Court Odes: Looke, shepheards, looke


 Selected item (#5010) = Looke, shepheards, looke
 Attributes of this item 
incipit (first line(s), normalized): Looke, shepheards, looke
version (if more than one exists):
the item's genre (general): ode
the item's genre (specific): New Year’s Day
the institution/place or purpose 
for which the work was first destined:
English court
the work's year (or focal date, if known): 1663
author of the text: Nicholas Lanier
composer of the music: Nicholas Lanier
Number of texts stored: 1  
  • Selected text (below): #287 / Source: GB-Ob MS Ashm. 36–7, f. 166
    special title: ‘A Pastorall Song, to the King on New years = day. Ano Dni 1663.’
 Selected text (#287) / Source: GB-Ob MS Ashm. 36–7, f. 166  
 Attributes of the selected text 
source for this text
(short title, or library & shelfmark):
GB-Ob MS Ashm. 36–7
location in the source?
(i.e. which vol., pp. or fols):
f. 166
type of source: MS, words only
the source online (if available):
modern edition of this text:
special title (if any): A Pastorall Song, to the King on New years = day. Ano Dni 1663.
version (if more than one exists):
about this transcription: Transcribed by Estelle Murphy, June 2022. Line-initial capitalisation editorial. MS is sometimes difficult to decipher; possibility of mistranscription in places.
Data-note concerning authorship (EMM, Thu Jun 23 14:45:46 2022, updated Thu Jun 23 14:51:39 2022):
The text is a reworked version of Ben Jonson’s 1635 ode ’A New-yeares-Gift sung to King Charles’, which begins ’Today old Janus opens the new year’. Jonson had taken much of this ode text from his masque ’Pan’s Anniversary’, written for King James’s birthday in 1620.
See file GB-Ob_Ashm._36-7_f_166.pdf
Transcription:          
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A Pastorall Song, to the King on New years =
day. Ano Dni 1663.

Looke Shephards Looke, Old Janus doth unfolde
A glorious bright New yeare, & shutte the old.
Hast, hast you hither, all you gentle Swaynes,
That have or Flock or Heard upon these Playnes.
This is the greate preserver of your Bowndes,
To whome you owe all duties of your Growndes.
Your Milkes, your Fells, your Fleeces, & first Lambes,
Your teeming Ewes, as well as mounting Ramis.
His praises let’s report unto the Woodes,
That they may take it Ecchoed by the Floodes.

                         Chorus.
     eccho      eccho
’Tis he, O Pan, ’tis he
                                                  eccho
In chase of savage Beasts exceedeth hee.
                                                  eccho
His Pipe & voyce, with heavenly harmonie
Procures all Plenty & our Flocks encrease,
          eccho                              eccho
He, only he, is Author of our peace.

                         2
Where e’re he goes upon the Ground
The better Grass, and Flowers are found,
To sweeter pastures leade he can,
Then ever Pales could or Pan,
He drives diseases from our fouldes,
The Thiefe from spoyle, his presence holdes
Pan knows no other power than his,
This only the great Shepheard is,

                         Chorus.
’Tis he, O Pan, &c:


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