The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2) — John Shaqi
The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)Skelton, John
General
The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)
Skelton, John
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
Now a nutmeg, a nutmeg, _cum gariopholo_,[66]
For Parrot to pyke vpon, his brayne for to stable,
Swete synamum styckis and _pleris cum musco_![67] 190
In Paradyce, that place of pleasure perdurable,
The progeny of Parrottis were fayre and fauorable;
Nowe _in valle_ Ebron Parrot is fayne to fede:
Cristecrosse and saynt Nycholas, Parrot, be your good spede!
The myrrour that I tote in, _quasi diaphanum_,
_Vel quasi speculum, in ænigmate_,
_Elencticum_,[68] or ells _enthymematicum_,[69]
For logicions to loke on, somwhat _sophistice_:
Retoricyons[70] and oratours in freshe humanyte,
Support Parrot, I pray you, with your suffrage ornate, 200
Of _confuse tantum_ auoydynge the chekmate.
But of that supposicyon that callyd is arte
_Confuse distributive_, as Parrot hath deuysed,
Let euery man after his merit take his parte,
For in this processe Parrot nothing hath surmysed,
No matter pretendyd, nor nothyng enterprysed,
But that _metaphora_, _allegoria_ with all,
Shall be his protectyon, his pauys, and his wall.
For Parot is no churlish chowgh, nor no flekyd pye,
Parrot is no pendugum, that men call a carlyng, 210
Parrot is no woodecocke, nor no butterfly,
Parrot is no stameryng stare, that men call a starlyng;
But Parot is my[71] owne dere harte and my dere[72] derling;
Melpomene, that fayre mayde, she burneshed his beke:
I pray you, let Parrot haue lyberte to speke.
Parrot is a fayre byrd for a lady;
God of his goodnes him framed and wrought;
When Parrot is ded, she dothe not putrefy:
Ye, all thyng mortall shall torne vnto nought,
Except mannes soule, that Chryst so dere bought; 220
That neuer may dye, nor neuer dye shall:
Make moche of Parrot, the[73] popegay ryall.[74]
For that pereles prynce that Parrot dyd create,
He made you of nothynge by his magistye:
Poynt well this probleme that Parrot doth prate,
And remembre amonge how Parrot and ye
Shall lepe from this lyfe, as mery as we be;
Pompe, pryde, honour, ryches, and worldly lust,
Parrot sayth playnly, shall tourne all to dust.
Thus Parrot dothe pray you 230
With hert most tender,
To rekyn with this recule now,[75]
And it to remember.
_Psittacus, ecce, cano, nec sunt mea carmina Phœbo_
_Digna scio, tamen est plena camena deo._
_Secundum Skeltonida famigeratum,_
_In Piereorum catalogo numeratum._
_Itaque consolamini invicem in verbis istis, &c._[76]
_Candidi lectores, callide callete; vestrum fovete Psittacum, &c._[77]
[_Galathea._
[Sidenote: Hic occurrat[78] memoriæ Pamphilus de amore Galatheæ.]
Speke, Parotte, I pray yow, for Maryes saake,
Whate mone he made when Pamphylus loste hys make.
_Parrotte._
[Sidenote: In ista cantilena[79] ore stilla plena abjectis frangibulis et
aperit.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account