himselfe assure] So Mir. for Mag. Eds. and MS., “be sure.”
[164] What is it, &c.] MS.:
“What ys it to trust the mutabylyte
Of this world whan no thyng may endure.”
[165] cheryfayre] MS. “cheyfeyre.”
[166] I se wyll, &c.] This stanza only found in MS.
[167] This] See notes.
[168] lyst] MS. “lust”—against the rhyme.
[169] chest] MS. “chestys”—against the rhyme.
[170] euer to incroche] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “ouer to,” &c. MS. gives this line and the next thus:
“And more to encrese was myne entent
And not beynge ware who shuld it ocupye.”
[171] full] So Mir. for Mag. Not in eds. or MS.
[172] Wyndsore, Eltam, &c.] This line and the next given thus in MS.:
“Wynsore and eton and many oder mo
As Westmynster Eltham and sone went I from all.”
And so, with slight variation, in Nash’s Quaternio: see notes.
[173] my] So Mir. for Mag. Not in eds. or MS.
[174] wandred] Mir. for Mag. “wythered.”
[175] For I, &c.] MS.:
“Now are we departid [i.e. parted] onto domys day.”
[176] Seyth a man is but, &c.] Day’s ed. “Seeth a man is nothing but,” &c. Marshe’s ed. “Sythe a man is nothing but,” &c. Mir. for Mag. “Saying a man is but,” &c. MS. “Seinge a man ys a sak of sterqueryte.”
[177] Were not] So Lant’s ed. and Mir. for Mag. Ed. of Kynge and Marche, “Where no.” Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “Wher no.” MS. “Was not.”
[178] This] Mir. for Mag. “Thus;” but see note.
[179] Nor nought, &c.] Mir. for Mag.:
“For nought would conserue mee here in this place.”
MS.:
“Ne nougt wold concerue me my place.”
[180] Humbly] So other eds. Kynge and Marche’s ed. “Humble.”
[181] thy] Other eds. “his.”
POETA SKELTON[182] LAUREATUS LIBELLUM SUUM METRICE ALLOQUITUR.
Ad dominum properato meum, mea pagina, Percy,
Qui Northumbrorum jura paterna gerit;
Ad nutum celebris tu prona repone leonis
Quæque suo patri tristia justa cano.[183]
Ast ubi perlegit, dubiam sub mente volutet
Fortunam, cuncta quæ malefida rotat.
Qui leo sit felix, et Nestoris occupet annos;
Ad libitum, cujus ipse paratus ero.
[182] Poeta Skelton, &c.] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568, collated with a copy of the poem in a MS. vol now in the British Museum (MS. Reg. 18. D ii. fol. 165), which formerly belonged to the fifth Earl of Northumberland, son of the nobleman whose fate is here lamented: vide Account of Skelton, &c. This elegy was printed by Percy in his Reliques of An. Engl. Poet. (i. 95, ed. 1794), from the MS. just mentioned.
[183] cano] So MS. Not in Marshe’s ed.
SKELTON LAUREAT
VPON THE
DOULOUR[U]S DETHE AND MUCHE LAMENTABLE CHAUNCE OF THE MOST HONORABLE ERLE OF NORTHUMBERLANDE.
I wayle, I wepe, I sobbe, I sigh ful sore
The dedely fate, the dolefulle desteny
Of hym that is gone, alas, without restore,
Of the bloud royall descending nobelly;
Whose lordshyp doutles was slayne lamentably
Thorow treson, again him compassed and wrought,
Trew to his prince in word, in dede, and thought.
Of heuenly poems, O Clyo, calde by name
In the colege of Musis goddes hystoriall,
Adres thé to me, whiche am both halt and lame 10
In elect vteraunce to make memoryall!
To
