Togeder in armes, as brethern, enbrasid; There apparell farre passynge beyonde that I can tell; With diamauntis and rubis there tabers[1588] were trasid, None so ryche stones in Turkey to sell; Thei wantid nothynge but the laurell; And of there bounte they made me godely chere, In maner and forme as ye shall after here. _Mayster Gower to Skelton._ Brother Skelton, your endeuorment 400 So haue ye done, that meretoryously Ye haue deseruyd to haue an enplement In our collage aboue the sterry sky, Bycause that ye[1589] encrese and amplyfy The brutid Britons of Brutus Albion, That welny[1590] was loste when that we were gone. _Poeta Skelton[1591] to Maister Gower._ Maister Gower, I haue nothyng deserued To haue so laudabyle a commendacion: To yow thre this honor shalbe reserued, Arrectinge vnto your wyse examinacion 410 How all that I do is vnder refformation, For only the substance of that I entend, Is glad to please, and loth to offend. _Mayster Chaucer to Skelton._[1592] Counterwayng your besy delygence Of that we beganne in the supplement, Enforcid ar we you to recompence, Of all our hooll collage by the agreament, That we shall brynge you personally present Of noble Fame before the Quenes grace, In whose court poynted is your place. 420 _Poeta Skelton answeryth._ O noble Chaucer, whos pullisshyd eloquence Oure Englysshe rude so fresshely hath set out, That bounde ar we with all deu reuerence, With all our strength that we can brynge about, To owe to yow our seruyce, and more if we mowte! But what sholde I say? ye wote what I entende, Whiche glad am to please, and loth to offende. _Mayster Lydgate to Skelton._ So am I preuentid of my brethern tweyne In rendrynge to you thankkis meritory, That welny[1593] nothynge there doth remayne 430 Wherwith to geue you my regraciatory, But that I poynt you to be prothonatory[1594] Of Fames court, by all our holl assent Auaunced by Pallas to laurell preferment. _Poeta Skelton answeryth._ So haue ye me far passynge my meretis extollyd, Mayster Lidgate, of your accustomable Bownte, and so gloryously ye haue enrollyd My name, I know well, beyonde that I am able, That but if my warkes therto be agreable, I am elles rebukyd of that I intende, 440 Which glad am to please, and lothe to offende. So finally, when they had shewyd there deuyse, Vnder the forme as I sayd tofore,[1595] I made it straunge, and drew bak ones or twyse, And euer they presed on me more and more, Tyll at the last they forcyd me so[1596] sore, That with them I went where they wolde me brynge, Vnto the pauylyon where Pallas was syttyng.