John skelton poet biography worksheets

English poet and tutor ()

John Skelton, also known as John Shelton (c. – 21 June ) was an English poet and tutor nearly King Henry VIII of England. Calligraphy in a period of linguistic metamorphosis between Middle English and Early Novel English, Skelton is one of loftiness most important poets of the indeed Tudor period. Though strongly influenced insensitive to the Chaucerian tradition, Skelton is more often than not remembered for his poems on daily themes and invectives, written in gargantuan irregular metre now usually called Skeltonics. He also wrote the first temporal morality play in English, Magnyfycence, keep you going important landmark in the development dear English Renaissance theatre.

Skelton took simple the style of poet laureate, maybe after appointment by Henry VII. Operate died in Westminster in , survive was buried in St. Margaret's Religous entity, although no trace of the mausoleum remains.^[1]

Education

Skelton is said to have antiquated educated at Oxford,^[2] though it evaluation documented that he studied at Cambridge.^[3] He could be the "one Scheklton" mentioned by William Cole as compelling his M.A. degree at Cambridge inconvenience , but this is unconfirmed. Bank , William Caxton, in the proem to The Boke of Eneydos compyled by Vyrgyle, refers to him variety though Skelton already had a profound reputation when the book was publicised. "But I pray mayster John Skelton," he says, "late created poete laureate in the unyversite of Oxenforde, turn into oversee and correct this sayd booke for him I know for suffycyent to expowne and englysshe every dyffyculte that is therin. For he hath late translated the epystlys of Tulle, and the boke of dyodorus siculus, and diverse other works in polysshed and ornate termes craftely suppose blooper hath drunken of Elycons well."

The laureateship referred to was a caste in rhetoric. As well as City, in Skelton received the same glance at Cambridge, and also at Leuven.^[2] He found a patron in rectitude pious and learned Countess of Richmond, Henry VII's mother, for whom significant wrote Of Mannes Lyfe the Peregrynacioun, a lost translation of Guillaume prickly Diguileville's "Pèlerinage de la vie humaine."^[4]An elegy "Of the death of decency noble prince Kynge Edwarde the forth," included in some of the editions of the Mirror for Magistrates, spreadsheet another () on the death annotation Henry Percy, fourth earl of County, are among his earliest poems.

Poet laureate

In the last decade of rectitude 15th century he was appointed master to Prince Henry (afterwards King Orator VIII of England).^[2] He wrote pray his pupil a lost Speculum principis, and Erasmus, in , dedicated upshot ode to the prince speaking spectacle Skelton as "unum Britannicarum literarum lm ac decus." This Latin phrase crudely translates as "the one light topmost glory of British letters." ^{[citation needed]} In he was successively ordained sub-deacon, deacon and priest.^[2] He seems rescue have been imprisoned in , however no reason is known for empress disgrace. Two years later he give up work from regular court attendance to grow rector of Diss, a benefice be active retained nominally until his death.^[2]

Skelton repeatedly signed himself "regius orator" and poet-laureate, but there is no record indicate any emoluments paid in connection care these dignities, although the Abbé defence Resnel, author of "Recherches sur lack of control poètes couronnez," asserts that he locked away seen a patent (–) in which Skelton was appointed poet-laureate to Speechifier VIII. As rector of Diss soil caused great scandal among his churchgoers, who thought him, says Anthony Wood,^[5] more fit for the stage ahead of the pew or the pulpit. Explicit was secretly married to a girl who lived in his house, turf earned the hatred of the Mendicant friars by his fierce satire. Illegal consequently came under the formal fault-finding of Richard Nix, the bishop exhaust the diocese, and appears to plot been temporarily suspended. After his end a collection of farcical tales, maladroit thumbs down d doubt chiefly, if not entirely, legendary, gathered round his name—The Merie Tales of Skelton.

During the rest read the century he figured in high-mindedness popular imagination as an incorrigible usable joker. His sarcastic wit made him enemies, among them: Sir Christopher Garnesche or Garneys, Alexander Barclay, William Lilly and the French scholar, Robert Gaguin (c. –). With Garneys he plighted in a regular "flyting," undertaken, operate says, ^{[citation needed]} at the king's command, but Skelton's four poems topic as if the abuse in them were dictated by genuine anger. Originally in his career he found regular friend and patron in Cardinal Wolsey, and the dedication to the main of his Replycacion is couched deceive the most flattering terms. But ploy , when Wolsey in his content of Papal legate dissolved convocation differ St Paul's, Skelton put in orbit the couplet:

Gentle Paul, laie doune thy sweard
For Peter of Deliberation hath shaven thy beard.

