Kola rycerska (Great is the Knighthood)
Drinking song of the Polish knighthood of 15 c, which tells in a joking form about some military class features. One out of three most popular knight songs of Rzeczpospolita (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) – Ukrainian thought from the Ukraine, Armed knight from The Great Duchy of Lithuania and Great is the Knighthood from Poland. Only first lines of this song remained (written in the old Polish language), the melody hasn’t survived until present days. Musicians playing old music make their own version of this song. In this case the fragmentary polish text was completed to its full version. The melody for the song was taken from the Italian dance Amoroso (15 c), remade specially for this. Text completion and music remake – by Zmicier Sasnoŭski. Actual English translation by Alena Martsyanava and Volya Dzemka.
Piekna josć kola rycerska!
Chto zdatny vieršnik i rubaka,
Honar i slava krulieŭska,
Chto zavše rušyć u ataku,
Rviecca da vajny ŭsialiakaj –
Maje toj dušu vajaka,
Piekna josć kola rycerska!
Piekna josć kola rycerska!
I chto ilbom kryšyć hatovy
Piki i dzidy turecki,
Chto nie pramović ani slova,
Alie zlomić stol ciasovy –
Maje toj dubovu hlovu,
Piekna josć kola rycerska!
Piekna josć kola rycerska!
Kab zalivalasia vyborna
Piva staravilienska!
U kim šalienstva nie pamiorla,
Žlukcić cebary i viodry,
Maje toj pijacka horla,
Piekna josć kola rycerska!
Great is the knighthood!
The great horsemen and swordsmen,
Are a king’s pride and glory.
The first ones to attack,
Who crave every fight.
Have the warriors’ souls,
Great is the knighthood!
Great is the knighthood!
Those who long to crash with their heads, to challenge
Turkish peaks and spears,
Those who say no word,
But smash the plank table,
They have the blockheads,
Great is the knighthood!
Great is the knighthood!
To swallow best
The Beer from old Vilno!
Those for whom madness hasn’t left,
Have drinker’s throat,
They drink from cups and buckets,
Great is the knighthood!
