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Home  »  The English Poets  »  Extract from The Bowge of Courte: Picture of Riot

Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. I. Early Poetry: Chaucer to Donne

John Skelton (1460?–1529)

Extract from The Bowge of Courte: Picture of Riot

WYTH that came Ryott, russhynge all at once,

A rusty gallande, to-ragged and to-rente:

And on the borde he whyrled a payre of bones;

Quater treye dews he clatered as he wente:

Now have at all, by Sainte Thomas of Kente!

And ever he threwe and kyst I wote nere what,

His here was growen thorowe oute his hat.

Thenne I behelde how he dysgysed was:

His hede was hevy for watchynge over nyghte,

His eyen blereed, his face shone lyke a glas,

His gowne so shorte that it ne cover myghte

His rumpe, he wente so all for somer lyghte,

His hose was garded wyth a lyste of grene,

Yet at the knee they were broken I wene.

His cote was checked with patches red and blewe,

Of Kyrkeby Kendall was his shorte demye,

And ay he sange, ‘In fayth, decon thow crewe’

His elbowe bare, he ware his gere so nye:

His nose a droppynge, his lyppes were full drye,

And by his syde his whynarde and his pouche

The devyll myghte daunce therein for ony crowche.