The Poetical Works of John Skelton (Vol. 1&2). John Skelton
not spyll a droppy,
For so mote I hoppy, 560
It coleth well my croppy.[535]
Dame Elynoure, sayde she,
Haue here is for me,
A cloute of London pynnes;
And wyth that she begynnes
The pot to her plucke,
And dranke a good lucke;
She swynged[536] vp a quarte
At ones for her parte;
Her paunche was so puffed, 570
And so wyth ale stuffed,
Had she not hyed apace,
She had defoyled the place.
Than began the sporte
Amonge that dronken sorte:
Dame Eleynour, sayde they,
Lende here a cocke of hey,
To make all thynge cleane;
Ye wote well what we meane.
But, syr, among all 580
That sat in that hall,
There was a pryckemedenty,
Sat lyke a seynty,
And began to paynty,
As thoughe she would faynty;
She made it as koy
As a lege de moy;[537]
She was not halfe so wyse
As she was peuysshe nyse.
She sayde neuer a worde, 590
But rose from the borde,
And called for our dame,
Elynour by name.
We supposed, I wys,
That she rose to pys;
But the very grounde
Was for to compounde
Wyth Elynour in the spence,
To pay for her expence:
I haue no penny nor grote 600
To pay, sayde she, God wote,
For washyng of my throte;
But my bedes of amber
Bere them to your chamber.
Then Elynour dyd them hyde
Wythin her beddes syde.
But some than sat ryght sad
That nothynge had
There of theyr awne,[538]
Neyther gelt nor pawne; 610
Suche were there menny
That had not a penny,
But, whan they should walke,
Were fayne wyth a chalke
To score on the balke,
Or score on the tayle:
God gyue it yll hayle!
For my fyngers[539] ytche;
I haue wrytten to mytche
Of this mad mummynge 620
Of Elynour Rummynge.
Thus endeth the gest
Of this worthy fest.
Quod Skelton, Laureat.
LAUREATI SKELTONIDIS IN DESPECTU MALIGNANTIUM DISTICHON.
Quamvis insanis, quamvis marcescis inanis,
Invide,[540] cantamus: hæc loca plena jocis.[541]
Bien men souuient.
Omnes fœminas, quæ vel nimis bibulæ sunt, vel quæ sordida labe squaloris, aut qua spurca[542] fœditatis macula, aut verbosa loquacitate notantur, poeta invitat ad audiendum hunc libellum, &c.
Ebria, squalida, sordida fœmina, prodiga verbis,
Huc currat, properet, veniat! Sua gesta libellus[543]
Iste volutabit: Pæan sua plectra sonando
Materiam risus cantabit carmine rauco.
Finis.
Quod Skelton, Laureat.
[474] Here after foloweth, &c.] From the ed. by Kynge and Marche of Certaine bokes compyled by mayster Skelton, n. d., collated with the same work, ed. Day, n. d., and ed. Lant, n. d., with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568, and occasionally with the comparatively modern ed. of Elinovr Rummin by Rand, 1624.
[475] Grained] So eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand). Eds. of Kynge and Marche, and of Lant, “Greuyned.”
[476] huckels] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “buckels.”
[477] Lyke as they were, &c.] This line not in eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand).
[478] Legged] So Rand’s ed. Other eds. “Legges.”
[479] iolly fet] Lant’s ed. “Joyly fet.” Marshe’s ed., (and Rand’s ed.), “iolly set.”
[480] doth it] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand), “it dothe.”
[481] For] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, “And.”
[482] gytes] Marshe’s ed. “getes.” (Rand’s ed. “geetes.”)
[483] pletes] Qy. “plytes?”
[484] That wey] So Lant’s ed., (and Rand’s ed.) Other eds. “That they way.”
[485] in] Eds. of Day, and Marshe, (and Rand),