Part 32

Aulus Gelius, that noble historiar; Orace also with his new poetry; Mayster Terence, the famous comicar,[1575] With Plautus, that wrote full[1576] many a comody; But blessyd Bachus was in there company, Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1577] Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;

Senek full soberly with[1578] his tragediis; Boyce, recounfortyd[1579] with his philosophy; And Maxymyane, with his madde ditiis, 360 How dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly; But blessyd Bachus most reuerent and holy, Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1580] Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;

There came Johnn Bochas with his volumys grete; Quintus Cursius,[1581] full craftely that wrate Of Alexander; and Macrobius that did trete Of Scipions dreme what was the treu probate; But blessyd Bachus that neuer man forgate, Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis[1582] 370 These orators and poetis refresshid ther throtis;

Poggeus also, that famous Florentine, Mustred ther amonge them with many a mad tale; With a frere of Fraunce men call sir Gagwyne, That frownyd[1583] on me full angerly and pale; But blessyd Bachus, that bote is of all bale, Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1584] Theis orators and poetis refresshid there throtis;

Plutarke and Petrarke, two famous clarkis; Lucilius and Valerius Maximus by name; 380 With Vincencius _in Speculo_, that wrote noble warkis; Propercius and Pisandros, poetis of noble fame; But blissed Bachus, that mastris oft doth frame, Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis[1585] Theis notable poetis refresshid there throtis.

And as I thus sadly amonge them auysid,[1586] I saw Gower, that first garnisshed our Englysshe rude, And maister Chaucer, that nobly enterprysyd How that our Englysshe myght fresshely be ennewed;[1587] The monke of Bury then after them ensuyd, 390 Dane Johnn Lydgate: theis Englysshe poetis thre, As I ymagenyd, repayrid vnto me,

Togeder in armes, as brethern, enbrasid; There apparell farre passynge beyonde that I can tell; With diamauntis and rubis there tabers[1588] were trasid, None so ryche stones in Turkey to sell; Thei wantid nothynge but the laurell; And of there bounte they made me godely chere, In maner and forme as ye shall after here.

_Mayster Gower to Skelton._

Brother Skelton, your endeuorment 400 So haue ye done, that meretoryously Ye haue deseruyd to haue an enplement In our collage aboue the sterry sky, Bycause that ye[1589] encrese and amplyfy The brutid Britons of Brutus Albion, That welny[1590] was loste when that we were gone.

_Poeta Skelton[1591] to Maister Gower._

Maister Gower, I haue nothyng deserued To haue so laudabyle a commendacion: To yow thre this honor shalbe reserued, Arrectinge vnto your wyse examinacion 410 How all that I do is vnder refformation, For only the substance of that I entend, Is glad to please, and loth to offend.

_Mayster Chaucer to Skelton._[1592]

Counterwayng your besy delygence Of that we beganne in the supplement, Enforcid ar we you to recompence, Of all our hooll collage by the agreament, That we shall brynge you personally present Of noble Fame before the Quenes grace, In whose court poynted is your place. 420

_Poeta Skelton answeryth._

O noble Chaucer, whos pullisshyd eloquence Oure Englysshe rude so fresshely hath set out, That bounde ar we with all deu reuerence, With all our strength that we can brynge about, To owe to yow our seruyce, and more if we mowte! But what sholde I say? ye wote what I entende, Whiche glad am to please, and loth to offende.

_Mayster Lydgate to Skelton._

So am I preuentid of my brethern tweyne In rendrynge to you thankkis meritory, That welny[1593] nothynge there doth remayne 430 Wherwith to geue you my regraciatory, But that I poynt you to be prothonatory[1594] Of Fames court, by all our holl assent Auaunced by Pallas to laurell preferment.

_Poeta Skelton answeryth._

So haue ye me far passynge my meretis extollyd, Mayster Lidgate, of your accustomable Bownte, and so gloryously ye haue enrollyd My name, I know well, beyonde that I am able, That but if my warkes therto be agreable, I am elles rebukyd of that I intende, 440 Which glad am to please, and lothe to offende.

So finally, when they had shewyd there deuyse, Vnder the forme as I sayd tofore,[1595] I made it straunge, and drew bak ones or twyse, And euer they presed on me more and more, Tyll at the last they forcyd me so[1596] sore, That with them I went where they wolde me brynge, Vnto the pauylyon where Pallas was syttyng.

