Camella. A Song Cycle in miniature. Eight Elizabethan Lyrics

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First shall the heavens want starry light,
The seas be robbèd of their waves;
The day want sun. and sun want bright,
The night want shade, the dead men graves;
  The April flowers and leaf and tree. 
  Before I false my faith to thee. 

First shall the tops of highest hills 
By humble plains be overpried;
And poets scorn the Muses' quills,
And fish forsake the water-glide; 
  And Iris lose her coloured weed. 
  Before I fail thee at thy need. 

First direful hate shall turn to peace,
And love relent in deep disdain; 
And death his fatal stroke shall cease,
And envy pity every pain; 
  And pleasure mourn, and sorrow smile,
  Before I talk of any guile. 

First time shall stay his stayless race. 
And winter bless his boughs with corn; 
And snow bemoisten July's face,
And winter spring, and summer mourn,
  Before my pen by help of fame
  Cease to recite thy sacred name. 

My bonny lass, thine eye 
     So sly 
Hath made me sorrow so;
Thy crimson cheeks my dear,
     So clear,
Have so much wrought my woe;

Thy pleasing smiles and grace,
     Thy face, 
Have ravished so my sprites, 
That life is grown to nought
     Through thought 
Of love, which me affrights.

For fancy's flames of fire
     Aspire 
Unto such furious power 
As, but the tears I shed
     Make dead 
The brands would me devour,

I should consume to nought
     Through thought
Of thy fair shining eye,
Thy cheeks, thy pleasing smiles,
     The wiles
That forced my heart to die;

Thy grace, thy face, the part
     Where art
Stands gazing still to see
The wondrous gifts and power,
     Each hour,
That hath bewitched me. 

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In an harbour1 grene aslepe whereas I lay
The byrdes sang swete in the middes of the day:
I dreamèd fast of mirth and play.
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Me thought I walkèd still to and fro,
And from her company I could not go,
But when I wakèd it was not so.
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Therefore my heart is surely pyght2
Of her alone to have a sight
Which is my joy and hearte's delight.
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Modernized spelling

In an arbour green asleep whereas I lay
The birds sang sweet in the [middis]3 of the day:
I dreamed fast of mirth and play;
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Methought I walked still to and fro,
And from her company I could not go,
But when I waked it was not so.
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Therefore my heart is surely pight 4
Of her alone to have a sight
Which is my joy and heart's delight.
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Original version, Lusty Iuventus of youth he syngeth

In a herber grene a sleep where as I lay, 
The byrdes sang swete in y middes of the day,
I dreamed fast of myrth and play,
In youth is plesure, in youth is pleasure.

Me thought I walked stil to and fro, 
And from her company I could not go,
But when I waked it was not so,
In youth is plesure, in youth is plesure.

Therfore my hart is surely pyght
Of her alone to have a sight.
Which is my joy and hartes delyght,
In youth is plesure, in youth is pleasure. Finis.

I dare not ask a kiss,
    I dare not beg a smile,
Lest having that, or this,
    I might grow proud the while.

No, no, the utmost share
    Of my desire shall be
Only to kiss that air
    That lately kissed thee.

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