I'm not sure this is really a delicate delight.
Here's another installment from Johnson's Golden Garland of Princely Pleasures and Delicate Delights. I mentioned it several days ago and still find it too much fun not to share, though it will probably make the devoutly Ricardian among you a bit unhappy. Also, I wonder if it's inspired by Shakespeare: his Richard III after all was a big hit by all accounts, and there are some things in the ballad which seem like shoutouts (shouts-out?) to events in the play, such as Richard's strutting and fretting, and the lengthy pre-battle speeches by Richmond and Richard.
This ballad has a direction for a tune I do know, so I am including it here. It calls for the tune "Who list to lead a soldier's life," which apparently is the same tune as the one traditionally given to Ophelia's song "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day."*
"Soldier's Life" tune
However, I don't actually care much for this tune for this particular ballad, as it feels all wrong. Since it's in the standard meter for ballads, you can, of course, put it to pretty much any ballad tune you like, as well as things like the Gilligan's Island theme song or "The Yellow Rose of Texas," though I would not advise this. Personally, I like it with the tune Steeleye Span used for "King Henry," which began its life as a Shetland song that begins "When I was a little boy, to London I did go." Martin Carthy recorded this song on his recent album Straws in the Wind.
"King Henry" tune (aka "When I Was a Little Boy")
Those who wish to sing this ballad but are conscientious about historical accuracy or the sensibilities of their audience may emend the third line of this stanza to "King Edward's daughter," perhaps.
And finally, I have retained in this transcription the spelling and punctuation of the 1620 edition, with the exception of a few minor alterations to the punctuation to make the sense clearer.
A Song of the life and death of King Richard the third, who after many murthers by him committed vpon the Princes and Nobles of this Land, was slaine at the battel of Bosworth in Lester shire by Henry the seuenth King of England.
To the tune of, Who list to lead a Souldiers life.
In England once there raigned a King,
A Tirant firce and fell:
Who for to gaine himself a Crowne,
gaue sure his soule to hell:
Third Richard was this Tirants name,
the worst of all the three:
That wrought such deeds of deadly dole
that worser could not be.
For his desires were still (by blood)
to be made Endglands king,
Which here to gaine that golden prize,
did many a wondrous thing:
He slaughtered up our noble Pieres,
and chiefest in this Land:
With euery one that likely was,
his title to withstand.
Four bloudy fields the Tyrant fought,
ere he could bring to passe
What he made lawlesse claime vnto,
as his best liking was:
Sixt Henries Princely sonne he slew,
Before his fathers face:
And weeded from our English throne,
all his renowned race.
This King likewise in Londons Tower
he murthering made away:
His brother Duke of Clarence life,
he also did betray:
With these right noble Princes twaine,
King Edwards children deare:
Because to Englands royall Crowne,
he thought them both too neere.
His owne deare wife also he slew,
Incestuously to wed:
His owne deare daughter which for feare,
away from him was fled.
And made such hauocke in this land,
Of all the Royall bloud,
That onely one was left vnslaine,
to haue his claimes withstood.
Earle Richmond he by heauen preseru'd,
To right his Countries wrong:
From France prepar'd full well to fight,
brought ore an Army strong.
To whom Lord Stanley nobly came,
with many an English Peere:
And ioynd their forces in one,
Earle Richmonds heart to cheare.
Which newes when as the Tyrant heard
How they were come on shore,
And how their forces day by day,
increased more and more.
He frets, he fumes, and ragingly,
A madding fury showes,
And thought it but in vaine to stay,
and so to battell goes.
Earle Richmond he in order braue,
His fearlesse armie laid,
In midst of whom these noble words,
their valiant leader said:
Now is the time and place sweet friends,
And we the souldiers be,
That must bring Englands peace againe,
or loose our liues must we.
Be valiant then, we fight for fame,
And for our countries good,
Against a Tyrant markt with shame,
for shedding Englands blood.
I am right heire of Lancaster,
Intituled to the Crowne,
Against this bloody Boare of Yorke,
then let vs win renowne.
Meane while had furious Richard set,
His army in array,
And with a gastly looke of feare,
he stoutly thus did say:
Shall Henry Richmond with his troopes,
Ore-match vs thus by might:
That comes with fearefull cowardice,
with vs this day to fight.
Shall Tudor from Plantaginet,
win thus the crowne away:
No Richards noble wind foretells,
that ours will be the day.
For Golden crownes we brauely fight,
And gold shall be their gaine:
In great abundance giuen to them,
that liues this day vnslaine.
These words being spoke the battles ioyned
Where blowes they brauely change:
And Richmond like a Lyon bold,
performed wonders strange:
And made such slaughters through the camp
Till he King Richard spies,
Who fighting long together there,
at last the Tyrant dyes.
Thus ended Englands wofull warre,
Usurping Richard dead:
King Henry faire Elizabeth
in princely sort did wed.
For he was then made Englands King,
And she his crowned Queene:
So twixt these houses long at strife
a vnity was seene.
FINIS.
*According to Ross Duffin in Shakespeare's Songbook (Norton, 2004): "The traditional theater tune for Ophelia's song was documented in the eighteenth century and turns out to be a version of a melody that was apparently current in Shakespeare's time: The Soldier's Life or The Soldier's Dance, which survives in a keyboard setting attributed to William Byrd in Paris Conservatoire MS Res. 1186 (ca. 1630-40), as well as in several editions of John Playford's English Dancing Master (1651, etc.)." The version of the tune given here is taken from Duffin, who bases it on the Paris MS. It is certainly true that ballad and dance tunes had legs in this period; there are Elizabethan sources for many tunes given in the various editions of Playford, and some of the tunes in The Beggar's Opera, which uses for its songs popular ballad tunes, are demonstrably Elizabethan, and even famously so in the cases of "Greensleeves" and "Packington's Pound."
