Hardyknute

"Hardyknute" is a ballad written by Lady Wardlaw in 1719. It was initially presented as a genuine folk ballad but is considered an early literary imitation of the form. This type of balladry, known as a literary ballad, was influenced by the style of broadsides and later became popular after the publication of Thomas Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry in 1765. Literary ballads often employed jingling meters, forced rhymes, and an unbuttoned style, sometimes for humorous effect. While "Hardyknute" itself is not a historical ballad, historical ballads from the period 1550-1750 often chronicled local skirmishes and regional events, particularly along the border between England and Scotland, reflecting folk attitudes even if factual details were inaccurate.12