by ? Bewe (flourished c1576)
I would I were Actaeon, whom Diana did...
Language: English
I would I were Actaeon, whom Diana did disguise, To walk the woods unknown whereas my lady lies; A hart of pleasant hue I wish that I were so, So that my lady knew alone me and no mo; To follow thick and plain, by hill and dale alow, To drink the water fain, and feed me with the sloe. I would not fear the frost, to lie upon the ground, Delight should quite the cost, what pain so that I found. The shaling nuts and mast that falleth from the tree Should serve for my repast, might I my lady see; Sometime that I might say when I saw her alone, "Behold thy slave, all day that walks these woods unknown!'
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Authorship:
- by ? Bewe (flourished c1576) [author's text checked 1 time 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 John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "I Would I Were Actaeon", op. 276 (1950) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930), "Walking the Woods", 1927, published 1927 [ voice and piano ], from Seven Songs of Summer [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2022-02-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 122