It was a lover and his lass

General information

Lyricist: William Shakespeare Song from As You Like It Act V, Scene 3, sung by two pages at the request of Touchstone. In Shakespeare's First Folio verse 4 begins "And therefore take the present time", Morley's First Book of Ayres (1600) reading "Then, pretty lovers, take the time".

External websites:

• Extensive list of settings at E. Ezust's www.lieder.net

Notes on selected settings

William Armiger SATB Joseph Barnby SATB, with TB divisi (vv1,3 & 4) Josiah Booth SATB (4th verse begins,"And therefore take the present time.") George Alexander Macfarren SATB (4th verse begins,"And therefore take the present time.") Thomas Morley voice, lute & bass viol; variously arranged for SATB, SST, SAT

Charles Hubert Hastings Parry S solo, with piano Richard John Samuel Stevens SSATB (vv. 1,4; 4th verse begins,"And therefore take the present time.") Eva Toller SSAATTBB John Whittaker SATB

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• William Armiger — Shakespeare Songs 1: It was a lover and his lass  English SATB
• Joseph Barnby — It was a lover and his lass  English SATB
• Josiah Booth — It was a lover and his lass  English SATB
• George Alexander Macfarren — It was a lover and his lass  English SATB
• Thomas Morley — It was a lover and his lass  English Solo high
• Charles Hubert Hastings Parry — A Spring Song, Op. 21 no. 2  English S
• Richard John Samuel Stevens — It was a lover and his lass  English SSATB
• Eva Toller — It was a lover and his lass  English SSAATTBB
• John Whittaker — It was a lover and his lass  English SATB
• David Christmas Williams — It was a lover and his lass  English SATB

Text and translations

English text

1  It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
That o'er the green cornfields did pass.
In spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding-a-ding-a-ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

2  Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
These pretty country folks would lie,
In spring time,…

3  This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
How that a life was but a flower
In spring time,…

4  Then, pretty lovers, take the time
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
For love is crownéd with the prime
In spring time,…