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by Thomas Nashe (1567 - 1601)

Adieu! farewell earth’s bliss!
 (Sung text for setting by J. Dove)
 See original
Language: English 
Adieu, farewell earth's blisse,
This world uncertain is,
Fond are lifes lustfull joyes,
Death proves them all but toyes.
None from his darts can flye,
I am sick I must die--
      Lord have mercy on us.

Rich men, trust not in wealth,
Gold cannot buy you health;
Physic himself must fade.
All things to end are made.
The plague full swift goes by;
I am sick, I must die--
      Lord have mercy on us.

Beauty is but a flower,
Which wrinkles will devour,
Brightness falls from the air,
Queens have died young and fair,
Dust hath closed Helen's eye.
I am sick, I must die--
      Lord have mercy on us.

 ... 

Composition:

    Set to music by Jonathan Dove (b. 1959), "Adieu! farewell earth’s bliss!", 2000, stanzas 1-3, from The Passing of the Year, no. 6

Text Authorship:

  • by Thomas Nashe (1567 - 1601), "A Litany in Time of Plague", written 1593, appears in Summer's Last Will and Testament, first published 1600

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this page: Ahmed E. Ismail

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 42
Word count: 213

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