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Joined: May 2002
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Not so fast, scholars.

Yes, in the glossaries of a latter-day the word "bordes" is rendered as "boards", "tables" and in footnotes, as "games" and "jest".

But how in fact, can we integrate these meanings into Skeleton's poem? Well we can't with any degree of certainty, unless we can discern the use of the modifier "covering".
In today's parlance we cover tables, walls, floors, and bets in games, and when jesting, we cover our butts.

Forsooth, I did not return to this boarde to beat a dead horse.
But never seen I a dead horse beaten with a table.

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Carpal Tunnel
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Forsooth?
My footh!
This horse is deade,
Whyle ye lyke it or neade;
Ye lorde of Alabame,
Take all scolars to shame?

Why so koy and full of skorne?
We all be nobly borne,
And trouthe is all to-torne (well ,just kidding)
Wysdom is laught to skorne.


Last edited by BranShea; 11/29/07 08:58 AM.
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I read "Upon her brayne pan" and automatically thought of the medical term brainpan referring to the parts of the skull directly surrounding the brain. Brown would never have occurred to me.

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That's how I read it too. What's more, we still use it just like that. Hersenpan. Hersen is brain, pan = pan. When in class you appeared inattentive a teacher would say : Hey! still something going on in that brainpan?
Did not know it is a medical term. Learn a bit every day.


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it very well could be brain pan.. i was just making WAG's...

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To conclude :
Skelton was for many centuries more remembered by the "merry tales" woven around his name than by his poetry.Yet Erasmus, who he met in 1499 wrote of him as being "the only light and glory of English letters". (at the time)

Quote:
It is said that he claimed the woman who bore his children to be 'his wife in the sight of God'.
Marriage in a priest was then a serious crime, but concubinage was tolerated.
This one f.i.:
He was complained of to the Bishop of Norwhich, for ' the unhappy rule 'he kept in his house. He took two capons as a gift, for which he was thanked by the Bishop after having been reproved:
'Skelton sayd: "My lord, my capons have proper names; the one is named Alpha, the other is named Omega: My lorde, sayd Skelton, this capon is named Alpha, thys is the fyrst capon that I did ever geve to you; and this capon is named Omega, and this is the last capon that ever I will give you & so fare you well", sayd Skelton.'

The following sunday, according to the "merry tales", Skelton told the congregation that they were a pack of knaves with foul wives and, holding up his naked child before the people, said: How saye you neibours all? is not this child as fayr as is the best of all yours?
It hath nose , eyes, handes, and feete,as well as any of yours : it is not like a pygge, nor a calfe, nor like no foule nor no monstruous beast.
If I had broughte forthe thys chylde without armes or legges, or that it were deformed, being a monstruous thyng, I would never have blamed you to have complayned to the bishop of me; but to complain without cause, I say, as I said before in my anthem, vos estis, you be,and have be,& wyll and shalll be knaves, to complayne of me without a cause resonable.'

Oh yes, case closed.




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