AGINCOURT CAROLE -Traditional
(rendered to modern English by Ioseph of Locksley)
Our king went forth to Normandy
With grace and might of chivalry
There God for him wrought marvelously
Wherefore England may call and cry: Deo gratias:
Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria!
He set a siege, the truth to say
To Harfleur town with royal array;
That town he won, and made affray
That France shall rue til Doom(e)sday. Deo gratias....
Then went our king with all his host
Through France, for all the Frenchmen's boast;
He spared no dread of least nor most
Til he came to Agincourt coast. Deo gratias....
Then, forsooth, that knight comely,
In Agincourt field he fought manly;
Through grace of God most mighty
He had both field and victory. Deo gratias....
There duke and earl, lord and baron
Were taken and slain, and that well soon,
And some were led into London
With joy and mirth and great renown: Deo gratias....
May gracious God He keep our king,
His people that are well willing
And give him grace without ending
Then we may call and safely sing: Deo gratias....
Note: This may also be sung to "The Banana Boat Song" as:
Our king went forth to Normandy
Deo gratias Anglia!
With grace and might of chivalry
Deo gratias Anglia!
There God for him wrought marvelously
Deo gratias Anglia!
Wherefore England may call and cry:
Deo gratias Anglia!
CHORUS: Deo! Deo! Deo gratias Anglia!
A GRAZING MACE -Anonymous tune: "Amazing Grace" verses 1-5 by Skald-Brandr Toralfsson verse 6 is the original anonymous creation verse 7 from the HOPSFA Hymnal 3rd Edition
A grazing mace, how sweet the sound, that felled my foe for me
I bashed his head, he struck the ground, and thus came victory
My mace has taught my foes to fear, that mace my fear relieved
How precious did my mace appear, when I my mace received
Through many tourneys wars and fairs, I have already come
My mace has brought me safe thus far, my mace will bring me home
The King has promised good to me, his word my hope secures
I will his shield and weapon be, when he gives me my spurs
And when my mace my foeman nails, that mortal strife shall cease
And we'll possess within our pale, a life of joy and peace
A grazing mace, how sweet the sound that flattened a wretch like thee!
whose head is flat, that once was round; done in by my mace....and me!
A grazing mace, how sweet the sound that smites a foe like thee
You're left there lying on the ground, you've left the field to me!
ALL AROUND MY HAT traditional
CHORUS: All around my hat, I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat, for a twelve-month and a day!
And if any one will ask me the reason why I'm wearin' it
It's all for my true love who is far, far away!
Fare thee well, cold winter, and fare thee well cold frost
It's nothing I have gained but my own true love I've lost
I'll sing and I'll be merry, when occasion I do see
she's a false, deludin' young girl, let her go! Farewell be!
My love she was fair, and my love she was kind, too and many were the happy hours between my love and me I never could refuse her, whatever she'd a mind to she's a false, deludin' young girl, let her go! Farewell be!
The other night I brought her a fine diamond ring but she tried to deprive me of a far better thing I never could refuse her, whatever she'd a mind to she's a false, deludin' young girl, let her go! Farewell be!
Will my love be true, and will my love be faithful? Will she find another young man, to court her when I'm gone? The men will all come court her, so pretty and so graceful she's a false, deludin' young girl, let her go! Farewell be!
It's a quarter pound of reason, and a half a pound of sense a small sprig of time, and as much of prudence, you mix them all together, and you will plainly see she's a false, deludin' young girl, let her go! Farewell be!
ALL THRU THE NIGHT
While the moon her watch is keeping all thru the night while the weary world is sleeping all thru the night o'er thy spirit gently stealing, visions of delight revealing breathes a pure and holy feeling all thru the night
though this bard must roam full lonely my true harp shall sing praise only love's soft dream, alas, is over yet my strains of love shall hover near the presence of my lover
hark! A solemn bell is ringing thou, my king are heavenward winging earthly dust from off thee shaken soul immortal shalt thou waken with thy last, dim journey taken
neath this stone my king is sleeping stars around him softly sweeping once and future king preserving britain's saviour there reserving all around him stars observing all thru the night
holl am ran-tire sehr thuh wed-ont ahr heed ah nos dum-ar forth ee vro go-gawn-yont ahr heed ah nos gol-i ar-all you tuh wull ooch ee are thang os gweer bred vairtch-ooch tie-leer nave oith m'yoon thu-wail-ooch ahr heed ah nos
note: the last verse is phonetic welsh. "ll" is pronounced by putting the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, and saying "h" and "l" at the same time...sort of. "ch" is pronounced as german.
