John Heywood (c. 1497–c. 1580)

PACK clouds, away, and welcome, day!

With night we banish sorrow.

Sweet air, blow soft; mount, lark, aloft

To give my Love good-morrow!

Wings from the wind to please her mind,

Notes from the lark I’ll borrow:

Bird, prune thy wing, nightingale, sing;

To give my Love good-morrow!

To give my Love good-morrow

Notes from them all I’ll borrow.

Wake from thy nest, robin red-breast,

Sing birds in every furrow,

And from each bill let music shrill

Give my fair Love good-morrow!

Blackbird and thrush in every bush,

Stare, linnet, and cocksparrow,

You pretty elves, amongst yourselves

Sing my fair Love good-morrow;

To give my Love good-morrow,

Sing, birds, in every furrow.