A Collection of Poems/Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Musicke/'On a day (alacke the day)'
ON a day (alacke the day)
Love whose month was ever May,
Spied a blossome passing fair,
Playing in the wanton air,
Through the velvet leaves the wind
All unseen gan passage find,
That the lover (sicke to death)
Wisht himselfe the heavens breath:
Ayre (quoth he) thy cheeks may blow,
Ayre, would I might triumph so;
But (alas) my hand hath sworne,
Nere to pluck thee from thy throne,
Vow (alacke) for youth unmeet,
Youth, so apt to pluck a sweet;
Thou for whom Jove would swear,
Juno but an Ethiope were,
And deny himself for Jove,
Turning mortal for thy Love.
Love whose month was ever May,
Spied a blossome passing fair,
Playing in the wanton air,
Through the velvet leaves the wind
All unseen gan passage find,
That the lover (sicke to death)
Wisht himselfe the heavens breath:
Ayre (quoth he) thy cheeks may blow,
Ayre, would I might triumph so;
But (alas) my hand hath sworne,
Nere to pluck thee from thy throne,
Vow (alacke) for youth unmeet,
Youth, so apt to pluck a sweet;
Thou for whom Jove would swear,
Juno but an Ethiope were,
And deny himself for Jove,
Turning mortal for thy Love.