by John Suckling, Sir (1609 - 1642)
Never believe me if I love
Language: English
Never believe me if I love, Or know what 'tis or mean to prove; And yet in faith I lye, I do, And she's extremely handsom too: She's fair, she's wondrous fair, But I care not who knows it, Ere I'le die for love, I'le fairly forgo it. This heat of hope, or cold of fear, My foolish heart could never bear: One sigh imprison'd ruines more Then earthquakes have done heretofore: She's fair, &c. When I am hungry I do eat, And cut no fingers 'stead of meat; Nor with much gazing on her face Do ere rise hungry from the place: She's fair, &c. A gentle round fill'd to the brink To this and t'other Friend I drink; And when tis nam'd anothers health, I never make it hers by stealth: She's fair, &c. Black-Friars to me, and old Whitehall, Is even as much as is the fall Of fountains on a pathless grove, And nourishes as much my love: She's fair, &c.
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Text Authorship:
- by John Suckling, Sir (1609 - 1642), "The careless lover", appears in The last remains of Sr John Suckling [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 Seymour Barab (1921 - 2014), "Careless lover" [ voice, clarinet, viola, cello, and piano ], from Lovers, no. 1, Seesaw [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2012-02-10
Line count: 27
Word count: 165