Phyllyp Sparowe

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¶Here-after foloweth the boke of Phyllyp_Sparowe compyled by mayster Skelton Poete Laureate.

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PLa_ce_bo

Who is there who

¶Di_le_xi

Dame Margery.

¶Fa re my my

ref.ed: 72

Wherfore and why why

For the sowle of Philip_sparowe

That was late slayn at carowe

Among the Nones blake

For that swete soules sake

And for all sparowes soules

Set in our bede-rolles

Pater noster qui

With an Aue mari

And with the corner of a Crede

The more shalbe your mede.

WHan I remembre agayn

How mi philyp was slayn

Neuer halfe the payne

Was betwene you twayne

Pyramus and Thesbe

As than befell to me

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I wept and I wayled

The tearys downe hayled

But nothynge it auayled

To call Phylyp agayne

Whom Gyb our cat hath slayne

Gyb I saye our cat

Worrowyd her on that

Which I loued best

It can not be exprest

My sorowfull heuynesse

But all with-out redresse

For within that stounde

Halfe slumbrynge in a sounde

I fell downe to the grounde

¶Unneth I kest myne eyes

Towarde the cloudy skyes

But whan I dyd beholde

My sparow dead and colde

No creatu[re] but that wolde creature] creatuer K

Haue rewed vpon me

To behold and se

What heuynesse dyd me pange

Where-with my handes I wrange

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ref.ed: 73

That my senaws cracked

As though I had ben racked

So payned and so strayned

That no lyfe well-nye remayned

¶I syghed and I sobbed

For that I was robbed

Of my sparowes lyfe

O mayden / wydow / and wyfe

Of what estate ye be

Of hye or lowe degre

Great sorowe than ye myght se

And lerne to wepe at me

Such paynes dyd me frete

That myne hert dyd bete

My vysage pale and dead

Wanne / and blewe as lead

The panges of hatefull death

Wellnye had stopped my breath had] W, Kit, M omit

¶Heu heu me

That I am wo for the

Ad dominum cum tribularer clamaui

Of god nothynge els craue I

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BUt phyllypes soule to kepe

From the marees depe

Of Acherontes well

That is a flode of hell

And from the great Pluto

The prynce of endles wo

And from foule Alecto

With vysage blacke and blo

And from Medusa that mare

That lyke a fende doth stare

And from Megeras edders

For rufflynge of phillips fethers For] From W, Kit, M

And from her fyry sparklynges

For burnynge of his wynges

And from the smokes sowre

Of Proserpinas bowre

And from the dennes darke

Wher Cerberus doth barke

ref.ed: 74

Whom Theseus dyd afraye

Whom Hercules dyd outraye

As famous poetes say

F[rom] that hel-[h]ounde From] For K, W, Kit, M; hel hounde] hel bounde K, hell hounde W, hel hounde K, M

That lyeth in cheynes bounde

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With gastly hedes thre

To Iupyter pray we

That Phyllyp preserued may be

Amen say ye with me

¶Do_mi_nus.

Helpe nowe swete Iesus

Leuaui oculos meos in montes

Wolde god I had zenophontes.

