Weep All Ye Nymphs, your Floods Unbind
Weep all ye Nymphs, your Floods unbind,
For Strephon's now no more;
Your Tresses spread before the Wind,
And leave the hated Shore:
See, see, upon the craggy Rocks,
Each Goddess stripp'd appears;
They beat their Breasts, and rend their Locks,
And swell the Sea with Tears.
The God of Love that fatal hour,
When this poor Youth was born,
Had sworn by Styx to show his Power,
He'd kill a Man e'er Morn':
For Strephon's Breast he arm'd his Dart,
And watch'd him as he came;
He cry'd, and shot him through the Heart,
Thy Blood shall quench my Flame.
On Stella's Lap he laid his Head,
And looking in her Eyes,
He cry'd, Remember when I'm dead,
That I deserve the Prize:
Then down his Tears like Rivers ran,
He sigh'd, You Love, 'tis true;
You love perhaps a better Man,
But Ah! he loves not you.
CHORUS.
Why should all things bow to Love,
Men below, and Gods above?
Why should all things bow to Love?
Death and Fate more awful move,
Death below, and Fate above,
Death below, and Fate above.
Mortals, Mortals, try your skill,
Seeking Good, or shunning Ill,
Fate will be the burden still,
Will be the burden still,
Fate will be the burden still,
Fate will be the burden still.
<Scene location occurs as follows>
The Princess of Cleve, Irene in Mourning, Song, as the Princess kneels at
the State.
First line: Weep all ye nymphs your floods unbind
Source Edition: The Princess of Cleve (1682), 5.3, p.65, lyrics appear separately at sig.a3r.
First performed: December 1682, or slightly earlier (Danchin)
UMI(2) reel no.: 462:12 (1689)
Author: Nathaniel Lee
Composer: Dr John Blow ( nwc)
Source/s of Music: Recorded in Day and Murrie, p.368, n.3589 [Music] Playford, Henry, The Theater of Music...First Book (1685), pp.46-7 (UMI(2) 363:13) et alia.
Text of song:
This Song should be inserted in Act V. Scene III.