Poetry has a history of being involved with notable events, usually in celebratory vein but just as

effectively in critical mode.  Wit always works better than basic vulgarity, but has to be applied with

care (or courageous disregard depending on your mindset!).  A superior example of rhyme and

clever association is to be found in the couplet by William Collingbourne (Colynbourne), a Wiltshire

farmer, who attached the following deadly couplet  to the door of St Paul's Cathedral attacking King

Richard 111, and his henchmen -----

William Catesby, lawyer and Speaker of the House of Commons; Sir Richard Ratcliffe, and Francis,

Viscount Lovel,  The couplet was deadly in more ways than one as it obtained the summary execution

of its author.  One can easily imagine the ribaldry in the taverns of the time at these scurrilous lines,

updated slightly to modern English here...........

The Cat, the Rat and Lovel our dog

Rule all England under a Hog,

The clever content can be explained as  follows, even allowing for the smart abbreviated "animal  name" connections - and their contemptuous connotations..

Lovel's crest was a silver wolf hound.   Richard's heraldic banner was the white boar..

It is little wonder that this couplet has endured down the centuries, giving its otherwise unknown

author lasting fame.

Catesby was to be executed after the Battle of Bosworth.  Ratcliffe was killed during the same battle.

Lovel escaped the battle and fled to Yorkshire, then to Burgundy to associate with Richard's sister

Margaret against Henry V11.  It is thought likely he was killed in the Battle of Stoke.

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