Arectyng my syght towarde the zodyake,The sygnes xii for to beholde a farre,When Mars retrogradant[1459]reuersyd his bak,Lorde of the yere in his orbicular,[1460]Put vp his sworde, for he cowde make no warre,And whan Lucina plenarly[1461]did shyne,Scorpione ascendynge degrees twyse nyne;In place alone then musynge in my thoughtHow all thynge passyth as doth the somer flower,On[1462]euery halfe my reasons forthe I sought,10How oftyn fortune varyeth in an howre,Now clere wether, forthwith a stormy showre;All thynge compassyd, no perpetuyte,But now in welthe, now in aduersyte.So depely drownyd I was in this dumpe,Encraumpysshed so sore was my conceyte,That, me to rest, I lent me to a stumpeOf an oke, that somtyme grew full streyghte,A myghty tre and of a noble heyght,Whose bewte blastyd was with the boystors wynde,20His leuis loste, the sappe was frome the rynde.Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres,Ensowkid with sylt[1463]of the myry mose,Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres,Ran on the raunge so longe, that I supposeFew men can tell now[1464]where the hynde calfe gose;Faire fall that forster[1465]that so well[1466]can bate his hownde!But of my purpose[1467]now torne we to the grownde.Whylis I stode musynge in this medytatyon,In slumbrynge I fell[1468]and halfe in a slepe;30And whether it were of ymagynacyon,Or of humors superflue, that often wyll crepeInto the brayne by drynkyng ouer depe,Or it procedyd of fatall persuacyon,I can not wele tell[1469]you what was the occasyon;But sodeynly at ones, as I me aduysed,[1470]As one in a trans or in an extasy,I sawe a pauylyon wondersly[1471]disgysede,Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy,Enhachyde with perle and stones preciously,40The grounde engrosyd and bet with bourne golde,That passynge goodly it was to beholde:Within it,[1472]a prynces excellente of porte;But to recounte her ryche abylyment,And what estates to her did resorte,Therto am I full insuffycyent;A goddesse inmortall[1473]she dyd represente;As I harde say, dame Pallas was her name;To whome supplyed the royall Quene of Fame.[1474]The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.Prynces moost pusant, of hygh preemynence,50Renownyd[1475]lady aboue the sterry heuyn,All other transcendyng, of very congruenceMadame regent of the scyence[1476]seuyn,To whos astate all noblenes most lenen,[1477]My supplycacyon to you I arrect,Whereof I beseche[1478]you to tender the effecte.Not[1479]vnremembered it is vnto your grace,How you gaue me a ryall[1480]commaundementThat in my courte Skelton shulde haue a place,Bycause that his tyme he[1481]studyously hath spent60In your seruyce; and, to the accomplysshementOf your request, regestred is his nameWith laureate tryumphe in the courte of Fame.But, good madame, the accustome and vsageOf auncient poetis, ye wote full wele, hath beneThem selfe to embesy[1482]with all there holl corage,So that there workis myght famously be sene,In figure wherof they were the[1483]laurell grene;But how it is, Skelton is wonder slake,And, as we dare, we fynde in hym grete lake:[1484]70For, ne were onely he hath your promocyon,Out of my bokis full sone I shulde hym rase;But sith he hath tastid of the sugred[1485]pociounOf Elyconis[1486]well, refresshid with your grace,And wyll not[1487]endeuour hymselfe to purchaseThe fauour of ladys with wordis electe,It is sittynge that ye must hym correct.Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.The sum of your purpose, as we ar aduysid,[1488]Is that[1489]our seruaunt is sum what to dull;Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid,80How ryuers rin not[1490]tyll the spryng be full;Better[1491]a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;For if he gloryously pullishe[1492]his matter,Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;And if so[1493]hym fortune to wryte true and plaine,As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,And how his wordes with reason wyll not[1494]accorde;[1495]Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;Displease not an hundreth[1496]for one mannes pleasure;90Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.Also, to furnisshe better his excuse,Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,And many mo whome I cowde enduce;Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyllFor certayne enuectyfys,[1497]yet wrote[1498]he none ill,Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon[1499]the gall;It was not[1500]for hym to abyde[1501]the tryall.In generrall wordes, I say not gretely nay,A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt,100Spekyng in parablis,[1502]how the fox, the grey,The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,Went with the pecok ageyne[1503]the fesaunt;The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.Yet dyuerse ther[1504]be, industryous of reason,Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture[1505]Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture;110Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.Madame, with fauour of your benynge sufferaunce,Vnto your grace then make I this motyue;Whereto made ye me hym to auaunceVnto the rowme of laureat promotyue?Or wherto shulde he haue that[1506]prerogatyue,But if he had made sum memoryall,Wherby he myght haue a name inmortall?[1507]To pas the tyme in slowthfull ydelnes,120Of your royall palace it is not[1508]the gyse,But to do sumwhat iche man doth hym dres:For how shulde Cato els be callyd wyse,But that his bokis, whiche he did deuyse,Recorde the same? or why is had in myndePlato, but for that he[1509]left wrytynge behynde,For men to loke on? Aristotille also,Of phylosophers callid the princypall,Olde Diogenes, with other many mo,Demostenes,[1510]that oratour royall,130That gaue[1511]Eschines suche a cordyall,That bannisshed was he by[1512]his proposicyoun,Ageyne[1513]whome he cowde make no contradiccyoun?Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.Soft, my good syster,[1514]and make there a pawse:[1515]And was Eschines rebukid as ye say?Remembre you wele, poynt wele that clause;Wherfore then rasid ye not[1516]awayHis name? or why is it, I you praye,That he to your courte is goyng and commynge,Sith he is slaundred[1517]for defaut of konnyng?140The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.Madame, your apposelle[1518]is wele inferrid,And at your auauntage[1519]quikly it isTowchid, and hard for to be debarrid;[1520]Yet shall I answere your grace as in this,With your reformacion, if I say amis,For, but if your bounte did me assure,Myne argument els koude not[1521]longe endure.As towchyng that Eschines is remembred,That he so sholde be, me semith it sittyng,[1522]All be it grete parte he hath surrendred150Of his onour,[1523]whos dissuasyue in wrytyngTo corage Demostenes was moche excitynge,In settyng out fresshely his crafty persuacyon,From whiche Eschines had none euacyon.The cause why Demostenes so famously is brutid,Onely procedid for that he did outrayEschines, whiche was not[1524]shamefully confutidBut of that famous oratour, I say,Whiche passid all other; wherfore I mayAmong my recordes suffer hym namyd,160For though[1525]he were venquesshid, yet was he not[1526]shamyd:As Ierome,[1527]in his preambleFrater Ambrosius,Frome that I haue sayde in no poynt doth vary,Wherein[1528]he reporteth of the coragiusWordes that were moch consolatoryBy Eschines rehersed to the grete gloryOf Demostenes, that was his vtter foo:Few shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so.Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.A thanke to haue, ye haue well deseruyd,Your mynde that can maynteyne so apparently;170But a grete parte yet[1529]ye haue reseruydOf that most folow then conseqently,Or els ye demeane you inordinatly;For if ye laude hym whome honour hath opprest,Then he that doth worste is as good as the best.But whome that ye fauoure, I se well, hath a name,Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce,And whome ye loue not[1530]ye wyll[1531]put to shame;Ye counterwey not euynly your balaunce;As wele foly as wysdome oft ye do[1532]avaunce:180For[1533]reporte ryseth many deuerse wayes:Sume be moche spokyn of for makynge of frays;Some haue a name for thefte and brybery;Some be called crafty, that can pyke[1534]a purse;Some men be made of for their[1535]mokery;Some carefull cokwoldes, some haue theyr wyues curs;Some famous wetewoldis, and they be moche wurs;Some lidderons,[1536]some losels, some noughty packis;Some facers, some bracers, some[1537]make great crackis;Some dronken dastardis with their dry soules;190Some sluggyssh slouyns, that slepe day and nyght;Ryot and Reuell be in your courte rowlis;Maintenaunce and Mischefe, theis be men of myght;Extorcyon is counted with you for a knyght;Theis people by me haue none assignement,Yet they ryde and rinne[1538]from Carlyll to Kente.But lytell or nothynge ye shall[1539]here tellOf them that haue vertue by reason of cunnyng,Whiche souerenly in honoure shulde excell;Men of suche maters make but a[1540]mummynge,200For wysdome and sadnesse be set out[1541]a sunnyng;And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promotyd,One faute or other in them shalbe notyd:Eyther they wyll[1542]say he is to wyse,Or elles he can nought bot whan he is at scole;Proue his wytt, sayth he, at cardes or dyce,And ye shall well fynde[1543]he is a very fole;Twyshe,[1544]set hym a chare, or reche hym a stole,[1545]To syt hym[1546]vpon, and rede Iacke a thrummis bybille,For truly it were pyte that he sat ydle.210The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.To make repungnaunce agayne that ye haue sayde,Of very dwte it may not[1547]well accorde,But your benynge sufferaunce for my discharge I laid,For that I wolde not with you fall at discorde;But yet I beseche[1548]your grace that good[1549]recordeMay be brought forth, suche as can be founde,With laureat tryumphe why Skelton sholde be crownde;For elles it were to great a derogacyonVnto your palas, our noble courte of Fame,That any man vnder supportacyon220Withoute deseruynge shulde haue the best game:If he to the ample encrease of his nameCan lay any werkis that he hath compylyd,I am contente that he be not[1550]exylideFrome the laureat senate by force of proscripcyon;Or elles, ye know well, I can do no lesseBut I most bannysshe hym frome my iurydiccyon,[1551]As he that aquentyth hym with ydilnes;But if that he purpose to make a redresse,What he hath done, let it be brought to syght;230Graunt my petycyon, I aske you but ryght.Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.To your request we be well condiscendid:Call forthe, let se where is your clarionar,To blowe a blaste with his long breth extendid;Eolus, your trumpet, that[1552]knowne is so farre,That bararag blowyth in euery mercyall warre,Let hym blowe now, that we may take a[1553]veweWhat poetis we haue at our retenewe;To se if Skelton wyll[1554]put hymselfe in preaseAmonge the thickeste of all the hole rowte;240Make noyse enoughe, for claterars loue no peas;Let se, my syster, now spede you,[1555]go aboute;Anone, I sey, this trumpet were founde out,And for no man hardely let hym spareTo blowe bararag[1556]tyll bothe his eyne stare.Skelton Poeta.Forthwith there rose amonge the throngeA wonderfull noyse, and on euery sydeThey presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde,250With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.There was suyng to the Quene of Fame;He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,That longe tyme blewe a full timorous blaste,260Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,That towres and townes and trees downe caste,Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.Anone all was whyste, as it were for the nonys,And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:With that there come in wonderly at onesA murmur of mynstrels, that suche another270Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyouslyWeth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:Whos heuenly armony was so passynge sure,So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,So duly entunyd with euery mesure,That in the forest was none so great a treBut that he daunced for ioye of that gle;The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce:280In so moche the stumpe, whereto I me lente,Sterte all at ones an hundrethe[1557]fote backe:With that I sprange vp towarde the tentOf noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;Where I sawe come[1558]after, I wote, full lytell lakeOf a thousande poetes assembled togeder:But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede,With heris encrisped[1559]yalowe[1560]as the golde,Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede290Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne woldeConcente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,But, for to preserue her maidenhode[1561]clene,Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.Meddelyd with murnynge[1562]the moost parte of his muse,O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:He sange also how, the tre as he did take300Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.Then he assurded into this[1563]exclamacyonVnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;[1564]O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?Why haue the goddes shewyd me this cruelte,Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable?310I helpe all other of there infirmite,But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;That profyteth all other is nothynge profytableVnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse[1565]The feruent axes of loue can not represse!O fatall fortune, what haue I offendid?Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?But sith I haue lost now that I entended,And may not[1566]atteyne it by no medyacyon,Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon,320All famous poetis ensuynge after meShall were a garlande of the laurell tre.This sayd, a great nowmber folowyd by and byOf poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;[1567]Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;Esiodus, the iconomicar,[1568]And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;Prynce of eloquence, Tullius Cicero,330With Salusty[1569]ageinst Lucius Catelyne,That wrote the history of Iugurta also;Ouyde, enshryned with the Musis nyne;But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1570]These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;Lucan,[1571]with Stacius in Achilliedos;Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse;340But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotesThese orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;There Titus Lyuius hymselfe dyd auaunceWith decadis historious, whiche that he mengith[1572]With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;Enyus, that wrate[1573]of mercyall war at lengthe;But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1574]Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;350Aulus 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,360How 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;
