v. 307. assone] i. e. as soon.

v. 308. to exployte the man owte of the mone] i. e. to achieve the feat of driving the man out of the moon.

v. 309.

—porpose and graundepose, i. e. porpoise and grampus. The pun in the second line is sufficiently plain.

v. 311. lokyd] i. e. looked.

v. 313. every deall] i. e. every part.

Page 16. v. 319. nodypollys] i. e. silly-heads.

—— gramatolys] i. e. smatterers.

v. 320. To ... sentence] i. e. Too ... meaning.

v. 326. sadlye] See note, p. 267. v. 1966.

—— Sydrake] So Wolsey is termed here in allusion to a romance (characterised by Warton as “rather a romance of Arabian philosophy than of chivalry,” Hist. of E. P., i. 143. ed. 4to), which was translated from the French by Hugh of Caumpeden, and printed in 1510, under the title of The Historie of King Boccus and Sydracke, &c.

v. 327. coniecte] i. e. conjecture.

v. 328. mellis] i. e. meddles.

Page 16. v. 330. Hyt] i. e. It.

v. 331. a cheryston pytte] An allusion to a game played with cherry-stones;

v. 332. sterrys] i. e. stars.

v. 337. syn] i. e. since.

v. 339. Non sine postica sanna] “—— posticæ occurrite sannæ.” Persius, Sat. i. 65.

Page 17. v. 354. quod] i. e. quoth.

v. 355. popagay] i. e. parrot.

Page 18. v. 356. propyr] i. e. pretty, handsome.

v. 358. supply] i. e. supplicate.

v. 360. agayne] i. e. against.

v. 362. slaundrys obliqui] i. e. slanderous obloquy.

v. 365. jacounce] i. e. jacinth.

v. 366. balas] See note, p. 326. v. 1166.

v. 367. eyndye sapher] See note, p. 101. v. 17.

v. 368. remorde[r]s] i. e. blamers, censurers: see note, p. 193. v. 101.

Page 19.—— votorum meorum omnis lapis, lapis pretiosus operimentum tuum] From the Vulgate, “Omnis lapis pretiosus operimentum tuum.” Ezech. xxviii. 13.

v. 374. myche] i. e. much.

v. 378. on and hothyr] i. e. one and other.

v. 380. recheles] i. e. reckless.

v. 382. prosses] Equivalent here to—matter: see p. 230 (first note on prose).

v. 383. cowardes] i. e. cowardice.

v. 385. connyng] i. e. knowing, learned.

v. 386. postyll] See note, p. 289. v. 755.

Page 20. v. 393. Lyacon] See note on v. 291. p. 345.

v. 394. Racell, rulye] i. e. Rachel, ruefully; compare v. 116.

v. 395. mawmett] See note, p. 188. v. 170.

—— quod] i. e. quoth.

v. 407. For passe a pase apase ys gon to cache a molle] Qy. is there an allusion here to Secretary Pace?

v. 408. Scarpary] See note on v. 133. p. 342.

—— sliddyr] i. e. slippery.

v. 409. pendugims] See note on v. 210. p. 344.

Page 21. v. 412. Difficille hit ys] i. e. Difficult it is.

v. 415. raye] i. e. array.

v. 416. Agayne] i. e. Against.

v. 417. ensembyll] i. e. together. (Fr.)

v. 418. The nebbis of a lyon they make to trete and trembyll]—nebbis, i. e. neb, nib, nose: to trete, i. e. (I suppose) to become tractable.

v. 419. folys] i. e. fools.

v. 420. to play cowche quale] So in Thersytes, n. d.;

v. 421. polys] i. e. pools.

v. 422. babylles] i. e. (fools’) bawbles.

v. 424. He facithe owte at a fflusshe] Compare The Bowge of Courte, v. 315.

fflusshe, i. e. a hand of cards all of a sort.

v. 425. cardys] i. e. cards.

v. 427. skyregalyard] See note, p. 218. v. 101.

—— prowde palyard] So, afterwards, the Duke of Albany is termed by Skelton in his tirade against that nobleman, v. 170. vol. ii. 73. “Paillard. A lecher, wencher, whoremunger, whorehunter; also, a knave, rascall, varlet, scoundrell, filthy fellow.” Cotgrave’s Dict.