OR Socrates the wyse

100

To shew me their deuyse

Moderatly to take

This sorow that I make

For Phyllip_sparowes sake

So feruently I shake

105

I fele my body quake

So vrgently I am brought

In-to carefull thought

¶Like Andromach Hectors wyfe

Was wery of her lyfe

110

Whan she had lost her ioye

Noble Hector of Troye

In lyke maner also

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Encreaseth my dedly wo

For my sparowe is go

115

It was so prety a fole

It wold set on a stole set] sit W, Kit, M

And lerned after my scole

For to kepe his cut

With Phyllyp kepe your cut

120

¶It had a veluet cap

And wold syt vpon my lap

And seke after small wormes

And somtyme white bred-crommes

And many tymes and ofte

125

Betwene my brestes softe

ref.ed: 75

It wolde lye and rest

It was propre and prest

¶Somtyme he wolde gaspe

Whan he sawe a waspe

130

A fly / or a gnat

He wolde flye at that

And prytely he wolde pant

Whan he saw an ant

Lord how he wolde pry

135

After the butterfly

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Lorde how he wolde hop

After the gressop

And whan I sayd / phyp / phyp

Than he wold lepe and skyp

140

And take me by the lyp

Alas it wyll me slo

That Phillyp is gone me fro

¶Si in_i_qui_ta_tes

Alas I was euyll at ease

145

¶De pro_fun_dis cla_ma_ui

Whan I sawe my sparowe dye

Nowe after my dome

Dame Sulpicia at Rome Sulpicia] Sulspicia K, Sulpicia W, Kit, M

Whose name regystred was

150

For-euer in tables of bras

Because that she dyd pas that] M omits

In poesy to endyte

And eloquen[t]ly to wryte eloquently] eloquenly K

Though she wolde pretende

155

My sparowe to commende

I trowe she coude not amende

Reportynge the vertues all

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Of my sparowe royall

¶For it wold come and go

160

And fly so to and fro fly] fle W, Kit, M

And on me it wolde lepe

Whan I was a_slepe

And his fether shake fethers] fether K, fethers W, Kit, M

ref.ed: 76

Where-with he wolde make

165

Me often for to wake

And for to take him in

Upon my naked skyn

God wot we thought no syn

What though he crept so lowe though] thought K, though W, Kit, M

170

It was no hurt I trowe

He dyd nothynge perde

But syt vpon my kne

Phyllyp though he were nyse

In him it was no vyse

175

Phyllyp had leue to go

To pyke my lytell too

Phillip myght be bolde

And do what he wolde

Phillip wolde seke and take

180

All the flees blake

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That he coulde there espye

With his wanton eye

¶O_pe_ra

La soll fa fa

185

Confitebor tibi domine in toto corde meo

Alas I wolde ryde and go

A Thousand myle of grounde

If any such might be found

It were worth an hundreth pound

190

Of Kynge Cresus golde

Or of A[t]talus the olde Attalus] Artalus K, W, Kit, M

The ryche prynce of Pargame

Who-so lyst the story to se

¶Cadmus that his syster sought

195

And he shold be bought

For golde and fee

He shuld ouer the see

To wete / if he coulde brynge

Any of the of_sprynge of sprynge] sprynge Kit, M

200

Or any of the blode

But who-so vnderstode

Of Medeas arte

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I wolde I had a parte

ref.ed: 77

Of her crafty magyke

205

My sparowe than shuld be quycke

With a charme or twayne

And playe with me agayne

But all this is in vayne

Thus for to complayne

210

¶I toke my sampler ones

Of purpose for the nones

To sowe with stytchis of sylke

My sparow whyte as mylke

That by representacyon

215

Of his Image and facyon

To me it myght importe

Some pleasure and comforte

For my solas and sporte

But whan i was sowing his beke

220

Me-thought my sparow did spek

And ope[n]ed his prety byll opened] open M

Saynge / mayd ye are in wyll

Agayne me for to kyll

Ye prycke me in the head

225

With that my nedle waxed red waxed] ware M

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Me-thought of Phyllyps blode

Myne hear ryght vpstode

And was in suche a fray

My speche was taken away

230

I kest downe that there was

And sayd / Alas alas

How commeth this to pas

My fyngers dead and colde

Coude not my sampler holde

235

My nedle and threde

I threwe away for drede

The best now that I maye

Is for his soule to pray

¶A porta inferi

240

Good lorde haue mercy

¶Upon my sparowes soule

Wryten in my bede-roule

Au_di_ui vo_cem

Iaphet cam and Sem

ref.ed: 78

245

¶Ma_gni_fi_cat

Shewe me the ryght path

TO the hylles of armony

Wherfore the bordes yet cry bordes] byrdes W, Kit, M

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Of your fathers bote

250

That was sometyme a_flote

And nowe they lye and rote

Let some poetes wryte

Deucalyons flode it hyght

But as verely as ye be

255

The naturall sonnes thre

Of Noe the patryarke

That made that great arke

Wherin he had apes and owles

Beestes / byrdes / and foules

260

That if ye can fynde

Any of my sparowes kynde

God sende the soule good rest

I wolde haue yet a nest haue yet] yet haue W, Kit, M

As prety and as prest

265

As my sparowe was

But my Sparowe dyd pas

All sparowes of the wode

That were syns Noes flode

Was neuer none so good

270

Kynge Phylyp of Macedony

Had no such Phylyp as I

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No no syr hardely

¶That vengeaunce I aske and crye

By way of exclamacyon

275

On all the hole nacyon

Of cattes wylde and tame

God send them sorowe and shame

That cat specyally

That slew so cruelly

280

My lytell prety sparowe

That I brought vp at Carowe

¶O cat of carlyshe kynde carlyshe] churlyshe Kit, M

The fynde was in thy mynde

ref.ed: 79

Whan thou my byrde vntwynde

285

I wold thou haddest ben blynde

The leopardes sauage

The lyons in theyr rage

Myght catche the in theyr pawes 'the'='thee'

And gnawe the in theyr iawes

290

[The] serpens of Lybany The] These K, W, Kit, M; serpens] serpentes W, Kit, M

Myght stynge the venymously

The dragones with their tonges

Might poyson thy lyuer and longes

The mantycors of the montaynes

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295

Myght fede them on thy braynes

¶Melanchates that hounde

That plucked Acteon to the grounde

Gaue hym his mortall wounde

Chaunged to a dere

300

The story doth appere

Was chaunged to an harte

So thou foule cat / that thou arte

The selfe same hounde

Myght the confounde

305

That his owne Lorde bote

Myght byte asondre thy throte

¶Of Inde the gredy grypes

Myght tere out all thy trypes

Of Arcady the beares

310

Might plucke away thyne eares

The wylde wolfe Lycaon

Byte a_sondre thy backe-bone

Of Ethna the brennynge hyll

That day and night brenneth styl

315

Set in thy tayle a blase

That all the world may gase

And wonder vpon the

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From Occyan the great se

Unto the Iles of Orchady

320

From Tyllbery fery

To the playne of Salysbery

So trayterously my byrde to kyll

That neuer ought the euyll wyll

ref.ed: 80

Was neuer byrde in cage space set for ¶ before 'Was'

