Critics of other’s poetry need be reminded
That it is not a new sport intended,
But one practiced years before
When the other’s ox, they intend to gore.
Such it is when Alexander Barclay took pen in hand
And reminded the reader of an unkind man
Who while named ‘Poet Laureate’
Was lacking in what would be termed ‘eclat’
And so we revisit Barclay of old
As he denounces M. Skelton as a scold.
****
‘Another thing yet is greatly more damnable,
Of rascolde poetes yet is a shamfull rable,
Which voyde of wisedome presumeth to indite,
Though they haue scantly the cunning of a snite:
And to what vices that princes moste intende,
Those dare these fooles solemnize and commende.
Then is he decked as Poete laureate,
When stinking Thais made him her graduate.
When Muses rested, she did her season note,
And she with Bacchus her camous did promote:
Such rascolde drames, promoted by Thais,
Bacchus, Licoris, or yet by Testalis,
Or by suche other newe forged Muses nine
Thinke in their mindes for to haue wit diuine.
They laude their verses, they boast, they vaunt and iet,
Though all their cunning be scantly worth a pet.
If they haue smelled the artes triuiall, (instead of trivial, triniall in original – probably typsetter’s error in placing u upside down.)
They count them Poetes hye and heroicall.
Such is their foly, so foolishly they dote,
Thinking that none can their playne errour note:
Yet be they foolishe, auoyde of honestie,
Nothing seasoned with spice of grauitie,
Auoyde of pleasure, auoyde of eloquence,
With many wordes, and fruitlesse of sentence.
Unapt to learne, disdayning to be taught,
Their priuate pleasure in snare hath them so caught:
And worst yet of all, they count them excellent,
Though they be fruitlesse, rashe and improuident.
To such ambages who doth their minde incline,
They count all other as priuate of doctrine,
And that the faultes which be in them alone,
And be common in other men eche one.
Thus bide good poetes oft time rebuke and blame,
Because of other which haue despised name.
And thus for the bad the good be cleane abject (abiect) .
Their art and poeme counted of none effect.
Who wanteth reason good to discerne from ill
Doth worthy writers interprete at his will:
So both the laudes of good and not laudable
For lacke of knowledge become vituperable.’
As spoken by Minalcas to Codrus, pp 34/35 in treating the behaviour of rich men against poets. Minalcas had just described the riches of Midas and how ravens think stinking things sweet.
Certayne Egloges by Alexander Barclay,1570 (the Forth Egloge)
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