If the reader does not find much poetical merit in this old poem (which yet is one of Skelton's best) he will fee a friking picture of the fate and magnificence kept up by our ancient nobility during the feudal times. This great earl is described here as having among his menial fervants, KNIGHTS, SQUIRES, and even BARONS:, fee v. 32. 183. &c. Which however different from modern manners, was not unusual with our greater barons, whofe cafiles had all the splendour and offices of a royal court, before the Laws against Retainers abridged and limited the number of their attendants.

JOHN SKELTON, who commonly ftyled bimfelf Poet Laureat, died June 21. 1529. The following poem, which appears to have been written foon after the event, is printed from an ancient edition of his poems in bl. let. 12mo. 1568.— It is addreffed to Henry fifth earl of Northumberland, and is prefaced, &c. in the following manner:

Poeta Skelton Laureatus libellum fuum metrice

alloquitur.

Ad dominum properato meum mea pagina Percy,
Qui Northumbrorum jura paterna gerit.
Ad nutum celebris tu prona repone leonis,
Quæque fuo patri triftia jufta

Aft ubi perlegit, dubiam fub mente volutet
Fortunam, cun&ta quæ male fida rotat.
Qui leo fit felix, & Neftoris occupet annos,
Ad libitum cujus ipfe paratus ero.

SKELTON LAUREAT UPON THE DOLOURS DETHE AND MUCH LAMENTABLE CHAUNCE OF THE MOST HONORABLE ERLE OF NORTHUMBERLANDE.

Wayle, I wepe, I fobbe, I figh ful fore The dedely fate, the dolefulle defteny Of hym that is gone, alas! without restore,

Of

Of the bloud + royall descending nobelly;

Whose lordfhyp doutles, was flayne lamentably 5 Thorow trefon again him compaffed and wrought; Trew to his prince, in ward, in dede, and thought.

་་

Of hevenly poems, O Clyo calde by name

In the colege of mufis goddess hyftoriall,
Adres the to me, whiche am both halt I lame
In elect uteraunce to make memoryall :
To the for fouccour, to the for helpe I call
Mine homely rudnes and dryghnes to expell
With the freshe waters of Elyconys well.

Of noble actes aunciently enrolde,

Of famous pryncis and lordes of aftate, By thy report ar wont to be extold,

;

Regeftringe trewly every formaré date
Of thy bountie after the ufuall rate,
Kyndell in me fuche plenty of thy noblès,
Thefe forow fulle ditès that I may fhew expres.

In fefons past who hath herde or fene

Of formar writyng by any prefidente That vilane hastarddis in their furious tene, Fulfylled with malice of froward entente, Confetered togeder of common concente Falfly to flee theyr moft finguler good lord? It may be regiftrede of fhamefull recorde.

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15

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Henry, first E. of Northumberland, was begotten of Mary daughter to Henry E. of Lancaster, fecond fon of K. Henry III.He was alfo lineally defcended from Godfrey Duke of Brabant, fon of the Emperour Charlemagne, by Gerberga niece to Lothar K. of France. See Cambden Brit.

So

So noble a man, so valiaunt lord and knyght,

Fulfilled with honor, as all the world doth ken ; At his commaundement, which had both day and ny Knyghtes and fquyers, at every feason when

He calde upon them, as meniall houshold men : Were not these commons uncurteis karlis of kind To flo their own lord? God was not in their mynd.

And were not they to blame, I fay also,

That were aboute him his owne fervants of truft, To fuffre him flayn of his mortall fo?

Fled away from hym, let hym ly in the duft: They bode not till the rekening were discust. What shuld I flatter? what fhuld I glose or paint ? Fy, fy for fhame, their hartes were to faint.

In England and Fraunce, which gretly was redouted Of whom both Flaunders and Scotland ftode in dred To whom great estates obeyed and lowted;

Amayny of rude villayns made hym for to blede : Unkindly they flew him, that holp them oft at nede He was their bulwark, their paves, and their wall, Yet shamfully they flew hym; that fhame mot them befal

I say, ye comoners, why wer ye so stark mad ?
What frantyk frenfy fyll in your brayne
Where was your wit and refon, ye should have had ?
What wilful foly made yow to ryfe agayne

Your naturall lord? alas! I can not fayne.

5

Ye armed you with will, and left your wit behynd ; 55 Well may you be called comones most unkynd.

He

AND BALCAJA

He was your cheftevne, your heade your bet ietince
Redy to affist you in every time of rece

Your worthyp depended af is

clence:

Alas! ye mad men, turve in

Your hap was unhappy, o il va var betes

What moved you againe um ¤ var

What aylde you to ile your ceu qua al za÷

The ground of his quarei va ir mu ivean ari,
The well concerning of al te me zate
Demandyng fucite duris a mis mutatni
Totheright of his prie via hot

For whofe cante ye lew in win her nede land
But had his noble men ime vai ta

Ye had not been able in F1 12.

But ther was fals packing, resan segue.
How be it the matter was even a pe

For if they had occupied her be a ter kie
This noble man duties mantene fare

But men fav they wer birdie atte
And held with the compres marr & cone

Which kindeled the with me as muc

The commons reayed there. I ja

Of them demarnded and aket ve te cre
With one voice importe, der fatam:

Theybuskt them ona buiten zene én E

Agayne the kyngs picture the LI

Bluntly as beftis with bafe and will che

They sayd, they forfed w. 12 Kate Mx is.