“See Mine Own Sweet Jewel”
See, see, mine own sweet jewel,
What I have for my darling.
A robin redbreast and a starling.
These I give both in hope to move thee;
And yet thou say’st that I love not,
I do not love thee.
“Susanna Fair”
Susanna fair some time assaulted was
by two old men, desiring their delight,
which lewd intent they thought to bring to pass,
if not by tender love, by force and might,
to whom she said, if I your suit deny,
you will me falsely accuse, and make me die.
And if I grant to that which you request,
my chastity shall then deflowered be,
which is so dear to me, that I detest
my life, if it berefted be from me,
and rather would I die of mine accord,
ten thousand times, than once offend our Lord.
“Kyrie Eleison”
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
English Translation
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi,
Miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi,
Miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi,
Dona knobs pace.
English Translation
Lamb of God, chi takes away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, chi takes away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, chi takes away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.
“Come my Celia”
Come, my Celia, let us prove,
While we can, the sports of love;
Time will not be ours forever;
He at length our good will sever.
Spend not then his gifts in vain.
Suns that set may rise again;
But if once we lose this light,
’Tis with us perpetual night.
Why should we defer our joys?
Fame and rumor are but toys.
Cannot we delude the eyes
Of a few poor household spies,
Or his easier ears beguile,
So removèd by our wile?
’Tis no sin love’s fruit to steal;
But the sweet thefts to reveal,
To be taken, to be seen,
These have crimes accounted been.
“Delight is Dead”
Delight is dead, what now for me remains?
Delight is dead; should Worldly glories give?
Delight is dead: the purchase of my pains;
Delight is dead: and I alas,
Do live A life in strife that dies ten times a day,
And yet no whit such dying Dare bewray.
Lift up, my lute, thy sacred silver sound;
Ring out her knell, for my Delight is dead.
One silly frown it was that gave the wound,
With pen Perverse whereby her bane was bred.
Ring out, ring out: cease passing bell to toll:
bereft hath left to me a
Mourning soul.
The Nightingale so Pleasant
The nightingale so pleasant and so gay,
In greenwood groves delights to make his dwelling,
In fields to fly chanting his roundelay,
At liberty against the cage rebelling.
But my poor heart with sorrows overswelling,
Through bondage vile, binding my freedom short,
No pleasure takes in these his sports excelling,
Nor of his song receiveth no comfort.
“The Darke is my Delight”
The darke is my delight:
So ’tis the nightingalle’s.
My musick’s in the night;
So is the nightingalle’s.
My bodie is but little;
So is the nightingale’s.
I love to sleape against the prickle;
So doth the nightingalle.
“Adoramus te Christe”
Adoramus te Christe,
Et benedicimus tibi,
Quia per sanctam crucem tuam
redemisti mundum.
Qui passus es pro nobis,
Domine, Domine, miserere nobis.
English Translation
We Adore Thee, O Christ
and we bless Thee,
who by the Holy Cross
hast redeemed the world.
Thou, who hast suffered death for us,
O Lord, O Lord, have mercy on us.
“Lulla Lullaby”
Lulla lullaby,
My sweet little Baby,
what meanest Thou to cry?
Be still, my blessed
Babe, though cause
Thou hast to mourn,
Whose blood most innocent to shed the cruel king has sworn;
And lo, alas! behold what slaughter he doth make,
Shedding the blood of infants all, sweet Saviour, for Thy sake.
A King, a King is born, they say, which King this king would kill.
O woe and woeful heavy day when wretches have their will!
“A Diew My Former Pleasure”
A Diew my former pleasure,
for I of force must leaue thee:
I see my state is most vnsure,
and thou hast long deceiude me,
Time bids me minde my latter end,
and that I am but clay:
And euerie howre I doo offend,
in manie a wicked waie.
Then farewell sinne,
I will beginne,
To sorrowe for my wicked life at the last,
and feare to sinne any more:
For when I remember all that is past,
my hart dooth bleede therefore.
I see that faire yong Absolon,
beautie did nought auaile him:
The welthy Glutton eke is gone,
his riches could not baile him,
And he that had his Barnes so thwakt,
and bad his soule take rest:
In one night from his wealth was rapt,
and so was dispossest.
Thus see you plaine:
It is in vaine.
To make anie certaine account of this life,
or in your selues to trust:
Therefore make you ready to part from this strife,
for to the earth you must.
