NOTES TO VOLUME I. (continued 5)

v. 2152. c. s. i. e. a hundred shillings.

v. 2155. occupyed] Though our author, according to his occasionally pleonastic style, has in the next line but one, “occupyed and vsyd,” the words are synonymous: see note, p. 86. v. 52.

v. 2156. Ye] i. e. Yea.

v. 2159. retchlesse] i. e. reckless.

Page 285. v. 2162. rynne] i. e. run.

v. 2164. it shall not gretly skyll] See note on v. 1615. p. 262.

v. 2165. spyll] i. e. destroy.

v. 2166. some fall prechynge at the Toure Hyll] So in Thenterlude of Youth, n. d.;

v. 2168. nother they set by] i. e. neither they value, regard.

v. 2171. lusty to loke on] i. e. pleasant to look on.

v. 2172. nonnes] i. e. nuns.

—— ryn] i. e. run.

v. 2173. Freers] i. e. Friars.

—— fayne] i. e. glad, joyful.

v. 2177. rechate] See note, p. 234. v. 215.

Page 296. v. 2186. brast] i. e. burst.

v. 2187. spewe and cast] One of Skelton’s pleonasms.

v. 2188. gotted ... to thy share]—gotted, i. e. gotten.

v. 2193. ye] i. e. yea.

v. 2194. to wed] i. e. for a pawn, pledge.

v. 2195. a daggeswane] i. e. a rough sort of coverlet. “Dagswayne. Lodex.” Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499. “My bedde is couered with a daggeswayne and a quylte ... gausape ...”—“Some daggeswaynes haue longe thrummes & iagges on bothe sydes: some but on one.” Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. g iii. ed. 1530.

—— ony] i. e. any.

v. 2196. metely well] “Metely: Moyennement. Assez,” &c. Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccccxliii. (Table of Aduerbes). “He is metely lerned. Mediocriter doctus est.” Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. R viii. ed. 1530.

v. 2197. dele] i. e. part, bit.

v. 2198. in the deuyls date] See note, p. 116. v. 375.

v. 2201. the messe] i. e. the Mass.

Page 297. v. 2204. hose] i. e. breeches.

v. 2207. skelpe] i. e. slap, strike: see Jamieson’s Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang.

v. 2208. loke] i. e. look.

v. 2209. Cockes bones] i. e. God’s bones: see note on v. 518. p. 243.

—— blysse] See note on v. 1641. p. 263.

v. 2210. dynge the deuyll]—dynge, i. e. strike, knock. So again in our author’s poem Howe the douty Duke of Albany, &c.;

Compare The Droichis Part of the Play, attributed to Dunbar;

Page 297. v. 2210. holde] i. e. holden, held.

v. 2211. rede] i. e. advice.

v. 2214. wrynge thy be in a brake] Some cant expression: brake, see note, p. 168. v. 324, and note on Why come ye nat to Courte, v. 980.

v. 2215. dawe] i. e. simpleton: see note, p. 113. v. 301.

v. 2216. fawchyn] i. e. cut.

v. 2217. cauell] “Kevil, Kephyl, A horse, contemptuously applied to a person, ‘thou girt kevil.’” The Dialect of Craven, &c. Compare Lydgate’s verses, entitled in the Catalogue, Advices for people to keep a guard over their tongues;

v. 2218. iauell] “Iauell. Ioppus.” Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499. Of this common term of contempt (which Skelton uses in other passages) the meaning and etymology are uncertain. Todd (Johnson’s Dict. in v.) explains it “A wandering or dirty fellow;” shews that it is sometimes written jabel; and would derive it from the verb, javel, jable, or jarble, to bemire, to bedew. Nares (Gloss. in v.) refers it to the French javelle, which sometimes means “a faggot of brush-wood or other worthless materials.” The compiler of the Gloss. to The Towneley Mysteries (under Hawvelle) considers it equivalent to—jabberer.

Page 298. v. 2223. iche] i. e. I.

v. 2224. Mary] i. e. By the Virgin Mary.

v. 2229. all one] i. e. all agreed.

v. 2233. rode] i. e. road, cross: see note, p. 206. v. 69.

v. 2234. blode] i. e. blood.

v. 2235. By our lakyn] See note on v. 341. p. 240.

v. 2242. acomberyd] i. e. encumbered, troubled.

v. 2243. Goddys fote] i. e. God’s foot.

v. 2244. facyd] See note, p. 216. v. 33.

v. 2246. condycyons] See note, p. 183. v. 12.

Page 299. v. 2248. bracyd] See note, p. 216. v. 33.

v. 2249. defaute] i. e. default, defect.

v. 2250. to haute] i. e. too haughty.

v. 2252. pratyer] i. e. prettier.

v. 2258. gardeuyaunce] In a note on Dunbar’s Freir of Tungland, Lord Hailes observes that gardyvians is “literally garde de viande, or cupboard; but there it implies his cabinet;” and Mr. D. Laing adds, “rather, a portable cabinet.” Dunbar’s Poems, ii. 243. Skelton appears to use the word in the sense of—trunk: and Palsgrave has “Gardeuyans bahus.” Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xxxv. (Table of Subst.)

Page 299. v. 2259. bowget] i. e. budget.

v. 2260. male] i. e. bag, wallet.

v. 2262. Your trymynge and tramynge by me must be tangyd] The reader will hardly expect that I should attempt any precise explanation of this line.

v. 2264. When we with Magnyfycence goodys made cheuysaunce]—cheuysaunce, i. e. booty: see note, p. 107. v. 100. Compare Gower;

v. 2265. wengaunce] i. e. vengeance.

v. 2266. banne and wary] “I warrye, I banne or curse, Ie mauldis.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cccci. (Table of Verbes). Barclay is even more pleonastic than Skelton;

v. 2268. Cockys bonys] i. e. God’s bones; see note on v. 518. p. 243.

v. 2270. Ye] i. e. Yea.

v. 2275. gaure] i. e. stare: see Tyrwhitt’s Gloss. to Chaucer’s Cant. Tales. Yet Palsgrave has “I Gaure I krye, Ie hue. Howe he gaureth after his hauke: Cōment il heue apres son oyseau.” Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccxliiii. (Table of Verbes).

Page 300. v. 2276. yll hayle] See note, p. 176. v. 617.

v. 2283. the gowte and the gyn] If gyn means (as the context seems to prove) some bodily ailment, I know not what it is.

v. 2287. murre] i. e. severe cold with hoarseness.

—— pose] i. e. rheum in the head.

v. 2288. requiem æternam groweth forth of his nose] Heywood has a similar expression;

And Cotgrave; “Chishe-face ... one out of whose nose hunger drops.” Dict.

v. 2291. the halfe strete] On the Bank-side, Southwark,—where the stews were: it is mentioned in the following curious passage of Cocke Lorelles bote, n. d. (where the “wynde fro wynchester” alludes to the temporary suppression of the Southwark stews at the intercession of the Bishop of Winchester);

Page 300. v. 2293. motton] Long after Skelton’s time, as the readers of our early dramatists will recollect, mutton was a favourite cant term for a prostitute.

v. 2294. Ye ... to] i. e. Yea ... too.

v. 2295. queysy mete] “Quaisy as meate or drike is, dangereux.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xciii. (Table of Adiect.). Compare Jyl of Braintfords Testament, n. d.;

Page 300. v. 2297. In fay] i. e. In faith.

—— froty] Is frequently, as here, used by our early writers for—forty.

v. 2303. at all assayes] See note on v. 433. p. 242.

Page 301. v. 2311. sleeth] i. e. slayeth.

v. 2315. bronde] i. e. brand.

v. 2316. stonde] i. e. stand.

v. 2319. lewdly] i. e. vilely, basely (but here it seems to be used as an adjective).

v. 2320. to] i. e. too.

v. 2322. fer] i. e. far.

v. 2324. loke] i. e. look.

v. 2330. agayne] i. e. against.

Page 302. v. 2332. wyte] i. e. blame.

v. 2333. rede] i. e. counsel.

v. 2335. Ye] i. e. Yea.

—— ryd thy selfe] i. e. set free thyself,—despatch thyself.

v. 2336. to] i. e. too.

v. 2340. honge] i. e. hang.

v. 2342. tonge] i. e. thong.

v. 2343. throte bole] i. e. throat-bowl,—protuberance of the throat. “Throte gole or throte bole, neu de la gorge, gosier.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxx. (Table of Subst.). In Ortus Vocab. fol. ed. W. de Worde, n. d. is “Epiglotum, a throte bolle.”—“It is not impossible,” says Warton, alluding to this passage, “that Despare [Myschefe] offering the knife and the halter, might give a distant hint to Spenser.” Hist. of E. P. (Em. and Ad. to p. 363 of vol. ii.) ed. 4to. See The Faerie Queene, i. ix. 50.

—— slee] i. e. slay.

v. 2351. to] i. e. too.

v. 2352. Out, harowe]—harowe (variously spelt) is common in our early poetry as an exclamation of alarm or sudden distress, or an outcry for help. “Interiectyons of outkrye: Haro. as Haro alarme trahy trahy.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530, last folio. On the origin of the word see Du Cange’s Gloss. in vv. Haro, Haroep; Tyrwhitt’s note on v. 3286 of Chaucer’s Cant. Tales; Jamieson’s Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang. in v. Harro; and Roquefort’s Gloss. to La Lang. Rom. in v. Harau.

—— hyll] i. e. hell.

v. 2353. combred] i. e. encumbered, troubled.

v. 2354. sloo] i. e. slay.

—— nature and kynde] A pleonastic expression.

Page 303. v. 2357. sautes] i. e. assaults.

v. 2361. soner] i. e. sooner.

v. 2362. luge] i. e. (I suppose) lodge, abode.

v. 2365. wanhope] i. e. want of hope,—despair. “Desperatio. wanhope.” Ortus Vocab. fol. ed. W. de Worde, n. d. “Wanhope desespoir.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxxiii. (Table of Subst.). In some of our early writers, however, we find a distinction made between wanhope and despair.

v. 2370. dysease] i. e. uneasiness, pain.

v. 2373. ony] i. e. any.

v. 2375. ne] i. e. nor.

v. 2383. lectuary] i. e. electuary.

v. 2387. gommes goostly] i. e. gums ghostly, spiritual.

—— herte] i. e. heart.

v. 2388. To thanke God of his sonde]—his sonde, i. e. his sending,—his providential dispensation.

Page 304. v. 2392. fote] i. e. foot.

v. 2394. mode] i. e. mood.

v. 2398. dyscryue] Signifies—describe; but in the present passage it would seem to mean—discover, search, try.

v. 2406. Ye] i. e. Yea.

v. 2411. sone] i. e. soon.

