about
Written by King Henry VIII in the early XVI Century, during the first part of his reign - possibly for Catherine of Aragon. It quickly become world renowned and survives to this day as a popular English folk song. Although the lyrics are presented herein, they do not appear in this rendition of the song.
lyrics
Passetyme with gude companye,
I love, and shall until I dye.
Gruch who wyll, but none deny,
So God be pleeyd, thus lyfe wyll I.
For my pastaunce:
Hunt, syng, and daunce,
My hert ys sett!
All gudely sport,
Fore my comfort,
Who shall me lett?
Youth wyll have nedes dalyaunce,
Of gude or yll some pastaunce,
Companye me thynketh them best,
All thouts and fansyes to dygest.
For ydleness,
Ys chef mastres
Of vyces all:
Than who can say,
But myrth and play
Ys best of all?
Companye with honeste,
Ys vertu, vyce to flee.
Companye ys gude or yll,
But ev'ry man hath hys frewylle.
The best ensyue,
The worst eschew,
My mynd shall be:
Vertue to use,
Vyce to refuse,
Thus shall use me!
credits
from
Beau Fleuve,
released September 15, 2009
King Henry VIII
license
all rights reserved