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 | Ayres |  |
The following poems are scored for music in the source texts where poems are not stanzaic, no attempt has been made to reconstruct the metrical lines. Variations for different voices have been ignored. Repetition marks have been ignored
TO MY EXCELLENT FRIEND ALFONSO FERRABOSCO.
To vrge, my lou'd Alfonso, that bold fameOf building Townes, and making wilde Beasts tame,
Which Musique had; or speake her knowne effects,
That she remoueth cares, sadnesse eiects,
Declineth anger, perswades clemency,
Doth sweeten mirth; and heighten pietie,
And is to'a body, often, ill inclinde
No lesse a soueraigne cure, then to the minde;
To alledge, that greatest men were not asham'd
Of old, euen by her practise, to be fam'd;
To say, indeed, she were the Soule of Heauen,
That the eight Spheare, no lesse then Planets seauen
Mou'd, by her order; And the ninth, more high,
Including all, were thence call'd Harmony:
I, yet, had vtter'd nothing, on thy part,
When these were but the praises of the Art.
But when I haue saide, The proofes of all these be
Shed in thy Songs; Tis true: But short of thee.
TO THE WORTHY AVTHOR.
Mvsicks maister, and the offspringOf rich Musicks Father,
Old Alfonso's Image liuing,
These faire flowers you gather
Scatter through the Brittish soiles
Giue thy fame free wing,
And gaine the merit of thy toyle:
Wee whose loues affect to praise thee,
Beyond thine owne deserts, can neuer raise thee.
I. Like Hermit poore
Like Hermit pooreLike Hermit poore, in place obscure, I meane to spend my dayes of endlesse doubt, To waile such woes as time cannot recure, Where none but Loue shall finde mee out, And at my gates dispaire shall, dispaire shal linger still, To let in death whē loue & fortune, when Loue and Fortune will.
II. Come home my troubled thoughts
Come home my troubled thoughtsCome home my troubled thoughts, stay and retire, Call home your erring fellowes make a stand, Follow not still the coulours of desire, False are her wishes cruel her command, Come then obay this summons come away, come away, For here vaine hopes, for here vaine hopes must serue you for your pay.
III. Come away
Come awayCome away, come away, we grow ielous of your stay, If you doe not stoppe your eare, We shall haue more cause to feare, Sirens of the land then they, to doubt the Sirens of the Sea.
IIII. Deere when to thee
And shew how oft Loue doth my death renue,
And how afresh I suffer for thy sake,
I euer feare this answere to insue,
Who would bewaile the Bird that scapes the snare,
And euer caught and neuer can beware?
That sees the danger, yet obayes the hart
That leades the sence, for his delight to dye,
In that this pray, preferres the better part
The gayner should haue mercy to forgiue,
If Beautie be a Tyrant who can liue?
V. Faine I would
Faine I would but O I dare notFaine I would but O I dare not, Speake my thoughts at full to praise her, Speake the best cryes Loue, and spare not, Thy speech can no higher raise her, Thy speach then thy thoughts are lower, Yet thy thoughts doth not halfe know her.
VI. Come my Celia
Come my CeliaCome my Celia, let vs proue, while wee may the sweets of loue, Time wil not be ours for euer, he at length our good wil seuer, Spend not then his gifts in vaine, Sunnes that set may rise again, But if we once loose this light, tis with vs perpetuall night, Why should wee deferre our ioyes, fame and rumour are but toyes? Cannot we delude the eyes of a few poore houshold spyes, Or his easier eares beguile, Thus remoued by our
VII. So, so, leaue off
Which sucks two soules and vapours both away,
Turne thou ghost that way,
And let me turne this, and let our selues benight our happy day,
We aske none leaue to loue,
Nor will we owe any so cheape a death as saying goe.
Ease me with death by bidding me goe to:
O, if it haue let my word worke on me,
And a iust office on a murderer doe.
Except it be too late to kill me so,
Being double dead, going and bidding goe.
VIII. Young and simple though I am
1
Young and simple though I am, I haue heard of Cupids name,Guesse I can what thing it is, Men desire when they doe kisse,
Smoake can neuer burne they say, But the flames, But the flames that follow may.
2
I am not so soule or faire, to be proud or to dispaire,Yet my lips haue oft obseru'd, men that kisse them presse them hard,
As glad louers vse to doe, when their new met loues they wooe.
3
Faith tis but a foolish minde, yet me thinkes a heat I finde,Like thirst longing that doth bide euer one my weaker side,
Where they say my hart doth moue, Venus graunt it be not Loue.