Page 305. v. 2430. apayed] i. e. satisfied, pleased.

v. 2433. abylyment] i. e. habiliment.

v. 2434. aduysement] i. e. consideration, heed.

v. 2435. confyrmable] i. e. conformable.

v. 2444. to] i. e. too.

v. 2445. redlesse] See note on v. 2077. p. 268.

v. 2449. to accompte you the contynewe of my consayte] i. e. to tell you the continuation, the rest, of my conceit, conception.

Page 306. v. 2455. sad] See note on v. 1711. p. 264.

v. 2457. that is no nay] i. e. that is not to be denied.

v. 2458. inhateth] Skelton’s fondness for compound words has been already noticed (see note, p. 105. v. 31); and here most probably inhateth was not intended to convey a stronger meaning than—hateth.

—— rennynge] i. e. running.

v. 2460. ne can] i. e. can not.

v. 2465. largesse] i. e. liberality.

v. 2467. thorowly ingrosed] i. e. (as the context would seem to shew) fully written out.

v. 2468. Pountes] i. e. Pontoise.

Page 306. v. 2469. hyght] i. e. is called.

v. 2474. to] i. e. too.

Page 307. v. 2479. ouerthrow] i. e. overthrown.

v. 2481. Ye] i. e. Yea.

v. 2485. hafters] See note, p. 107. v. 138.

—— forfende] i. e. forbid, prohibit.

v. 2493. sentence] i. e. meaning.

v. 2494. corage] i. e. heart, affection.

—— flyt] i. e. remove.

v. 2499. worshyp] i. e. honour, dignity.

v. 2500. sadnesse] See note on v. 1382. p. 259.

Page 308. v. 2503. I wyll refrayne you ferther, or we flyt] i. e. I will question you farther before we remove (refrayne being here, it would seem, according to Skelton’s use of such compounds, equivalent to the simple, and not uncommon word,—frayne).

v. 2506. processe] i. e. relation, discourse: see notes, p. 143. v. 735. p. 146. v. 969. p. 194. v. 157, &c.

v. 2507. Syth] i. e. Since.

—— erectyd] See note on v. 95. p. 237.

v. 2508. aforse me] i. e. exert myself, do my endeavour.

v. 2510. warkys] i. e. works.

v. 2513. largesse] i. e. liberality.

—— to] i. e. too.

v. 2517. the nygarde nor the chyncherde] Synonymous terms. “Chynche or chynchare. Preparcus.” Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499.

v. 2518. negarship] i. e. niggardship.

v. 2522. fumously adresse you with magnanymyte] i. e. hotly, vigorously provide, furnish yourself with, &c.

v. 2525. affyaunce] i. e. trust.

v. 2534. this processe] i. e. this drama of Magnyfycence: (so presently, “this interlude” v. 2548, “this treatyse” v. 2562, “this mater” v. 2576:) see note on v. 2506, above.

Page 309. v. 2539. seke[r]nesse] i. e. security, sureness.

v. 2541. lawe] i. e. low; as in v. 190.

v. 2544. leue] i. e. willing.

v. 2550. auaunsyd] i. e. advanced.

v. 2557. lacke] i. e. fault, blame.

v. 2563. comberyd] i. e. encumbered, troubled.

Page 310. v. 2573. maysterfest] i. e. master-fast.

v. 2577. Precely purposyd vnder pretence of play]—Precely, i. e. Pressly, seems to mean here—seriously (rather than—expressly).

Page 310. v. 2583. the terestre rechery] If “rechery” be the right reading, I know not what it means. Qy. “trechery?” as before, v. 2046,

—— flode] i. e. flood.

v. 2585. Ensordyd] Could only, I presume, mean—defiled: but qy., as the context seems to require, “Ensorbyd,” i. e. sucked in, swallowed?

—— wawys] i. e. waves.

—— wode] i. e. mad, raging.

v. 2586. brast] i. e. burst,—break.

v. 2588. hym] Must be an error of the press for “hymselfe;” compare v. 2581.

v. 2590. syttynge] i. e. proper, becoming.

v. 2591. ryalte] i. e. royalty.

v. 2593. indeuer] i. e. endure, continue, dwell.

COLYN CLOUTE.

This powerful and original poem must have been circulated in MS., probably for a considerable time, before it was given to the press; for from a passage towards the conclusion, v. 1239, we learn that those against whom its satire was directed would not “suffer it to be printed.” In Colyn Cloute Skelton appears to have commenced his attacks on Wolsey.

“I could never conceive, Mr. Warton, to what Drayton alludes, in the preface to his Eclogues, where he says, that ‘the Colin Clout of Scogan, under Henry the seventh, is pretty.’ He is speaking of pastoral poetry; and adds, that ‘Barklays ship of fools hath twenty wiser in it.’ You somewhere say [Hist. of E. P. iii. 76, note, ed. 4to], ‘he must mean Skelton;’ but what PASTORAL did HE write?” Ritson’s Obs. on Warton’s Hist. of E. P., p. 20 (note); see too his Bibl. Poet., p. 99. I believe that Drayton did mean Skelton. Colyn Cloute is surely as much a pastoral as Barclay’s Ship of Fooles,—as much perhaps as even Barclay’s Egloges.

—— Quis consurget mecum, &c.] Vulg. Psal. xciii. 16, where “Quis consurget mihi,” &c.

—— Nemo, Domine] Id. Joan. viii. 11.

Page 311. v. 1.

So in Gentylnes and Nobylyte, n. d. (attributed without grounds to Heywood);

Page 311. v. 9. bokes] i. e. books.

Page 312. v. 20. He pryeth and he peketh] See note, p. 244. v. 667. So Gascoigne;

v. 28. fole] i. e. fool.

v. 29. scole] i. e. school.

v. 30. a thre foted stole] i. e. a three-footed stool.

v. 36. The deuyll, they say, is dede] Heywood has six Epigrams on this proverbial expression,—Workes, sig. N 2. ed. 1598. Ray gives, “Heigh ho, the Devil is dead.” Proverbs, p. 55. ed. 1768.

Page 313, v. 51. connyng bagge] i. e. bag, store, of knowledge or learning.

v. 52. hagge] See note, p. 99. v. 19.

v. 53. though my ryme be ragged] So Sir D. Lyndsay; “my rural raggit vers.” Prol. to Monarchie,—Works, ii. 330. ed. Chalmers; and Spenser, “My ragged rimes.” F. Queene, i. xii. 23.

v. 54. iagged] See note, p. 163. v. 124.

v. 56. moughte eaten] i. e. moth-eaten.

v. 66. blother] i. e. gabble.

v. 67. The tone agayng] i. e. The one against.

v. 68. shoder] i. e. shudder.

v. 69. hoder moder] i. e. hugger-mugger.

Page 314. v. 70. faute] i. e. fault.

v. 71. ben so haut] i. e. be so haughty.

v. 72. loke] i. e. look.

v. 77. sely] i. e. silly, simple, harmless.

v. 79. wull] i. e. wool.

v. 80. Vnethes] i. e. Scarcely.

v. 82. connynge] i. e. knowledge, learning.

v. 83, A glommynge] i. e. A glumming, a looking gloomy, sour.

—— a mummynge] Compare our author elsewhere;

v. 84. iape] i. e. jest, joke.

v. 87. hole] i. e. whole.

Page 314. v. 89. the forked cap] i. e. the mitre.

v. 90. to lewd] i. e. too wicked, vile.

v. 91. all beshrewd] i. e. altogether cursed.

v. 99. For other mennes skyll]—skyll, i. e. reason: the line seems to mean—Notwithstanding other men’s reasons.

Page 315. v. 107. solfa so alamyre]—alamire is the lowest note but one in Guido Aretine’s scale of music: Gayton, in his Notes upon Don Quixote, 1654, says (metaphorically) that Maritornes “plaid her part so wel, that she run through all the keyes from A-la-mi-re to double Gammut,” &c. p. 83.

v. 108. premenyre] i. e. præmunire.

v. 115. heedes] i. e. heads.

v. 119. warke] i. e. work.

Page 316. v. 137.

—— sklender connyng, i. e. slender knowledge, learning: wonnyng, i. e. dwelling. The meaning of the passage is—a great part of this is owing to their laziness, but it is chiefly to be attributed to their ignorance, &c.

Page 317. v. 151. werkes] i. e. works.

v. 152. Ure] i. e. Urias.

v. 154. werryn] i. e. hinder, ward off.

v. 159. heery] i. e. hairy.

v. 160. Set nought by] i. e. Value not.

—— ne] i. e. nor.

v. 162. mell] i. e. meddle.

v. 163.

So Heywood;

See Pierce Plowman, where one of the rats proposes that a bell should be hung about the cat’s neck. Sig. A iii. ed. 1561; and Ray’s Proverbs, p. 85. ed. 1768.

Page 317. v. 166. to play deuz decke] An allusion, I suppose, to some game.

v. 167. for the becke] i. e. to obey the nod of command.

v. 169. Moche herted] i. e. Much hearted.

v. 178. combred] i. e. encumbered.

Page 318. v. 181. Sho the mockysshe mare] So in our author’s Why come ye nat to Courte;

v. 182. wynche and keke] i. e. wince and kick.

v. 183. not worth a leke] An expression not uncommon in our early poetry:

v. 190.

—appare, i. e. impair. The meaning of this passage,—in which (as I have already noted ad loc.) it seems probable from a comparison of the MS. and the printed copies, that Skelton used the forms “Seire” and “appeire,”—is—Amend when ye may, for it is said by every body, even as far as Mount Seir, that ye cannot be worse than ye are. The Latin words are a quotation from the Vulgate: “Et circuit de Baala contra occidentem, usque ad montem Seir.” Josue, xv. 10.

v. 194. hauke on hobby larkes] See notes, p. 258. v. 1358. p. 262. v. 1582.

v. 195. warkes] i. e. works.

v. 198. The gray gose for to sho] Hoccleve uses this proverbial expression;

and Heywood has the following Epigram;

See also Davies’s Scourge of Follie (Prouerbs), n. d. p. 175.

Page 319. v. 209. pranes] i. e. prawns.

v. 211. werynge] i. e. wearing.

v. 213. ne peason] i. e. nor peas.

v. 214. loke to be let lose] i. e. look to be let loose.

v. 215. gose] i. e. goose.

v. 216.

Equivalent to—You not digesting any thing except, &c.: see notes, p. 207. v. 78. and v. 87.

v. 218. a stewed cocke] Compare the following passage in the Interlude of the iiii Elementes, n. d.;

v. 219.

Compare Heywood’s Dialogue, &c.;

In our author’s Garlande of Laurell we find,

which is cited (Dict. in v. Surfel) by Richardson, who, after quoting from Gifford that “To surphule or surfel the cheeks, is to wash them with mercurial or sulphur water,” &c., adds that Gifford’s “explanation does not extend to the passage from Skelton.” The fact seems to be that Skelton uses surfle for purfle, i. e. border, embroider: and I may notice that Brathwait, on the other hand, seems to employ purfle for surfle;

Page 319. v. 222.

