Oftentimes, his tone can be read as sarcastic, such as the “Bowge of Courte” really being about the difficulties and dangers associated with life at court, where the main character Drede, is seduced and betrayed by vices, and eventually commits suicide. Some are seen as obscene, while others are thoughtful and witty. His works vary, in mood and subject, however often address themes of morality, virtue and the corruption of the church. Skeltonic verse emphasizes feeling for spoken language, and therefore allows one to place accents anywhere, to emphasize emotion or mood wherever needed. “Epitaphs of Two Knaves of Diss” “Ware the Hawk” “Phillip Sparrow” all contain a form of dimeter and trimeter phrasings which would be named the “Skeltonic” verse, or “Tumbling verse” which was believed to be a variation of the Gregorian song, a musical form of plainsong (Eberhart). In the end, the poet laureate died in June 1529 in Westminster at the age of 69. His play titled Magnificence is one about balance and measure in morality. Although he is most popularly known for his poems, the author was also an avid playwright. He would then pen disdainful pieces directed towards Thomas Wolsey, a cardinal and privy councilor to Henry VIII in “Against Venomous Tongues” amongst other works. After being promoted to sub-deacon, deacon, and priest, and then jailed, he was eventually freed and left the royal court to become the rector of Diss (“John Skelton”). He would later be designated Poet Laureate by King Henry VIII, who showed him tremendous favor, so much so that he was allowed to write whatever he pleased, often bashing the church and courtly life. Following the release of Thomas Howard (the Duke of Norfolk) from the London Tower in 1488, he was appointed by Henry VII to tutor his son, Prince Henry (who would come to be Henry VIII). Skelton was awarded the only laureateship ever at Cambridge in 1493 (although some argue it may have been 1488). His schooling is also unclear, however, his knowledge demonstrates an early prestigious education often associated with Cambridge and Oxford, while his love for music shows he was familiar with the monastic choir. His birth was cited, in The Garland of Laurel, as May 2, 1463, however, we have no records of this. While much is alluded to about the life of John Skelton not much is actually known, and what is known is conflicting (John Skelton, and its variants, being common names) or omitted by him throughout the breadth of his works.

Poems is a compilation of 12 of his works, and although the author did write more (and for most of his life), a great number of his works wouldn’t come to be published until late in his life, and even more posthumously ( Poems is published in 1969).

Wikimedia Commons.ĭescribed by George Puttenham as a “Rude, rayling, rymer,” and by Ben Jonson as “Beastly Skelton” in reference to him demonizing an alewife in the story of “The Tunning of Elenor Rimming” John Skelton was a brilliant satirist, scholar and was comfortable both in church and at court though he often scandalized both and fell out of favor due to his biting and condemnatory wit. “Nederlands: John Skelton” by author unknown.

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