ANOTHER TAVERN SONG Lady Eglena Rebeth of Meridies
Oh, fill up the tankard, lad, and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
A Viking doesn't smell so bad when you have got a cold And judging by the dirt upon his shirt he's not to old He will always cuddle up when winter nights are cold For its only in the summer that a Viking likes to roam
So fill up the tankard lad and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
A Scotsman is a lot of fun and always likes to flirt You can always see his knees beneath his wondrous skirt There always is one thing about a Scott that always is worth knowing That's finding out just what he has beneath his belted sporran
So fill up the tankard lad and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
The fiercest fighters are the picts, or so I have been told For when they go to battle they are always wearing woad So if you see a pict, you know his body's painted blue And if you sleep with one you're sure to get some on you
So fill up the tankard lad and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
The Irish are a peaceful folk and always full of fun You can always catch one and you do not need to run Early in the evening they are always full of spunk But later on you know that he will be too damned drunk
So fill up the tankard lad and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
If you want a finer time, then look to royalty And if I have my choice then its a bearded duke for me Later after revel there is always one around But where there is a duke you can bet a duchess can be found
So fill up the tankard lad and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
The Normans travel round a lot and take whate'er they see If there's a Norman here he's not the man for me They always stay up late at night and never seem to sleep Your virgin girls are very safe but you'd better watch your sheep.
Now the eve has turned to morn and I should go to bed Tis a shame I didn't find a man to turn my head If I have just one more drink it might just change my luck For if I go to bed alone, I do not get to
Fill up the tankard lad and send it round to me I'd rather sit here drinking with my friends so cheerfully And if perchance you catch my eye, then I can get to know you For otherwise then all I have is an empty bed to go to
Autumn to May paul stooke & peter yarrow
d c g c d oh, once I had a little dog its color it was brown
c g c d I taught him for to whistle, to sing and dance and run
g em bm a em his legs they were fourteen yards long his ears so very wide
d7 g em bm c d around the world in half a day upon him I could ride
g c d em c g chorus: sing tarry a day sing autumn to may
oh once I had a little frog he wore a vest of red he leaned upon a silver cane top hat on his head he'd speak of far off places of things to see and do and all the kings and queen's he'd met while sailing in a shoe
chorus
oh once I had a flock of sheep they grazed upon a feather I'd keep them in a music box for wind and rainy weather and every day the sun would shine, they'd fly all through the town to bring me back some golden rings and candy by the pound
chorus
oh once I had a downy swan she was so very frail she sat upom an oyster shell and hatched me out a snail the snail it changed into a bird, the bird to butterfly and he who tells a bigger tale will have to tell a lie
A WHITE BELT IS FOREVER Mithrandyl for Duke Angus
Oh turn your head my sovreign and bide a little time Let the idle chatter pass us by War comes in the dawning and armies form their lines And I would face tomorrow by your side. Another king once held the throne and bore the royal blade He it was who brought me to my prize He it was who girded me with honor and with knightly accolades And golden chain that bound me to his side.
But tourneys come and tourneys go And kingdoms fall to dust But a white belt is forever And a gold chain never rusts
Now as my life I prize the chain that binds me to your throne And shows my oath of service to the crown The king's own running hound am I His enemies my own And at his word I leap to bring them down. But prized above my life I prize the mark of my estate The belt of honor born in honor held My king bestowed my drubbing and raised me to the great When as a knight he gird me with this belt.
For tourneys come and tourneys go And kingdoms fall to dust But a white belt is forever And a gold chain never rusts.
