Lyrics from the Henry VIII Manuscript
R.G. Siemens, Editor
siemensr@mala.bc.ca
A Note on These Texts
These texts are © R.G. Siemens, 1996-; redistribution or archiving by expressed written permission only. See also the lyrics of Henry VIII.
A Listing of the Lyrics (by incipit)
The Lyrics

 

A robyn gentyl robyn [Cornish]

A robyn gentyl robyn
tel me how thy lemman doth
and thow shal know of myne

my lady is vnkynde I wis
alac why is she so [5]
she louyth another better than me
and yet she will say no

I can not thynk such doubylnes
for I fynd women trew
In faith my lady lovith me well [10]
she will change for no new

Hey, Robyn (excerpt from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night 4.2.72 ff.)

Clown [Sings.]
"Hey, Robin, jolly Robin,
Tell me how thy lady does."
Malvolio Fool!
Clo. "My lady is unkind, perdie."
Malvolio Fool!
Clo. "Alas, why is she so."
Malvolio Fool, I say!
Clo. "She loves another" -- Who calls, ha?

Aboffe all thynge [Farthing]

Aboffe all thynge
now lete vs synge
both day and nyght
A dew mornyng
a bud is spryngynge [5]
of the red rose and the whyght

now let us synge.
A dew mornyng.
A dew mornyng adew
now let vs syng [10]
a bud is spryngynge
off the red rose and the whyght.

Whilles lyue or breth is in my brest [Cornish]

Whilles lyue or breth is in my brest
my souerayne lord I shall loue best
my souerayne lorde I shal loue best
my souerayne lord I shall loue best.

My souerayne lorde for my poure sake: [5]
vj. coursys at the ryng dyd make.
Of which iiij. tymes he dyd it take:
wher for my hart I hym beqwest.
And of all other for to loue best:
my souerayne lord. [10]

My souerayne lorde of pusant pure:
as the chefteyne of a waryowere.
With spere and swerd at the barryoure:
as hardy with the hardyest.
He prouith hym selfe that I sey best: [15]
my souerayne lorde.

My souerayne lorde in euery thyng:
a boue all other as a kyng.
In that he doth no comparyng:
but of a trewth he worthyest is. [20]
to haue the prayse of all the best:
my souerayne lorde.

My souerayne lorde when that I mete:
his cherfull contenance doth replete.
My hart with Ioe that I be hete: [25]
next god but he and euer prest.
With hart and body to loue best:
my souerayne lorde.

So many vertuse geuyn of grace:
ther is none one lyue that hace. [30]
Be holde his fauor and his face:
his personage most godlyest.
A vengeauce on them that loueth nott best:
my souerayne lorde.

The souerayne lorde that is of all: [35]
my souerayne lorde saue principall.
He hath my hart and euer shall:
of god I ask for hym request.
Off all gode fortues to send hym best:
my souerayne lorde. [40]

Englond be glad

Englond be glad pluk vp thy lusty hart.
help now thi kyng thi kyng and tak his part

Ageynst the frenchmen in the feld to fyght
In the quarell of the church and in the ryght.
with spers and sheldes on goodly horsys lyght. [5]
bowys and arows to put them all to flyght
helpe now thi kyng

I haue bene a foster [Cooper]

I haue bene a foster
long and many a day
foster wyl I be no more
no lenger shote I may
yet haue I bene a foster [5]

Hange I wyl my nobyl bow
vpon the grene wod bough
For I can nott shote in playne
nor yett in rough
yet haue I bene a foster [10]

Euery bowe for me ys to bygge
myne arow ny worne ys.
The glew ys slypt frome the nyk
when I shuld shoote I myse
yet haue. I bene a foster [15]

Lady venus hath commaundyd me
owt of her courte to go.
Ryght playnly she shewith me
that beawtye ys my foo.
yet haue. I. b.ene a foster [20]

My berd ys so hard god wote
when I shulde maydyns kysse
Thay stand abak and make it strange.
lo age ys cause of this.
yet haue I bene a foster [25]

Now will I take to me my bedes
for and my santes booke.
And pray I wyll for them that may
for I may nowght but loke.
yet haue I bene a foster [30]

I am a joly foster

I am a Ioly foster
I am a Ioly foster
and haue ben many a day
and foster will I be styll
for shote ryght well I may [5]
for shot ryght well I may

Wher for shuld I hang vp my bow
vpon the gren wod bough
I cane bend and draw a bow
and shot well enough. [10]
I am a Ioly foster

wher for shuld I hang vp myne arrow
opon the gren wode lynde
I haue strengh to mak it fle
and kyll bothe hart and hynd. [15]
I am a Ioly foster

wher for shuld I hang vp my horne
vpon the gren wod tre
I can blow the deth of a dere
as well as any that euer I see. [20]
I am a Ioly foster

wher for shuld I tye vp my hownd
vn to the gren wod spray
I can luge and make a sute
as well as any in may. [25]
I am. a Ioly foster

Yow and I and Amyas [Cornish]

Yow and I and amyas
Amyas and yow and I
to the grene wode must we go Alas
yow and I my lyff and amy as

The knyght knokett at the castell gate. [5]
The lady meruelyd who was ther at.

To call the porter he wold not blyn.
The lady said he shuld not com In.

