by Henry Hughes (c1602 - c1652)
Amintor's welladay
Language: English
Chloris now thou art fled away, Amintor's sheep are gone astray; And all the joy he took to see, His pretty lambs run after thee, Is gone, is gone, and he alone, Sings nothing now but welladay. His oaten pipe that in thy praise Was wont to play such roundelays, Is thrown away, and not a swain Dares pipe or sing, within his plain: 'Tis death for any now to say One word to him but welladay. The maypole where thy little feet So roundly did in measures meet, Is broken down, and no content Comes near Amintor since you went. All that I ever heard him say Was Chloris, Chloris, welladay. Upon those banks you us'd to tread He ever since hath laid his head, And whisper'd there such pining woe, As not a blade of grass will grow; O Chloris! Chloris! come away, Until Amintor's welladay.
Text Authorship:
- by Henry Hughes (c1602 - c1652) [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), "Amintor's welladay" [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 148