The lowest trees haue tops (John Dowland)
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General Information
Title: The lowest trees haue tops
Composer: John Dowland
Lyricist: Edward Dyer (1543-1607)
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Madrigal
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: 1603
Description: No. XIX from The Third and Last Booke of Songs or Aires (1603)
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall,
The fly her spleen, the little spark his heat,
And slender hairs cast shadows though but small,
And bees have stings although they be not great.
Seas have their source, and so have shallow springs,
And love is love in beggars and in kings.
Where waters smoothest run, deep are the fords,
The dial stirs, yet none perceives it move:
The firmest faith is in the fewest words,
The turtles cannot sing, and yet they love,
True hearts have eyes and ears no tongues to speak:
They hear, and see, and sigh, and then they break.



