EARLY NATIONAL SONGS. WE commence our present specimens with the following "Sonets and Pastorales," excerpted from an elegantly printed 4to. work, in five parts, of which the following is the title: "Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie, made into musicke of five parts; whereof some of them going abroade among divers, in untrue coppies, are here truly corrected, and th' other being Songs very rare, and newly composed, are heere published for the recreation of all such as delight in Musicke; by WILLIAM BYRD, one of the Gent. of the Queen's Majestie's honorable Chappel. Printed by Thomas East, the Assigne of W. Byrd.-1588." The work is dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor of England, wherein the author states, that, at the desire of friends, and from the knowledge that many spurious copies of his Songs having got into public notice, he has been induced to publish the above, being his first printed work in English, "To pass under your Lordship's favour and protection, hoping that by this occassion, these poor Songs of mine may happily yield some repose and recreation unto your Lordship's mind, &c." Byrd further states, that, should the present attempt be favourably received, "It shall encourage him to suffer some other things of more depth and skill to follow these, which being not yet finished, are of divers expected and desired." In his epistle to the reader (who probably was also the reviewer of 1588), he modestly says, "In the expressing of these Songs, either by voices or instruments, if there happen to be any jar or dissonance, blame not the printer, who, I do assure thee, through his great pains and diligence, doth here deliver to thee a perfect and true copy. If, in the composition of these Songs, there be any fault by me committed, I desire the skilful either with courtesy to let the same be concealed, or in friendly sort to be thereof admonished, and at the next impression, he shall find the error reformed; remembering always, that it is more easy to find a fault, than to amend it." Byrd was a musician of acknowledged merit and celebrity in his time, besides being an agreeable and respectable composer. One of his best known compositions at this day, perhaps, is "Non nobis Domini." He also was the author of several other musical works, published betwixt 1575 and 1618; for a list of which, see Burney, Hawkins, and Dr. Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica. Byrd died in 1623, aged eighty. BYRD'S SONGS. TO AMARILLIS. THOUGH Amarillis dance in green, Yet since their eyes make hearts so sore, My sheep are lost for want of food, Her loving looks, her beauty bright, Ah wanton eyes, my friendly foes, Love ye who list, I force him not, Hey-ho! chil love no more. |