Superius Psalmes, Sonets, & Songs of sadnes and pietie, made into Musicke of fiue parts: whereof, some of them going abroad among diuers, in untrue coppies, are heere truely corrected, and th'other being Songs very rare & newly composed, are heere published, for the recreation of all such as delight in Musick: By William Byrd |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IIII. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
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| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| [SONGS OF SADNES & PIETIE] |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
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| XXXIIII. |
| XXXV. |
 | Superius |  |
[SONGS OF SADNES & PIETIE]
XXVII. Prostrate O Lord
1
Prostrate ô Lord I lie,behold, mee Lord with pittie,
stop not thine eares against my crie,
my sad and mourning dittie,
Breath'd from an inward soule,
from heart heartelie contrite,
an offering sweet, a sacrifice,
in thy high heauenlie sight,
2
Obserue not sinnes O Lord,for vvho may then abide it,
but let thy mercie cancell them,
thou hast not man deni'd it,
man melting vvith remorse and thoughts,
thought past repenting,
O lighten Lord, O heare our songs,
our sinnes full sore lamenting.
3
The vvonders of thy vvorks,aboue all reason reacheth,
and yet thy mercie aboue all
this, vs thy Spirit teacheth.
then let no sinner fall,
in depth of foule dispaire,
since neuer soule so foule there vvas,
but mercie made it faire.
FINIS.
XXVIII. Allas a Sea
1
Alas a sea, the world no other is,our selues are shippes stil tossed to & fro,
& loe, each man, his loue to ye or this,
is like a storm, that driues the ship to go,
that thus our life in doubt of shipwrack slāds:
our wills the rocks, our want of skyll the sands,
2
Our passions be the Pirates still that spoyle,and ouerboard cast's out our reasons fraight:
the Marriners that day and night doe toyle,
be our conceits that doe on pleasure vvaight:
pleasure Master doth tirannize the ship,
and giueth vertue secretly the nip.
3
The Compasse is a minde to compas all,both pleasure, profit, place and fame for naught:
the vvinds that blovv, men ouer vveening call,
the Merchandise is vvit full deerely bought:
triall the Anker, cast vpon experience,
for labor, lyfe, and all a doe the recompence.
FINIS.
XXIX. Svsanna faire
1
Svsanna faire sometime assaulted was,by two olde men, desiring their delight:
whose false intent, they thought to bring to passe,
if not by tender loue, by force and might:
to whome she said, if I your sute deny,
you will me falsely accuse, and make mee die:
2
And if I graunt to that vvhich you request,my chastitie shall then defloured bee,
vvhich is so deere to mee that I detest
my lyfe, if it berefted bee from mee:
And rather vvould I dye of mine accord,
ten thousand times, then once offend the Lord.
FINIS.
XXX. If that a sinners sighes
If that a sinners sighes, be Angels foodIf that a sinners sighes, be Angels food, or that repentant teares be Angels wine, Angels wine, accept ô Lord, in this most pensiue mood, these heartie sighs & teares of mine, these heartie sighes and teares of mine: That went with Peter forth most sinfullie, most sinfully, but not with Peter wept most bitterlie. That went with Peter foorth most sinfullie, most sinfullie, but not with Peter wept most bitterlie, with Peter wept most, bitterlie.
XXXI. Care for thy foule
1
Care for thy soule as thing of greatest price,made to the end to tast of poore deuine,
deuoid of guilt, abhorring sinne & vice,
apt by gods grace to vertue to encline,
care for it so, as by thy retchles traine,
it be not brought to tast, eternall paine,
2
Care for thy corps, but chiefly for soules sake,cut of excesse, susteyning food is best,
to vanquish pride, but comelie clothing take,
seeke after skill, deepe ignorance detest:
Care so I say, the flesh to feede and cloth,
that thou harme not thy soule and bodie both.
3
Care for the world to do thy bodie right,racke not thy vvit to winne thy wicked waies,
seeke not t'oppresse the weak by wrongful might,
to pay thy dew do banish all delayes:
Care to dispend according to thy store,
and in like sort be mindefull of the poore.
4
Care for thy soule, as for thy chiefest stay,care for thy bodie for thy soules auaile,
care for the world for bodies helpe alway,
care yet but so as vertue may preuaile,
care in such sort that thou be sure of this,
care keepe thee not frō heauen & heauenly blisse.
FINIS.
XXXII. Lulla, Lullaby
Lvlla, lullaby, lullaby, lulla lullaby, lulla, lullaby,
my sweet little, baby, what meanest thou to cry,
my sweet little, baby, what meanest thou to cry,
1
Be still my blessed babe, though cause thou hast to mourne:whose bloud most innocent to shed, the cruel king hath sworne,
& lo, alas behold, what slaughter he doth make,
shedding the bloud of infants all, sweet sauiour for thy sake,
A King, is borne, they say: which king this king would kil,
Lulla, la lulla, lulla lullaby,
My sweet little Baby, what meanest thou to cry:
My sweet little Baby, what meanest thou to cry:
2
Three kings this king of kings to see, are come from farre,To each vnknowen, with offerings great, by guiding of a Starre:
And shepherds heard the song, which Angells bright did sing,
Giuing all glory vnto God, for comming of this king:
Which must be made away, king Herod would him kill,
Oh woe and wofull heauie day, when wretches haue their will.
Lulla la lulla, lulla lullaby, my sweet &c.
3
Lo, lo, my little Babe, be still, lament no more,From fury shalt thou step aside, help haue wee still in store:
Wee heauenly warning haue, some other soyle to seeke,
From death must flie the Lord of lyfe, as Lamb both myld and meeke:
Thus must my Babe obey the king that would him kill,
Oh wo, and wofull heauy day, when wretches haue their will.
Lulla la lulla, lulla lullaby, my sweet &c.
4
But thou shalt liue and raigne, as Sibilles haue foresaide,As all the Prophets Prophesie, whose mother yet a maide,
And perfect virgin pure, with hir brests shall vpbreed,
Both God and man that all hath made, the Sunne of heauenly seed:
Whom caytiues none can tray, whom tirants none can kill,
Oh ioy, and ioyfull happy day, when wretches want their will.
FINIS.
XXXIII. Why doe I vse
1
Why do I vse my paper inck & pen,and call my wits to coūsel what to say,
such memories, were made for mortal men,
I speak of Saints, whose names cannot decay,
an Angels trūp, were fitter for to soūd,
their glorious death, if such on earth were found,
2
That stoare of such were once on earth pursu'd,the histories of auncient times record,
whose constancie great tirants rage subdu'd,
through patiēt death professing Christ their Lord,
as his Apostles perfect witnesse bare.
with many more that blessed Martirs were.
3
VVhose patiēce rare & most couragious minde,with fame renoum'd perpetuall shall endure,
by whose examples we may rightlie find,
of holie life and death a patterne pure:
that we therefore their vertues may embrace,
pray we to Christ to guide vs with his grace.
FINIS.
| Superius | |