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

__NOTOC__ ← My thought oppressed my mynd in trouble || width="325" align="right" | I loue vnloued suche is myn aduenture → [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,See Stevens M&P (362), Berdan’s Early Tudor Poetry (150), and Arber’s Dunbar Anthology (180). 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. Textual Notes 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 References