Quarto
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| I CHORUS | | | |
| Enter Gower. | Enter Gower | | Per chorus.I.1 | |
| GOWER | | | |
| TO sing a Song that old was sung, | To sing a song that old was sung, | | Per Chorus.I.1 | |
| From ashes, auntient Gower is come, | From ashes ancient Gower is come, | | Per Chorus.I.2 | |
| Assuming mans infirmities, | Assuming man's infirmities, | | Per Chorus.I.3 | |
| To glad your eare, and please your eyes: | To glad your ear and please your eyes. | glad (v.) gladden, brighten, cause to rejoice | Per Chorus.I.4 | |
| It hath been sung at Feastiuals, | It hath been sung at festivals, | | Per Chorus.I.5 | |
| On Ember eues, and Holydayes: | On ember-eves and holidays, | ember-eve (n.)evening before ember-days [church quarterly 3-day period of fasting and prayer] | Per Chorus.I.6 | |
| And Lords and Ladyes in their liues, | And lords and ladies in their lives | | Per Chorus.I.7 | |
| Haue red it for restoratiues: | Have read it for restoratives. | restorative (n.)healing power, medicinal cordial | Per Chorus.I.8 | |
| The purchase is to make men glorious, | The purchase is to make men glorious, | purchase (n.)beneficial result, benefit, advantage | Per Chorus.I.9 | |
| | glorious (adj.)seeking glory, eager for renown | | |
| Et bonum quo Antiquius eo melius: | Et bonum quo antiquius eo melius. | et...and the older a good thing is, the better | Per Chorus.I.10 | |
| If you, borne in those latter times, | If you, born in these latter times | | Per Chorus.I.11 | |
| When Witts more ripe, accept my rimes; | When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes, | wit (n.)intelligence, wisdom, good sense, mental ability | Per Chorus.I.12 | |
| | ripe (adj.)mature, sophisticated, refined | | |
| And that to heare an old man sing, | And that to hear an old man sing | | Per Chorus.I.13 | |
| May to your Wishes pleasure bring: | May to your wishes pleasure bring, | | Per Chorus.I.14 | |
| I life would wish, and that I might | I life would wish, and that I might | | Per Chorus.I.15 | |
| Waste it for you, like Taper light. | Waste it for you like taper-light. | taper-light (n.)candle-light | Per Chorus.I.16 | |
| This Antioch, then Antiochus the great, | This Antioch, then. Antiochus the Great | Antiochus the Great[pron: an'tiyokus] Antiochus III; Syrian king in 2nd-c BC | Per Chorus.I.17 | |
| Buylt vp this Citie, for his chiefest Seat; | Built up this city for his chiefest seat, | | Per Chorus.I.18 | |
| The fayrest in all Syria. | The fairest in all Syria; | | Per Chorus.I.19 | |
| I tell you what mine Authors saye: | I tell you what mine authors say. | author (n.)authority, source, informant | Per Chorus.I.20 | |
| This King vnto him tooke a Peere, | This king unto him took a peer, | peer (n.)mate, companion; wife | Per Chorus.I.21 | |
| Who dyed, and left a female heyre, | Who died and left a female heir, | | Per Chorus.I.22 | |
| So bucksome, blith, and full of face, | So buxom, blithe, and full of face, | buxom (adj.)lively, cheerful, bright | Per Chorus.I.23 | |
| As heauen had lent her all his grace: | As heaven had lent her all his grace; | | Per Chorus.I.24 | |
| With whom the Father liking tooke, | With whom the father liking took, | liking (n.)lustful affection, sexual attraction | Per Chorus.I.25 | |
| And her to Incest did prouoke: | And her to incest did provoke. | | Per Chorus.I.26 | |
| Bad child, worse father, to intice his owne | Bad child, worse father, to entice his own | | Per Chorus.I.27 | |
| To euill, should be done by none: | To evil should be done by none; | | Per Chorus.I.28 | |
| But custome what they did begin, | But custom what they did begin | | Per Chorus.I.29 | |
| Was with long vse, account'd no sinne; | Was with long use accounted no sin. | | Per Chorus.I.30 | |
| The beautie of this sinfull Dame, | The beauty of this sinful dame | | Per Chorus.I.31 | |
| Made many Princes thither frame, | Made many princes thither frame | frame (v.)direct one's steps, shape a course, betake oneself | Per Chorus.I.32 | |
| To seeke her as a bedfellow, | To seek her as a bedfellow, | | Per Chorus.I.33 | |
| In maryage pleasures, playfellow: | In marriage pleasures playfellow; | | Per Chorus.I.34 | |
| Which to preuent, he made a Law, | Which to prevent he made a law, | | Per Chorus.I.35 | |
| To keepe her still, and men in awe: | To keep her still and men in awe, | still (adv.)constantly, always, continually | Per Chorus.I.36 | |
| That who so askt her for his wife, | That whoso asked her for his wife, | | Per Chorus.I.37 | |
| His Riddle tould, not lost his life: | His riddle told not, lost his life. | tell (v.)disclose, reveal, explain | Per Chorus.I.38 | |
| So for her many of wight did die, | So for her many a wight did die, | wight (n.)[archaism] person, human being | Per Chorus.I.39 | |
| As yon grimme lookes do testifie. | As yon grim looks do testify. | | Per Chorus.I.40 | |
| What now ensues, to the iudgement of your eye, | What now ensues, to the judgement of your eye, | | Per Chorus.I.41 | |
| I giue my cause, who best can iustifie. | I give my cause, who best can justify. | | Per Chorus.I.42 | |
| Exit. | Exit | | Per Chorus.I.42 | |