Thus saith my Cloris bright
Thus saith my Cloris bright,
when we of Love sit downe and talke together,
Beware of Love, deere, Love is a walking sprite,
And Love is this and that,
And O I wot not what,
And comes and goes againe,
I wot not whither,
No, no, these are but bugs to breed amazing,
for in her eies I saw his torch light blazing.
poem by John Wilbye
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My throat is sore
My throat is sore, my voice is hoarse with skriking,
My rests are sighs, deep from the heart’s root fetched;
My song runs all on sharps, and with oft striking
Time on my breast, I shrink with hands outstretched;
Thus still, and still I sing, and ne’er am linning,
For still the close points to my first beginning.
poem by John Wilbye
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O fools! can you not see
O fools! can you not see a traffic nearer,
In my sweet lady's face, where nature showeth
Whatever treasure eye sees or heart knoweth,
Rubies and diamonds dainty,
And orient pearls such plenty,
Coral and ambergris, sweeter and dearer,
Than which the South Seas or Moluccas lend us,
Or either Indies, East or West, do send us.
poem by John Wilbye
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Sweet love, if thou wilt gain
Sweet love, if thou wilt gain a monarch’s glory,
Subdue her heart, who makes me glad and sorry,
Out of thy golden quiver,
Take thou the strongest arrow,
That will, thro’ bone and marrow,
And me and thee of grief and fear deliver;
But come behind, for if she look upon thee,
Alas! poor love, then thou art woebegone thee.
poem by John Wilbye
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Thou art but young, thou say’st
Thou art but young, thou say’st,
And love’s delight thou weigh’st not.
Oh! take time while thou may’st,
Lest, when thou would’st, thou may’st not.
If love shall then assail thee,
A double, double anguish will torment thee.
And thou wilt wish, but wishes all will fail thee.
Oh! me that I were young again! And so repent thee.
poem by John Wilbye
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Fly not so swift, my dear
Fly not so swift, my dear, behold me dying,
If not a smiling glance for all my crying,
Yet kill me with thy frowns.
The Satyrs o'er the lawns full nimbly dancing,
Frisk it apace to view thy beauty's glancing.
See how they coast the downs.
Fain wouldst thou turn and yield them their delight,
But that thou fear'st lest I should steal a sight.
poem by John Wilbye
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I sung sometimes
I sung sometimes my thoughts’ and fancy's pleasure,
Where then I list, or time serv’d best and leisure,
While Daphne did invite me
To supper once, and drank to me to spite me.
I smil’d, yet still did doubt her,
And drank where she had drank before, to flout her.
But oh while I did eye her,
My eyes drank love, my lips drank burning fire.
poem by John Wilbye
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A silly sylvan, kissing heav'n-born fire
A silly sylvan, kissing heav'n-born fire,
Scorched his lips for his so fond desire:
I, not so fond, but gaz'd whilst such fire burned,
And all my heart straight into flames was turned.
The sylvan justly suffer'd for his kiss,
His fire was stol'n and stol'n things go amiss;
But I, alas! unjstly for to have her,
Her heav'nly fire the gods and graces gave her.
poem by John Wilbye
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Down in a valley as Alexis trips
Down in a valley as Alexis trips,
Daphne sat sweetly sleeping.
Soon as the wanton touch’d her ruddy lips,
She nicely falls aweeping.
The wag full softly lifts her,
And to and fro he sifts her:
But when nor sighs, Ah! nor kisses mov’d her pity,
Nor sighs could move her pity,
Nor tears could move her pity,
With plaints he warbles forth this mournful ditty.
poem by John Wilbye
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Draw on, Sweet Night
Draw on, Sweet Night, friend unto those cares
That do arise from painful melancholy.
My life so ill through want of comfort fares,
that unto thee I consecrate it wholly.
Sweet Night, draw on
My griefs when they be told to shades
and darkness find some ease from paining,
And while thou all in silence dost enfold,
I then shall have best time for my complaining.
poem by John Wilbye
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