by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Fain would I have a pretty thing
Language: English
A proper Song, Intituled: Fain wold I haue a pretie thing to give vnto my Ladie. To the tune of lustie Gallant. Fain would I haue a pretie thing, to giue vnto my Ladie: I name no thing, nor I meane no thing, But as pretie a thing as may bee. Twentie iorneyes would I make, and twentie waies would hie me, To make aduenture for her sake, to set some matter by me: But I would faine haue a pretie thing, &c, I name nothing, nor I meane nothing, &c. Some do long for pretie knackes, and some for straunge deuices: God send me that my Ladie lackes, I care not what the price is, thus faine, &c Some goe here, and some go there, wheare gases be not geason: And I goe gaping euery where, but still come out of season. Yet faine, &c, I walke the towne, and tread the streete, in euery corner seeking: The pretie thinge I cannot meete, thats for my Ladies liking. Faine, &c. The Mercers pull me going by, the Silkie wiues say, what lacke ye? The thing you haue not, then say I. ye foolish fooles, go packe ye. But fain &c. It is not all the Silke in Cheape, nor all the golden treasure: Nor twentie Bushels on a heape, can do my Ladie pleasure. But faine, &c. The Grauers of the golden showes, with Iuelles do beset me. The Shemsters in the shoppes that sowes, they do nothing but let me: But faine, &c. But were it in the wit of man, but any meanes to make it, I could for Money buy it than, and say, faire Lady, take it. Thus, faine, &c. O Lady, what a lucke is this: that my good willing misseth: To finde what pretie thing it is, that my good Lady wisheth. Thus fain wold I haue had this preti thing to giue vnto my Ladie: I said no harme, nor I ment no harme, but as pretie a thing as may be.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text checked 1 time 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 John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "Fain would I have a pretty thing", op. 277 (1950) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Vittorio Rieti (1898 - 1994), "Fain would I have a pretty thing", from Five Elizabethan Songs, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-09-17
Line count: 49
Word count: 340