Sitientes is the first word of the Introit of the Mass for Passion Sunday (“Sitientes, venite ad aquas, dicit Dominus,” &c., Isaiah lv. 1). For this note I am indebted to W. Dyce, Esq., who further observes that Sitientes Saturday was of old, and is now abroad, the Saturday before Passion Sunday.

Page 320. v. 233. renne they in euery stede] i. e. run they in every place.

v. 234. nolles] i. e. heads.

v. 239. Pystle] i. e. Epistle.

v. 243. prymes and houres] i. e. the devotions so named.

v. 248. vagabundus] i. e. vagabonds.

v. 251. ale stake] i. e. stake set up before an ale-house by way of sign.

v. 252. welcome hake and make] An expression which I have not elsewhere met with. Ray gives among North Country words, “To hake, To sneak, or loiter:” in Hunter’s Hallam. Gloss. is “A haking fellow, an idle loiterer;” and in a song cited by Mr. J. P. Collier (Hist. of Engl. Dram. Poet., ii. 472) from a MS. drama called Misogonus by T. Richards, we find,—

—make is common in the sense of—mate, companion.

Page 321. v. 262. stylla] i. e. still.

v. 263. wylla] i. e. will.

v. 264. pekes] See note, p. 129. v. 409.

v. 266. faute] i. e. fault.

v. 267. apposed] i. e. questioned, examined. “He was apposed, or examyned of his byleue. De religione appellatus est.” Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. D ii. ed. 1530.

v. 269. connyng] i. e. knowledge, learning.

Page 322. v. 284. Tom a thrum] See note, p. 189. v. 204.

v. 293.

—appose seems to be used in a different sense from that in which we have just had it (v. 267), and to be equivalent to—procure: crose, i. e. crosier.

Page 322. v. 299. a hermoniake] A term I am unable to explain.

v. 303. Ouer] i. e. Besides.

—— the foresayd laye] i. e. the above-mentioned laity.

v. 305. anker] i. e. anchorite.

v. 310.

Perhaps, as Warton thinks (note on Hist. of E. P., ii. 347. ed. 4to), an allusion to Wolsey: afterwards in this poem, the Cardinal appears to be pointed at more plainly.

Page 323. v. 312. purple and paule] An expression which frequently occurs, more particularly in ballad-poetry (considered by Percy and others as equivalent to—purple robe): paule, i. e. pall, rich or fine cloth.

v. 316. Raynes] See note, p. 268. v. 2042.

v. 317. morowes mylke] i. e. morning’s milk.

v. 318. tabertes] Tabards,—jackets or coats, without sleeves, close before and behind, and open at the sides, are still worn by heralds: but those mentioned in the text were longer,—a sort of riding-cloaks. “Tabard a garmêt mâteau.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxviii. (Table of Subst.). And see Du Cange’s Gloss. in v. Tabartum; Roquefort’s Gloss. in v. Tabar; and Strutt’s Dress and Habits, &c. ii. 301.

v. 319. Theyr styrops of myxt gold begared]—begared, or begarded, means—faced, bordered,—adorned. The line, I suspect, (see various readings ad l.) ought to stand,—

v. 321. moyles] i. e. mules.

v. 323.

So afterwards, v. 857, the same terms are used to signify the labouring poor of both sexes. Jacke of the Noke, i. e. (I suppose) Jack of the Nook: see “Nocata terræ” in Cowel’s Law Dictionary, &c. ed. 1727.

v. 325. pore] i. e. poor.

v. 331. farly] i. e. strange.

v. 332. iangle] i. e. babble, chatter.

v. 335. all to-mangle] See note, p. 100. v. 32.

Page 324. v. 337. ascrye] i. e. call out against: see notes, p. 145. v. 903. p. 152. v. 1358.

v. 341. Ware] i. e. Were. (MS. “Was:” see note ad loc.)

v. 342. Poules] i. e. Paul’s.

Page 324. v. 346. trones] i. e. thrones.

v. 347. Lyke prynces aquilonis] i. e. Like so many Lucifers.

v. 352. For prestes and for lones]—prestes, i. e. sums in advance. “Prest and loan,” Sir H. Nicolas observes to me, “seem to have been used in nearly, if not precisely, the same sense in the 16th century. Perhaps, strictly, prest meant a compulsory advance. In fiscal records it has much the meaning of charge or imprest.”

v. 356. tonge tayde] i. e. tongue-tied.

v. 360. shrewd] i. e. evil.

v. 362. poollynge] i. e. polling, plundering.

Page 325. v. 365. Ye make monkes to haue the culerage, &c.] A passage which I do not understand: but culerage perhaps has here the meaning which it conveys as the name of an herb, “Arse-smart. Cul-rage.” Cotgrave’s Dict.

v. 373. ouerthwarted] Has been explained before (p. 211. v. 230)—cavilled, wrangled: but here it seems to mean—crossly, perversely opposed or controlled.

v. 376. fayne] i. e. glad.

v. 379. corum] i. e. quorum.

v. 388. apostataas] See note, p. 212. v. 290.

Page 326. v. 391. sely nonnes] i. e. silly, simple, harmless nuns.

v. 392. ronnes] i. e. runs.

v. 396. quere] i. e. quire.

v. 397. heuy chere] “Heavy chear, Tristitia, Mœstitia.” Cole’s Dict.

v. 399. fucke sayles] So in a copy of verses attributed to Dunbar;

and in another by Sir R. Maitland;

Focke, a foresail, German. In the Expenses of Sir John Howard, first Duke of Norfolk, we find, “Item, the same day my mastyr paid to the said Clayson, for a fuk maste for the said kervelle, iijs. iiijd.” Manners and Household Expenses of England, &c., p. 206. ed. Roxb.

v. 401. shales] See note, p. 97. v. 19.

v. 403. The lay fee people] i. e. the laity: see note, p. 234. v. 267.

v. 404. fawte] i. e. fault.

v. 409. Boke and chalys] i. e. Book and chalice.

Page 327. v. 417. melles] i. e. meddles.

v. 418. tytyuelles] This word occurs not unfrequently, and with some variety of spelling, in our early writers. So Lydgate;

and Heywood;

Some have considered the word as derived from the Latin, titivilitium, a thing of no worth. Jamieson “suspects that it is a personal designation,” Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang. in v. Tutivillaris. In Juditium, Towneley Mysteries, p. 310, Tutivillus is a fiend; and in the Moral Play of Mankind he represents the sin of the flesh, Hist. of Engl. Dram. Poet., ii. 297, by Mr. J.P. Collier, who says (ii. 223) that “the name afterwards came to mean any person with evil propensities,” and refers to the comedy of Rauf Royster Doyster, Skelton’s Works, and the Enterlude of Thersytes: when he objected to the derivation of the word from titivilitium and proposed “the more simple etymology, totus and vilis,” he was probably not aware that some writers (wrongly) “totivillitium volunt, quasi totum vile:” see Gronovius’s note on the Casina of Plautus, ii. 5, 39. ed. Var.

Page 327. v. 421. Of an abbay ye make a graunge] A proverbial expression.

“To bring an Abbey to a Grange.” Ray’s Proverbs, p. 174. ed. 1768.

v. 424. beade rolles] i. e. prayers,—properly, lists of those to be prayed for.

v. 429.

—mell, i. e. meddle. So Dunbar;

v. 434. reporte me] i. e. refer.

v. 440. the lay fee] i. e. the laity: see note, p. 234. v. 267.

Page 328. v. 447.

From the Vulgate. “Ibunt in splendore fulgurantis hastæ tuæ.” Habac. iii. 11. “Et micantis gladii, et fulgurantis hastæ.” Nahum, iii. 3.

v. 456. eysell] i. e. vinegar.

v. 458. ypocras] Was a favourite medicated drink, composed of wine (usually red), with spices and sugar. It is generally supposed to have been so named from Hippocrates (often contracted, as in our author’s Garlande of Laurell, v. 1426. vol. i. 417, to “Ipocras”); perhaps because it was strained,—the woollen bag used by apothecaries to strain syrups and decoctions for clarification being termed Hippocrates’s sleeve.

Page 328. v. 459. Let the cat wynke] See note, p. 168. v. 305.

v. 460. Iche wot] Seems to mean here—Each knows (not, I know); and therefore in the remainder of the line the reading of Kele’s ed., “yche,” ought not to have been rejected.

v. 467. theologys] i. e. theologians.

v. 468. astrologys] i. e. astrologers.

Page 329. v. 469. Ptholome] See note, p. 133. v. 503.

v. 474. pretendynge] Equivalent to—portending.

Here Skelton seems to allude to Wolsey; and from these lines (called in the Lansdown MS., see note ad loc., “The profecy of Skelton”) perhaps originated the story of our poet having prophesied the downfal of the Cardinal.

v. 476. trone] i. e. throne.

v. 479. euerychone] i. e. every one.

Page 330. v. 489. bruted] i. e. reported, talked of.

v. 492. wrest vp] i. e. screw up: see note, p. 238. v. 137.

v. 493. twynkyng] i. e. tinking, tinkling.

v. 498. the lay fee] i. e. the laity: see note, p. 234. v. 267.

v. 504. to] i. e. too.

v. 515. depraue] i. e. vilify, defame.

Page 331. v. 523. resydeuacyon] i. e. recidivation, backsliding.

v. 528. ipostacis] i. e. hypostasis.

v. 533. fore top] i. e. (as the context shews) simply,—head, pate.

v. 535. knowe and ken] A pleonasm,—unless ken be explained—see.

v. 542.

Concerning the wine called sack (about which so much has been written) see Henderson’s Hist. of Anc. and Mod. Wines, p. 298.

v. 544. brennyng] i. e. burning.

v. 545. warke] i. e. work.

Page 332. v. 549. carpe] i. e. talk, prate.

v. 551. Called Wicleuista] From Wicliffe.

v. 553. Hussyans] i. e. followers of Huss.

v. 554. Arryans] i. e. followers of Arius.

v. 555. Pollegians] i. e. Pelagians,—followers of Pelagius.

v. 559. to mykel] i. e. too much.

Page 332. v. 564. tryalytes] i. e. three benefices united.

v. 565. tot quottes] So Barclay;

Page 333. v. 572. persons and vycaryes] i. e. parsons and vicars.

v. 576. loselles] See note, p. 209. v. 138.

v. 577. lewdely] i. e. wickedly, vilely.

v. 578. sely] i. e. silly, simple, harmless.

v. 581. mought] i. e. might.

v. 582. so dysgysed] See note, p. 205. v. 22.

