Luminarium Editions. John Skelton. "A ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge." [Ballad of the Scottish King] (original) (raw)

This HTML e-text of "A ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge" (1513) by John Skelton, was created in May 2007 by Anniina Jokinen of Luminarium. Source text:
Skelton, John. "A ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge."
A ballade of the Scottysshe kynge. Reproduced in facsimile.
London: Elliot Stock, 1882. 93-96. This e-text was transcribed by Anniina Jokinen. It preserves the formatting of the original within the limits allowed by the medium. Line numbers have been added for ease of use.

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first page of Skelton's 'A ballade of the Scottyshe Kynge'

A ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge

| Kynge Jamy, Jomy your Joye is all goYe sommnoed our kynge why dyde ye soTo you no thyng it dyde accordeTo sommon our kynge your souerayne lorde.A kynge a somner it is wonderKnowe ye not salte and suger asonderIn your somnynge ye were to malaperteAnd your harolde no thynge experteYe thought ye dyde it full valyauntolyeBut not worth thre skppes of a pye;Syr squyer galyarde ye were to swyfte.Your wyll renne before your wytte.To be so scornefull to your alye,Your counseyle was not worth a flye.Before the frensshe kynge, danes, and otherYe ought to honour your lorde and brotherTrowe ye syr Iames his noble grace,For you and your scottes wolde tourne his faceNow ye prode scottes of gelawaye.For your kynge may synge welawayeNow must ye knowe our kynge for your regent,Your souerayne lorde and presedent,In hym is figured melchisedeche,And ye be desolate as armelecheHe is our noble champyon.A kynge anoynted and ye be nonThrugh your counseyle your fader was slayneWherfore I fere ye wyll suffre payne,And ye proude scottes of dunbarParde ye be his homager.And suters to his parlyment,Ye dyde not your dewty therin.Wyerfore ye may it now repentYe bere yourselfe som what to bolde,Therfore ye haue lost your copholde.Ye be bounde tenauntes to his estate.Gyue vp yovr game ye playe chekmate.For to the castell of norhamI vnderstonde to soone ye cam.For a prysoner there now ye beEyther to the deuyll or the trinite.Thanked be saynte Gorge our ladyes knytheYour pryd is paste ad we good nycht.Ye haue determyned to make a frayeOur kynge than beynge out of the wayeBut by the power and myght of godYe were beten weth your owne rodBy your wanton wyll syr at a wordeYe haue loste spores, cote armure, and swordeYe had bet better to haue busked to huntey bãkes,Than in Englonde to playe ony suche prankesBut ye had some wyle sede to sowe.Therfore ye be layde now full lowe,Your power coude no lenger attayneWarre with our kynge to meyntayne.Of the kynge of nauerne ye may take hede,How vnfortunately he doth now spede,In double welles now he dooth dreme.That is a kynge witou a realme At hym example ye wolde none take.Experyence hath brought you in the same brakeOf the outyles ye roughfoted scottes,We have well eased you of the bottesYe rowe ranke scottes and drõken danesOf our englysshe bowes ye haue fette your banes.It is not fyttynge in tour nor towne,A somner to were a kynges crowneThat neble erle the whyte Lyon.Your pompe and pryde hath layde a downeHis sone the lorde admyrall is full good.His swerde hath bathed in the scottes blodeGod saue kynge Henry and his lordes all And sende the frensshe kynge suche an other fall,Amen, for saynt charytëAnd god saue noble. Kynge _Henry_The viij. line F I N I S. | | 510152025303540455055606570 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | --------------------------- |