by John Skelton (1460 - 1529)
Merry Margaret Matches base text
Language: English
Merry Margaret
As midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower:
With solace and gladness,
Much mirth and no madness,
All good and no badness;
So joyously,
So maidenly,
So womanly
Her demeaning
In every thing,
Far, far passing
That I can indite,
Or suffice to write
Of Merry Margaret
As midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.
As patient and still
And as full of good will
As fair Isaphill,
Coliander,
Sweet pomander,
Good Cassander;
Steadfast of thought,
Well made, well wrought,
Far may be sought,
Ere that ye can find
So courteous, so kind
As merry Margaret,
This midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.
Isaphill = Hypsipyle
coliander = coriander seed, an aromatic.
pomander = a ball of perfume
Cassander = Cassandra
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
coliander = coriander seed, an aromatic.
pomander = a ball of perfume
Cassander = Cassandra
Composition:
- Set to music by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "Merry Margaret", op. 21 no. 6, published 1873 [ chorus ], from A Garland of Shakesperian and Other Old-Fashioned Songs, no. 6
Text Authorship:
- by John Skelton (1460 - 1529), "To Mistress Margaret Hussey"
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-09
Line count: 34
Word count: 115