Page 334. v. 597. lokes] i. e. looks.

v. 598. bokes] i. e. books.

v. 600. wroken] i. e. wreaked.

v. 602. iauell] See note, p. 271. v. 2218.

v. 604. face] See note, p. 216. v. 33.

—— crake] i. e. vaunt, talk bigly.

v. 606. kayser] See note, p. 247. v. 796.

v. 607. layser] i. e. leisure.

v. 619. connyng] i. e. knowledge, learning.

—— auaunce] i. e. advance.

Page 335. v. 624. dykes] i. e. ditches.

v. 625. Set nothyng by] i. e. Value not, regard not.

v. 637. ye, shall] i. e. yea, I shall.

v. 648. shule] i. e. shovel.

Page 336. v. 654. mamockes] See note, p. 268. v. 2035.

v. 663. kynde] i. e. nature.

v. 664. Many one ye haue vntwynde] The reading of the MS., which at least gives a sense to the line: vntwynde, i. e. destroyed; see note, p. 127. v. 284.

v. 668. fote] i. e. foot.

v. 672. in the deuyll way] A common expression in our early writers.

“In the twenty deuyll way, Au nom du grant diable.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccccxlii. (Table of Aduerbes). “What reason is that, in the twenty deuell waye, that he shulde bere suche a rule? Quænam (malum) ratio est,” &c. Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. dd iii. ed. 1530.

Page 337. v. 673. ouer] i. e. besides.

v. 675. hear] i. e. hair.

v. 679. tonsors] i. e. tonsures.

v. 688. the male dothe wrye] See note, p. 142. v. 700.

Page 338. v. 692. Ye bysshops of estates]—of estates, i. e. of great estate, rank, dignity.

v. 698. awtentyke] i. e. authentic.

v. 704. intoxicate] i. e. poison (Lat. intoxico).

v. 705. conquinate] i. e. coinquinate,—pollute, defile, defame.

v. 710. The Churchis hygh estates] i. e. the dignitaries of the Church.

Page 339. v. 728. marke] i. e. marks,—the coins so called.

v. 730. werke] i. e. work.

v. 734. sawe] i. e. saying,—branch of learning.

v. 737. pore] i. e. poor.

v. 739. frere] i. e. friar.

Page 340. v. 747.

The statement that Edward the Third founded a religious house at Greenwich in 1376 appears to rest on no authority. A grant of Edward the Fourth to certain Minorites or Observant Friars of the order of St. Francis of a piece of ground which adjoined the palace at Greenwich, and on which they had begun to build several small mansions, was confirmed in 1486 by a charter of Henry the Seventh, who founded there a convent of friars of that order, to consist of a warden and twelve brethren at the least; and who is said to have afterwards rebuilt their convent from the foundation. The friars of Greenwich were much favoured by Katherine, queen of Henry the Eighth; and when, during the question of her divorce, they had openly espoused her cause, the king was so greatly enraged that he suppressed the whole order throughout England. The convent at Greenwich was dissolved in 1534. Queen Mary reinstated them in their possessions, and new-founded and repaired their monastery. Queen Elizabeth suppressed them, &c. See Lysons’s Environs of London, iv. 464. ed. 1796.

v. 754. Babuell besyde Bery] When by an order of Pope Urban the Fourth, the Grey Friars were removed out of the town and jurisdiction of Bury St. Edmund, in 1263, “they retired to a place just without the bounds, beyond the north gate, called Babwell, now the Toll-gate, which the abbat and convent generously gave them to build on; and here they continued till the dissolution.” Tanner’s Not. Mon. p. 527. ed. 1744.

Page 340. v. 755. To postell vpon a kyry] i. e. to comment upon a Kyrie eleison: (a postil is a short gloss, or note).

v. 757. coted] i. e. quoted.

Page 341. v. 779. blother] i. e. gabble.

v. 780.

So again our author in his Garlande of Laurell;

Compare The Legend of the Bischop of St Androis;

“Welchman’s hose. Equivalent, I imagine, to the breeches of a Highlander, or the dress of a naked Pict; upon the presumption that Welchmen had no hose.” Nares’s Gloss. in v. Unfortunately, however, for this ingenious conjecture, the expression is found varied to “shipman’s hose,”—which certainly cannot be considered as a non-entity. “Hereunto they adde also a Similitude not very agreeable, how the Scriptures be like to a Nose of Waxe, or a Shipmans Hose: how thei may be fashioned, and plied al manner of waies, and serue al mennes turnes.” Jewel’s Defence of the Apologie, &c. p. 465. ed. 1567. “And not made as a shippe mans hose to serue for euery legge.” Wilson’s Arte of Rhetorike, p. 102. ed. 1580. Surely Welshman’s hose (as well as shipman’s) became proverbial from their pliability, power of being stretched, &c.

v. 784. broke] i. e. brook.

v. 785. loke] i. e. look.

v. 786. boke] i. e. book.

Page 342. v. 800. the brode gatus] Means perhaps, Broadgates Hall, Oxford, on the site of which Pembroke College was erected.

v. 801. Daupatus] i. e. Simple-pate: see note, p. 113. v. 301.

v. 803. Dronhen as a mouse] So Chaucer;

v. 805. his pyllyon and his cap]—pyllyon, from Lat. pileus. Compare Barclay;

and Cavendish’s Life of Wolsey; “and upon his head a round pillion, with a noble of black velvet set to the same in the inner side” [where surely we ought to read, “and upon his head a round pillion of black velvet, with a noble set to the same in the inner side”]. p. 105. ed. 1827.

Page 342. v. 811. As wyse as Waltoms calfe] So Heywood;

Ray gives, “As wise as Waltham’s calf, that ran nine miles to suck a bull.” Proverbs, p. 220. ed. 1768.

v. 812. a Goddes halfe] See note, p. 174. v. 501.

v. 817. scole matter] i. e. school-matter.

Page 343. v. 820. elenkes] i. e. elenchs (elenchus—in logic).

v. 822. mell] i. e. meddle.

v. 826. neuen] i. e. name.

v. 831. mo] i. e. more.

v. 836. Lymyters] i. e. Friars licensed to beg within certain districts.

v. 840. Flatterynge, &c.] Compare Barclay;

v. 843. lese] i. e. lose.

Page 344. v. 846. bacon flycke] i. e. flitch of bacon.

v. 849. couent] i. e. convent.

v. 852. theyr tonges fyle]—fyle, i. e. smooth, polish: the expression occurs in earlier and in much later writers.

v. 854.

As we find the name “Mawte” in our author’s Elynour Rummyng, v. 159. vol. i. 100, and as in the second of these lines the MS. (see note ad l.) has “fawte” (i. e. fault), the right reading is probably,

v. 856. prouoke] i. e. incite.

v. 857. Gyll and Jacke at Noke] See note on v. 323. p. 283.

v. 861. In open tyme] i. e. In the time when no fasts are imposed.

v. 864. an olde sayd sawe] “Oulde sayd sawe prouerbe.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. li. (Table of Subst.).

Page 344. v. 866. Some walke aboute in melottes] “Circuierunt in melotis.” Vulgate,—Heb. xi. 37. “Melotes,” as Mr. Albert Way observes to me, “is explained in the Catholicon to be a garment used by the monks during laborious occupation, made of the skin of the badger, and reaching from the neck to the loins,” and according to other early dictionaries, it was made of the hair or skin of other animals. So the original Greek word, μηλωτή, which properly means pellis ovina, signifies also pellis quævis.

v. 867. heery] i. e. hairy.

v. 868. ne] i. e. nor.

v. 869. in remotes] i. e. in retired places.

Page 345. v. 874.

—shryue, assoyle, i. e. confess, absolve.—“On a de Clément V une compilation nouvelle, tant des décrets du concile général de Vienne, que de ses épîtres ou constitutions. C’est ce qu’on appelle les Clémentines.” L’Art de vérifier les Dates, &c. (depuis la naissance de Notre-seigneur), iii. 382. ed. 1818. Skelton alludes here to Clement. lib. iii. tit. vii. cap. ii. which begins, “Dvdum à Bonifacio Papa octauo prædecessore nostro,” &c., and contains the following passages. “Ab olim siquidem inter Prælatos & Rectores, seu Sacerdotes ac Clericos parochialium Ecclesiarum per diuersas Mundi prouincias constitutos ex vna parte, & Prædicatorum & Minorum ordinum fratres ex altera (pacis æmulo, satore zizaniæ procurante), grauis & periculosa discordia extitit, suscitata super prædicationib. fidelium populis faciendis, eorum confessionibus audiendis, pœnitentiis iniungendis eisdem, & tumulandis defunctorum corporibus, qui apud fratrum ipsorum Ecclesias siue loca noscuntur eligere sepulturam.... Statuimus etiam & ordinamus auctoritate prædicta, vt in singulis ciuitatibus & diœcesibus, in quibus loca fratrum ipsorum consistere dignoscuntur, vel in ciuitatibus & diœcesibus locis ipsis vicinis, in quibus loca huiusmodi non habentur, Magistri, Priores prouinciales Prædicatorum, aut eorum Vicarij & Generales, et Prouinciales Ministri & custodes Minorum & ordinum prædictorum ad præsentiam Prælatorum eorundem locorum se conferant per se, vel per fratres, quos ad hoc idoneos fore putauerint, humiliter petituri, vt fratres, qui ad hoc electi fuerint, in eorum ciuitatibus & diœcesibus confessiones subditorum suorum confiteri sibi volentium audire liberè valeant, & huiusmodi confitentibus (prout secundùm Deum expedire cognouerint) pœnitentias imponere salutares, atque eisdem absolutionis beneficium impendere de licentia, gratia, & beneplacito eorundem: Ac deinde præfati Magistri, Priores, Prouinciales, & Ministri ordinum prædictorum eligere studeant personas sufficientes, idoneas, vita probatas, discretas, modestas, atque peritas, ad tam salubre ministerium et officium exequendum: quas sic ab ipsis electas repræsentent, vel faciant præsentari Prælatis, vt de eorum licentia, gratia, & beneplacito in ciuitatib. & dioecesibus eorundem huiusmodi personæ sic electæ confessiones confiteri sibi volentium audiant, imponant pœnitentias salutares, & beneficium absolutionis (in posterum) impendant, prout superiùs est expressum: extra ciuitates & diœceses, in quibus fuerint deputatæ, per quas eas volumus & non per prouincias deputari, confessiones nullatenus audituræ. Numerus autem personarum assumendarum ad huiusmodi officium exercendum esse debet, prout vniuersitas cleri & populi, ac multitudo vel paucitas exigit eorundem. Et si iidem Prælati petitam licentiam confessionum huiusmodi audiendarum concesserint: illam præfati Magistri, Ministri, & alij cum gratiarum recipiant actione, dictæque personæ sic electæ commissum sibi officium exequantur. Quòd si fortè iam dicti Prælati quenquam ex dictis fratribus præsentatis eisdem ad huiusmodi officium nollent habere, vel non ducerent admittendum: eo amoto, vel subtracto loco ipsius similiter eisdem præsentandus Prælatis possit, & debeat alius surrogari. Si verò iidem Prælati præfatis fratribus ad confessiones (vt præmittitur) audiendas electis, huiusmodi exhibere licentiam recusârint, nos ex nunc ipsis, vt confessiones sibi confiteri volentium liberè licitèque audire valeant, & eisdem pœnitentias imponere salutares, atque eisdem beneficium absolutionis impertiri, gratiosè concedimus de plenitudine Apostolicæ potestatis. Per huiusmodi autem concessionem nequaquam intendimus personis, seu fratribus ipsis ad id taliter deputatis, potestatem in hoc impendere ampliorem quàm in eo curatis vel parochialibus Sacerdotib. est à iure concessa: nisi forsan eis Ecclesiarum Prælati vberiorem in hac parte gratiam specialiter ducerent faciendam.” Pp. 184-190. (Decret. tom. iii. ed. 1600.)

