"To see if Skelton will put himself in prease Among the thickest of all the whole route, Make noise enough, for clatterars love no peace, Let see, my sister, now speed you, — go about, Anone, I say, this trumpet were founde, [The Cowntes of Surrey deviseth a Cronell of Lawrell for Skelton, her Clerke.] "THUS talking we went forth in at a postern gate, Turning on the right hand, by a wynding stayre, She brought me to a goodly chambre of astate, Where the noble Countes of Surrey in a chaire Sate honorably, to whom dyd repayre "Come forth, gentilwomen, I pray you, she said, I have contryved for you a goodly warke, And who can worke best now shal be as sayd; A cronell of laurell with verdurès light and darke, I have devised for Skelton my clerke, "For of all ladyes he hath the library, Their names recountyng in the court of Fame; Of all gentylwomen he hath the scruteny, That list of their lewdnesse with him for to brall. SKELTON-LYNDSAY. "With that the tapettès and carpettès were layde, Whereon these ladyes softely myght rest, The saumpler to sowe on, the laces to embrayde, To weave in the stole some were full preste, With slaies, with tavels, with hedellas' well drest; The frame was brought forth with his weaving pin, God give them good spede their warke to begin. "Some to embrowder put them in prease, Wel gyding their glotton to kepe streight their silk, Some pyrling of gold their work to in crease With fingers smale, and handes as white as mylk, 309 Cleikand1 to thame skarlot and cramosye Thair lawe hartis exaltit ar sa hye, [Unspiritual Priests.] "ESAYAS into his work That callit ar preistis, and can nocht preche, With Rech me that skayne of tewly silk; Temporall causis to be decydit, And, Wynde me that botoume of such an hewe, Grene, red, tawney, whyte, purple and blewe.' "Of broken warkis wroght many a goodly thing, In castyng, in turnyng, in florishing of flowres. With burres rough and buttons surffyl lyng, In nedyll warke raysyng byrdes in bowres, Gif thay thair spirituall office gydit, Parson. Ibid. "THOCHT I preich nocht, I can play at the caiche;4 I wat thare is nocht ane amang yow all, To worke me this chaplet by good advise- Mair ferylie can play at the fute-ball; And wichtly wallop' over the sandis; Ibid. [The Swallow a Blood-stauncher.] "THE Swift swallow, in practik maist pru dent, I wat scho wald my bleiding stem belyve, With hir most vertuous stane restringityve." Ibid. Complaynt of the Papingo. Lyndsay has written a Supplication against "SYDE taillis, Quhilk throw the dust and dubbis traillis, LYNDSAY — GASCOIGNE. Belt and brochis of silver fyne; This fine shift was taken from the Irish lady by the Scotch soldiers, from whom Squyre Meldrum recovers it. [The Knight's Velvet Cap and Coif of Gold -when unarmed.] "HE tuik his leif and went to rest; And straucht him in his stiroppis richt, Ane quaif of gold to hald his hair.” [Bumbard.] Ibid. 311 Like sops of brovesse1 puffed up with froth; Where inwardly they be but hollow geer, As weak as wind which with one puff up goeth. And yet they brag and think they have no peer, Because Harlem hath hitherto held out; Although in deed, as they have suffered Spain, The end thereof even now doth rest in doubt." GASCOIGNE'S Voyage into Holland, 1572. [Agricultural Losses.] "WHEN Court had cast me off I toyled at the plow, My fancy stood in strange conceits to thrive I wot not how, By mills, by making malt, by sheep and eke by swine, By duck and drake, by pig and goose, by calves and keeping kine; By feeding bullocks fat, when price at market fell, “THAY have ane bumbard, braissit up in But since my swains eat up my gains, Fancy, bandis, To keip thair port, in middis of thair clois." LINDSAY. [The Effects of Bull-Beef and Beer.] "AND thus my lord your honour may discern Our perils past, and how in our annoy God saved me, (your lordship's bound for ever), Who else should not be able now to tell The state wherein this country doth persever, Ne how they seem in careless minds to dwell; So did they erst, and so they will do ever. And to my lord for to bewray my mind Methinks they be a race of bull-beef born, Whose hearts their butter mollyfieth by kind, And so the force of beef is clean outworn; And eke their brains with double beer are lined, So that they march bumbast with buttered beer, quoth he, farewell." GEORGE Gascoigne. [New-fangledness of Women's Dresses.] "BEHOLD-what monsters muster here With angels' face, and harmful hellish hearts, With smiling looks and deep deceitful thoughts, With tender skins, and stony cruel minds, With stealing steps, yet forward feet to fraud. Behold, behold, they never stand content With God, with kinde, with any help of art, But curl their locks with bodkins and with braids, But dye their hair with sundry subtle slights, But paint and slick till fairest face be foul, 1 QUERE? Browis, i. e. broths, soups. See Cotgrave in v. BROWIS. J. W. W. 312 GASCOIGNE - HABINGTON. But bumbast, bolster, frisle and perfume: They mar with musk the balm which nature made, And dig for death in delicatest dishes. The elder sort go stately stalking on, Castles and towers, revenues and receits, Lordships and manors, fines, yea farms and all. What should these be ? They be not men; for why? they have no beards, To you the glory of a pompous night, They be no boys which wear such side-long I (who still sin for company) was there, And tasted of the glorious supper, where Meat was the least of wonder; tho' the nest O' the Phoenix rifled seemd to amaze the feast, And the ocean left so poor that it alone Could since vaunt wretched herring and poor John. Lucullus' surfeits were but types of this, For the artificial lights so thick were set, That the bright sun seem'd this to counterfeit. But seven (whom whether we should sages call, Or deadly sins, I'll not dispute) were all Not half that quantity of victual when That lynx himself, tho' her sight famed so quick, Had there scarce spy'd one sober: for the wealth Of the Canaries was exhaust, the health |