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by John Skelton (1460 - 1529)

Merry Margaret
 (Sung text for setting by H. Howells)
 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

Composition:

    Set to music by Herbert Norman Howells (1892 - 1983), "Merry Margaret", op. 43 no. 3 (1928), published 1929, first performed 1928 [ high voice and piano ], from In Green Ways, no. 3

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

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