Page 345. v. 879.

The name “Cristian Clowte” has occurred before in our author’s Manerly Margery Mylk and Ale, vol. i. 28. The story alluded to in this passage appears to be nearly the same as that which is related in a comparatively modern ballad, entitled,

“The Fryer Well-fitted: or, A Pretty Jest that once befel, How a Maid put a Fryer to cool in the Well. To a merry new Tune. Licens’d and Enter’d according to Order.”

The Friar wishes to seduce the Maid;

The Maid then tells him that he “shall have his request,” but only on condition that he brings her “an angel of money.” While he is absent, “She hung a Cloth before the Well;” and, when he has returned, and given her the angel,—

The Maid at last helps him out, and bids him be gone; but when he asks her to give him back the angel,—

Page 345. v. 882.

—mo, i. e. more. Some corruption, if not considerable mutilation of the text, may be suspected here. There seems to be an allusion to Clement, lib. v. tit. xi. cap. i., which begins, “Exiui de paradiso, dixi, rigabo hortum plantationum, ait ille cœlestis agricola,” &c. P. 313. (Decret. tom. iii. ed. 1600).

v. 892. abiections] i. e. objections.

Page 346. v. 901. hertes] i. e. hearts.

v. 903. coueytous] i. e. covetise, covetousness.

v. 906. play scylens and glum, &c.] See note on v. 83. p. 278.

v. 911. leuer] i. e. more willingly, rather.

v. 914. Worsshepfully] i. e. According to their honour, or dignity.

Page 347. v. 922. payntes] See note, p. 176. v. 583.

v. 924. them lyke] i. e. please them.

v. 931. crosse] See note, p. 116. v. 363.

v. 932. predyall landes] i. e. farm-lands.

v. 943. palles] See note on v. 312. p. 283.

v. 944. Arras] i. e. tapestry: see note, p. 192. v. 78.

v. 947. lusty] i. e. pleasant, desirable,—beautiful.

Page 348. v. 950. shote] i. e. shoot.

v. 951. tyrly tyrlowe] This passage was strangely misunderstood by the late Mr. Douce, who thought that “tyrly tyrlowe” alluded to the note of the crow, that bird being mentioned in the preceding line! Illust. of Shakespeare, i. 353. The expression has occurred before, in our author’s Elynour Rummyng, v. 292. vol. i. 104: here it is equivalent to the modern fa, la, la, which is often used with a sly or wanton allusion,—as, for instance, at the end of each stanza of Pope’s court-ballad, The Challenge.

Page 348. v. 953. a lege de moy] See note, p. 176. v. 587.

v. 956. With suche storyes bydene]—bydene, that is “by the dozen,” says Warton, erroneously, quoting this passage, Hist. of E. P., ii. 343. ed. 4to (note). The word occurs frequently in our early poetry, with different significations: here it may be explained—together—(with a collection of such stories); so in The Worlde and the Chylde, 1522;

v. 957. Their chambres well besene]—well besene, i. e. of a good appearance,—well-furnished, or adorned: see note, p. 112. v. 283.

v. 962. Nowe all the worlde stares, &c.] “This is still,” as Warton observes (Hist. of E. P., ii. 343. ed. 4to, note), “a description of tapestry.”

v. 963. chares] i. e. chariots.

v. 964. olyphantes] i. e. elephants.

v. 965, garlantes] i. e. garlands.

v. 974. estate] i. e. high rank, dignity.

v. 975. courage] i. e. heart, affections.

v. 977.

—parfetnesse, i. e. perfectness. “We should observe,” says Warton, after citing the passage, “that the satire is here pointed at the subject of these tapestries. The graver ecclesiastics, who did not follow the levities of the world, were contented with religious subjects, or such as were merely historical.” Hist. of E. P., ii. 344. ed. 4to.

Page 349. v. 983. remorde] See note, p. 193. v. 101.

v. 987. mellyng] i. e. meddling.

v. 990. besy] i. e. busy.

v. 991. For one man to rule a kyng] An allusion, I apprehend, to Wolsey’s influence over Henry the Eighth: so again our author speaking of Wolsey, in the Latin lines at the end of Why Come ye nat to Courte, “Qui regnum regemque regit.” Vol. ii. 67. I may observe too in further confirmation of the reading “kyng” instead of “gyng” (see note ad loc.), that we have had in an earlier passage of the present poem,

v. 996. flyt] i. e. remove.

v. 998. quysshon] i. e. cushion.

v. 1000. Cum regibus amicare] “Amico, to be frend.” Medulla Gramatice, MS. (now in the possession of Mr. Rodd).

Page 349. v. 1002. pravare] In Ortus Vocab. fol. ed. W. de. Worde, n. d., is “Prauo ... prauum facere. or to shrewe,” and “Tirannus. shrewe or tyrande.” The meaning therefore of pravare in our text may be—to play the tyrant.

Page 350. v. 1003. vre] “Evr happe or lucke with his compoundes bonevr and malevr,” &c. Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. vi. (Thirde Boke).

v. 1014. played so checkemate] In allusion to the king’s being put in check at the game of chess.

v. 1017. mell] i. e. meddle.

v. 1019. kayser] See note, p. 247. v. 796.

v. 1020. at the playsure of one, &c.] Meaning, surely, Wolsey.

v. 1025. not so hardy on his hede] An elliptical expression; compare v. 1154. In the Morte d’Arthur when Bors is on the point of slaying King Arthur, “Not soo hardy sayd syr launcelot vpon payn of thy hede, &c.” B. xx. c. xiii. vol. ii. 411. ed. Southey.

v. 1026. To loke on God in forme of brede]—loke, i. e. look: brede, i. e. bread. A not unfrequent expression in our early writers.

See too Ritson’s An. Pop. Poetry, p. 84; and Hartshorne’s An. Met. Tales, p. 134.

Page 351. v. 1030. sacryng] “Sacryng of the masse sacrement.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lx. (Table of Subst.). And see Todd’s Johnson’s Dict. in v.

v. 1041. preas] i. e. press.

v. 1047. ne] i. e. nor.

v. 1050. warke] i. e. work, business.

Page 352. v. 1051. this] Perhaps for—thus; see note, p. 86. v. 38.

v. 1054. vncouthes] i. e. strange matters.

v. 1055. ken] i. e. know.

v. 1070. premenire] i. e. præmunire.

v. 1074. fotyng] i. e. footing.

Page 352. v. 1075. motyng] i. e. mooting. “Certamen ... anglice flytynge chydynge or motynge.” Ortus Vocab. fol. ed. W. de Worde, n. d.

v. 1076. totyng] i. e. prying, peeping.

Page 353. v. 1084. hole route] i. e. whole crowd, set.

v. 1098. escrye] i. e. call out against: see notes, p. 145. v. 903. p. 152. v. 1358. p. 283. v. 337.

v. 1102. werke] i. e. work.

Page 354. v. 1106. hynderyng] See note, p. 245. v. 719.

—— dysauaylyng] “I Disauayle one, I hynder his auauntage, Ie luy porte dom̄aige.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccxii. (Table of Verbes).

v. 1116. to be gramed] i. e. to be angered: gramed is doubtless the right reading here, though the eds. have “greued” and the MS. “grevyd”—(grame has already occurred in Magnyfycence, v. 1864).

Page 355. v. 1134. depraue] i. e. vilify, defame.

v. 1154. Not so hardy on theyr pates] See note on v. 1025, preceding page.

v. 1155. losell] See note, p. 209. v. 138.

v. 1156. wesaunt] i. e. weasand.

v. 1157. syr Guy of Gaunt] See note, p. 184. v. 70.

v. 1158. lewde] i. e. wicked, vile.

Page 356. v. 1159. doctour Deuyas] See note, p. 95. v. 55.

v. 1162. dawcocke] i. e. simpleton: see note, p. 113. v. 301.

—— mell] i. e. meddle.

v. 1164. Allygate] i. e. Allege.

v. 1170. lurdeyne] See note, p. 242. v. 423.

v. 1171. Lytell Ease] “Little Ease (prison), mala mansio, arcæ robustæ.” Coles’s Dict.—“Little-Ease. A familiar term for a pillory, or stocks; or an engine uniting both purposes, the bilboes.” Nares’s Gloss.

v. 1178. rechelesse] i. e. reckless.

Page 357. v. 1184. Poules Crosse] i. e. Paul’s Cross.

v. 1186. Saynt Mary Spyttell] In Bishopsgate Ward: see Stow’s Survey, B. ii. 97. ed. 1720.

v. 1187. set not by vs a whystell] i. e. value us not at a whistle, care not a whistle for us. Compare Lydgate;

v. 1188. the Austen fryers] In Broad-street Ward: see Stow’s Survey, B. ii. 114, ed. 1720.

Page 357. v. 1190. Saynt Thomas of Akers] Concerning the “Hospital intituled of S. Thomas of Acon or Acars [Acre in the Holy Land], near to the great Conduit in Cheape,” see Stow’s Survey, B. iii. 37. ed. 1720, and Maitland’s Hist. of London, ii. 886. ed. 1756.

v. 1191. carpe vs] Is explained by the various reading of the MS.,—“clacke of us.”

—— crakers] i. e., as the context shews, (not—vaunters, but) noisy talkers.

v. 1193. reason or skyll] See note, p. 238. v. 106.

v. 1196. at a pronge] See note, p. 243. v. 506.

v. 1199. fonge] i. e. take, get.

v. 1201. the ryght of a rambes horne] An expression which our author has again in Speke, Parrot, v. 498. vol. ii. 24. So in a metrical fragment, temp. Edward ii.;

And Lydgate has a copy of verses, the burden of which is,—

See too Ray’s Proverbs, p. 225. ed. 1768.

v. 1206. yawde] i. e. hewed, cut down. “To Yaw, to hew.” Gloss. appended to A Dialogue in the Devonshire Dialect, 1837.

