Surcharged with discontent, 
To Sylvane's bower I went 
To ease my heavy grief-opposed heart, 
And try what comfort winged creatures,
Could yield unto my inward troubled smart 
By modulating their delightful measures 
To my ears pleasing ever.
Of strains so sweet, sweet birds deprive us never.

The thrush did pipe full clear 
And eke with very merry cheer.
The linnet lifted up her pleasant voice 
The goldfinch chirped and the pie did chatter 
The blackbird whistled and bid me rejoice 
The stock dove murmured with a solemn flat,
The little daw ka-ka, ka-ka he cried
The hic-quail he beside
Tickled his part in a parti-coloured coat.
The jay did blow his how boy gallantly
The wren did treble many a pretty note 
The woodpecker did hammer melody. 
The kite tiw whiw full oft
Cried soaring up aloft 
And down again returned presently.
To whom the herald of cornutos all 
Sung cuckoo ever, whilst poor Margery
Cried: Who did ring night's 'larum bell withal?
All did do well. O might I hear them ever. 
Of strains so sweet, sweet birds deprive us never.

Then Hesperus on high brought cloudy night in sky;
When lo, the thicket-keeping company
Of feathered singers left their madrigals, 
Sonnets and elegies, and presently 
Shut them within their mossy severals. 
And I came home and vowed to love them ever. 
Of strains so sweet, sweet birds deprive us never.

J. Bartlet sets stanza 1 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
J. Bartlet sets stanza 2 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
J. Bartlet sets stanza 3 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information

About the headline (FAQ)

Glossary

Hic-quail or nickle = European green woodpecker
How boy = Hautbois, oboe
Cornutos = cuckolds
Hesperus = the evening star (the planet Venus)
Serverals = nests

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 John Bartlet (flourished 1606-1610), "Surcharged with discontent", subtitle: "Part 1", published 1606, stanza 1 [ voice, lute, and viola da gamba ], from A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke, no. 19, Confirmed with A booke of Ayres with a triplicitie of musicke by John Bartlet, Printed by John Windet, for John Browne and are to bee sold at his shoppe in Saint Dunstan's Churchyard in Fleet Street, London 1606. [sung text checked 1 time]
• by John Bartlet (flourished 1606-1610), "The thrush did pipe full clear", subtitle: "Part 2", published 1606, stanza 2 [ voice, lute, and viola da gamba ], from A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke, no. 20, Confirmed with A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke by John Bartlet, Printed by John Windet, for John Browne and are to bee sold at his shoppe in Saint Dunstan's Churchyard in Fleet Street, London 1606. [sung text checked 1 time]
• by John Bartlet (flourished 1606-1610), "Then Hesperus on high brought cloudy night in sky", subtitle: "Part 3", published 1606, stanza 3 [ voice, lute, and viola da gamba ], from A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke, no. 21, Confirmed with A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke by John Bartlet, Printed by John Windet, for John Browne and are to bee sold at his shoppe in Saint Dunstan's Churchyard in Fleet Street, London 1606. [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2024-11-05
Line count: 35
Word count: 232