O that most rare breast (William Byrd)
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- CPDL #4674:
Sibelius 2.
- Editor: David Fraser (added 2003-03-23). Score information: A4, 11 pages, 196 kbytes Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: O that most rare breast
Composer: William Byrd
Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SATTB
Genre: Secular, Madrigals
Language: English
Instruments: none, a cappella
Published: Psalmes, Sonnets & Songs (1588), no. 35
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
O that most rare breast, crystaline sincere,
through which like gold thy princely heart did shine,
O sprite heroic, O valiant worthly knight,
O Sidney, prince of fame and men's good will.
For thee both kings and princesses do mourn,
thy noble tomb,
three cities strange desired
foes to the cause thy prowless did defend
bewail the day that crossed thy famous race.
The doleful debt due to thy hearse I pay,
tears from the soul thy aye tahy want shall moan,
and by my will my life itself would yield,
if heathen blame ne might my faith distain.
O heavy time,
that my days draw behind thee,
thou dead dost live,
my friend here living dieth.