"My harte sore mourneth when I must specify Of the gentle cocke whiche sange so mirily, He and his flocke wer like an union Conioyned in one without discention, All the fayre cockes which in his dayes crewe When death him touched did his departing rewe. The pretie palace by him made in the fen, The maides, widowes, the wiues, and the men, With deadly dolour were pearsed to the heart, When death constrayned this shepheard to departe. Corne, grasse, and fieldes, mourned for wo and payne, For oft his prayer for them obtayned rayne. The pleasaunt floures for wo faded eche one, When they perceyued this shepheard dead and gone, The okes, elmes, and euery sorte of dere Shronke vnder shadowes, abating all their chere. The mightie walles of Ely Monastery, The stones, rockes, and towres semblably, The marble pillers and images echeone, Swet all for sorowe, when this good cocke was gone, Though he of stature were humble, weake and leane, His minde was hye, his liuing pure and cleane, Where other feedeth by beastly appetite, On heauenly foode was all his whole delite." Morton, Alcock's predecessor and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury (1486-1500), is also singled out for compliment, in which allusion is made to his troubles, his servants' faithfulness, and his restoration to favour under Richard III. and Henry VII. (Eclogue III.):-- "And shepheard Morton, when he durst not appeare, Howe his olde seruauntes were carefull of his chere; In payne and pleasour they kept fidelitie Till grace agayne gaue him aucthoritie Then his olde fauour did them agayne restore To greater pleasour then they had payne before. Though for a season this shepheard bode a blast, The greatest winde yet slaketh at the last, And at conclusion he and his flocke certayne Eche true to other did quietly remayne." And again in Eclogue IV.:-- "Micene and Morton be dead and gone certayne." The "Dean of Powles" (Colet), with whom Barclay seems to have been personally acquainted, and to whom the reference alludes as to one still living (his death occurred in 1519), is celebrated as a preacher in the same Eclogue:-- "For this I learned of the Dean of Powles I tell thee, Codrus this man hath won some soules." as is "the olde friar that wonned in Greenwich" in Eclogue V.