Arectyng my syght towarde the zodyake,The sygnes xii for to beholde a farre,When Mars retrogradant[1459]reuersyd his bak,Lorde of the yere in his orbicular,[1460]Put vp his sworde, for he cowde make no warre,And whan Lucina plenarly[1461]did shyne,Scorpione ascendynge degrees twyse nyne;In place alone then musynge in my thoughtHow all thynge passyth as doth the somer flower,On[1462]euery halfe my reasons forthe I sought,10How oftyn fortune varyeth in an howre,Now clere wether, forthwith a stormy showre;All thynge compassyd, no perpetuyte,But now in welthe, now in aduersyte.So depely drownyd I was in this dumpe,Encraumpysshed so sore was my conceyte,That, me to rest, I lent me to a stumpeOf an oke, that somtyme grew full streyghte,A myghty tre and of a noble heyght,Whose bewte blastyd was with the boystors wynde,20His leuis loste, the sappe was frome the rynde.Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres,Ensowkid with sylt[1463]of the myry mose,Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres,Ran on the raunge so longe, that I supposeFew men can tell now[1464]where the hynde calfe gose;Faire fall that forster[1465]that so well[1466]can bate his hownde!But of my purpose[1467]now torne we to the grownde.Whylis I stode musynge in this medytatyon,In slumbrynge I fell[1468]and halfe in a slepe;30And whether it were of ymagynacyon,Or of humors superflue, that often wyll crepeInto the brayne by drynkyng ouer depe,Or it procedyd of fatall persuacyon,I can not wele tell[1469]you what was the occasyon;But sodeynly at ones, as I me aduysed,[1470]As one in a trans or in an extasy,I sawe a pauylyon wondersly[1471]disgysede,Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy,Enhachyde with perle and stones preciously,40The grounde engrosyd and bet with bourne golde,That passynge goodly it was to beholde:Within it,[1472]a prynces excellente of porte;But to recounte her ryche abylyment,And what estates to her did resorte,Therto am I full insuffycyent;A goddesse inmortall[1473]she dyd represente;As I harde say, dame Pallas was her name;To whome supplyed the royall Quene of Fame.[1474]The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.Prynces moost pusant, of hygh preemynence,50Renownyd[1475]lady aboue the sterry heuyn,All other transcendyng, of very congruenceMadame regent of the scyence[1476]seuyn,To whos astate all noblenes most lenen,[1477]My supplycacyon to you I arrect,Whereof I beseche[1478]you to tender the effecte.Not[1479]vnremembered it is vnto your grace,How you gaue me a ryall[1480]commaundementThat in my courte Skelton shulde haue a place,Bycause that his tyme he[1481]studyously hath spent60In your seruyce; and, to the accomplysshementOf your request, regestred is his nameWith laureate tryumphe in the courte of Fame.But, good madame, the accustome and vsageOf auncient poetis, ye wote full wele, hath beneThem selfe to embesy[1482]with all there holl corage,So that there workis myght famously be sene,In figure wherof they were the[1483]laurell grene;But how it is, Skelton is wonder slake,And, as we dare, we fynde in hym grete lake:[1484]70For, ne were onely he hath your promocyon,Out of my bokis full sone I shulde hym rase;But sith he hath tastid of the sugred[1485]pociounOf Elyconis[1486]well, refresshid with your grace,And wyll not[1487]endeuour hymselfe to purchaseThe fauour of ladys with wordis electe,It is sittynge that ye must hym correct.Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.The sum of your purpose, as we ar aduysid,[1488]Is that[1489]our seruaunt is sum what to dull;Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid,80How ryuers rin not[1490]tyll the spryng be full;Better[1491]a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;For if he gloryously pullishe[1492]his matter,Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;And if so[1493]hym fortune to wryte true and plaine,As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,And how his wordes with reason wyll not[1494]accorde;[1495]Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;Displease not an hundreth[1496]for one mannes pleasure;90Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.Also, to furnisshe better his excuse,Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,And many mo whome I cowde enduce;Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyllFor certayne enuectyfys,[1497]yet wrote[1498]he none ill,Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon[1499]the gall;It was not[1500]for hym to abyde[1501]the tryall.In generrall wordes, I say not gretely nay,A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt,100Spekyng in parablis,[1502]how the fox, the grey,The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,Went with the pecok ageyne[1503]the fesaunt;The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.Yet dyuerse ther[1504]be, industryous of reason,Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture[1505]Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture;110Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.Madame, with fauour of your benynge sufferaunce,Vnto your grace then make I this motyue;Whereto made ye me hym to auaunceVnto the rowme of laureat promotyue?Or wherto shulde he haue that[1506]prerogatyue,But if he had made sum memoryall,Wherby he myght haue a name inmortall?[1507]To pas the tyme in slowthfull ydelnes,120Of your royall palace it is not[1508]the gyse,But to do sumwhat iche man doth hym dres:For how shulde Cato els be callyd wyse,But that his bokis, whiche he did deuyse,Recorde the same? or why is had in myndePlato, but for that he[1509]left wrytynge behynde,For men to loke on? Aristotille also,Of phylosophers callid the princypall,Olde Diogenes, with other many mo,Demostenes,[1510]that oratour royall,130That gaue[1511]Eschines suche a cordyall,That bannisshed was he by[1512]his proposicyoun,Ageyne[1513]whome he cowde make no contradiccyoun?Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.Soft, my good syster,[1514]and make there a pawse:[1515]And was Eschines rebukid as ye say?Remembre you wele, poynt wele that clause;Wherfore then rasid ye not[1516]awayHis name? or why is it, I you praye,That he to your courte is goyng and commynge,Sith he is slaundred[1517]for defaut of konnyng?140The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.Madame, your apposelle[1518]is wele inferrid,And at your auauntage[1519]quikly it isTowchid, and hard for to be debarrid;[1520]Yet shall I answere your grace as in this,With your reformacion, if I say amis,For, but if your bounte did me assure,Myne argument els koude not[1521]longe endure.As towchyng that Eschines is remembred,That he so sholde be, me semith it sittyng,[1522]All be it grete parte he hath surrendred150Of his onour,[1523]whos dissuasyue in wrytyngTo corage Demostenes was moche excitynge,In settyng out fresshely his crafty persuacyon,From whiche Eschines had none euacyon.The cause why Demostenes so famously is brutid,Onely procedid for that he did outrayEschines, whiche was not[1524]shamefully confutidBut of that famous oratour, I say,Whiche passid all other; wherfore I mayAmong my recordes suffer hym namyd,160For though[1525]he were venquesshid, yet was he not[1526]shamyd:As Ierome,[1527]in his preambleFrater Ambrosius,Frome that I haue sayde in no poynt doth vary,Wherein[1528]he reporteth of the coragiusWordes that were moch consolatoryBy Eschines rehersed to the grete gloryOf Demostenes, that was his vtter foo:Few shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so.Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.A thanke to haue, ye haue well deseruyd,Your mynde that can maynteyne so apparently;170But a grete parte yet[1529]ye haue reseruydOf that most folow then conseqently,Or els ye demeane you inordinatly;For if ye laude hym whome honour hath opprest,Then he that doth worste is as good as the best.But whome that ye fauoure, I se well, hath a name,Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce,And whome ye loue not[1530]ye wyll[1531]put to shame;Ye counterwey not euynly your balaunce;As wele foly as wysdome oft ye do[1532]avaunce:180For[1533]reporte ryseth many deuerse wayes:Sume be moche spokyn of for makynge of frays;Some haue a name for thefte and brybery;Some be called crafty, that can pyke[1534]a purse;Some men be made of for their[1535]mokery;Some carefull cokwoldes, some haue theyr wyues curs;Some famous wetewoldis, and they be moche wurs;Some lidderons,[1536]some losels, some noughty packis;Some facers, some bracers, some[1537]make great crackis;Some dronken dastardis with their dry soules;190Some sluggyssh slouyns, that slepe day and nyght;Ryot and Reuell be in your courte rowlis;Maintenaunce and Mischefe, theis be men of myght;Extorcyon is counted with you for a knyght;Theis people by me haue none assignement,Yet they ryde and rinne[1538]from Carlyll to Kente.But lytell or nothynge ye shall[1539]here tellOf them that haue vertue by reason of cunnyng,Whiche souerenly in honoure shulde excell;Men of suche maters make but a[1540]mummynge,200For wysdome and sadnesse be set out[1541]a sunnyng;And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promotyd,One faute or other in them shalbe notyd:Eyther they wyll[1542]say he is to wyse,Or elles he can nought bot whan he is at scole;Proue his wytt, sayth he, at cardes or dyce,And ye shall well fynde[1543]he is a very fole;Twyshe,[1544]set hym a chare, or reche hym a stole,[1545]To syt hym[1546]vpon, and rede Iacke a thrummis bybille,For truly it were pyte that he sat ydle.210The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.To make repungnaunce agayne that ye haue sayde,Of very dwte it may not[1547]well accorde,But your benynge sufferaunce for my discharge I laid,For that I wolde not with you fall at discorde;But yet I beseche[1548]your grace that good[1549]recordeMay be brought forth, suche as can be founde,With laureat tryumphe why Skelton sholde be crownde;For elles it were to great a derogacyonVnto your palas, our noble courte of Fame,That any man vnder supportacyon220Withoute deseruynge shulde haue the best game:If he to the ample encrease of his nameCan lay any werkis that he hath compylyd,I am contente that he be not[1550]exylideFrome the laureat senate by force of proscripcyon;Or elles, ye know well, I can do no lesseBut I most bannysshe hym frome my iurydiccyon,[1551]As he that aquentyth hym with ydilnes;But if that he purpose to make a redresse,What he hath done, let it be brought to syght;230Graunt my petycyon, I aske you but ryght.Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.To your request we be well condiscendid:Call forthe, let se where is your clarionar,To blowe a blaste with his long breth extendid;Eolus, your trumpet, that[1552]knowne is so farre,That bararag blowyth in euery mercyall warre,Let hym blowe now, that we may take a[1553]veweWhat poetis we haue at our retenewe;To se if Skelton wyll[1554]put hymselfe in preaseAmonge the thickeste of all the hole rowte;240Make noyse enoughe, for claterars loue no peas;Let se, my syster, now spede you,[1555]go aboute;Anone, I sey, this trumpet were founde out,And for no man hardely let hym spareTo blowe bararag[1556]tyll bothe his eyne stare.Skelton Poeta.Forthwith there rose amonge the throngeA wonderfull noyse, and on euery sydeThey presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde,250With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.There was suyng to the Quene of Fame;He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,That longe tyme blewe a full timorous blaste,260Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,That towres and townes and trees downe caste,Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.Anone all was whyste, as it were for the nonys,And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:With that there come in wonderly at onesA murmur of mynstrels, that suche another270Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyouslyWeth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:Whos heuenly armony was so passynge sure,So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,So duly entunyd with euery mesure,That in the forest was none so great a treBut that he daunced for ioye of that gle;The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce:280In so moche the stumpe, whereto I me lente,Sterte all at ones an hundrethe[1557]fote backe:With that I sprange vp towarde the tentOf noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;Where I sawe come[1558]after, I wote, full lytell lakeOf a thousande poetes assembled togeder:But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede,With heris encrisped[1559]yalowe[1560]as the golde,Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede290Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne woldeConcente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,But, for to preserue her maidenhode[1561]clene,Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.Meddelyd with murnynge[1562]the moost parte of his muse,O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:He sange also how, the tre as he did take300Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.Then he assurded into this[1563]exclamacyonVnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;[1564]O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?Why haue the goddes shewyd me this cruelte,Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable?310I helpe all other of there infirmite,But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;That profyteth all other is nothynge profytableVnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse[1565]The feruent axes of loue can not represse!O fatall fortune, what haue I offendid?Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?But sith I haue lost now that I entended,And may not[1566]atteyne it by no medyacyon,Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon,320All famous poetis ensuynge after meShall were a garlande of the laurell tre.This sayd, a great nowmber folowyd by and byOf poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;[1567]Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;Esiodus, the iconomicar,[1568]And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;Prynce of eloquence, Tullius Cicero,330With Salusty[1569]ageinst Lucius Catelyne,That wrote the history of Iugurta also;Ouyde, enshryned with the Musis nyne;But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1570]These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;Lucan,[1571]with Stacius in Achilliedos;Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse;340But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotesThese orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;There Titus Lyuius hymselfe dyd auaunceWith decadis historious, whiche that he mengith[1572]With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;Enyus, that wrate[1573]of mercyall war at lengthe;But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1574]Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;350Aulus 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,360How 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;
Arectyng my syght towarde the zodyake,The sygnes xii for to beholde a farre,When Mars retrogradant[1459]reuersyd his bak,Lorde of the yere in his orbicular,[1460]Put vp his sworde, for he cowde make no warre,And whan Lucina plenarly[1461]did shyne,Scorpione ascendynge degrees twyse nyne;
Arectyng my syght towarde the zodyake,
The sygnes xii for to beholde a farre,
When Mars retrogradant[1459]reuersyd his bak,
Lorde of the yere in his orbicular,[1460]
Put vp his sworde, for he cowde make no warre,
And whan Lucina plenarly[1461]did shyne,
Scorpione ascendynge degrees twyse nyne;
In place alone then musynge in my thoughtHow all thynge passyth as doth the somer flower,On[1462]euery halfe my reasons forthe I sought,10How oftyn fortune varyeth in an howre,Now clere wether, forthwith a stormy showre;All thynge compassyd, no perpetuyte,But now in welthe, now in aduersyte.
