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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Farewell, dear love, since thou wilt needs be gone
 (Sung text for setting by R. Jones)
 Matches base text
Language: English 
Farewell, dear love, since thou wilt needs be gone
Mine eyes do show my life is almost gone
Nay, I will never die so long as I can spy.
     There be many mo'tho' that she do go
     There be many mo' I fear not
Why then let her go, I care not.

Farewell, farewell, since this I find is true
I will not spend more time in wooing you.
But I will seek elsewhere If I may find love there
     Shall I bid her go? What and if I do?
     Shall I bid her go and spare not?
     Oh no no no, I dare not.

Ten thousand times farewell; yet stay awhile
Sweet, kiss me once; sweet kisses time beguile.
I have no pow'r  to move. How now am I in love?
     Wilt thou needs begone? Go then, all is one
     Wilt thou needs begone? Oh hie thee!
     Nay, stay, and do no more deny me.

Once more adieu, I see loath to depart
Bids oft adieu to her that holds my heart.
But seeing I must lose thy love, which I did choose,
     Go thy way for me since that may not be.
     Go, thy ways for me. But whither?
     Go, of but where I may come thither.

What shall I do? My love is now departed
She is as fair as she is cruel-hearted.
But seeing I must lose thy love with prayers oft repeated
     If she come no more, shall I die therefore?
     If she come no more, what care I?
     Faith, let her go, or come, or tarry!
Note: quoted in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Composition:

    Set to music by Robert Jones (flourished 1597-1615), "Farewell, dear love, since thou wilt needs be gone", published 1601 [ voice and lute ], from First Book of Airs, no. 12

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2014-02-23
Line count: 30
Word count: 262

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