The Lyrics of Henry VIII/Hey troly loly lo (Unattributed)

[ff. 124^v-128^r]

Hey troly loly lo mayde whether go you.
I go to the medowe to mylke my cow
than at the medow I wyll you mete.
to gather the flowers both fayer and swete.

Nay god forbede that may not be                                      5
I wysse my mother then shall vs se.

Now yn this medow fayer and grene
we may vs sport and not be sene.
and yf ye wyll I shall consent.
how sey ye mayde be ye content                                    10

Nay in goode feyth I wyl not melle with you.
I pray you sir lett me go mylke my cow.
why wyll ye nott geue me no comfortt.
that now in the feldes we may vs sportt.

Nay god forbede that may not be.                                    15
I wysse my mothyr than shall vs se.

Ye be so nyce and so mete of age.
that ye gretly move my corage.
syth I loue you loue me agayne.
let vs make one though we be twayne.                            20

Nay In goode feyth I wyll not mell with you
Ye haue my hert sey what ye wyll.
wherfore ye muste my mynde fulfyll.
and graunte me here yor maydynhed
or elles I shall for you be ded.                                          25

Nay In goode feyth I wyll not

Then for this onse I shal you spare.
But the nexte tyme ye must beware
how in the medow yet mylke yor cow.
adew farewell and kysse me now.                                   30

Nay in goode fayth I wyll not melle with you.

Textual Commentary

“Hey troly loly lo” is a lyric in two voices, male and female, representing an exchange between a maiden (ll. 2–6, 11–6, 21, 26, and 31) and a suitor / seducer (ll. 1, 7–10, 17–20, 22–5, and 27–30), who is ultimately rejected. The final words of the seducer have potentially dark overtones. For its employment of the first line, cf., in H, Cornish’s “Trolly lolly loly lo” (H 33; see also corresponding notes and commentary) and “Hey troly loly loly” (H 55).

1 Hey troly loly lo See commentary, above.

11 melle Mill has sexual connotations; see Merry Report’s discourse on milling in Heywood’s Play of the Wether (ll. 720 ff.; also Lancashire, “Sexual Innuendo in the Reeve’s Tale” 163–5).

17 nyce Coy, but also with potential sexual connotations (OED “nice” a 5.a, 2.a). mete Meet, mild but also suitable (OED “meet” a 4, 3).

18 corage Sexual vigour and inclination, the desire to love, the amorous spirit; see Henry’s “The tyme of youthe is to be spent” (H 19.10, note).

24 mynde Purpose, intention (OED “mind” n.1 II.7.a).

The unattributed “Hey troly loly lo” is through-set in three voices. The verses of the burden undergo modification in their repetition.

This piece is indexed in Robbins Index & Suppl. #2034.5 and Ringler MS TM1103. It is reprinted in Chappell Account 384–85, Chambers Lyrics 62–63, Chambers Verse 43–44, Flügel Anglia 255, Padelford 84–86, Stevens M&P 424–25, and Stevens MCH8 95–98.

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

H^1,2,3 (ff. 124^v–128^r).

1 Hey ~ you.] omit H¹, Hey ~ you. H², ~ you H³

2 I ~ cow] omit H³, I ~ cow H¹, ~ the medow ~ cowe H²

5 be^] be^ that may not be. H¹, be ~ H^2,3

6 se.] se. I wysse my mother then shall vs se. H^1,2, ~ then ~ H³

11 Nay ~ you.] omit H¹, Nay ~ you. H², ~ fayth ~ you^ H³

12 I ~ cow.] omit H³

14 now in] in H^2,3

15 not be^] be that may not be. H^1,3, notbe^ ~ H²

16 se.] se. I wysse my mothyr than shall vs se. H¹, se. ~ then ~ H², se^ ~ H³

21 Nay ~ you] I pray you sir let me go mylkmy cows H¹, Nay In goode feyth I wyll not mell with you H², C Nay ~ wyll H³

22 Ye ~ hert] omit H³, Ye ~ hert H^1,2

24 maydynhed^] maydynhed^ yor maydynhed. H^1,2,3

25 I shall for you be] for you I shalbe H^2,3

26 Nay ~ not] I pray you sir let me H¹, Nay ~ not H^2,3

29 cow.] cow. yor cow. H¹, ~ cow^ H², cow^ ~ cow^ H³

30 now.] now. adew fare well and kysse me now^ H¹, ~ now. H^2,3

31 Nay ~ you.] I pray you sir let me H¹, Nay ~ feyth ~ H², Nay ~ you. H³