Page 358. v. 1208. Ezechyas] Ought to be “Isaias;” for, according to a Jewish tradition, Isaiah was cut in two with a wooden saw by order of King Manasseh.

v. 1216. agayne] i. e. against.

v. 1223. cough, rough, or sneuyll]—rough, i. e., perhaps, rout, snore, snort. I may just observe that Palsgrave not only gives “rowte” in that sense, but also “I Rowte I belche as one dothe that voydeth wynde out of his stomacke, Ie roucte.” Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cccxliiii. (Table of Verbes); and that Coles has “To rout, Crepo, pedo.” Dict.

v. 1224. Renne] i. e. Run.

v. 1227. set not a nut shell] i. e. value not at a nut-shell, care not a nut-shell for.

v. 1229. gyse] i. e. guise, fashion.

Page 359. v. 1232. sayd sayne] A sort of pleonastic expression,—equivalent to—called commonly or proverbially: see note on v. 864. p. 290.

v. 1235. domis day] i. e. doomsday.

Page 359. v. 1239. boke] i. e. book.

v. 1240. By hoke ne by croke] i. e. By hook nor by crook.

v. 1244. nolles] i. e. heads.

v. 1245. noddy polles] i. e. silly heads.

v. 1246. sely] i. e. silly.

v. 1248. great estates] i. e. persons of great estate, or rank.

v. 1255. wawes wod] i. e. waves mad, raging.

v. 1257. Shote] i. e. Shoot, cast.

v. 1258. farre] i. e. farther:

Page 360. v. 1262. the porte salu] i. e. the safe port. Skelton has the term again in his Garlande of Laurell, v. 541. vol. i. 383. Compare Hoccleve;

where the editor observes, “Port salut was a kind of proverbial expression, and so used in the translation of Cicero de senectute printed by Caxton.”

A RYGHT DELECTABLE TRATYSE VPON A GOODLY GARLANDE OR CHAPELET OF LAURELL ... STUDYOUSLY DYUYSED AT SHERYFHOTTON CASTELL, IN THE FORESTE OF GALTRES, &c.

Sheriff-Hutton Castle “is situated in the Wapentake of Bulmer, and is distant ten miles north-east from York ... The slender accounts of it that have reached our times, ascribe its origin to Bertram de Bulmer, an English Baron, who is recorded by Camden to have built it in the reign of King Stephen, A.D. 1140 ... From the Bulmers it descended by marriage to the noble family of the Nevilles, and continued in their possession upwards of 300 years, through a regular series of reigns, until seized by Edward iv. in 1471, who soon after gave the Castle and Manor to his brother the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard iii. In 1485, in consequence of the death of Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field, it became the property of King Henry vii., and continued in the hands of the Crown, until James the First granted it to his son, Prince Charles, about 1616. The Castle and Manor were subsequently granted (also by King James, according to Camden, and the original grant confirmed by Prince Charles after he ascended the throne) to the family of the Ingrams, about 1624-5, and are now in possession of their lineal descendant, the present Marchioness of Hertford.” Some Account of Sheriff-Hutton Castle, &c. pp. 3-5, York, 1824.

Leland (who says, erroneously it would seem, that Sheriff-Hutton Castle “was buildid by Rafe Nevill of Raby the fyrst Erl of Westmerland of the Nevilles,”) gives the following description of it. “There is a Base Court with Houses of Office afore the Entering of the Castelle. The Castelle self in the Front is not dichid, but it stondith in loco utcunque edito. I markid yn the fore Front of the first Area of the Castelle self 3. great and high Toures, of the which the Gate House was the Midle. In the secunde Area ther be a 5. or 6. Toures, and the stately Staire up to the Haul is very Magnificent, and so is the Haul it self, and al the residew of the House: in so much that I saw no House in the North so like a Princely Logginges. I lernid ther that the Stone that the Castel was buildid with was fetchid from a Quarre at Terington a 2. Miles of. There is a Park by the Castel. This Castel was wel maintainid, by reason that the late Duke of Northfolk lay ther x. Yers, and sins the Duk of Richemond. From Shirhuten to York vij. Miles, and in the Forest of Galtres, wherof 4. Miles or more was low Medowes and Morisch Ground ful of Carres, the Residew by better Ground but not very high.” Itin. i. 67. ed. 1770.

“Report asserts, that during the civil wars in the time of Charles the First, it [the Castle] was dismantled, and the greater part of its walls taken down, by order of the Parliament. But this is certainly not the fact, as will be seen by reference to the ‘Royal Survey’ made in 1624 ... From this Survey it will appear evident, that the Castle was dismantled and almost in total ruin in the time of James I.,—how long it had been so, previous to the Survey alluded to, is now difficult to say. From the present appearance of the ruins, it is plain that the Castle was purposely demolished and taken down by workmen, (probably under an order from the Crown, in whatever reign it might happen,) and not destroyed by violence of war. However, since this devastation by human hands, the yet more powerful and corroding hand of Time has still further contributed to its destruction.... The Castle stands upon a rising bank or eminence in front of the village, and its ruins may be seen on every side at a great distance.” Some Account, &c. (already cited), pp. 5, 6. The vast forest of Galtres formerly extended nearly all round Sheriff-Hutton.

When Skelton wrote the present poem, Sheriff-Hutton Castle was in possession of the Duke of Norfolk, to whom it had been granted by the crown for life: see note on v. 769.

Page 361. v. 1. Arectyng] i. e. Raising.

Page 361. v. 6. plenarly] i. e. fully—at full.

v. 9. somer flower] i. e. summer-flower.

v. 10. halfe] i. e. side, part.

Page 362. v. 15. dumpe] “I Dumpe I fall in a dumpe or musyng vpon thynges.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccxxii. (Table of Verbes).

v. 16. Encraumpysshed] i. e. encramped. Skelton’s fondness for compounds of this kind has been already noticed. The simple word occurs in other writers:

—— conceyte] i. e. conceit, conception.

v. 20. boystors] i. e. boisterous.

v. 22.

—stode, i. e. stood: frytthy, i. e. woody: ensowkid, i. e. ensoaked: sylt, i. e. mud: mose, i. e. moss. The forest of Galtres (which, as already noticed, extended nearly all round Sheriff-Hutton) was, when Camden wrote, “in some places shaded with trees, in others swampy.” Britannia (by Gough), iii. 20.

v. 24. hartis belluyng] In the Book of Saint Albans, Juliana Berners, treating “Of the cryenge of thyse bestys,” says,

—— embosyd] “When he [the hart] is foamy at the mouth, we say that he is embost.” Turbervile’s Noble Art of Venerie, p. 244. ed. 1611.

v. 26. the hynde calfe] “Ceruula. a hynde calfe.” Ortus Vocab. fol. ed. W. de Worde, n. d. In the Book of Saint Albans we are told;

v. 27. forster] i. e. forester.

—— bate] Does it mean—set on, or train?

v. 28. torne] i. e. turn.

v. 32. superflue] i. e. superfluous.

v. 35. wele] i. e. well.

Page 363. v. 38. disgysede] i. e. decked out in an unusual manner.

Page 363. v. 39. fresshe] “Fresshe, gorgyouse, gay.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxxxviii. (Table of Adiect.),—which I ought to have cited earlier for the meaning of this word.

v. 40. Enhachyde with perle, &c.] i. e. Inlaid, adorned with pearl, &c. Our author in his Phyllyp Sparowe tells us that a lady had a wart (or as he also calls it, a scar) “enhached on her fayre skyn,” v. 1078. vol. i. 84. Gifford observes that “literally, to hatch is to inlay [originally, I believe, to cut, engrave, mark with lines]; metaphorically, it is to adorn, to beautify, with silver, gold, &c.” Note on Shirley’s Works, ii. 301. “The ladies apparell was after the fashion of Inde, with kerchifes of pleasance, hatched with fine gold.” Holinshed’s Chron. (Hen. viii.) vol. iii. 849. ed. 1587. “Hatching, is to Silver or gild the Hilt and Pomell of a Sword or Hanger.” R. Holme’s Ac. of Armory, 1688. B. iii. p. 91.

v. 41. The grounde engrosyd and bet with bourne golde]—grounde, i. e. (not floor, but) ground-work; as in Lydgate’s verses entitled For the better abyde;

engrosyd, i. e. thickened, enriched: bet has here the same meaning as in Le Bone Florence of Rome;

who somewhat copiously explains it “beaten, plaited, inlay’d, embroider’d:” bourne, i. e. burnished.

v. 44. abylyment] i. e. habiliment.

v. 45. estates] i. e. persons of estate or rank.

v. 49. supplyed] i. e. supplicated.

v. 50. pusant] i. e. puissant, powerful, mighty.

v. 52. of very congruence] i. e. of very fitness.

v. 54. astate] i. e. estate, rank, dignity.

—— most lenen] i. e. must lean, bend, bow.

v. 55. arrect] i. e. raise.

v. 58. ryall] i. e. royal.

Page 364. v. 65. wele] i. e. well.

v. 66. embesy] i. e. embusy.

—— holl corage] i. e. whole heart.

v. 68. were] i. e. wear.

v. 69. wonder slake] i. e. wonderfully slack.

v. 70. lake] i. e. lack, fault.

v. 71. ne were] i. e. were it not.

v. 72. bokis ... sone ... rase] i. e. books ... soon ... erase.

v. 73. sith] i. e. since.

v. 74. Elyconis] i. e. Helicon’s.

v. 75. endeuour hymselfe] i. e. exert himself (compare v. 936).

v. 77. sittynge] i. e. proper, becoming.

v. 79. to] i. e. too.

v. 80. comprised] Compare our author in Lenuoy to Wolsey;

v. 81. rin] i. e. run.

Page 365. v. 83. pullishe] i. e. polish.

v. 86. remorde] See note, p. 193. v. 101.

v. 94. mo ... enduce] i. e. more ... bring in, adduce.

v. 95. parde for to kyll] i. e. par dieu, verily, for to be killed.

v. 96. enuectyfys] i. e. invectives.

v. 101. the grey] i. e. the badger. Juliana Berners says;

v. 102. gose ... oliphaunt] i. e. goose ... elephant.

v. 103. ageyne] i. e. against.

