EPITHALAMIONS, OR MARRIAGE SONGS. An Epithalamion on Frederick Count Palatine of the NOTES TO VOLUME I. OF THE DEATH OF THE NOBLE PRINCE, KYNGE EDWARDE THE FORTH. Page 3. Edward the Fourth died April 9th, 1483, in the 41st year of his age and the 23d of his reign: see Sir H. Nicolas's Chron. of Hist. pp. 325, 349, sec. ed. These lines were probably composed soon after the king's death-per Skeltonidem laureatum having been subsequently added to the title. Page 4. v. 8. lykynge] i. e. joy, pleasure. * v. 22. a cheryfayre] Cherry-fairs are still held in some parts of England on Sunday evenings, in the cherry orchards. They are the resort of the gay and thoughtless, and as such afforded frequent metaphors to our early writers for the vanity of worldly things. See Brand's Antiquities, by Sir H. Ellis, vol. ii. p. 457.-Halliwell's Dict. in v. "For all is but a cherie feire, *And thas endureth but a throwe, II. B. i exxxi. ed. 1554 - This worlde ys but a chyrje feyre, whan 3e be Lydrate's verses entitled Make Amendes,— Renol yng als this lit a chere fyre, To loke bow sone she deyde the fayrist wight." Poems by C. Duke of Orleans-MS. Harl. 632. fol. 42. -Thys werld hyt turnys enyn as a whele, All day be day hyt wyl enpayre, And so, sone, thys worldys wele, Hyt faryth but as a chery fare.” How the wise man taught his son,-Pieces of Page 4. v. 28. to contribute Fraunce] i. e. to take tribute of France. In 1475, Edward withdrew from France with his army on condition that Louis should pay him immediately 75 thousand crowns, settle on him an annuity for life of 50 thousand more, &c. See Lingard's Hist. of Engl. v. 303. ed. 8vo. Page 5. v. 35. as who sayth] A not unfrequent expression in our early poetry, equivalent to—as one may say, as the saying is. v. 37. I se wyll, they leve that doble my zeris] i. e. 1 see well, that they live that double my years. v. 38. This dealid this world i. e Thus dealed this world. Skelton elsewhere, like many of our old poets, uses this for thus; as in his Ware the Hauke; "Where Christis precious blode Dayly offred is, To be poluted this.” v. 179. vol. i. 179. Page 5. v. 40. Had I wyst] i. e. Had I known,—the exclamation of one who repents of a thing done unadvisedly. It is very common in our early poetry. In The Paradyse of daynty deuises, 1576, the second copy of verses is entitled Beware of had I wyst. "Sur v. 52. occupy] i. e. possess,—or, rather, use: gyons occupy oyntmentes, &c., Vulnarii medici vtuntur,” &c. Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. I. vi. ed. 1530. v. 53. I made the Tower stronge] "Edward iv. fortified the Tower, and made it strong." Stow's Survey, B. i. 79. ed. 1720. v. 54. I purchased Tetersall] I have not found elsewhere any mention of Edward the Fourth having possessed Tattershall Castle in Lincolnshire. "It does not appear into whose hands the Tattershall estate fell after the death of the Lord Treasurer Cromwell [in 1455], until the year 1487, when Henry VII. granted the manor to his mother Margaret Countess of Richmond," &c. Hist. of the County of Lincoln, ii. 73. v. 55. lamendid Douer] " K. Edw. iv., by the advice of Lord Cobham, expended 10,000l. in repairing and fortifying the several works, and beautifying the apartments in it [Dover Castle]." Hasted's Hist. of Kent, iv. 63. Page 6. v. 56. And London I prouoked to fortify the wall]-prouoked, i. e. incited, caused." In the Seventeenth of Edward iv., Ralph Josceline, Maior, caused part of the Wall about the City to be repaired, to wit, between Aldgate and Aldersgate," &c. Stow's Survey, B. I. 10. ed. 1720. v. 57. I made Notingam a place full royall] Leland, describing Nottingham Castle, says; "But the moste bewtifullest Part and gallant Building for lodgyng is on the Northe side, wher Edward the 4. began a right sumptuus pece of Stone Work, of the which he clerely finichid one excellent goodly Toure of 3. Hightes yn Building, and brought up the other Part likewise from the Foundation with Stone and mervelus fair cumpacid Windoes to layyng of the first soyle for Chambers and ther lefte." Itin. i. 107. ed. 1770. Page 6. v. 58. Wyndsore] The present magnificent fabrick [St. George's Chapel at Windsor], which exhibits one of the most beautiful specimens in this or any other kingdom, of that richly ornamented species of architecture, which prevailed towards the close of the fifteenth and the commencement of the 16th century, was begun by King Edward IV., who having found it necessary to take down the old chapel on account of its decayed state, resolved to build another on the same site, upon a larger scale, and committed the superintendence of the building to Richard Beauchamp, bishop of Salisbury. The work was not completed till the reign of King Henry VIII.," &c. Lysons's Berkshire, p 424: see too p. 468 of the same volume.—An account of the manors, &c., granted by Edward to Windsor College, will be found in Pote's Hist. of Wind. Castle, p. 107. Eltam] K. Edw. iv. repaired this house [Eltham Palace] with much cost, and inclosed HornePark," &c. Hasted's Hist. of Kent, i. 51. v. 64. solas] i. e. sport, amusement. v. 66. Lady Bes] Edward married, May 1st, 1464, the Lady Elizabeth Grey, widow of Sir John Grey, and daughter of Wydevile Lord Rivers by Jacquetta (or Jacqueline) Duchess of Bedford. |