University of Virginia Library

To the Reader.

You that shall reape the pleasure and delight
Of all his paine that hath composd these songs,
His meaning well, with taking well requit,
Giue paines due praise, and skill what there to longs.
So graced shall these first fruits of his skill,
Make him with stodie, seeke to please you still.

Songs of three parts.

[I. Prayse the Lord ô my soule]

Prayse the Lord ô my soule

Prayse the Lord ô my soule, while I liue will I prayse the Lord: yea, as long as I haue any beeing, I will sing prayses vnto my God. Euery day will I giue thanks, to thee and prayse thy name for euer more.

[II. Saue mee ô God and that with speed.]

Saue mee ô God and that with speed

Saue mee ô God and that with speed, the waters flow full fast, so ny my soule doe they proceed, that I am sore agast. I stick full deep in filth and clay, where as I feele no ground: I fall into such fluds I say, that I am like be dround.

[III. O all ye nations of the Lord.]

O all ye nations of the Lord

O all ye nations of the Lord, praise ye the Lord allwayes: and all the people euery where, set forth his noble prayse. For great his kindnesse is to his, his truth endures for aye: wherefore prayse ye the Lord our God, prayse ye the Lord I say.

[IIII. Blessed art thou that fearest God.

The first part.

]

Blessed art thou that fearest God

Blessed art thou that fearest God, and walkest in his way: for of thy labor thou shalt eate, happie art thou I say. Like fruitfull Vines on thy house side, so doth thy wyfe spring out: Thy Children stand lyke Oliue plants, thy table round about.

[V. Thus art thou blest that fearest God.

The second part.

]

Thus art thou blest that fearest God

Thus art thou blest that fearest God, and he shall let thee see: the promised Ierusalem, & his felicity. Thou shalt thy childrens children see, to thy great ioyes, encrease: and likewise grace on Israell, prosperitie and peace.

[VI. Heare my prayer, ô Lord.]

Heare my prayer, ô Lord

Heare my prayer, ô Lord, and consider my desire: hearken vnto mee, and enter not into iudgement with thy seruant: for in thy sight, shall no man lyuing bee iustified.

[VII. Yee people all in one accord.]

Yee people all in one accord

Yee people all in one accord, clap hands and eke reioyce: Bee glad & sing vnto the Lord, with sweet and pleasant voyce. Sing praises to our God, sing praises to our king, for God is king of all the earth, all thankfull praises sing.

[VIII. O Lord turne not away thy face.]

O Lord turne not away thy face

O Lord turne not away thy face, from him that lies prostrate: lamenting sore his sinful life, beefore thy mercy gate, which gate thou openest wide to those, that doe lament their sinne, shut not that gate against mee Lord, but let mee enter in.

[IX. O come let vs lift vp our voyce.]

O come let vs lift vp our voyce

O come let vs lift vp our voyce, and sing vnto the Lord: in him our rock of health reioyce, let vs with one accord. Yea let vs come beefore his face to giue him thanks and prayse, in singing Psalmes vnto his grace, let vs bee glad alwaies.

[X. Of all the byrds that I haue heard.]

Of all the birds that I haue heard

Of all the birds that I haue heard, the Nightingale doth beare the bell, whose pretie pretie tunes, all other byrds excell, all other byrds doth far excell, but if such voyces were not deere, I would my Mistris sung so cleere.

[XI. As I went a walking in the month of May.]

As I went a walking in the month of May

As I went a walking in the month of May, merily talking, I thus began to say, where dwelleth Loue, that liuely Boy, how might I see his face, that breedeth paine, and bringeth ioy, that alterith euery case: then with a sigh I dyd refraine, and to the world let it remaine.

[XII. Turne about & see mee.]

Tvrne about & see mee

Tvrne about & see mee, how lustely I spring, as ioyfully as may bee, as glad as any thing: If you wil aske the cause & why, I meane to tell you by & by, she liues yt I doe honor most, far passing all ye rest, a mightie Prince & excelēt, sweet Eglentine the best: thē ioy with mee both great and small, hir life brings ioy vnto vs all.

Songs of foure parts.

[XIII. Lord to thee I make my mone.]

Lord to thee I make my mone

Lord to thee I make my mone, when dāgers me oppresse: I call, I sigh, I plaine and grone, trusting to find release. Heare now ô Lord, my request, for it is full due tyme: and let thine eares bee euer prest, vnto this prayer mine.

[XIIII. O Lord of whome I doe depend.]

O Lord of whome I doe depend

O Lord of whome I doe depend, behold my carefull heart, and when thy will and pleasure is, release mee of my smart. thou seest my sorowes what they are, my griefe is knowne to thee: and there is none that can remoue, or take the same from mee.

[XV. Sing yee vnto the Lord.]

Sing yee vnto the Lord our God

Sing yee vnto the Lord our God, a new reioysing song: and let the praise of him bee heard, his holy saints among. Let Israell reioyce in him, that made him of nothing: and let the seede of Sion eke, bee ioyfull of their king.