Dame Pallas commaundid that they shold me conuay Into the ryche palace of the Quene of Fame; 450 There shal he here what she wyl to hym[1597] say When he is callid to answere to his name: A cry anone forthwith she made proclame, All orators and poetis shulde thider go before, With all the prese that there was lesse and more.

Forthwith, I say, thus wandrynge[1598] in my thought, How it was, or elles within what howris, I can not[1599] tell you, but that I was brought Into a palace with turrettis and towris, Engolerid[1600] goodly with hallis and bowris, 460 So curiously, so craftely, so connyngly wrowght, That all the worlde,[1601] I trowe, and it were sought,

Suche an other there coude no man fynde; Wherof partely I purpose to expounde, Whyles it remanyth fresshe in my mynde. With turkis and grossolitis enpauyd was the grounde; Of birrall enbosid wer the pyllers rownde; Of elephantis tethe were the palace gatis, Enlosenged with many goodly platis

Of golde, entachid with many a precyous stone; 470 An hundred steppis mountyng to the halle, One of iasper, another of whalis bone; Of dyamauntis pointed was the rokky[1602] wall; The carpettis within and tappettis of pall; The chambres hangid with clothes of arace; Enuawtyd with rubies the vawte was of this place.

Thus passid we forth walkynge vnto the pretory Where the postis wer enbulyoned with saphiris indy blew, Englasid glittering with many a clere story; Iacinctis and smaragdis out of the florthe they grew: 480 Vnto this place all poetis there did sue, Wherin was set of Fame the noble Quene, All other transcendynge, most rychely besene,

Vnder a gloryous cloth of astate, Fret all with orient perlys of Garnate, Encrownyd as empresse of all this worldly[1603] fate, So ryally, so rychely, so passyngly ornate, It was excedyng byyonde the commowne rate: This hous enuyrowne was a myle about; If xii were let in, xii hundreth[1604] stode without. 490

Then to this lady and souerayne of this palace Of purseuantis ther presid in with many a[1605] dyuerse tale; Some were of Poyle, and sum were of Trace, Of Lymerik, of Loreine, of Spayne, of Portyngale,[1606] Frome Napuls, from Nauern, and from Rounceuall, Some from Flaunders, sum fro the se coste, Some from the mayne lande, some fro the Frensche hoste:

With, How doth the north? what tydyngis in the sowth? The west is wyndy, the est is metely wele; It is harde to tell of euery mannes mouthe; 500 A slipper holde the taile is of an ele, And he haltith often that hath a kyby hele; Some shewid his salfecundight,[1607] some shewid his charter,[1608] Some lokyd full smothely, and had a fals quarter;[1609]

With, Sir, I pray you, a lytyll tyne stande backe, And lette me come in to delyuer my lettre; Another tolde how shyppes wente to wrak; There were many wordes smaller and gretter, With, I as good as thou, Ifayth and no better; Some came to tell treuth, some came to lye, 510 Some came[1610] to flater, some came to spye:

There were, I say, of all maner of sortis, Of Dertmouth, of Plummouth, of Portismouth also; The burgeis and the ballyuis of the v portis, With, Now let me come, and now let me go: And all tyme wandred I thus to and fro, Tyll at the last theis noble poetis thre Vnto me sayd, Lo, syr, now ye may se

Of this high courte the dayly besines; From you most we, but not[1611] longe to tary; 520 Lo, hither commyth a goodly maystres, Occupacyon, Famys regestary, Whiche shall be to you a sufferayne accessary, With syngular pleasurs to dryue away the tyme, And we shall se you ageyne or it be pryme.

When they were past and wente forth on there way, This gentilwoman, that callyd was by name Occupacyon, in ryght goodly aray, Came towarde me, and smylid halfe in game; I sawe hir smyle, and I then[1612] did the same; 530 With that on me she kest[1613] her goodly loke; Vnder her arme, me thought, she hade a boke.

_Occupacyoun to Skelton._

Lyke as the larke, vpon the somers day, Whan Titan radiant burnisshith his bemis bryght, Mountith on hy with her melodious lay, Of the soneshyne engladid with the lyght, So am I supprysyd with pleasure and delyght To se this howre now, that I may say, How ye ar welcome to this court of aray.

Of your aqueintaunce I was in tymes past, 540 Of studyous doctryne when at the port salu Ye[1614] fyrste aryuyd; whan broken was your mast Of worldly trust, then did I you rescu; Your storme dryuen shyppe I repared new, So well entakeled, what wynde that[1615] euer blowe, No stormy tempeste your barge shall ouerthrow.

