9

That as a spark of lowe so wantonly
Seemèd burnyng upon her white throat;
Now gif there was good parly God it wote.

11

10

And for to walk that freshè mayè's morrow,
An hook she had upon her tissue white,
That goodlier had not been seen toforrow,'
As I suppose, and girt she was a lyte
Thus halfling 12 loose for haste; to such delight
It was to see her youth in goodlihead,
That for rudeness to speak thereof I dread.

In her was youth, beauty with humble port,
Bounty, richess, and womanly feature:
(God better wote than my pen can report)
Wisdom largèss, estate and cunning sure,
In a word in deed, in shape and countenance,
That nature might no more her childe avance.

7 Mr. Ellis conjectures that this is an error, for fair email, i. e. enamel.
9 Fire.
10 Heretofore.
11 A little.

12 Half.

19. WILLIAM DUNBAR, about 1465-1520. (Manual, p. 60.)

From the Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins.

IRE, PRIDE, AND ENVY.

And first of all in dance was Pryd,
With hair wyl'd bak, bonet on side,'
Like to mak vaistie wainis; 2
And round about him, as a quheill,*
Hang all in rumpilis to the heill,*
His kethat for the nanis.5

Mony proud trompour with him trippit,
Throw skaldan fyre ay as they skippit,"
They girnd with hyddous granis."

1 With hair combed back (and) bonnet to one side. 2 Likely to make wasteful wants.
wheel.

3 Like a

4 Hung all in rumples to the heel. 5 His cassock for the nonce. 6 Many a proud impostor with him tripped. 7 Through scalding fire as they skipped. 8 They grinned with hideous groans.

:

Then Ire cam in with sturt and strife,9
His hand was ay upon his knyfe,

He brandeist lyk a beir;

Bostaris, braggaris, and burganeris, 10
After him passit into pairis,11

All bodin in feir of weir. 12

In jakkis stryppis and bonnettis of steil, 13
Thair leggis were chenyiet to the heill,1
14
Frawart was thair affeir. 15

Sum upon uder with brands beft,16
Some jaggit uthers to the heft 17

With knyves that scherp coud scheir. 19

Next in the dance followit Invy, 19
Fild full of feid and fellony,20

Hid malice and dispyte,

For privy haterit that tratour trymlet; 21
Him followit mony freik dissymlit,22
With fenyiet wordis quhyte.23

And flattereris into menis faces,24
And backbyteris of sundry races 25
To ley that had delyte,26
With rownaris of false lesingis; 27
Allace, that courtis of noble kingis

Of thame can nevir be quyte.29

9 Then Ire came with trouble and strife. 10 Boasters, braggarts, and bullies, 11 After him passed in pairs. 12 All arrayed in feature of war. 13 In coats of armor and bonnets of steel. 14 Their legs were chained to the heel. (Probably it means covered with iron net-work.) 15 Froward was their aspect. 16 Some struck upon others with brands. 17 Some stuck others to the hilt. 18 With knives that sharply could mangle. 19 Followed Envy. 20 Filled full of quarrel and felony. 21 For privy hatred that traitor trembled. 22 Him followed many a dissembling renegado. 23 With feigned words fair or white. 24 And flatterers to men's faces. 25 And backbiters of sundry races. 26 To 27 With spreaders of false lies. 28 Alas that courts of noble kings. 29 Of them

lie that had delight. can never be rid.

20. SIR DAVID LYNDSAY. 1490-1557. (Manual, p. 69.)

3 Pressed.

the course.
15 Courser.
understanding.

3

Nor preissit to com within the green,
Bot heraldis and the campiouns keen;
The order and the circumstance
Wer lang to put in remembrance.
Quhen thir twa nobill men of weir
Wer weill accounterit in their geir,
And in thair handis strong burdounis,4
Than trumpettis blew and clariounis,
And heraldis cryit hie on hicht,
Now let thame go God shaw the richt.
Than trumpettis blew triumphantly,
And thay twa campiouns eagerlie,

5

They spurrit their hors with spier on breist,
Pertly to prief" their pith they preist."

