One morning very early, one morning in...

One morning very early, one morning in the spring,
I heard a maid in Bedlam who mournfully did sing.
Her chains she rattled on her hands while sweetly thus sang she,
I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea,
And cruel, cruel was the ship that bore my love from me.
Yet I love his parents since they're his, although they've ruined me,
And I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh should it please the pitying powers to call me to the sky,
I'll claim a guardian angel's charge around my love to fly.
To guard him from all dangers how happy I should be,
For I love my love because I know my love loves me.

I'll make a strawy garland, I'll make it wondrous fine,
With roses, lilies, daisies I'll mix the eglantine,
And I'll present it to my love when he returns from sea,
For I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh if I were a little bird to build upon his breast,
Or if I were a nightingale to sing my love to rest,
To gaze upon his lovely eyes all my reward should be,
For I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh if I were an eagle to soar in to the sky,
I'd gaze around with piercing eyes where I my love might spy.
But ah, unhappy maiden, that love you ne'er shall see,
Yet I love my love because I know my love loves me.

by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
sometimes misattributed to Victor Neuberg (1873-1940)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) , "Gramachree", Hob. XXXIa:13bis, JHW. XXXII/3 no. 214, stanzas 1-2,6. [voice and piano]
by Peter Warlock (1894-1930) [pseudonym] , "The distracted maid", 1922, published 1923, from Lillygay, no. 1.

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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