by R. Wever, probably Richard Wever (c1500? - 1560?)
In an arbour green See base text
Language: English
In an arbour green asleep whereas I lay The birds sang sweet in the middis of the day: I dreamed fast of mirth and play; In youth is pleasure. Methought I walked still to and fro, And from her company I could not go, But when I waked it was not so. In youth is pleasure Therefore my heart is surely pyght Of her alone to have a sight Which is my joy and heart's delight. In youth is pleasure.
Note for stanza 3, line 1: "pyght" or "pight" is an old past participle of "pitch" and means "resolved, set upon, fixed, or determined". Holst's use of "plight" may be a typo.
Composition:
- Set to music by Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930), "In an arbour green", 1922, published 1925 [ voice and piano ], note: modernized spelling ; first setting
Text Authorship:
- by R. Wever, probably Richard Wever (c1500? - 1560?), "Lusty Iuventus of youth he syngeth", appears in An Enterlude called Lusty Juventus, first published 1565
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: 12
Word count: 96