Without replication, Having delectation To make exclamation, By way of declamation, In his debellation, With a popish fashion, To subvert our nation. But this dawcock doctor And purgatory proctor Waketh now for wages ; And as a man that rages, Or overcome with ages, Disputeth per ambages, To help these parasites And naughty hypocrites With legends of lies, Feigned fantasies, And very vanities, Called verities, Unwritten, and unknown, But as they be blown From liar to liar; Invented by a frier In magna copia, Brought out of Utopia Unto the maid of Kent, Now from the devil sent,

A virgin fair and gent,
That hath our eyes y-blent.
Alas we be mis-went;
For if the false intent
Were known of this witch,
It passeth dog and bitch, &c. &c.

[MS. fol. 100, &c.]*

Dr. Farmer has noticed another work of Skelton, entitled “ Vox Populi Vox Dei,” which is preserved in MS. in the archives of the university of Cambridge, and which, as well as the Image of Hypocrisy, had escaped the notice of Mr. Warton.

Another satirist, less distinguished than Skelton as a Latin scholar, but, at least equally formidable to cardinal Wolsey and the catholics, was William Rov; of whom, I believe, nothing is known but that Bale, who has described his poem (de Script. Brit. ed. 1548, p. 254.), declares that he flourished in 1526.

His work, which is now extremely rare (though twice printed), forms a small duodecimo volume, elegantly printed in black letter, without date or

name. It has a prose dedication to

of whose name the initials only are given ; and a metrical prologue, consisting of a

publisher's

some

dialogue between the author and his treatise. Then follows a sort of satirical dirge, or lamentation, on the death of the Mass ; and then the treatise itself, which is called “ A brefe dialoge betwene two prestes' servauntes, named Watkyn and Jeffraye.” It is in two parts, of which the first is, in general, a satire on the monastic orders; though even here, the cardinal and his friends are occasionally introduced.

Roy's versification is tolerably easy and flowing; his language often coarse, but nervous and expressive. The bitterness of his invective will appear from the following extracts.

Wat. Doth he' then use on mules to ride?
Jeff. Yea! and that with so shameful pride,

That to tell it is not possible:
More like a god celestial
Than any creature mortal,

With worldly pomp incredible.

Before him rideth two priests strong,
And they bear two crosses right long,

Gaping in every man's face.
After him follow two laymen secular,
And each of them holding a pillar

In their hands instead of a mace.

Cardinal Wolsey.

Then followeth

my

lord on his mule,
Trapped with gold under her cule"

In every point most curiously.
On each side, a poleaxe is borne,
Which in none other use are worn,

Pretending some high mystery.

Then hath he servants five or six score,
Some behind, and some before,

A marvellous great company :

Of which are lords and gentlemen,
With
many grooms

and

yeomen,
And also knaves among.
Thus daily he proceedeth forth,
And men must take it at worth,

Whether he do right or wrong.

2

A great carl he is, and a fat;
Wearing on his head a red hat,

Procured with angels' subsidy ;
And, as they say, in time of rain,
Four of his gentlemen are fain

To hold over it a canopy.

Cul. Fr.

- Purchased at the court of Rome Au angel is a well-known coin.

Beside this, to tell thee more news,
He hath a pair of costly shoes,

Which seldom touch any ground;
They are so goodly and curious,
All of gold and stones precious,

Costing many a thousand pound.
Wat. And who did for these shoes pay ?
Jeff Truly, many a rich abbèy,

To be eased of his visitation.

The following is his description of the bishops

Wat. What? are the bishops divines ?
Jeff Yea! they can well skill of wines,

Better than of divinity!
Lawyers they are of experience,
And, in cases against conscience,

They are parfet' by practice, ,
To forge excommunications
For tythes and decimations

Is their continual exercise.

As for preaching, they take no care:
They would see a course at an hare

Rather than to make a sermon:
To follow the chace of wild deer,
Passing the time with jolly cheer,
Among them all is common.

· Perfect. Fr.