Poetry. John Skelton

of John Shelton, last Rector [Lib. Inst. No. 18].’ ” Hist. of Norfolk, i. 20. ed. 1739.

[16] “John Skelton was a younger branch of the Skeltons of Skelton in this County [Cumberland]. I crave leave of the Reader, (hitherto not having full instructions, and) preserving the undoubted Title of this County unto him, to defer his character to Norfolk, where he was Beneficed at Diss therein.” Fuller’s Worthies, p. 221 (Cumberland), ed. 1662. “John Skelton is placed in this County [Norfolk] on a double probability. First, because an ancient family of his name is eminently known long fixed therein. Secondly, because he was beneficed at Dis,” &c. Id. p. 257 (Norfolk).—“John Skelton … was originally, if not nearly, descended from the Skeltons of Cumberland.” Wood’s Ath. Oxon. i. 49. ed. Bliss. See also Tanner’s Biblioth. p. 675. ed. 1748.—“I take it, that Skelton was not only Rector, but a Native of this Place [Diss], being son of William Skelton, and Margaret his Wife, whose Will was proved at Norwich, Nov. 7, 1512 [Regr. Johnson].” Blomefield’s Hist. of Norfolk, i. 20. ed. 1739. Through the active kindness of Mr. Amyot, I have received a copy of the Will of William Skelton (or Shelton), who, though perhaps a relation, was surely not the father of the poet; for in this full and explicit document the name of John Skelton does not once occur.—From an entry which will be afterwards cited, it would seem that the Christian name of Skelton’s mother was Johanna.—In Skelton’s Latin lines on the city of Norwich (see vol. i. 174) we find,

      “Ah decus, ah patriæ specie pulcherrima dudum!

      Urbs Norvicensis,” &c.

      Does “patriæ” mean his native county?

[17] “Having been educated in this university, as Joh. Baleus attests.” Wood’s Ath. Oxon. i. 50. ed. Bliss. Wood’s reference in the note is “In lib. De Scriptoribus Anglicis, MS. inter cod. MSS. Selden, in bib. Bodl. p. 69 b.” The printed copy of Bale’s work contains no mention of the place of Skelton’s education. Part of Bale’s information concerning Skelton, as appears from the still extant MS. collections for his Script. Illust. Brit., was received “Ex Guilhelmo Horman,” the author of the Vulgaria.—See also Tanner’s Biblioth. p. 675. ed. 1748.—Warton says that Skelton “studied in both our universities.” Hist. of E. P. ii. 336. ed. 4to.

[18] A Replycacion, &c. vol. i. 207.

[19] “Wood reckons him of Ox. on the author. of Bale in a MS. in the Bodleian Libr., but with much better reason he may be called ours; for I find one Scheklton M.A. in the year 1484, at which time allowing him to be 24 years of age, he must be at his death A.D. 1529, 68 or 69 years old, which ’tis probable he might be. v. Bale 653.” Cole’s Collections—Add. MSS. (Brit. Mus.) 5880, p. 199.

[20] I suspect that, during Skelton’s lifetime, two of his most celebrated pieces, Colyn Cloute (see v. 1239, vol. i. 359), and Why come ye nat to Courte, were not committed to the press, but wandered about in manuscript among hundreds of eager readers. A portion of Speke, Parrot, and the Poems Against Garnesche, are now for the first time printed.

[21] Vol. i. 408 sqq. No poetical antiquary can read the titles of some of the lighter pieces mentioned in that catalogue—such as The Balade of the Mustarde Tarte, The Murnyng of the mapely rote (see Notes, vol. ii. 330), &c.—without regretting their loss. “Many of the songs or popular ballads of this time,” observes Sir John Hawkins, “appear to have been written by Skelton.” Hist. of Music, iii. 39.

      I take the present opportunity of giving from a MS. in my possession a much fuller copy than has hitherto appeared of the celebrated song which opens the second act of Gammer Gurtons Nedle, and which Warton calls “the first chanson à boire or drinking-ballad, of any merit, in our language.” Hist. of E. P. iii. 206. ed. 4to. The comedy was first printed in 1575: the manuscript copy of the song, as follows, is certainly of an earlier date:

      “backe & syde goo bare goo bare

      bothe hande & fote goo colde

      but belly god sende the good ale inowghe

      whether hyt be newe or olde.

      but yf that I

      maye have trwly

      goode ale my belly full

      I shall looke lyke one

      by swete sainte Johnn

      were shoron agaynste the woole

      thowthe I goo bare

      take yow no care

      I am nothynge colde

      I stuffe my skynne

      so full within

      of joly goode ale & olde.

      I cannot eate

      but lytyll meate

      my stomacke ys not goode

      but sure I thyncke

      that I cowde dryncke

      with hym that werythe an hoode

      dryncke ys my lyfe

      althowgthe my wyfe

      some tyme do chyde & scolde

      yete spare I not

      to plye the potte

      of joly goode ale & olde.

      backe & syde, &c.

      I love noo roste

      but a browne toste

      or a crabbe in the fyer

      a lytyll breade

      shall do me steade

      mooche breade I neuer desyer

      Nor froste nor snowe

      Nor wynde I trow

      Canne hurte me yf hyt wolde

      I am so wrapped

      within & lapped

      with joly goode ale & olde.

      backe & syde, &c.

      I care ryte nowghte

      I take no thowte

      for clothes to kepe me warme

      have I goode dryncke

      I surely thyncke

      nothynge canne do me harme

      for trwly than

      I feare noman

      be he neuer so bolde

      when I am armed

      & throwly warmed

      with joly good ale & olde.

      backe & syde, &c.

      but nowe & than

      I curse & banne

      they make ther ale so small

      god geve them care

      & evill to faare

      they strye the malte & all

      sooche pevisshe pewe

      I tell yowe trwe

      not for a c[r]ovne of golde

      ther commethe one syppe