Come my Daphne, come away - a 17th Century pastoral dialogue by William Lawes.
From James Shirley's play 'The Cardinal', 1641
Emily Atkinson: soprano
Richard de Winter: tenor
Alison Kinder: bass viol
Richard Mackenzie: lute
Strephon
Come my Daphne, come away,
We do waste the crystal day,
Daphne
'Tis Strephon calls, what would my Love?
Strephon
Come follow to the Myrtle Grove,
Where Venus shall prepare
New chaplets for thy hair,
Daphne
Were I shut up within a tree,
I'd rend my bark to follow thee.
Strephon
My Shepherdess make haste,
The minutes slide so fast.
Daphne
In those cooler shades, will I
Blind as Cupid kiss your Eye.
Strephon
In thy bosom then I'll stray,
In such warm snow, who would not lose his way?
Chorus
We'll laugh and leave this world behind,
And gods themselves that see,
Shall envy thee and me, but never find
Such joys when they embrace a Deity.
First printed as 'A Dialogue between Daphne and Strephon' in John Playford's compilation 'The Second booke of ayres containing pastorall dialogues for two voyces', 1652
From Passamezzo's CD 'Shadows, not substantial things'
passamezzo.bandcamp.com/album...