—— vaunteperler] “Avant-parleur. A forespeaker; or one that is too forward to speak.” Cotgrave’s Dict. “Whiche bee the vauntperlers and heddes of thair faction.” Letter of Bedyll to Crumwell,—State Papers (1830), i. 424.

v. 428. woluys hede] i. e. wolf’s head.

—— bloo] i. e. livid: see note, p. 103. v. 3.

v. 429. Hyt ys to fere] i. e. It is to fear,—be feared.

v. 430. Peregall] i. e. Equal (thoroughly equal).

v. 431. regiment] i. e. rule.

v. 432. quod ex vi bolte harvi]—quod, i. e. quoth: of the rest, the reader may make what he can.

v. 435. groynyd at] i. e. grumbled at.

Page 22. v. 436.

Perhaps this is the earliest instance of a quibble between raisins and reasons. The same pun is used by Shakespeare in Much ado about Nothing, act v. sc. 1, and (though Steevens thinks not) in Troilus and Cressida, act ii. sc. 2: compare also Dekker; “Raisons will be much askt for, especially in an action of iniury.” The Owles Almanache 1618. p. 36.

Page 22. v. 438. Ryn] i. e. Run.

v. 439. the date of the Devyll] See note, p. 116. v. 375.

—— shrewlye] i. e. shrewdly, badly.

—— quod] i. e. quoth.

v. 442. So many morall maters, &c.] There is a considerable resemblance between this concluding portion of Speke, Parrot, and a piece attributed to Dunbar, entitled A General Satyre; see his Poems, ii, 24. ed. Laing.

v. 443. So myche newe makyng] i. e. So much new composing.

v. 457. stondythe] i. e. standeth.

Page 23. v. 460. on dawys hedd] i. e. one daw’s head: see note, p. 113. v. 301.

v. 467. dowȝtfull daunger] i. e. doubtful danger,—danger that ought to cause dread.

v. 471. not worthe an hawe] See note, p. 269. v. 2115.

v. 472. So myche papers weryng for ryghte a smalle exesse]—exesse, i. e. excess, offence. “And for a truthe he [the Cardinal] so punyshed periurye with open punyshment & open papers werynge, that in his tyme it was lesse vsed.” Hall’s Chron. (Hen. viii.), fol. lix. ed. 1548.

v. 473. pelory pajauntes] i. e. pillory-pageants.

v. 474. the cooke stole] See note, p. 183. v. 38.

—— guy gaw] i. e. gewgaw, trifle.

v. 478.

Again, in his Why come ye nat to Courte, Skelton alludes to the report that Wolsey was the son of a butcher, vv. 295. 491. vol. ii. 36. 42. Compare too Roy’s satire against Wolsey, Rede me, and be nott wrothe, &c.;

and a poem Of the Cardnalle Wolse;

Cavendish says that Wolsey “was an honest poor man’s son;” and the will of his father (printed by Fiddes) shews that he possessed some property; but, as Mr. Sharon Turner observes, that Wolsey was the son of a butcher “was reported and believed while he lived.” Hist, of Reign of Hen. the Eighth, i. 167. ed. 8vo.

With the second line of the present passage compare our author’s Why come ye nat to Courte, where he wishes that “that mastyfe” Wolsey, may

By the greyhound seems to be meant Henry viii., in allusion to the royal arms.

Page 23. v. 481. So bygge a bulke of brow auntlers cabagyd that yere] “Cabusser. To cabbidge; to grow to a head,” &c.—“The Cabbage of the Deeres head. Meule de cerf.” Cotgrave’s Dict. “I Kabage a deere, Ie cabaiche ... I wyll kabage my dere and go with you: Ie cabacheray,” &c. Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cclxx. (Table of Verbes).

v. 485. banketyng] i. e. banqueting.

Page 24. v. 487. howgye] i. e. hugy, huge.

v. 488. apon] i. e. upon.

—— suche pyllyng and pollyng] i. e. such stripping and plundering (exactions of various kinds).

v. 489. reson and skylle] See note, p. 238, v. 106.

v. 496. So myche sayntuary brekyng] See note on v. 126. p. 342.

v. 497. lyerd] i. e. learned.

v. 498. ryghte of a rammes horne] See note, p. 298. v. 1201.

v. 501. lokes ... dysdayneslye] i. e. looks ... disdainfully.

v. 503. ffylty gorgon] i. e. filthy Gorgon. See note ad loc.

v. 506. loselles ... lewde] i. e. worthless fellows, scoundrels ... bad, evil, (or perhaps, lascivious).

v. 507. myday sprettes] i. e. mid-day sprites.