325

More gentle of corage

In doynge his homage

Unto his souerayne

Alas I say agayne

Deth hath departed vs twayne

330

The false cat hath the slayne

Fare-well Phyllyp adew

Our Lorde thy soule reskew

Fare-well without restore

Fare-well for euer-more

335

And it were a Iewe were] where K

It wolde make one rew

To se my sorow new

These vylanous false cattes

Were made for myse and rattes

340

And not for byrdes smale

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Alas my face waxeth pale

Tellynge this pyteyus tale

How my byrde so fayre

That was wont to repayre

345

And go in at my spayre go in] often Kit

And crepe in at my gore crepe] gape Kit

Of my gowne before

Flyckerynge with his wynges

Alas my hert it stynges

350

Remembrynge prety thynges

Alas myne hert it sleth

My Phyllyppes dolefull deth

Whan I remembre it

How pretely it wolde syt

355

Many tymes and ofte

Upon my fynger aloft

I played with him tytell-tattyll

And fed him with my spattyl

With his byll betwene my lippes

360

It was my prety Phyppes

Many a prety kusse

Had I of [his] swete musse his] this K, W, his Kit, M

And now the cause is thus

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ref.ed: 81

That he is slayne me fro

365

To my great payne and wo

Of fortune / this the chaunce

Standeth on varyaunce

Oft-tyme after pleasaunce

Trouble and greuaunce

370

No man can be sure

All-way to haue pleasure

As well perceyue ye maye

How my dysport and play

From me was taken a_way

375

By Gyb our cat sauage

That in a furyous rage a] M omits

Caught Phyllyp by the head

And slew him there starke dead

¶Kyryeleyson Christe leyson

380

Kyrye leson.

FOr Phy[l]yp_sparowes soule Phylyp] Phyyp K, Philip W, Kit, M

Set in our bede-rolle

Let vs now whysper

A Pater-noster

385

¶Lauda anima mea dominum

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To wepe with me loke that ye come

All maner of byrdes in your kynd

So none be left behynde

To mornynge loke that ye fall

390

With dolorous songes funerall

Some to synge / and some to say

Some to wepe and some to pray

Euery byrde in his laye

The goldfynche / the wagtayle

395

The ianglynge Iay to rayle

The fleckyd pye to chatter

Of this dolorous mater

And Robyn_Redbrest

He shall be the preest

400

The Requiem masse to synge

Softly warbelynge Softly] Loftly M

ref.ed: 82

With helpe of the red sparow

And the chattrynge swallow

This herse for to halow

405

The larke with his longe to

The spynke and the martynet also

The shouelar with his brode bek

The doterell that folyshe pek

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And also the mad coote

410

With a balde face to toote

The felde-fare and the snyte

The crowe and the kyte

The rauyn called rolfe

His playne-songe to solfe

415

The partryche / the quayle

The plouer with vs to wayle

The woodhacke that syngeth chur

Horsly as he had the mur

The lusty chauntyng nyghtyngale

420

The Popyngay to tell her tale

That toteth oft in a glasse

Shall rede the Gospell at masse

The mauys with her whystell

Shall rede there the Pystell

425

But with a large and a longe

To kepe iust playne-songe

Our chaunters shalbe the Cuckoue

The Culuer / the Stockedowue

With puwyt the Lapwyng

430

The versycles shall syng

The Better with his bumpe Better] bitter W, Kit, M

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The Crane with his trumpe

The swan of Menander

The Gose and the Gander

435

The Ducke and [the] Drake the] K, W omit; the Kit, M

Shall watche at this wake

The Pecocke so prowde

Bycause his voyce is lowde

[A]nd hath a glorious tayle And] Tnd K

440

He shall syng the Grayle

The owle that is so foule is] Kit, M omit

Must helpe vs to houle

ref.ed: 83

The heron so gaunce gaunce] gaunte W, Kit, M

And the cormoraunce cormoraunce] cormoraunte W, Kit, M

445

With the Fesaunte

And the gaglynge gaunte

And the churlysshe chowgh

The [kn]oute and the [r]owgh knoute] route K, W, rout Kit, M; rowgh] kowgh K, kough W, Kit, M

