Interred here doth lye a worthy wyght (Benjamin Cooke)
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- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2012-01-10). Score information: A4, 13 pages, 153 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score. Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.
General Information
Title: Interred here doth lye a worthy wyght
Composer: Benjamin Cooke
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Glee
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
Description: A setting of the epitaph on the tombstone of Thomas Tallis at Greenwich, composed in suitably "antique" style; an aural equivalent of Walpole's mock Gothick "Strawberry Hill". printed in Warren's seventh collection of canons, catches and glees.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Interred here doth lye a worthy wyght,
Who for long time in music bore the bell;
His name to show was Thomas Tallis hight,
In honest, virtuous life he did excel;
He served long time in chapel with great praise,
Four sov'reigns' reigns, a thing not often seen;
I mean King Henry, and Prince Edward's days,
Queen Mary, and Elizabeth our queen;
He married was, although children he had none,
And lived in love full three-and-thirty years
With loyal spouse, whose name yclipt was Joan,
Who, here entombed, him company now bears.
As he did live, so also did he dye,
In mild and quiet sort, O happy man!
To God full oft for mercy did he cry,
Wherefore he lives, let Death do what he can.