Stay

Stay, Time, awhile thy flying,
Stay, Time, awhile thy flying,
Stay, Time, awhile thy flying,
Stay and pity me dying.
For Fate and friends have left me,
And of comfort (has) bereft me.

Come, come, close my eyes;
Better to die blessed,
Close my eyes, close my eyes,
Come, come, close my eyes;
Than to live thus distressed.

Stay, Time, awhile thy flying,
To whom shall I disdain me?
When thus friends do I disdain me?
'Tis Time (that) must befriend me,
Drown'd in sorrow, to end me.

Come, come, close my eyes;
Better to die blessed,
Close my eyes, close my eyes,
Come, come, close my eyes;
Than to live thus distressed.

Come, come, close my eyes;
Better to die blessed,
Close my eyes, close my eyes,
Come, come, close my eyes;
Than to live thus distressed.

Ah-eyes,
Better to die blessed,
Close my eyes, close my eyes.

(Come, come, close my eyes;
Better to die blessed,
Close my eyes, close my eyes,
Come, come, close my eyes)
Than to live thus distressed.

(Lyrics from John Dowland's (1563-1626) "A Pilgrimes Solace - The Fourth Book of Songs" (1612))