The barnacle / the bussarde

450

With the wy[l]de mallarde wylde] wynde K, wylde W, wilde Kit, M

The dyuendop to slepe The] Tthe K

The wather-hen to wepe

The pu[ff]yn / and the tele puffyn] pussyn K, puffyn W, puffin Kit, M

Money they shall dele

455

To poore folke at large

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That shall be theyr charge

The semewe, and the tytmose

The wodcocke with the longe nose

The threstyl with her warblyng

460

The starlyng with her brablyng

The roke / with the ospraye

That putteth fysshes to a fraye

And the denty curlewe

With the turtyll most trew

465

At this placebo

We may not well for_go

The countrynge of the coe

The storke also

That maketh his nest

470

In chymneyes to rest

With-in those walles

No broken galles

May there abyde No] Nor Kit

Of cokoldry syde

475

Or els phylos[o]phy phylosophy] phylosphy K

Maketh a great lye

The Estryge that wyll eate

An horshowe so great

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In the stede of meate

480

Such feruent heat

His stomake [doth freat] doth freat] so great K, W, Kit, doth freat M

He can not well fly

Nor synge tunably

ref.ed: 84

Yet at abrayde

485

He hath well assayde

To solfe aboue Ela

[F]a lorell fa fa Fa] Ga K, W, Kit, Fa M

Ne quando

Male cantando

490

The best that we can

To make hym our Belman

And let hym ryng the bellys

He can do nothyng ellys

Chaunteclere our coke

495

Must tell what is of the clocke

By the astrology

That he hath naturally

Conceyued and cought

And was neuer tought

500

By Albumazer

The Astronomer

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Nor by Ptholomy

Prince of Astronomy

Nor yet by Haly

505

And yet he croweth dayly

And nygh[t]ly the tydes nyghtly] nyghly K

That no man abydes

With partlot his hen

Whom now and then

510

He plucketh by the hede

Whan he doth her trede

The byrde of Araby

That potencyally

May neuer dye

515

And yet there is none

But one alone

A Phenex it is

This herse that must blys

With armatycke gummes

520

That cost great sumes

The way of Thurifycation

To make a fumigation a] W, Kit, M omit

Swete of refla[yre] reflayre] reflary K, reflarye W, Kit, M

And redolent of eyre

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ref.ed: 85

525

This corse for to sence

With greate reuerence

As Patryarke or Pope

In a blacke cope

Whyles he senseth [the herse] the herse] K, W, Kit, M omit

530

He shall synge the verse

Libe /_ra me

In de la soll re

Softly bemole

For my sparowes soule

535

Plinni sheweth all

In his story naturall

What he doth fynde

Of this Phenyx kynde

Of whose incyneracyon

540

There ryseth a new creacyon

Of the same facyon

Without alteracyon

Sauyng that olde age

Is turned into corage

545

Of fresshe youth agayne

This matter trew and playne

Playne matter in-dede

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Who-so lyst to rede

But for the Egle doth flye

550

Hyest in the skye

He shall be th[e] se_deane the] thye K, thy W, Kit, M

The quere to demeane

As prouost pryncypall

To teach them theyr ordynall

555

Also the noble fawcon

With the g[er]fawcon gerfawcon] grefawcon K

The tarsell-gentyll

They shall morne soft and styll

In theyr amysse of gray

560

The sacre with them shall say

Dirige for Phyllyppes soule

The goshauke shall haue a role

The queresters to controll

The lanners / and the marlyons and the] and W, Kit, M

565

Shall stand in their morning-gounes

ref.ed: 86

The hobby and the muskette

The sensers and the crosse shall fet

The kestrell in all this warke

Shall be holy-wather clarke

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570

And now the darke cloudy nyght

Chaseth a_way Phebus bryght

Taking his course to_ward the west

God sende my sparoes sole good rest

¶Requ[i]em eternam dona eis domine. Requiem] Requem K

575

Fa fa fa my re

¶A por_ta in_fe_re

Fa fa fa my my

¶Credo vydere bona domini.

I pray god phillip to heuen may fly

580

¶Domine exaudi oracionem meam

To heuen he shall from heuen he cam

¶Do_mi_nus vo_bis_cum

Of al good praiers god send him sum

Oremus.

585

Deus cui proprium est miserere et parcere

On Phillips soule haue pyte.

For [he] was a prety cocke he] she K, he W, Kit, M

And came of a gentyll stocke

And wrapt in a maidenes smocke

590

And cherysshed full dayntely

Tyll cruell fate made him to dy Tyll] Thyll K

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Alas for dolefull deste[n]y desteny] destey K

But where-to shuld I

Lenger morne or crye

595

To Iupyter I call

Of heuen emperyall

That Phyllyp may fly

A_boue the starry sky

To treade the prety wren

600

That is our Ladyes hen

Amen / amen / amen.

¶Yet one thynge is behynde

That now commeth to mynde mynde] mi minde W, mi mind Kit

An Epytaphe I wold haue

605

For phyllyppes graue

ref.ed: 87

But for / I am a mayde

Tymerous / halfe afrayde

That neuer yet a_sayde

Of Elyconys well

610

Where the muses dwell

Though I can rede and spell

Recounte / reporte / and tell

Of the tales of Caunterbury

Some sad storyes / some mery

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615

As Palamon / and Arcet

Duke Theseus / and partelet

And of the wyfe of Bath

Tha[t] worketh moch scath That] Thay K, They W, Kit, That M

Whan her tale is tolde

620

Amonge huswy[u]es bolde huswyues] huswyes K

How she controlde

Her husbandes as she wolde

And them to despyse

In the homylyest wyse

625

Brynge other wyues in thought

Their husbandes to set at nought

And though that rede haue I

Of Gawen and syr Guy

And tell can a great pece

630

Of the golden flece

How Iason it wan

Lyke a valyaunt man

Of Arturs rounde table

With his knightes commendable

635

And dame Gaynour his quene

Was somwhat wanton I wene

How syr Launcelote_de_lake

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Many a spere brake

For his ladyes sake

640

Of Trystram and kynge Marke

And all the hole warke

Of bele Isold his wyfe

For whom was moch stryfe

Some say she was lyght

645

And made her husband knyght

Of the comyne hall

ref.ed: 88

That cuckoldes men call

And of syr Lybius

Named Dysconius

650

Of quater_fylz_[A]mund quater fylz Amund] quater fylz Emund K, quater fylz Amund W, Kit, quarter fylz Amunde M

And how they were sommonde

To Rome to Charlemayne

Upon a great payne

And how they rode eche one

655

On Bayarde_Mountalbon

Men se hym now and than than] then M

In the forest of Arden of] W, Kit, M omit

What though I can frame though] thought K, though W, Kit, M

The storyes by name

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660

Of Iudas_Machabeus

And of Cesar Iulious

And of the loue be_twene

Paris and vyene

And of the duke Hannyball Hannyball] of Hannyball W, M, of Hannybal Kit

665

[T]hat made the Romaynes all That] What K, W, That Kit, M

For_drede and to quake

How Scipion dyd wake

The cytye of Cartage

Which by his mercyfull rage mercyfull] vnmercifull W, vnmerciful Kit, M

670

He bete downe to the grounde

And though I can expounde

Of Hector of Troye

That was all theyr ioye

Whom Achylles slew

675

Wherfore all Troy dyd rew

And of the loue so hote

That made Troylus to dote

Upon fayre Cressyde

And what they wrote and sayd

680

And of theyr wanton wylles

Pandaer bare the bylles

From one to the other

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K misnumbers as B1

His maisters loue to further

Somtyme a presyous thyng

685

An ouche or els a ryng

From her to hym agayn

Somtyme a prety chayn

ref.ed: 89

Or a bracelet of her here

Prayd Troylus for to were

690

That token for her sake

How hartely he dyd it take

And moche therof dyd make

And all that was in vayne

For she dyd but fayne

695

The story telleth playne

He coulde not optayne

Though his father were a kyng

Yet there was a thyng

That made th[e] male to wryng the] tha K

700

She made hym to syng

The song of louers lay

Musyng nyght and day

Mournyng all alone

Comfort had he none

705

For she was quyte gone

sig: [C1v]