Page 25. v. 508. puplysshyd] i. e. published.

v. 509. all beshrewde] i. e. altogether cursed.

v. 510. Suche pollaxis and pyllers, suche mvlys trapte with gold]—mvlys, i. e. mules. So Roy in his satire against Wolsey, Rede me, and be nott wrothe, &c.;

“Then,” says Cavendish, “had he two great crosses of silver, whereof one of them was for his Archbishoprick, and the other for his Legacy, borne always before him whither soever he went or rode, by two of the most tallest and comeliest priests that he could get within all this realm.” Life of Wolsey, 94. ed. 1827. “And as soon as he was entered into his chamber of presence, where there was attending his coming to await upon him to Westminster Hall, as well noblemen and other worthy gentlemen, as noblemen and gentlemen of his own family; thus passing forth with two great crosses of silver borne before him; with also two great pillars of silver, and his pursuivant at arms with a great mace of silver gilt: Then his gentlemen ushers cried, and said, ‘On, my lords and masters, on before; make way for my Lord’s Grace!’ Thus passed he down from his chamber through the hall; and when he came to the hall door, there was attendant for him his mule, trapped all together [altogether] in crimson velvet, and gilt stirrups. When he was mounted, with his cross bearers, and pillar bearers, also upon great horses trapped with [fine] scarlet: Then marched he forward, with his train and furniture in manner as I have declared, having about him four footmen, with gilt pollaxes in their hands; and thus he went until he came to Westminster Hall door.” Id. 106. See also Cavendish’s Metrical Legend of Wolsey, p. 533. ibid. The pillars implied that the person before whom they were carried was a pillar of the church. That the Cardinal had a right to the “ensigns and ornaments” which he used, is shewn by Anstis in a letter to Fiddes,—Appendix to Fiddes’s Life of Wolsey.

Page 25.—quod] i. e. quoth.

WHY COME YE NAT TO COURTE?

This poem appears to have been produced (at intervals perhaps) during 1522 and part of the following year.

—— sadly] See note, p. 267. v. 1966: loke, i. e. look.

Page 26. v. 3. To] i. e. Too (as in the next seven lines).

v. 5. scarce] i. e. sparing.

v. 6. large] i. e. liberal.

v. 8. haute] i. e. haughty.

Page 27. v. 23. appall] i. e. make pale, make to decay.

v. 33. rage] i. e. toy wantonly (see Tyrwhitt’s Gloss. to Chaucer’s Cant. Tales).

v. 34. basse] i. e. kiss.

v. 37. corage] i. e. desire, inclination.

Page 28. v. 39. ouerage] Seems here to be—over-age (excessive age); while, again, in our author’s poem Howe the douty duke of Albany, &c., it appears to be—over-rage (excessive rage);

v. 43. a graunt domage] Meant for French perhaps.

v. 44. set by] i. e. valued, regarded.

v. 46. rynne] i. e. run.

v. 50. boskage] i. e. thicket, wood.

v. 56. defaute] i. e. default, want.

v. 58. theyr hedes mew] i. e. hide their heads; see note on v. 219.

v. 62. to] i. e. too.

v. 63. In faythe, dycken, thou krew] See note, p. 115. v. 360.

Page 29. v. 68. banketynge] i. e. banqueting.

v. 69. rechelesse] i. e. reckless.

v. 70. gambaudynge] i. e. gambolling.

v. 74. The countrynge at Cales]—countrynge does not, I apprehend, mean—encountering, but is a musical term (see note on heading of poem, p. 92) used here metaphorically, as in other parts of Skelton’s works. The allusion seems to be to the meeting between Henry the Eighth and Francis in 1520, when (as perhaps few readers need be informed) Henry went over to Calais, proceeded thence to Guisnes, and met Francis in the fields between the latter town and Ardres. If “Cales” is to be understood as—Cadiz (see note, p. 195. last v.) I know not any occurrence there of sufficient consequence to suit the present passage.

Page 29. v. 75. Wrang vs on the males] See note, p. 142. v. 700.

v. 77. grouchyng] i. e. grudging.

v. 79. talwod] “Tallwodde pacte wodde to make byllettes of taillee.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxix. (Table of Subst.). “Talshide or Talwood (Taliatura) is Fire-wood, cleft and cut into Billets of a certain Length.... This was anciently written Talghwode.” Cowel’s Law Dictionary, &c. ed. 1727.

