And think ye Nymphs to scorn at love - Love is a fit of pleasure (William Byrd)
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- CPDL #6871:
- Editor: David Fraser (submitted 2004-03-30). Score information: A4, 6 pages, 113 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: Revised Feb 09.
General Information
Title: And think ye Nymphs to scorn at love - Love is a fit of pleasure
Composer: William Byrd
Number of voices: 5, 6vv Voicings: SATTB and SSATTB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: Songs of sundrie natures (1589), nos. 42 & 43
Description: Part 1 is for 5 voices, part 2 for 6.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
And thinke ye Nymphes to scorne at love?
as if his fire were but of strawes:
he made the mightie gods above,
to stoope and bowe unto his lawes,
& with his shafts of beautie bright,
he slaies the hearts that scorne his might.
Love is a fit of pleasure,
bred out of Idle braines,
his fancies have no measure,
no more than have his paines,
his vaine affections like the weather,
precise or fond, we wot not whether.