Of 4. Voc.
[_]
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.
[I. When first my heedlesse eyes.]
When first my heedles eyes beheld wt pleasure
When first my heedles eyes beheld wt pleasure,
In Astrophill both of nature & beauty al ye
treasure, In Astrophill, whose worth exceeds al measure, my fawning hart wt hot desier
surpryzed, wyld me intreat, I might not be dispyzed:
But gētle Astrophil wt looks vnfained, Before I spake, my praier intertained,
And smiling said, vnles Stella dissembleth,
her looke so passionat, my loue resēbleth.
[II. O merry world.]
O merry world when euery louer with his mate
O merry world when euery louer with his mate, might walk from
mead to mead & cheerfully relate, sowr pleasures & sweet griefs following a wanton state: Those dais knew no suspect, each
one might freely prate, And dance, or sing, or play with his consociate,
Then louers vsd like turtles to kisse,
full louingly, O hunny dais, & customes of antiquitie: But the world
now is full of so fond iealosie, That we term charity wanton iniquitie.
[III. Farewell cruell & vnkind]
Farewell cruell & vnkind
Farewell cruell & vnkind, Alone will I waile me, And till my
lifethred be vntwinde: Then my poore ghost still weeping,
Shall thus disturb thee sleeping: O Amarillis, ô Amarillis, why art thou prowder
then sweet Phillis, In whose faire face are placed two louely starres, wherwith heauen is disgraced.
[IIII. Zephirus breathing.]
Zephyrus breathing, now calls nymfs frō out their bowres
Zephyrus breathing, now calls nymfs frō out their bowres, to play & wanton, in roobes of sundry flow'rs: Progne chirpith, & sweet Philomele recordeth: And Flora seeing
what the spring affordeth Smyleth so sweetly, that heauen it self inflamed, Greatly reioyceth, to but heare her
named: The welkin, water, and earth, all are full of pleasure, All creaturs
ioy in loue, as Natures treasure.
[V. Faire shepherds queene.]
Faire shepherds Queene
Faire shepherds Queene, let vs hand in hand inchained, dance vp and
down ye greene, like frends vnfained, And merily recount our happie daies, While my tender flock clymes vp the mount, & ther staies: And shepherds all, come & follow me,
praising Amarillis, All but Amintas, whose onely
ioy is Phillis.
[VI. Eu'ry singing Byrd.]
Evry singing bird,in ye wood reioyces
Evry singing bird,in ye wood reioyces, come & assist me, with your charming voices:
Zephirus, come too, & make ye leaues, & ye fountaines Gently to send, a whispring
sound vnto ye mountains: And from thence pleasant Eccho, sweetly replying, stay here playing, where my
Phyllis now is lying, And louely Graces, with wanton Satyres come & play, dancing & singing a hornpype, or a rundelay.
[VII. Alas, what a wretched life is this?]
Alas, what a wretched life is this?
Alas, what a wretched life is this? nay, what a death,
where the tyrant loue commaundeth, All my prowd hope, quight faln, & life vntwyning: My ioyes each after other, in hast are
flying, And leaue my hart dying? O she from hence departs, any loue refrayning,
for whom all hartlesse alas, I dye complayning.
[VIII. This sweet & merry month of May.]
This sweet & merry merry month of May
This sweet & merry merry month of May, While nature wantons in her Pryme,
& Byrds do sing, & Beasts do play, for pleasure of the ioyfull time, I choose the first
for holly daie, & greet Elyza with a Ryme, O Beauteous Queene of second Troy, Take well in worth, a simple toy.