In place alone then musynge in my thought
How all thynge passyth as doth the somer flower,
On[1462]euery halfe my reasons forthe I sought,10
How oftyn fortune varyeth in an howre,
Now clere wether, forthwith a stormy showre;
All thynge compassyd, no perpetuyte,
But now in welthe, now in aduersyte.
So depely drownyd I was in this dumpe,Encraumpysshed so sore was my conceyte,That, me to rest, I lent me to a stumpeOf an oke, that somtyme grew full streyghte,A myghty tre and of a noble heyght,Whose bewte blastyd was with the boystors wynde,20His leuis loste, the sappe was frome the rynde.
So depely drownyd I was in this dumpe,
Encraumpysshed so sore was my conceyte,
That, me to rest, I lent me to a stumpe
Of an oke, that somtyme grew full streyghte,
A myghty tre and of a noble heyght,
Whose bewte blastyd was with the boystors wynde,20
His leuis loste, the sappe was frome the rynde.
Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres,Ensowkid with sylt[1463]of the myry mose,Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres,Ran on the raunge so longe, that I supposeFew men can tell now[1464]where the hynde calfe gose;Faire fall that forster[1465]that so well[1466]can bate his hownde!But of my purpose[1467]now torne we to the grownde.
Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres,
Ensowkid with sylt[1463]of the myry mose,
Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres,
Ran on the raunge so longe, that I suppose
Few men can tell now[1464]where the hynde calfe gose;
Faire fall that forster[1465]that so well[1466]can bate his hownde!
But of my purpose[1467]now torne we to the grownde.
Whylis I stode musynge in this medytatyon,In slumbrynge I fell[1468]and halfe in a slepe;30And whether it were of ymagynacyon,Or of humors superflue, that often wyll crepeInto the brayne by drynkyng ouer depe,Or it procedyd of fatall persuacyon,I can not wele tell[1469]you what was the occasyon;
Whylis I stode musynge in this medytatyon,
In slumbrynge I fell[1468]and halfe in a slepe;30
And whether it were of ymagynacyon,
Or of humors superflue, that often wyll crepe
Into the brayne by drynkyng ouer depe,
Or it procedyd of fatall persuacyon,
I can not wele tell[1469]you what was the occasyon;
But sodeynly at ones, as I me aduysed,[1470]As one in a trans or in an extasy,I sawe a pauylyon wondersly[1471]disgysede,Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy,Enhachyde with perle and stones preciously,40The grounde engrosyd and bet with bourne golde,That passynge goodly it was to beholde:
But sodeynly at ones, as I me aduysed,[1470]
As one in a trans or in an extasy,
I sawe a pauylyon wondersly[1471]disgysede,
Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy,
Enhachyde with perle and stones preciously,40
The grounde engrosyd and bet with bourne golde,
That passynge goodly it was to beholde:
Within it,[1472]a prynces excellente of porte;But to recounte her ryche abylyment,And what estates to her did resorte,Therto am I full insuffycyent;A goddesse inmortall[1473]she dyd represente;As I harde say, dame Pallas was her name;To whome supplyed the royall Quene of Fame.[1474]
Within it,[1472]a prynces excellente of porte;
But to recounte her ryche abylyment,
And what estates to her did resorte,
Therto am I full insuffycyent;
A goddesse inmortall[1473]she dyd represente;
As I harde say, dame Pallas was her name;
To whome supplyed the royall Quene of Fame.[1474]
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
Prynces moost pusant, of hygh preemynence,50Renownyd[1475]lady aboue the sterry heuyn,All other transcendyng, of very congruenceMadame regent of the scyence[1476]seuyn,To whos astate all noblenes most lenen,[1477]My supplycacyon to you I arrect,Whereof I beseche[1478]you to tender the effecte.
Prynces moost pusant, of hygh preemynence,50
Renownyd[1475]lady aboue the sterry heuyn,
All other transcendyng, of very congruence
Madame regent of the scyence[1476]seuyn,
To whos astate all noblenes most lenen,[1477]
My supplycacyon to you I arrect,
Whereof I beseche[1478]you to tender the effecte.
Not[1479]vnremembered it is vnto your grace,How you gaue me a ryall[1480]commaundementThat in my courte Skelton shulde haue a place,Bycause that his tyme he[1481]studyously hath spent60In your seruyce; and, to the accomplysshementOf your request, regestred is his nameWith laureate tryumphe in the courte of Fame.
Not[1479]vnremembered it is vnto your grace,
How you gaue me a ryall[1480]commaundement
That in my courte Skelton shulde haue a place,
Bycause that his tyme he[1481]studyously hath spent60
In your seruyce; and, to the accomplysshement
Of your request, regestred is his name
With laureate tryumphe in the courte of Fame.
But, good madame, the accustome and vsageOf auncient poetis, ye wote full wele, hath beneThem selfe to embesy[1482]with all there holl corage,So that there workis myght famously be sene,In figure wherof they were the[1483]laurell grene;But how it is, Skelton is wonder slake,And, as we dare, we fynde in hym grete lake:[1484]70
But, good madame, the accustome and vsage
Of auncient poetis, ye wote full wele, hath bene
Them selfe to embesy[1482]with all there holl corage,
So that there workis myght famously be sene,
In figure wherof they were the[1483]laurell grene;
But how it is, Skelton is wonder slake,
And, as we dare, we fynde in hym grete lake:[1484]70
For, ne were onely he hath your promocyon,Out of my bokis full sone I shulde hym rase;But sith he hath tastid of the sugred[1485]pociounOf Elyconis[1486]well, refresshid with your grace,And wyll not[1487]endeuour hymselfe to purchaseThe fauour of ladys with wordis electe,It is sittynge that ye must hym correct.