[XVI. I lift my heart to thee.]

I lift my heart to thee

I lift my heart to thee, my God & guide most iust: Now suffer mee to take no shame, for in thee doe I trust. Let not my foes reioyce, nor make a scorne of mee: and let them not bee ouerthrowne, that put their trust in thee.

[XVII. My prime of youth.]

My pryme of youth is but a frost of cares

My pryme of youth is but a frost of cares, my feast of ioye, is but a dish of payne, my crop of corne is but a feeld of tares, & all my goods is but vaine hope of gaine, the day is past, and yet I saw no sunne, and now I liue, and now I liue, and now my life is done.

[XVIII. In deep distresse.]

In deep distresse to liue without delight

In deep distresse to liue without delight, were such a life as few I think would craue, in pangs and paines, to languish day and night, were to to much for one poore soule to haue, if weale and woe will thus continue strife, a gentle death were good to cut of such a life.

[XIX. The longer I liue.]

The longer that I liue

The longer that I liue, the more offence doth flow, the more offence I giue, the more account I owe, the more account I make, the harder it will bee, wherefore to liue my heart doth shake, death is a gaine to me.

[XX. The shepheard Strephon.

The first part.

]

The shepheard Strephon, loued faire Dorida

The shepheard Strephon, loued faire Dorida, the finest shephard is in all our feeld, whose loyall loue, when shee would not obay, ne by intreties forced once to yeeld, all on his knees, vnto yt seemely saint, in woefull wise thus gan hee make his playnt.

[XXI. Witnesse yee heauens.

The second part.

]

Witnesse yee heauens, the pallace of the Gods

Witnesse yee heauens, the pallace of the Gods, witnesse yee Gods, which hould your seats therin, witnesse hell furies with reuengfull rodds, witnesse fond loue and all that loue can wyn, witnesse the ayre, fire, water, earth & all, how I haue liu'd, a vassaile at thy call.

[XXII. Haigh ho chill go to plow.]

Haigh ho chill go to plow no more, sit down & take thy rest

Haigh ho chill go to plow no more, sit down & take thy rest, of gouldē groats I haue good store, to flaunt it, wt the best, but I loue, & I loue, and who think you, the finest las that ere you knew, which makes mee sing when I should cry, haigh ho for loue I dye.

Songs of fiue parts.

[XXIII. Lord arise and help.]

Lord arise and help thy seruant

Lord arise and help thy seruant, which onely trusteth in thee, for I am in miserie.

[XXIIII. Haue mercie on mee Lord.]

Haue mercie on mee ô Lord

Haue mercie on mee ô Lord, and graunt mee my desire, let truth and righteousnesse dwell with mee for euer, so shall I alwaies praise thy name, and sing to thee ô my God.

[XXV. Vnto thee lift I vp myne eyes.]

Vnto thee lift I vp mine eyes

Vnto thee lift I vp mine eyes, thou that dwellest in the heauens doe well ô Lord, to those that are true of heart, for onely in thee doe I trust.

[XXVI. Were I a King.]

Were I a king, I might commaund content

Were I a king, I might commaund content, were I obscure, vnknowne should bee my cares, and were I dead, no thoughts should mee torment, nor words, nor wrongs, nor loues, nor hopes, nor fears, a doubtfull choise of three things one to craue, a kingdome, or a cottage, or a graue.

[XXVII. In midst of woods.

The first part.

]

In midst of woods or pleasant groue

In midst of woods or pleasant groue, where all sweet byrds doe sing, my thought I heard so rare a sound, which made ye heauens to ring, the charme was good, the noyse full sweet, each byrd dyd play his part, and I admir'd to heare the same, ioy sprong into my heart.

[XXVIII. The black byrd.

The second part.

]

The black byrd made the sweetest sound

The black byrd made the sweetest sound, whose tunes dyd far excell, full pleasantly and most profound, was all things placed well, thy pretie tunes mine owne sweet byrd, done with so good a grace, extolls thy name prefers the same, abroad in euery place, thy Musick graue bedecked well, with sundry poynts of skill, beewraise thy knowledge

excelent, ingrafted in thy Will, my tongue shall speake, my pen shall write, in praise of thee to tell, the sweetest byrd that euer was, in friendly sort farewell.

[XXIX. Penelope.]

Penelope, that longed for the sight of hir Vlisses

Penelope, that longed for the sight of hir Vlisses, wandring all to long, felt neuer ioy, wherin she tooke delight, although she liu'd in greatest ioys amōg, so I poore wretch, possessing that I craue, both liue & lack by wrōg of yt I haue, thē blame me not, although to heauēs I cry, and pray the Gods that shortly I might dye.

[XXX. Who loues a lyfe.]

Who loues a life deuoid of quiet rest

Who loues a life deuoid of quiet rest, and seeks content in dens of cruell care, who most triumphs when most he is opprest, & weens him free, whē fast he is in snare, who in the sweet doth find the sowrest tast, his life is loue, his food is vain repast.