The Hunt is Up

The King's Hunt is Up

According to Popular Music of the Olden Time (William Chapell, 1859), John Hogon was prosecuted in 1537 for singing a political song to this tune.

The hunt is up, the hunt is up,

And it is well night day;

And Harry our King is gone hunting

To bring his deer to bay.

The east is bright with morning light

And darkness it is fled

And the merry horn makes up the morn

To leave his idle bed.

Behold the skies with golden dyes

Are glowing all around.

The grass is green and so are the trees

All laughing at the sound.

The horses snort to be at the sport

The dogs are running free

The woods rejoice to the merry noise

Of hey tantara tee ree!

The sun is glad to see us clad

All in our lusty green

And smiles in the sky as he riseth high

To see and to be seen.

Awake all men I say again

Be merry as you may.

For Harry our King is gone hunting

To bring his deer to bay.