Thus in conclusy[o]n conclusyon] conclusynn K

She brought him in abusyon

In ernest and in game

She was moch to blame

710

Disparaged is her fame

And blemysshed is her name

In maner half with shame

Troylus also hath lost

On her moch loue and cost

715

And now must kys the post

Pand[aer] that went betwene Pandaer] Pandara K, W, Kit, M

Hath won nothing I wene

But lyght for somer grene

Yet for a speciall laud

720

He is named Troylus baud

Of that name he is sure

Whyles the world shall dure

Though I remembre the fable

Of Penelope most stable

725

To her husband most trew

Yet long-tyme she ne knew

Whether he were onlyue or ded

Her wyt stood her in-sted

sig: C2

ref.ed: 90

That she was true and iust

730

For any bodely lust

To Ulixes her make

And neuer wold him forsake

Of Marcus_Marcellus

A proces I could tell vs

735

And of Anteocus

And of Iosephus

De antiquitatibus

And of Mardocheus

And of great Assuerus

740

And of Uesca his queene

Whom he forsoke with teene

And of Hester his other wyfe

With whom he ledd a plesaunt life

Of kyng Alexander

745

And of kyng Euander

And of Porcena the great

That made the romayns to s[wea]t sweat] smart K, W, Kit, M

Though I haue enrold

A thousand new and old

750

Of these historious tales

To fyll bougets and males

sig: [C2v]

With bokes that I haue red

Yet I am nothyng sped

And can but lytell skyll

755

Of Ouyd or Uirgyll

Or of Plutharke

Or Frauncys_Petrarke

Alcheus or Sapho Or] Or of Kit, M

Or such other Poetes mo

760

As Linus and Homerus

E[u]phorion and Theocritus

Anacreon and Arion

Sophocles and Philemon

Pyndarus and [S]ymonides Symonides] Dymonides K, Dimonides W, Kit, M

765

Philistion and Phorocides

These Poetes of auncyente

They ar to diffuse for me

For as I to_fore haue sayd

ref.ed: 91

I am but a yong mayd

770

And can not in effect

My style as yet direct

With englysh wordes [elect] elect] clere K, elect W, Kit, M

Our naturall tong is rude

And hard to be enneude

sig: [C3]

775

With pullysshed termes lusty

Our language is so rusty

So cankered and so full

Of frowardes and so dull

That if I wolde apply

780

To wryte ornatly ornatly] ordinately Kit, M

I wot not where to fynd

Termes to serue my mynde

Gowers englysh is olde

And of no value told told] is tolde W, Kit, M

785

His mater is worth gold

And worthy to be enrold

In Chauser I am sped

His tales I haue red

His mater is delectable

790

Solacious and commendable

His englysh well alowed

So as it is enprowed

For as it is enployd

There is no englysh voyd

795

At those dayes moch commended

And now men wold haue amended

His englyssh where-at they barke

sig: [C3v]

And mar all they warke

Chaucer that famus clerke

800

His termes were not darke

But plesaunt / easy / and playne

Ne worde he wrote in vayne

Also Iohnn_Lydgate

Wryteth after an hyer rate

805

It is dyffuse to fynde

The sentence of his mynde

Yet wryteth he in his kynd

No man that can amend

ref.ed: 92

Those maters that he hath pende

810

Yet some men fynde a faute

And say he wryteth to haute

Wherfore hold me excused

If I haue not well perused

Myne englyssh halfe-abused

815

Though it be refused

In worth I shall it take

And fewer wordes make

But for my sparowes sake

Yet as a woman may

820

My wyt I shall assay

sig: [C4]

An Epytaphe to wryght

In latyne playne and lyght

Where-of the Elegy

Foloweth by and by

825

¶Flos volucrum formose vale

Philippe. sub isto

Marmore iam recubas

Qui mihi carus eras

Semper erunt nitido

830

Radiantia sydera celo

Impressus_que meo

Pectore semper eris

er me Laurigerum

Britanum Skeltonida vate[m] vatem] vaten K, W, Kit, M

835

Hec cecinisse licet

Ficta sub imagine texta

Cuius eris volucris

Prestanti corpore virgo

Candida Nais erat

840

Formosior ista Ioanna est

Docta corinna fuit

Sed magis ista sapit

Bien men souuient,

sig: [C4v]

¶The commendacions

BEati i[m]_ma_cu_l[a]_ti in via immaculati] inmaculuti K, immaculati W, Kit, M

845

O glo_rio_sa femi_na

ref.ed: 93

¶Now myne hole imaginacion

And studyous medytacion

Is to take this commendacyon

In this consyderacion

850

And vnder pacyent tolleracyon

Of that most goodly mayd goodly] godly W, Kit, M

That placebo hath sayd

And for her sparow prayd

In lamentable wyse

855

Now wyll I enterpryse

Thorow the grace dyuyne

Of the muses nyne

Her beautye to commende

If Arethusa wyll send

860

Me enfluence to endyte

And with my pen to wryte

If Apollo wyll promyse

Melodyously it to deuyse

His tunable harpe-stryngges

865

With armony that synges

sig: [C5]

