Like as the damask rose, you see (William Crotch)

Music files

L E G E N D

Disclaimer

How to download

ICON	SOURCE
	Web Page
	File details
	Help

• (Posted 2021-03-01)  CPDL #63239: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2021-03-01).   Score information: A4, 4 pages, 231 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.

General Information

Title: Like as the damask rose, you see
Composer: William Crotch
Lyricist: Simon Wastell^{create page}

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Glee

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published:
Description: A setting of Wastell's "Of Man's Mortalitie". The text is sometimes attributed to Francis Quarles.

Original text and translations

English text

Like as the damask rose you see,
Or like the blossom on the tree,
Or like the dainty flow'r of May,
Or like the sun, or like the shade,
Or like the gourd, which Jonas had.
E'en such is man whose thread is spun,
Drawn out and cut and so is done.
The rose withers, the blossom blasteth,
The flow'r fades, the morning hasteth,
The sun sets, the shadow flies,
The gourd consumes, and man he dies.

Like to the grass that's newly sprung,
Or like a tale that's new begun;
Or like the bird that's here today,
Or like the pearled dew of May,
Or like an hour, or like a span,
Or like the singing of the swan.
E'en such is man who lives by breath,
Is here, now there, in life and death:
The grass withers, the tale is ended,
The bird is flown, the dew's ascended,
The hour is short, the span is long,
The swan's near death; man's life is gone.