University of Virginia Library


226

[Songs from British Museum Add. Ms. 31922.]


236

[This other day I hard a may.]

This other day I hard a may.
ryght peteusly cōplayne.
She sayd allway wtowt de nay.
her hart was full of payne.
Sche said alas wtowt trespas.
her dere hart was vntrew.
In euery place I wot he hace.
ffor sake me for a new.

237

Seth he vntrew hath chosen a new.
and thynkes wt her to rest.
And will not rew and so I trew:
wher fore my hart will brest.
And now I may. In no maner away.
optayne that I do sewe.
So euer & ay wtowt denay.
myne owne swet hart a dew.
A dew derlyng a dew swettyng.
A dew all my welfare.
Adew all thyng to god perteynyng:
cryst kepe yow for me care
Adew full swete. Adew right mete.
to be a ladys here with terys wete
And yes replete.
she said adew my dere.
Adew farewell. Adew labell.
A dew bothe frend and foo.
I can not tell wher I shall dwell.
my hart it greuyth me so.
She had nott said but at abrayde.
her dere hart was full nere.
And saide goode mayde be not dysmayd.
my loue my derlȳg dere.
In armys he hent that lady gent.
In uoydyng care & mone
Th[at] day thay spent to ther in tent.
In wyldernes a lone.

[Grene growith ye holy so doth ye Iue.]

Grene growith ye holy so doth ye Iue.
thow wynter blastys blow neuer so hye
grene growth the holy.
Grene growth ye holy so doth the iuye.
thow wynter blastes blow neuer so hye.
grene grouth the holy.
Grene grouth ye holy so doth the Iue.
thow wynter blastys blow neuer so hye.
grene grouth the holy.
As the holy grouth grene.
and neuer chaungeth hew
So I am [OMITTED] euer hath bene
vnto my lady trew
grene growth &c.

238

A[s] the holy grouth grene:
with Iue all alone
when flowerys, can not be sene
and grene wode leuys be gone
vt supra.
Now vnto my lady
promyse to her I make
ffrome all other only
to her I me be take
vt supra.
Adew myne owne lady.
Adew my specyall.
Who hath my hart trewly
he suere & euer shall
vt supra.

[Blow ye horne hunter & blow ye horne on hye]
[_]

The attribution of this poem is questionable.

Blow ye horne hunter & blow ye horne on hye
ther ys a do in yonder wode in faith she woll not dy.
now blow ye horne hunter & blow ye horne Joly hunter.
Sore this dere strykyn ys.
& yet she bled no whytt.
she lay so fayre I cowde nott mys.
lord I was glad of it.
As I stod vnder a bank:
the dere shoffe on the mede.
I stroke her so that downe she sanke.

239

but yet she was not dede.
There she gothe se ye nott.[?]
how she gothe ouer the playne.[?]
And yf ye lust to haue a shott.
I warrant her bargayne.
He to go and I to go:
but he ran fast a fore.
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.
for faynte she myght not bray.
I was wery of the game.
I went to tauern to drynk.
now the construccyon of the same:
what do yow meane or thynk.
Here I leue and make an end.
how of this hunts lore.
I thynk his bow ys well vn bent:
hys bolt may fle no more.
W. Cornysh.

[Yow and I and amyas]
[_]

The attribution of this poem is questionable.

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

240

The knyght knokett at the castell gate
The lady meruelyd who was ther at
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
To call the porter he wold not blyn
The lady said he shuld not com in
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
The portres was a lady bryght
Strangenes that lady hyght
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
She asked hym what was his name
he said[:] desyre yor man[,] madame
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
She said[:] desyre what do ye here[?]
he said[:] madame as yor presoner[!]
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
He was cownselled to breffe a byll
And shew my lady hys oune wyll
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
Kyndnes[,] said she[,] wold yt bere.
And pyte[,] said she[,] wold be ther.
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
Thus how thay dyd we can nott say
we left them there & went ower way
yu & I & amyas vt supra.
Cornysh.

242

[Whill lyue or breth is in my brest]
[_]

The attribution of this poem is questionable.

Whill lyue or breth is in my brest
my souerayne lord I shall loue best
My souerayne lorde I shal loue best.
My souerayne lorde I shal loue best.
My souerayne lorde for my poure sake:
VI courfys at the ryng dyd make.
Of which IIII tymes he dyd it take:
Wherfor my hart I hym bequest.
And of all other for to loue best:
my souerayne lord.
My souerayne lorde of pusant pure:
as the chefteyne of a waryowere.
wt spere and swerd at the barryoure:
as hardy wt the hardyest.
he prouith hym selfe that I sey best:
My souerayne lorde.
My souerayne lorde in euery thyng:
a boue all other as a kyng.
In that he doth no cōparyng:
but of a trewth he worthyest is.
to haue the prayse of all the best:
my souerayne lorde.
My souerayne lorde when that I mete:
his cherfull conten̄ance doth replete.
My hart wt Joe that I be hete:
next god but he and euer prest
wt hart and body to loue best:
my souerayne lorde.
So many vertuse geuyn of grace:
yer is none one lyue yt hace.
Beholde his fauor and his face:
his personage most godlyest.

