In Bedel, Quondam Belial Incarnatum, Devotum Epitaphium
Ismal, ecce, Bedel, non mel, sed fel, sibi des el!Perfidus Achitophel, luridus atque lorell;Nunc olet iste Jebal, Nabal. S. Nabal, ecce, ribaldus!Omnibus exosus atque perosus erat;In plateaque cadens animam spiravit oleto:Presbyteros odiens sic sine mente ruit.Discite vos omnes quid sit violare sacratosPresbyteros, quia sic corruit iste canis.Cocytus cui si detur per Tartara totus,Sit, peto, promotus Cerberus huncque voret.At mage sancta tamen mea Musa precabitur atrosHos lemuresque eat sic Bedel ad superos;Non eat, immo ruat, non scandat, sed mage tendat,Inque caput præceps mox Acheronta petat.
Mortuus est asinus,Qui pinxit mulum:Hic jacet barbarus;The deuill kys his culum! Amen.
Redde { Igitur quia sunt qui mala cuncta fremunt,{ Igitur quia sunt qui bona cuncta premunt.Nec tamen expaveo de fatuo labio,Nec multum paveo de stolido rabulo.
Salve plus decies quam sunt momenta dierum!Quot generum species, quot res, quot nomina rerum,Quot prati flores, quot sunt et in orbe colores,Quot pisces, quot aves, quot sunt et in æquore naves,Quot volucrum pennæ, quot sunt tormenta gehennæ,Quot cœli stellæ, quot sunt et in orbe puellæ,Quot sancti Romæ, quot sunt miracula Thomæ,Quot sunt virtutes, tantas tibi mitto salutes.
Salve plus, &c.] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568,(where it is printed on the reverse of the title-page), collated with aJo. Skeltono Poeta Laureato.”
DIVI ANDREÆ APOSTOLI, &c.
Tristia Melpomenes cogor modo plectra sonare;Hos elegos foveat Cynthius ille meos.Si quas fata movent lacrymas, lacrymare videturJam bene maturum, si bene mente sapis.Flos Britonum, regum speculum, Salomonis imago,Septimus Henricus mole sub hac tegitur.Punica, dum regnat, redolens rosa digna vocari,Jam jam marcescit, ceu levis umbra fugit.Multa novercantis fortunæ, multa faventisPassus, et infractus tempus utrumque tulit.Nobilis Anchises, armis metuendus Atrides,Hic erat; hunc Scottus rex timuit Jacobus.Spiramenta animæ vegetans dum vescitur aura,Francorum populus conticuit pavidus.Immensas sibi divitias cumulasse quid horres?Ni cumulasset opes, forte, Britanne, luas.Urgentes casus tacita si mente volutes,Vix tibi sufficeret aurea ripa Tagi.Ni sua te probitas consulta mente laboransRexisset satius, vix tibi tuta salus.Sed quid plura cano? meditans quid plura voluto?Quisque vigil sibi sit: mors sine lege rapit.Ad Dominum, qui cuncta regit, pro principe tantoFunde preces quisquis carmina nostra legis.
Vel mage, si placeat, hunc timuit Jacobus,Scottorum dominus, qui sua fata luit;Quem Leo Candidior Rubeum necat ense Leonem,Et jacet usque modo non tumulatus humo.
Orator, &c.] This and the next piece from Marshe’s ed. ofSkelton’s Workes, 1568, collated with the poems as given in Reges,Reginæ, Nobiles, et alii in Ecclesia Collegiata B. Petri Westmonasteriisepulti, &c., 1603, 4to.
Westmonasteriensis] So Reges, &c. Marshe’s ed.“Westmonastericii.”
