It was a time when silly bees could speake (John Dowland)

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• CPDL #24113:  [ ] [ Capella]

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2011-08-07).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 35 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score.

• CPDL #23427: Sibelius 5

Editor: Walker Boyle (submitted 2011-04-24).   Score information: Letter, 3 pages, 74 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes:

• CPDL #16847: NoteWorthy Composer

Editor: Brian Russell (submitted 2008-05-07).   Score information: A4, 27 pages   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

Possible error(s) identified. See the discussion page for full description.

General Information

Title: It was a time when silly Bees could speake
Composer: John Dowland
Lyricist: Robert Devereux , 2nd Earl of Essex

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: Secular, Madrigal

Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: 1603

Description: No. XVIII from The Third and Last Booke of Songs or Aires (1603)

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

It was a time when silly bees could speak,
And in that time I was a silly bee,
Who fed on time until my heart 'gan break,
Yet never found the time would favour me.
Of all the swarm I only did not thrive,
Yet brought I wax and honey to the hive.

Then thus I buzzed when time no sap would give:
Why should this blessed time to me be dry,
Sith by this time the lazy drone doth live,
The wasp, the worm, the gnat, the butterfly?
Mated with grief I kneeled on my knees,
And thus complained unto the king of bees:

My liege, gods grant thy time may never end,
And yet vouchsafe to hear my plaint of time,
Which fruitless flies have found to have a friend,
And I cast down when atomies do climb.
The king replied but thus: Peace, peevish bee,
Thou'rt bound to serve the time, the time not thee.