Gather your rosebuds while you may (William Lawes)
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- Editor: Jonathan Goodliffe (submitted 2014-08-05). Score information: A4, 1 page, 20 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: Gather your rosebuds while you may
Composer: William Lawes
Lyricist: Robert Herrick
Number of voices: 3vv Voicing: STB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo
First published:
Description:
External websites:
- Source Book 3 of short ayres or songs for three voyces on IMSLP, page 26.
Original text and translations
English text
Altered in the source from the original poem
Gather your* rosebuds while you* may,
Old time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
Expect not the last and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And, while ye may, go marry;
For, having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.
* The original poem has ye.