A Ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge

Skelton, John

TextBaseEarlyTudorEnglish
JSSK22593
2008
STC 22593 (=F)
Ringler 22593 and TP 1008. An earlier version of TP 76 ("Agaynst the prowde Scottys claterynge"). Brown and Robbins 1822.5. UMI microfilm reel 19

A ballade of the scottysshe kynge
London: [R. Faques],[1513].



Composition Date: 1513 [Scattergood].







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A ballade of the scottysshe kynge


Kynge Iamy / Iomy your. Ioye is all go
Ye somm[on]ed our kynge why dyde ye so sommoned] sommnoed F
To you no-thyng it dyde accorde
To sommon our kynge your souerayne lorde.
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5 A kynge a somner it is wonder
Knowe ye not salte and suger asonder
In your somnynge ye were to malaperte
And your harolde no-thynge experte
Ye thought ye dyde it full valyauntolye
10 But not worth thre sk[y]ppes of a pye / skyppes] skppes F
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.
ref.ed: 114
15 Before the frensshe kynge / danes / and other
Ye ought to honour your lorde and brother
Trowe ye syr Iames his noble grace /
For you and your scottes wolde tourne his face
Now ye pro[u]de scottes of gelawaye. proude] prode F
20 For your kynge may synge welawaye
Now must ye knowe our kynge for your regent /
Your souerayne lorde and presedent /
In hym is figured melchisedeche
And ye be desolate as armeleche
25 He is our noble champyon.
A kynge anoynted and ye be non
Thrugh your counseyle your fader was slayne
Wherfore I fere ye wyll suffre payne /
And ye proude scottes of dunbar
30 Parde ye be his homager.
And suters to his parlyment /
Ye dyde not your dewty therin.
Wyerfore ye may it now repent
Ye bere yourselfe somwhat to bolde /
35 Therfore ye haue lost your cop[y]holde. copyholde] copholde F
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Ye be bounde-tenauntes to his estate.
Gyue vp yovr game ye playe chekmate.
For to the castell of norham
I vnderstonde to soone ye cam.
40 For a prysoner there now ye be
Eyther to the deuyll or the trinite.
Thanked be saynte Gorge our ladyes kny[t]he knythe] knyrhe F
Your pryd is paste adwe good nycht.
Ye haue determyned to make a fraye
45 Our kynge than beynge out of the waye
But by the power and myght of god
Ye were beten weth your owne rod
By your wanton wyll syr at a worde
Ye haue loste spores / cote-armure / and sworde
50 Ye had be[e] better to haue busked to hunt[l]ey_ba[n]kes / be] bet F; Huntley Bankes] huntey bakes F
Than in Englonde to playe ony suche prankes
But ye had some wyl[d] sede to sowe. wyld] wyle F
Therfore ye be layde now full lowe /
Your power coude no lenger attayne
55 Warre with our kynge to meyntayne.
ref.ed: 115
Of the kynge of nauerne ye may take hede /
How vnfortunately he doth now spede /
In double w[a]lles now he dooth dreme. walles] welles F
That is a kynge witou[t] a realme witout] witou F
60 At hym example ye wolde none take.
Experyence hath brought you in the same brake
Of the out-yles ye rough-foted scottes /
We have well eased you of the bottes
Ye rowe ranke scottes and dro[n]ken danes dronken] droken F
65 Of our englysshe bowes ye haue fette your banes.
It is not syttynge in tour nor towne /
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A somner to were a kynges crowne
That n[o]ble erle the whyte Lyon. noble] neble F
Your pompe and pryde hath layde a_downe
70 His sone the lorde admyrall is full good.
His swerde hath bathed in the scottes blode
God saue kynge. Henry and his lordes all
And sende the fre[n]sshe kynge suche an-other fall /


¶Amen / for saynt charyte And god saue noble.Kynge / Henry / The .viij.