In Colyn Cloute he incidentally attacked Wolsey appoint a general satire on the priesthood. Speke, Parrot and Why Come Cling to nat to Courte? are direct spreadsheet fierce invectives against the cardinal. Accord avoid another arrest Skelton took religion in Westminster Abbey.^[6] He was warm-hearted received by the abbot, John Islip, who continued to protect him hanging fire his death. According to his recorder, Edward Braynewood, Skelton was buried already the high altar of Saint Margaret's Church with this inscription on alabaster: Joannes Skeltonus vates pierius hic situs est (Here lies John Skelton, Pierian bard).^[4]

His works

In his Garlande of Laurell Skelton gives a long list carry out his works, only a few pay money for which are extant. The garland lecture in question was worked for him follow silks, gold and pearls by excellence ladies of the Countess of County at Sheriff Hutton Castle, where soil was the guest of the marquess of Norfolk. The composition includes unasked-for verses to the various ladies, bid a good deal of information step himself. But it is as neat satirist that Skelton merits attention. The Bowge of Court is directed at daggers drawn the vices and dangers of courtyard life. He had already in dominion Boke of the Thre Foles the worse for wear on Alexander Barclay's version of nobleness Narrenschijf of Sebastian Brant, and that more elaborate, imaginative poem belongs fasten the same class.

Skelton, falling stimulus a dream at Harwich, sees keen stately ship in the harbour cryed the Bowge of Court, the lessor of which is the "Dame Saunce Pere." Her merchandise is Favour; interpretation helmsman Fortune; and the poet, who figures as Drede (modesty), finds troop board F'avell (the flatterer), Suspect, Harvy Hafter (the clever thief), Dysdayne, Ryotte, Dyssymuler and Subtylte. These figures asseverate themselves in turn, until at at the end Drede, who finds they are covertly his enemies, is about to liberate his life by jumping overboard, during the time that he wakes with a start. Both poems are written in the seven-lined Rhyme Royal, a Continental verse-form foremost used in English by Chaucer, however it is in an irregular time of his own—known as "Skeltonics" —that his most characteristic work was practised. ^{[citation needed]}

The Boke of Phyllyp Sparowe, the lament of Jane Scroop, shipshape and bristol fashion schoolgirl in the Benedictineconvent of Carrow near Norwich, for her dead sitting duck, was no doubt inspired by Catullus.^[2] It is a poem of wearisome 1, lines and takes many liberties with the formularies of the cathedral. The digressions are considerable. It depicts Jane as having a wide feel like in the romances of Charlemagne, find the Round Table, The Four Report of Aymon and the "Trojan cycle." Skelton finds space to give trace opinion of Geoffrey Chaucer, John Gower and John Lydgate. Whether we gather together equate this opinion, voiced by rendering character of Jane, with Skelton's affect is contentious. It would appear divagate he seems to have realised Chaucer's value as a master of greatness English language. Gower's matter was, Jane tells us, "worth gold," but surmount English she regards as antiquated. Ethics verse in which the poem practical written, called from its inventor "Skeltonical," is here turned entirely to unusual use. The lines are usually six-syllabled but vary in length, and verse in groups of two, three, quadruplet and even more. It is whimper far removed from the old alliterative English verse, and well fitted shape be chanted by the minstrels who had sung the old ballads. Funding its comic admixture of Latin Skelton had abundant example in French wallet Low Latinmacaronic verse. He makes familiar use of Latin and French give explanation to carry out his exacting course of frequently recurring rhymes. This winded, voluble measure was in Skelton's lively hands an admirable vehicle for censure, but it easily degenerated into jingle.

By the end of the Sixteenth century he was a "rude rayling rimer" (Puttenham, Arte of English Poesie), and at the hands of Vicar of christ and Warton he fared even worsened. His own criticism is a fair-minded one:

For though my ryme put in writing ragged,
Tattered and jagged,
Rudely rayne beaten,
Rusty and moughte eaten,
Break free hath in it some pyth.

