The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)

Name: The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)
Author: Skelton, John

Skelton, John

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700

And sette suche a snare,
  That shall cast you in care,
  Bothe Kyng Fraunces and thé,
  That knowen ye shall be
  For the moost recrayd
  Cowardes afrayd,
  And falsest forsworne,
  That euer were borne.
    O ye wretched Scottes,
  Ye puaunt pyspottes,                                                 120
  It shalbe your lottes
  To be knytte vp with knottes
  Of halters and ropes
  About your traytours throtes!
  O Scottes pariured,
  Vnhaply vred,
  Ye may be assured
  Your falshod discured
  It is and shal be
  From the Scottish se                                                 130
  Vnto Gabione!
  For ye be false echone,
  False and false agayne,
  Neuer true nor playne,
  But flery, flatter, and fayne,
  And euer to remayne
  In wretched beggary
  And maungy misery,
  In lousy lothsumnesse
  And scabbed scorffynesse,                                            140
  And in abhominacion
  Of all maner of nacion,
  Nacion moost in hate,
  Proude and poore of state.
  Twyt, Scot, go kepe thy den,
  Mell nat with Englyshe men;
  Thou dyd nothyng but barke
  At the castell of Warke.
  Twyt, Scot, yet agayne ones,
  We shall breke thy bones,                                            150
  And hang you vpon polles,
  And byrne you all to colles;
  With, twyt, Scot, twyt, Scot, twyt,
  Walke, Scot, go begge a byt
  Of brede at ylke mannes hecke:
  The fynde, Scot, breke thy necke!
  Twyt, Scot, agayne I saye,
  Twyt, Scot of Galaway,
  Twyt, Scot, shake thy dogge,[260] hay!
  Twyt, Scot, thou ran away.                                           160
    We set nat a flye
  By your Duke of Albany;
  We set nat a prane
  By suche a dronken drane;
  We set nat a myght
  By suche a cowarde knyght,
  Suche a proude palyarde,
  Suche a skyrgaliarde,
  Suche a starke cowarde,
  Suche a proude pultrowne,                                            170
  Suche a foule coystrowne,
  Suche a doutty dagswayne;
  Sende him to F[r]aunce agayne,
  To bring with hym more brayne
  From Kynge Fraunces of Frauns:
  God sende them bothe myschauns!
    Ye Scottes all the rable,
  Ye shall neuer be hable
  With vs for to compare;
  What though ye stampe and stare?                                     180
  God sende you sorow and care!
  With vs whan euer ye mell,
  Yet we bear away the bell,
  Whan ye cankerd knaues
  Must crepe into your caues
  Your heedes for to hyde,
  For ye dare nat abyde.
    Sir Duke of Albany,
  Right inconuenyently
  Ye rage and ye raue,                                                 190
  And your worshyp depraue:
  Nat lyke Duke Hamylcar,
  With the Romayns that made war,
  Nor lyke his sonne Hanyball,
  Nor lyke Duke Hasdruball
  Of Cartage in Aphrike;
  Yet somwhat ye be lyke
  In some of their condicions,
  And their false sedycions,
  And their dealyng double,                                            200
  And their weywarde trouble:
  But yet they were bolde,
  And manly manyfolde,
  Their enemyes to assayle

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The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)

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