“Pack clouds away”

Thomas Heywood (c. 1570–1641)

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 redbreast,

Sing, birds, in every furrow;

And from each hill let music shrill

Give my fair love good morrow.

Blackbird and thrush in every bush,

Stare, linnet, and cock-sparrow,

You petty elves, amongst yourselves,

Sing my fair love good morrow.

To give my love good morrow,

Sing, birds, in every furrow.