by Nicholas Breton (1542 - 1626)
In the merrie moneth of Maye
Language: English
In the merrie moneth of Maye, In a morne by break of daye, With a troope of damselles playing Forthe 'I yode' forsooth a maying; When anon by a wood side, Where that Maye was in his pride, I espied all alone Phillida and Corydon. Much adoe there was, God wot: He wold love, and she wold not. She sayde, "Never man was trewe;" He sayes, "None was false to you." He sayde, hee had lovde her longe; She sayes, love should have no wronge. Corydon wold kisse her then; She sayes, "Maydes must kisse no men, "Tyll they doe for good and all." When she made the shepperde call All the heavens to wytnes truthe, Never loved a truer youthe. Then with manie a prettie othe, Yea and nay, and faithe and trothe, Suche as seelie shepperdes use When they will not love abuse, Love, that had bene long deluded, Was with kisses sweete concluded; And Phillida with garlands gaye Was made the lady of the Maye.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Nicholas Breton (1542 - 1626), "Phillida and Corydon" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, Sir (1883 - 1953), "Phillida and Corydon", 1900 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Gál (1890 - 1987), "Phillida and Corydon", op. 61 no. 4 (1953?), published 1954 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Four Part-Songs, no. 4, Boosey & Hawkes, London [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Linton Gardner (1917 - 2011), "Phyllis and Corydon", op. 1 no. 2, published 1946 [ SSA chorus and piano ], from Three songs for women's chorus and piano, no. 2, London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950), "Phyllida and Corydon", R. 75 (1939) [ SATB chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-07
Line count: 28
Word count: 168