Birthday Madrigals

by John Milford Rutter, CBE (b. 1945)

1. Draw on, sweet Night
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Draw on, sweet Night, best friend unto those cares
  That do arise from painful melancholy;
My life so ill from want of comfort fares,
  That unto thee I consecrate it wholly.

Sweet Night, draw on; my griefs, when they be told
  To shades and darkness, find some ease from paining;
And while thou all in silence dost enfold,
  I then shall have best time for my complaining.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Nicolaas (Koos) Jaspers) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

2. My true love hath my heart
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
My true Love hath my heart and I have his.
By just exchange, one for the other given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss;
There never was a better bargain driven.
His heart in me keeps me and him in one;
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own;
I cherish his because in me it bides.
His heart his wound received from my sight;
My heart was wounded with his wounded heart;
For as from me on him his hurt did light,
So still methought in me his hurt did smart:
Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss:
My true Love hath my heart, and I have his.

Text Authorship:

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Parodied in Archibald Stodart-Walker's My true friend hath my hat.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Ted Perry
Total word count: 192