The Lyrics of Henry VIII/My loue sche morneth for me, Cornish

[ff. 30v-31r]

My loue sche morneth for me for me. my loue sche morneth for me. Alas pour hart sen we depart                                                            5 morne ye no more for me for me.

In louys daunce syth that oure chaunce of abscene nedes must be. My loue I say                                                            10 your loue do way. and morne no more for me.

It is boote to me hart roote but. anguysch and pete. 15 Wherefore swete hart your mynde revert and morne no more for me.

O her kyndnesse. O her gentylnes. 20 what sayd sche then to me. The gode aboue her schuld not moue but styll to morne for me.

Alas thought I                                                           25 what remedy. venus to blame ar ye. Now of sum grace let se purchase to helpe my loue and me. 30

Her for to say I tooke this way I dyspraysed her beawte. Yet for all that. stynt wold sche not. 35 so trew of loue was sche.

At last sche wept. I to her lept. and sett her on my knee. The terys ran down. 40 halff in a swone it rewyd my hart to se.

When I sawe this I dyd her kysse therwyth reuyued sche                                              45 And her smalle wast ful fast vnlast and sayd sche morned for me.

Then as I ought. I me bethought. 50 and prayd her to be ble To take comfort. of my report. and morne no more for me.

I schall not fayll. 55 but suere retaylle from all other that be. in well and wo my hart to go with her that morneth for me. 60

Thus here an ende. goode lord deffend all louers that trew be And in especyall from iebardyse all. 65 my love that mornyth for me.

Cornysh

Textual Commentary
“My loue sche morneth for me” is a song in defense of all true lovers (ll. 62–66) upon whom separation is forced (l. 9)—the lyric also relays a tale of two lovers in such a situation. The lover, who urges that his beloved forget him, acquiesces to the strength of her devotion and acknowledges his own unwavering dedication. Moralized versions of “My loue sche morneth for me” appear in Twenty Songs (#14) and The Gude and Godlie Ballatis (ed. A. F. Mitchell 140). Also related to this lyric are “Wep no more For me swet hart” (BL Harleian MS 1317 f. 94v; mentioned in the gloss to l. 6, below) and, as noted by Stevens (M&P 394), PRO Exchequer Miscellanea 163/22/2/57.


 * 5   sen  Since.     depart   Separate.


 * 6   more for me   Cf. “Wep no more For me swet hart” (BL Harleian MS 1317 f. 94v) which ends, also, “that yo shod morne For me” (l. 5).


 * 7   louys daunce  The act of the game of love, perhaps with more sexual overtones.


 * 11 do way   Leave off, let alone, cease  (OED “do” v 53).


 * 13 boote Good, profitable (OED n.1 I).


 * 14 me  My.


 * 17 revert  Recover consciousness, return to itself; also, turn away, so as to leave or desert one (OED v I.1.a, I.5).


 * 23 her schuld not moue   Should not move her.


 * 26 what remedy   Cf. Henry’s “Withowt dyscord” (H 49.23) and the unattributed “What remedy what remedy” (H 69).


 * 28–9 grace . . . purchase  Cf. this with other related acts associated with grace, i.e. the comment to Henry’s “If love now reynyd as it hath bene” (H 38.12).


 * 29 . . . purchase  I.e. let us see some aid from you (Stevens M&P 394).


 * 31 say Assay, try, prove, test the fitness of  (OED v.2 1).


 * 35 stynt Cease, stop (OED “stint” v I).


 * 42 rewyd  Affected with regret, made (one) wish one had acted otherwise, or affected with pity or compassion (OED v.1 2,4).


 * 47 vnlast   Unlaced; freed or relieved, by undoing a lace or laces (OED “unlace” v 2).


 * 51 ble  Happy.


 * 53 my report   Knowledge or report of me.


 * 56 retaylle   Refrain.


 * 58 well  Weal, wealth.


 * 61–2 here an ende . . . deffend   Cf. Henry’s “Though sum saith that yough rulyth me” (H 51.18).


 * 65 iebardyse   Jeopardies.

The first stanza of “My loue sche morneth for me” is through-set in three voices (the third voice is not clearly offset), with the remaining text underlaid.

This piece is indexed in Robbins Index & Suppl. 2261.4, Boffey, and Ringler MS TM1057. It is reprinted in Flügel Anglia 233–35, Flügel Neuengl 133–34, Padelford 80–83, Stevens M&P 393–94, and Stevens MCH8 23.

Texts Collated
H1 (ff. 30v–31r, ll. 1–6 H2,3), CTri (f. 45v, ll. 1–3).


 * 2   for me for me.]  for me. H1, ffor me^ CTri


 * 3   my] for me my CTri;    morneth]  morys CTri;    for me.] for me for me. H3