Prosopopoia: Or Mother Hubbard's Tale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEFGGHHAAIIJJJJ KKLLMMHJNNGGNNJJJJOP HJQQJJJJGGAAJJJJJJGG AAJJNN JJARSQJJJJJJJJTTJJJJ JJJJQQAAJJ

By that he ended had his ghostly sermonA
The fox was well induc'd to be a parsonA
And of the priest eftsoons gan to inquireB
How to a benefice he might aspireB
Marry there said the priest is art indeedC
Much good deep learning one thereout may readD
For that the ground work is and end of allE
How to obtain a beneficialF
First therefore when ye have in handsome wiseG
Yourself attired as you can deviseG
Then to some nobleman yourself applyH
Or other great one in the world e s eyeH
That hath a zealous dispositionA
To God and so to his religionA
There must thou fashion eke a godly zealI
Such as no carpers may contrare revealI
For each thing feigned ought more wary beJ
There thou must walk in sober gravityJ
And seem as saint like as Saint RadegundJ
Fast much pray oft look lowly on the groundJ
And unto every one do courtesy meekK
These looks nought saying do a benefice seekK
But be thou sure one not to lack or longL
And if thee list unto the court to throngL
And there to hunt after the hoped preyM
Then must thou thee dispose another wayM
For there thou needs must learn to laugh to lieH
To face to forge to scoff to companyJ
To crouch to please to be a beetle stockN
Of thy great master's will to scorn or mockN
So may'st thou chance mock out a beneficeG
Unless thou canst one conjure by deviceG
Or cast a figure for a bishopricN
And if one could it were but a school trickN
These be the ways by which without rewardJ
Livings in court be gotten though full hardJ
For nothing there is done without a feeJ
The courtier needs must recompensed beJ
With a benevolence or have in gageO
The primitias of your parsonageP
Scarce can a bishopric forpass them byH
But that it must be gelt in privityJ
Do not thou therefore seek a living thereQ
But of more private persons seek elsewhereQ
Whereas thou may'st compound a better pennyJ
Ne let thy learning question'd be of anyJ
For some good gentleman that hath the rightJ
Unto his church for to present a wightJ
Will cope with thee in reasonable wiseG
That if the living yearly do ariseG
To forty pound that then his youngest sonA
Shall twenty have and twenty thou hast wonA
Thou hast it won for it is of frank giftJ
And he will care for all the rest to shiftJ
Both that the bishop may admit of theeJ
And that therein thou may'st maintained beJ
This is the way for one that is unlearn'dJ
Living to get and not to be discern'dJ
But they that are great clerks have nearer waysG
For learning sake to living them to raiseG
Yet many eke of them God wot are drivenA
T' accept a benefice in pieces rivenA
How say'st thou friend have I not well discourstJ
Upon this common place though plain not worstJ
Better a short tale than a bad long shrivingN
Needs any more to learn to get a livingN
-
Now sure and by my halidom quoth heJ
Ye a great master are in your degreeJ
Great thanks I yield you for your disciplineA
And do not doubt but duly to inclineR
My wits thereto as ye shall shortly hearS
The priest him wish'd good speed and well to fareQ
So parted they as either's way them ledJ
But th' ape and fox ere long so well them spedJ
Through the priest's wholesome counsel lately taughtJ
And through their own fair handling wisely wroughtJ
That they a benefice 'twixt them obtainedJ
And crafty Reynold was a priest ordainedJ
And th' ape his parish clerk procur'd to beJ
Then made they revel rout and goodly gleeJ
But ere long time had passed they so illT
Did order their affairs that th' evil willT
Of all their parish'ners they had constrain'dJ
Who to the Ordinary of them complain'dJ
How foully they their offices abus'dJ
And them of crimes and heresies accus'dJ
That pursuivants he often for them sentJ
But they neglected his command e mentJ
So long persisted obstinate and boldJ
Till at the length he published to holdJ
A visitation and them cited thetherQ
Then was high time their wits about to geatherQ
What did they then but made a compositionA
With their next neighbour priest for light conditionA
To whom their living they resigned quiteJ
For a few pence and ran away by nightJ

Edmund Spenser



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Prosopopoia: Or Mother Hubbard's Tale poem by Edmund Spenser


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 2 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets