Excerpt from Speke, Parrot

John Skelton 1460 (Norfolk) – 1529 (London)



Parotte.
So many morall maters,* and so lytell vsyd ;
    So myche newe makyng,* and so madd tyme spente ;
So myche translacion in to Englyshe confused ;
    So myche nobyll prechyng, and so lytell amendment ;
    So myche consultacion, almoste to none entente ;
So myche provision, and so lytell wytte at nede ;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde there can no clerkes rede.

So lytyll dyscressyon, and so myche reasonyng ;
    So myche hardy dardy, and so lytell manlynes ;
So prodigall expence, and so shamfull reconyng ;
    So gorgyous garmentes, and so myche wrechydnese ;
    So myche portlye pride, with pursys penyles
So myche spente before, and so myche vnpayd behynde ;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde there can no clerkes fynde.

So myche forcastyng, and so farre an after dele ;
    So myche poletyke pratyng, and so lytell stondythe* in stede ;
So lytell secretnese, and so myche grete councell ;
    So manye bolde barons, there hertes as dull as lede ;
    So many nobyll bodyes vndyr on dawys hedd ;*
So royall a kyng as reynythe vppon vs all ;—
Syns Dewcalions flodde was nevyr sene nor shall.

So many complayntes, and so smalle redresse ;
    So myche callyng on, and so smalle takyng hede ;
So myche losse of merchaundyse, and so remedyles ;
    So lytell care for the comyn weall, and so myche nede ;
    So myche dow3tfull daunger,* and so lytell drede ;
So myche pride of prelattes, so cruell and so kene ;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trowe, was nevyr sene.

So many thevys hangyd, and thevys never the lesse ;
    So myche prisonment ffor matyrs not worthe an hawe ;*
So myche papers weryng for ryghte a smalle exesse ;*
    So myche pelory pajauntes* vndyr colower of good lawe ;
    So myche towrnyng on the cooke stole* for euery guy gaw ;*
So myche mokkyshe makyng of statutes of array ;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr, I dar sey.

So braynles caluys hedes, so many shepis taylys ;
    So bolde a braggyng bocher,* and flesshe sold so dere ;
So many plucte partryches, and so fatte quaylles ;
    So mangye a mastyfe curre, the grete grey houndes pere ; *
    So bygge a bulke of brow auntlers cabagyd that yere;*
So many swannes dede, and so small revell ;
Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trow, no man can tell.

So many trusys takyn, and so lytyll perfyte trowthe ;
    So myche bely joye, and so wastefull banketyng ;*
So pynchyng and sparyng, and so lytell profyte growthe ;
    So many howgye* howsys byldyng, and so small howseholding ;
    Suche statutes apon* diettes, suche pyllyng and pollyng ;*
So ys all thyng wrowghte wylfully withowte reson and skylle* ;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde the world was never so yll.

So many vacabondes, so many beggers bolde ;
    So myche decay of monesteries and of relygious places ;
So hote hatered agaynste the Chyrche, and cheryte so colde ;
    So myche of my lordes grace, and in hym no grace ys ;
    So many holow hartes, and so dowbyll faces ;
So myche sayntuary brekyng,* and preuylegidde barrydd ;—
Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr sene nor lyerd.*

So myche raggyd ryghte of a rammes horne ;
    So rygorous revelyng1 in a prelate specially ;
So bold and so braggyng, and was so baselye borne ;
    So lordlye of hys lokes and so dysdayneslye ;*
    So fatte a magott, bred of a flesshe flye ;
Was nevyr suche a ffylty gorgon,* nor suche an epycure,
Syn[s] Dewcalyons flodde, I make thé faste and sure.

So myche preuye wachyng in cold wynters nyghtes ;
    So myche serchyng of loselles, and ys hymselfe so lewde ;*
So myche coniuracions for elvyshe myday sprettes ;*
    So many bullys of' pardon puplysshyd* and shewyd ;
    So myche crossyng and blyssyng, and hym all beshrewde ; *
Suche pollaxis and pyllers, suche mvlys trapte with gold ;—
Sens Dewcalyons flodde in no cronycle ys told.

Dixit, quod Parrot.
Crescet in immensum me vivo Psittacus iste ;
Hinc mea dicetur Skeltonidis inclyta fama.
Quod Skelton Lawryat,
Orator Regius.
34.]

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

3:15 min read
74

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAAAAAAA BCBCCAA DADAADD CACAAEE CFCFBGC CGCXGDD HBHBBDD ACACCAA EDEIIGX CACAAAA AAXACX
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 3,886
Words 651
Stanzas 11
Stanza Lengths 8, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6

John Skelton

John Skelton (1460-1529), also known as John Shelton, possibly born in Diss, Norfolk, was an English poet. more…

All John Skelton poems | John Skelton Books

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