Quarto
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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LEt the bird of lowdest lay | Let the bird of loudest lay, | turtle (n.)turtle-dove, lover | Phoen.1 | |
| | lay (n.)song | | |
On the sole Arabian tree, | On the sole Arabian tree, | sole (adj.)unique, unrivalled, singular | Phoen.2 | |
Herauld sad and trumpet be: | Herald sad and trumpet be, | trumpet (n.)trumpeter; herald, announcer | Phoen.3 | |
| | sad (adj.)serious, grave, solemn | | |
To whose sound chaste wings obay. | To whose sound chaste wings obey. | | Phoen.4 | |
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But thou shriking harbinger, | But thou shrieking harbinger, | harbinger (n.)forerunner, herald, precursor | Phoen.5 | |
Foule precurrer of the fiend, | Foul precurrer of the fiend, | precurrer (n.)precursor, forerunner | Phoen.6 | |
Augour of the feuers end, | Augur of the fever's end, | augur, augure (n.)augurer, soothsayer, fortune-teller | Phoen.7 | |
To this troupe come thou not neere. | To this troop come thou not near! | | Phoen.8 | |
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From this Session interdict | From this session interdict | interdict (v.)forbid, prohibit, debar | Phoen.9 | |
Euery foule of tyrant wing, | Every fowl of tyrant wing, | tyrant (adj.)cruel, violent, rapacious | Phoen.10 | |
| | fowl (n.)bird | | |
Saue the Eagle feath'red King, | Save the eagle, feathered king: | | Phoen.11 | |
Keepe the obsequie so strict. | Keep the obsequy so strict. | obsequy (n.)funeral rite, burial ceremony | Phoen.12 | |
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Let the Priest in Surples white, | Let the priest in surplice white, | | Phoen.13 | |
That defunctiue Musicke can, | That defunctive music can, | can (v.)be skilled [in], have ability [in] | Phoen.14 | |
| | defunctive (adj.)to do with dying, funereal | | |
Be the death-deuining Swan, | Be the death-divining swan, | | Phoen.15 | |
Lest the Requiem lacke his right. | Lest the requiem lack his right. | | Phoen.16 | |
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And thou treble dated Crow, | And thou treble-dated crow, | treble-dated (adj.)living three times as long as man | Phoen.17 | |
That thy sable gender mak'st, | That thy sable gender mak'st | sable (adj.)black | Phoen.18 | |
| | gender (n.)offspring, brood | | |
With the breath thou giu'st and tak'st, | With the breath thou giv'st and tak'st, | | Phoen.19 | |
Mongst our mourners shalt thou go. | 'Mongst our mourners shalt thou go. | | Phoen.20 | |
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Here the Antheme doth commence, | Here the anthem doth commence: | anthem (n.)song of mourning, hymn of grief | Phoen.21 | |
Loue and Constancie is dead, | Love and constancy is dead; | | Phoen.22 | |
Phonix and the Turtle fled, | Phoenix and the turtle fled | | Phoen.23 | |
In a mutuall flame from hence. | In a mutual flame from hence. | | Phoen.24 | |
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So they loued as loue in twaine, | So they loved, as love in twain | | Phoen.25 | |
Had the essence but in one, | Had the essence but in one; | | Phoen.26 | |
Two distincts, Diuision none, | Two distincts, division none: | distinct (n.)separate entity, differentiated thing | Phoen.27 | |
Number there in loue was slaine. | Number there in love was slain. | | Phoen.28 | |
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Hearts remote, yet not asunder; | Hearts remote, yet not asunder; | | Phoen.29 | |
Distance and no space was seene, | Distance, and no space was seen | | Phoen.30 | |
Twixt this Turtle and his Queene; | 'Twixt the turtle and his queen: | | Phoen.31 | |
But in them it were a wonder. | But in them it were a wonder. | | Phoen.32 | |
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So betweene them Loue did shine, | So between them love did shine, | | Phoen.33 | |
That the Turtle saw his right, | That the turtle saw his right | | Phoen.34 | |
Flaming in the Phonix sight; | Flaming in the phoenix' sight; | sight (n.)eye | Phoen.35 | |
Either was the others mine. | Either was the other's mine. | | Phoen.36 | |
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Propertie was thus appalled, | Property was thus appalled, | property (n.)feature, characteristic, particular respect | Phoen.37 | |
That the selfe was not the same: | That the self was not the same; | | Phoen.38 | |
Single Natures double name, | Single nature's double name | | Phoen.39 | |
Neither two nor one was called. | Neither two nor one was called. | | Phoen.40 | |
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Reason in it selfe confounded, | Reason, in itself confounded, | confound (v.)destroy, overthrow, ruin | Phoen.41 | |
Saw Diuision grow together, | Saw division grow together, | | Phoen.42 | |
To themselues yet either neither, | To themselves yet either neither, | | Phoen.43 | |
Simple were so well compounded. | Simple were so well compounded; | simple (adj.)unmixed, without addition, plain | Phoen.44 | |
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That it cried, how true a twaine, | That it cried, How true a twain | | Phoen.45 | |
Seemeth this concordant one, | Seemeth this concordant one! | concordant (adj.)agreeing as one, harmonious, of one heart and mind | Phoen.46 | |
Loue hath Reason, Reason none, | Love hath reason, reason none, | | Phoen.47 | |
If what parts, can so remaine. | If what parts can so remain. | | Phoen.48 | |
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Whereupon it made this Threne, | Whereupon it made this threne | threne, threnos (n.)dirge, lament, funeral song | Phoen.49 | |
To the Phonix and the Doue, | To the phoenix and the dove, | | Phoen.50 | |
Co-supremes and starres of Loue, | Co-supremes and stars of love, | co-supreme (n.)joint supreme ruler | Phoen.51 | |
As Chorus to their Tragique Scene. | As chorus to their tragic scene. | | Phoen.52 | |
| Threnos | | Phoen | |
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BEautie, Truth, and Raritie, | Beauty, truth, and rarity, | rarity (n.)exceptional nature, striking quality | Phoen.53 | |
Grace in all simplicitie, | Grace in all simplicity, | | Phoen.54 | |
Here enclosde, in cinders lie. | Here enclosed, in cinders lie. | | Phoen.55 | |
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Death is now the Phonix nest, | Death is now the phoenix' nest; | | Phoen.56 | |
And the Turtles loyall brest, | And the turtle's loyal breast | | Phoen.57 | |
To eternitie doth rest. | To eternity doth rest. | | Phoen.58 | |
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Leauing no posteritie, | Leaving no posterity, | | Phoen.59 | |
Twas not their infirmitie, | 'Twas not their infirmity, | | Phoen.60 | |
It was married Chastitie. | It was married chastity. | | Phoen.61 | |
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Truth may seeme, but cannot be, | Truth may seem, but cannot be; | | Phoen.62 | |
Beautie bragge, but tis not she, | Beauty brag, but 'tis not she; | | Phoen.63 | |
Truth and Beautie buried be. | Truth and beauty buried be. | | Phoen.64 | |
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To this vrne let those repaire, | To this urn let those repair | | Phoen.65 | |
That are either true or faire, | That are either true or fair; | | Phoen.66 | |
For these dead Birds, sigh a prayer. | For these dead birds sigh a prayer. | | Phoen.67 | |