Welcome to me as hertely as herte can thynke, Welcome to me with all my hole desyre! And for my sake spare neyther pen nor ynke; Be well assurid I shall aquyte your hyre, 550 Your name recountynge beyonde the lande of Tyre, From Sydony to the mount Olympyan, Frome Babill towre to the hillis Caspian.[1616]

_Skelton Poeta answeryth._

I thanked her moche of her most noble offer, Affyaunsynge her myne hole assuraunce For her pleasure to make a large profer, Enpryntyng her wordes in my remembraunce, To owe her my seruyce with true perseueraunce. Come on with me, she sayd, let vs not stonde;[1617] And with that worde she toke me by the honde. 560

So passyd we forthe into the forsayd place, With suche communycacyon as came to our mynde; And then she sayd, Whylis we haue tyme and space To walke where we lyst, let vs somwhat fynde To pas the tyme with, but let vs wast no wynde, For ydle iangelers haue but lytill braine; Wordes be swordes, and hard to call ageine.

Into a felde she brought me wyde and large, Enwallyd aboute with the stony flint, Strongly enbateld, moche costious of charge: 570 To walke on this walle she bed I sholde not[1618] stint; Go softly, she sayd, the stones be full glint. She went before, and bad me take good holde: I sawe a thowsande yatis new and olde.

Then questionyd I her what thos[1619] yatis ment; Wherto she answeryd, and breuely me tolde, How from the est vnto the occident, And from the sowth vnto the north so colde, Theis yatis, she sayd, which that ye beholde, Be issuis and portis from all maner of nacyons; 580 And seryously she shewyd me ther denominacyons. They had wrytyng, sum Greke, sum Ebrew, Some Romaine letters, as I vnderstode; Some were olde wryten, sum were writen new, Some carectis of Caldy, sum Frensshe was full good; But one gate specyally, where as I stode, Had grauin in it of calcydony a capytall A; What yate[1620] call ye this? and she sayd, Anglia.[1621]

The beldynge therof was passynge commendable; Wheron stode a lybbard, crownyd with golde and stones, 590 Terrible of countenaunce and passynge formydable, As quikly towchyd as it were flesshe and bones, As gastly that glaris, as grimly that gronis, As fersly frownynge as he had ben fyghtyng, And with his forme foote he shoke forthe this wrytyng:

[Sidenote: Cacosinthicon[1622] ex industria.]

_Formidanda nimis Jovis ultima fulmina tollis:_ _Unguibus ire parat loca singula livida curvis_ _Quam modo per Phœbes nummos raptura Celæno;_ _Arma, lues, luctus, fel, vis, fraus, barbara tellus;_ _Mille modis erras odium tibi quærere Martis:_ 600 _Spreto spineto cedat saliunca roseto._

Then I me lent, and loked ouer the wall: Innumerable people presed to euery gate; Shet were the gatis; thei might wel knock and cal, And turne home ageyne, for they cam al to late. I her demaunded of them and ther astate: Forsothe, quod she, theys be haskardis[1623] and rebawdis, Dysers, carders, tumblars with gambawdis,

Furdrers of loue, with baudry aqueinted, Brainles blenkardis that blow at the cole, 610 Fals forgers of mony, for kownnage[1624] atteintid, Pope holy ypocrytis, as they were golde and hole, Powle hatchettis, that prate wyll[1625] at euery ale pole, Ryot, reueler, railer, brybery, theft, With other condycyons that well myght be left:

Sume fayne themselfe folys, and wolde be callyd wyse, Sum medelynge spyes, by craft to grope thy mynde, Sum dysdanous dawcokkis that all men dispyse, Fals flaterers that fawne thé, and kurris of kynde That speke fayre before thé and shrewdly behynde; 620 Hither they come crowdyng to get them a name, But hailid they be homwarde with sorow and shame.

With that I herd gunnis russhe out at ones, Bowns, bowns, bowns! that all they out cryde; It made sum lympe legged and broisid there bones; Sum were made peuysshe, porisshly pynk iyde, That euer more after by it they were aspyid; And one ther was there, I wondred of his hap, For a gun stone, I say, had all to-iaggid[1626] his cap,

Raggid, and daggid, and cunnyngly cut; 630 The blaste of the byrnston[1627] blew away his brayne; Masid as a marche hare, he ran lyke a scut; And, sir, amonge all me thought I saw twaine, The one was a tumblar, that afterwarde againe Of a dysour, a deuyl way, grew a ientilman, Pers Prater, the secund, that[1628] quarillis beganne;

With a pellit of peuisshenes they had suche a stroke, That all the dayes of ther lyfe shall styck by ther rybbis: Foo, foisty bawdias! sum smellid of the smoke; I saw dyuers that were cariid away thens in cribbis, 640 Dasyng after dotrellis, lyke drunkardis that dribbis; Theis titiuyllis[1629] with taumpinnis wer towchid and tappid; Moche mischefe, I hyght you, amonge theem ther happid.

