The Ballad Of Richard III by Gwydion Pendderwen

The Ballad Of Richard III
by Gwydion Pendderwen

When good King Richard, that's Richard of Glocester,
Ascended the throne, did he,
He made good his promise to lower the taxes
And set all the debtors free.
Now kindly King Richard was called-Dicky Crookback .
By Henry of Richmond, was he,
Till all of his subjects had heard the foul rumors
From Dover to Anglesey. :

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Henry of Richmond, he wilted the crown
To wear on his bonnie Weish head;
But Henry the Seventh he'd never be
Till Richard the Third was dead.

You've heard of the princes who died in the Tower,
The Tower of London, you've heard;
T'was Henry Of Richmond who blamed his foul murders
On goodly King Richard the Third.
With plotting and pledges an army was raised
To force our fair Richard to yield,
And the Wars of the Roses then came to an ending
At the Battle of Bosworth Field.

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The Bishop of Ely, he blest our King Richard,
And promised to help in the fights,
But even before Richard went to the battle,
John Morton gave him the last rites.
The proud Rhys ap Thomas and handsome Will Stanley,
They promised their swords to their liege;
But shortly these bastards went over to Henry
And even helped plan his siege.

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Tin list of the traitors is too long .to mention
And i:he names of the faithful are few;
For Henry of Richmond vowed gold to the rebels
And death to the loyal and true.
Now Henry of Richmond was crowned King of England,
Some say he was Arthur returned;
But Arthur Pendragon, ne'er once had he murdered,
Or looted, or plundered or burned.

CHORUS

Now you may be thinking my story's told falsely
Because you have read the Bard's play,
About Dicky Crookback who murdered his brother
All on St. Bartholomew's Day.
But truth is elusive, t'was true then as now,
And falsehoods are easily spread;
And some men became saints while some became monsters'
Because of what Will Shakespeare said.

CHORUS