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A Mvsicall Dreame

Or The Fovrth Booke Of Ayres, The First part is for the Lute, two Voyces, and the Viole de Gambo; The Second part is for the Lute, the Viole and foure Voices to Sing: The Third part is for one Voyce alone, or to the Lute, the Basse Viole, or to both if you please, VVhereof, two are Italian Ayres

  
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Quæ prosunt singula, multa inuant.



TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND WORTHY Gentleman, Sir Iohn Levinthorpe Knight


I.

[Though your strangenes frets my heart]

1

Though your strangenes frets my heart,
Yet must I not complaine,
You perswade me tis but Art
Which secret loue must faine,
If another you affect,
Tis but a toy to auoide suspect,
Is this faire excusing,
O no all is abusing.

2

When your wisht sight I desire,
Suspition you pretend,
Causlesse you your selfe retire,
Whilst I in vaine attend,
Thus a louer as you say,
Still made more eager by delay,
Is his faire excusing.
O no, all is abusing.

3

When another holds your hand,
Youle sweare I hold your heart,
Whilst my riuall close doth stand,
And I sit farre apart,
I am neerer yet then they,
Hid in your bosome as you say,
Is this faire excusing,
O no all is abusing.

4

Would a riuall then I were,
Some else your secret friend,
So much lesser should I feare,
And not so much attend,
They enioy you euery one,
Yet must I seeme your friend alone,
Is this faire excusing,
O no all is abusing.


II.

[Sweete Kate]

1

Sweete Kate
Of late
Ran away and left me playning.
A bide
I cride
Or I die with thy disdayning.
To hee hee quoth shee
Gladly would I see
Any man to die with louing
Neuer any yet died
Of such a fitte:
Neither haue I feare of prouing:

2

Vnkind,
I find,
Thy delight is in tormenting,
Abide,
I cride,
Or I die with thy consenting.
Te hee hee quoth she,
Make no foole of me,
Men I know haue oathes at pleasure,
But their hopes attaind,
They bewray they faind,
And their oathes are kept at leasure.

3

Her words
Like swords,
Cut my sorry heart in sunder,
Her floutes,
VVith doubts,
Kept my heart affections vnder.
Te hee hee quoth shee,
What a foole is he,
Stands in awe of once denying,
Cause I had inough,
To become more rough,
So I did, O happy trying.


[III. Once did I serue a cruell hart]

Once did I serue a cruell hart with faith vnfainde

Once did I serue a cruell hart with faith vnfainde I still importune her piersing lookes that wrought my smart, she laughes, and smiles at my misfortune and sayes perhaps you may at last by true desart, loues fauour taste.



IIII.

[Will saide to his manmmy]

1

Will saide to his manmmy
That hee woulde goe woo,
Faine would he wed but he wot not who
Soft a while my lammy stay,
And yet abide,
Hee like a foole as he was replide,
In faith chil haue a wife.
O what a life do I lead
For a wife in my bed
I may not tell you,
O there to haue a wife
O tis a smart to my hart,
Tis a racke to my backe
And to my belly.

2

Scarcely was hee wedded,
Full a fortnights space,
But that he was in a heauie case,
Largely was he headded,
And his cheekes lookt thinne:
And to repent he did thus beginne;
A figge for such a wife, a wife, a wife,
O what a life doe I lead,
With a wife in my bedde,
I may not tell you?
There to haue a wife, a wife, a wife,
O tis a smart to my heart,
Tis a racke to my backe,
And to my belly.

3

All you that are Batchelers,
Be learnd by crying will,
VVhen you are well to remaine so still,
Better for to tarry,
And alone to lie,
Then like a foole with a foole to crie.
A figge for such a wife, a wife, a wife,
O what a life doe I leade,
VVith a wife in my bed,
I may not tell you,
There to haue a wife, a wife, a wife,
O tis a smart to my heart,
Tis a racke to my backe,
And to my belly.


V.

[Harke harke wot yee what nay faith and shall]

1

Harke harke wot yee what nay faith and shall
I tell I am afraide to die a maid and then lead Apes in hell
O it makes me sigh & sob with inward griefe,
But if I can but get a man a man hele yeeld me some reliefe some reliefe.