Page 366. v. 110. confecture] i. e. composition.

v. 111. diffuse is to expounde] i. e. is difficult to expound: see note, p. 144. v. 768.

v. 112. make ... fawt] i. e. compose ... fault.

v. 114. motyue] i. e. motion. So in the next line but one is “promotyue,” i. e. promotion: and so Lydgate has “ymaginatyfe” for—imagination. Fall of Prynces, B. v. leaf cxvii. ed. Wayland.

v. 115. auaunce] i. e. advance.

v. 116. rowme] i. e. room, place.

v. 121. gyse] i. e. guise, fashion.

v. 122. iche man doth hym dres] i. e. each man doth address, apply, himself.

v. 124. bokis] i. e. books.

Page 366. v. 127. loke] i. e. look.

v. 129. mo] i. e. more.

Page 367. v. 133. Ageyne] i. e. Against.

v. 136. wele] i. e. well.

v. 137. rasid] i. e. erased.

v. 140. Sith] i. e. Since.

—— defaut] i. e. default, want.

—— konnyng] i. e. (not so much—knowledge, learning, as) skill, ability.

v. 141. apposelle] i. e. question.

—— wele inferrid] i. e. well brought in.

v. 142.

i. e. it is lively, subtly expressed: compare v. 592 and v. 1161, where the words are applied to visible objects.

—— debarrid] See note, p. 237. v. 60; and compare Gentylnes and Nobylyte (attributed without grounds to Heywood) n. d.;

Page 368. v. 149. sittyng] i. e. proper, becoming.

v. 152. corage] i. e. encourage.

v. 153. fresshely] i. e. elegantly: see note on v. 39. p. 302.

v. 155. bruitid] i. e. reported, spoken of.

v. 156. outray] See note, p. 123. v. 87, where this passage is examined.

v. 162. Ierome, in his preamble Frater Ambrosius, &c.] The Epistle of Jerome to Paulinus, prefixed to the Vulgate, begins, “Frater Ambrosius tua mihi munuscula perferens,” &c., and contains this passage: “Unde et Æschines, cum Rhodi exularet, et legeretur illa Demosthenis oratio, quam adversus eum habuerat, mirantibus cunctis atque laudantibus, suspirans ait, Quid, si ipsam audissetis bestiam sua verba resonantem?” It may be found also in Hieronymi Opp. I. 1005. ed. 1609.

Page 369. v. 172. most] i. e. must.

v. 180. wele ... avaunce] i. e. well ... advance.

v. 183. thefte and brybery] See note, p. 256. v. 1242.

v. 184. pyke] i. e. pick.

Page 369. v. 186. cokwoldes] i. e. cuckolds.

v. 187. wetewoldis] i. e. wittols, tame cuckolds.

v. 188. lidderons] So before, lydderyns; see note, p. 267. v. 1945: but here, it would seem, the word is used in the more confined sense of—sluggish, slothful, idle fellows.

—— losels] See note, p. 209. v. 138.

—— noughty packis] See note, p. 203. v. 58.—If Skelton had been required to distinguish exactly between the meanings of these terms of reproach, he would perhaps have been nearly as much at a loss as his editor.

v. 189. Some facers, some bracers, some make great crackis] See note, p. 216. v. 33.

v. 192. courte rowlis] i. e. court-rolls.—Warton cites this and the next two verses as “nervous and manly lines.” Hist. of E. P. ii. 354. ed. 4to.

v. 196. rinne] i. e. run.

Page 370. v. 198. cunnyng] i. e. knowledge, learning.

v. 200. a mummynge] See note, p. 278. v. 83.

v. 201. sadnesse] See note, p. 259. v. 1382.

v. 203. faute] i. e. fault.

v. 204. to] i. e. too.

v. 205. can ... scole] i. e. knows ... school.

v. 207. fole] i. e. fool.

v. 208. stole] i. e. stool.

v. 209. Iacke a thrummis bybille] See note, p. 189. v. 204.

v. 211. agayne] i. e. against.

v. 212. dwte] i. e. duty.

v. 218. to] i. e. too.

Page 371. v. 223. lay] See note, p. 219. v. 103.

—— werkis] i. e. works.

v. 227. most] i. e. must.

v. 232. condiscendid] See note, p. 237. v. 39.

v. 233. clarionar] Is used here for—trumpeter: but the words properly are not synonymous;

and Skelton himself has afterwards in the present poem, “trumpettis and clariouns.” v. 1507.

v. 235. Eolus, your trumpet] i. e. Æeolus, your trumpeter.

So Chaucer makes Æolus trumpeter to Fame: see House of Fame, B. iii.

Page 371. v. 236. mercyall] i. e. martial.

v. 239. prease] i. e. press, throng.

v. 240. hole rowte] i. e. whole crowd, assembly.

v. 243. this trumpet were founde out] See note, p. 251. v. 977.

v. 244. hardely] i. e. assuredly.

v. 245. eyne] i. e. eyes.

Page 372. v. 248. presid ... to] i. e. pressed ... too.

v. 250. Some whispred, some rownyd] See note, p. 120. v. 513.

v. 255. quod] i. e. quoth.

v. 258. plumpe] i. e. cluster, mass. “Stode stille as hit had ben a plompe of wood.” Morte d’Arthur, B. i. cap. xvi. vol. i. 27. ed. Southey. Dryden has the word; and the first writer perhaps after his time who used it was Sir W. Scott.

v. 260. timorous] i. e. terrible.

v. 264. rowte] i. e. crowd, assembly.

v. 265. girnid] i. e. grinned.

v. 266. peuysshe] i. e. silly, foolish.

—— masyd] i. e. bewildered, confounded.

v. 267. whyste] i. e. still.

—— the nonys] i. e. the occasion.

v. 268. iche ... stode] i. e. each ... stood.

v. 269. wonderly] i. e. wonderfully.

v. 270. A murmur of mynstrels] So in many of our early English dramas “a noise of musicians” is used for a company or band of musicians.

v. 272. Traciane] i. e. Thracian.

—— herped meledyously] i. e. harped melodiously.

Page 373. v. 274. armony] i. e. harmony.

v. 275. gree] i. e. agree.

v. 278. gle] i. e. music.

v. 279. auaunce] i. e. advance.

v. 282. Sterte ... fote] i. e. Started ... foot.

v. 285.

i. e. lack of,—less than.

v. 288. cronell] i. e. coronal, garland.

Page 373. v. 289. heris encrisped] i. e. hairs formed into curls, curling.

v. 290. Daphnes] i. e. Daphne. So our early poets wrote the name;

So afterwards in the present poem we find Cidippes for Cydippe, v. 885; and see note, p. 123. v. 70.

—— the darte of lede] From Ovid, Met. i. 471.

v. 291. ne wolde] i. e. would not.

v. 292. herte] i. e. heart.

v. 295. Meddelyd with murnynge] i. e. Mingled with mourning.

v. 296. O thoughtfull herte] See note, p. 101. v. 10.

v. 298. loke] i. e. look.

v. 300.

From Ovid, Met. i. 553.

Page 374. v. 302. he assurded into this exclamacyon]—assurded, i. e. broke forth—a word which I have not elsewhere met with, but evidently formed from the not uncommon verb sourd, to rise. “Ther withinne sourdeth and spryngeth a fontayne or welle.” Caxton’s Mirrour of the world, 1480. sig. e v.: in that work, a few lines after, occurs “resourdeth.”

v. 306. adyment] i. e. adamant.

v. 307. ouerthwhart] i. e. cross, perverse, adverse.

v. 310. Sith] i. e. Since.

v. 314. gresse] i. e. grass. This stanza is also imitated from Ovid, Met. i. 521.

v. 315. axes] See note, p. 100. v. 9.

v. 317. raist] i. e. arrayest: see note on title of poem, p. 197.

v. 318. But sith I haue lost, &c.] Again from Ovid, Met. i. 557.

v. 324. poetis laureat, &c.] It must be remembered that formerly a poet laureat meant a person who had taken a degree in grammar, including rhetoric and versification: and that the word poet was applied to a writer of prose as well as of verse; “Poet a connyng man.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lv. (Table of Subst.).

Page 374. v. 328. Esiodus, the iconomicar] i. e. Hesiod, the writer on husbandry (the eds. by a misprint have “icononucar,”—which Warton says he “cannot decypher.” Hist. of E. P., ii. 352 (note), ed. 4to.) Among MSS. Dig. Bod. 147. is “Carmen Domini Walteri de Henleye quod vocatur Yconomia sive Housbundria:” compare Cicero; “quam copiose ab eo [Xenophonte] agricultura laudatur in eo libro, qui est de tuenda re familiari, qui Œconomicus inscribitur.” Cato Major, c. 17.

v. 329. fresshe] i. e. elegant: see note, p. 302. v. 39.

Page 375. v. 335. engrosyd] i. e. plumped up, swollen.

—— flotis] i. e. flowings,—drops: various reading, “droppes;” see note ad l. (“Flotyce. Spuma.” Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499, is a distinct word.)

v. 338. Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse]—presed, i. e. pressed: diffuse, i. e. difficult to be understood; see note, p. 144. v. 768. “Skelton, undoubtedly a man of learning, calls Persius (not unhappily for his mode of thinking) a writer of problems diffuse.” Gifford’s Introd. to Persius, p. xxxi. ed. 1817.

v. 340. satirray] Is this word to be explained—satirist, or satirical?

v. 344. auaunce] i. e. advance.

v. 345. mengith] i. e. mingleth.

v. 347. wrate ... mercyall] i. e. wrote ... martial.

v. 352. Orace also with his new poetry] “That is, Horace’s Art of Poetry. Vinesauf wrote De Nova Poetria. Horace’s Art is frequently mentioned under this title.” Warton’s Hist. of E. P., ii. 353 (note), ed. 4to.

Page 376. v. 359. Boyce] i. e. Boethius.

—— recounfortyd] i. e. recomforted,—comforted.

v. 360.

—iape, i. e. jest, joke. The Elegiarum Liber of Maximianus, which has been often printed as the production of Cornelius Gallus, may be found, with all that can be told concerning its author, in Wernsdorf’s Poetæ Latini Minores, tomi sexti pars prior. In these six elegies Maximianus deplores the evils of old age, relates the pursuits and loves of his youth, &c. &c. Perhaps the line “How dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly” (in which case iape would have the same meaning here as in our author’s Manerly Margery Mylk and Ale, v. 20. vol. i. 28) is a particular allusion to Elegy v., where Maximianus informs us, that, having been sent on an embassy, at an advanced period of life, he became enamoured of a “Graia puella,” &c., the adventure being described in the grossest terms.

Page 376. v. 365. Johnn Bochas with his volumys grete] In Skelton’s time, the De Genealogia Deorum, the De Casibus Virorum et Fœminarum Illustrium, and other now-forgotten works of Boccaccio, were highly esteemed,—more, perhaps, than the Decamerone.

v. 366. full craftely that wrate] i. e. that wrote full skilfully.

v. 368. probate] See note, p. 236. v. 4.

v. 372. Poggeus ... with many a mad tale] When this poem was written, the Facetiæ of Poggio enjoyed the highest popularity. In The Palice of Honour, Gawen Douglas, enumerating the illustrious writers at the Court of the Muses, says,

v. 374. a frere of Fraunce men call sir Gagwyne, &c.]—frere, i. e. friar: concerning Gaguin, see Account of Skelton and his Writings.

v. 376. bote is of all bale] See note, p. 268. v. 2096.

