by John Skelton (1460 - 1529)
Scherzo ‑ Jolly Rutterkin
Language: English
Hoyda, Jolly Rutterkin, hoyda! Like a rutter hoyda. Rutterkin is come unto our town In a cloak without coat or gown, Save a ragged hood to cover his crown, Like a rutter hoyda. Rutterkin can speak no English, His tongue runneth all on buttered fish, Besmeared with grease about his dish, Like a rutter hoyda. Rutterkin shall bring you all good luck, A stoup of beer up at a pluck, Till his brain be as wise as a duck, Like a rutter hoyda. What now, let see, Who looketh on me Well round about, How gay and how stout That I can wear Courtly my gear. My hair brusheth So pleasantly, My robe rusheth So ruttingly, Meseem I fly, I am so light To dance delight. Properly dressed, All point devise, My person pressed Beyond all size Of the new guise, To rush it out In every rout. Beyond measure My sleeve is wide, All of pleasure My hose strait tied, My buskin wide Rich to behold, Glittering in gold. Rutterkin is come, etc.
Glossary
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
pluck -- gulp
rutter -- dashing young fellow
ruttingly -- dashingly
Text Authorship:
- by John Skelton (1460 - 1529) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Scherzo - Jolly Rutterkin", 1935, published 1935, first performed 1936 [contralto (or mezzo-soprano) and baritone soli, chorus, and orchestra], from Five Tudor Portraits: A Choral Suite in Five Movements, no. 5. [text verified 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Peter Warlock.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-04-10
Line count: 42
Word count: 174