| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Anonymous. 1603 |
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66. My Lady's Tears
John Dowland's Third and Last Book of Songs or Airs |
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| I SAW my Lady weep, | |
| And Sorrow proud to be advancèd so | |
| In those fair eyes where all perfections keep. | |
| Her face was full of woe; | |
| But such a woe (believe me) as wins more hearts | 5 |
| Than Mirth can do with her enticing parts. | |
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| Sorrow was there made fair, | |
| And Passion wise; Tears a delightful thing; | |
| Silence beyond all speech, a wisdom rare: | |
| She made her sighs to sing, | 10 |
| And all things with so sweet a sadness move | |
| As made my heart at once both grieve and love. | |
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| O fairer than aught else | |
| The world can show, leave off in time to grieve! | |
| Enough, enough: your joyful look excels: | 15 |
| Tears kill the heart, believe. | |
| O strive not to be excellent in woe, | |
| Which only breeds your beauty's overthrow. | |
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