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The Works of Thomas Campion

Complete Songs, Masques, and Treatises with a Selection of the Latin Verse: Edited with an introduction and notes by Walter R. Davis

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A BOOKE OF AYRES, 1601
  
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 II. 
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 VI. 
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 VIII. 
 IX. 
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 XI. 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 XX. 
 XXI. 
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11

A BOOKE OF AYRES,
[_]

Set foorth to be song to the Lute, Orpherian, and Base Violl, by Philip Rosseter Lutenist: And are to be solde at his house in Fleetstreete neere to the Gray-hound.

1601


14

TO THE RIGHT VERTUOUS AND WORTHY KNIGHT, SIR THOMAS MOUNSON.

18

I.

[My sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love]

My sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love,
And, though the sager sort our deedes reprove,
Let us not way them: heav'ns great lampes doe dive
Into their west, and strait againe revive,
But, soone as once set is our little light,
Then must we sleepe one ever-during night.
If all would lead their lives in love like mee,
Then bloudie swords and armour should not be,
No drum nor trumpet peaceful sleepes should move,
Unles alar'me came from the campe of love:
But fooles do live, and wast their little light,
And seeke with paine their ever-during night.
When timely death my life and fortune ends,
Let not my hearse be vext with mourning friends,
But let all lovers, rich in triumph, come,
And with sweet pastimes grace my happie tombe;
And, Lesbia, close up thou my little light,
And crowne with love my ever-during night.

20

II.

[Though you are yoong and I am olde]

Though you are yoong and I am olde,
Though your vaines hot and my bloud colde,
Though youth is moist and age is drie,
Yet embers live when flames doe die.
The tender graft is easely broke,
But who shall shake the sturdie Oke?
You are more fresh and faire then I,
Yet stubs doe live, when flowers doe die.
Thou that thy youth doest vainely boast,
Know buds are soonest nipt with frost;
Thinke that thy fortune still doth crie,
Thou foole, tomorrow thou must die.

22

III.

[I care not for these Ladies]

I care not for these Ladies
That must be woode and praide,
Give me kind Amarillis
The wanton countrey maide;
Nature art disdaineth,
Her beautie is her owne;
Her when we court and kisse,
She cries, forsooth, let go:
But when we come where comfort is,
She never will say no.
If I love Amarillis,
She gives me fruit and flowers,
But if we love these Ladies,
We must give golden showers;
Give them gold that sell love,
Give me the Nutbrowne lasse,
Who when we court and kisse,
She cries, forsooth, let go:
But when we come where comfort is,
She never will say no.
These Ladies must have pillowes,
And beds by strangers wrought,
Give me a Bower of willowes,
Of mosse and leaves unbought,
And fresh Amarillis,
With milke and honie fed,
Who when we court and kisse,
She cries, forsooth, let go:
But when we come where comfort is,
She never will say no.

24

IV.

[Followe thy faire sunne, unhappy shaddowe]

Followe thy faire sunne, unhappy shaddowe:
Though thou be blacke as night,
And she made all of light,
Yet follow thy faire sunne, unhappie shaddowe.
Follow her whose light thy light depriveth:
Though here thou liv'st disgrac't,
And she in heaven is plac't,
Yet follow her whose light the world reviveth.
Follow those pure beames whose beautie burneth,
That so have scorched thee,
As thou still blacke must bee,
Til her kind beames thy black to brightnes turneth.
Follow her while yet her glorie shineth:
There comes a luckles night,
That will dim all her light;
And this the black unhappie shade devineth.
Follow still since so thy fates ordained:
The Sunne must have his shade,
Till both at once doe fade,
The Sun still prov'd, the shadow still disdained.

27

V.

