Change thy mind since she doth change

Change thy mind since she doth change,
let not fancy still abuse thee. 
Thy untruth cannot seem strange 
when her falsehood doth excuse thee.
Love is dead and thou art free;
she doth live, but dead to thee.

Whilst she lov'd thee best awhile, 
see how she hath still delay'd thee,
using shows for to beguile 
those vain hopes that have deceiv'd thee.
Now, thou sea'st although too late
Love loves truth, which women hate. 

Love no more since she is gone;
she is gone and loves another.
Being once deceiv'd by one, 
leave her love, but love none other.
She was false, bid her adieu;
she was best, but yet; untrue. 

Love, farewell, more dear to me
than my life which thou preservest.
Life, all joys are gone from thee,
others have what thou deservest. 
O my death doth spring from hence;
I must die for her offence. 

Die, but yet before thou die, 
make her know what she hath gotten.
She in whom my hopes did lie
now is chang'd, I quite forgotten.
She is chang'd, but changed base, 
baser in so vile a place.

by Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (1566-1601)

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

by Richard Martin (fl. c1610) , "Change thy mind since she doth change", published 1610, included in Robert Dowland's A Musicall Banquet; this is the composer's only known surviving song

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Notes about green, red, and white dots

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!      - Emily I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.

Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for Change thy mind since she doth change, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Change thy mind since she doth change, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for Change thy mind since she doth change, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for Change thy mind since she doth change, art song, Lieder, or chansons

Books:

  The Art of the Song Recital [amazon.com]
  The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
  Search amazon.com for art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for art song, lieder, or chansons

Classical Vocal Repertoire