Poems: Songs by Thomas Campion
Campion was a practicing physician and was among the finest song-writers of the elizabethan-Jacobean era. He was both a poet and a composer, who in later years was known primarily as a music theorist. The first poem is a song loosely based on a Horatian ode. The second is a translation from Catullus. I have provided links to Lumiarium.com for recordings.
| The man of life vpright, Whose guiltlesse hart is free From all dishonest deedes, Or thought of vanitie,The man whose silent dayes, In harmeles ioys are spent, Whom hopes cannot delude, Nor sorrow discontent ;That man needs neither towers Nor armour for defence, Nor secret vautes to flie From thunders violence. Hee onely can behold Thus, scorning all the cares Good thoughts his onely friendes,
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| My sweetest Lesbia, let vs liue and loue, And though the sager sort our deedes reproue, Let vs not way them : heau'ns great lampes doe diue Into their west, and straight againe reuiue, But soone as once set is our little light, Then must we sleepe one euer-during night.If all would lead their liues in loue like mee, Then bloudie swords and armour should not be, No drum nor trumpet peaceful sleepes should moue, Vnles alar'me came from the campe of loue : But fooles do liue, and wast their little light, And seeke with paine their euer-during night. When timely death my life and fortune ends, |
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/lesbia.htm
| Neuer weather-beaten Saile more willing bent to shore, Neuer tyred Pilgrims limbs affected slumber more, Than my wearied spright now longs to flye out of my troubled brest : O come quickly, sweetest Lord, and take my soule to rest.Euer-blooming are the ioys of Heau'ns high paradice, Cold age deafes not there our eares, nor vapour dims our eyes : Glory there the Sun outshines, whose beames the blessed onely see ; O come quickly, glorious Lord, and raise my spright to thee. |
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/weatherbeaten.htm