Huc, pia Calliope, propera, mea casta puella,Et mecum resona carmina plena deo.Septimus Henricus, Britonum memorabilis heros,Anglica terra, tuus magnanimus Priamus,Attalus hic opibus, rigidus Cato, clarus Acestes,Sub gelido clausus marmore jam recubat.Sic honor omnis, opes, probitas, sic gloria regum,Omnia nutabunt mortis ad imperium.Anglia, num lacrymas? rides; lacrymare quid obstas?Dum vixit, lacrymas; dum moritur, jubilas.Canta, tamen penses, dum vixerat, AngligenensesVibrabant enses, bella nec ulla timent.Undique bella fremunt nunc, undique prœlia surgunt:Noster honor solus, filius, ecce, suus!Noster honor solus, qui pondera tanta subireNon timet, intrepidus arma gerenda vocat;Arma gerenda vocat, (superi sua cœpta secundent!)Ut quatiat Pallas ægida sæpe rogat.Sors tamen est versanda diu, sors ultima belli:Myrmidonum dominus Marte silente ruit;Et quem non valuit validis superare sub armisMars, tamen occubuit insidiis Paridis.Nos incerta quidem pro certis ponere rebusArguit, et prohibet Delius ipse pater.Omnia sunt hominum dubio labentia fato,Marte sub incerto militat omnis homo.Omne decus nostrum, nostra et spes unica tantum,Jam bene qui regnat, hunc Jovis umbra tegat!Ut quamvis mentem labor est inhibere volentem,Pauca tamen liceat dicere pace sua:Pace tua liceat mihi nunc tibi dicere pauca,Dulce meum decus, et sola Britanna salus.Summa rei nostræ remanet, celeberrime princeps,In te præcipuo, qui modo sceptra geris.Si tibi fata favent, faveant precor atque precabor,Anglia, tunc plaude; sin minus, ipsa vale.
Words in this poem 36
- bedel
- ,n.Same as Beadle.
- lorell n.
- A good for nothing fellow; a vagabond.
- omnibus n.
- A long four-wheeled carriage, having seats for many people; especially, one with seats running lengthwise, used in conveying passengers short distances. [L., for all, dat. pl. from omnis all. Cf. Bus.]
- quid n.
- A portion suitable to be chewed; a cud; as, a quid of tobacco. [See Cud.]
- detur n.
- A present of books given to a meritorious undergraduate student as a prize. [Harvard Univ., U. S.] [L. detur let it be given.]
- cerberus n.
- A monster, in the shape, of a three-headed dog, guarding the entrance into the infernal regions, Hence: Any vigilant custodian or guardian, esp. if surly.
- mage n.
- A magician. Spenser. [F. mage. See Magi.]
- caput n.
- The head; also, a knoblike protuberance or capitulum. [L., the head.]
- pinxit
- A word appended to the artist's name or initials on a painting, or engraved copy of a painting; as, Rubens pinxit, Rubens painted (this). [L., perfect indicative 3d sing. of pingere to paint.]
- amen interj.
- An expression used at the end of prayers, and meaning, So be it. At the end of a creed, it is a solemn asseveration of belief. [L. amen, Gr. am certainly, truly.]
- redde
- obs. imp. of Read, or Rede.
- mala n.
- Evils; wrongs; offenses against right and law. Mala in se Etym: [L.] (Law), offenses which are such from their own nature, at common law, irrespective of statute. [L.]
- penn v. t.
- To write; to compose and commit to paper; to indite; to compose; as, to pen a sonnet.
- stell v. t.
- To place or fix firmly or permanently. [AS. stellan. *163.]
- quas n.
- A kind of beer. Same as Quass.
- movent n.
- That which moves anything.
- bene n.
- A prayer; boon. [AS. b.]
- passus n.
- A division or part; a canto; as, the passus of Piers Plowman. [L., a step, a pace. See Pace.]
- jacobus n.
- An English gold coin, of the value of twenty-five shillings sterling, struck in the reign of James I. [See Jacobite.]
- aura n.
- Any subtile, invisible emanation, effluvium, or exhalation from a substance, as the aroma of flowers, the odor of the blood, a supposed fertilizing emanation from the pollen of flowers, etc.
- forte n.
- The strong point; that in which one excels. fort"a The construction of a fable seems by no means the forte of our modern poetical writers. Jeffrey. [IT. forte: cf. F. fort. See Fort.]
- casus n.
- An event; an occurrence; an occasion; a combination of circumstances; a case; an act of God. See the Note under Accident. [L.]
- vigil n.
- Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful, probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See Wake, v. i., and cf. Reveille, Surveillance, Vedette, Vegetable]
- lege v. t.
- To allege; to assert. Bp. Fisher. [Abbrev. fr. allege to assert.]
- dominus n.
