Busy time this day (George Jeffreys)
Music files
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- (Posted 2021-12-24) CPDL #67219:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2021-12-24). Score information: A4, 11 pages, 419 kB Copyright: CC BY SA
- Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download. Organ part realized editorially.
General Information
Title: Busy time this day
Composer: George Jeffreys
Lyricist: Anonymous
Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SSTTB
Genre: Sacred, Verse anthem
Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo
First published: c.1650 in manuscript
Description: Motet "for the Blessed Innocents' Day", written most probably for a one-to-a-part choir. The organ part lacks figuring in the manuscript source.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Busy time this day, thou may'st go sleep or play,
The groans of infants slain do count thy moments for thee;
And their pain procures thy ease and gain.
But blessed babes, all your laments and woes
Are but like cyph'ring Os. Herod did miss the figure
And til he comes to groan too you cannot signify;
When his precious death shall bide, fixed by your side,
Ye then shall sum unto eternity.