https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/browse?tags=political&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CCreator&sort_dir=a&output=atom <![CDATA[Execution Ballads]]> 2024-03-30T02:42:45+11:00 Omeka https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1220 <![CDATA[ Ein schœn New Lied von dem erbermlichen Blutbad etlicher Oberlendischer fuernemer Kriegsleut so Graff Latron Elendigklich hat lassen hinrichten jn dem Niderland. ]]> 2021-03-25T16:14:26+11:00

Title

Ein schœn New Lied von dem erbermlichen Blutbad etlicher Oberlendischer fuernemer Kriegsleut so Graff Latron Elendigklich hat lassen hinrichten jn dem Niderland.

Subtitle

Jm Thon Kompt herzu mir spricht Gottes Son [et]c.

Synopsis

An account of the various soldiers who were executed in the 'bloodbath' of the Dutch Revolt.

Digital Object

Image notice

Full size images of all ballad sheets available at the bottom of this page.

Image / Audio Credit

Berliner Liedflugschriften SBB-PK Berlin <Ye 4151>. VDLied Digital.

Date

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https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1293 <![CDATA[A newe ballade made of Thomas Crumwel, called ‘Trolle on away’<br /> ]]> 2021-06-12T11:25:56+10:00

Title

A newe ballade made of Thomas Crumwel, called ‘Trolle on away’

Synopsis

This song celebrates the beheading on Tower Hill on 28 July 1540 of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's chief adviser. It is the earliest English execution ballad that can be reliably dated. The singer addresses Cromwell directly, mocking his rise from a low birth to the unprecedented heights he achieved.

Digital Object


Image notice

Full size image/s available at the bottom of this page.

Image / Audio Credit

Thomas Percy, Percy's reliques of ancient English poetry (London: Dent, 1910), 327-329. Audio recording by Jenni Hyde.

Set to tune of...

Transcription

Trolle on away, trolle on awaye,
Synge heave and howe rombelowe trolle on away.

Both man and chylde is glad to here tell
Of that false traytoure Thomas Crumwell,
Now that he is set to learne to spell.
Synge trolle on away.

When fortune lokyd the in thy face,
Thou haddest fayre tyme, but thou lackydyst grace;
Thy cofers with golde thou fyllydst a pace,
Synge, &c.

Both plate and chalys came to thy fyst,
Thou lockydst them vp where no man wyst,
Tyll in the kynges treasoure such things were myst.
Synge, &c.

Both crust and crumme came thorowe thy handes,
Thy marchaundyse sayled over the sandes,
Therfore nowe thou art layde fast in bandes.
Synge, &c.

Fyrste when Kynge Henry, God saue his grace!
Perceyud myschefe kyndlyd in thy face,
Then it was tyme to purchase the a place.
Synge, &c.

Hys grace was euer of gentyll nature,
Mouyd with petye, and made the hys seruyture;
But thou, as a wretche, suche thinges dyd procure.
Synge, &c.

Thou dyd not remembre, false heretyke,
One God, one fayth, and one kynge catholyke,
For thou hast bene so long a scysmatyke.
Synge, &c.

Thou woldyst not learne to knowe these thre;
But euer was full of iniquite:
Wherfore all this lande hathe ben troubled with the.
Synge, &c.

All they, that were of the new trycke,
Agaynst the churche thou baddest them stycke;
Wherfore nowe thou haste touchyd the quycke.
Synge, &c.

Bothe sacramentes and sacramentalles
Thou woldyst not suffre within thy walles;
Nor let vs praye for all chrysten soules.
Synge, &c.

Of what generacyon thou were no tonge can tell,
Whyther of Chayme, or Syschemell,
Or else sent vs from the deuyll of hell.
Synge, &c.

Thou woldest neuer to vertue applye,
But couetyd euer to clymme to hye,
And nowe haste thou trodden thy shoo awrye.
Synge, &c.

Who-so-euer dyd winne thou wolde not lose;
Wherfore all Englande doth hate the, as I suppose,
Bycause thou wast false to the redolent rose.
Synge, &c.

Thou myghtest have learned thy cloth to flocke
Upon thy gresy fullers stocke;
Wherfore lay downe thy heade vpon this blocke.
Synge, &c.

Yet saue that soule, that God hath bought,
And for thy carcas care thou nought,
Let it suffre payne, as it hath wrought.
Synge, &c.

God saue King Henry with all his power,
And Prynce Edwarde that goodly flowre,
With al hys lordes of great honoure.

Synge trolle on awaye, syng trolle on away.
Hevye and how rombelowe trolle on awaye.

Method of Punishment

beheading

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Tower Hill

Printing Location

Original in Antiquarian Society, in a large folio Collection of Proclamations, &c
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https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1294 <![CDATA[¶A balade agaynst malycyous Sclaunderers.<br /> ]]> 2021-06-12T11:30:46+10:00

Title

¶A balade agaynst malycyous Sclaunderers.