[My love hath vowd hee will forsake mee]

My love hath vowd hee will forsake mee,
And I am alreadie sped.
Far other promise he did make me
When he had my maidenhead.
If such danger be in playing,
And sport must to earnest turne,
I will go no more a-maying.
Had I foreseene what is ensued,
And what now with paine I prove,
Unhappie then I had eschewed
This unkind event of love:
Maides foreknow their own undooing,
But feare naught till all is done,
When a man alone is wooing.
Dissembling wretch, to gaine thy pleasure,
What didst thou not vow and sweare?
So didst thou rob me of the treasure
Which so long I held so deare;
Now thou prov'st to me a stranger,
Such is the vile guise of men
When a woman is in danger.
That hart is neerest to misfortune
That will trust a fained toong;
When flattring men our loves importune,
They entend us deepest wrong;
If this shame of loves betraying
But this once I cleanely shun,
I will go no more a-maying.

28

VI.

[When to her lute Corrina sings]

When to her lute Corrina sings,
Her voice revives the leaden stringes,
And doth in highest noates appeare
As any challeng'd eccho cleere;
But when she doth of mourning speake,
Ev'n with her sighes the strings do breake.
And, as her lute doth live or die,
Led by her passion, so must I:
For when of pleasure she doth sing,
My thoughts enjoy a sodaine spring;
But if she doth of sorrow speake,
Ev'n from my hart the strings doe breake.

30

VII.

[Turne backe, you wanton flyer]

Turne backe, you wanton flyer,
And answere my desire
With mutuall greeting;
Yet bende a little neerer,
True beauty stil shines cleerer
In closer meeting.
Harts with harts delighted
Should strive to be united,
Either others armes with armes enchayning:
Harts with a thought, rosie lips
With a kisse still entertaining.
What harvest halfe so sweete is
As still to reape the kisses
Growne ripe in sowing,
And straight to be receiver
Of that which thou art giver,
Rich in bestowing?
There's no strickt observing
Of times, or seasons changing,
There is ever one fresh spring abiding:
Then what we sow with our lips
Let us reape, loves gaines deviding.

31

VIII.

[It fell on a sommers day]

It fell on a sommers day,
While sweete Bessie sleeping laie
In her bowre, on her bed,
Light with curtaines shadowed;
Jamy came, shee him spies,
Opning halfe her heavie eies.
Jamy stole in through the dore,
She lay slumbring as before;
Softly to her he drew neere,
She heard him, yet would not heare;
Bessie vow'd not to speake,
He resolv'd that dumpe to breake.
First a soft kisse he doth take,
She lay still, and would not wake;
Then his hands learn'd to woo,
She dreamp't not what he would doo,
But still slept, while he smild
To see love by sleepe beguild.
Jamy then began to play,
Bessie as one buried lay,
Gladly still through this sleight
Deceiv'd in her owne deceit;
And, since this traunce begoon,
She sleepes ev'rie afternoone.

32

IX.

[The Sypres curten of the night is spread]

The Sypres curten of the night is spread,
And over all a silent dewe is cast.
The weaker cares by sleepe are conquered;
But I alone, with hidious griefe agast,
In spite of Morpheus charmes a watch doe keepe
Over mine eies, to banish carelesse sleepe.
Yet oft my trembling eyes through faintnes close,
And then the Mappe of hell before me stands,
Which Ghosts doe see, and I am one of those
Ordain'd to pine in sorrowes endles bands,
Since from my wretched soule all hopes are reft
And now no cause of life to me is left.
Griefe, ceaze my soule, for that will still endure
When my cras'd bodie is consum'd and gone;
Beare it to thy blacke denne, there keepe it sure,
Where thou ten thousand soules doest tyre upon:
Yet all doe not affoord such foode to thee
As this poore one, the worser part of mee.

X.

[Follow your Saint, follow with accents sweet]

Follow your Saint, follow with accents sweet,
Haste you, sad noates, fall at her flying feete;
There, wrapt in cloud of sorrowe, pitie move,
And tell the ravisher of my soule I perish for her love.
But if she scorns my never-ceasing paine,
Then burst with sighing in her sight, and nere returne againe.
All that I soong still to her praise did tend,
Still she was first, still she my songs did end.
Yet she my love and Musicke both doeth flie,
The Musicke that her Eccho is, and beauties simpathie;
Then let my Noates pursue her scornefull flight:
It shall suffice that they were breath'd, and dyed, for her delight.