This ballad has a direction for a tune I do know, so I am including it here. It calls for the tune "Who list to lead a soldier's life," which apparently is the same tune as the one traditionally given to Ophelia's song "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day."*
"Soldier's Life" tune
However, I don't actually care much for this tune for this particular ballad, as it feels all wrong. Since it's in the standard meter for ballads, you can, of course, put it to pretty much any ballad tune you like, as well as things like the Gilligan's Island theme song or "The Yellow Rose of Texas," though I would not advise this. Personally, I like it with the tune Steeleye Span used for "King Henry," which began its life as a Shetland song that begins "When I was a little boy, to London I did go." Martin Carthy recorded this song on his recent album Straws in the Wind.
"King Henry" tune (aka "When I Was a Little Boy")
Those who wish to sing this ballad but are conscientious about historical accuracy or the sensibilities of their audience may emend the third line of this stanza to "King Edward's daughter," perhaps.
And finally, I have retained in this transcription the spelling and punctuation of the 1620 edition, with the exception of a few minor alterations to the punctuation to make the sense clearer.
A Song of the life and death of King Richard the third, who after many murthers by him committed vpon the Princes and Nobles of this Land, was slaine at the battel of Bosworth in Lester shire by Henry the seuenth King of England.
To the tune of, Who list to lead a Souldiers life.
In England once there raigned a King,
A Tirant firce and fell:
Who for to gaine himself a Crowne,
gaue sure his soule to hell:
Third Richard was this Tirants name,
the worst of all the three:
That wrought such deeds of deadly dole
that worser could not be.
For his desires were still (by blood)
to be made Endglands king,
Which here to gaine that golden prize,
did many a wondrous thing:
He slaughtered up our noble Pieres,
and chiefest in this Land:
With euery one that likely was,
his title to withstand.
Four bloudy fields the Tyrant fought,
ere he could bring to passe
What he made lawlesse claime vnto,
as his best liking was:
Sixt Henries Princely sonne he slew,
Before his fathers face:
And weeded from our English throne,
all his renowned race.
This King likewise in Londons Tower
he murthering made away:
His brother Duke of Clarence life,
he also did betray:
With these right noble Princes twaine,
King Edwards children deare:
Because to Englands royall Crowne,
he thought them both too neere.
His owne deare wife also he slew,
Incestuously to wed:
His owne deare daughter which for feare,
away from him was fled.
And made such hauocke in this land,
Of all the Royall bloud,
That onely one was left vnslaine,
to haue his claimes withstood.
Earle Richmond he by heauen preseru'd,
To right his Countries wrong:
From France prepar'd full well to fight,
brought ore an Army strong.
To whom Lord Stanley nobly came,
with many an English Peere:
And ioynd their forces in one,
Earle Richmonds heart to cheare.
Which newes when as the Tyrant heard
How they were come on shore,
And how their forces day by day,
increased more and more.
He frets, he fumes, and ragingly,
A madding fury showes,
And thought it but in vaine to stay,
and so to battell goes.
Earle Richmond he in order braue,
His fearlesse armie laid,
In midst of whom these noble words,
their valiant leader said:
Now is the time and place sweet friends,
And we the souldiers be,
That must bring Englands peace againe,
or loose our liues must we.
Be valiant then, we fight for fame,
And for our countries good,
Against a Tyrant markt with shame,
for shedding Englands blood.
I am right heire of Lancaster,
Intituled to the Crowne,
Against this bloody Boare of Yorke,
then let vs win renowne.
Meane while had furious Richard set,
His army in array,
And with a gastly looke of feare,
he stoutly thus did say:
Shall Henry Richmond with his troopes,
Ore-match vs thus by might:
That comes with fearefull cowardice,
with vs this day to fight.
Shall Tudor from Plantaginet,
win thus the crowne away:
No Richards noble wind foretells,
that ours will be the day.
For Golden crownes we brauely fight,
And gold shall be their gaine:
In great abundance giuen to them,
that liues this day vnslaine.
These words being spoke the battles ioyned
Where blowes they brauely change:
And Richmond like a Lyon bold,
performed wonders strange:
And made such slaughters through the camp
Till he King Richard spies,
Who fighting long together there,
at last the Tyrant dyes.
Thus ended Englands wofull warre,
Usurping Richard dead:
King Henry faire Elizabeth
in princely sort did wed.
For he was then made Englands King,
And she his crowned Queene:
So twixt these houses long at strife
a vnity was seene.
FINIS.
*According to Ross Duffin in Shakespeare's Songbook (Norton, 2004): "The traditional theater tune for Ophelia's song was documented in the eighteenth century and turns out to be a version of a melody that was apparently current in Shakespeare's time: The Soldier's Life or The Soldier's Dance, which survives in a keyboard setting attributed to William Byrd in Paris Conservatoire MS Res. 1186 (ca. 1630-40), as well as in several editions of John Playford's English Dancing Master (1651, etc.)." The version of the tune given here is taken from Duffin, who bases it on the Paris MS. It is certainly true that ballad and dance tunes had legs in this period; there are Elizabethan sources for many tunes given in the various editions of Playford, and some of the tunes in The Beggar's Opera, which uses for its songs popular ballad tunes, are demonstrably Elizabethan, and even famously so in the cases of "Greensleeves" and "Packington's Pound."