When younglings first on Cupid fix their sight (William Byrd)
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- Editor: David Fraser (added 2003-07-07). Score information: A4, 5 pages, 84 kbytes Copyright: CPDL
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General Information
Title: When younglings first on Cupid fix their sight
Composer: William Byrd
Number of voices: 3vv Voicing: SAT
Genre: Secular, Madrigal
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: Songs of sundrie natures (1589), nos. 10–11
Description: Madrigal in two parts.
- Prima pars: When younglings first on Cupid fix their sight
- Secunda pars: But when by proof
External websites:
Original text and translations
Original text:
English text
When younglings first on Cupid fix their sight,
and see him naked, blindfold and a boy,
though bow and shafts and firebrand be his might,
yet ween they he can work them none annoy.
And therefore with his purple wings they play,
for glorious seemeth love though light as feather,
and when they have done,
they ween to scape away, for blind men,
they say shoot they know not whither.
But when by proof they find that he did see,
and that his wound did rather dim their sight,
they wonder more how such a lad as he,
should be of such surpassing power and might
but ants have galls, so hath the bee his sting,
then shield me heavens from such a subtle thing.
