In the preface to Myles Coverdale's Goostly Psalmes and Spirituall Songes, circa 1535, Coverdale writes Wolde God that oure mynstrels had none other thynge to playe upon, nether oure carters & plow men other thynge to whistle upon, save Psalmes, hymnes, and soch godly songes as David is occupied withall. And yf women syttinge at theyr rockes, or spynnynge at the wheles, had none other songes to passe theyr tyme withall, than soch as Moses sister, Elchanas wife, Debora, and Mary the mother of Christ have song before them, they shulde be better occupied, then with hey nony nony, hay troly loly, & soch lyke fantasies. So "hey, nonny nonny" was being used as a cliché for unserious music as early as Henry VIII's time.
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