As I beheld I saw a herdman wild (William Byrd)
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- Editor: David Fraser (submitted 2008-08-28). Score information: A4, 8 pages, 157 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: As I beheld I saw a herdman wild
Composer: William Byrd
Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SATTB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1588 in Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs, no. 20
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
As I beheld, I saw a heardman wild,
with his sheephook a picture fine deface,
which he sometime his fancie to beguild,
had carv’d on barke of beech in secret place,
& with despite of most afflicted minde,
through deepe dispaire, of hart, for love dismaid,
he puld even from the tree, the carved rind,
& weping sore these wofull words he said:
ah Philida, would God thy picture faire,
I could as lightlie blot out of my brest,
then should I not thus rage, with great despight,
& teare the thing sometime I liked best:
but all in vaine, it booteth not god wot,
what printed is in hart, on tree to blot.