4
If it be alas what then, were not Women made for Men?As good tis a thing were past, that must needes bee done at last,
Roses that are ouer-blowne, grow lesse sweet then fall alone.
5
Yet nor Churle, nor silken Gull, shall my maiden blossome pull,Who shall not I soone can tell, who shall would I could as well,
This I know who ere hee be, loue hee must or flatter mee.
IX. Drowne not with teares
Drowne not with teares my deerest LoueDrowne not with teares my deerest Loue, Those eyes which my affections moue, Doe not with weeping those lights blinde, Which me in thy subiection binde, Time that hath made vs two of one, And forst thee now to liue alone, Will once againe vs revnite, To shew how shee can Fortune spight, Then will we our time redeeme, And hould our howres in more esteeme, Turning all our sweetest nights, Into millions of delights, And striue with many thousand kisses, To multiply, to multiply exchange of blisses, exchange of blisses.
X. I am a louer
I am a louer yet was neuer lou'dI am a louer yet was neuer lou'd, well haue I lou'd and wil though hated euer, Troubles I passe yet neuer any mou'd, sighs haue I giuen and yet she heard me neuer, I would complaine, and she would neuer heare me, and flie from loue, but it is euer neare me, Obliuion onely blamelesse doth beset mee, for that remembreth neuer to forget me.
XI. Why stayes the bridegroome
Why stayes the bridegroome to inuade herWhy stayes the bridegroome to inuade her, that would be a matron made, Good night whilst yet we may, good night to you a virgin say, To morrow rise, the same your mother is, and vse a nobler name, Speed well in hymens war, that what you are, by your perfections wee and all may see.
XII. Sing wee then heroyque grace
Sing wee then heroyque graceSing wee then heroyque grace, So with louely light adorning, that faire heauen of his face, As the Starre that leads the morning, body braue for part and whole, purest seate of purer soule, Where reposed lodge by nature, Princely strength and comely stature.
XIII. Sing the riches of his skill
Sing the riches of his skillSing the riches of his skill; Long by studious toyle prouided, Wit that neuer guideth ill, Will that neuer ill is guided, Iudgemēt that can best discerne, Memory that needs not learne, Courage where such thoughts assemble, Iustly may his haters tremble.
XIIII. Sing the nobles of his race
Sing the nobles of his raceSing the nobles of his race, Sing his power, his wealth, his glory, Breaking all the bounds of place, endlesse ages, agelesse storry, Peace that maketh one of two, more then euer warre could doe, Terror chased, terror chased, Iustice fixed, Mercy, mercy still with Iustice mixed.
XV. With what new thoughts
With what new thoughts should I now entertaine my mindeWith what new thoughts should I now entertaine my minde, if I my sadnesse should forgoe, What pleasing hopes haue I not proued, I not proued vaine, or what false shew of ioy doe I not know? O partiall loue there is no power in thee, to make her loue or else to set me free to make her loue or else to set me free.
XVI. Fly from the world
1
Fly from the world O flye thou poore distrest,Where thy diseased soule infects thy soule,
And where thy thoughts doe multiply vnrest, Tiring with wishes what they straight controule,
O world, O world betrayer of the minde,
O thoughts, O thoughts that guide vs being blinde.
O thoughts that guide vs being blinde, that guide vs being blinde.
2
Come therefore care, conduct me to my end,And steere this shipwrackt carkasse to the graue:
My sighes a strange and stedfast winde shall lend,
Teares wet the sailes, Repentance from rocks saue.
Haile death, haile death, the land I doe discry,
Strike saile, goe soule, rest followes them that dye.
XVII. Shall I seeke to ease my griefe
1
Shall I seeke to ease my griefe?No my sight is lost with eying; Shall I speak and beg reliefe?
No my voyce is hoarse with crying,
What remaines but onely dying?
What remaynes but onely dying?
2
Loue and I of late did part,But the Boy my peace enuying,
Like a Parthian threw his dart,
Backward and did wound me flying.
What remaines but onely dying?
3
She whom then I looked one,My remembrance beautifying
Stayes with me, though I am gone,
Gone, and at her mercy lying.
What remaynes, but onely dying?
4
Thus my vitall breath doth wast,And my blood with sorrow drying,
Sighes and teares make life to last,
For a while his place supplying.
What remaynes but onely dying?
XVIII. If all these Cupids now were blinde
If all these Cupids now were blindeIf all these Cupids now were blinde, as is their wanton brother, Or play should put it in their mindes, to shoot at one another, What prety battaile they would make if they their obiects should mistake, and each one wound, and each one wound his mother.