For, ne were onely he hath your promocyon,
Out of my bokis full sone I shulde hym rase;
But sith he hath tastid of the sugred[1485]pocioun
Of Elyconis[1486]well, refresshid with your grace,
And wyll not[1487]endeuour hymselfe to purchase
The fauour of ladys with wordis electe,
It is sittynge that ye must hym correct.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
The sum of your purpose, as we ar aduysid,[1488]Is that[1489]our seruaunt is sum what to dull;Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid,80How ryuers rin not[1490]tyll the spryng be full;Better[1491]a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;For if he gloryously pullishe[1492]his matter,Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;
The sum of your purpose, as we ar aduysid,[1488]
Is that[1489]our seruaunt is sum what to dull;
Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid,80
How ryuers rin not[1490]tyll the spryng be full;
Better[1491]a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;
For if he gloryously pullishe[1492]his matter,
Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;
And if so[1493]hym fortune to wryte true and plaine,As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,And how his wordes with reason wyll not[1494]accorde;[1495]Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;Displease not an hundreth[1496]for one mannes pleasure;90Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.
And if so[1493]hym fortune to wryte true and plaine,
As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,
Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,
And how his wordes with reason wyll not[1494]accorde;[1495]
Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;
Displease not an hundreth[1496]for one mannes pleasure;90
Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.
Also, to furnisshe better his excuse,Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,And many mo whome I cowde enduce;Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyllFor certayne enuectyfys,[1497]yet wrote[1498]he none ill,Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon[1499]the gall;It was not[1500]for hym to abyde[1501]the tryall.
Also, to furnisshe better his excuse,
Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,
And many mo whome I cowde enduce;
Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyll
For certayne enuectyfys,[1497]yet wrote[1498]he none ill,
Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon[1499]the gall;
It was not[1500]for hym to abyde[1501]the tryall.
In generrall wordes, I say not gretely nay,A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt,100Spekyng in parablis,[1502]how the fox, the grey,The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,Went with the pecok ageyne[1503]the fesaunt;The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.
In generrall wordes, I say not gretely nay,
A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt,100
Spekyng in parablis,[1502]how the fox, the grey,
The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,
Went with the pecok ageyne[1503]the fesaunt;
The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,
With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.
Yet dyuerse ther[1504]be, industryous of reason,Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture[1505]Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture;110Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.
Yet dyuerse ther[1504]be, industryous of reason,
Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture[1505]
Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;
How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;
Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture;110
Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;
Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
Madame, with fauour of your benynge sufferaunce,Vnto your grace then make I this motyue;Whereto made ye me hym to auaunceVnto the rowme of laureat promotyue?Or wherto shulde he haue that[1506]prerogatyue,But if he had made sum memoryall,Wherby he myght haue a name inmortall?[1507]
Madame, with fauour of your benynge sufferaunce,
Vnto your grace then make I this motyue;
Whereto made ye me hym to auaunce
Vnto the rowme of laureat promotyue?
Or wherto shulde he haue that[1506]prerogatyue,
But if he had made sum memoryall,
Wherby he myght haue a name inmortall?[1507]
To pas the tyme in slowthfull ydelnes,120Of your royall palace it is not[1508]the gyse,But to do sumwhat iche man doth hym dres:For how shulde Cato els be callyd wyse,But that his bokis, whiche he did deuyse,Recorde the same? or why is had in myndePlato, but for that he[1509]left wrytynge behynde,
To pas the tyme in slowthfull ydelnes,120
Of your royall palace it is not[1508]the gyse,
But to do sumwhat iche man doth hym dres:
For how shulde Cato els be callyd wyse,
But that his bokis, whiche he did deuyse,
Recorde the same? or why is had in mynde
Plato, but for that he[1509]left wrytynge behynde,
For men to loke on? Aristotille also,Of phylosophers callid the princypall,Olde Diogenes, with other many mo,Demostenes,[1510]that oratour royall,130That gaue[1511]Eschines suche a cordyall,That bannisshed was he by[1512]his proposicyoun,Ageyne[1513]whome he cowde make no contradiccyoun?
For men to loke on? Aristotille also,
Of phylosophers callid the princypall,
Olde Diogenes, with other many mo,
Demostenes,[1510]that oratour royall,130
That gaue[1511]Eschines suche a cordyall,
That bannisshed was he by[1512]his proposicyoun,
Ageyne[1513]whome he cowde make no contradiccyoun?
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
Soft, my good syster,[1514]and make there a pawse:[1515]And was Eschines rebukid as ye say?Remembre you wele, poynt wele that clause;Wherfore then rasid ye not[1516]awayHis name? or why is it, I you praye,That he to your courte is goyng and commynge,Sith he is slaundred[1517]for defaut of konnyng?140
Soft, my good syster,[1514]and make there a pawse:[1515]
And was Eschines rebukid as ye say?
Remembre you wele, poynt wele that clause;
Wherfore then rasid ye not[1516]away
His name? or why is it, I you praye,
That he to your courte is goyng and commynge,
Sith he is slaundred[1517]for defaut of konnyng?140
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
Madame, your apposelle[1518]is wele inferrid,And at your auauntage[1519]quikly it isTowchid, and hard for to be debarrid;[1520]Yet shall I answere your grace as in this,With your reformacion, if I say amis,For, but if your bounte did me assure,Myne argument els koude not[1521]longe endure.
Madame, your apposelle[1518]is wele inferrid,
And at your auauntage[1519]quikly it is
Towchid, and hard for to be debarrid;[1520]
Yet shall I answere your grace as in this,
With your reformacion, if I say amis,
For, but if your bounte did me assure,
Myne argument els koude not[1521]longe endure.
As towchyng that Eschines is remembred,That he so sholde be, me semith it sittyng,[1522]All be it grete parte he hath surrendred150Of his onour,[1523]whos dissuasyue in wrytyngTo corage Demostenes was moche excitynge,In settyng out fresshely his crafty persuacyon,From whiche Eschines had none euacyon.
As towchyng that Eschines is remembred,
That he so sholde be, me semith it sittyng,[1522]
All be it grete parte he hath surrendred150
Of his onour,[1523]whos dissuasyue in wrytyng
To corage Demostenes was moche excitynge,
In settyng out fresshely his crafty persuacyon,
From whiche Eschines had none euacyon.
The cause why Demostenes so famously is brutid,Onely procedid for that he did outrayEschines, whiche was not[1524]shamefully confutidBut of that famous oratour, I say,Whiche passid all other; wherfore I mayAmong my recordes suffer hym namyd,160For though[1525]he were venquesshid, yet was he not[1526]shamyd:
The cause why Demostenes so famously is brutid,
Onely procedid for that he did outray
Eschines, whiche was not[1524]shamefully confutid
But of that famous oratour, I say,
Whiche passid all other; wherfore I may
Among my recordes suffer hym namyd,160
For though[1525]he were venquesshid, yet was he not[1526]shamyd:
As Ierome,[1527]in his preambleFrater Ambrosius,Frome that I haue sayde in no poynt doth vary,Wherein[1528]he reporteth of the coragiusWordes that were moch consolatoryBy Eschines rehersed to the grete gloryOf Demostenes, that was his vtter foo:Few shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so.