33

XI.

[Faire, if you expect admiring]

Faire, if you expect admiring,
Sweet, if you provoke desiring,
Grace deere love with kinde requiting.
Fond, but if thy sight be blindnes,
False, if thou affect unkindnes,
Flie both love and loves delighting.
Then when hope is lost and love is scorned,
Ile bury my desires, and quench the fires that ever yet in vaine have burned.
Fates, if you rule lovers fortune,
Stars, if men your powers importune,
Yield reliefe by your relenting.
Time, if sorrow be not endles,
Hope made vaine, and pittie friendles,
Helpe to ease my long lamenting.
But if griefes remaine still unredressed,
I'le flie to her againe, and sue for pitie to renue my hopes distressed.

34

XII.

[Thou art not faire, for all thy red and white]

Thou art not faire, for all thy red and white,
For all those rosie ornaments in thee;
Thou art not sweet, though made of meer delight,
Nor faire nor sweet, unlesse thou pitie mee.
I will not sooth thy fancies: thou shalt prove
That beauty is no beautie without love.
Yet love not me, nor seeke thou to allure
My thoughts with beautie, were it more devine;
Thy smiles and kisses I cannot endure,
I'le not be wrapt up in those armes of thine.
Now shew it, if thou be a woman right:
Embrace, and kisse, and love me, in despight.

37

XIII.

[See where she flies enrag'd from me]

See where she flies enrag'd from me,
View her when she intends despite:
The winde is not more swift then shee,
Her furie mov'd such terror makes
As, to a fearfull guiltie sprite,
The voice of heav'ns huge thunder cracks.
But, when her appeased minde yeelds to delight,
All her thoughts are made of joyes,
Millions of delights inventing:
Other pleasures are but toies
To her beauties sweete contenting.
My fortune hangs upon her brow,
For, as she smiles or frownes on mee,
So must my blowne affections bow;
And her proude thoughts too well do find
With what unequall tyrannie
Her beauties doe command my mind.
Though, when her sad planet raignes, froward she bee,
She alone can pleasure move,
And displeasing sorrow banish:
May I but still hold her love,
Let all other comforts vanish.

38

XIV.

[Blame not my cheeks, though pale with love they be]

Blame not my cheeks, though pale with love they be;
The kindly heate unto my heart is flowne,
To cherish it that is dismaid by thee,
Who art so cruell and unsteedfast growne:
For nature, cald for by distressed harts,
Neglects and quite forsakes the outward partes.
But they whose cheekes with careles blood are stain'd
Nurse not one sparke of love within their harts,
And, when they woe, they speake with passion fain'd,
For their fat love lyes in their outward parts:
But in their brests, where love his court should hold,
Poore Cupid sits and blowes his nailes for cold.

40

XV.

[When the God of merrie love]

When the God of merrie love
As yet in his cradle lay,
Thus his wither'd nurse did say:
Thou a wanton boy wilt prove
To deceive the powers above;
For by thy continuall smiling
I see thy power of beguiling.
Therewith she the babe did kisse,
When a sodaine fire out came
From those burning lips of his,
That did her with love enflame;
But none would regard the same,
So that, to her daie of dying,
The old wretch liv'd ever crying.

41

XVI.

[Mistris, since you so much desire]

Mistris, since you so much desire
To know the place of Cupids fire,
In your faire shrine that flame doth rest,
Yet never harbourd in your brest;
It bides not in your lips so sweete,
Nor where the rose and lillies meete,
But a little higher, but a little higher:
There, there, O there lies Cupids fire.
Even in those starrie pearcing eyes,
There Cupids sacred fire lyes;
Those eyes I strive not to enjoy,
For they have power to destroy;
Nor woe I for a smile, or kisse,
So meanely triumph's not my blisse;
But a little higher, but a little higher,
I climbe to crowne my chast desire.

42

XVII.

