So many gay swordes,
So many altered wordes,
And so few covered bordes.
Sawe I never:
So many empty purses,
So few good horses,
And so many curses,
Sawe I never:An interesting text. First, this poem is only attributed to Skelton, but it seems much like his other work. Second, I looked through his other poems to see how he used the word
borde.
Forsothe, quod she, how euer blowe the wynde
Fortune gydeth and ruleth all oure shyppe:
Whom she hateth shall ouer the see boorde shyp;
The Bowge of Courte ll.110-3.
By God, quod Heruy, and it so happen myghte;
Lete vs therfore shortley at a worde
Fynde some mene to caste hym ouer the borde.
Ibid. ll.306-8.
Wyth that came Ryotte, russhinge all at ones,
A rusty gallande, to-ragged and to-rente;
And on the borde he whyrled a payre of bones,
Quater treye dews he clatered as he went;
Now haue at all by saynte Thomas of Kente!
Ibid. ll.344-8.
But harke, my frende, one worde
In ernest or in borde:
Tell me now in this stede
Is mayster Mewtas dede
The kynges Frenshe secretary,
And hys vntrew aduersary?
Why Come Ye Nat to Courte? ll.781-6.
She sayde neuer a worde,
But rose from the borde
And called for our dame,
Elynour by name.
Elynour Rummyng ll.590-2.
He uses board in the sense of
table, both for dining and gambling, and
jest. He also uses it in the sense of the side of a ship, in somebody being tossed
overboard. He (and John Gower) seemed to like coupling
worde and
borde, which in their time and English was a rhyme. Third, I wondered how the Bard might have used the word
covered, and imagine my delight at finding this exchange of dialog:
Lorenzo: Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner.
Launcelot: That is done too, sir; only 'cover' is the word.
Lorenzo: Will you cover then, sir?
Launcelot: Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.
Lorenzo: Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray tree, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.
Launcelot: For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern.
Merchant of Venice III.v.
Context suggests that
so few covered boards means
so few tables set (or prepared) for dinner. There's not much food or rides going round, but no shortage of hot air, posturing, lack of funds, and swearing.
