Tower of London
Thomas More's Utopia
Songs written by Henry VIII
Catherine of Aragon's pregnancy
First printed Bible in English
Dissolution of the Monasteries
Edward VI's diary
Book of Common Prayer
Letter from Elizabeth I
John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
The First National Lottery
Elizabethan dress codes
Handwritten recipe
Evidence of Royal Scots
Beginnings of an English Dictionary
Speech by Elizabeth I
Spenser, The Faerie Queene
Marlowe, Doctor Faustus
A cure for drunkenness
Shakespeare’s Richard III
Henry VIII was highly respected as a musician and composer. This manuscript, known as the Henry VIII Songbook, was probably compiled around 1518, and includes 20 songs and 13 instrumental pieces ascribed to 'The Kynge H'. This famous song, 'Pastyme With Good Companye', celebrates the joys of princely life such as hunting, singing and dancing. The manuscript was produced for someone close to the court, possibly Sir Henry Guildford (1489 - 1532), the Controller of the Household and Master of the Revels.
Songs written by Henry VIII
Original text:
Pastyme with good companye
I love and shall untyll I dye;
Grugge who lust, but noon denye;
So god be plecyd, thus leve woll I;
For my pastaunce
Hunte, syng and daunce;
My hert ys sett
All godely sport
For my cumfort:
Who shall me lett?
Yowth must have sum dalyaunce,
Of good or yll some pastaunce;
Companye my thynckyth then best
All thoftes and fancys to dygest.
For idelnes
Ys cheff mastres
Of vices all;
Than who can say
But myrth and play
Ys best of all?
Cumpany with honeste
Ys vertu, vices to flee;
Cumpany ys gode and yll,
But every man hath hys frewyll.
The best insew,
The worst eschew,
My mynde shall be;
Vertu to use,
Vyce to reffuse,
Thus schall I use me.
Transliteration in present day English:
Pastime with good company
I love, and shall until I die
Grudge who will, but none deny,
So God be pleased, thus live will I.
For my pastance:
Hunt, sing, and dance,
My heart is set!
All goodly sport,
For my comfort,
Who shall me let?
Youth must have some dalliance,
Of good or ill some pastance.
Company methinks them best,
All thoughts and fancies to digest.
For idleness
Is chief mistress
Of vices all:
Then who can say,
But mirth and play,
Is best of all
Company with honesty,
Is virtue, vice to flee.
Company is good and ill,
But every man has his free will.
The best ensue,
The worst eschew,
My mind shall be:
Virtue to use,
Vice to refuse,
Thus shall I use me!