after his coronation in 1509, around the date he composed
Pastime with Good Company As with every man of noble birth in the Renaissance era,
Henry VIII was expected to master many skills, including fencing, hunting, dancing, writing poetry, singing, and playing and composing music, and was educated accordingly as a prince. Henry was considered a talented composer and poet by his contemporaries. It is thought that the song may have been written for
Catherine of Aragon. It is supposed to have been played in court, along with all the other of the King's compositions; however, due to its simple and catchy melody, it also became a popular English tune and was soon interpreted frequently at fairs, taverns and events. It is also believed to have been one of the favourite musical pieces of Queen
Elizabeth I. The song is referred to in a number of contemporary documents and publications, attesting to its popularity, and was subject of a wide number of variants and instrumental rearrangements by different musicians in the following years. In the 1548 work
The Complaynt of Scotland, the anonymous author mentions
"Passetyme with gude companye," as being among the popular songs within the
kingdom of Scotland in the early part of the 16th century. The oldest known version is part of the
Henry VIII Manuscript (c. 1513), a collection of 14 works of his authorship currently preserved at the British Library (BM Addl. MSS. 31,922; Addl. MSS. 5,665; MSS. Reg. Appendix 58), which are signed: ''"By the King's Hand"''. The manuscript also includes two
masses, a
motet, an
anthem, and other songs and ballads, both vocal and instrumental. "Pastime with Good Company" remains a favourite piece in choral repertoires, and has been recorded in many variants that include
lute,
recorder,
trombone, percussion and
flute, among other instruments. Because of its distinctive early Renaissance melody, it has also been included in different movies and documentaries based on the figure of Henry VIII and the
Tudor era. == Lyrical context ==