- Master; sir; -- a title of respect formerly applied to a knight or a clergyman, and sometimes to the lord of a manor. Cowell. [L., master. See Dame.]
- ecclesia n.
- The public legislative assembly of the Athenians.
- calliope n.
- The Muse that presides over eloquence and heroic poetry; mother of Orpheus, and chief of the nine Muses.
- imperium n.
- Supreme power; absolute dominion; empire.
- solus a.
- Alone; -- chiefly used in stage directions, and the like. [L.]
- pallas n.
- Pallas Athene, the Grecian goddess of wisdom, called also Athene, and identified, at a later period, with the Roman Minerva.
- ultima a.
- Most remote; furthest; final; last. Ultima ratio Etym: [L.], the last reason or argument; the last resort. [L., fem. ultimus last.]
- nostrum n.
- A medicine, the ingredients of which are kept secret for the purpose of restricting the profits of sale to the inventor or proprietor; a quack medicine. [Neut. sing. of L. noster ours, fr. nos we. See Us.]
- dulce v. t.
- To make sweet; to soothe.
- sola n.
- A leguminous plant (Æschynomene aspera) growing in moist places in Southern India and the East Indies. Its pithlike stem is used for making hats, swimming-jackets, etc. [Native name.]
- remanet n.
- A case for trial which can not be tried during the term; a postponed case. [Eng.] [L., it remains.]
- vale n.
- A tract of low ground, or of land between hills; a valley. [OE. val, F. val, L. vallis; perhaps akin to Gr. Avalanche, Vail to lower, Valley.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
In Bedel, Quondam Belial Incarnatum, Devotum Epitaphium is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 1 (of 2), Project Gutenberg ebook #59997; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: John Skelton, In Bedel, Quondam Belial Incarnatum, Devotum Epitaphium, in Poetical Works, Volume I (1500–1529), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #59997, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/skelton-poems/in-bedel-quondam-belial-incarnatum-devotum-epitaphium.html, id L08668.
Form and metre
In Bedel, Quondam Belial Incarnatum, Devotum Epitaphium is 104 lines in 11 stanzas. The metre is trochaic hexameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 77%). 94% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 12.4 syllables. 15 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 12% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in trochaic hexameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 ---A--B---BBAA el · lorell · ribaldus · eratA · oleto · ruit · sacratosB · canis · totus · voret · atrosB · superosB · tendatA · petatA
- 2 A-A- asinusA · mulum · barbarusA · amen
- 3 AA-- fremuntA · premuntA · labio · rabulo
- 4 AA------ dierumA · rerumA · colores · naves · gehennæ · puellæ · thomæ · salutes
- 7 --A--A-B-B-----------B-- sonare · meos · videturA · sapis · imago · tegiturA · vocari · fugitB · faventis · tulitB · atrides · jacobus · aura · pavidus · horres · luas · volutes · tagi · laborans · salus · voluto · rapitB · tanto · legis
- 11 --------AA-----B-B--CC-------------- puella · deo · heros · priamus · acestes · recubat · regum · imperium · obstasA · jubilasA · angligenenses · timent · surgunt · suus · subire · vocatB · secundent · rogatB · belli · ruit · armisC · paridisC · rebus · pater · fato · homo · tantum · tegat · volentem · sua · pauca · salus · princeps · geris · precabor · vale
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against trochaic hexameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Ismal, ecce, Bedel, non mel, sed fel, sibi des el! | 13 | ···˘/········ |