Sometyme, as it semyth, when the mone light By meanys of a grosely endarkyd clowde Sodenly is eclipsid in the wynter night, In lyke maner of wyse a myst did vs shrowde; But wele may ye thynk I was no thyng prowde Of that auenturis, whiche made me sore agast. In derkenes thus dwelt we, tyll at the last 650

The clowdis gan[1630] to clere, the myst was rarifiid: In an herber[1631] I saw, brought where I was, There birdis on the brere sange on euery syde; With alys ensandid about in compas, The bankis enturfid with singular solas, Enrailid with rosers, and vinis engrapid; It was a new comfort of sorowis escapid.

In the middis a coundight,[1632] that coryously[1633] was cast, With pypes of golde engusshing out stremes; Of cristall the clerenes theis waters far past, 660 Enswymmyng with rochis, barbellis, and bremis, Whose skales[1634] ensilured again the son beames Englisterd, that ioyous it was to beholde. Then furthermore aboute me my syght I reuolde,

Where I saw growyng a goodly laurell tre, Enuerdurid with leuis[1635] contynually grene; Aboue in the top a byrde of Araby, Men call a phenix; her wynges bytwene She bet vp a fyre with the sparkis full kene With braunches and bowghis of the swete olyue, 670

[Sidenote: Oliva speciosa in campis. Nota[1636] excellentiam virtutis in oliva.]

Whos flagraunt flower was chefe preseruatyue Ageynst all infeccyons with cancour[1637] enflamyd, Ageynst all baratows broisiours of olde, It passid all bawmys that euer were namyd, Or gummis of Saby so derely that be solde: There blew in that gardynge a soft piplyng colde Enbrethyng of Zepherus with his pleasant wynde; All frutis and[1638] flowris grew there in there kynde.

Dryades there daunsid vpon that goodly soile, With[1639] the nyne Muses, Pierides by name; 680 Phillis and Testalis,[1640] ther tressis with oyle Were newly enbybid; and rownd about the same Grene tre of laurell moche solacyous game They made, with chapellettes and garlandes grene; And formest of all dame Flora, the quene

Of somer, so formally she fotid the daunce; There Cintheus sat twynklyng vpon his harpe stringis; And Iopas his instrument did auaunce, The poemis and storis auncient inbryngis Of Athlas astrology, and many noble thyngis, 690 Of wandryng of the mone, the course of the sun, Of men and of bestis, and whereof they begone,

What thynge occasionyd the showris of rayne, Of fyre elementar in his supreme spere, And of that pole artike whiche doth remayne Behynde the taile of Vrsa so clere; Of Pliades he prechid with ther drowsy chere, Immoysturid with mislyng and ay droppyng dry, And where the two Trions[1641] a man shold aspy,

And of the winter days that hy them so fast, 700 And of the wynter nyghtes that tary so longe, And of the somer days so longe that doth[1642] last, And of their shorte nyghtes; he browght in his songe How wronge was no ryght, and ryght was no wronge: There was counteryng of carollis in meter and[1643] verse So many, that longe it[1644] were to reherse.

_Occupacyon to Skelton._

How say ye? is this after your appetite? May this contente you and your mirry mynde? Here dwellith pleasure, with lust and delyte; Contynuall comfort here ye may fynde, 710 Of welth and solace no thynge left behynde; All thynge conuenable[1645] here is contryuyd,[1646] Wherewith your spiritis may be reuyuid.

_Poeta Skelton answeryth._

Questionles no dowte of that ye say; Jupiter hymselfe this lyfe myght endure; This ioy excedith all worldly[1647] sport and play, Paradyce this place is of syngular pleasure: O wele were hym that herof myght be sure, And here to inhabite and ay for to dwell! But, goodly maystres, one thynge ye me tell. 720

_Occupacyon to Skelton._

Of your demawnd shew me the content, What it is, and where vpon it standis; And if there be in it any thyng ment, Wherof the answere restyth in my[1648] handis, It shall be losyd[1649] ful sone out of the bandis Of scrupulus[1650] dout; wherfore your mynde discharge, And of your wyll the plainnes shew at large.

