“It Was a Lover and His Lass” is a famous English Renaissance madrigal/lute song composed by Thomas Morley (1557–1602) in the late 1590s or early 1600s.
It features lyrics from Shakespeare’s play As You Like It (Act V, Scene 3), celebrating springtime, young love, and pastoral life.
The piece is known for its light, melodic, and cheerful tone, often featuring a “hey, nonino” refrain.
The Listening Project Blog 