Towards his house in Nottingham towne, He fled full fast away; And soe did all his companye: Not one behind wold stay. But he cold neither runne soe fast, But Litle John with an arrowe soe broad, 230 235 ***The title of "Sir was not formerly peculiar to Knights; it was given to priests, and sometimes to very inferior personages. Dr. Johnson thinks that this title was applied to such as had taken the degree of A. B. in the universities, who are still stiled, Domini, "Sirs," to distinguish them from Under-graduates, who have no prefix, and from Masters of Arts, who are stiled Magistri, "Masters." IX. AN ELEGY ON HENRY FOURTH EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND. THE subject of this poem, which was written by Skelton, is the death of Henry Percy, fourth Earl of Northumberland, who fell a victim to the avarice of Henry VII. In 1489 the parliament had granted the king a subsidy for carrying on the war in Bretagne. This tax was found so heavy in the North, that the whole country was in a flame. The E. of Northumberland, then lord lieutenant for Yorkshire, wrote to inform the king of the discontent, and praying an abatement. But nothing is so unrelenting as avarice: the king wrote back that not a penny should be abated. This message being delivered by the earl with too little caution, the populace rose, and, supposing him to be the promoter of their calamity, broke into his house, and murdered him, with several of his attendants, who yet are charged by Skelton with being backward in their duty on this occasion. This melancholy event happened at the earl's seat at Cocklodge, near Thirske, in Yorkshire, April 28, 1489. See Lord Bacon, &c. If the reader does not find much poetical merit in this old poem (which yet is one of Skelton's best), he will see a striking picture of the state and magnificence kept up by our ancient nobility during the feudal times. This great earl is described here as having, among his menial servants, knights, squires, and even barons: see v. 32, 183. &c. which, however different from modern manners, was formerly not unusual with our greater barons, whose castles had all the splendour and offices of a royal court, before the laws against retainers abridged and limited the number of their attendants. John Skelton, who commonly styled himself Poet Laureat, died June 21, 1529. The following poem, which appears to have been written soon after the event, is printed from an ancient MS. copy preserved in the British Museum, being much more correct than that printed among Skelton's Poems, in bl. let. 12mo. 1568.-It is addressed to Henry Percy, fifth Earl of Northumberland, and is prefaced, &c. in the following manner: Poeta Skelton Laureatus libellum suum metrice Ad dominum properato meum mea pagina Percy, SKELTON LAUREAT UPON THE DOLORUS DETHE AND MUCH ERLE OF NORTHUMBERLANDE. I WAYLE, I wepe, I sobbe, I sigh ful sore 5 The mother of Henry, first Earl of Northumberland, was Mary daughter to Henry, E. of Lancaster, whose father Edmond was second son of K. Henry III.-The mother and wife of the second Earl of Northumberland were both lineal descendants of Thorow treson ageyn hym compassyd and wrought; Trew to his prince, in word, in dede, and thought. Of hevenly poems, O Clyo calde by name, In the college of musis goddess hystoriall, Of noble actes auncyently enrolde, Of famous princis and lordes of astate, Regestringe trewly every formare date; In sesons past who hathe harde or sene 10 15 20 25 So noble a man, so valiaunt lorde and knight, He calde upon them, as menyall houshold men : And were not they to blame, I say also, That were aboute hym, his owne servants of trust, K. Edward III.-The Percys also were lineally descended from the Emperour Charlemagne and the ancient Kings of France, by his ancestor Josceline de Lovain (son of Godfrey Duke of Brabant), who took the name of Percy on marrying the heiress of that house in the reign of Hen. II. Vid. Camden Britan. Edmondson, &c. To suffre hym slayn of his mortall fo? 40 Fled away from hym, let hym ly in the dust: They bode not till the rekening were discust. What shuld I flatter? what shulde I glose or paynt? Fy, fy for shame! their harts wer to faint. In Englande and Fraunce, which gretly was redouted; Of whom both Flaunders and Scotland stode in drede; To whome grete astates obeyde and lowttede ; 45 A mayny of rude villayns made him for to blede: Unkindly they slew hym, that holp them oft at nede: He was their bulwark, their paves, and their wall, Yet shamfully they slew hym; that shame mot them befal. I say, ye commoners, why wer ye so stark mad? 50 55 60 He was your chyfteyne, your shelde, your chef defence, The grounde of his quarel was for his sovereyn lord, 65 To the right of his prince which shold not be withstand; But ther was fals packinge, or els I am begylde : E 70 For yf they had occupied ther spere and ther shelde, This noble man doutles had not be slayne. Bot men say they wer lynked with a double chayn, 75 And held with the commouns under a cloke, Whiche kindeled the wyld fyre that made all this smoke, The commouns renyed ther taxes to pay 99 Of them demaunded and asked by the kinge; With one voice importune, they playnly said nay: They buskt them on a bushment themself in baile to bringe : Agayne the kings plesure to wrastle or to wringe, Bluntly as bestis withe boste and with cry They saide, they forsede not, nor carede not to dy. The noblenes of the northe this valiant lorde and knyght, 85 As man that was innocent of trechery or trayne, Presed forthe boldly to witstand the myght, And, lyke marciall Hector, he fauht them agayne, Barons, knights, squyers, one and alle, Alas! his golde, his fee, his annuall rente He was envyronde aboute on every syde 90 95 Withe his enemys, that were stark mad and wode; 100 Yet whils he stode he gave them woundes wyde : Alas, for routhe! what thouche his mynde were goode, His corage manly, yet ther he shed his bloode! All left alone, alas! he fawte in vayne; For cruelly amonge them ther he was slayne. Alas, for pite! that Percy thus was spylt, 105 |