pictum per amictum_ _Discolor; et victum_ _faciens semper maledictum_ _Ex intestinis ovium—_ _que boumque caprorum;_ 30 _Tendens adque forum,_ _fragmentum colligit horum,_ _Dentibus exemptis_ _mastigat cumque polentis_ _Lanigerum caput aut ovis[652]_ _aut vaccæ mugientis._ _Quid petis, hic sit quis?_ _John Jayberd, incola[653] de Dis;_ _Cui, dum vixerat is,_ _sociantur jurgia, vis, lis._ 40 _Jam jacet hic_ starke deed, Neuer a toth in his heed. Adieu, Jayberd, adue, I faith, dikkon thou crue! _Fratres, orate_ For this knauate, By the holy rode, Dyd neuer man good: I pray you all, And pray shall, 50 At this trentall On knees to fall To the fote ball; With, fill the blak bowle For Jayberdes sowle. _Bibite multum:_ _Ecce sepultum_ _Sub pede stultum,_ _Asinum, et mulum!_ The deuill kis his _culum_! 60 Wit[h], hey, howe, rumbelowe, _Rumpopulorum,_ _Per omnia secula seculorum! Amen._

_Requiem, &c._

_Per Fredericum Hely,_ _Fratrem de Monte Carmeli,_ _Qui condunt sine sale_ _Hoc devotum trigintale._ _Vale Jayberd, valde male!_

Adam Vddersall,[654] _Alias dictus_ Adam all a knaue, his Epitaph foloweth deuoutly; He was somtime the holy Baillyue of Dis.

Of Dis _Adam degebat:_ _dum vixit, falsa gerebat,_ _Namque extorquebat_ _quicquid nativus habebat,_ _Aut liber natus; rapidus[655]_ _lupus inde vocatus:_ _Ecclesiamque satus_ _de Belial iste Pilatus_ _Sub pede calcatus_ _violavit, nunc violatus:_ 10 _Perfidus, iratus,_ _numquam fuit ille beatus:_ _Uddersall stratus_ _benedictis[656] est spoliatus,_ _Improbus, inflatus,_ _maledictis jam laceratus:_ _Dis,[657] tibi bacchatus_ _ballivus prædominatus:_ _Hic fuit ingratus,_ _porcus velut insatiatus,_ 20 _Pinguis, crassatus;_ _velut Agag sit[658] reprobatus!_ _Crudelisque Cacus_ _barathro, peto, sit tumulatus!_ _Belsabub his soule saue,_ _Qui jacet hic_, like a knaue! _Jam scio mortuus est,_ _Et jacet hic_, like a best. _Anima ejus_ _De malo in pejus.[659] Amen._ 30 _De Dis hæc semper erit camena,_ _Adam Uddersall sit anathema!_

_Auctore Skelton, rectore de Dis._

_Finis, &c. Apud Trumpinton scriptum[660] per Curatum ejusdem, quinto die Januarii Anno Domini, secundum computat. Angliæ, MDVII._

_Adam, Adam, ubi es?_ Genesis. Re. _Ubi nulla requies, ubi nullus ordo, sed sempiternus horror inhabitat._ Job.

[639] _decollate_] Eds. “decolare.”

[640] _haud_] Eds. “hod.”

[641] _quondam_] Marshe’s ed. “quandam.”

[642] _intra_] Eds. “infra.”

[643] _tua_] Eds. “sua.”

[644] _Idem, &c._] These lines follow _Ware the Hawk_ in all the eds.

[645] _valent_] Eds. “volent.”

[646] _Epithaphe, &c._] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568.

[647] _all_] Ed. “ali.:” but compare p. 171.

[648] _multinominis_] Ed. “maltimoniis.”

[649] _populo_] The correction of the Rev. J. Mitford. Ed. “populus.”

[650] _que Acheronta, &c. ... que dicax, &c._] Perhaps these passages ought to be arranged thus for the sake of the rhyme;

_“que Acheronta boando_ _tonaret. Nunquam sincere,” &c._ ... _“que dicax mendax—_ _que, fuere Et mores tales,” &c._

But from the rest of the poem it seems that Skelton intended each hexameter to be cut only into two parts.

[651] _socios_] Ed. “socias.”

[652] _caput aut ovis_] Ed. “caput caput.” I give the conjectural reading of the Rev. J. Mitford. The rhyme suggests (but the metre will not allow) “bidentis.”

[653] _incola_] Ed. “Nicolas.”

[654] _Vddersall, &c._] Ed. “Vddersale:” but compare vv. 13, 32. In this passage I have adopted the arrangement proposed by the Rev. J. Mitford.—Ed. thus;

“Adam Vddersale. alias dictus Adam all. a knaue his Epitaph. Foloweth deuoutly, He was somtime the holy baillyue of dis.”

[655] _rapidus_] The Rev. J. Mitford conjectures, “rabidus;” but _rapidus_ is frequently used in the same sense.

[656] _benedictis_] Ed. “Benedictus;” and in the next line but one, “Maledictus.”

[657] _Dis, tibi, &c._] The emendation of the Rev. J. Mitford: compare above, “Baillyue of Dis.”—Ed.

“Sis _tibi baccatus_ Balians _prædominatus_.”

[658] _sit_] Ed. “fit.”

[659] _pejus_] Ed. “peuis.”

[660] _scriptum_] Ed. “scripter.”

_Diligo rustincum[661] cum portant bis duo quointum,_ _Et cantant delos est mihi dulce melos._ 1. _Canticum dolorosum._

[661] _Diligo rustincum, &c._] This and the following piece are from Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568. In that collection the present couplet is twice printed: “_rustincum_” is the reading of the first copy, “_rusticum_” (which the metre will not admit) of the second: the first copy has “_quonintum_,” the second “_quointum_;” the Editor of 1736 gave “_quantum_.” See notes for the conjectures of the Rev. J. Mitford on this enigma. “_Canticum dolorosum_” is probably part of the title of the next piece.

LAMENTATIO URBIS NORVICEN.

_O lacrymosa lues nimis, O quam flebile fatum!_ _Ignibus exosis, urbs veneranda, ruis;_ _Fulmina sive Jovis sive ultima fata vocabant,_ _vulcani rapidis ignibus ipsa peris._ _Ah[662] decus, ah patriæ specie pulcherrima dudum!_ _Urbs Norvicensis labitur[663] in cineres._ _Urbs, tibi quid referam? breviter tibi pauca reponam:_ _Prospera rara[664] manent, utere sorte tua;_ _Perpetuum mortale nihil, sors omnia versat:_ _Urbs miseranda, vale! sors miseranda tua est._ 10

Skelton.[665]

[662] _Ah ... ah_] Ed. “Au ... au.”

[663] _labitur_] Ed. “labitar.”

[664] _rara_] Ed. “raro.”

[665] _Skelton_] Ed. “inifiranda _Skelton_:” the former word perhaps having been inserted by some mistake of the printer, whose eye had caught “miseranda” in the preceding line.

IN BEDEL, QUONDAM BELIAL INCARNATUM, DEVOTUM EPITAPHIUM.