Of Princes and of kynges

And of all pleasaunt thynges

Of lust and of delyght

Thorow his godly myght

870

To whom be the laude ascrybed

That my pen hath enbybed

With the aureat droppes

As verely my hope is

Of Thagus that golden flod

875

That passeth all erthly good all] al the W, Kit, all the M

And as that flode doth pas

Al floodes that euer was

With his golden sandes

Who-so that vnderstandes

880

Cosmography: and the stremys

And the floodes in straunge remes

Ryght so she doth excede

All other of whom we rede

Whose fame by me shall sprede

885

In-to Perce and Mede

ref.ed: 94

From brytons Albion

[T]o the towre of Babilon To] Bo K

I trust it is no shame

sig: [C5v]

And no man wyll me blame

890

Though I regester her name

In the courte of fame

For this most goodly floure

This blossome of fresshe coulour

So Iupiter me socour

895

She floryssheth new and new

In bewte and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶etribue seruo tuo viuifica me

900

La_bi_a mea laudabunt te

BUt enforsed am I

Openly to askry

And to make an out-cri an] a K, an W, Kit, M

Against odyous enui

905

That euer-more wil ly

And say cursedly

With his ledder ey

And chekes dry

With vysage wan

910

As [s]wart as tan swart] wart K, W, Kit, swarte M

His bones crake

sig: [C6]

Leane as a rake

His gummes rusty

Are full vnlusty

915

His herte with-all

Bytter as gall

His lyuer / his longe longe] longes W, Kit, M

With anger is wronge

His serpentes tonge

920

That many one hath stonge

He frowneth euer

He laugheth neuer

Euen nor morow

But other mennes sorow

925

Causeth him to gryn

ref.ed: 95

And reioyce therin

No slepe can him catch

But euer doth watch

He is so bete

930

With malyce and frete

With angre and yre

His foule desyre

Wyll suffre no slepe

In his hed to crepe

sig: [C6v]

935

His f[o]ule semblaunt foule] feule K, W, foule Kit, M

All displ[es]aunt displesaunt] displseaunt K

Whan other ar glad

Than is he sad

Frantyke and mad

940

His tong neuer styll

For to say yll

Wrythyng and wringyng

Bytyng and styngyng

And thus this elf

945

Consumeth him-self

Him-self doth slo

With payne and wo

This fals enuy

Sayth that I

950

Use great folly great] greeat K

For to endyte

And for to wryte

And spend my tyme

In prose and ryme

955

For to expres

The noblenes

Of my maistres

sig: [C7]

That causeth me

Studious to be

960

[T]o make a relation To] Bo K

Of her commendation

And there agayne

Enuy doth complayne

And hath disdayne

965

But yet certayne

ref.ed: 96

I wyll [b]e playne be] me K, be W, Kit, M

And my style dres

To this prosses

Now Phebus me ken

970

To sharpe my pen

And lede my fyst

As hym best lyst

That I may say

Honour alway

975

Of woma[n]-kynd woman kynd] womam kynd K

Trouth doth me bynd

And loyalte

Euer to be

Their true bedell

980

To wryte and tell

sig: [C7v]

How women excell

In noblenes

As my maistres

Of whom I thynk

985

With pen and ynk

For to compyle

Some go[o]dly style goodly] godly K, goodly W, Kit, M

For this most goo[d]ly floure goodly] gooly K, goodly W, Kit, M

This blossome of fresh coloure

990

So Iupyter me socoure

She flourissheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

995

¶Legem pone michi domin[a] in viam iustificacion[e]m tuarum domina] domine K; iustificacionem] iustificacionum K

Quemadmodum desiderat ceruus ad fontes aquarum.

¶HOw shall I report

All the goodly sort

Of her fetures clere

1000

That hath non erthly pere

Her fauour of her face

sig: [C8]

Ennewed all with grace all with] with all W, with al Kit, M

Confort / pleasure and solace

Myne hert doth so enbrace

1005

And so hath rauyshed me

ref.ed: 97

Her to behold and se

That in wordes playne

I can not me refrayne

To loke on her agayne on] to M

1010

Alas what shuld I fayne

It wer a plesaunt payne

With her aye to remayne

Her eyen gray and stepe

Causeth myne hert to lepe

1015

With her browes bent

She may well represent

Fayre Lucres as I wene

Or els fayre Polexene

Or els Caliope

1020

Or els Penolope

For this most goodly floure

This blossome of fresshe coloure

So Iupiter me socoure

She florisheth new and new

sig: [C8v]

1025

In beautye and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶Memor esto verbi tui seruo tuo

Seruus tuus sum ego

1030

THe Indy Saphyre blew

Her vaynes doth ennew

The Orient perle so clere

The whytnesse of her lere

The lusty ruby ruddes

1035

Resemble the Rose-buddes

Her lyppes soft and mery

Emblomed lyke the chery

It were an heuenly blysse

Her sugred mouth to kysse

1040

Her beautye to augment

Dame nature hath her lent

A warte upon her cheke

Who-so lyst to seke

In her vysage a skar

1045

That semyth from a_far

ref.ed: 98

Lyke to the radyant star

All with fauour fret

sig: D[1]

So properly it is set

She is the vyolet

1050

The daysy delectable

The c[o]lumbyn commendable columbyn] calumbyn K, columbyne W, columbine Kit, M

This ielofer amyable

[For] this most goodly floure For] K, W, Kit, M omit

This blossom of fressh colour

1055

So Iupiter me succour

She florysheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

1060

¶Bonitatem fecisti cum seruo tuo domina

Et ex precordiis sonant preconia.