And when tomorrow's battle joins our noble army rides Our king beneath his standard proud and tall Remember Sire Your brother knights who stuggle at Your side Without them king may and kingdom fall. And Sire you are my brother knight and have been since the day My king put me on vigil clad in white My leige if I have served you well then when we join the fray Let my service be to you as knight to knight..
For tourneys come and tourneys go And kingdoms fall to dust But a white belt is forever And a gold chain never rusts
Yes, tourneys come and tourneys go And kingdoms fall to dust But a white belt is forever And a gold chain never rusts
Ballad of Saint Bunstable -cerian cantwr (c) copyright 1990 charles grab
chorus: guard the wine, guard the wine. no matter what may happen, you make sure that wine stays hid. guard the wine, guard the wine. now we all guard our wine like saint bunstable did.
in an abbey on the coast of dear old england's shores, an alcoloyte, named bunstable, was told to do his chores. he did not have an inkling of just what fate had in mind, patron saint of fermentation, alcohaul, beer, mead, and wine.
bunstable, he was a simple soul, he wasn't very bright. but he did his duty faithfully, morning, noon, and night. his chores, they weren't too complex, for that would tax his head. on in particular was simple. This is what his abbot said:
one fateful day came viking raiders, like a dark wave on the coast. the abbey was unable to repel the norsemen's host. bunstable was in the cellar, heard them slaughter young and old. and though trembling with fear, he knew to do as he'd been told.
the cellar door it had been locked, but the vikings would break through so grimly looking round, he knew exactly what to do. he broke open each and every cask, he did not think of flight. and when the deed was done, he'd drunk every drop in sight.
when the vikings came downstairs, they were somewhat less than pleased that bunstable had drunk the wine, there was none to be siezed. they threatened bunstable with flame, but when fire met his breath, there was a great explosion, and they all burned to death.
when the vikings reached valhalla, they were certainly surprised, and for his act of brav'ry bunstable was canonized. it truly is a miracle, to drink up as he did, and it is to his credit that he kept the wine well hid.
THE
BALLAD OF THE THREE KINGS BELA OF EASTMARCH
Three kings rode out of the road to hell and ravens flew on the gale the night wind rang like an iron bell and hissed with sleet and hail three kings rode out where the night wind runs
and onto death's highway: the king of the britons, the king of the huns and the king of norroway
and the king of the britons was helmed with gold and rode a stallion white "oh, all men gang when they are cold but i go not in fright a goodly king, who loved his folk and guarded them with the rod, and stakes and gallows against themselves, will surely go to god."
and the king of the huns was helmed with steel and rode a stallion red. "oh, truly proud my fathers feel of me who crowned my head halfway around a world in pain which mightily i did win and surey i go to my fathers' fane and not to the evil djinn."
and the king of norway was helmed with wings and rode a stallion gray. "oh, fiercely glad my heart now sings; odin guests me today i died in bed, aye, but first i hung full many a screming thrall on odin's tree, with runes on tongue i gang now to odin's hall."
three kings rode down to the depths of hell, with the bloody breasted hound howling where black rivers they run icy beneath the ground. three kings a final judgement won from the high god's lips that day: the devil took the briton, the djinn took the hun, and hell took norroway!
THE BANKS OF THE ROSES
Chorus: On the banks of the roses my love and I sat down And I took out a fiddle for to play my love a tune In the middle of the tune, oh, she sighed and she said Young Johnny, lovely Johnny, would you leave me?
When I was just a young lad, I heard my father say I'd sooner see you dead and buried in the clay Rather than be married to any runaway On the lovely sweet banks of the roses.
Oh, then I am a runaway and soon I'll let you know That I can drink a bottle and drink with anyone And if her father doesn't like me, he can keep his daughter home Then Johnny will go roving with another.
If ever I get married 'twill be in the month of May When the leaves they are green and the meadows they are gay And me and my true love will sit and sport and play By the lovely sweet banks of the roses.
THE BEGGAR MAN
I am a little beggar-man, a beggin' I have been I been three-score or more in this little Isle of green, And I'm known from the Liffey, down to Segume, And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu! Of all the things a-goin', sure the beggin' is the best When an old man is tired he can sit down and rest Beggin' for his dinner, he has nothin' else to do Than to lie around his parlor on his old rig-a-doo!
