O mistress mine

General information

Lyricist: William Shakespeare, from Twelfth night, Act II, Scene 3.

Settings by composers

• William Armiger SATB
• William Alexander Campbell Cruickshank ATTB (joy brings for mirth hath)
• George Alexander Macfarren SATB
• Thomas Morley Tenor solo
• William Byrd Tenor solo
• Charles Hubert Hastings Parry Tenor solo
• John Whittaker SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Henry Kimball Hadley — O Mistress Mine

Texts and Translations

English text

1  O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O stay and hear, your true love's coming
That can sing both high and low.

2  Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers' meeting,
Ev'ry wise man's son doth know.

3  What is love? 'Tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath [joy brings]present laughter;
What's to come is still unsure:

4  In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty;
Youth's a stuff will not endure.