English Lyrics, Seventh Set

On a time the amorous Silvy
Said to her shepherd, "Sweet, how do ye?
Kiss me this once and then God be with ye,
                My sweetest dear!
Kiss me this once and then God be with ye,
For now the morning draweth near."

With that, her fairest bosom showing,
Op'ning her lips, rich perfumes blowing,
She said, "Now kiss me and be going,
                My sweetest dear!
Kiss me this once and then be going,
For now the morning draweth near."

With that her shepherd waked from sleeping,
And spying where the day was peeping,
He said, "Now take my soul in keeping,
                My sweetest dear!
Kiss me and take my soul in keeping,
Since I must go, now day is near."

Follow a shadow, it still flies you;
Seem to fly it, it will pursue:
So court a mistress, she denies you;
Let her alone, she will court you.
Say, are not women truly, then,
Styled but the shadows of us men?

At morn and even, shades are longest;
At noon they are or short or none:
So men at weakest, they are strongest,
But grant us perfect, they're not known.
Say, are not women truly then,
Styled but the shadows of us men?

Ye little birds that sit and sing
Amidst the shady valleys,
And see how Phillis sweetly walks
Within her garden alleys;
Go pretty birds about her bower,
Sing pretty birds she may not lower,
Ah me, methinks I see her frown,
Ye pretty wantons warble.

Go tune your voices' harmony,
And sing I am her lover;
Strain loud and sweet, that ev'ry note,
With sweet content may move her:
And she that hath the sweetest voice,
Tell her I will not change my choice,
Yet still methinks I see her frown,
Ye pretty wantons warble.

Go tell her through your chirping bills,
As you by me are bidden,
To her is only known my love,
Which from the world is hidden:
Go pretty birds and tell her so,
See that your notes strain not too low,
For still methinks I see her frown,
Ye pretty wantons warble.

Oh fly, make haste, see, see, she falls
Into a pretty slumber,
Sing round about her rosy bed
That waking she may wonder,
Say to her, 'tis her lover true,
That sendeth love to you, to you:
And when you hear her kind reply,
Return with pleasant warblings.

O! never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seem'd my flame to qualify,
As easy might I from my self depart
As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie:
That is my home of love: if I have rang'd,
Like him that travels, I return again;
Just to the time, not with the time exchang'd,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe though in my nature reign'd,
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stain'd,
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;
    For nothing this wide universe I call,
    Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all. 

Some ask'd me where the rubies grew,
And nothing did I say,
But with my finger pointed to
The lips of Julia.

Some ask'd how pearls did grow, and where?
Then spake I to my girl,
To part her lips, and show me there
The quarelets of pearl.

 One ask'd me where the roses grew,
I bade him not go seek;
But forthwith made my Julia show
A bud on either cheek. 

Beautiful up from the deeps of the solemn sea
Cometh sweet Sleep to me,
From silent cool green deeps,
Where no one wakes and weeps,
Cometh, as one who dreameth,
With slowly waving hands,
And the sound of her garment seemeth
Like waves on the level sands;
So cometh Sleep.
There is rest for all mankind,
When her slow wings stir the wind;
With lullaby the drowsy waters creep
To kiss the feet of Sleep.