Brewer's: King of Yvetot

(pron. Ev-to). A man of mighty pretensions but small merits. Yvetot is near Rouen, and was once a seigneurie, the possessors of which were entitled kings- a title given them in 534 by Clotaire I., and continued far into the fourteenth century.

Il était un roi d'Yvetot, Peu connu dans l'histoire; Se levant tard, se couchant tot, Dormant fort bien sans gloire; Et couronne par Jeanneton D'un simple bonnet de cotton, Dit on: Oh! oh! oh! oh! Ah! ah! ah! ah! Quel bon petite roi c'était; la! la! la!

A king there was, `roi d'Yvetot' clept, Put little known in story, Went soon to bed, till daylight slept, And soundly without glory; His royal brow in cotton cap Would Janet, when he took his nap, Enwrap. Oh! oh! oh! oh; Ah! ah! ah! ah! A famous king he! La! la! la! E. C. B.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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