Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music
|
 
|
 
I.
| It was a lording's daughter, the fairest one of three, | 1
That liked of her master as well as well might be. | 2
Till looking on an Englishman, the fair'st that eye could see, | 3
Her fancy fell a-turning. | 4
Long was the combat doubtful, that love with love did fight, | 5
To leave the master loveless, or kill the gallant knight; | 6
To put in practice either, alas, it was a spite | 7
Unto the silly damsel! | 8
But one must be refused, more mickle was the pain, | 9
That nothing could be used, to turn them both to gain, | 10
For of the two the trusty knight was wounded with disdain: | 11
Alas, she could not help it! | 12
Thus art, with arms contending, was victor of the day, | 13
Which by a gift of learnlng did bear the maid away; | 14
Then, lullaby, the learned man hath got the lady gay; | 15
For now my song is ended. | 16
 
| II.
| On a day (alack the day!) | 17
Love, whose month was ever May, | 18
Spied a blossom passing fair, | 19
Playing in the wanton air: | 20
Through the velvet leaves the wind, | 21
All unseen, 'gan passage find; | 22
That the lover, sick to death, | 23
Wish'd himself the heaven's breath. | 24
Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow; | 25
Air, would I might triumph so! | 26
But, alas! my hand hath sworn | 27
Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn: | 28
Vow, alack, for youth unmeet, | 29
Youth, so apt to pluck a sweet, | 30
Thou for whom Jove would swear | 31
Juno but an Ethiope were; | 32
And deny himself for Jove, | 33
Turning mortal for thy love. | 34
III.
| My flocks feed not, | 35
My ewes breed not, | 36
My rams speed not, | 37
All is amiss: | 38
Love is dying, | 39
Faith's defying, | 40
Heart's denying, | 41
Causer of this. | 42
All my merry jigs are quite forgot, | 43
All my lady's love is lost, God wot: | 44
Where her faith was firmly fix'd in love, | 45
There a nay is plac'd without remove. | 46
One silly cross | 47
Wrought all my loss; | 48
O frowning Fortune, cursed, fickle dame! | 49
For now I see, | 50
Inconstancy | 51
More in women than in men remain. | 52
 
| In black mourn I, | 53
All fears scorn I, | 54
Love bath forlorn me, | 55
Living in thrall: | 56
Heart is bleeding, | 57
All help needing, | 58
(O cruel speeding!) | 59
Fraughted with gall. | 60
My shepherd's pipe can sound no deal, | 61
My wether's bell rings doleful knell; | 62
My curtail dog, that wont to have play'd, | 63
Plays not at all, but seems afraid; | 64
With sighs so deep, | 65
Procures to weep, | 66
In howling-wise, to see my doleful plight. | 67
How sighs resound | 68
Through heartless ground, | 69
Like a thousand vanquish'd men in bloody fight! | 70
 
| Clear wells spring not, | 71
Sweet birds sing not, | 72
Green plants bring not | 73
Forth; they die; | 74
Herds stand weeping, | 75
Flocks all sleeping, | 76
Nymphs back peeping | 77
Fearfully. | 78
All our pleasure known to us poor swains, | 79
All our merry meetings on the plains, | 80
All our evening sport from us is fled, | 81
All our love is lost, for Love is dead. | 82
Farewell, sweet lass, | 83
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |