by Thomas Stanley (1625 - 1678)

Chide, chide no more away
Language: English 
   Chide, chide no more away 
The fleeting daughters of the day, 
Nor with impatient thoughts outrun
      The lazy sun, 
Nor think the hours do move too slow;
      Delay is kind, 
   And we too soon shall find
That which we seek, yet fear to know.

   The mystic dark decrees
Unfold not of the Destinies.
Nor boldly seek to antedate 
      The laws of Fate; 
Thy anxious search awhile forbear,
      Suppress thy haste,
   And know that Time at last
Will crown thy hope, or fix thy fear.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Thomas Stanley: his original lyrics, complete, in their collated readings of 1647, 1651, 1657 by Thomas Stanley, edited by Louise Imogen Guiney, J R Tutin, Hull 1907. Page 32.


Text Authorship:

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 Gamble (d. 1687), no title, published 1657 [ voice and bass continuo ], from Ayres and dialogues, no. 17, Confirmed with Ayres and dialogues (to be sung to the theorbo-lute or bass-viol) by John Gamble. Printed by W. Godbid for Humphry Mosley at the Princes-Arms In St. Paul's Church-yard, London 1657.
        Score: IMSLP [external link]  [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-12-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 85