possibly by Walter Raleigh, Sir (1552? - 1618)
Translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author and sometimes misattributed to William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

How should I your true love know
 (Sung text for setting by S. Grill)
 Matches base text
Language: English  after the English 
Our translations:  ITA
How should I your true love know
From another one?
By his cockle hat and staff,
And his sandal shoon.

Note: this is often referred to as the Walsingham Ballad, and is quoted in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5. Ophelia is singing.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti's poem An old song ended refers to this song.

Quoted in Rhian Samuel's The Gaze.

Composition:

    Set to music by Stanley Grill (b. 1953), "How should I your true love know", copyright © 2005 [ soprano, harp and strings ], from Ophelia Songs, no. 1, confirmed with an online score

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, appears in Hamlet [an adaptation]
  • sometimes misattributed to William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

Based on:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 4
Word count: 20