Cleare or cloudie sweet as Aprill showring (John Dowland)

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Editor: Allen Garvin (submitted 2014-11-29). Score information: Letter, 2 pages, 60 kB Copyright: CC BY NC

Edition notes: Parts and source are available at IMSLP.

Editor: Brian Russell (submitted 2008-05-06). Score information: A4, 4 pages, 33 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

Editor: Daniel Harmer (submitted 2006-06-13). Score information: Letter, 4 pages, 93 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

Title: Cleare or Cloudie sweet as Aprill showring
Composer: John Dowland

Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SATTB

Genre: Secular, Madrigal

Language: English
Instruments: Lute (optional)

Published: 1600

Description: No. XXI from Second Book of Songs or Ayres (1600)

External websites:

English text

Cleare or cloudie sweet as April showring,

Smoth or frowning so is hir face to mee,

Pleasd or smiling like milde May all flowring,

When skies blew silke and medowes carpets bee,

Hir speeches notes of that night bird that singeth,

Who thought all sweet yer Jarring notes outringeth.

Hir grace like June, when earth and trees bee trimde,

In best attire of compleat beauties height,

Hir love againe like sommers daies bee dimde,

With little cloudes of doubtfull constant faith,

Hir trust hir doubt, like raine and head in Skies,

Gently thundring, she lightning to my eies.

Sweet sommer spring that breatheth life and growing,

In weedes as into hearbs and flowers,

And sees of service divers sorts in sowing,

Some haply seeming and some being yours,

Raine on your hearbs and flowers that truely serve,

And let your weeds lack dew and duely starve.