This rhyme was quoted by my father and his family as an aide memoire …
Willy, Willy, Harry, Ste,
Harry, Dick, John, Harry three,
One, two, three Neds, Richard two,
Henries four, five, six – then who?
Edwards four, five, Dick the bad,
Harries twain and Ned the lad,
Mary, Bessie, James the vain,
Charlie, Charlie, James again,
William & Mary, Anna Gloria,
Four Georges, William and Victoria.
I was delighted to find some continuations of the rhyme.
Edward 7 and George 5,
Edward, George and Liz alive!
Ned Seventh ruled till 1910,
When George the Fifth came in, and then
Ned went when Mrs. Simpson beckoned,
Leaving George and Liz the second.
Edward 7th next & then, George the 5th in 1910.
Edward 8 who didn’t last, to Georgie 6 the title passed.
His rule was good and on his death, we got our second Lizabeth.
or, even …
Edward, George, then Ned the eighth
quickly goes and abdicat’th,
leaving George, then Liz the second,
and with Charlie next it’s reckoned.That’s the way our monarchs lie
since Harold got it in the eye!(PS. Sorry, Lady Jane Grey – you got the chop!)
August 2011: Bringing the rhyme even more up to date (assuming that Prince Charles does accede to the throne) this via Steph (see comments)
Edward the 7th and George the 5th
Edward the 8th and George the 6th
Bessie 2′s the present bird
and after her comes Charles the 3rd
If you know other endings please let me know via comments – thanks. Are there any that mention William yet, I wonder …
August 2011: (with thanks to @qipedia via Twitter) A BBC Horrible Histories song…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV73ke7vXV4
Lyrics
I’m William the Conqueror,
My enemies stood no chance,
They call me the first English King,
Although I come from France,
1066 the Doomsday book, I gave to History,
So fat on death, my body burst, but enough about me…
To help remember all your Kings,
I’ve come up with this song
A simple rhyme and ditty
For you all the sing along
Oh ….. William…
(bit short init … we need more kings … who came next?)
William 2nd, cheeks were red,
Killed out hunting so it said,
I took over, Henry One.
That’s my next eldest son.
Then King Stephen - it’s true, check it,
I Henry II (two) killed Thomas Becket
Richard Lionheart that’s right,
Always spoiling for a fight
Oh King John, what a disaster,
We’re all restrained by Magna Carta…
William, William, Henry, Stephen,
Henry, Richard, John, Oi!
Time for my mate King Henry VIII (8) to take up this song…
Henry III (3) built the abbey.
Ed I (1) hated Scots.
A red-hot poker killed Ed II (2),
That must have hurt him lots!
Edward the third was a chivalry nerd,
Begun the Hundred Years War.
Then Richard II (2) was King aged 10
Then Henry, yes one more…
King Henry IV (4), floods galore
Not least from Henry V! (5), why?
Killed ten score, at Agincourt
Then Henry Sixth arrived (whaaah)…
Edward VI (4), Edward V (5),
Richard the third he’s bad
‘Cos he fought wars with Henry 7,
First Tudor and my dad.
So Henry 8, I was great,
Six wives, two were beheaded,
Edward the 6th came next,
But he died young and so my (dreaded)
Daughter Mary ruled, so scary…
Then along came ME!
I’m Liz the 1st,
I have no kids so Tudors R.I.P!
William, William, Henry, Stephen,
Henry, Richard, John, Oi!
Henry, Ed, Ed, Ed, Rich 2,
Then 3 more Henrys join our song
Edward, Edward, Rich the 3rd,
Henry, Henry, Ed again,
Mary 1, Good Queen Bess,
[That's me: time for more men.]
James sixth of Scotland next,
As English James the first he led
Then Stuarts Ruled,
So Charles the first,
The One who lost his head,
No Monarchy until came me,
Charles 2 (II), I like to party,
King Jimmy 2 was scary ooo,
Then Mary was a Smarty,
She Ruled with Will,
Their shoes were filled,
By sourpuss Queen Anna Gloria
And so from then, you’re ruled by men,
‘Til along came me, Victoria!
William, William, Henry, Stephen,
Henry, Richard, John, Oi!
Henry, Ed, Ed, Ed, Rich 2,
Then 3 more Henrys join our song
Edward, Edward, Rich the 3rd,
Henry, Henry, Ed again,
Mary 1, Good Queen Bess,
Jimmy, Charles, and Charles and Then
Jim, Wil l& Mary, Anna Gloria,
Still to come it’s Queen Victoria
And so began the Hanover Gang,
George 1, and George 2,
Then George the 3rd, was quite absurd,
‘Til I replaced old him,
King George the fourth and known henceforth,
As angry, fat, and cross
Hang on!
It’s true you beat Napoleon,
But were mostly a dead loss
Bang On!
Ole William the fourth was a sailor,
Ahoy!
It’s nearly the end of the story-ah,
As onto the scene comes the best loved Queen,
Hail to Queen Victoria!
William, William, Henry, Stephen,
Henry, Richard, John, Oi!
Henry, Ed, Ed, Ed, Rich 2,
Then 3 more Henrys join our song
Edward, Edward, Rich the 3rd,
Henry, Henry, Ed again,
Mary 1, Good Queen Bess,
Jimmy, Charles, and Charles and Then
Jim, Will & Mary, Anna Gloria,
George, George, George, George,
Will, Victoria
…VICTORIA….
[I ruled for 64 years you know]
Ed 7, George 5, Ed 8, George 6,
Liz 2, then reigned and how,
And so our famous monarchs song
Is brought right up to now
Oooh!!!
William, William, Henry, Stephen,
Henry, Richard, John, Oi!
Henry, Ed, Ed, Ed, Rich 2,
Then 3 more Henrys join our song
Edward, Edward, Rich the 3rd,
Henry, Henry, Ed again,
Mary 1, Good Queen Bess,
Jimmy, Charles, and Charles and Then
Jim, Will & Mary, Anna Gloria,
George, George, George, George,
Will, Victoria,
Edward, George, Edward, George Six,
And Queen Liz 2 complete the mix.
That’s all the English Kings and Queens,
Since William First that there have been!
When my grandmother taught me this rhyme in the 60′s she added
Edward the 7th and George the 5th
Edward the 8th and George the 6th
Bessie 2′s the present bird
and after her comes Charles the 3rd
—–
Thanks Steph!
We were wondering about endings including the possiblity of Charles and even William the other day and then your timely comment arrived … I have added it to the list. Not sure how Eliz II would feel about being called a bird so it rhymes with 3rd though!
h/e
Hello Steph
You might have seen that I have updated my post following your comment last week. Since then I have added a YouTube piece you might find of interest as well, though the tune may drive you mad!
hopeeternal