There is a Lady sweet and kind,
Was never face so pleased my mind;
I did but see her passing by,
And yet [I]1 love her till I die.
Her gesture, motion and her [smiles]2,
Her wit, her voice, my heart [beguiles]3;
[Beguiles]3 my heart, I know not why,
And yet [I]1 love her till I die.
Her free behavior, winning looks,
Will make a Lawyer burn his books;
I touched her not, alas! not I,
And yet [I]1 love her till I die.
[ ... ]
[Cupid is winged and doth range
Her country so my love doth change;
But change she earth or change she sky,
Yet will I love her till I die.]4
Three madrigals
Song Cycle by Garth Baxter (b. 1946)
Word count: 285
1. There is a lady sweet and kind [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, found on back of leaf 53 of Popish Kingdome or Reigne of Antichrist; published in 1607 in Thomas Ford's Music of Sundry Kinds [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) , "War eine Dame so liebenswert und freundlich", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Richard Flatter) , "Das Fräulein", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936
1 Baxter: "I'll"
2 Parry, Purcell: "smile"
3 Parry, Purcell: "beguile"
4 Baxter:
Cupid has wings and he does range; So if her land my love does change, But change she earth or change she sky, And yet I'll love her till I die.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
2. The silver swan [sung text checked 1 time]
The silver swan who, living, had no note, when death approached, unlocked her silent throat. Leaning her breast against the reedy shore, thus sung her first and last, and sung no more: "Farewell all joys, O death come close [mine]1 eyes. More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise."
Authorship
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "The silver swan", first published 1612 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- possibly by Orlando Gibbons (1583 - 1625), "The silver swan", first published 1612 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- sometimes misattributed to Thomas Morley (1557 - 1602)
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Dwain Richardson) , "Le cygne argenté", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Martin Stock) , "Der Silberschwan", copyright © 2001, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Bachlund, Baxter, Rorem: "my"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
3. Love me not for comely grace [sung text checked 1 time]
[Love not me for comely grace,]1 For my pleasing eye or [my pleasing]2 face, Nor for any outward part, [No,]3 nor for [my]4 constant heart: For [these]5 may [fail]6 or turn to ill, So [thou]7 and I shall sever: Keep, therefore, a true [woman's]8 eye, And love me still but know not why; So [hast thou]9 the same reason still To [doat upon]10 me ever!
Authorship
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
See other settings of this text.
View original text (without footnotes)1 Baxter: "Love me not for comely grace"
2 added by Baxter.
3 omitted by Baxter.
4 Baxter: "a"
5 Head, Wilbye: "those"
6 Wilbye: "fade"
7 Baxter: "you"
8 Baxter: "lover's"
9 Baxter: "you have"
10 Baxter: "dote on"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]