| Perfidus Achitophel, luridus atque lorell; | 13 | ············· |
| Nunc olet iste Jebal, Nabal. S. Nabal, ecce, ribaldus! | 15 | ··············· |
| Omnibus exosus atque perosus erat; | 11 | /˘········· |
| In plateaque cadens animam spiravit oleto: | 14 | ·············· |
| Presbyteros odiens sic sine mente ruit. | 10 | ·········· |
| Discite vos omnes quid sit violare sacratos | 11 | ··········· |
| Presbyteros, quia sic corruit iste canis. | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| Cocytus cui si detur per Tartara totus, | 13 | ·····/˘······ |
| Sit, peto, promotus Cerberus huncque voret. | 12 | ·/˘···/˘˘··· |
| At mage sancta tamen mea Musa precabitur atros | 15 | ·······/˘······ |
| Hos lemuresque eat sic Bedel ad superos; | 12 | ······˘/···· |
| Non eat, immo ruat, non scandat, sed mage tendat, | 12 | ············ |
| Inque caput præceps mox Acheronta petat. | 12 | ·˘/········· |
| Mortuus est asinus, | 7 | ··˘/··· |
| Qui pinxit mulum: | 5 | ·/˘·· |
| Hic jacet barbarus; | 6 | ······ |
| The deuill kys his culum! Amen. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Redde { Igitur quia sunt qui mala cuncta fremunt, | 13 | ·······/˘···· |
| { Igitur quia sunt qui bona cuncta premunt. | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| Nec tamen expaveo de fatuo labio, | 11 | ··········· |
| Nec multum paveo de stolido rabulo. | 12 | ·/˘········· |
| Salve plus decies quam sunt momenta dierum! | 10 | ·········· |
| Quot generum species, quot res, quot nomina rerum, | 14 | ····/˘········ |
| Quot prati flores, quot sunt et in orbe colores, | 12 | ···/······/˘ |
| Quot pisces, quot aves, quot sunt et in æquore naves, | 12 | ·/˘·/˘······ |
| Quot volucrum pennæ, quot sunt tormenta gehennæ, | 12 | ········/˘·· |
| Quot cœli stellæ, quot sunt et in orbe puellæ, | 10 | ·········· |
| Quot sancti Romæ, quot sunt miracula Thomæ, | 11 | ··········· |
| Quot sunt virtutes, tantas tibi mitto salutes. | 12 | ······/···˘/ |
| Salve plus, &c.] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s Workes, 1568, | 11 | ····/˘··/˘· |
| (where it is printed on the reverse of the title-page), collated with a | 19 | ···/˘··˘/··/˘·˘/˘·· |
| Jo. Skeltono Poeta Laureato.” | 9 | ········· |
| DIVI ANDREÆ APOSTOLI, &c. | 9 | /˘/······ |
| Tristia Melpomenes cogor modo plectra sonare; | 13 | ············· |
| Hos elegos foveat Cynthius ille meos. | 10 | ·········· |
| Si quas fata movent lacrymas, lacrymare videtur | 15 | ··/˘/˘········· |
| Jam bene maturum, si bene mente sapis. | 12 | ·/˘····/˘··· |
| Flos Britonum, regum speculum, Salomonis imago, | 16 | ······/˘˘····˘/˘ |
| Septimus Henricus mole sub hac tegitur. | 11 | /˘········· |
| Punica, dum regnat, redolens rosa digna vocari, | 16 | ·········/˘····· |
| Jam jam marcescit, ceu levis umbra fugit. | 12 | ······/˘/˘·· |
| Multa novercantis fortunæ, multa faventis | 13 | ············· |
| Passus, et infractus tempus utrumque tulit. | 12 | /˘·········· |
| Nobilis Anchises, armis metuendus Atrides, | 13 | ············· |
| Hic erat; hunc Scottus rex timuit Jacobus. | 12 | ·········˘/˘ |
| Spiramenta animæ vegetans dum vescitur aura, | 15 | ·············/˘ |
| Francorum populus conticuit pavidus. | 12 | ············ |
| Immensas sibi divitias cumulasse quid horres? | 13 | ············· |
| Ni cumulasset opes, forte, Britanne, luas. | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| Urgentes casus tacita si mente volutes, | 11 | /˘/˘˘/˘···· |
| Vix tibi sufficeret aurea ripa Tagi. | 14 | ·/·····˘/˘/˘·· |
| Ni sua te probitas consulta mente laborans | 13 | ············· |
| Rexisset satius, vix tibi tuta salus. | 12 | ······/···/˘ |
