Campion. If thou long'st so much to learn.

If thou long'st so much to learne
by Thomas Campion

If thou long'st so much to learne (sweet boy) what 'tis to loue,
Doe but fixe thy thought on mee and thou shalt quickly proue.
            Little sute, at first, shal win
                Way to thy abasht desire,
            But then will I hedge thee in
                Salamander-like with fire.

With thee dance I will, and sing, and thy fond dalliance beare ;
Wee the grouy hils will climbe, and play the wantons there ;
            Other whiles wee'le gather flowres,
                Lying dalying on the grasse,
            And thus our delightfull howres
                Full of waking dreames shall passe.

When thy ioyes were thus at height, my loue should turne from thee ;
Old acquaintance then should grow as strange as strange might be ;
            Twenty riuals, thou should'st finde,
                Breaking all their hearts for mee,
            When to all Ile proue more kinde
                And more forward then to thee.

Thus thy silly youth enrag'd, would soone my loue defie ;
But, alas, poore soule too late ; clipt wings can neuer flye.
            Those sweet houres which wee had past,
                Cal'd to minde thy heart would burne ;
            And could'st thou flye ne'er so fast,
                They would make thee straight returne.

Listen to a RealAudio sample of this song from the CD
English Ayres & Duets

Source:
Campion, Thomas. Campion's Works. Percival Vivian, Ed.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909. 168.

to Works of Thomas Campion

A recording of this song is
also available on the CD:

Greensleeves: A Collection
of English Lute Songs