The Lyrics of Henry VIII/Svmwhat musyng (Fayrfax / Woodville)

[ff. 120^v-122^r]

Svmwhat musyng
and more mornyng
in remembryng
the unstedfastnes
this world beyng                                      5
of such walyng
me contraryng
what my I gesse

I fere doutles
remedyles                                              10
is now to cese
my wofull chance
for vnkyndnes
withowtyn les
and no redresse                                     15
me doth avance

with dysplesance
to my greuance
and no surance
of remedy                                               20
lo in this trance
now in substance
such is my chance
willyng to dye.

Me thynk trewly                                      25
bowndon am I
and that gretly
to be content
seyng playnly
fortune doth wry                                     30
all contrary
from myn entent

my lyf was lent
to an entent
it is nye spent                                         35
welcum fortune
yet I ne went
thus to be shent
but she is ment
such ys her went                                    40

Textual Commentary

Certainly more in keeping with the general tone of the lyrics in LFay, “Svmwhat musyng” remains one of the few moralising or meditative works in H. Attributed to Anthony Woodville, Lord Rivers, who wrote the words while imprisoned in Pontefract prior to his beheading in 1483, the lyric suitably meditates upon the fickleness of fortune and the unsteadfastness of this world. A moralized version exists in the The Gude and Godlie Ballatis, though it was condemned and excised from the 1586 edition (see James [Mitchell, ed.]); see also BL Additional MS 18,752 [f. 28^r]). A lyric with similar tone is the unattributed “My thought oppressed my mynd in trouble” (H 72).

6 walyng Wailing.

11 cese Cease.

12 my wofull chance Cf. the unattributed “My thought oppressed my mynd in trouble” (H 72.22).

14 withowtyn les Without release.

21 trance State of extreme apprehension or dread, but also a stunned or dazed state (OED n.1 1, 3.a).

22 in substance In reality, in essence.

30 wry Swerve, turn (OED v.2 2).

36 welcum fortune See the title to this lyric’s moralized version, listed above.

37 went Thought, supposed (OED “wend” v.2).

38 shent Ruined, brought to destruction; also, put to shame (OED v.1 1, 3).

39 she is ment She had it in mind the whole time (Stevens M&P 94).

40 went Path, way, course of action or plan (OED 1,3).

“Svmwhat musyng” is through-set in three voices. While not attributed in H, LFay and Wells ascribe it to Fayrfax. The text of the lyric has been ascribed to Anthony Woodville, Lord Rivers (see commentary above). In H and LFay, it appears complete, set for three voices with a text of eight line stanzas that are complete only when all voices are taken into account. The fragments of Wells, CFitz, and NYDrex compose the better part of another witness; the exact details of this grouping, and a dispelling of concerns regarding other lost witness fragments of this lyric, are noted by Fallows (“Drexel Fragments,” 5–6, 15–16). Robbins (Index & Suppl. 3193.5) notes that a witness appears in LVes (f. 170^v), but this editor has been unable to locate that witness from Robbins’ directions.

Indexed in Robbins Index & Suppl. 3193.5 and Ringler MS TM1452. Reprinted in Arber 180, Chronicles 209, Flügel Anglia 254–5, Hearne 214, Percy 2.46, Ritson 149, Stafford Collection #9, Stevens M&P 361–2 and 423–24, Stevens MCH8 90–94, and Turner 3.465.

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

H^1,2,3 (ff. 120^v–122^r), LFay^1,2,3 (ff. 33^v–35^r), Wells^1,2,3 (ff. 1^r–2^r, ll. 28–40 Wells¹, ll. 9–40 Wells²), CFitz (f. 1^r, ll. 1–9, 22–23), NYDrex (f. 1^r, ll. 1–19)

1 omit H³, LFay², Wells³

2 mornyng] omit H¹, LFay¹, NYDrex, moryng H^2,3

5 omit Wells³

6 omit H³, LFay², Wells³

7 me contraryng] omit H¹, LFay¹, NYDrex, me contraryng H²

9 I fere doutles] omit H¹, LFay¹, NYDrex, I fere doutles H²

10 remedyles] omit H¹, LFay¹, Wells³, NYDrex, remedyles H²

11 is now to cese] omit H¹, LFay¹, NYDrex; is now] is now to cese H², now LFay²

12 my wofull chance] omit H¹, LFay¹, NYDrex, my wofull chance H²

13 omit H³, Wells^2,3

14 omit H³, LFay², Wells³

15 omit H³, LFay², Wells³

16 avance^] auance. H², a vaunce^ LFay^1,3, omit H³, LFay², Wells³

17 omit Wells²

18 omit Wells³ my] me NYDrex; greuance] grete grevance LFay², gret grevance LFay³

20 omit Wells²

21 trance] tance H^1,2, trance H³, trance LFay^1,2,3, Wells³; lo in] in Wells³

23 such ~ chance] such chance. H²; chance] daunce LFay^1,2,3, d. . . Wells²

26 bowndon am I] omit H¹, LFay¹, bowndon am I H²; am I] were I LFay³

27 and that gretly] omit H¹, LFay¹, and that gretly H²; that gretly] gretely LFay³, grettly Wells³

28 omit H³, LFay², Wells³

29 seyng playnly] omit H¹, LFay¹, Wells¹, seyng planly H²; playnly] planly H^2,3, playnly LFay^2,3, Wells²

30 fortune] for time LFay²

31 omit Wells^1–2

32 from] fro H¹, from H^2,3, for LFay^1,2,3, to Wells^1,2, from to Wells³

33 my lyf was lent] omit H¹, LFay¹, Wells¹

34 omit H³, an] one Wells^1,2

36 welcum fortune] welcum fortune welcum fortune H², well cum fortune well cum fortune LFay¹, well on forton well cum fortune Wells¹, well cum forton well com forton Wells²

37 omit H³, LFay², Wells³; yet] ye H^1,3, yet H², LFay^1,3, yit Wells^1,2

38 omit H³, LFay², Wells³; shent] spent LFay^1,3

39 but she is ment] omit H^1,3, LFay², Wells³, but she is ment H^2,3; is] it LFay^2,3, Wells^2,3

40 went^] wone^ LFay^1,2,3, wone. Wells^1,2, mone^ Wells³