1662.—Anthony Wood, with his usual want of charity towards the sons of genius, says that Skelton “having been guilty of certain crimes, (as most poets are,) at least not agreeable to his coat, fell under the heavy censure of Rich. Nykke bishop of Norwich his diocesan; especially for his scoffs and ill language against the monks and dominicans in his writings.” _Ath. Oxon._ i. 50. ed. Bliss, who adds in a note, “Mr. Thomas Delafield in his MS. _Collection of Poets Laureate_, &c. among Gough’s MSS. in the Bodleian, says it was in return for his being married, an equal crime in the ecclesiastics of those days, bishop Nykke suspended him from his church.”—Tanner gives as one of the reasons for Skelton’s taking sanctuary at Westminster towards the close of his life, “propter quod uxorem habuit.” _Biblioth._ p. 675. ed. 1748.—In the xiiiᵗʰ of the _Merie Tales_ (see Appendix I. to the present Memoir) Skelton’s _wife_ is mentioned. [70] “Cui [Nixo] utcunque a nive nomen videatur inditum, adeo nihil erat nivei in pectore, luxuriosis cogitationibus plurimum æstuante, ut atro carbone libidines ejus notandæ videantur, si vera sunt quæ de illo a Nevillo perhibentur.” Godwin _De Præsul. Angl._ p. 440. ed. 1743. [71] “In the Edition of his Workes _in 8vo. Lond._ 1736, which I have, at p. 272 he mentions _Trumpinton_, and seems to have been _Curate_ there, 5. Jan. 1507. At p. 54 he also mentions _Swafham_ and _Soham_, 2 Towns in _Cambridgeshire_, in _The Crowne of Lawrell_.” Cole’s _Collections,—Add. MSS._ (Brit. Mus.) 5880, p. 199. To conclude from the mention of these towns that Skelton resided in Cambridgeshire is the height of absurdity, as the reader will immediately perceive on turning to the passage in question, _Garlande of Laurell_, v. 1416, vol. i. 417.—Chalmers, on the authority of a MS. note by Kennet, a transcript of which had been sent to him, states that “in 1512, Skelton was presented by Richard, abbot of Glastonbury, to the vicarage of Daltyng.” _Biog. Dict._ xxviii. 45: if Chalmers had consulted Wood’s account of the poet, he might have learned that the rector of Diss and the vicar of Dultyng were different persons. [72] The old ed. has “scripter.” [73] vol. i. 173. [74] vol. i. 175. [75] _Ath. Oxon._ i. 50. ed. Bliss. [76] Reprinted in Appendix I. to this Memoir; where see also the extracts from _A C mery Talys_, &c.—The biographer of Skelton, in _Eminent Lit. and Scient. Men of Great Britain_, &c. (Lardner’s _Cyclop_.), asserts that “_he composed his Merie Tales for the king and nobles_”!!! i. 279. [77] Lines prefixed to Marsh’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568: see Appendix I. to this Memoir. [78] “Sithe ye haue me chalyngyd, M[aster] Garnesche,” &c.; see vol. i. 116.