by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
When Phoebus first did Daphne love
Language: English
When Phoebus first did Daphne love, and no means might her favour move, he crav'd the cause. The cause, quoth she, is, I have vow'd virginity. Then in a rage he sware, and said, Past fifteen none but one should live a maid. If maidens then shall chance be sped ere they can scarcely dress their head, yet pardon them, for they be loath to make good Phoebus break his oath. And better 'twere a child were born, than that a god should be foresworn. By this they get sweet mother's name, and are not barren which were blame, besides by this procure they can the world a child, the prince a man. Now Stoick tell me if in this, that anything be done a-miss.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Dowland (1562 - 1626), "When Phoebus first did Daphne love" [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Peter Donderwinkel
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 125