O mistress mine

General information

Lyricist: William Shakespeare, from Twelfth night, Act II, Scene 3.

Notes on selected settings

• William Alexander Campbell Cruickshank ATTB (joy brings for mirth hath)
• Thomas Morley Tenor solo

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• William Armiger — Shakespeare Songs 5: O mistress mine  English SATB
• William Byrd — O mistress mine  English T
• William Alexander Campbell Cruickshank — O mistress mine!  English ATTB
• Henry Kimball Hadley — O Mistress Mine  English SATB
• George Alexander Macfarren — O mistress mine  English SATB
• Thomas Morley — O mistress mine  English Solo high
• Charles Hubert Hastings Parry — O mistress mine  English Solo Tenor
• John Whittaker — O mistress mine  English SATB

Texts and Translations

English text

1  O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O stay and hear, your true love's coming
That can sing both high and low.

2  Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers' meeting,
Ev'ry wise man's son doth know.

3  What is love? 'Tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath [joy brings]present laughter;
What's to come is still unsure:

4  In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty;
Youth's a stuff will not endure.