XIX. It was no pollicie of court
It was no pollicie of courtIt was no pollicie of court, although the place be charmed, To let in earnest or in sport, so many loues in armed, For say the dames should with their eyes vpon the hearts here meane surprise, Were not the men, were not the men, were not the men like harmed.
XX. Yes were the loues
Yes were the loues or false or strayingYes were the loues or false or straying, or beautie not their beautie waying, But here no such deceipt is mixt, their flames are pure their eyes are fixt, They doe not warre, they doe not warre, with diffrent darts, but strike a musicke of like hearts, they doe not warre with diffrent darts, but strike a musicke of like hearts.
XXI. So beautie on the waters stood
So beautie on the waters stoodSo beautie on the waters stood, when Loue had seuer'd earth from floud, So when hee parted ayre from fire, hee did with concord all inspire, And then a motion hee them taught, that elder then himselfe was thought, which thought was yet the childe of earth, for loue is elder then his birth.
XXII. Had those that dwell
Had those that dwell in error fouleHad those that dwell in error foule and hold that women haue no soule, But seene those moue, they would haue then said, women were the soules of men, so they doe moue each heart and eye, with the worlds soule their harmonie.
XXIII. If all the ages of the earth
If all the ages of the earth were crown'd but in this famous birthIf all the ages of the earth were crown'd but in this famous birth, but in this famous birth, and when that they would boast their store of worthy Queenes, of worthy Queenes they knew no more, how happier is that age can giue, a Queene in whom they all doe liue?
XXIIII. Vnconstant loue
Vnconstant loue why should I make my moaneVnconstant loue why should I make my moane, or send sad sighes vnto thy carelesse eare? Since thy affection and thy faith is gone, and all those vertues which I once held deare, Farewell, farewell, most false of all to mee, that with affection deerely, deerely loued thee.
XXV. O Eyes, O mortall starres
O eyes, O mortall starresO eyes, O mortall starres, the authors of my harmes, that in slumbring wage wars, to kill me with sweet charmes, If closed you annoy me, be'ng open you'ld destroy me. If closed you annoy me, be'ng open you'ld destroy me. If closed you annoy me, be'ng open you'ld destroy me. If closed you annoy me, be'ng open you'ld destroy mee.
XXVI. Fayre cruell Nimph
A Dialogue betweene a Shepheard and a Nimph.
Fayre cruell Nimph why thus in griefe & anguishFayre cruell Nimph why thus in griefe & anguish, Mak'st thou him that adores thee pine and languish? O but these fancies from thy beautie flow, O how I ioy, O how I ioy in thee my happy choise, As thou in me, as thou in me, so I in thee reioyce: Then let vs still together liue and loue, and sing the ioyes, the ioyes, and sing the ioyes that happy louers proue.
Why Shepheard dost thou mee condemne as cruell, Since thine owne fancies are thy passions fuell? Then shall reliefe to thee from bountie grow, O how I Ioy, O how I Ioy in this my happy choise, As thou in me, As thou in me, so I in thee reioyce, Then let vs still together liue and loue, And sing the ioyes, and sing the ioyes that happy louers proue.
XXVII. What shall I wish
A Dialogue.
What shall I wish?What shall I wish? what shall I flye? False I defie, Such euer speake, Such neuer breake, Flattery yeelds pleasure, Onely truth, onely truth yeelds waight, Happy are they that neuer knew deceit. Happy are they that neuer knew deceit neuer knew deceit.
True Loue I seeke, Wordes haue their truth, Deeds haue their faith, Flattery yeelds pleasure: Happy are they that neuer knew deceit. happy are they, happy are they that neuer knew deceit.
XXVIII. Tell me O Loue
A Dialogue betweene a Shepheard and a Nimph.
Tell me O LoueTell me O Loue, when shall it be that thy faire eyes shall shine on me? Whom nothing now reuiueth, Alas sweet Nymph, I cannot chuse since thou estranged liues from me, Alas, what ioy is in such loue that euer liues apart? O, let me die, yet stay sweet Loue,
I pray thee Shepheard, I pray thee shepheard leaue thy feares, Drowne not thy heart and eyes with teares, Such sighes my sence depriueth, O doe not me for that accuse, My Loue, my life doth liue in thee, Alas, what ioy is in such loue, and neuer other comforts proue, but cares that kill the hart? And so will I, yet stay sweet Loue and sing this song with me, Time brings to passe what loue thinkes could not be. Time brings to passe what loue thinkes could not be. and sing this song with me, time bring to passe, what loue thinks could not be. time brings to passe, what loue thinks could not be.
| Ayres | |