Page 1. “Indeed if he well weighed that Epitaph of King Edward the fourth, made by Skelton, which I find inserted amongst the vnprinted Workes of Lydgate, he would be more modest in this kinde.” _Qvaternio_, 1633, p. 239, by Nash, who cites a considerable portion of this poem from a MS.—Lydgate could not have been alive at the period of Edward’s decease: see Warton’s _Hist. of E.P._ ii. 51. ed. 4to. (note), Ritson’s _Bibl. Poet., &c._ Edward the Fourth died April 9th, 1483, in the 41st year of his age and the 23d of his reign: see Sir H. Nicolas’s _Chron. of Hist._ pp. 325, 349, sec. ed. These lines were probably composed soon after the king’s death—_per Skeltonidem laureatum_ having been subsequently added to the title. v. 8. _lykynge_] i. e. joy, pleasure. Page 2. v. 22. _a chery fayre_] If this is to be understood as _cherry-fair_ (which I think doubtful), the line ought to be pointed, “Not certayne, but as a chery fayre, full of wo.” The first of the following parallel passages is cited by Richardson in his _Dict._ under _Cherry_ (as also from the same work of Gower, “And that endureth but a throwe, Right as it were a _cherie feste_.” B. vi. fol. cxxxiii. ed. 1554). and Mr. Halliwell has obligingly forwarded to me a letter from one of his friends, who states that “cherry-wakes or _cherry-fairs_ used not long since to be held in Worcestershire on Sunday-evenings after divine service, and that in his own village there were three in the season, one for the early cherries, and two others for those of later growth.” “For all is but _a cherie feire_ This worldes good, so as thei tell.” Gower’s _Conf. Am._, Prol. fol. 3. ed. 1554. “This worlde ys but _a chyrye feyre_, whan ȝe be heyest ȝe mowe aslake.” Lydgate’s verses entitled _Make Amendes_,—_MS. Cott. Calig._ A ii. fol. 67. “Reuoluyng als this liif _a chere fayre_ To loke how sone she deyde the fayrist wight.” _Poems_ by C. Duke of Orleans,—_MS. Harl._ 682. fol. 42. “Thys werld hyt turnys euyn as a whele, All day be day hyt wyl enpayre, And so, sone, thys worldys wele, Hyt faryth but as _a chery fare_.” _How the wise man taught his son_,—_Pieces of An. Pop. Poetry_, p. 90. ed. Ritson. Page 2. v. 28. _to contribute Fraunce_] i. e. to take tribute of France. In 1475 Edward withdrew from France with his army on condition that Louis should pay him immediately 75 thousand crowns, settle on him an annuity for life of 50 thousand more, &c. See Lingard’s _Hist. of Engl._ v. 303. ed. 8vo. v. 35. _as who sayth_] A not unfrequent expression in our early poetry, equivalent to—as one may say, as the saying is. Page 3. v. 37. _I se wyll, they leve that doble my ȝeris_] i. e. I see well, that they live that double my years. v. 38. _This dealid this world_] i. e. Thus dealed this world. Skelton elsewhere, like many of our old poets, uses _this_ for _thus_; as in his _Ware the Hauke_;