The Lyrics of Henry VIII/Whoso that wyll for grace sew, Henry VIII

[ff. 84v-85r]

The Kynge. H. viij

Textual Commentary
As with others of Henry’s lyrics, “Whoso that wyll for grace sew” is an expression of chivalric doctrine. The lyric propounds the quality of truthful intent in love and the value of love itself as a thing given by God. Simultaneously, “Whoso that wyll for grace sew” presents an argument of justification against those who “can no skyll” (l. 6) and therefore “yt dysdayne” (l. 8).


 * 1   grace sew  Make suit; legal (courtly allusion); see also the comment to Henry’s “If love now reynyd as it hath bene” (H 38.12).


 * 4   spede   Succeed, meet with good fortune, attain one’s purpose or desire (OED “speed” v I.1.a).


 * 6   can  Know or have learned, have practical knowledge of (OED v.1 B.I.1.b).


 * 8   dysdayne  Cf. Henry’s “Whoso that wyll all feattes optayne” (H 28.2,4,8,11,14) and elsewhere; see the note to line 2 of the aforementioned lyric.


 * 11 perfite   Perfect, in the state of complete excellence, free from any flaw or imperfection of quality, faultless (OED a B.I.4.a); also, marked by moral perfection (OED a B.I.4.c).


 * 12 excho  Eschew, abstain carefully from, avoid, shun (OED v.1 1.c).

“Whoso that wyll for grace sew” is in a strophic setting. The piece is listed in H’s table of contents as the ninety-sixth work.

“Whose that wyll for grace sew” is indexed in Robbins Index & Suppl. 4143.5, Boffey, and Ringler MS TM1977. It is reprinted in Flügel Anglia 248, Stevens M&P 414, Stevens MCH8 60, and Trefusis 32–3.

Texts Collated
H1,2,3 (ff. 84v–85r, ll. 1–6 H2,3).


 * 6   those] thes H2