I slept in a barn down at Currabawn A wet night came on and I slept till the dawn With holes in the roof, and the rain a-comin' thru And the rats and the cats, they was playin' peek-a-boo! When who should awaken, but the woman of the house, With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse She became frightened, and I said "Boo! Arrah! Don't be afraid, ma'am, it's only Johnny Dhu!"
I met a little flaxey-haired girl one day, "Good mornin' little flaxey-haired girl," I did say; "Well, good mornin' little beggar-man, and how do y'do? Wi' your rags and your tags and your old rig-a-doo?" I'll buy a pair of buckles, and a collar and a tie, And a nice young lady I will fetch, by and by, Buy a pair of stockings and I'll color them blue And an old fashioned lady I will make of you!
Over the road with me pack on me back Over the fields wi' me great heavy sack! With holes in me shoes, and the toes a-peekin' thru Singin' skin-a-ma-rink-a-doodle-dum for old Johnny Dhu! I must be goin' t'bed, for it's gettin' late at night And the fires all banked, and out goes the light Now you've heard the story of me old rig-a-doo, It's goodbye and God be with ya, says old Johnny Dhu!
(Note: the melody is known also as "The Little Red-Haired Boy")
BELT AND CHAIN
I can't begin to describe how gratifying it's been to see the spread of this piece. I've always felt that the Society's quest for honor, truth, fellowship, and nobility were far more important than mere historical reenactment and authenticity. Furthermore, and despite the stereotypical stick-jock knight we all know so well, I've always thought that the Society's _ideal_ of the knight is one of our most powerful icons in this dream we try to build. I'm particularly happy to see its acceptance by our kinsmen in Ansteorra; there is a special bond between our two kingdoms, and the thriving nature of Gulf War bears witness to this. For those who are interested, the actual lyrics are below.
Morric
The days are too fast, and the legends long past; Yet some would dream of a place - A place of goodwill, where beauty lies still A bastion of honor and grace; A bastion of honor and grace -
REFRAIN
Will you wear the Belt and Chain - That this dream may yet live again Swear your heart to Chivalry's art Swear your sword to our gain?
Take the young lad and make him page Teach the boy to come of age; Teach him fealty, service and truth Give him these gifts in his youth; Give him these gifts in full sooth.
REFRAIN
Take the young man and make him squire; Teach him arms to best his sire; Teach him chivalry, strength without stain; For one day he'll take belt and chain; For one day he too will be chained.
REFRAIN
Wear the belt as a badge of your word, Bear well the chain, for your oath is interred; Hold fast to honor, as hard as it seems; For you guard the halls of our dream; For you guard the halls of this dream.
REFRAIN
BETTER KISSED BEFORE Rosalind of Paradox Keep
A Viking boy from Drachenheim was fighting on the field He took me in his arms so to his manly charms I'd yield Well I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
A saucy Scotsman caught my eye, he haled from Belfardan We'd toast the king and then the queen, we toasted everyone So I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
A Welshman gay from Minas Tir was dancing in the hall He stole me from my partner when we danced the Hole in Wall Well I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
A guardian from Sacred Stone was worth a second look We strolled in to the woods and sat us down beside a brook Well I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
A clansman of Cyripe was an archer of renown He took me for his target as he looked me up and down Well I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
The lads they are a comely lot at Hathwood country fair And one bought me a ribbon blue to tie around my hair So I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
The Saxon hold or Hearnkeep holds a battle every year And afterwards a lad and I made some goodly cheer Well I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, then I kissed him a wee bit more But I'll not be back for better it is that I've been kissed before.
Then one day a handsome knight rode in, to him I gave my heart He was gallant, fair and courteous, just perfect every part Well, I kissed him once, I kissed him twice, I kissed him a wee bit more Then he said he'd not be back for he'd been better kissed before
So I learned my lesson well that day and the lads no more I'll tease and If any come a courtin' I'll try harder for to please I'll kiss them once, I'll kiss them twice, I'll kiss them a wee bit more Then they'll all come back for never have they been better kissed before.
