by Thomas Carew (1595? - 1639?)
To his mistress going to sea
Language: English
Farewell fair Saint, may not the sea and wind swell like the hearts and eyes leave you behind, but calme and gentle as the looks you beare, smile in your face and whisper in your eare: Let no bold Billow offer to arise, that it may never look upon your eyes, lest winde and wave, enamour'd of your Forme, should throng and crowd themselves into a storme: But if it be your Fate, vaste Seas, to love; of my becalmed breast learn how to move; move then, but in a gentle Lovers pace, no furrows nor no wrinkles in your face; and ye fierce winds, see that you tell your tale in such a breath as may but fill her Sail: So whilst ye court her each your sev'rall way, ye may her safely to her Port convay; and lose but in a noble way of wooing, whilst both contribute to your owne undoing.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Carew (1595? - 1639?) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "To his mistress going to sea", from the collection Ayres and Dialogues, Book 1 [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 18
Word count: 154