Peter Warlock: Peterisms: first set (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Whenas the rye reach to the chin,
And chop-cherry, chop-cherry ripe within,
Straw berries swimming in the cream,
And schoolboys playing in the stream;
Then, O, then, O then, O, my true love said,
Till that time come again 
She could not live a maid.

2. A sad song

Language: English

Authorship

Francis Beaumont (1584-1616)

The Maid's Tragedy

John Fletcher (1579-1625)

The Maid's Tragedy

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Lay a garland on my hearse,
Of the dismal yew,
Maidens, willow branches [bear]¹,
Say I died true.

My love was false, but I was firm
[ From my hour of birth;]²
Upon my buried body lie
Lightly, [gentle]³ earth.

View text without footnotes
¹ Pearsall, A. Taylor: "wear"
² omitted by Pearsall and A. Taylor
³ Pearsall, A. Taylor: "thou gentle"

Input by Ted Perry

3. Rutterkin

Language: English

Authorship

John Skelton (1460-1529)


 Rutterkin is come unto our town
 In a cloak without coat or gown
 save ragged hood to cover his crown
 Like a Rutterkin
 Hoyda, hoyda, jolly Rutterkin!

 Rutterkin can speak no English,
 His tongue runneth all on butter'd fish,
 Besmear'd with grease about his dish,
 Like a Rutterkin
 Hoyda, hoyda, jolly Rutterkin!

 Rutterkin shall bring you all good luck,
 A stoup of beer up at a pluck
 Till his brain be as wise as a duck,
 Like a Rutterkin
 Hoyda, hoyda, jolly Rutterkin!

 When Rutterkin from board shall rise,
 He will piss a gallon pot full at twice,
 And the overplus under the table of the new guise,
 Like a Rutterkin
 Hoyda, hoyda, jolly Rutterkin!