The Lyrics of Henry VIII/Gentyl prince de renom, Henry VIII (Incipit)

[ff. 49^v-50^r]

The Kynge .H.viij.

Gentyl prince de renom

Textual Commentary

“Gentyl prince de renom” appears as an incipit in H in all four voices, with one and a half height block initial capitals. There is little room left among the musical notation for text (at times, the musical notation runs into the text which is present). “Gentyl prince de renom” is listed in the manuscript’s table of contents as the fortieth work. The song was printed in PBOdh (f. 95^r), with the incipit “Gentil prince”; to this song, Henry VIII added the third voice. Suggested by Hewitt (ed., Odhecaton 166, 404), a likely related text is found in P12744 (f. 97^r), though the melody of the song differs. The related text reads as follows:

Gentil duc de lorainne prince de grant renon
tu as la renommee jusques de la les mons
et toy et tes gens darmes et tous tes compaignons
Du premier coup quil frappe abatit le danions
tirez tirez bonbardes serpentines et canons                           5
Nous suymes gentilzhomes prenez nous a raison
vous mentes par la gorge vous nestez que larons
et violeurs de femmes et bruleurs de maisons
vous en aurez la corde par dessoubz le mantons
et sy orrez matines au chant des oysoilllons                         10
Et sy orrez la messe que les corbins diront

Hewitt notes the remark of G. Paris, that the person referred to in the piece above is René de Vaudemont and that the last two lines are popular expressions meaning “you will be hanged” (ed., Odhecaton 181).

“Gentyl prince de renom” is reprinted in Stevens MCH8 (36), Hewitt (ed., Odhecaton #90), and elsewhere.