Shakespeare's. Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music

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Shakespeare's 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.

1 Shakespeare's 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 page 1

2 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 page 2

3 All our love is lost, for Love is dead. 82 Farewell, sweet lass, 83 Thy like ne'er was 84 For a sweet content, the cause of all my moan: 85 Poor Coridon 86 Must live alone, 87 Other help for him I see that there is none. 88 IV. When as thine eye hath chose the dame, 89 And stall'd the deer that thou shouldst strike, 90 Let reason rule things worthy blame, 91 As well as fancy partial might: 92 Take counsel of some wiser head, 93 Neither too young, nor yet unwed. 94 And when thou com'st thy tale to tell, 95 Smooth not thy tongue with filed talk, 96 Lest she some subtle practice smell, 97 (A cripple soon can find a halt:) 98 But plainly say thou lov'st her well, 99 And set thy person forth to sell. What though her frowning brows be bent, 101 Her cloudy looks will calm ere night; 102 And then too late she will repent, 103 That thus dissembled her delight; 104 And twice desire, ere it be day, 105 That which with scorn she put away. 106 What though she strive to try her strength, 107 And ban and brawl, and say thee nay, 108 Her feeble force will yield at length, 109 When craft hath taught her thus to say: 110 'Had women been so strong as men, 111 In faith, you had not had it then.' 112 And to her will frame all thy ways; 113 Spare not to spend, and chiefly there 114 Where thy desert may merit praise, 115 By ringing in thy lady's ear: 116 The strongest castle, tower, and town, 117 The golden bullet beats it down. 118 Serve always with assured trust, 119 And in thy suit be humble, true; 120 Unless thy lady prove unjust, 121 Press never thou to choose anew: 122 When time shall serve, be thou not slack 123 To proffer, though she put thee back page 3

4 The wiles and guiles that women work, 125 Dissembled with an outward show, 126 The tricks and toys that in them lurk, 127 The cock that treads them shall not know. 128 Have you not heard it said full oft, 129 A woman's nay doth stand for naught? 130 Think women still to strive with men, 131 To sin, and never for to saint: 132 There is no heaven, by holy then, 133 When time with age doth them attaint. 134 Were kisses all the joys in bed, 135 One woman would another wed. 136 But, soft! enough, too much, I fear; 137 Lest that my mistress hear my song; 138 She'll not stick to round me i' the ear, 139 To teach my tongue to be so long: 140 Yet will she blush, here be it said, 141 To hear her secrets so bewray'd. 142 V. Live with me, and be my love, 143 And we will all the pleasures prove, 144 That hills and valleys, dales and fields, 145 And all the craggy mountains yields. 146 There will we sit upon the rocks, 147 And see the shepherds feed their flocks, 148 By shallow rivers, by whose falls 149 Melodious birds sing madrigals. 150 There will I make thee a bed of roses, 151 With a thousand fragrant posies, 152 A cap of flowers, and a kirtle 153 Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle. 154 A belt of straw and ivy buds, 155 With coral clasps and amber studs; 156 And if these pleasures may thee move, 157 Then live with me and be my love. 158 LOVE'S ANSWER. 159 If that the world and love were young, 160 And truth in every shepherd's tongue, 161 These pretty pleasures might me move 162 To live with thee and be thy love. 163 page 4

5 VI. As it fell upon a day 164 In the merry month of May, 165 Sitting in a pleasant shade 166 Which a grove of myrtles made, 167 Beasts did leap, and birds did sing, 168 Trees did grow, and plants did spring; 169 Everything did banish moan, 170 Save the nightingale alone: 171 She, poor bird, as all forlorn, 172 Lean'd her breast up-till a thorn, 173 And there sung the dolefull'st ditty, 174 That to hear it was great pity: 175 Fie, fie, fie, now would she cry; 176 Teru, teru, by and by: 177 That to hear her so complain, 178 Scarce I could from tears refrain; 179 For her griefs, so lively shown, 180 Made me think upon mine own. 181 Ah, thought I, thou mourn'st in vain; 182 None take pity on thy pain: 183 Senseless trees, they cannot hear thee; 184 Ruthless bears, they will not cheer thee. 185 King Pandion, he is dead; 186 All thy friends are lapp'd in lead; 187 All thy fellow-birds do sing, 188 Careless of thy sorrowing. 189 Even so, poor bird, like thee, 190 None alive will pity me. 191 Whilst as fickle fortune smil'd, 192 Thou and I were both beguil'd. 193 Every one that flatters thee 194 Is no friend in misery. 195 Words are easy like the wind; 196 Faithful friends are hard to find. 197 Every man will be thy friend, 198 Whilst thou hast wherewith to spend; 199 But if store of crowns be scant, 200 No man will supply thy want. 201 If that one be prodigal, 202 Bountiful they will him call: 203 And with such-like flattering, 204 'Pity but he were a king.' 205 If he be addict to vice, 206 Quickly him they will entice; 207 If to women he be bent, 208 They have at commandement: 209 But if fortune once do frown, 210 Then farewell his great renown: 211 They that fawn'd on him before, 212 page 5

6 Use his company no more. 213 He that is thy frend indeed, 214 He will help thee in thy need; 215 If thou sorrow, he will weep; 216 If thou wake, he cannot sleep: 217 Thus of every grief in heart 218 He with thee doth bear a part. 219 These are certain signs to know 220 Faithful friend from flattering foe. 221 page 6

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SONNETS TO SUNDRY NOTES OF MUSIC

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SONNETS TO SUNDRY NOTES OF MUSIC 2008 All rights reserved Non commercial use permitted SONNETS TO SUNDRY NOTES OF MUSIC by William Shakespeare I. It was a lording's daughter, the fairest