The Lyrics of Henry VIII/A the syghes that cum fro my hart, Cornish

[ff. 32v-33r]

A the syghs that cum fro my hart. They greue me passyng sore. Sen ye must nedes from me depart. fare well my Ioy for euer more

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

I was wont her to behold. 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 go I cowld Ther myght no Ioys compare with it                                15 vnto my hart. as now she shuld

W. Cornysshe

Textual Commentary
“A the syghes that cum fro my hart” is a lyric of departure recollecting the joys of love once had. In a letter to his Nora of July 1904, Joyce discusses the sentiment of the song and its tune, attributing it, erroneously, to Henry VIII (Joyce 23–24). The text of the first stanza echoes that of Farthing’s “The thowghtes within my brest” (H 20).


 * 2   They greue me passyng sore   Cf. repetition in l. 2 of Farthing’s “The thowghtes within my brest” (H 20), as well as sore’s rhyme, “euer more” (l. 4).
 * 3   Sen  Since.
 * 7   in place   In the place (of “her godely swet face” [l. 5]).
 * 12 Ioe  Joy.

The first stanza is through-set in three voices, with the remaining text underlaid.

“A the syghes that cum fro my hart” is indexed in Robbins Index & Suppl. 14.5, Boffey, Ringler MS TM86, and Crum A817. This piece is reprinted in Briggs Collection xvii, 10, Chappell Music 1.35–36, Flügel Anglia 258, 235, Flügel Neuengl 134, Padelford 79, Stafford Antiqua 1.27, Stevens MCH8 5, and Stevens M&P 395.

Texts Collated
H1 (ff. 32v–33r, ll. 1–4 H2,3), LR58 (f. 3r).
 * 3   Sen] Sens H2,3,  Syth LR58;     ye] I LR58;     nedes from me] fro my loue LR58
 * 5   her godely swet]  wyth hur goodly LR58
 * 6   was] She was LR58
 * 7   be] me LR58
 * 10 take] takyn LR58
 * 13 And] A me LR58;     thynk I] thynke that I LR58
 * 14 wol] wolde LR58;     I cowld] that I myght LR58
 * 16 as now she shuld]  to make hyt lyght LR58