—— brent] i. e. burned.

v. 81. We may blowe at the cole] See note, p. 313. v. 610.

v. 83. Mocke hath lost her sho] See note, p. 331. v. 1396.

v. 87. As ryght as a rammes horne] See note, p. 298. v. 1201.

v. 90. all to-torne] See note, p. 100. v. 32.

v. 92. Fauell] See note, p. 107. v. 134.

v. 93, Iauell] See note, p. 271. v. 2218.

v. 94. Hauell] Which occurs again in v. 604, is a term of reproach found less frequently than javel in our early writers: whether it be connected with haveril,—one who havers (see the Gloss. to The Towneley Myst. in v. Hawvelle) I cannot pretend to determine.

—— Haruy Hafter] See note, p. 107. v. 138.

v. 97. pollynge and shauynge]—pollynge, i. e. shearing, clipping,—plundering.

v. 99. reuynge] i. e. reaving.

Page 30. v. 101. vayleth] i. e. availeth.

v. 105. reason and ... skyll] See note, p. 238. v. 106.

v. 106. garlycke pyll] i. e. peel garlic.

v. 108. shyll] i. e. shell.

v. 109. rost a stone] So Heywood;

v. 110. no man but one] i. e. Wolsey.

v. 114. cammocke] See note, p. 179. v. 30.

v. 115. This byll well ouer loked] i. e. This writing being well overlooked, examined.

v. 117. There went the hare away] A proverbial expression:

Page 30. v. 118. the gray] i. e. the badger: see note, p. 303. v. 101.

v. 119. the buck] Qy. does Skelton, under these names of animals, allude to certain persons? If he does, “the buck” must mean Edward Duke of Buckingham, who, according to the popular belief, was impeached and brought to the block by Wolsey’s means in 1521: so in an unprinted poem against the Cardinal;

v. 123. Ge hame] Scottice for—Go home.

v. 125. tot quot] See note, p. 287. v. 565.

v. 127. lome] i. e. loom.

v. 128. lylse wulse] i. e. linsey-woolsey,—an evident play on the Cardinal’s name.

v. 130. cule] i. e. fundament.

v. 132. warse] i. e. worse.

Page 31. v. 136. Bothombar] I know not what place is meant here.

v. 139. gup, leuell suse]—gup has occurred frequently before: see note, p. 99. v. 17; the rest of this slang I do not comprehend.

v. 145. nat worth a flye] See note, p. 219. v. 104.

v. 150.

This nobleman (before mentioned, see note, p. 317. v. 769), Thomas Howard (afterwards third Duke of Norfolk), commanded, in 1522, the English force which was sent against France, when Henry the Eighth and the Emperor Charles had united in an attack on that kingdom. In Stow’s Annales, p. 517. ed. 1615, the marginal note “Earle of Surrey brent Morles in Brytaine. I. Skelton,” evidently alludes to the present passage of our poem. Both Turner and Lingard in their Histories of Engl. mistake this nobleman for his father.

Page 31. v. 158. mated] i. e. confounded (I may just observe that Palsgrave, besides “I Mate at the chesses, Ie matte,” gives “I Mate or ouercome, Ie amatte.”) Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccxcix. (Table of Verbes).

v. 163. vrcheons] i. e. hedge-hogs.

Page 32. v. 166. ouer shote] i. e. over-shoot.

v. 167. scutus] “Scutum, Moneta Regum Francorum, ita appellata quod in ea descripta essent Franciæ insignia in scuto.” Du Cange’s Gloss. (Ital. scudo, Fr. écu).

v. 170. wonders warke] i. e. work of wonder.

v. 175. They shote at him with crownes, &c.] On the immense gifts and annuities which Wolsey received from foreign powers, see Turner’s Hist. of Reign of Hen. the Eighth, i. 236. ed. 8vo.

v. 178. his eyen so dased]—dased, i. e. dazzled, or, according to Skelton’s distinction—dulled; for in his Garlande of Laurell we find “eyn dasild and dasid.” v. 1389. vol. i. 416.

v. 179. ne se can] i. e. can not see.

v. 185. the Chambre of Starres] i. e. the Star-Chamber.

v. 190. renayenge] i. e. contradicting.

v. 194. Good euyn, good Robyn Hood] “Good even, good Robin Hood,” was, as Ritson observes, a proverbial expression; “the allusion is to civility extorted by fear.” Robin Hood, i. lxxxvii. Warton mistook the meaning of this line, as is proved by his mode of pointing it: see Hist. of E. P., ii. 346. ed. 4to.

