SKEL'TON, JOHN ( 1460 ?-1529). An English satirical poet. born probably in Norfolk. He claimed to have studied at both Cambridge and Oxford, from each of which lie received the aca demieal hormrof laureate. Some time before 1500, Henry VII. appointed him tutor to Prince Henry, afterwards King Henry VIII.; and Erasmus, in allusion to his learning. styled him "a light and honour of British literature." At this time Skel ton had produced some translations, and had written elegies on Edward IV. (1483) and the Duke of Northumberland (1489). He entered the Church in 1498, and became rector of Diss in Norfolk. Shortly after this he seems to have struck into that vein of original vernacular poetry for which he stands by himself among our elder poets. It consists in a flow of voluble verse, unrestrained satire and jocularity, and a profusion of grotesque imagery mixed with Latin and Colloquial (East-Anglian) phrases. For a jingling and ludicrous effect, he employed short lines. varying from four to six syllables and running on rhymes sometimes repeated seven times over. Caxton said that Skelton improved the English tongue. At times he has gleams of bright fancy and snatches of pleasant description. Of this higher class is his Phylyp Sparoire, nun's lament for the death of a pet sparrow killed by a eat. Very graceful are many passages in a long allegorical poem entitled The Garlande of Laurel!, such, for example, as the ballad on Margaret Hussey. Noteworthy. too, is The fialrge
of Court. an early allegory on the right to rations at the King's table. The most humorous of his pictures of low life are contained in The Tun wynge [or brewing] of Elynour Rummyng. an ale-wife at Leatherhead, in Surrey. This poem was highly popular and was often reprinted in blaek-letter, garnished with a rude wood-cut of the fat hostess. His best satires are Colyn Cloute, and Why Come Ye not to Courte? The former is a general satire on the clergy, and the latter a furious attack on Cardinal Wolsey, from whom the poet had not received expected preferment. The angry Cardinal ordered his libeler to be ar rested, but Skelton took sanctuary at West minster. under the protection of Abbot John Islip. In this retreat Skelton remained till his death. Skelton wrote three morality plays. of which only Magnyfyeence has survived. In the development of the English drama it occupies an important place. Of Skelton's many other lost pieces A Ra/ade of the Seotysbe icynge was in 1878. It was reprinted by .1. Ash ton in 18s2. Skelton was not the author of the jests and merry tales which have circulated under his name. His free verse and allegor? had marked influence on Saekville. Spenser. and other Elizabethans. His works were collected ill 1508, and reprinted in 1730. The stand:1rd edi tion is by Alexander Byee (2 vols., London, 18-13).