ANd whan I perceyued

Her wart and conceyued

It can not be denayd

1065

But it was well conuayd

And set so womanly

And nothynge wantonly

But ryght conuenyently

And full congruently

1070

As nature cold deuyse

sig: [D1v]

In most goodly wyse

Who-so lyst beholde

It makethe louers bolde

To her to sewe for grace

1075

Her fauoure to purchase

The sker vpon her chyn

Enhached on her fayre skyn

Whyter than the swan

It wold make any man

1080

To forget deadly syn

Her fauo[u]r to wyn

For this most go[o]dly floure goodly] godly K, goodly W, Kit, M

This blossom of fressh coloure

So Iupiter me socoure

1085

She flouryssheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

ref.ed: 99

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶Defecit in salutare tuum anima mea

1090

Quid petis filio / mater dulcissima ba ba

SOft and make no dyn

For now I wyll begyn

To h[a]ue in remembraunce haue] heue K, haue W, Kit, M

sig: [D2]

Her goodly dalyaunce

1095

And her goodly pastaunce

So sad and so demure

Behauynge her so sure

With wordes of pleasure

She wold make to the lure

1100

And any man conuert

To gyue her his hole hert

She made me sore a_mased

Upon her whan I gased

Me-thought min hert was crased

1105

My eyne were so dased

For this most goodly flour

This blossom of fressh colour This] The W, Kit, M

So Iupyter me socour

She flouryssheth new and new

1110

In beauty and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶Quomodo dilexi legem tuam domina.

Recedant vetera noua s[u]nt omnia. sunt] sint K

1115

ANd to amende her tale

Whan she lyst to auale

sig: [D2v]

And with her fyngers smale

And handes soft as sylke

Whyter than the mylke the] Kit, M omit

1120

That are so quyckely vayned

Wher-wyth my hand she strayne[d] strayned] strayne K

Lorde how I was payned

Unneth I me refrayned

How she me had reclaymed

1125

And me to her retayned

Enbrasynge there-with-all

Her go[o]dly myddell small goodly] godly K, goodly W, Kit, M

ref.ed: 100

With sydes longe and streyte

To tell you what conceyte

1130

I had than in a tryce

The matter were to nyse

And yet there was no vyce

Nor yet no vyllany

But only fantasy

1135

For this most go[o]dly floure goodly] godly K, goodly W, Kit, M

Th[is] blossom of fressh coloure This] The K, W, Kit, M

So Iupiter me succoure

She floryssheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

sig: [D3]

1140

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶Iniquos odio habui

Non calumnientur me superbi.

BUt where-to shulde I note

1145

How often dyd I tote

Upon her prety fote

It raysed myne hert-rote

To se her treade the grounde

With heles short and rounde

1150

She is playnly expresse

Egeria the goddesse

And lyke to her image

Emportured with corage

A louers pylgrimage

1155

Ther is no beest sauage

Ne no tyger so wood

But she wolde chaunge his mood

Such relucent grace

Is formed in her face

1160

For this most goodly floure

This blossome of fressh coloure

So Iupiter me succour

sig: [D3v]

She flouryssheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

1165

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶Mirabilia testimonia tua

Sicut nouelle plantat[i]ones in iuuentute sua plantationes] plantatones K

ref.ed: 101

[S]O goodly as she dresses

1170

So prope[r]ly she presses properly] propeeyly K, properly W, Kit, M

The bryght golden tresses

Of her heer so fyne

Lyke Phebus beames shyne

Wherto shuld I disclose

1175

The garterynge of her hose

It is for to suppose

How that she can were

Gorgiously her gere

Her fresshe habylementes

1180

With other implementes

To serue for all ententes

Lyke dame flora quene

Of lusty somer grene

For this [m]ost goodly floure For] Kit, M omit

1185

This blossom of fressh coloure

sig: [D4]

So Iupiter me soco[u]re

She florisheth new and new

In beautye and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

1190

O gloriosa femina

¶Clamaui in toto co[r]de exaudi me corde] code K

Misericordia tua magna est super me

Her kyrtell so goodly lased

And vnder that is brased

1195

Such pleasures that I may pleasures] plasures K, pleasures W, Kit, M

Neyther wryte nor say

Yet though I wryte not with ynke

No man can let me thynke

For thought hath lyberte

1200

Thought is franke and fre

To thynke a mery thought

It cost me lytell nor nought nor] or W, Kit, M

Wolde god myne homely style

Were pu[l]lysshed with the fyle pullysshed] publysshed K, pullyshed W, pollished Kit, M

1205

Of Ciceros eloquence

To prase her excellence

For this most goodly floure For this] The Kit, M

Th[i]s blossome of fressh coloure This] Thus K

sig: [D4v]

So Iupiter me succoure

ref.ed: 102

1210

She flouryssheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

Hac claritate gemina

O gloriosa femina

¶Principes persecuti sunt me gratis

1215

Omnibus consideratis.

Paradisus voluptatis.

Hec virgo est dulcissima

My pen it is vnable

My h[an]d it is vnstable hand] hnad K

1220

My reson rude and dull

To prayse her at the full

Goodly maystres Iane

Sobre / demure Dyane

Iane this maystres hyght

1225

The lode-stare of delyght

Dame Uenus of all pleasure

The well of worldly treasure

She doth excede and pas

In prudence dame Pallas

1230

[For] this most goodly floure For] K, W, Kit, M omit; this] the W, Kit, M

This blossome of fresshe colour

So Iupiter me socoure

sig: [D5]

She floryssheth new and new

In beaute and vertew

1235

Hac claritate gemina.