[Your faire lookes enflame my desire]

Your faire lookes enflame my desire:
Quench it againe with love.
Stay, O strive not still to retire,
Doe not inhumane prove.
If love may perswade,
Loves pleasures, deere, denie not;
Heere is a silent grovie shade:
O tarrie then, and flie not.
Have I seaz'd my heavenly delight
In this unhaunted grove?
Time shall now her furie requite
With the revenge of love.
Then come, sweetest, come,
My lips with kisses gracing:
Here let us harbour all alone,
Die, die in sweete embracing.
Will you now so timely depart,
And not returne againe?
Your sight lends such life to my hart
That to depart is paine.
Feare yeelds no delay,
Securenes helpeth pleasure:
Then, till the time gives safer stay,
O farewell, my lives treasure!

43

XVIII.

[The man of life upright]

The man of life upright,
Whose guiltlesse hart is free
From all dishonest deedes,
Or thought of vanitie,
The man whose silent dayes
In harmeles joyes are spent,
Whome hopes cannot delude,
Nor sorrow discontent,
That man needes neither towers
Nor armour for defence,
Nor secret vautes to flie
From thunders violence.
Hee onely can behold
With unafrighted eyes
The horrours of the deepe,
And terrours of the Skies.
Thus, scorning all the cares
That fate, or fortune brings,
He makes the heav'n his booke,
His wisedome heev'nly things,
Good thoughts his onely friendes,
His wealth a well-spent age,
The earth his sober Inne,
And quiet Pilgrimage.

44

XIX.

[Harke, al you ladies that do sleep]

Harke, al you ladies that do sleep:
the fayry queen Proserpina
Bids you awake and pitie them that weep;
you may doe in the darke
What the day doth forbid:
feare not the dogs that barke,
Night will have all hid.
But if you let your lovers mone,
the Fairie Queene Proserpina
Will send abroad her Fairies ev'rie one,
that shall pinch blacke and blew
Your white hands, and faire armes,
that did not kindly rue
Your Paramours harmes.
In Myrtle Arbours on the downes,
the Fairie Queene Proserpina,
This night by moone-shine leading merrie rounds,
holds a watch with sweet love;
Downe the dale, up the hill,
no plaints or groanes may move
Their holy vigill.
All you that will hold watch with love,
the Fairie Queene Proserpina
Will make you fairer then Diones dove;
Roses red, Lillies white,
And the cleare damaske hue,
shall on your cheekes alight:
Love will adorne you.
All you that love, or lov'd before,
the Fairie Queene Proserpina
Bids you encrease that loving humour more:
they that yet have not fed
On delight amorous,
she vowes that they shall lead
Apes in Avernus.

46

XX.

[When thou must home to shades of under ground]

When thou must home to shades of under ground,
And there ariv'd, a newe admired guest,
The beauteous spirits do ingirt thee round,
White Iope, blith Hellen, and the rest,
To heare the stories of thy finisht love,
From that smoothe toong whose musicke hell can move:
Then wilt thou speake of banqueting delights,
Of masks and revels which sweete youth did make,
Of Turnies and great challenges of knights,
And all these triumphes for thy beauties sake:
When thou hast told these honours done to thee,
Then tell, O tell, how thou didst murther me.

48

XXI.
Come, let us sound with melody the praises

Come, let us sound with melody the praises
Of the kings king, th'omnipotent creator,
Author of number, that hath all the world in
Harmonie framed.
Heav'n is his throne perpetually shining,
His devine power and glorie thence he thunders,
One in all, and all still in one abiding,
Both Father, and Sonne.
O sacred sprite, invisible, eternall,
Ev'ry where, yet unlimited, that all things
Canst in one moment penetrate, revive me,
O holy Spirit.
Rescue, O rescue me from earthly darknes,
Banish hence all these elementall objects,
Guide my soule that thirsts to the lively Fountaine
Of thy devinenes.
Cleanse my soule, O God, thy bespotted Image,
Altered with sinne so that heav'nly purenes
Cannot acknowledge me but in thy mercies,
O Father of grace.
But when once thy beames do remove my darknes,
O then I'le shine forth as an Angell of light,
And record, with more than an earthly voice, thy
Infinite honours.
FINIS.