_Poeta Skelton answeryth._

I thanke you, goodly maystres, to me most benynge, That of your bounte so well haue me assurid; But my request is not[1651] so great a thynge, 730 That I ne force what though[1652] it be discurid; I am not[1653] woundid but that I may be cured; I am not ladyn of liddyrnes with lumpis, As dasid doterdis that dreme in their dumpis.

_Occupacyon to Skelton._

Nowe what ye mene, I trow I coniect; Gog[1654] gyue you good yere, ye make me to smyle; Now, be[1655] your faith, is not[1656] this theffect[1657] Of your questyon ye make all this whyle, To vnderstande who dwellyth in yone[1658] pile, And what blunderar is yonder that playth didil diddil? 740 He fyndith fals mesuris out[1659] of his fonde fiddill.

_Interpolata,[1660] quæ industriosum postulat[1661] interpretem, satira in vatis adversarium._

_Tressis agasonis species prior, altera Davi:_ _Aucupium culicis, limis dum torquet ocellum,_ _Concipit, aligeras rapit, appetit,[1662] aspice, muscas!_

[Sidenote: Nota Alchimaiam et 7 metalla.]

_Maia quæque fovet, fovet aut quæ Jupiter, aut quæ_ _Frigida Saturnus, Sol, Mars, Venus, algida Luna,_ _Si tibi contingat verbo aut committere scripto,_ _Quam sibi mox tacita sudant præcordia culpa!_ _Hinc ruit in flammas, stimulans[1663] hunc urget et illum,_ _Invocat ad rixas, vanos tamen excitat ignes,_ 750 _Labra movens tacitus, rumpantur ut ilia Codro._

17. 4. 7. 2. 17. 5. 18. 18. 19. 1. 19. 8. 5. 12.

His name for to know if that ye lyst, Enuyous Rancour truely he hight: Beware of hym, I warne you; for and[1664] ye wist How daungerous it were to stande in his lyght[1665], Ye wolde not[1666] dele with hym, thowgh[1667] that ye myght, For by his deuellysshe drift and graceles prouision An hole reame[1668] he is able to set at deuysion:

For when he spekyth fayrest, then thynketh he moost yll; Full gloryously can he glose, thy mynde for to fele; 760 He wyll set men a feightynge[1669] and syt[1670] hymselfe styll, And smerke, lyke a smythy kur, at[1671] sperkes of steile; He[1672] can neuer leue warke whylis it is wele; To tell all his towchis it were to grete wonder; The deuyll of hell and he be seldome asonder.

Thus talkyng we went forth[1673] in at a postern gate; Turnyng[1674] on the ryght hande, by a[1675] windyng stayre, She brought me to[1676] a goodly chaumber of astate, Where the noble Cowntes of Surrey in a chayre Sat honorably, to whome did repaire 770 Of ladys a beue[1677] with all dew reuerence: Syt downe, fayre ladys, and do your diligence!

Come forth, ientylwomen, I pray you, she sayd; I haue contryuyd for you a goodly warke, And who can worke beste now shall be asayde; A cronell of lawrell with verduris light and darke I haue deuysyd for Skelton, my clerke; For to his seruyce I haue suche regarde, That of our bownte we wyll hym rewarde:

For of all ladyes he hath the library, 780 Ther names recountyng in the court of Fame Of all gentylwomen he hath the scruteny,[1678] In Fames court reportynge the same; For yet of women he neuer sayd shame, But if they were counterfettes that women them call, That list of there lewdnesse with hym for to brall.

With that the tappettis and carpettis were layd, Whereon theis ladys softly myght rest, The saumpler to sow on, the lacis to enbraid; To weue in the stoule sume were full preste, 790 With slaiis, with tauellis, with hedellis well drest; The frame was browght forth with his weuyng pin: God geue[1679] them good spede there warke[1680] to begin!

Sume to enbrowder put them in prese, Well gydyng ther[1681] glowtonn to kepe streit theyr sylk, Sum pirlyng of goldde theyr worke to encrese With fingers smale, and handis whyte[1682] as mylk; With, Reche me that skane of tewly sylk; And, Wynde me that botowme of such an[1683] hew, Grene, rede, tawny, whyte, blak,[1684] purpill, and blew. 800