March 29, 2015

Magna Carta 800 Year Centenary




The Ballad of Bad King John
 
Hear it here with djembe drums!

 

The Angevins were Very Bad,

And Worst of All was John:

‘As foul as hell is, it’s defiled

By Eleanor’s Little John.

 

Wicked, selfish, lecherous, cruel,

Insolent, shameless, wrong,

Kin-killing, vicious, spiteful, French, (pah!)

Dishonoured, grasping John.

 

Usurped his Lionhearted Bro,

The One Good Angevin;

Jugged Merry Freeborn English (yay!)

Forest-flying Robin.

 

Villain of the Good/Bad History

School and book and song,

‘Inadequate with some Capone’

John. King John. …Bad King John.

 

In 1216 at all time low,

His ‘soft sword’ half advanced,

His shrunk-crown empire Richard-pawned,

Normandy lost to France, (pah!)

 

Despised by all those Magna barons

Carting him to heel

Flinging him to French invaders

And Abdullah’s deal:

 

England given to Mohammed!

A rock moored off Morocco,

Hapless John at bay and 4 years

Excommunicado.

 

Villain of the Good/Bad History

School and book and song,

‘Inadequate with some Capone’

John. King John. …Bad King John.

 

From Lynn, he armied up to Lincoln

As the Wellstream rose+,

Despised by Emperor, peasant, guild;

His Rome-rule churches closed;

 

3000 men, wheels coming off,

Up creek without a guide;

The royal dosh lost in the Wash -

He never lost our pride.

 

For out in Norfolk we do different,

And his haven, it was Lynn,

Their domain he made our borough*,

Gallant little Linnet king.

 

Victim of the Good/Bad History

School and book and song,

His Brother’s Bad Book Good Book Keeper

John. King John. …Good King John.