2

O it is strange how nature works with me,
My body is spent and I lament mine owne great folly,
O it makes me sigh and powre forth flouds of teares,
Alas poore elfe none but thy selfe would liue, hauing such cares

3

O now I see that fortune frownes on me
By this good light I haue beene ripe,
O it makes me sigh and sure it will me kill,
When I should sleepe I lie and weepe, feeding on sorrowes still.

4

I must confesse as maides haue vertue store,
Liue honest still against our wils, more fooles we are therfore:
O it makes me sigh, yet hope doth still me good,
For if I can but get a man, with him ile spend my blood.


VI.

[My complayning is but faining]

1

My complayning is but faining,
All my loue is but in iest, fa, la, la,
And my Courting is but sporting
In most shewing meaning, least fa la la

2

Outward sadnesse inward gladnesse,
Representeth in my mind, fa la la,
In most faining most obtaining,
Such good faith in loue I find. fa la la.

3

Towards Ladies this my trade is,
Two minds in one breast I were, fa la la,
And my measure at my pleasure,
Ice and flame my face doth beare. Fa la la.


VII.

[On a time in summer season]

1

On a time in summer season,
Iocky late with Ienny walking
Like a loue made loue with talking,
When he should be doing.
Reason still he cries, when he should dally,
Sweet Ienny sweet shall I shall I,

2

Ienny as most women vse it,
Who say nay when they would haue it,
VVith a bolde face seemed to craue it,
With a faint looke did refuse it,
Iocky lost his time to dally,
Still he cries, sweete shall I, shall I.

3

She who knew that backward dealing.
was a foe to forward longing,
To auoide her owne hearts wronging,
with a sigh loues sute reuealing.
Said locky sweet when you would dally,
Doe you cry sweet, shall I shall I.

4

Iocky knew by her replying,
That a no is I in wooing,
That an asking without doing,
Is the way to loues denying.
Now he knowes when he would dally
How to spare sweet shall I shall I.


VIII.

[Farewell fond youth, if thou hadst not bin blind]

1

Farewell fond youth, if thou hadst not bin blind
Out of my eye thou mightst haue read my minde,
But now I plainely see how thou wouldst faine leaue me;
Sure I was a curst,
Not to goe at first
Sure I was a curst O fie fie no,
Sweete stay & I will tell thee why no

2

Once more farewell, since first I heard thee speake,
And had but sung farewell, my heart would breake,
But now since I doe find thy loue is like the wind,
What a foole was I
To be like to die.
What a foole was I, I was not,
Yet say I was a foole I passe not.

3

Woes me alasse, why did I let him goe,
These be the fruites of idle saying no,
Now that he can disproue me, how shall he euer loue me,
Nay but is he gone,
Then I am vndone,
Nay but is he gone, O hold him,
Fie, forty things are yet vntold him


IX.

[How should I shew my loue vnto my loue]

1

How should I shew my loue vnto my loue
But hide it from all eyes saue my loues eyes:
The way by pen or tong I dare not proue
Their drifts their drifts are oft discouered by the wisee,
Lookes are more safe, yet ouer them are spies,
Then whats the way to cosen iealousie
Which martyrs loue, by marking narrowly.

2

By all these wayes may thy affections walke,
VVithout suspition of the iealous guarde:
Thy whispering tong to her closde eare shall talke,
And be importunate till it be harde,
Papers shall passe lookes shall not be debarde,
To looke for loues young infants in her eyes,
Be franke and bold as she is kind and wise.

3

O who can be so francke as she is kind,
VVhose kindnesse merites more then Monarchies,
Boldnesse with her milde grace, grace cannot find,
Onely her wit ouer that doth tyrannize,
Then let her worth and thy loue simpathize,
Sith her worth to thy loue cannot be knowne,
Nor thy loue to her worthinesse be showne.


X.