Page 33. v. 197. thwartyng ouer thom] i. e. overthwarting them, perversely controlling them.

v. 202. With, trompe vp, alleluya] i. e., says Warton, “the pomp in which he celebrates divine service.” Hist. of E. P., ii. 346 (note), ed. 4to. Compare Wager’s Mary Magdalene, 1567;

v. 203. Philargerya] i. e. Φιλαργυρία, argenti amor, pecuniæ cupiditas. She was one of the characters in Skelton’s lost drama, The Nigramansir.

v. 204. herte] i. e. heart.

v. 206. Asmodeus] The name of the evil spirit in the Book of Tobit.

v. 208. Dalyda] i. e. Dalilah.

See too Gower’s Conf. Am., Lib. viii. fol. clxxxix. ed. 1554, and Lydgate’s Fall of Prynces, B. i. leaf xxxiii. ed. Wayland.

Page 33. v. 208. mell] i. e. meddle (in sensu obsc.).

v. 212. Simonia] i. e. Simony.

v. 213. Castrimergia] “The true reading is Castrimargia, or Gulæ concupiscentia, Gluttony. From the Greek, Γαστριμαργία, ingluvies, helluatio. Not an uncommon word in the monkish latinity. Du Cange cites an old Litany of the tenth century, ‘A spiritu Castrimargiæ Libera nos, domine!’ Lat. Gloss. i. p. 398. Carpentier adds, among other examples, from the statutes of the Cistercian order, 1375 [1357], ‘Item, cum propter detestabile Castrimargiæ vitium in labyrinthum vitiorum descendutur, &c.’ Suppl. tom. i. p. 862.’” Warton’s Hist. of E. P., ii. 346 (note), ed. 4to.

v. 215. ypocras] See note, p. 285. v. 458.

v. 217. In Lent for a repast, &c.] So Roy in his satire against Wolsey, Rede me, and be nott wrothe, &c.;

v. 219. partriche mewed]—mewed, i. e. cooped up. “I kepe partryches in a mewe agaynst your comyng.” Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. e ii. ed. 1530.

v. 222. ne] i. e. nor.

v. 223. a postels lyfe] i. e. an apostle’s life.

v. 224. herte] i. e. heart.

Page 34. v. 232. kues] See note, p. 236. v. 36.

v. 235. The sygne of the Cardynall Hat] “These allowed Stew-houses [in Southwark] had Signs on their Fronts, towards the Thames, not hanged out, but painted on the Walls, as a Boar’s-Head, the Cross Keys, the Gun, the Castle, the Crane, the Cardinal’s Hat,” &c. Stow’s Survey, B. iv. 7. ed. 1720.

v. 236. shyt] i. e. shut.

v. 237. gup] }

...

v. 239. iast] }

See note, p. 99. v. 17.

v. 240. Wyll ye bere no coles] Steevens, in his note on the opening of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, cites the present line among the examples which he gives of the expression to bear or carry coals, i. e. to bear insults, to submit to degradation. In the royal residences and great houses the lowest drudges appear to have been selected to carry coals to the kitchens, halls, &c.; see note on Jonson’s Works, ii. 169, by Gifford, who afterwards (p. 179) observes, “From the mean nature of this occupation it seems to have been somewhat hastily concluded, that a man who would carry coals would submit to any indignity.”

Page 34. v. 241. A mayny of marefoles] i. e. (as appears from the expressions applied to horses four lines above) a set of mare-foals, fillies.

Page 35. v. 257. next] i. e. nearest.

v. 261. Poppynge folysshe dawes] See note, p. 231. v. 39.

v. 262. pyll strawes]—pyll, i. e. peel.

v. 264. Huntley bankes] See note, p. 221. v. 149.

v. 269. Lorde Dakers] Thomas Lord Dacre (of Gillesland, or of the North) was warden of the West Marches. The accusation here thrown out against him (because, perhaps, he was on the best terms with Wolsey) of “agreeing too well with the Scots” is altogether unfounded. He was for many years the able and active agent of Henry in corrupting by gold and intrigues the nobles of Scotland, and in exciting ceaseless commotions in that kingdom, to the destruction of its tranquillity and good government. He died in 1525. And see notes on vv. 283, 353.

