John Skelton (poet) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Skelton
Born	c.1463 (1463) England
Died	21 June 1529 (aged 65–66) Westminster
Resting place	St Margaret's, Westminster
Occupation	Poet, tutor

John Skelton (around 1463 – June 21, 1529) was an important English poet and a tutor to Prince Henry, who later became King Henry VIII of England. He might have been born in Diss, Norfolk. Skelton passed away in Westminster and was buried in St. Margaret's Church.

Learning and Early Life

Skelton is thought to have studied at Oxford and it is known he also attended Cambridge. In 1490, a famous printer named William Caxton mentioned Skelton in a book. Caxton said Skelton was a "poet laureate" from Oxford University and praised his skills in translating and explaining difficult texts. This "laureateship" was a special degree in rhetoric, which is the art of speaking or writing effectively.

Skelton also received this honor from Cambridge University in 1493 and from a university in Leuven. He found a supporter in Lady Margaret Beaufort, who was King Henry VII's mother. He wrote a lost translation for her. Some of his earliest poems include a sad poem about the death of King Edward IV and another (from 1489) about the death of Henry Percy, the fourth Earl of Northumberland.

Royal Tutor and Poet

In the late 1490s, John Skelton became the tutor to Prince Henry, who would later become King Henry VIII of England. He wrote a special book for the prince called Speculum principis, which means "Mirror for Princes," but this book is now lost. A famous scholar named Erasmus even called Skelton "the one light and glory of British letters" in 1500.

In 1498, Skelton became a priest. He seems to have been briefly held in prison in 1502, but the reason is not clear. Two years later, he left the royal court to become the rector (a type of church leader) in Diss. He kept this position until he died.

Skelton often called himself "regius orator" (royal speaker) and "poet-laureate." However, there are no records of him being paid for these titles. As the rector of Diss, he sometimes caused controversy with his strong opinions and writings, especially against certain church leaders. He was known for his sharp satire (using humor or irony to criticize people or ideas). This led to him being criticized by the bishop of his area, and he was temporarily suspended from his duties. After his death, many funny, but probably untrue, stories were told about him in a collection called The Merie Tales of Skelton.

Skelton's sarcastic wit made him some enemies, including Alexander Barclay and William Lilly. He even had a public argument in poems with Sir Christopher Garneys, which he said the king asked him to do. Earlier in his career, he was friends with and supported by Cardinal Wolsey. However, their relationship changed. In 1522, Skelton criticized Wolsey in a short poem.

He also attacked Wolsey more directly in his poems Colyn Cloute, Speke, Parrot, and Why Come Ye nat to Courte?. To avoid being arrested again, Skelton found safety in Westminster Abbey. The abbot, John Islip, protected him until he died. Skelton was buried near the main altar of Saint Margaret's Church.

Skelton's Writings

In his poem Garlande of Laurell, Skelton lists many of his works, but only a few of them still exist today. This poem describes a special garland made for him by ladies at Sheriff Hutton Castle. It also includes compliments to the ladies and information about himself.

Skelton is best known for his satirical poems. The Bowge of Court criticizes the problems and dangers of life at court. In this poem, Skelton dreams he is on a ship called the Bowge of Court. On board, he meets characters like Flattery, Suspicion, and Disdain, who represent different problems in court life. He wakes up just as he is about to jump overboard to escape them. This poem uses a seven-line verse style called Rhyme Royal.

However, Skelton's most unique work uses his own irregular style of poetry, known as "Skeltonics."

Famous Poems

• The Boke of Phyllyp Sparowe: This long poem (about 1,400 lines) is a sad lament from a schoolgirl named Jane Scroop for her dead pet bird. It includes many side stories and shows Jane's wide reading in popular adventure stories of the time. Skelton also shares his opinions on other famous English writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, John Gower, and John Lydgate. He seemed to appreciate Chaucer's skill with the English language. The "Skeltonical" verse in this poem is short, with varying line lengths, and rhymes in groups. It often mixes in Latin and French words for a humorous effect.

• Colyn Cloute: This poem is about an average country person sharing their thoughts on the state of the church. It criticizes the greed and lack of knowledge among some clergy members before the Reformation. Skelton makes sure to say that his criticisms don't apply to everyone and that he is writing to defend the church as a whole. He also indirectly criticizes Cardinal Wolsey in this satire.

• Speke, Parrot and Why Come Ye nat to Courte?: These poems are direct and strong attacks against Cardinal Wolsey. In Why Come Ye nat to Courte?, Skelton openly criticizes Wolsey's fancy lifestyle, his great power, and his rude behavior. This poem was not allowed to be printed while Wolsey was alive, but it was likely shared widely by hand.

• The Tunnynge of Elynoare Rummynge: This poem describes women gathering at a well-known ale-house run by Elynour Rummynge in Leatherhead. It uses the same "Skeltonical" style.

• Skelton Laureate against the Scottes: This is a strong song celebrating the English victory at the Battle of Flodden.

Skelton also wrote three plays, but only one, Magnificence, still exists. Magnificence is a morality play, which teaches a lesson. It talks about the dangers of ambition and how quickly worldly wealth can disappear.

Later writers sometimes criticized Skelton's style. However, his unique way of writing and his sharp wit make him an important figure in English poetry. In the 1930s, the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams even set some of Skelton's poems to music.

Skelton's Family Connections

It is hard to prove John Skelton's exact family tree. Some experts believe he might have been related to Sir John Shelton and his children, who also came from Norfolk. Sir John's daughter, Mary Shelton, was a companion to King Henry VIII during the time of her cousin, Anne Boleyn. Mary Shelton was also a main editor of the Devonshire MS, a collection of poems written by people at court.

It is also said that some of Skelton's poems were inspired by women who became mothers to two of Henry VIII's six wives. Elizabeth Boleyn, the mother of Anne Boleyn, was said to be so beautiful that Skelton compared her to Cressida. This comparison might have had a hidden meaning, as Cressida in stories was sometimes seen as a symbol of being unfaithful. Another popular story says that several poems were inspired by Margery Wentworth, who was the mother of Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour.

See also

• Grammarians' War