Page 377. v. 380. Valerius Maximus by name] i. e. Valerius who has the name Maximus (to distinguish him from Valerius Flaccus).

v. 381. Vincencius in Speculo, that wrote noble warkis]—warkis, i. e. works. The Speculum Majus of Vincentius Bellovacensis (naturale, morale, doctrinale, et historiale), a vast treatise in ten volumes folio, usually bound in four, was first printed in 1473. See the Biog. Univ., and Hallam’s Introd. to the Lit. of Europe, i. 160.

v. 382. Pisandros] “Our author,” says Warton, “got the name of Pisander, a Greek poet, from Macrobius, who cites a few of his verses.” Hist. of E. P., ii. 353 (note), ed. 4to. A mistake: Macrobius (Sat. v. 2.) mentions, but does not cite, Pisander.

v. 383. blissed Bachus, that mastris oft doth frame]—mastris, i. e. disturbances, strifes: see note, p. 264. v. 1738.

v. 386. sadly ... auysid] i. e. seriously, earnestly ... considered, observed.

v. 389. fresshely be ennewed] See notes, p. 144. v. 775. p. 302. v. 39.

v. 390.

—Dane, equivalent to Dominus. So at the commencement of his Lyfe of our Lady, printed by Caxton, folio, n. d.; “This book was compyled by dan John lydgate monke of Burye,” &c. He belonged to the Benedictine abbey of Bury in Suffolk.

Page 377. v. 391. theis Englysshe poetis thre] “That only these three English poets [Gower, Chaucer, Lydgate] are here mentioned, may be considered as a proof that only these three were yet thought to deserve the name.” Warton’s Hist. of E. P., ii. 354. ed. 4to. So the Scottish poets of Skelton’s time invariably selected these three as most worthy of praise: see Laing’s note on Dunbar’s Poems, ii. 355.

v. 393. Togeder in armes, as brethern, enbrasid] So Lydgate;

v. 395. tabers] i. e. tabards: see the earlier portion of note, p. 283. v. 318.

v. 397. Thei wantid nothynge but the laurell] Meaning,—that they were not poets laureate: see note on v. 324. p. 307.

v. 398. godely] i. e. goodly.

v. 402. enplement] i. e. employment, place.

Page 378. v. 405. The brutid Britons of Brutus Albion]—brutid, i. e. famed. So Lydgate;

v. 410. Arrectinge vnto your wyse examinacion] See note, p. 237. v. 95.

v. 414. besy] i. e. busy.

v. 417. hooll] i. e. whole.

v. 420. poynted] i. e. appointed.

v. 421. pullisshyd] i. e. polished.

v. 425. mowte] i. e. might.

Page 379. v. 428. preuentid] i. e. anticipated.

v. 429. meritory] i. e. deserved, due.

v. 431. regraciatory] i. e. return of thanks.

v. 432. poynt you to be prothonatory] i. e. appoint you to be prothonotary.

v. 433. holl] i. e. whole.

v. 434. Auaunced] i. e. Advanced.

v. 439. warkes] i. e. works.

v. 444. I made it straunge] i. e. I made it a matter of nicety, scruple.

v. 445. presed] i. e. pressed.

Page 380. v. 455. prese] i. e. press, throng.

v. 460. Engolerid] i. e. Engalleried.

v. 466. turkis and grossolitis] i. e. turquoises and chrysolites.

Page 380. v. 467. birrall enbosid] i. e. beryl embossed.

v. 469.

i. e. Having many goodly plates of gold shaped like lozenges (quadrilateral figures of equal sides, but unequal angles).

—— entachid with many a precyous stone]—entachid may be used in the sense of—tacked on; but qy. is the right reading “enhachid?” as in v. 40 of the present poem, “Enhachyde with perle,” &c., (and v. 1078 of Phyllyp Sparowe,) see note, p. 302.

v. 472. whalis bone] In our early poetry “white as whales bone” is a common simile; and there is reason to believe that some of our ancient writers supposed the ivory then in use (which was made from the teeth of the horse-whale, morse, or walrus) to be part of the bones of a whale. Skelton, however, makes a distinction between “whalis bone” and the real ivory (see v. 468). The latter was still scarce in the reign of Henry the Eighth; but, before that period, Caxton had told his readers that “the tooth of an olyfaunt is yuorye.” Mirrour of the world, 1480. sig. f i.

v. 474. The carpettis within and tappettis of pall]—tappettis of pall, i. e. coverings of rich or fine stuff (perhaps table-covers): that tappettis does not here mean tapestry, is proved by the next line; and compare v. 787,

Page 381. v. 475. clothes of arace] See note, p. 192. v. 78.

v. 476. Enuawtyd ... vawte] i. e. Envaulted ... vault.

v. 477. pretory] Lat. prætorium.

v. 478. enbulyoned] i. e. studded; see note on v. 1165.

—— indy blew] See note, p. 101. v. 17.

v. 480. Iacinctis and smaragdis out of the florthe they grew]—Iacinctis, i. e. Jacinths: smaragdis, i. e. emeralds (but see note, p. 102. v. 20): “Vng planché, a plancher or a florthe that is boorded.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. iii. (Thirde Boke). “Florthe of a house astre.”—“Gyst that gothe ouer the florthe soliue, giste.” Id. fols. xxxiiii. xxxvi. (Table of Subst.). “I Plaster a wall or florthe with plaster ... I wyl plaster the florthe of my chambre to make a gernyer there, Ie plastreray latre de ma chābre pour en faire vng grenier.” Id. fol. cccxviii. (Table of Verbes).

v. 483. most rychely besene] i. e. of a most rich appearance,—most richly arrayed: see notes, p. 112. v. 283, p. 295. v. 957.

v. 484. cloth of astate] i. e. cloth of estate,—canopy.

v. 487. ryally] i. e. royally.

Page 381. v. 489. enuyrowne] i. e. in compass, about.

v. 490. stode] i. e. stood.

v. 492. presid] i. e. pressed.

v. 493. Poyle ... Trace] i. e. Apulia ... Thrace.

v. 499. metely wele] See note, p. 270. v. 2196.

Page 382. v. 502. a kyby hele] See note, p. 174. v. 493.

v. 503. salfecundight] i. e. safe-conduct.

v. 504. lokyd ... a fals quarter]—lokyd, i. e. looked: “The false quarters is a soreness on the inside of the hoofs, which are commonly called quarters, which is as much as to say, crased unsound quarters, which comes from evil Shooing and paring the Hoof.” R. Holme’s Ac. of Armory, 1688. B. ii. p. 152.

v. 505. I pray you, a lytyll tyne stande back] So Heywood;

v. 514. the ballyuis of the v portis] i. e. the bailiffs of the Cinque Ports.

v. 519. besines] i. e. business.

v. 520. most] i. e. must.

v. 521. maystres] i. e. mistress.

v. 523. sufferayne] i. e. sovereign.

v. 525. And we shall se you ageyne or it be pryme] I have my doubts about what hour is here meant by pryme. Concerning that word see Du Cange’s Gloss. in Prima and Horæ Canonicæ, Tyrwhitt’s Gloss. to Chaucer’s Cant. Tales, Sibbald’s Gloss. to Chron. of Scot. Poetry, and Sir F. Madden’s Gloss. to Syr Gawayne, &c.

Page 383. v. 531. kest ... loke] i. e. cast ... look.

v. 532. boke] i. e. book.

v. 537. supprysed] i. e. overpowered, smitten.

v. 541. the port salu] See note, p. 299. v. 1262.

v. 547. hertely as herte] i. e. heartily as heart.

v. 548. hole] i. e. whole.

v. 550. aquyte] i. e. discharge, pay.

Page 384. v. 554. moche] i. e. much.

v. 555. Affyaunsynge her myne hole assuraunce] i. e. Pledging her my whole, &c.

v. 559. stonde] i. e. stand.

v. 560. toke ... honde] i. e. took ... hand.

v. 566. iangelers] i. e. babblers, chatterers.

v. 570. moche costious] i. e. much costly.

v. 572. the stones be full glint]—glint must mean here—slippery: see note, p. 263. v. 1687.

v. 574. yatis] i. e. gates.

Page 385. v. 585. carectis] i. e. characters.

v. 586. where as I stode] i. e. where I stood.

v. 590. a lybbard] i. e. a leopard.—“There is,” says Warton, who quotes the stanza, “some boldness and animation in the figure and attitude of this ferocious animal.” Hist. of E. P., ii. 352. ed. 4to.

v. 592. As quikly towchyd] i. e. touched, executed, as much to the life.

v. 595. forme foote] i. e. fore-foot.

—— shoke] i. e. shook.

v. 597.

The whole of this “Cacosyntheton ex industria” is beyond my comprehension. Here Skelton has an eye to Juvenal;

v. 601. Spreto spineto cedat saliunca roseto] Here he was thinking of Virgil;

v. 602. loked] i. e. looked.

v. 603. presed] i. e. pressed, thronged.

v. 604. Shet] i. e. Shut.

v. 605. to] i. e. too.

v. 606. astate] i. e. estate, condition.

v. 607. quod] i. e. quoth.

—— haskardis] “Haskerdes went in the queste: not honeste men. Proletarii & capite censi: non classici rem trāsegerunt.” Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. n iiii. ed. 1530.

who in the Gloss. queries if haskerde mean “dirty fellow? from the Scotch hasky.” The latter word is explained by Jamieson “dirty, slovenly.” Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang.

—— rebawdis] i. e. ribalds.

v. 608. Dysers, carders] Dicers, card-players.

—— gambawdis] i. e. gambols.

Page 386. v. 609. Furdrers of loue] i. e. Furtherers of love—pimps, pandars.

v. 610. blow at the cole] A friend suggests that there is an allusion here to alchemists; but I believe he is mistaken. It is a proverbial expression. So our author again;

The proverb given by Davies of Hereford;

and by Ray, Proverbs, p. 90. ed. 1768, seems to have a quite different meaning.

Page 386. v. 611. kownnage] i. e. coinage,—coining.

v. 612. Pope holy ypocrytis] i. e. Pope-holy hypocrites: see note, p. 230. l. 24 (prose).

—— as they were golde and hole]—hole, i. e. whole. Heywood also has this expression;

v. 613. Powle hatchettis] See note, p. 98. v. 28.

—— ale pole] i. e. pole, or stake, set up before an ale-house by way of sign.