[O he is gone and I am here]

1

O he is gone and I am here
Aye me why are wee thus deuided,
My sight in his eyes, did appeare
My soule by his soules thought was guided
Then come againe my all my life, my being,
Soules, zeale, harts ioy, cares gester, eyes onely seeing.

2

Come sable care sease on my heart,
Take vp the roomes that ioyes once filled,
Natures sweet blisse is slaine by Art,
A sence blacke frost lines spring hath killed
Then come againe, my loue, my deere, my treasure,
My blisse, my fate, my end, my hopes full measure.


XI.

[And is it night, are they thine eyes that shine]

1

And is it night, are they thine eyes that shine,
Are we alone and here and here alone
May I come neere may I but touch, but touch thy shrine
Is Ielousie a sleepe, and is he gone,
O Gods no more, silence my lippes with thine,
Lippes kisses Ioyes happe blessings most diuine.

2

O come my deare our griefes are turnde to night,
And night to ioyes, night blinds pale enuies eyes,
Silence and sleepe prepare vs our delight,
O cease we then our woes, our griefes our cries,
O vanish words, words doe but passions moue,
O deerest life, ioyes sweet, O sweetest loue.


XII.

[She hath an eye ah me, ah me]

1

She hath an eye ah me, ah me
Shee an eye to see. ah me
That shee hath too which makes me sigh
As louers doe, hey hoe
Ah me that an eye
Should make her liue and me to die,
Wise mens eyes are in their mind
But louers eyes are euer blind.

2

She hath a lippe, ah, ah alas,
Two lippes which doe themselues surpasse,
Alasse two lips for kisses,
Of earthly loue the heauenly blisses, hey hoe, hey hoe
Alasse, oh woe that a heauen,
Should make vs ods that make all euen,
Ladies kisses are a charme,
That kill us ere they doe vs harme.

3

She hath a heart ah me, ah me,
A heart she hath which none can see,
Ah me that I haue none,
Which makes me sigh, yea sighing grone, hey hoe, hey hoe
Hey hoe aye me that I part,
And liue, yet leaue wich her my heart,
Hartlesse men may liue by loue.
This she doth know and this I proue.


XIII.

[I know not what yet that I feele is much]

1

I know not what yet that I feele is much,
It came I know not when, it was not euer
Yet hurtes I know not how, yet is it such
As I am pleasd though it be cured neuer
It is a wound that wasteth still in woe
And yet I would not, that it were not so,

2

Pleasde with a thought that endeth with a sigh,
Sometimes I smile when teares stand in my eyes,
Yet then and there such sweet contentment lieth,
Both when and where my sweet sower torment lies,
O out alas, I cannot long endure it,
And yet alasse I care not when I cure it.

3

But well away, me thinks I am not shee,
That wonted was these fits as foule to scorne.
One and the same, euen so I seeme to be,
As lost I liue, yet of my selfe forlorne,
What may this be that thus my mind doth moue,
Alasse I feare, God shield it be not loue.


XIIII.

[Griefe, griefe of my best loues absenting]

1

Griefe, griefe of my best loues absenting:
Now O now wilt thou assayle mee
I had rather life should fayle mee
Then endure thy slow tormenting,
Life our griefes and vs doe seuer
Once for euer
Absence griefe haue no relenting.

2

Well, be it foule absence spights me,
So fit of it cannot send her,
As my heart should not attend her.
O how this thoughts thought delights me
Absence doe thy worst and spare not,
Know I care not
When thou wrongst me, my thoughts right me.

3

O but such thoughts proue illusions,
Shadowes of a substance banisht,
Dreames of pleasure too soone vanisht,
Reasons maimde of their conclusions,
Then since thoughts and all deceiue me,
O life leaue me,
End of life ends loues confusions.


XV.

[If in this flesh where thou in drencht dost lie]

1

If in this flesh where thou in drencht dost lie
Poore soule thou canst reare vp thy limed wings,
Carry my thoughts vp to the sacred skie
And wash them in those heauenly hallowed springs,
Where ioy and requeum The holy Angels sings
Whilst all heauens vault with blessed Ecchoes blessed Echoes rings.

