by John Berkenhead, Sir (c1617 - 1679)
Staying in London after the Act for Banishment, and going to meet a Friend who fail'd the hour appoynted
Language: English
Two hundred minutes are run down, since I and all my Grief fare here; (Whom yet you will nor save nor drown) In a long Gasp 'twixt Hope and Fear: Thus Lucian's tortur'd Fool did cry, He could not live, and durst not dye. How full of Mischief is this Coast! Villains and Fooles peep every way; If once these Seekers find, I'm lost; I dare not go, I dare not stay: Here I am Rooted 'till the Sky Be hung as full of Clouds as I. All Islanders are prisoners Born, We, Slaves to Slaves, in Five-mile Chaines I Theirs, and Yours, but most forlorn Where Purgatory Hell out-pain's: I'm in a new third Dungeon here, Shackles on Shackles who can wear? Sad and unseen I view the Rowt Which through this Street do ebb and flo; Some few have Business, most without; Their Pace this trundling Rithm does go: O tear me hence, for I am grow'n As empty-base as all this Town!
Text Authorship:
- by John Berkenhead, Sir (c1617 - 1679) [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), "Staying in London after the Act for Banishment, and going to meet a Friend who fail'd the hour appoynted", from Ayres and Dialogues, Book 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 24
Word count: 165