Court Odes: Sound a call, the tritons sing


 Selected item (#2015) = Sound a call, the tritons sing
 Attributes of this item 
incipit (first line(s), normalized): Sound a call, the tritons sing
version (if more than one exists):
the item's genre (general): ode
the item's genre (specific): Birthday, William III
the institution/place or purpose 
for which the work was first destined:
English court
the work's year (or focal date, if known): 1693
author of the text: Nahum Tate
composer of the music: Nicholas Staggins
Number of texts stored: 1  
  • Selected text (below): #112 / Source: The Gentleman’s Journal, November 1693
 Selected text (#112) / Source: The Gentleman’s Journal, November 1693  
 Attributes of the selected text 
source for this text
(short title, or library & shelfmark):
The Gentleman’s Journal
location in the source?
(i.e. which vol., pp. or fols):
November 1693
type of source: newspaper/periodical
the source online (if available):
modern edition of this text:
special title (if any):
version (if more than one exists):
about this transcription:
Transcription:          
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An ode upon His Majesty’s Birthday, Set to Music by Dr. Staggins; and; performed before Their Majesties, Nov 4. 1693.

The Words by N. Tate, Servant to Their Majesties.

Sound a Call, the Tritons sing,
Summoned by their Vocal Shells,
From Coral Beds and Chrystal Shells,
Up the joyful
Nereids spring;
Sound a Call the
Tritons sing.

What makes Neptunes Court appear,
Circled on a dancing Wave?
The Day’s arrived, ’tis come, tis here,
That Birth to
CAESAR Joy to Europe gave.
See the Sacred Quire defending,
Earth and Sea your Song attending;
Crown the Day that Crowns the Year.

’Twas NOW, the threatening Tempest past,
We saw his Welcome Anchors cast,

Flags displayed, and Streamers free
As what they brought us, Liberty.
Liberty the Sailors cry’d,
Liberty the Shores reply’d.

Successor of Great Hercules,
When will thy Labours, when thy dangers cease?
Thy Courage and Thy Toils
Have long deserved
Nemaean spoils.
Why are thy Triumphs then retarded?
Why such Virtue Unrewarded?

Chor. The Promis’d Blessing’s but Delay’d,
With greater interest to be Paid.
Mighty Births, in Teeming longest,
Make amends for their Delay:
Shades of Night are ever strongest,
Just before the Break of Day.

Gallick Force in vain is striving,
Gallick Fraud in vain contriving,
Hope and
CAESAR still surviving.

Drooping Europe’s State to raise,
And yet assure Successful Days,
Undaunted
CAESAR Fights, Devout MARIA
Prays.

CHORUS.
’Twas Constancy could only prove
Alcides the true Son of Love;
Heads of Hydra still Renewing,
And the Hero still Subduing;
Till with Unwearied Valor prest,
At last the Monster fell, the World at last had Rest.


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