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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Welcome, sweet pleasure
Language: English 
Welcome, sweet pleasure,
My wealth and treasure;
To haste our playing
There’s no delaying,
        No no!
This mirth delights me
When sorrow frights me.
  Then sing we all
        Fa la la la la!

Sorrow, content thee,
Mirth must prevent thee:
Though much thou grievest
Thou none relievest.
        No no!
Joy, come delight me,
Though sorrow spite me.
  Then sing we all
        Fa la la la la!

Grief is disdainful,
Sottish and painful:
Then wait on pleasure,
And lose no leisure.
        No no!
Heart’s ease it lendeth
And comfort sendeth.
  Then sing we all
        Fa la la la la!

Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age, ed. by A. H. Bullen, London, John C. Nimmo, 1887, pages 149-150.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [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 Thomas Weelkes (1576 - 1623), "Welcome, sweet pleasure", published 1598 [vocal quintet], from the collection Ballets and Madrigals to five voices, madrigal [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2014-02-25
Line count: 27
Word count: 98

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