The Lyrics of Henry VIII/Hey nowe nowe, Kempe (Incipit)

[f.21v]

Hey nowe nowe.

Textual Commentary
As in Farthing’s “Hey now now” (H 16), below, the words of this piece are given to a round but possibly with different lyrics (absent from the text of H) intended. There is little room left among the musical notation for additional text. In the list of contents for the manuscript, the title “hey now of Kempe” is given, though the latter two words appear in a script varying from the former. Stevens (MCH8 16), without stated explanation, gives the text presented below in italics, which is from Robbins (Secular Lyrics #141):


 * Merry a time I tell in May
 * When bright blossoms breaks on tree,
 * These fowles singes night and day
 * In ilke green is gamen and glee.

“Hey nowe nowe” appears to have been a common song burden (see, for example, Stevens M&P 47–48). See also Daggere’s “Downbery down” (H 16.5, and note).

“Hey nowe nowe” is indexed, as with Farthing’s piece, in Robbins Index & Suppl. 1214.6 and Ringler MS TM594. The piece is reprinted in Stevens M&P 390 and Stevens MCH8 16.