Gather your rosebuds while you may (William Lawes)

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• CPDL #32623:         

Editor: Jonathan Goodliffe (submitted 2014-08-05).   Score information: A4, 1 page, 20 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: MusicXML source file(s) in compressed .mxl format.

General Information

Title: Gather your rosebuds while you may
Composer: William Lawes
Lyricist: Robert Herrick

Number of voices: 3vv   Voicing: STB

Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo

First published:

Description:

External websites: Source Book 3 of short ayres or songs for three voyces, page 26.

Original text and translations

English text

Altered in the source from the original poem

Gather your* rosebuds while you* may,
Old time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
Expect not the last and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And, while ye may, go marry;
For, having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.

  * The original poem has ye.