Turkeylony
From William Ballet’s Lute Book 1594
Facsimile of Light o’ Love from William Ballet’s Lute Book. This song was
mentioned in William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Modern
musicians will appreciate the number of lines per staff and the lack of
time signature. Lute music was comparable to modern guitar tablature
where each line represented a string of the instrument.
T
urkeylony, sometimes spelled Turkeyloney was a popular
dance from the time of King James I and the Elizabethan
era. There is no certainty where the name originated. It
has been surmised that the word Turkeylony is derived from the
Italian Tordiglione. A Tordiglione is a type of Italian Galliard.
The Turkeylony was originally a country dance. However, as with
many popular country dances it made its way into aristocratic
circles as a court dance.
There are at least two songs from the time entitled Turkeylony.
One of the versions is also known as The God of Love. How-
ever, the rendition of Turkeylony presented here was originally
transcribed from William Ballet’s Lute Book. Ballet’s original
manuscript resides in Trinity College in Dublin.William Chappell
transcribed the work in 1859 in his work Popular Music of the
Olden Time.Vol. 1.
It is believed that although William Ballet started the book, there
was more than one author. This is because there are different
hand writing styles and colored inks used throughout the manu-
script. Ballet’s Lute book was most likely a student work used for
the instruction of music theory and site reading.
William Chappell paired Ballet’s Turkeylony with the Ballad If
Ever I Marry, I’ll Marry a Maid. This was clearly a rather crass
song favored by young men. It is a song probably more suited
to a bachelor’s party than a modern wedding. Still, reveler’s of
today will certainly appreciate it’s comic approach toward pick-
ing one’s spouse.
 Turkeylony
From Ballet’s Lute Book
In moderate time, and smoothly.

o tttt 866 v M M M B M M rM B vM M M r M B M M MM BB MM MM MM B MM MM MMM MMBB MM rr MM MMFF

1 2 3 4 5
In moderate time, and smoothly.
M M
{ M B M M rM B vM M
1 2 3 4 5

o 8 vIfM - M e - ever I mar - ry I'll

M M
mar-ry
Ma rmaiM B d:M ToM mar ry a widMM B ow I'm M a - fraid For
sore

p tt 86 If - B
MeB - ever I marM B - ry I'll MM BB
mar-ry M B d: To marM B ry a wid ow I'm
a mai
MB
sore
MB
a - fraid For
MB
p tt 86 MB M MB MB MB MB
MB

o tttt MM BB M MM M B MM MM MM MMF MM M M MM MF r MM v MB M
6 7 8 9 10

MM M M M
{ o MM BB M MB MF M M M MM MF r MM v MB M
6 7 8 9 10

maids they are

M sim ple, and never will grutch,
(grudge)
But widows full oft, as they M M M M
say know too much.

t MM BB
p tmaids they are BB ple,
MMsim and
MM
never will
MM MM BB
grutch, But widows full oft, as they say know too much.

MM BB MM (grudge)
MB MB
p tt M TMMM MM B
MB MB MB MB
MB
M
M
T
2
A maid is so sweet, and so gentle of kind,
That a maid is the wife I will choose to my mind;
A widow if frowned and never will yield;
Of if such there be, you will meet them but seeld.
(seldom)
3
A maid ne’er complaineth, do what so you will;
But what you mean well, a widow takes ill:
A widow will make you a drudge and a slave,
And cost ne’er so much, she will ever go brave.
(fashionably dressed)
4
A maid is so modest, she seemeth a rose,
When first it beginneth the bud to unclose;
But a widow full blown, full often deceives,
And the next wind that bloweth shakes down all her leaves.

5
That widows be lovely I never gain say,
But too well all their beauty they know to display;
But a maid hath so great hidden beauty in store,
She can spare to a widow, yet never be poor.

6
Then, if ever I marry, give me a fresh maid,
If to marry with any I be not afraid;
But to marry with any it asketh much care,
And some bachelors hold they are best as they are.

1 ©2010 Harmonious Music • Visit http://www.HarmoniousMusic.com

 Bibliography
Courtly Dance of the Renaissance: A New Translation and Edition of the Nobilitá di Dame (1600)
By Fabrito Caroso, Julia Sutton, F. Marian Walker

The Lute Books of Ballet and Dallis Music and Letters Journal
by H. Macaulay FitzGibbon

Popular Music of the Olden Time Vol. 1

by William Chappell

Shakespeare’s Songbook Vol. 1,

by Ross W. Duffin

2 ©2010 Harmonious Music • Visit http://www.HarmoniousMusic.com