O gloriosa femina.

REquiem eter[n]am dona eis domine

Wt this psalme / Domine probasti me.

Shall sayle ouer the see

1240

With tibi domine commendamus

On pylgrimage to saynt Iamys pilgrimage] pilgrimages M

For shrympes / and for pranys

And for stalk[yng]e cranys stalkynge] stalke K, stalking W, stalkynge Kit, M

And where my pen hath offendyd

1245

I pray you it may be amendyd

By discrete consyderacyon

Of your wyse reformacyon

I haue not offended I trust

If it be sadly dyscust

ref.ed: 103

1250

It were no gentle gyse

This treatyse to despyse

Because I haue wrytten and sayd

Honour of this fayre mayd

Wherefore shulde I be blamed

1255

That I Iane haue named haue] M omits

sig: [D5v]

And famously proclamed

She is worthy to be enrolde

With letters of golde

¶Car elle vault

PEr me Laurigerum Britonum Skeltonida [v]atem vatem] latem K, W, Kit, M

Lau[d]ibus eximiis merito / hec redimita puella est Laudibus] Laubibus K

Formosam [cecini] qua non formosior vlla est cecini] pocecini K, W, Kit, M

Formosam po[t]ius / quam commendaret Homerus potius] pocius K

Sic iuuat interdum r[i]gidos recreare labores rigidos] regidos K

Nec minus hoc titulo tersa minerua. mea est.

¶Rien que playsere.

¶Thus endeth the boke of Philip_sparow / and her foloweth an addicyon made by maister Skelton

sig: [D6]

THe gyse now-a-dayes

Of some ianglynge iayes

Is to discommende

That they cannot amend

Though they wold spend

All the wyttes they haue

What ayle them to depraue

Phillip_sparowes graue

His dirige: her commendacyon

Can be no derogacyon

But myrth and consolacyon

Made by protestacyon

No man to myscontent

With Phillyppes enterement

Alas that goodly mayd

Why shuld she be afrayde

Why shuld she take shame

That her goodly name

Honorably reported

Sholde be set and sorted

ref.ed: 104

To be matriculate

With ladyes of estate

I coniure the Phillip_sparow

sig: [D6v]

By Hercules that hell dyd harow

And with a venemous arow

Slew of the Epidaures

One of the Centaures

Or onocentaures

Or hipocentaur[e]s hipocentaures] hipocentaurius K, W, Kit, M

By whose myght and mayne

An hart was slayne

With hornes twayne

Of glytteryng gold

And the appels of gold

Of Hesperides withhold

And with a dragon kept

That neuer-more slept

By marcyall strength

He wan at lenght

And slew Gerion

With thre bodyes in one

With myghty corage

A[d]aunted the rage Adaunted] Anaunted K, Auaunted W, Kit, M

Of a lyon sauage

Of Dyomedes stable

He brought out a rable

sig: [D7]

Of coursers and rounses

With leapes and bounses

And with myghty luggyng

Wrestlyng and tuggyng

He plucked the bull

By the horned skull

And offred to Cornucopia

And so forth per cetera

Also by Ecates bower

In Plut[o]s gastly tower Plutos] Plutus K, W, Kit, M

By the vgly Eumenides

That neuer haue rest nor ease

By the venemous serpent

That in hell is neuer brent

ref.ed: 105

In Lerna the Grekes fen

That was engendred then

By Chemeras flames

And all the dedly names

Of infernall posty

Where soules frye and rousty

By the stygyall flood

And the streames wood

Of Cocitus botumles well

sig: [D7v]

By the feryman of hell

Caron with his beerd hore

That roweth with a rude [ore] ore] eor K

And with his [frownsid] fore-top frownsid] K, W, Kit, M omit

Gydeth his bote with a prope

I coniure Phylyp and call

In the name of kyng Saul

Primo regum expresse

He [b]ad the Phitonesse bad] had K, W, Kit, M

To wytch-craft her to dresse

And by her abusyons

And dampnable illusyons

Of marueylus conclusyons

And by her supersticyons

And wonderfull condityons

She raysed vp in that stede

Samuell that was dede

But whether it were so

He were / idem in numero

The selfe-same Samuell

How-be-it to Saull dyd he tell

The Philistinis shuld hym ascry

And the next day he shuld dye

sig: [D8]

I wyll my-selfe dyscharge

To lettred men at large

But Phylyp I coniure the

Now by these names thre

Diana in the woodes grene

Luna that so bryght doth shyne

Procerpina in hell

100

That thou shortly tell

ref.ed: 106

And shew now vnto me

What the cause may be

Of this perplexite

Infer[ias] Philippe [tuas] Scroupe pulchra Iohanna Inferias] Infera K, W, Kit, Inferia M; tuas] K, W, Kit, M omit

105

Instanter petiit / cur nostri carminis illam

Nunc pudet / est sero / minor est infamia vero

Than suche as haue disdayned

And of this worke complayned

I pray god they be payned

110

No worse than is contayned

In verses two or thre

That folowe as you may se you] ye W, Kit, M

Luride cur liuor volucris pia funera damnas

Talia te rapiant / rapiunt que fata volucrem

115

Est tamen inuidia mors tibi continua.

¶Prynted at Lo[n]don at the poultry by Rychard_Kele.

sig: [D8v]