words were singable and what song cadence required. A verse of Pastance with good companie, which may be accounted his, will help to prove it true-- "Pastance with good companie I love and shall until I die Grudge who will, but none deny So God be pleas'd, this life will I, For my pastance, Hunt, sing and dance; My heart is set All goodlie sport To my comfort, Who shall me let?"
Here is a stave by an unknown song-writer of the time-- "Mekyl mirth was them among In every corner of the hous Was melody delycyous For to here precyas Of six menys song."
Indeed singing catches, and all sorts of old vocal provender abound in the old music-books of Henry's reign. "Agincourt! Agincourt! Know ye not Agincourt?"
is a patriotic hymn in six words, sung to a tune more like a dirge to our ears than a challenge. -115- |