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378 ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC. |
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NEVER LOVE THEE MORE.
This song, commencing, " My dear and only love, take heed," is contained in a manuscript volume of songs and ballads, with music, dated 1659, in the handwriting of John Gamble, the composer. The MS. is now in the possession of Dr. Rimbault.
Gamble published some of his own works in 1657 and 1659, but this seems to have been his common-place book. It contains the songs Dr. Wilson composed for Brome's play, The Northern Lass, and many compositions of H. and W. Lawes, as well as common songs and ballads. The last are-usually noted down without bases; but, in some instances, the space intended for the tune is unfilled.
In the Pepys Collection, i. 256, is "The Faythfull Lover's Resolution; being forsaken of a coy and faythless dame. To the tune of My dear and only love, take heed;" commencing, "Though booteles I must needs complain." "Printed at London for P. Birch."
In the same volume, i. 280—" Good sir, you wrong your Britches;—pleasantly discoursed by a witty youth and a wily wench. To the tune of 0 no, no, no, not yet, or Me never love thee more;" commencing, "A young man and a lasse of late." " Printed at London for J[ohn] T[rundle]."
At p. 378—" Anything for a quiet life; or The Married Man's Bondage," &c. " To the tune of 0 no, no, no, not yet, or Ik never love thee more." Printed at London by G. P.
And at p. 394—" 'Tis not otherwise: Or The Praise of a Married Life. To the tune of lie never love thee more; " commencing, " A young man lately did complaine." Printed at London by G. B.
The above quotations tend to prove the tune to be of the time of James I. Philip Birch, the publisher of the first ballad, had a " shop at the Guyldhall" in 1618, when he published " Sir Walter Rauleigh his Lamentation," to which I have referred at p. 175. John Trundle, the publisher of the second, was dead in 1628; the ballads were then printed by "M. T., widdow." Trundle is mentioned as a ballad-printer in Ben Jonson's Every man in Ms humour, 1598.
In the Roxburghe Collection, ii. 574, is " A proper new ballad, being the
regrate [regret] of a true Lover for his Mistris unkindness. To a new tune, He
ever love thee more." The rude orthography of this seems to mark it as an early
ballad; but, unfortunately, the printer's name is cut away. It commences thus:
" I wish I were those gloves, dear heart, Then should no sorrow, grief, or smart,
Which could thy hands inshrine; Molest this heart of mine," &c.;
and consists of twenty-one stanzas of eight lines; thirteen in the first part, and eight in the second.
In the same collection, and in Mr. Payne Collier's Roxburghe Ballads, p. 227, is " The Tragedy of Hero and Leander. To a pleasant new tune, or I will never love thee more." The last was " printed for R. Burton, at the Horse-shoe in West-Smithfield, neer the Hospital-gate;" and the copy would, therefore, date in the reign of Charles L, or during the Commonwealth. |
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