| Sed quid plura cano? meditans quid plura voluto? | 15 | ····/˘········· |
| Quisque vigil sibi sit: mors sine lege rapit. | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| Ad Dominum, qui cuncta regit, pro principe tanto | 15 | ··········˘/˘·· |
| Funde preces quisquis carmina nostra legis. | 12 | ········/˘·· |
| Vel mage, si placeat, hunc timuit Jacobus, | 11 | ········˘/˘ |
| Scottorum dominus, qui sua fata luit; | 11 | ···˘/˘··/˘· |
| Quem Leo Candidior Rubeum necat ense Leonem, | 13 | ·/˘·········· |
| Et jacet usque modo non tumulatus humo. | 13 | ············· |
| Orator, &c.] This and the next piece from Marshe’s ed. of | 13 | /˘·······/˘·· |
| Skelton’s Workes, 1568, collated with the poems as given in Reges, | 15 | /˘·˘/˘··/˘·/··· |
| Reginæ, Nobiles, et alii in Ecclesia Collegiata B. Petri Westmonasterii | 24 | ··/˘····˘/˘˘·····/˘····· |
| sepulti, &c., 1603, 4to. | 5 | ····· |
| Westmonasteriensis] So Reges, &c. Marshe’s ed. | 13 | ··········/˘· |
| “Westmonastericii.” | 6 | ······ |
| Huc, pia Calliope, propera, mea casta puella, | 15 | ·/˘˘/˘·····/˘·· |
| Et mecum resona carmina plena deo. | 13 | ·/˘········/˘ |
| Septimus Henricus, Britonum memorabilis heros, | 15 | /˘···········/˘ |
| Anglica terra, tuus magnanimus Priamus, | 12 | ···/˘······· |
| Attalus hic opibus, rigidus Cato, clarus Acestes, | 16 | ··········/˘···· |
| Sub gelido clausus marmore jam recubat. | 12 | ············ |
| Sic honor omnis, opes, probitas, sic gloria regum, | 14 | ·/˘/˘·····/˘·· |
| Omnia nutabunt mortis ad imperium. | 12 | ·····/˘·˘/˘˘ |
| Anglia, num lacrymas? rides; lacrymare quid obstas? | 13 | /˘··········· |
| Dum vixit, lacrymas; dum moritur, jubilas. | 13 | ············· |
| Canta, tamen penses, dum vixerat, Angligenenses | 15 | ····/˘········· |
| Vibrabant enses, bella nec ulla timent. | 12 | ·····/˘····· |
| Undique bella fremunt nunc, undique prœlia surgunt: | 13 | ··/˘········· |
| Noster honor solus, filius, ecce, suus! | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| Noster honor solus, qui pondera tanta subire | 14 | ··/˘·········· |
| Non timet, intrepidus arma gerenda vocat; | 14 | ·············· |
| Arma gerenda vocat, (superi sua cœpta secundent!) | 16 | ················ |
| Ut quatiat Pallas ægida sæpe rogat. | 10 | ·········· |
| Sors tamen est versanda diu, sors ultima belli: | 14 | ···˘/·····/˘/˘ |
| Myrmidonum dominus Marte silente ruit; | 11 | ····˘/˘···· |
| Et quem non valuit validis superare sub armis | 14 | ·············· |
| Mars, tamen occubuit insidiis Paridis. | 12 | ············ |
| Nos incerta quidem pro certis ponere rebus | 13 | ···········/˘ |
| Arguit, et prohibet Delius ipse pater. | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| Omnia sunt hominum dubio labentia fato, | 13 | ············· |
| Marte sub incerto militat omnis homo. | 12 | ········/˘/˘ |
| Omne decus nostrum, nostra et spes unica tantum, | 14 | ···/˘/˘······· |
| Jam bene qui regnat, hunc Jovis umbra tegat! | 13 | ·/˘····/˘/˘·· |
| Ut quamvis mentem labor est inhibere volentem, | 15 | ·····/˘˘/······ |
| Pauca tamen liceat dicere pace sua: | 10 | ·········· |
| Pace tua liceat mihi nunc tibi dicere pauca, | 13 | ·······/····· |
| Dulce meum decus, et sola Britanna salus. | 13 | ·/˘···/˘···/˘ |
| Summa rei nostræ remanet, celeberrime princeps, | 13 | /˘··/˘˘······ |
| In te præcipuo, qui modo sceptra geris. | 12 | ··········/· |
| Si tibi fata favent, faveant precor atque precabor, | 15 | ·/·/˘·········· |
| Anglia, tunc plaude; sin minus, ipsa vale. | 10 | /˘···/˘··· |
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