The first booke of songs & ayres of foure parts with Tableture for the Lute So made that all the parts together, or either of them severally may be song to the Lute, Orpherian or Viol de Gambo |
 |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IIII. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
 | The first booke of songs & ayres of foure parts with Tableture for the Lute |  |
[_]
The following poems are scored for music in the source text. 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.
[A womans looks]
[1]
A womans looksAre barbed hooks,
That catch by art
The strongest hart,
When yet they spend no breath,
But let them speake
& sighing break,
Forth into teares,
Their words are speares,
Yt wound our souls to death.
2
The rarest witIs made forget,
And like a child
Is oft beguild,
With loues sweete seeming baite:
Loue with his rod
So like a God,
Commands the mind
VVe cannot find,
Faire shewes hide fowle deceit.
3
Time that all thingesIn order bringes,
Hath taught me now
To be more slow,
In giuing faith to speech:
Since womens wordes
No truth affordes,
And when they kisse
They thinke by this,
Vs men to ouer-reach.
II.
[Fond wanton youths make loue a God]
[1]
Fond wanton youths make loue a God,Which after proueth ages rod,
Their youth, their time, their wit, their arte,
They spend in seeking of their smarte,
And which of follies is the chiefe,
They wooe their woe, they wedde their griefe.
2
All finde it so who wedded are,Loues sweetes they finde enfold sowre care:
His pleasures pleasingst in the eie,
Which tasted once, with lothing die:
They find of follies tis the chiefe,
Their woe to wooe to wedde their griefe.
3
If for their owne content they choose,Forthwith their kindreds loue they loose:
And if their kindred they content,
For euer after they repent.
O tis of all our follies chiefe,
Our woe to wooe to wedde our griefe.
4
In bed vvhat strifes are bred by day,Our puling vviues doe open lay:
None friendes none foes vve must esteeme,
But vvhome they so vouchsafe to deeme:
O tis of all our follies chiefe,
Our woe to wooe to vvedde our griefe.
5
Their smiles we want if ought they want,And either we their wils must grant,
Or die they will or are vvith child,
Their laughings must not be beguild:
O tis of all our follies chiefe,
Our woe to vvoo to vvedde our griefe.
6
Foule vviues are iealous, faire vviues false,Mariage to either bindes vs thrall:
Wherefore being bound vve must obey,
And forced be perforce to say:
Of all our blisse it is the chiefe,
Our woe to vvooe to wed our griefe.
III.
[She whose matchles beauty stayneth]
[1]
She whose matchles beauty stayneth,What best iudgment fairst maintaineth,
Shee O shee my loue disdaineth.
2
Can a creature so excelling,Harbour scorne in beauties dwelling,
All kinde pitty thence expelling?
3
Pitty beauty much commendeth,And th'imbracer oft befriendeth,
When all eie-contentment endeth.
4
Time proues beauty transitoryScorne; the staine of beauties glory,
In time makes the scorner sorie.
5
None adores the sunne declining,Loue all loue fals to resigning,
When the sunne of loue leaues shining.
6
So when flowre of beauty failes thee,And age stealing on assailes thee,
Then marke what this scorne auailes thee.
7
Then those hearts which now complaining,Feele the wounds of thy disdaining,
Shall contemne thy beauty waining.
8
Yea thine owne hart now deere prized,Shall with spite and griefe surprised,
Burst to finde it selfe despised.
9
When like harmes haue them requited,Who in others harmes delighted,
Pleasingly the wrong'd are righted.
10
Such reuenge my wronges attending,Hope still liues on time depending,
By thy plagues my torments ending.
IIII.
[Once did I loue and yet I liue]
[1]
Once did I loue and yet I liue,Though loue & truth be now forgotten.
Then did I ioy nowe doe I grieue,
That holy vows must needs be broken.
2
Hers be the blame that causd it so,Mine be the griefe though it be little,
Shee shall haue shame I cause to know:
What tis to loue a dame so fickle.
3
Loue her that list I am content,For that Camelion like shee changeth,
Yeelding such mistes as may preuent:
My sight to view her when she rangeth.
4
Let him not vaunt that gaines my losse,For when that he and time hath prou'd her,
Shee may him bring to weeping crosse:
I say no more because I lou'd her.
V.
[Led by a strong desire]
[1]
Led by a strong desireTo haue a thing vnseene,
Nothing could make mee tire
To bee where as I had been,
I got her sight which made me think,
My thirst was gone because I saw my drinke.
2
Kept by the carefull watchOf more then hundred eies,
I sought but could not catch
The thing she not denies:
Tis better to be blind and fast,
Then hungrie see thy loue and cannot tast.