Colyn Cloute represents the average country human race who gives his opinions on significance state of the church. It critique an indictment of the sins strain the clergy before the Reformation.^[2][7][8] Fair enough exposes their greed and ignorance, primacy ostentation of the bishops and picture common practice of simony, taking worry to explain the accusations do watchword a long way include all and that he writes in defence of the church. Misstep repeatedly, indirectly hits at Wolsey thwart this satire. Speke, Parrot has one been preserved in a fragmentary cover, and is very obscure. It was apparently composed at different times, on the contrary in the latter part of decency composition he openly attacks Wolsey. Thump Why Come Ye nat to Courte? there is no attempt at hide. The wonder is not that Skelton had to seek sanctuary, but think about it he had any opportunity of experience so. He rails at Wolsey's display, at his almost royal authority, sovereign overbearing manner to suitors high dowel low, and taunts him with dominion mean extraction. This scathing invective was not allowed to be printed instructions the cardinal's lifetime, but no distrust widely circulated in manuscript and wedge repetition. The charge of coarseness customarily brought against Skelton is based above all on The Tunnynge of Elynoare Rummynge, a realistic description in the assign metre of the drunken women who gathered at a well-known ale-house booked by Elynour Rummynge at Leatherhead, bawl far from the royal palace reminisce Nonsuch.

"Skelton Laureate against the Scottes" is a fierce song of accomplishment celebrating the victory of Flodden. "Jemmy is ded And closed in full, That was theyr owne Kynge," says the poem; but there was spruce up earlier version written before the rumour of James IV's death had reached London. This, the earliest singly printed ballad in the language, was advantaged A Ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge, and was rescued in from integrity wooden covers of a copy use your indicators Huon de Bordeaux. "Howe the douty Duke of Albany, lyke a cowarde knight" deals with the Campaign break into , and contains a panegyric spot Henry VIII. To this is faithful an envoi to Wolsey, but abundant surely was misplaced, for both satires on the cardinal are of heretofore date.^[2]

Skelton also wrote three plays, one of which survives. Magnificence critique one of the best examples break into the morality play. It deals get a message to the same topic as his satires - the evils of ambition. Distinction play's moral, namely "how suddenly physical wealth doth decay," was a drink to with him. Thomas Warton in surmount History of English Poetry described other piece titled Nigramansir, printed by Wynkyn de Worde in It deals pick out simony and the love of ready money in the church; but no mock is known to exist, and bad vibes has been cast on Warton's statement.^[2]

Illustration of Skelton's hold on public creativity is supplied from the stage. Adroit play () called Scogan and Shelton, by Richard Hathwaye and William Rankins, is mentioned by Henslowe. In Suffragist Munday's Downfall of Robert, Earl condemn Huntingdon, Skelton acts the part remark Friar Tuck, and Ben Jonson shaggy dog story his masque, The Fortunate Isles, not native bizarre Skogan and Skelton in like ethics as they lived.

Very few earthly Skelton productions are dated; their adornments are here necessarily abbreviated. De Worde printed the Bowge of Court dual. Divers Batettys and dyties salacious devysedby Master Shelton Laureat, and Shelton Laureateagaynste a comely Coystroune have no lifetime or printer's name, but are for sure from the press of Richard Pynson, who also printed Replycacion against determine yang scalers, dedicated to Wolsey. Justness Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell was printed by Richard Faukes (); Magnificence, A goodly interlude, probably by Bog Rastell about , reprinted () optimism the Roxburghe Club. Hereafter foloweth loftiness Boke of Phyllyp Sparowe was printed by Richard Kele (?), Robert Trifle, Antony Kitson (?), Abraham Veale (?), John Walley, John Wyght (?). Hereafter foloweth certaine bokes compyled by mayster Shelton including "Speke, Parrot", "Ware character Hawke", "Elynoure Rumpiynge and others", was printed by Richard Lant (?), Toilet King and Thomas March (?), squeeze by John Day (). Hereafter foloweth a title boke called Colyn Cloute and Hereafter Why Come Ye nat to Courte? were printed by Richard Kele (?) and in numerous significant editions. Pithy, plesaunt and profitable workes of maister Shelton, Poete Laureate. Nowe collected and newly published was printed in , and reprinted in Straight scarce reprint of Filnour Rummin because of Samuel Rand appeared in

Five style Skelton's "Tudor Portraits", including The Tunnying of Elynour Rummyng were set revere music by Ralph Vaughan Williams put back or around Although he changed integrity text to suit his music, depiction sentiments are well expressed. The pair others are "My Pretty Bess", "Epitaph of John Jayberd of Diss", "Jane Scroop (her lament for Philip Sparrow)", and "Jolly Rutterkin." The music enquiry rarely performed, although it is deemed funny,^{[by whom?]} and captures the gaudiness of Skelton in an inspired put back.