As Ierome,[1527]in his preambleFrater Ambrosius,
Frome that I haue sayde in no poynt doth vary,
Wherein[1528]he reporteth of the coragius
Wordes that were moch consolatory
By Eschines rehersed to the grete glory
Of Demostenes, that was his vtter foo:
Few shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
A thanke to haue, ye haue well deseruyd,Your mynde that can maynteyne so apparently;170But a grete parte yet[1529]ye haue reseruydOf that most folow then conseqently,Or els ye demeane you inordinatly;For if ye laude hym whome honour hath opprest,Then he that doth worste is as good as the best.
A thanke to haue, ye haue well deseruyd,
Your mynde that can maynteyne so apparently;170
But a grete parte yet[1529]ye haue reseruyd
Of that most folow then conseqently,
Or els ye demeane you inordinatly;
For if ye laude hym whome honour hath opprest,
Then he that doth worste is as good as the best.
But whome that ye fauoure, I se well, hath a name,Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce,And whome ye loue not[1530]ye wyll[1531]put to shame;Ye counterwey not euynly your balaunce;As wele foly as wysdome oft ye do[1532]avaunce:180For[1533]reporte ryseth many deuerse wayes:Sume be moche spokyn of for makynge of frays;
But whome that ye fauoure, I se well, hath a name,
Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce,
And whome ye loue not[1530]ye wyll[1531]put to shame;
Ye counterwey not euynly your balaunce;
As wele foly as wysdome oft ye do[1532]avaunce:180
For[1533]reporte ryseth many deuerse wayes:
Sume be moche spokyn of for makynge of frays;
Some haue a name for thefte and brybery;Some be called crafty, that can pyke[1534]a purse;Some men be made of for their[1535]mokery;Some carefull cokwoldes, some haue theyr wyues curs;Some famous wetewoldis, and they be moche wurs;Some lidderons,[1536]some losels, some noughty packis;Some facers, some bracers, some[1537]make great crackis;
Some haue a name for thefte and brybery;
Some be called crafty, that can pyke[1534]a purse;
Some men be made of for their[1535]mokery;
Some carefull cokwoldes, some haue theyr wyues curs;
Some famous wetewoldis, and they be moche wurs;
Some lidderons,[1536]some losels, some noughty packis;
Some facers, some bracers, some[1537]make great crackis;
Some dronken dastardis with their dry soules;190Some sluggyssh slouyns, that slepe day and nyght;Ryot and Reuell be in your courte rowlis;Maintenaunce and Mischefe, theis be men of myght;Extorcyon is counted with you for a knyght;Theis people by me haue none assignement,Yet they ryde and rinne[1538]from Carlyll to Kente.
Some dronken dastardis with their dry soules;190
Some sluggyssh slouyns, that slepe day and nyght;
Ryot and Reuell be in your courte rowlis;
Maintenaunce and Mischefe, theis be men of myght;
Extorcyon is counted with you for a knyght;
Theis people by me haue none assignement,
Yet they ryde and rinne[1538]from Carlyll to Kente.
But lytell or nothynge ye shall[1539]here tellOf them that haue vertue by reason of cunnyng,Whiche souerenly in honoure shulde excell;Men of suche maters make but a[1540]mummynge,200For wysdome and sadnesse be set out[1541]a sunnyng;And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promotyd,One faute or other in them shalbe notyd:
But lytell or nothynge ye shall[1539]here tell
Of them that haue vertue by reason of cunnyng,
Whiche souerenly in honoure shulde excell;
Men of suche maters make but a[1540]mummynge,200
For wysdome and sadnesse be set out[1541]a sunnyng;
And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promotyd,
One faute or other in them shalbe notyd:
Eyther they wyll[1542]say he is to wyse,Or elles he can nought bot whan he is at scole;Proue his wytt, sayth he, at cardes or dyce,And ye shall well fynde[1543]he is a very fole;Twyshe,[1544]set hym a chare, or reche hym a stole,[1545]To syt hym[1546]vpon, and rede Iacke a thrummis bybille,For truly it were pyte that he sat ydle.210
Eyther they wyll[1542]say he is to wyse,
Or elles he can nought bot whan he is at scole;
Proue his wytt, sayth he, at cardes or dyce,
And ye shall well fynde[1543]he is a very fole;
Twyshe,[1544]set hym a chare, or reche hym a stole,[1545]
To syt hym[1546]vpon, and rede Iacke a thrummis bybille,
For truly it were pyte that he sat ydle.210
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas.
To make repungnaunce agayne that ye haue sayde,Of very dwte it may not[1547]well accorde,But your benynge sufferaunce for my discharge I laid,For that I wolde not with you fall at discorde;But yet I beseche[1548]your grace that good[1549]recordeMay be brought forth, suche as can be founde,With laureat tryumphe why Skelton sholde be crownde;
To make repungnaunce agayne that ye haue sayde,
Of very dwte it may not[1547]well accorde,
But your benynge sufferaunce for my discharge I laid,
For that I wolde not with you fall at discorde;
But yet I beseche[1548]your grace that good[1549]recorde
May be brought forth, suche as can be founde,
With laureat tryumphe why Skelton sholde be crownde;
For elles it were to great a derogacyonVnto your palas, our noble courte of Fame,That any man vnder supportacyon220Withoute deseruynge shulde haue the best game:If he to the ample encrease of his nameCan lay any werkis that he hath compylyd,I am contente that he be not[1550]exylide
For elles it were to great a derogacyon
Vnto your palas, our noble courte of Fame,
That any man vnder supportacyon220
Withoute deseruynge shulde haue the best game:
If he to the ample encrease of his name
Can lay any werkis that he hath compylyd,
I am contente that he be not[1550]exylide
Frome the laureat senate by force of proscripcyon;Or elles, ye know well, I can do no lesseBut I most bannysshe hym frome my iurydiccyon,[1551]As he that aquentyth hym with ydilnes;But if that he purpose to make a redresse,What he hath done, let it be brought to syght;230Graunt my petycyon, I aske you but ryght.