2

Awaked with this harmony diuine,
O how my soule mounts vp her throned head,
And gines again with natiue glory shine,
Wash with repentance then thy dayes misled,
Then ioyes with requeum mayest thou with Angels sing,
Whilest all heauens vault with blessed Ecchoes ring.


XVI.

[O thred of life when thou art spēt how are my sorrowes eased.]

1

O thred of life when thou art spēt how are my sorrowes eased.
O vaile of flesh whē thou art rent how shal my soule be pleased:
O earth why tremblest thou at death
That did receiue both heate and breath
By bargain of a second birth,
That done again to be cold earth,
Come death deere widwife to my life,
See sin and vertue holde at strife,
Make hast a way
Lest thy delay
Bee my decay
World of inanity
School house of vanity
Minion of hell
Farewell farewell.

2

O coward life whose feare doth tie me in distasting sences,
Infused part mount vp on hie, life gets on life offences,
O she immortall flie away,
Be not immurde in finite clay,
Where true loue doth with selfe loue fight,
Begetting thoughts that doe affright,
Courage faint heart, sound trumpet death,
Ile find it wind with all my breath.
O case of glasse,
Confusions mase,
A flouring grasse,
Temple of treachery,
Soule yoake to misery,
Store-house of hell
Farewell, farewell.


XVII.

[When I sit reading all alone that secret booke]

1

When I sit reading all alone that secret booke
Where-in I sigh, to looke
How many spots there bee,
I wish I could not see,
Or from my selfe might flee.

2

Mine eyes for refuge then with zeale befixe the skies,
My teares doe cloude those eyes,
My sighes doe blow them drie,
And yet I liue to die,
My selfe I cannot flie,

3

Heauens I implore, that knowes my fault, what shall I doe,
To hell I dare not goe,
The world first made me rue,
My selfe my griefes renew,
To whome then shall I sue.

4

Alasse; my soule doth faint to draw this doubtfull breath,
Is there no hope in death,
O yes, death ends my woes:
Death me from me will lose,
My selfe am all my foes.


XVIII.

[Faine would I speake but feare to giue offence]

1

Faine would I speake but feare to giue offence,
Makes mee retire: and in amasement stand,
Still breathing forth, my woes in fruitlesse silence,
Whilst my poore hart is slaine by her faire hands:
Faire hands indeed the guiders of the dart
That from her eyes were leueld at my heart.

2

Those eyes two pointed Diamonds did engraue,
VVithin my heart the true and liuely forme,
Of that sweet Saint whose pitty most I craue,
VVhose absence makes me comfortlesse to mourne,
And sighing say (Sweet) would she knew my loue,
My plaints perhaps her mind may somewhat moue.

3

But if she knew, what if she did reiect,
Yet better twere by her sweet doome to die,
That she might know my deare loues true effect,
Then thus to liue in vnknowne misery,
Yet after death it may be she would say,
His too much loue did works his liues decay.


XIX.

[In Sherwood liude stout Robin Hood]

1

In Sherwood liude stout Robin Hood
An Archer great none greater.
His bow & shafts were sure & good,
Yet Cupids were much beter
Robin could shoot at many a Hart and misse,
Cupid at first could hit a hart of his,
Hey iolly Robin Hood,
Loue finds out me
Aswell as thee
To follow mee
To the green wood.

2

A noble thiefe was Robin Hoode,
Wise was he could deceiue him,
Yet Marrian in his brauest mood,
Could of his heart bereaue him,
No greater thiefe lies hidden vnder skies.
then beauty closely lodgde in womens eyes.
Hey iolly Robin.

3

An Out-law was this Robin Hood,
His life free and vnruly,
Yet to faire Marrian bound he stood
And loues debt payed her duely.
Whom curbe of stricktest law could not hold in,
Loue with obeyednes and a winke could winne.
Hey iolly Robin.

4

Now wend we home stout Robin Hood
Leaue we the woods behind vs,
Loue passions must not be withstood,
Loue euery where will find vs,
I liude in field and towne, and so did he,
I got me to the woods, loue followed me.
Hey iolly Robin.


FINIS.