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

[ff. 124v-128r]

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.

Texts Collated
H1,2,3 (ff. 124v–128r).


 * 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 ~ H2,3


 * 6   se.] se. I wysse my mother then shall vs se. H1,2, ~ then ~ H3


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


 * 12 I ~ cow.] omit H3


 * 14 now in] in H2,3


 * 15 not be^] be that may not be. H1,3, 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 H1,2


 * 24 maydynhed^] maydynhed^ yor maydynhed. H1,2,3


 * 25 I shall for you be]  for you I shalbe H2,3


 * 26 Nay ~ not] I pray you sir let me H1, Nay ~ not H2,3


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


 * 30 now.] now.  adew fare well and kysse me now^ H1, ~ now. H2,3


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