The portres was a lady bryght.
Strangenes that lady hyght. [10]

She asked hym what was his name.
He said desyre yor man madame.

She said desyre what do ye here.
He said Madame as yor prisoner

He was cownselled to breffe a byll. [15]
And shew my lady hys oune wyll.

Kyndnes said she wold yt bere.
and Pyte said she wold be ther.

Thus how thay dyd we can nott say.
we left them ther and went ower way. [20]

My loue sche morneth for me [Cornish]
My loue she morneth for me for me.
my loue sche morneth for me.
Alas pour hart
sen we depart
morne ye no more for me for me. [5]

In louys daunce
syth that oure chaunce
of absence nedes must be.
My loue I say
your loue do way. [10]
and morne no more for me.

It is boote
to me hart roote
but. anguysch and pete.
Wherfore swete hart [15]
your mynde revert
and morne no more for me.

O her kyndnesse.
O her gentylnes.
what sayd sche then to me. [20]
The gode aboue
her schuld not moue
but styll to morne for me.

Alas thought I
what remedy. [25]
venus to blame ar ye.
Now of sum grace
let se purchase
to helpe my loue and me.

Her for to say [30]
I tooke this way
I dyspraysed her beawte.
Yet for all that.
stynt wold sche not.
so trew of loue was sche. [35]

At last sche wept.
I to her lept.
and sett her on my knee.
The terys ran down.
halff in a swone [40]
it rewyd my hart to se.

When I sawe this.
I dyd her kysse
ther wyth reuyued sche
And her smalle wast [45]
ful fast vnlast
and sayd sche morned for me.

Then as I ought.
I me be thought.
and prayd her to be ble [50]
To take comfort.
of my report.
and morne no more for me.

I schall not fayll.
but suere retaylle [55]
from all other that be.
in well and wo
my hart to go
with her that morneth for me.

Thus here an ende. [60]
goode lord deffend
all louers that trew be
And in especyall
from iebardyse all.
my love that mornyth for me. [65]
A the syghes that cum fro my hart [Cornish]
A the syghs that cum fro my hart.
They greue me passyng sore.
Sen ye must nedes from me depart.
ffare well my Ioy for euer more

Oft to me her godely swet face [5]
was wont to cast an nye.
And now absence to be in place
alas for wo I dye I dye.

I was wont her to be hold.
and take in armys twayne [10]
And now with syghs manyfold.
far well my Ioe and welcom payne

And thynk I se her yet.
as wol to god I cowld
Ther myght no Ioys compare with it [15]
vnto my hart. as now she shuld
Hey nony nony [Unattributed]
Hey nony nony nony nony no hey nony nony nony nony no.
Hey nony nony nony no. hey nony nony nony nony no
Hey nony nony noy no. hey nony nony no.

This other day.
I hard a may. [5]
ryght peteusly complayne.
She sayd all way.
with owt de nay.
her hart was full of payne.

Sshe said alas. [10]
with owt trespas.
her dere hart was un trew.
In euery place.
I wot he hace
Ffor sake me for a new. [15]

Seth he untrew.
hath chosen a new.
and thynkes with her to rest.
And will not rew.
and I so trew: [20]
wherfore my hart will brest.

And now I may.
In no maner away.
optayne that I do sew.
So euer and ay. [25]
with owt denay.
myne owne swet hart a dew.

Adew derlyng.
A dew swettyng.
Adew all my welfare. [30]
Adew all thyng.
to god perteynyng:
cryst kepe yow forme care.

Adew full swete.
Adew ryght mete. [35]
to be a ladys pere.
with terys wete.
And yes replete.
she said adew my dere.

Adew fare well. [40]
Adew labell.
Adew bothe frend and foo.
I can nott tell.
wher I shall dwell.
my hart it grevyth me so. [45]

She had nott said.
but at abrayde.
her dere hart was full nere.
And saide goode mayde.
be not dysmayd. [50]
my love my derlyng dere.

In armys he hent.
that lady gent.
In uoydyng care and mone.
They day thay spent. [55]
to ther in tent.
In wyldernes a lone.

Blow thi horne hunter and blow thi horne on hye [Cornish]

Blow thi hornne hunter
and blow thi horne on hye
ther ys a do In yonder wode
in faith she woll not dy
now blow thi hornne hunter [5]
and blow thi hornne Ioly hunter.

Sore this dere strykyn ys.
and yet she bledes no whytt.
she lay so fayre. I cowde nott mys.
lord I was glad of it. [10]

As I stod vnder abank:
the dere shoffe on the mede.
I stroke her so that downe she sanke.
but yet she was not dede.

There she gothe se ye nott. [15]
how she gothe ouer the playne.
And yf ye lust to have ashott.
I warrant her barrayne.

He to go and I to go:
But he ran fast afore. [20]
I bad hym shott and strik the do:
for I myght shott no mere.

To the couert bothe thay went.
for I fownd wher she lay.
An arrow in her hanch she hent. [25]
for faynte she myght nott bray.

I was wery of the game.
I went to tavern to drynk.
now the construccyon of the same:
what do yow meane or thynk. [30]

Here I leue and mak an end.
now of this hunters lore.
I thynk his bow. ys well vn bent:
hys bolt may fle no more.

© R.G. Siemens, 1996-.
Last updated 21 August 2001 .