Loyaulte me lie
dejla posted here with musings on Richard III and a reminder that 22 August is the date of the Battle of Bosworth Field. I think it was probably "The Daughter of Time" that made me a Ricardian too.
I wrote this some time ago, and have performed it, but I've never posted it.
Redemore Field
Chorus: Oh Cecily, Margaret and Anne
Of Dickon I have no good word
Traitor turned hath Buckingham
And a King been put to the sword.
On Redemore Field the mist lies thick
And cold the dawn comes stealing drear
The August sun too soon will prick:
Concealment banish from the mere
As rank on rank with horse and spear
Arrayed for war, five armies stand.
The silence cracked by trumpet clear
They thunder forth across the land.
The Dragon of Cadwallader
Cries challenge fell, bold purpose sealed
His Beaufort blood will not endure;
Plantagenet he would make yield.
The Argent Boar doth take the field
So young in years, yet old in grief
Annointed sovereign bright revealed
Defending all he holds in fief.
Cho.
Bold Brackenbury stoutly shields
Great Cheney falls before his might
With Talbots snapping at their heels
The Royal Household spurs the fight.
But though their loyalty shines bright
The Ragged Staff full false is shown
And Crimson takes against the White;
Thus in his wake is sorrow sown.
The Golden Broom is here cut down
And blighted roses white and red
Who can but mourn the once-bright crown
That rests now on Dark Tudor's head?
The Cat, the Rat, they both are dead
And Loyal Lovell banished far.
The Norfolk Lion too hath bled
And quenched is Oxford's blazing star.
Cho.
---JGT 25 April 97
I wrote this some time ago, and have performed it, but I've never posted it.
Redemore Field
Chorus: Oh Cecily, Margaret and Anne
Of Dickon I have no good word
Traitor turned hath Buckingham
And a King been put to the sword.
On Redemore Field the mist lies thick
And cold the dawn comes stealing drear
The August sun too soon will prick:
Concealment banish from the mere
As rank on rank with horse and spear
Arrayed for war, five armies stand.
The silence cracked by trumpet clear
They thunder forth across the land.
The Dragon of Cadwallader
Cries challenge fell, bold purpose sealed
His Beaufort blood will not endure;
Plantagenet he would make yield.
The Argent Boar doth take the field
So young in years, yet old in grief
Annointed sovereign bright revealed
Defending all he holds in fief.
Cho.
Bold Brackenbury stoutly shields
Great Cheney falls before his might
With Talbots snapping at their heels
The Royal Household spurs the fight.
But though their loyalty shines bright
The Ragged Staff full false is shown
And Crimson takes against the White;
Thus in his wake is sorrow sown.
The Golden Broom is here cut down
And blighted roses white and red
Who can but mourn the once-bright crown
That rests now on Dark Tudor's head?
The Cat, the Rat, they both are dead
And Loyal Lovell banished far.
The Norfolk Lion too hath bled
And quenched is Oxford's blazing star.
Cho.
---JGT 25 April 97