Tell me, o love

Alfonso Ferrabosco

Shepherd:

Tell me, o love, when shall it be

That thy fair eyes shall shine on me,

Whom nothing now reviveth?

Nymph:

I pray thee, shepherd, leave thy fears;

Drown not thy heart and eyes with tears;

Such sighs my sense depriveth.

Shepherd:

Alas, sweet nymph, I cannot choose,

Since thou estranged liv'st from me.

Nymph:

O do not me for that accuse,

My love, my life doth live in thee.

Both:

Alas, what joy is in such love

Shepherd:

That ever lives apart,

Nymph:

And never other comforts prove

But cares that kill the heart?

Shepherd:

O let me die!

Nymph:

And so will I!

Both:

Yet stay, sweet love, and sing this song with me:

Time brings to pass what Love thinks could not be.