In Allusion To The French Song. N'entendez Vous Pas Ce Language

Richard Lovelace

                     CHORUS.
     THEN UNDERSTAND YOU NOT (FAIR CHOICE)
     THIS LANGUAGE WITHOUT TONGUE OR VOICE?

                       I.
     How often have my tears
     Invaded your soft ears,
     And dropp'd their silent chimes
     A thousand thousand times?
     Whilst echo did your eyes,
     And sweetly sympathize;
     But that the wary lid
     Their sluces did forbid.

Cho. THEN UNDERSTAND YOU NOT (FAIR CHOICE)
     THIS LANGUAGE WITHOUT TONGUE OR VOICE?

                       II.
     My arms did plead my wound,
     Each in the other bound;
     Volleys of sighs did crowd,
     And ring my griefs alowd;
     Grones, like a canon-ball,
     Batter'd the marble wall,
     That the kind neighb'ring grove
     Did mutiny for love.

Cho. THEN UNDERSTAND YOU NOT (FAIR CHOICE)
     THIS LANGUAGE WITHOUT TONGUE OR VOICE?

                      III.
     The rheth'rick of my hand
     Woo'd you to understand;
     Nay, in our silent walk
     My very feet would talk;
     My knees were eloquent,
     And spake the love I meant;
     But deaf unto that ayr,
     They, bent, would fall in prayer.

Cho. YET UNDERSTAND YOU NOT (FAIR CHOICE)
     THIS LANGUAGE WITHOUT TONGUE OR VOICE?

                       IV.
     No?  Know, then, I would melt
     On every limb I felt,
     And on each naked part
     Spread my expanded heart,
     That not a vein of thee
     But should be fill'd with mee.
     Whilst on thine own down, I
     Would tumble, pant, and dye.

Cho. YOU UNDERSTAND NOT THIS (FAIR CHOICE);
     THIS LANGUAGE WANTS BOTH TONGUE AND VOICE.

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