_Aspirate meis elegis, pia turma sororum,_ _Et Margaretam collacrymate piam._ _Hac sub mole latet regis celeberrima mater_ _Henrici magni, quem locus iste fovet;_ _Quem locus iste sacer celebri celebrat polyandro,_ _Illius en genitrix hac tumulatur humo!_ _Cui cedat Tanaquil (Titus hanc super astra reportet[748]),_ _Cedat Penelope, carus Ulixis[749] amor:_ _Huic[750] Abigail, velut Hester, erat pietate secunda:_ _En tres jam proceres nobilitate pares!_ 10 _Pro domina, precor, implora, pro principe tanta_ _Flecte Deum precibus, qui legis hos apices._ _Plura referre piget, calamus torpore rigescit,_ _Dormit Mecænas, negligitur probitas;_ _Nec juvat, aut modicum prodest, nunc ultima versu_ _Fata[751] recensere (mortua mors reor est)._ _Quæris quid decus est? decus est modo dicier hircus;[752]_ _Cedit honos hirco, cedit honorque capro._ _Falleris ipse Charon; iterum surrexit Abyron,_ _Et Stygios remos despicit ille tuos._ 20 _Vivitur ex voto: mentis præcordia tangunt_ _Nulla sepulcra ducum, nec monumenta patrum;_ _Non regum, non ulla hominum labentia fato_ _Tempora, nec totiens[753] mortua turba ruens._ _Hinc[754] statuo certe perituræ parcere chartæ,_ _Ceu Juvenalis avet[755] eximius satirus._
_Distichon execrationis in phagolœdoros._
_Qui lacerat, violatve rapit præsens epitoma,_ _Hunc laceretque voret Cerberus absque mora!_
_Calon,[756] agaton, cum areta. Re. in pa._ _Hanc tecum statuas dominam, precor, O sator orbis,_ _Quo regnas rutilans rex sine fine manens!_
[746] _Elegia, &c._] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568, collated with the piece as given in _Reges, Reginæ, Nobiles, et alii in Ecclesia Collegiata B. Petri Westmonasterii sepulti_, &c., 1603, 4to.
[748] _reportet_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “reportat.”
[751] _Fata_] So _Reges_. Marshe’s ed. “Facta.”
[752] _hircus_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “hircum.”
[754] _Hinc_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “Hunc.”
[756] _Calon, &c.... pa._] Placed after the next two lines in _Reges_, &c.
Why were ye[757] _Calliope_ embrawdred with letters of golde?
SKELTON LAUREATE, ORATO. REG. MAKETH THIS AUNSWERE, &C.
Calliope, As ye may se, Regent is she Of poetes al, Whiche gaue to me The high degre Laureat to be Of fame royall; Whose name enrolde With silke and golde 10 I dare be bolde Thus for to were. Of her I holde And her housholde; Though I waxe olde And somdele sere, Yet is she fayne, Voyde of disdayn, Me to retayne Her seruiture: 20 With her certayne I wyll remayne, As my souerayne Moost of pleasure, _Maulgre touz malheureux_.