9

*

12

That round rink-room was at utterance,
Bot Talbart's hors with ane mischance
He outterit, and to run was laith; 10
Quharof Talbart was wonder wraith.11
The Squyer furth his rink 12 he ran,
Commendit weill with every man,
And him discharget of his speir
Honestlie, like ane man of weir.
The trenchour 13 of the Squyreis speir
Stak still into Sir Talbart's geir;
Than everie man into that steid 14
Did all beleve that he was dede.
The Squyer lap richt haistillie
From his coursour 15 deliverlie,
And to Sir Talbart made support,
And humillie 16 did him comfort.
When Talbart saw into his schield
Ane otter in ane silver field,
This race, said he, I sair may rew,
For I see weill my dreame was true;
Methocht yon otter gart 7 me bleid,
And buir 18 me backwart from my sted;
But heir I vow to God soverane,
That I sall never just 19 agane.

17

And sweitlie to the Squiyre said,

Thou knawis 20 the cunning 21 that we made,
Quhilk 22 of us twa suld tyne 23 the field,
He suld baith hors and armour yield
Till him 24 that wan, quhairfore I will
My hors and harness geve thé till.

4 Spears.
10 Loath.
16 Humbly.

5 Shew. 11 Wroth. 17 Made. 22 Which.

6 Prove.
12 Course.
18 Bore.
23 Lose.

19 Joust. 24 To him.

9 Swerved from 14 In that situation.

21 Agreement or

Then said the Squyer, courteouslie,
Brother, I thank you hartfullie;
Of you, forsooth, nothing I crave,
For I have gotten that I would have.

B.-ENGLISH POETS.

21. JOHN SKELTON, d. 1529. (Manual, p. 65.)

1 Mamaluke.

ATTACK UPON WOLSEY.

But this mad Amalek

Like to a Mamelek,1

He regardeth lords

No more than potshords;
He is in such elation
Of his exaltation,
And the supportation
Of our sovereign lord,
That, God to record,2
He ruleth all at will,
Without reason or skill; 3
Howbeit the primordial
Of his wretched original,
And his base progeny,4
And his greasy genealogy,

He came of the sank royal 5

That was cast out of a butcher's stall,

He would dry up the streams

Of nine kings' reams, 6

All rivers and wells,

All water that swells;

For with us he so mells 7

That within England dwells,

I wold he were somewhere else;

For else by and by

He will drink us so dry,

And suck us so nigh,

That men shall scantly
Have penny or halfpenny.
God save his noble grave,
And grant him a place
Endless to dwell

With the devil of hell!

2 Witness.

5 Sanguo royal, blood royal.

For, an he were there,
We need never fear

Of the feindes blake;

For I undertake

He wold so brag and crake,
That he wold than make

The devils to quake,

To shudder and to shake,
Like a fire-drake,8

And with a coal rake

Bruise them on a brake,9

And bind them to a stake,
And set hell on fire

At his own desire.

He is such a grim sire,

And such a potestolate, 10

And such a potestate,

That he wold brake the brains

Of Lucifer in his chains,

And rule them each one

In Lucifer's trone. 11

8 Fiery dragon.

Engine of torture.

10"Equivalent, I suppose, to legatee."- Dyce.

11 Throne.

22. SIR THOMAS WYATT. 1503-1541. (Manua, p. 66.)

TO HIS BEloved.

Forget not yet the tried intent
Of such a truth as I have meant;
My great travail so gladly spent,
Forget not yet!

Forget not yet when first began
The weary life, ye know since whan,
The suit, the service, none tell can;
Forget not yet!

Forget not yet the great assays,
The cruel wrong, the scornful ways,
The painful patience in delays,
Forget not yet!

Forget not!-Oh! forget not this,
How long ago hath been, and is
The mind that never meant amiss,
Forget not yet!