Fair in a morn (Thomas Morley)
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General Information
Title: Fair in a morn
Composer: Thomas Morley
Lyricist: Nicholas Breton (1542-1626)
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: Solo Tenor
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: Lute
Published: 1600
Description: #13 from Morley's First Book of Ayres.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Fair in a morn, O fairest morn:
was ever morn so fair?
When as the sun, but not the same
that shineth in the air,
But of the earth, no earthly sun,
and yet no earthly creature,
There shone a face, was never face
that carried such a feature.
And on a hill, O fairest hill;
was never hill so blessed,
there stood a man, was never man
for no man so distressed.
This man had hap, O happy man;
no man so happ'd as he,
For none had hap to see the hap
that he had happ'd to see.
Andas he beheld, this man beheld,
he saw so fair a face,
The which would daunt the fairest here
and stain the bravest grace.
Pity, he cried, and Pity came,
and pitied for his pain,
That dying would not let him die,
but gave him life again.
For joy whereof he made such mirth
that all the world did ring,
And Pan with all his nymphs came forth
to hear the shepherds sing.
But such a song sung never was,
nor ne'er will be again,
Of Phillida the shepherds queen,
and Corydon the swain.



