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Two Old English Lyrics

Song Cycle by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960)

1. Chloris in the snow
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
I saw fair Cloris walk alone,
Whilst feathered rain came softly down,
And Jove descended from his tower
To court her in a silver shower.
The wanton snow fell on her breast
Like little birds unto their nest;
But overcome with whiteness there,
For grief it thawed into a tear;
Thence falling on her garment's hem,
To deck her, froze into a gem.

Text Authorship:

  • by William Strode (1600? - 1645), from Parnassus Biceps, first published 1656

See other settings of this text.

Researcher for this page: John Versmoren

2. Amaryllis  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
I care not for [these]1 Ladies
That must be wooed and prayed,
Give me kind Amarillis
The wanton country maid;
Nature art disdaineth,
Her beauty is her own;
   For when we court and kiss,
   She cries, forsooth, let go;
   But when we come where comfort is,
   She never will say no.

If I love Amarillis,
She gives me fruit and flowers,
But if we love these Ladies,
We must give golden showers;
Give them gold that sell love,
Give me the nut brown lass,
   For when we court and kiss,
   She cries, forsooth, let go;
   But when we come where comfort is,
   She never will say no.

These ladies must have pillows,
And beds by strangers wrought,
Give me a Bower of willows,
Of moss and leaves unbought,
And fresh Amarillis,
With milk and honey fed,
   For when we court and kiss,
   She cries, forsooth, let go;
   But when we come where comfort is,
   She never will say no.

Text Authorship:

  • by Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620)

See other settings of this text.

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

  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Geart van der Meer) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRI Frisian [singable] (Geart van der Meer) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Gibbs: "those"; further changes may exist not noted.

Researcher for this page: Brian Holmes
Total word count: 223
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