I want to give you something that I get a great joy out of - a song apparently written by Henry VIII who was deemed to be a great sportsman and musician (as if anyone would say otherwise). I believe that this would have been written by a court minstrel alongside the Sovereign, he would have claimed it for himself in its entirety. Either way, I hope you like the feel of it. It's called - "Pastime with Good Company" or "The King's Ballad" (The Kynges Balade) and it is about how to fill your life with joy and excitement, friends and love. He also believes that you must court an occasional risky pleasure, but the chief celebration is with good friends, joy and revelry - Idleness may well be the chief sin... This rambunctious Tudor monarch and I don't agree on many things, however I find on this point we agree wholeheartedly.
If you can ignore the fairly awful accent, I do beleive you to will gleam immense satisfaction from this - some lyrics follow the clip (youtube)
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,
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Of good or ill some pastance.
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Company methinks them best,
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All thoughts and fancies to digest.
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For idleness,
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Is chief mistress
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Of vices all:
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Then who can say,
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But mirth and play,
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Is best of all?
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