John Skelton Quotes

9 Sourced Quotes

The sovereign'st thing that any man may have
Is little to say, and much to hear and see.

John Skelton

With margerain gentle,
The flower of goodlihead,
Embroidered the mantle
Is of your maidenhead.

John Skelton

Steadfast of thought,
Well made, well wrought,
Far may be sought,
Ere that ye can find
So courteous, so kind
As merry Margaret,
This midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.

John Skelton

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

John Skelton

Vengeance I ask and cry,
By way of exclamation,
On the whole nation Of cats wild and tame:
God send them sorrow and shame!

John Skelton

So many vagabonds, so many beggars bold;
So much decay of monasteries and of religious places;
So hot hatred against the Church, and charity so cold;
So much of 'my Lord's Grace,' and in him no grace is;
So much hollow hearts, and so double faces;
So much sanctuary-breaking, and privilege-barred—
Since Deucalion's flood was never seen nor lered.

John Skelton

Old proverb says,
That bird is not honest That filleth his own nest.

John Skelton

Old proverbe says,
That byrd ys not honest
That fyleth hys owne nest.

John Skelton

What dreamest thou, drunkard, drowsy pate?
Thy lust and liking is from thee gone;
Thou blinkard blowboll, thou wakest too late.

John Skelton

John Skelton

John Skelton

Born: 1460

Died: June 21, 1529 (aged 69)

Bio: John Skelton, also known as John Shelton, possibly born in Diss, Norfolk, was an English poet. He had been the teacher of King Henry VIII of England and died at Westminster.

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English Poet Quotes

15th-century Poet Quotes