Can she Excuse my Wrongs?

John Dowland John Dowland

Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue's cloak?
Shall I call her good when she proves unkind?
Are those clear fires which vanish into smoke?
Must I praise the leaves where no fruit I find?

No no: where shadows do for bodies stand,
Thou may'st be abus'd if thy sight be dim.
Cold love is like to words written on sand,
Or to bubbles which on the water swim.

Wilt thou be thus abused still,
Seeing that she will right thee never?
If thou canst not o'ercome her will
The love will be thus fruitless ever.

Was I so base, that I might not aspire
Unto those high joys which she holds from me?
As they are high , so high is my desire:
If she this deny, what can granted be?

If she will yeld to that which reason is,
It is Reason's will that Love should be just.
Dear make me happy still be granting this,
Or cut off delays if that die I must.

Better a thousand times to die,
Than for to live thus still tormented:
Dear, but remember it was I
Who for thy sake did die contended

  1. Can she Excuse my Wrongs?
  2. Go Crystal Tears
  3. If my Complaints could Passions Move
  4. My Thoughts are Wing'd with Hopes
  5. Now, o Now, I Needs must Part
  6. Fine knacks for ladies
  7. Flow, my tears
  8. Come again
View all John Dowland songs

Most popular topics in John Dowland songs

Related artists

  1. andreas scholl
    andreas scholl
  2. Jean-Philippe Rameau
    Jean-Philippe Rameau
  3. Anonymous
    Anonymous
  4. Franz Schubert
    Franz Schubert
  5. Johann Sebastian Bach
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  6. Dietrich Buxtehude
    Dietrich Buxtehude
  7. Henry Purcell
    Henry Purcell
  8. Johann Sebastian Bach
    Johann Sebastian Bach