Abstract
Mead talks about musical humors. The word "humor" has changed its meaning over the centuries, so its use in a Renaissance song is more nuanced than the current understanding would suggest. A little background will help to appreciate these songs to their fullest The sense of humor in Dowland's dialog, "Humor, say what make'st thou here" is twofold: the poet wonders if humor (moodiness) is appropriate in the royal presence, and concludes that humor (amusement) is always appropriate if it is pleasing. In 1600, when this song was published, the original sense of the word humor (the bodily fluids that govern the disposition) was giving way to new shades of meaning (whim, fancy, caprice). Dowland underscores the wit of his setting by changing the rhythmic emphasis in the chorus from triple to duple and then throwing in an extra beat of triplets for good measure.