by Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620)
Be thou then my Beauty named
Language: English
Be thou then my Beauty named, Since thy will is to be mine ; For by that I am enflamed Which on all alike doth shine ; Others may the light admire, I only truly feel the fire. But if lofty titles move thee, Challenge then a Sovereign's place ; Say I honour when I love thee, Let me call thy kindness Grace : State and Love things diverse be, Yet will we teach them to agree. Or if this be not sufficing, Be thou styled my Goddess then : I will love thee, sacrificing ; In thine honour hymns I'll pen : To be thine, what canst thou more ? I'll love thee, serve thee, and adore.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620), first published 1617 [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 Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620), "Be thou then my Beauty named", published 1617, from the collection The Third and Fourth Booke of Ayres - The Third Booke [text verified 1 time]
- by (Gerald) Graham Peel (1878 - 1937), "Be thou then my Beauty named", published 1906 [voice and piano], Boosey & Co. [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-04-26
Line count: 18
Word count: 111