An Anthology of Renaissance Lyrics

Alphabetical TOC:  A-B

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William Alabaster (1568-1640)

• For a brief biographical note, see the article on William Alabaster, in the Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed., 2000  (Project Bartleby)
• Upon the Motions of the Fiend  (Sonnet Central)
• from Personal Sonnets  (Sonnet Central)
  • "My friends, whose kindness doth their judgments blind"
  • "Lord, I have left all and myself behind"
• from Divine Meditations  (Sonnet Central)
  • "The night, the starless night of passion"
  • "Over the brook of Cedron Christ is gone"
  • "Up to Mount Olivet my soul ascend"
  • "Though all forsake thee, Lord, yet I will die"
  • "Jesus is risen from the infernal mire"
  • "The earth, which in delicious paradise"
  • "Eternity, the womb of things created"
  • "The first beginning of creation"
  • "O wretched man, the knot of contraries"

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Anonymous  (1555?)

• Spare Your Good  (Renascence Editions)

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Robert Aytoun (1570 - 1638) 

• To An Inconstant Mistress  (Poets' Corner)

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Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

Sir Francis Bacon is included in Luminarium

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Barnabe Barnes (c.1569-1609)

• For background, see the article on Barnabe Barnes, in The Cambridge History of English and American Literature (1907-21), Vol. V.  (Project Bartleby)
• from Parthenophil and Parthenophe (1593)  (Sonnet Central)
  • Mistress, behold, in this true-speaking glass
  • Ah, sweet Content, where is thy mild abode?
  • Burn on, sweet fire, for I live by that fuel
  • This careful head, with divers thoughts distressed
• from Divine Century of Spiritual Sonnets (1595)  (Sonnet Central)
  • No more lewd lays of lighter loves I sing
  • Fortress of hope, anghor of faithful zeal
  • A blast of wind, a momentary breath

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Richard Barnfield (1574-1627)

• For background, see the article on Richard Barnfield, in The Cambridge History of English and American Literature (1907-21), Vol. V.  (Project Bartleby)
• To His Friend, Master R.L., in Praise of Music and Poetry  (Sonnet Central)
• Against the Dispraisers of Poetry  (Sonnet Central)
• Sighing and sadly sitting by my love  (Sonnet Central)
• Cherry-lipped Adonis...  (Sonnet Central)

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Charles Best (?-?)

• A Sonnet of the Moon  (Poets' Corner)

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Nicholas Breton (1545-1626?)

• For background, see the articles on The Phoenix Nest and on England's Helicon in The Cambridge History of English and American Literature (1907-21), Vol. IV.  (Project Bartleby)
• A Sweet Lullaby   (Poets' Corner)
• Phillida and Coridon   (Poets' Corner)
• An Assurance  (Poets' Corner)
• A Pastoral  (Poets' Corner)
• Pretty Twinkling Starry Eyes   (Poets' Corner)
• An Odd Conceit   (Poets' Corner)
• Who Can Live In Heart So Glad   (Poets' Corner)
• A Pastoral   (Poets' Corner)