3
But louers eies doe wakeWhen others are at rest,
And in the night they slake
The fire of daies vnrest:
Mee thinkes that ioy is of most worth,
Which painful time & passed fears brings forth.
4
Yet husbands doe supposeTo keepe their wiues by art,
And parents will disclose
By lookes their childrens hart:
As if they which haue will to doe,
Had not the wit to blind such keepers to.
5
Peace then yee aged foolesThat know your selues so wise,
That from experience schooles
Doe thinke wit must arise:
Giue young men leaue to thinke and say,
Your senses with your bodies doe decay.
6
Loue ruleth like a GodWhom earth keepes not in awe,
Nor feare of smarting rod
Denounc'd by reasons law:
Giue graue aduise but rest you there,
Youth hath his cours, & wil, & you youths wer.
7
Thinke not by prying careTo picke loues secrets out,
If you suspitious are
Your selues resolue your doubt,
Who seekes to know such deede once done,
Findes periury before confession.
VI.
[Lie downe poore heart and die a while for griefe]
[1]
Lie downe poore heart and die a while for griefe,Thinke not this world will euer do thee good,
Fortune forwarnes yu looke to thy reliefe,
And sorrow sucks vpon thy liuing bloud,
Then this is all can helpe thee of this hell,
Lie downe and die, and then thou shalt doe well.
2
Day giues his light but to thy labours toyle,And night her rest but to thy weary bones,
Thy fairest fortune followes with a foyle:
And laughing endes but with their after grones.
And this is all can helpe thee of thy hell,
Lie downe and die and then thou shalt doe well.
3
Patience doth pine and pitty ease no paine,Time weares the thoughts but nothing helps ye mind,
Dead and aliue aliue and dead againe:
These are the fits that thou art like to finde.
And this is all can helpe thee of thy hell,
Lie downe and die and then thou shalt doe well.
VII.
[Where lingring feare doth once posses the hart]
[1]
Where lingring feare doth once posses the hart,There is the toong
Forst to prolong,
& smother vp his suite, while that his smart,
Like fire supprest, flames more in euery part.
2
Who dares not speake deserues not his desire,The Boldest face,
Findeth most grace:
Though women loue that men should thē admire,
They slily laugh at him dares come no higher.
3
Some thinke a glaunce expressed by a sigh,Winning the field,
Maketh them yeeld:
But while these glauncing fooles do rowle the eie,
They beate the bush, away the bird doth flie.
4
A gentle hart in vertuous breast doth stay,Pitty doth dwell,
In beauties cell:
A womans hart doth not thogh tong say nay
Repentance taught me this the other day.
5
Which had I wist I presently had got,The pleasing fruite,
Of my long suite:
But time hath now beguild me of this lot,
For that by his foretop I tooke him not.
VIII.
[Hero care not though they prie]
[1]
Hero care not though they prie,I will loue thee till I die,
Ielousie is but a smart,
That tormentes a ielous hart:
Crowes are blacke that were white,
For betraying loues delight.
2
They that loue to finde a fault,May repent what they haue sought,
What the fond eie hath not view'd,
Neuer wretched hart hath rew'd:
Vulcan then, prou'd a scorne,
When he saw he wore a horne.
3
Doth it then by might behoue,To shut vp the gates of loue,
Women are not kept by force,
But by natures owne remorse.
If they list, they will stray,
Who can hold that will away.
4
Ioue in golden shower obtain'd,His loue in a towre restrain'd,
So perhaps if I could doe,
I might hold my sweete loue to:
Gold keepe out at the doore,
I haue loue that conquers more.
5
VVherefore did they not suspect,VVhen it was to some effect,
Euery little glimmering sparke,
Is perceiued in the darke:
This is right, how lets kinde,
See by night, by day be blinde.
IX.
[When loue on time and measure makes his ground]
[1]
When loue on time and measure makes his ground,Time that must end though loue can neuer die,
Tis loue betwixt a shadow and a sound,
A loue not in the hart but in the eie,
A loue that ebbes and flowes now vp now downe,
A mornings fauor and an euenings frowne.
2
Sweete lookes shew loue, yet they are but as beames,Faire wordes seeme true, yet they are but as wind,
Eies shed their teares yet are but outward streames:
Sighes paint a sadnes in the falsest minde.
Lookes, wordes, teares, sighes, shew loue when loue they leaue,
False harts can weepe, sigh, sweare, and yet deceiue.
X.
[Sweet come away my darling]
[1]
Sweet come away my darling,And sweetly let me heare thee sing,
Come away, come away and bring
My hart thou hast so fast in keeping.