Frome the laureat senate by force of proscripcyon;
Or elles, ye know well, I can do no lesse
But I most bannysshe hym frome my iurydiccyon,[1551]
As he that aquentyth hym with ydilnes;
But if that he purpose to make a redresse,
What he hath done, let it be brought to syght;230
Graunt my petycyon, I aske you but ryght.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame.
To your request we be well condiscendid:Call forthe, let se where is your clarionar,To blowe a blaste with his long breth extendid;Eolus, your trumpet, that[1552]knowne is so farre,That bararag blowyth in euery mercyall warre,Let hym blowe now, that we may take a[1553]veweWhat poetis we haue at our retenewe;
To your request we be well condiscendid:
Call forthe, let se where is your clarionar,
To blowe a blaste with his long breth extendid;
Eolus, your trumpet, that[1552]knowne is so farre,
That bararag blowyth in euery mercyall warre,
Let hym blowe now, that we may take a[1553]vewe
What poetis we haue at our retenewe;
To se if Skelton wyll[1554]put hymselfe in preaseAmonge the thickeste of all the hole rowte;240Make noyse enoughe, for claterars loue no peas;Let se, my syster, now spede you,[1555]go aboute;Anone, I sey, this trumpet were founde out,And for no man hardely let hym spareTo blowe bararag[1556]tyll bothe his eyne stare.
To se if Skelton wyll[1554]put hymselfe in prease
Amonge the thickeste of all the hole rowte;240
Make noyse enoughe, for claterars loue no peas;
Let se, my syster, now spede you,[1555]go aboute;
Anone, I sey, this trumpet were founde out,
And for no man hardely let hym spare
To blowe bararag[1556]tyll bothe his eyne stare.
Skelton Poeta.
Skelton Poeta.
Forthwith there rose amonge the throngeA wonderfull noyse, and on euery sydeThey presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde,250With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.
Forthwith there rose amonge the thronge
A wonderfull noyse, and on euery syde
They presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;
Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;
Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde,250
With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;
Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.
There was suyng to the Quene of Fame;He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,
There was suyng to the Quene of Fame;
He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;
Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;
Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;
Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;
A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:
With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,
That longe tyme blewe a full timorous blaste,260Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,That towres and townes and trees downe caste,Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.
That longe tyme blewe a full timorous blaste,260
Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,
That towres and townes and trees downe caste,
Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;
The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;
Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,
As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.
Anone all was whyste, as it were for the nonys,And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:With that there come in wonderly at onesA murmur of mynstrels, that suche another270Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyouslyWeth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:
Anone all was whyste, as it were for the nonys,
And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:
With that there come in wonderly at ones
A murmur of mynstrels, that suche another270
Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;
Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyously
Weth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:
Whos heuenly armony was so passynge sure,So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,So duly entunyd with euery mesure,That in the forest was none so great a treBut that he daunced for ioye of that gle;The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce:280
Whos heuenly armony was so passynge sure,
So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,
So duly entunyd with euery mesure,
That in the forest was none so great a tre
But that he daunced for ioye of that gle;
The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,
And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce:280
In so moche the stumpe, whereto I me lente,Sterte all at ones an hundrethe[1557]fote backe:With that I sprange vp towarde the tentOf noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;Where I sawe come[1558]after, I wote, full lytell lakeOf a thousande poetes assembled togeder:But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;
In so moche the stumpe, whereto I me lente,
Sterte all at ones an hundrethe[1557]fote backe:
With that I sprange vp towarde the tent
Of noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;
Where I sawe come[1558]after, I wote, full lytell lake
Of a thousande poetes assembled togeder:
But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;
Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede,With heris encrisped[1559]yalowe[1560]as the golde,Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede290Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne woldeConcente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,But, for to preserue her maidenhode[1561]clene,Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.
Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede,
With heris encrisped[1559]yalowe[1560]as the golde,
Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede290
Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne wolde
Concente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,
But, for to preserue her maidenhode[1561]clene,
Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.
Meddelyd with murnynge[1562]the moost parte of his muse,O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:He sange also how, the tre as he did take300Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.
Meddelyd with murnynge[1562]the moost parte of his muse,
O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!
Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?
Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,
Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:
He sange also how, the tre as he did take300
Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.
Then he assurded into this[1563]exclamacyonVnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;[1564]O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?
Then he assurded into this[1563]exclamacyon
Vnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;[1564]
O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,
So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,
Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!
Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,
To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?
Why haue the goddes shewyd me this cruelte,Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable?310I helpe all other of there infirmite,But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;That profyteth all other is nothynge profytableVnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse[1565]The feruent axes of loue can not represse!
Why haue the goddes shewyd me this cruelte,
Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable?310
I helpe all other of there infirmite,
But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;
That profyteth all other is nothynge profytable
Vnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse[1565]
The feruent axes of loue can not represse!
O fatall fortune, what haue I offendid?Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?But sith I haue lost now that I entended,And may not[1566]atteyne it by no medyacyon,Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon,320All famous poetis ensuynge after meShall were a garlande of the laurell tre.
O fatall fortune, what haue I offendid?
Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?
But sith I haue lost now that I entended,
And may not[1566]atteyne it by no medyacyon,
Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon,320
All famous poetis ensuynge after me
Shall were a garlande of the laurell tre.
This sayd, a great nowmber folowyd by and byOf poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;[1567]Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;Esiodus, the iconomicar,[1568]And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;
This sayd, a great nowmber folowyd by and by
Of poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;
Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:
Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;[1567]
Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;
Esiodus, the iconomicar,[1568]
And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;
Prynce of eloquence, Tullius Cicero,330With Salusty[1569]ageinst Lucius Catelyne,That wrote the history of Iugurta also;Ouyde, enshryned with the Musis nyne;But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1570]These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;
Prynce of eloquence, Tullius Cicero,330
With Salusty[1569]ageinst Lucius Catelyne,
That wrote the history of Iugurta also;
Ouyde, enshryned with the Musis nyne;
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1570]
These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;
Lucan,[1571]with Stacius in Achilliedos;Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse;340But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotesThese orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;
Lucan,[1571]with Stacius in Achilliedos;
Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;
Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;
Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse;340
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotes
These orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;
There Titus Lyuius hymselfe dyd auaunceWith decadis historious, whiche that he mengith[1572]With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;Enyus, that wrate[1573]of mercyall war at lengthe;But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1574]Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;350
There Titus Lyuius hymselfe dyd auaunce
With decadis historious, whiche that he mengith[1572]
With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;
Enyus, that wrate[1573]of mercyall war at lengthe;
But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1574]
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;350
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;
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,360How 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;
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;