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

Volume 2 — VILITISSIMUS[738] SCOTUS DUNDAS ALLEGAT CAUDAS CONTRA ANGLIGENAS.

Reading edition

VILITISSIMUS[738] SCOTUS DUNDAS ALLEGAT CAUDAS CONTRA ANGLIGENAS.

Caudatos Anglos, spurcissime Scote, quid effers? Effrons es, quoque sons, mendax, tua spurcaque[739] bucca est.

Anglicus a tergo caudam gerit; est canis ergo. Anglice caudate, cape caudam ne cadat a te. Ex causa caudæ manet Anglica gens sine laude. Diffamas patriam, qua non est melior usquam. Cum cauda plaudis dum possis, ad ostia pultas[740] Mendicans; mendicus eris, mendaxque bilinguis, Scabidus, horribilis, quem vermes sexque pedales Corrodunt misere; miseris[741] genus est maledictum. Skelton, nobilis poeta.

Gup, Scot, Ye blot: Laudate Caudate, Set in better Thy pentameter. This Dundas, This Scottishe as, He rymes and railes That Englishmen haue tailes. 10 Skeltonus laureatus, Anglicus natus, Provocat Musas Contra Dundas Spurcissimum[742] Scotum, Undique notum, Rustice fotum, Vapide potum. Skelton laureat After this rate 20 Defendeth with his pen All Englysh men Agayn Dundas, That Scottishe asse. Shake thy tayle, Scot, lyke a cur, For thou beggest at euery mannes dur: Tut, Scot, I sey, Go shake thy[743] dog, hey! Dundas of Galaway With thy versyfyeng rayles 30 How they haue tayles. By Jesu Christ, Fals Scot, thou lyest: But behynd in our hose We bere there a rose For thy Scottyshe nose, A spectacle case To couer thy face, With tray deux ase. A tolman[744] to blot, 40 A rough foted Scot! Dundas, sir knaue, Why doste thow depraue This royall reame, Whose radiant beame And relucent light Thou hast in despite, Thou donghyll knyght? But thou lakest might, Dundas, dronken and drowsy, 50 Skabed, scuruy, and lowsy, Of vnhappy generacion And most vngracious nacion. Dundas, That dronke asse, That ratis and rankis, That prates and prankes On Huntley bankes, Take this our thankes; Dunde, Dunbar,[745] 60 Walke, Scot, Walke, sot, Rayle not to far.

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Vilitissimus] So, perhaps, Skelton wrote; but qy. “Vilissimus?”—This poem from Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568.Note 2 · spurcaque] Ed. “spureaquæ.”Note 3 · pultas] Ed. “pultes.”Note 4 · miseris] Ed. “miseres.”Note 5 · Spurcissimum] Ed. “Norpacissimum.”Note 6 · thy] Qy. “thé?” but see notes.Note 7 · tolman] See notes.Note 8 · Dunde, Dunbar] Ed. “Dunde bar.”