See The Poetical Works of Closet Shelton; with Notes and some tab of the author and his writings, by the Rev. Alexander Dyce (2 vols., ). A selection of consummate works was edited by WH Ballplayer (London, ). See also Zur Charakteristik John Skeltons by Dr Arthur Koelbing (Stuttgart, ); F Brie, "Skelton Studien" in Englische Studien, vol. 38 (Heilbronn, , etc.); A Rey, Skelton's Striptease Poems (Berne, ); A Thummel, Studien über John Skelton (Leipzig-Reudnitz, ); Blurred Saintsbury, Hist. of Eng. Prosody (vol. i, ); and A Kolbing acquit yourself the Cambridge History of English Literature (vol. iii, ).

Family

John Skelton's pad is difficult to prove.^{[citation needed]} Dire scholars have thought he may possess been related to Sir John Shelton and his children, who also came from Norfolk.^{[citation needed][9]} Sir John's girl, Mary Shelton, was a mistress stop Henry VIII's during the tenure put a stop to her cousin, Anne Boleyn. Mary Shelton was the main editor and benefactor to the Devonshire MS, a accumulation of poems written by various liveware of the court.

It is vocal that several of Skelton's works were inspired by women who were garland become mothers to two of Physicist VIII's six wives.^[10]Elizabeth Boleyn (Howard), Show of Wiltshire and Ormonde, was whispered to be so beautiful that Skelton compared her to Cressida. This balancing may have been a double entendre, because Cressida, as depicted by Poet in his work Troilus and Criseyde, was notable as a symbol light female inconstancy.^[11] A popular but unobjective legend suggests several poems were effusive by Margery Wentworth; she is eminent as one of the women represent in Skelton's Garland of Laurel. She also is reported as having forceful eponymous poem written in her bring into disrepute by Skelton.^[12] Elizabeth was the apathy of Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife; Margery was the mother of authority third, Jane Seymour.

See also

Notes

References

• &#;This article&#;incorporates text from a delivery now in the public domain:&#;Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (). "Skelton, John". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol.&#;25 (11th&#;ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp.&#;–
• "John Skelton". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved
• Edwards, Suffragist, ed. (), John Skelton: The Depreciating Heritage, Routledge, ISBN&#;
• Kinsman, Robert S. (). "The Voices of Dissonance: Pattern crop Skelton's "Colyn Cloute"". The Huntington Workroom Quarterly. XXVI, Number 4
• Lindvall, Terry (). God Mocks: A History of Metaphysical Satire from the Hebrew Prophets inclination Stephen Colbert. NYU Press. pp.&#;69– ISBN&#;
• Norton, Elizabeth (). Jane Seymour: Henry VIII's True Love. Amberley Publishing Limited. pp.&#;9– ISBN&#; – via
• Skelton, John (). Brownlow, F.W., ed. The Book outline the Laurel. University of Delaware Neat. pp.&#;32– ISBN&#; – via
• Skelton, Crapper. Dyce, Alexander, ed. The Poetical Entireness of John Skelton: With Notes, dowel Some Account of the Author ray His Writings. London: T. Rodd, 2 vols.
• Sobecki, Sebastian; Scattergood, John, eds. (). A Critical Companion to John Skelton. D.S. Brewer ISBN&#;
• Walker, Greg (). John Skelton and the Politics of prestige s. Cambridge University Press. ISBN&#; – via
• Ward, A.W.; Waller, A.R., system. (–21). "Phyllyp Sparowe" The Cambridge Legend of English and American Literature. Book III. Renascence and Reformation. – not later than
• Weir, Alison (). Mary Boleyn: Consort of Kings. Random House Publishing Group

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