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by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637)

Have you seen but a white lily grow?
 (Sung text for setting by R. Johnson)
 Matches base text
Language: English 
Have you seen but a whyte Lilie grow
before rude hands had touch'd it;
Have you mark'd but the fall of the snow
before the Earth hath smucht it.
Have you felt the wool of Beaver,
Or Swansdown ever;
or have smelt of the Bud of the Bryer,
Or the Nard in the fire;
Or have tasted the Bag of the Bee;
O so whyte, O so soft, O so sweet, so sweet,
so sweet is she!
O so whyte, O so soft, O so sweet,
so sweet, so sweet is she!

Composition:

    Set to music by Robert Johnson (c1583 - 1633), "Have you seen but a white lily grow?" [ voice and lute ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637), appears in The Devil's an Ass

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 13
Word count: 96

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