243

A vengeauce on them yt loueth nott best:
my souerayne lorde.
The souerayne lorde yt is of all:
my souerayne lorde saue [,] principall[!]
he hath my hart & euer shall:
of god I ask for hym request:
off all gode fortūes to send hym best:
my souerayne lorde.
W. Cornyshe.

245

[I am a joly foster I am a joly foster]

I am a joly foster I am a joly foster
and haue ben many a day[,]
& foster will I be styll
for shote ryght well I may
for shot ryght well I may.
Wher for shuld I hang vp my bow
vpon the green wod bough[?]
I cane bend & draw a bow
and shot well enough.
I am a joly foster.
Wher for shuld I hang vp myne arrow[e]
vpon ye gren wode lynde[?]
I haue strengh to mak it fle
& kyll bothe hart & hynd.
I am &c.
Wher for shuld I hang vp my horne
vpon ye gren wod tre[?]
I can blow ye deth of a dere as well
as any yt euer I see.
I am &c.

246

Wherfor shuld I tye vp my hownd
vnto ye green wod spray
I can luge and make a sute
as well as any in may[!]
I am &c.

261

[Why soo vnkende Alas]

Why soo vnkende Alas
why soo vnkende to me
Syne the tyme I knew yow fyrst
you were my Joy and my trust
Why soo vnkende Alas
why so vnkende to me
Soo to be kende to me
Erly & late I am ryght fayne
your love & favor to attayne
Why soo vnkende &c.
ys ther no grace ne remedy
but euer to morne eternally
Alas why soo vnkende &c.
Off my por seruys ye may be sure
As long as lyff dothe last & dure
why soo vnkende &c.
Hope dothe to me consolacōn
Else sholde I ren in dy[s]parcōn
why soo vnkende &c.
ye haue my hart ye haue my love
Gode sende me yours that syttyth above
why soo vnkende &c.

262

[Kytt hathe lost hur key hur key]

Kytt hathe lost hur key hur key
goode kytte hath lost hur key
she ys soo sory for the cause
she wotts nott what to say
she ys soo sory for the cause
she wott not what to say to say
goode kytt good kytt
she ys soo sory for the cause
she wot not to say to say good kytt.
Kytt she wept I axyde why soo
that she made All thys mone
she sayde Alas I am soo woo
my key ys lost and gone
Kytt has lost hur key vt supra.
Kyt she wept & cryede one hye
and fore hur key dyd axe
she be heyght to seynt sythe a key
and offryde to hym a key of wexe
Kyt hathe lost hur key &c.
Kyt why dyd ye losse your key
for sothe ye were to blame
now euery man to yow wyll say
Kyt losse key ys your name
Kyt hathe lost hur keye &c.
& kyt she wept & cryed Alas
Hur key she cowde not fynde
In fayth I trow yn bour she was
with sum that were not kende
Kyt hath lost hur key &c.
Now fare well Kytt I can no more
I wot not what to say
but I shall pray to gode there fore
that yow may fynde yor key
Kyt hath lost hur key.

270

[Thys ender nyȝth]

Thys ender nyȝth
I saw a syȝth
a ster as bryȝth as day
And euer among
A maydyn song[:]
by by baby lullay
Thys vyrgyn clere
wythowtyn pere
vnto hur son gane sing[:]
my son my lorde
my fathere dere
why lyest thow in hay[?]
me thenke be ryght
thow kyng & knyght
shulde lye in ryche aray[!]
yet none the lesse
I wyll not cess
to syng by by lullay[!]
Thys babe full bayne
aunsweryd agayne[,]
& thus me thought he sayde[:]
I am a kyng
above all thyng
yn hay yff I be layde[!]
for ye shall see
that kynges thre
shall cū on twelfe day[.]
for thys behest
geffe me [thy] brest
& sing by baby lullay[!]

271

My son I say
wythowttyn nay
thow art my derlyng dere
I shall the kepe
whyle thow dost slepe
& make the goode chere.
And all thy whylle
I wyll fulfill
thou wotyst hyt well yn fay[.]
yet more then thys
I wyll the kys
and syng by baby lullay[.]
My moder swete
when I haue slepe[,]
then take me vp at last
vppon yor kne
thatt [y]e sett me
and handell me full soft
& yn yor arme
lap me ryght / warme
& kepe me myght & day
and yff I wepe
and can nott slepe
syng by by baby lullay[.]
My son my lorde
my father dere
syth all ys at thy wyll[,]
I pray the son
graunte me a bone
yff hyt be ryght & skylle[:]
that chylde or man
may euer come
be mercy on thys day[,]
to blys them bryng
& I shall syng
by by baby lullay
& I shall syng
by by baby lullay[.]
My mother shene
of heuyn quene
yor askyng shall I spede[,]
so that the myrth
dysplease me nott
yn [wordys] / nor in dede[,]

272

syng what ye wyll
so that ye fullfyll
my ten cōmaundements ay[,]
ay yow for to please
let them nott sesse
to syng baby lullay.

[My lytell fole]

My lytell fole
ys gon to play
sche wyll tary no longer wt me
he how frisca Joly
vnder ye grene wood tre
he how frisca Joly &c.