So braynles caluys hedes, so many shepis taylys; So bolde a braggyng bocher, and flesshe sold so dere; So many plucte partryches, and so fatte quaylles; So mangye a mastyfe curre, the grete grey houndes pere; 480 So bygge a bulke of brow auntlers cabagyd that yere; So many swannes dede, and so small revell;— Syns Dewcalyons flodde, I trow, no man can tell.
So many trusys takyn, and so lytyll perfyte[111] trowthe; So myche bely joye, and so wastefull banketyng; So pynchyng and sparyng, and so lytell profyte growthe; So many howgye howsys byldyng, and so small howse-holding; Suche statutes apon diettes, suche pyllyng and pollyng; So ys all thyng wrowghte wylfully withowte reson and skylle;— Syns Dewcalyons flodde the world[112] was never so yll. 490
So many vacabondes, so many beggers bolde; So myche decay of monesteries and of relygious places; So hote hatered agaynste the Chyrche, and cheryte so colde; So myche of my lordes grace, and in hym no grace ys; So many holow hartes, and so dowbyll faces; So myche sayntuary brekyng, and preuylegidde barrydd;— Syns Dewcalyons flodde was nevyr sene nor lyerd.
So myche raggyd ryghte of a rammes horne; So rygorous revelyng[113] in a prelate specially; So bold and so braggyng, and was so baselye borne; 500 So lordlye of hys lokes and so dysdayneslye; So fatte a magott, bred of a flesshe flye; Was nevyr suche a ffylty gorgon,[114] nor suche an epycure, Syn[s] Dewcalyons flodde, I make thé faste and sure.
So myche preuye wachyng in cold wynters nyghtes; So myche serchyng of loselles, and ys hymselfe so lewde; So myche coniuracions for elvyshe myday sprettes; So many bullys of pardon puplysshyd and shewyd; So myche crossyng and blyssyng, and hym all beshrewde; Suche pollaxis and pyllers, suche mvlys trapte with gold;— 510 Sens Dewcalyons flodde in no cronycle ys told.
_Crescet in immensum me vivo Psittacus iste;_ _Hinc mea dicetur Skeltonidis inclyta fama._
Quod Skelton Lawryat, _Orator Regius_. 34.]
[1] _Speke, Parrot_] From the ed. by Lant of _Certayne bokes compyled by mayster Skelton, &c._, n. d., collated with the same work ed. Kynge and Marche, n. d., and ed. Day, n. d.; with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568; and with a MS. in the Harleian Collection, 2252. fol. 133, which has supplied much not given in the printed copies, and placed between brackets in the present edition. The marginal notes are found only in MS.