2
Oh fie vpon this long stay,That thus my louing hopes delay:
Come againe, come againe, and say,
Sweet hart ile neuer more say thee nay.
3
Deere be not such a tyrant,Still to reioice thee in my want:
Come and doe, come and doe, not scant
Me of thy fight, so faire and pleasant.
4
VVhy hearst thou not his sighing,VVhose voice all hoarce is with crying:
Come and doe, come and doe something,
That may reuiue thy true loue dying.
5
This is the pride of women,That they make beggers of all men:
VVe must sigh, we must crie, we must die, and then
Forsooth it may be they will hearken.
XI.
[Women, what are they, changing weather-cocks]
[1]
Women, what are they, changing weather-cocks,That smallest puffes of lust haue power to turne,
Women what are they, vertues stumbling blockes,
Whereat weake fooles doe fall, the wiser spurne,
Wee men, what are wee, fooles, and idle boies,
To spend our time in sporting with such toies.
2
VVomen what are they? trees whose outward rinde,Makes shew for faire when inward hart is hallow:
Women what are they? beasts of Hiænaes kinde,
That speak those fairst, whō most they mean to swallow:
We men what are wee? fooles and idle boies,
To spend our time in sporting with such toies.
3
VVomen what are they? rocks vpon the coast,Where on we suffer fhipwracke at our landing:
Women what are they? patient creatures most,
That rather yeld thē striue gainst ought withstāding
We men what are wee? fooles and idle boies,
To spend our time in sporting with such toies.
XII.
[Farewel dear loue since yu wilt needs be gon]
[1]
Farewel dear loue since yu wilt needs be gon,Mine eies do shew my life is almost done,
Nay I will neuer die,
So long as I can spie,
There be many mo
Though yt she do go
There be many mo I feare not,
Why then let her goe I care not.
2
Farewell, farewell, since this I finde is true,I will not spend more time in wooing you:
But I will seeke elswhere,
If I may find her there,
Shall I bid her goe,
What and if I doe?
Shall I bid her go and spare not,
O no no no no I dare not.
3
Ten thousand times farewell, yet stay a while,Sweet kisse me once, sweet kisses time beguile:
I haue no power to moue,
How now, am I in loue?
Wilt thou needs be gone?
Go then, all is one,
Wilt thou needs be gone? oh hie thee,
Nay, stay and doe no more denie mee.
4
Once more farewell, I see loth to depart;Bids oft adew to her that holdes my hart:
But seeing I must loose,
Thy loue which I did chuse:
Go thy waies for me,
Since it may not be,
Go thy waies for me, but whither?
Go, oh but where I may come thither.
5
What shall I doe? my loue is now departed,Shee is as faire as shee is cruell harted:
Shee would not be intreated,
With praiers oft repeated:
If shee come no more,
Shall I die therefore,
If shee come no more, what care I?
Faith, let her go, or come, or tarry.
XIII.
[O my poore eies yt sun whose shine]
[1]
O my poore eies yt sun whose shineLate gaue you light doth now decline
And set to you to others riseth,
She who would sooner die then change,
Not fearing death delights to range,
And now O now my soule despiseth.
2
Yet O my hart thy state is blest,To finde out rest in thy vnrest:
Since thou her slaue no more remainest,
For shee that bound thee sets thee free,
Then when shee first forsaketh thee:
Such O such right by wrong thou gainest.
3
Eies gaze no more, heart learne to hate,Experience tels you all too late:
Fond womans loue with faith still warreth,
While true desert speakes, writes and giues,
Some groome the bargaine neerer driues:
And he, O he the market marreth.
XIIII.
[If fathers knew but how to leaue]
[1]
If fathers knew but how to leaueTheir children wit as they do wealth,
& could constraine them to receiue
That physicke which brings perfect health,
Ye world would not admiring stand,
A womans face and womans hand.
2
Women confesse they must obey,We men will needes be seruants still:
We kisse their hands and what they say,
We must commend bee't neuer so ill.
Thus we like fooles admiring stand,
Her pretty foote and pretty hand.
3
We blame their pride which we increase,By making mountaines of a mouse:
We praise because we know we please,
Poore women are too credulous.
To thinke that we admiring stand,
Or foote, or face, or foolish hand.
XV.
[Life is a Poets fable]
[1]
Life is a Poets fable,& al her daies are lies
Stolne from deaths reckoning table,
For I die as I speake,
Death times the notes that I doe breake.
2
Childhood doth die in youth,And youth in old age dies,
I thought I liu'd in truth:
But I die, now I see,
Each age of death makes one degree.
