The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 1 (of 2)

Volume 2 — LAMENTATIO URBIS NORVICEN.

Reading edition

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]

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Ah ... ah] Ed. “Au ... au.”Note 2 · labitur] Ed. “labitar.”Note 3 · rara] Ed. “raro.”Note 4 · Skelton] Ed. “inifiranda Skelton:” the former word perhaps having been inserted by some mistake of the printer, whose eye had caught “misera