v. 270. Jacke Rakers] See note, p. 186. v. 108.

v. 271. crakers] i. e. vaunters, big-talkers.

v. 273. Stronge herted] i. e. Strong-hearted.

v. 275. To] i. e. Too.

v. 278. the red hat] i. e. Wolsey.

v. 280. lure] See note, p. 147. v. 1100.

v. 281. cure] i. e. care.

v. 283. Lorde Rose] i. e. Thomas Manners, Lord Roos. In 14 Henry viii. he was constituted warden of the East Marches towards Scotland; and by letters patent in 17 Henry viii. he was created Earl of Rutland. He died in 1543. See Collins’s Peerage, i. 465. sqq. ed. Brydges. Hall makes the following mention of him: “In this sommer [xiiii yere of Henry the VIII] the lorde Rosse and the lorde Dacres of the North whiche were appointed to kepe the borders against Scotland did so valiantly that they burned the good toune of Kelsy and lxxx. villages and ouerthrew xviii. towers of stone with all their Barnkyns or Bulwerkes.” Chron. fol. ci. ed. 1548.

v. 285. a cockly fose] A term which I do not understand.

Page 35. v. 286. Their hertes be in thyr hose] See note, p. 233. v. 107,—where, however, I neglected to observe that we find in Prima Pastorum,

Page 36. v. 287. The Erle of Northumberlande, &c.] i. e. Henry Algernon Percy, fifth Earl of Northumberland. In 14 Henry viii. he was made warden of the whole Marches, a charge which for some reason or other he soon after resigned: vide Collins’s Peerage, ii. 305. ed. Brydges. That he found himself obliged to pay great deference to the Cardinal, is evident from Cavendish’s Life of Wolsey, where (pp. 120-128. ed. 1827) see the account of his being summoned from the north, &c. when his son Lord Percy, (who was then, according to the custom of the age, a “servitor” in Wolsey’s house) had become enamoured of Anne Boleyn. This nobleman, who encouraged literature, and appears to have patronised our poet (see Account of Skelton, &c.), died in 1527.

v. 291. Rynne] i. e. Run.

v. 292. mayny of shepe] i. e. flock of sheep.

v. 293. loke ... dur] i. e. look ... door.

v. 294. mastyue cur] }

v. 295. bochers dogge] }

i. e. Wolsey: see note, p. 349. v. 478.

v. 296. wyrry] i. e. worry.

v. 297. gnar] i. e. snarl, growl.

v. 300. blode] i. e. blood.

v. 301. hode] i. e. hood.

v. 308. astate] i. e. estate, state, rank, dignity.

v. 312. foles and dawes] i. e. fools and simpletons; see note, p. 113. v. 301.

v. 313. eke] i. e. also.

v. 315. pletynge] i. e. pleading.

v. 316. Commune Place] i. e. Common Pleas.

Page 37. v. 326. huddypeke] See note, p. 255. v. 1176.

v. 327. Thy lernynge is to lewde]—to lewde, i. e. too bad, too mean. So in our author’s Speke, Parrot we find “lewdlye ar they lettyrd.” v. 296. vol. ii. 15.

v. 328. well thewde] i. e. well mannered.

v. 338. rowte] See note, p. 298. v. 1223.

v. 343. the Scottysh kynge] i. e. James the Fifth.

v. 346. stalworthy] i. e. strong, stout.

v. 347. whipling] Perhaps the same as—pipling: see note on l. 26 (prose), p. 229.

Page 38. v. 352. calstocke] “Calstoke. Maguderis.” Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499. “Calstocke pie de chov.” Palsgrave’s Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xxii. (Table of Subst.).

v. 353.

This passage relates to the various rumours which were afloat concerning the Scottish affairs in 1522, during the regency of John Duke of Albany. (The last and disastrous expedition of Albany against England in 1523 had not yet taken place: its failure called forth from Skelton a long and furious invective against the Duke; see vol. ii. 68.) In 1522, when Albany with an army eighty thousand strong had advanced to Carlisle, Lord Dacre by a course of able negotiations prevailed on him to agree to a truce for a month and to disband his forces: see Hist. of Scot., v. 156 sqq. by Tytler,—who defends the conduct of Albany on this occasion from the charge of cowardice and weakness.

v. 356. quycke] i. e. alive.

v. 358. The mountenaunce of two houres] “Mowntenaunce. Quantitas. Estimata mensura.” Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499.