3
Farewell the doting score,Of worlds arithmeticke,
Life, ile trust thee no more,
Till I die, for thy sake,
Ile go by deaths new almanacke.
4
This instant of my song,A thousand men lie sicke,
A thousand knels are rong:
And I die as they sing,
They are but dead and I dying.
5
Death is but lifes decay,Life time, time wastes away,
Then reason bids me say,
That I die, though my breath
Prolongs this space of lingring death.
XVI.
[Sweet Philomell in groaues and desarts haunting]
[1]
Sweet Philomell in groaues and desarts haunting,Oft glads my hart and eares with her sweet chaunting,
But then her tunes delight me best,
When pearcht with prick against her breast,
Shee sings fie fie as if shee suffred wrong
Till seeming pleas'd sweete sweete concludes her song.
2
Sweete Iinny singes and talkes and sweetly smileth,And with her wanton mirth my griefes beguileth:
But then me thinkes shee pleaseth best,
When, while my hands moue loues request.
Shee cries phy, phy, and seeming loath gainsaies,
Till better pleas'd sweete sweete content bewraies.
XVII.
[That hart wherein all sorrowes doth abound]
[1]
That hart wherein all sorrowes doth abound,Lies in this breast, and cries alowd for death,
O blame not her when I am vnder ground,
That scorning wisht, t'outliue my panting breath,
O doe not her despise,
But let my death suffice,
To make all young men wise.
2
My louing hopes prolongd my lothed life,Till that my life grew lothsome to my lou'd,
Then death and I were at no longer strife:
And I was glad my death her wish approu'd.
O let not her be shent,
Yet let my president,
Make womans harts relent.
XVIII.
[What if I seeke for loue of thee]
[1]
What if I seeke for loue of thee,Shall I find beauty kind
To desert that still shall dwell in mee.
But if I sue and liue forlorne,
Then alasse neuer was
Any wretch to more misfortune borne.
Though thy lookes haue charmd mine eies,
I can forbeare to loue,
But if euer sweete desire
Set my wofull hart on fire
Then can I neuer remoue.
2
Frowne not on me vnlesse thou hate,For thy frowne cast me downe
To despaire of my most haplesse state:
Smile not on me vnlesse thou loue,
For thy smile, will beguile
My desires if thou vnsteedfast proue:
If thou needs wilt bend thy browes,
A while refraine my deare,
But if thou wilt smile on me,
Let it not delayed be,
Comfort is neuer too neare.
XIX.
[My Mistris sings no other song]
[1]
My Mistris sings no other songBut stil complains I did her wrong,
Beleeue her not it was not so,
I did but kis her and let her goe.
2
And now she sweares I did, but what,Nay, nay, I must not tell you that:
And yet I will it is so sweete,
As teehee tahha when louers meete.
3
But womens words they are heedlesse,To tell you more it is needlesse:
I ranne and caught her by the arme,
And then I kist her, this was no harme.
4
But shee alas is angrie still,Which sheweth but a womans will:
She bites the lippe and cries fie fie,
And kissing sweetly away shee doth flie.
5
Yet sure her lookes bewraies content.And cunningly her brales are meant:
As louers vse to play and sport,
When time and leisure is too too short.
XX.
[Perplexed sore am I]
[1]
Perplexed sore am I,Thine eies fair loue like Phebus brightest beames
Doth set my hart on fire and daze my sight,
Yet doe I liue by vertue of those beames,
For when thy face is hid comes fearefull night
And I am like to die,
Then since my eies can not indure so heauenly sparke,
Sweet grant that I may stil feele out my loue by darke.
2
So Shall I ioyfull bee,Each thing on earth that liueth by the sunne:
Would die if he in glorie still appeare,
Then let some cloudes of pitty ouerrunne
That glorious face, that I with liuely cheere,
May stand vp before thee.
Or, Since mine eies cannot endure so heauenly sparke,
Sweet grant that I may still feele out my loue by darke.
XXI.
[Can modest plaine desire]
[1]
Can modest plaine desireTo the ioies of loue aspire?
Can worthinesse procure
More then hardinesse assure?
No no no where feare of each frowne,
Takes hopes height downe a downe downe.
2
Granting is so eschew'd,Least the grant lie vnpursued:
Least sutors brag they might,
And account the grantors light:
No no no is a weake defence growne,
Till force beare downe downe a downe.
3
Yet who would staine loues seate,With a blot of such a feate:
Or for so vile a toy,
Ioine repentance with his ioy.
No no no her vertue well knowne,
Beates vaine thoughts downe downe a downe.
| The first booke of songs & ayres of foure parts with Tableture for the Lute | |