Synopsis

A response ballad to 'A newe ballade made of Thomas Crumwell' which tries to rehabilitate the fallen favourite, while being careful not to question the king's judgment. The author of this ballad and the previous one produced so many vitriolic ballads on the subject that they were ultimately imprisoned for a few weeks.

Digital Object


Image notice

Full size image/s available at the bottom of this page.

Image / Audio Credit

Society of Antiquaries Library, Early English Books, 1475-1640 (STC), Reel position 1861:04, EEBO link (institutional login required). Audio recording by Jenni Hyde.

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Transcription

¶Heue aud how rumbelow thou arte to blame
Trolle into the right way agayne for shame.

TRolle into the way / trolle in and retrolle
Small charyte and lesse wytte is in thy nolle
Thus for to rayle vpon a christen soule
Wherfore men thynke the worthy blame
Trolle into the way agayne for shame.

¶Thou makest a trollyng hyther and thyther
Somtyme thou trollest thou canst not tell whyther
But if all thy trollynges were gathered togyther
Thy trollynge might trym the and tourne the to blame
Wherfore trolle thou nowe into the way for shame

❧Although lord Crumwell a traytour was
yet dare I saye that the kynge of his grace
Hath forgyuen him that gret trespas
To tayle than on dead men / thou arte to blame
Trolle now into the way agayne for shame.

❧In that that he the law hath offended
By the lawe he is iustly condempned
This mortall lyfe / full godly he ended
Wherfore to rayle thus / thou art to blame
Trolle into the way agayne for shame.

¶For all his offences in euery thyng
He asked god mercy and grace of the kynge
And of all the wyde world / for his trāsgressyng
Thou nor no man can say nay to the same
Trolle into the way than agayne for shame

☜Thou takest his treason for thy subtyll defence
Which nowe is departed and gone from hence
But men spye the pricke of all thy pretence
Thy owne sayenges folowyng declare the same
Trolle into the way / for fere or for shame

¶Thou sayest he was with the church to quycke
Fauouryng none but of the new trycke
But nowe thou spurnest agaynst the prycke
And thou of force / must confesse the same
Trolle into the way agayne for shame

☜For bysshops haue now as they haue had
If preestes wold complayne / they were to mad
Wherfore thou apperest to be a popysshe lad
For vsyng thy popery / thou arte to blame
Trolle into the way agayne for shame.

❧For here thou vpholdest both monkes and fryers
Nunnes and noughty packes / and lewed lowsy lyers
The bysshop of Rome / with all his rotten squyers
To buylde such a church / thou arte moche to blame
Trolle nowe into the way agayne for shame.

❧May not men thynke now in the meane ceason
That thou hast deserued by ryght and by reason
As moch as he hath done for clokynge thy treason
For he was a traytour / and thou arte the same
Trolle away papyst / god gyue the shame.

¶The sacrament of the aulter / that is most hyest
Crumwell beleued it to be the very body of Chriest
Wherfore in thy writyng / on him thou lyest
For the kynge & his counsell wyll wytnesse the same
Trolle into the waye / than agayne for shame

☜Although that he of byrth were but bace
yet was he set vp of the kynges noble grace
Wherby it appereth that thou woldest deface
The kynges royall power / dispysyng the same
Trolle away traytour / god gyue the shame.

¶Is it thy facyon thus craftely to saye?
Let vs for the kynge / and his lordes praye
And than at the last / to trolle them awaye
With heue and how rumbelow / thy wordes be the same
Both written and printed / to thy great shame?

☜Hast thou no man els / thou dronken soll
But the kynge and his nobles / away for to troll
It were ynough for to cost the thy poll
Both thyne and all other / that wold do the same
Trolle away traytoure / god gyue the shame.

¶A prety wyse printer belyke he was
Which of his printyng / so lytell doth pas
To print such pylde poetry / as this same was
Lyke maker / lyke printer / two trolles of the game
A payre of good papystes / ye be payne of shame

☜God send all traytours their hole desa•tes
God send small toye / to all popysshe hartes
And euyll hap to as many as do take their partes
God send their purpose neuer to frame
But trolle them away with sorow and shame.

¶I pray god thou be not fownde one of those
That peruarteth the people / as I suppose
From redyng of gods worde / that goodly rose
Where the counsell commaundeth to occupy the same
Thou traytor allurest them this fayre floure to defame.

❧God preserue and kepe the kynges noble grace
With prince Edwarde his sonne / to succede in his place
God kepe them amonge vs / longe tyme and space
Let all his true subiectes / say Amen to the same
And they that wold otherwyse / god send them shame.

¶Finis.

Composer of Ballad

William Gray

Method of Punishment

beheading

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Tower Hill

Printing Location

☜Prentyd at London in Lombard strete nere
vnto the Stockes market at the sygne
of the Mermayde by Iohn
Gough.

Cum preuilegio Ad imprimendum solum

O domine in uirtute tua letabitur Rex, &c.

Original located in Antiquarian Society, in a large folio Collection of Proclamations, &c
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