by Thomas Stanley (1625 - 1678)

Beauty thy harsh imperious chains
Language: English 
Beauty thy harsh imperious chains, 
As a scorn'd weight I here un-tie; 
Since thy proud empire those disdains, 
Of reason or philosophy: 
That would within tyrannic laws, 
Confine the power of each free cause. 

Forc'd by the potent influence
Of thy disdain, I back return:
Thus with those flames I do dispense,
Which though they would not light did burn,
And rather will through cold expire,
Then languish at a frozen fire.

But whilst I the insulting pride
Of thy vain beauty do despise,
Who gladly would be deified
By making me thy sacrifice,
May Love thy heart, which is his charm,
Approach'd, seem'd cold; at distance, warm.

Available sung texts:   ← What is this?

•   J. Gamble 

About the headline (FAQ)

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Confirmed with Thomas Stanley: his original lyrics, complete, in their collated readings of 1647, 1651, 1657 by Thomas Stanley, edited by Louise Imogen Guiney, J R Tutin, Hull 1907. Page 37.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by John Gamble (d. 1687), "The Answer", published 1657 [ voice and bass continuo ], from Ayres and dialogues, no. 2, Confirmed with Ayres and dialogues (to be sung to the theorbo-lute or bass-viol) by John Gamble. Printed by W. Godbid for Humphry Mosley at the Princes-Arms In St. Paul's Church-yard, London 1657.
        Score: IMSLP [external link]  [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-29
Line count: 18
Word count: 111