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

[ff. 120v-122r]

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. 28r]). 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. 170v), 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.

Texts Collated
H1,2,3 (ff. 120v–122r), LFay1,2,3 (ff. 33v–35r), Wells1,2,3 (ff. 1r–2r, ll. 28–40 Wells1, ll. 9–40 Wells2), CFitz (f. 1r, ll. 1–9, 22–23), NYDrex (f. 1r, ll. 1–19)


 * 1   omit H3, LFay2, Wells3


 * 2   mornyng] omit H1, LFay1, NYDrex, moryng H2,3


 * 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, Wells2,3


 * 14  omit H3, LFay2, Wells3


 * 15  omit H3, LFay2, Wells3


 * 16 avance^] auance. H2, a vaunce^ LFay1,3, 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 H1,2, trance H3, trance LFay1,2,3, Wells3;    lo in] in Wells3


 * 23 such ~ chance] such chance. H2;     chance] daunce LFay1,2,3, 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 H2,3, playnly LFay2,3, Wells2


 * 30 fortune] for time LFay2


 * 31 omit Wells1–2


 * 32 from] fro H1, from H2,3, for LFay1,2,3, to Wells1,2, from to Wells3


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


 * 34  omit H3, an] one Wells1,2


 * 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 H1,3, yet  H2, LFay1,3, yit Wells1,2


 * 38 omit H3, LFay2, Wells3;     shent] spent LFay1,3


 * 39 but she is ment] omit H1,3, LFay2, Wells3, but she is ment H2,3;    is] it LFay2,3, Wells2,3


 * 40 went^] wone^ LFay1,2,3, wone. Wells1,2, mone^ Wells3