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by John Skelton (1460 - 1529)

Scherzo ‑ Jolly Rutterkin
 (Sung text for setting by R. Vaughan Williams)
 Matches base text
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

pluck -- gulp
rutter -- dashing young fellow
ruttingly -- dashingly

Composition:

    Set to music 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 Authorship:

  • by John Skelton (1460 - 1529)

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-04-10
Line count: 42
Word count: 174

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