by Nicholas Breton (1542 - 1626)
In the merry month of May
Language: English
In the merry month of May, On a morn by break of day, Forth I walk’d by the wood-side, Whereas May was in her pride: There I spyèd all alone Phillida and Corydon. Much ado there was, God wot! He would love and she would not. She said, never man was true; He said, none was false to you.[Pg 58] He said, he had loved her long; She said, Love should have no wrong. Corydon would kiss her then; She said, maids must kiss no men Till they did for good and all; Then she made the shepherd call All the heavens to witness truth Never lov’d a truer youth. Thus with many a pretty oath, Yea and nay, and faith and troth, Such as seely shepherds use When they will not love abuse, Love, which had been long deluded, Was with kisses sweet concluded; And Phillida with garlands gay Was made the Lady of the May.
Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age, ed. by A. H. Bullen, London, John C. Nimmo, 1887, pages 57-58.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Authorship:
- by Nicholas Breton (1542 - 1626), first published 1591 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Michael East (c1580 - 1648), "In the merry month of May", published 1604 [chorus], from the collection Madrigals to three, four, and five parts, madrigal [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-02-25
Line count: 26
Word count: 157