by George Herbert (1593 - 1633)
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew...
Language: English
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, If I lack'd anything. A guest, I answer'd, worthy to be here: Love said, You shall be he. I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee. Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, Who made the eyes but I? Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve. And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame? My dear, then I will serve. You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat: So I did sit and eat.
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Text Authorship:
- by George Herbert (1593 - 1633) [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 Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss, Sir (1891 - 1975), "Love", F. 52 no. 3, published 1975 [ soprano, baritone, SATB chorus, and organ or orchestra ], from Shield of Faith, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rhian Samuel (b. 1944), "Love bade me welcome", 2014, first performed 2015 [ mixed chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Love bade me welcome", 1911 [ baritone, chorus and orchestra ], from Five Mystical Songs, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 123