a copy of which he brought to England and presented to the King.  This successful achievement established him in his Prince’s affections, as he was solicitous to know how often the Kings of Scotland had taken oaths of fealty and subjected themselves to the English Monarchs in order to secure their crown.  These submissions are warmly disputed by the Scotch historians, who in honour of their country contend that they were only yielded for Cumberland and some parcels of land possessed by them in England south of Tweed; and indeed when the warlike temper and invincible spirit of that nation is considered, it is more than probable, that the Scotch historians in this particular contend only for truth.  Our author wrote a chronicle in verse of all our English Kings from Brute to King Edward iv. for which Dr. Fuller and Winstanly bestow great encomiums upon him; but he seems to me to be totally destitute of poetry, both from the wretchedness of his lines, and the unhappiness of his subject, a chronicle being of all others the driest, and the least susceptible of poetical ornament; but let the reader judge by the specimen subjoined.  He died about the year 1461, being then very aged.  From Gower to Barclay it must be observed, that Kings and Princes were constantly the patrons of poets.

On the magnificent houshold of King Richard ii,

  Truly I herd Robert Irelese say,
  Clark of the Green Cloth, and that to the houshold,
  Came every day, forth most part alway,
  Ten thousand folk by his messes told;
  That followed the house, aye as they wold,
  And in the kitchen, three hundred scruitours,
  And in eche office many occupiours,
  And ladies faire, with their gentlewomen
  Chamberers also, and launderers,
  Three hundred of them were occupied then;
  There was great pride among the officers,
  And of all men far passing their compeers,
  Of rich arraye, and much more costous,
  Then was before, or sith, and more precious.

* * * * *

JOHN SKELTON

Was born of an ancient family in Cumberland, he received his education at Oxford, and entering into holy orders was made rector of Dysso in Norfolk in the reign of Henry VIII. tho’ more probably he appeared first in that of Henry vii. and may be said to be the growth of that time.  That he was a learned man Erasmus has confirmed, who in his letter to King Henry VIII. stileth him, Britanicarum Literarum Lumen & Decus:  Tho’ his stile is rambling and loose, yet he was not without invention, and his satire is strongly pointed.  He lived near fourscore years after Chaucer, but seems to have made but little improvement in versification.  He wrote some bitter satires against the clergy, and particularly, his keen reflections on Cardinal Wolsey drew on him such severe prosecutions, that he was obliged to fly for sanctuary to Westminster,