Purcell, Henry / The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation

Tell me, tell me, some, some pitying angel tell
Quickly, quickly, quickly say
Where, where does my soul, sweet darling, stay
In Tyger's, or more cruel, more cruel
Cruel Herod's way?
I'll rather, rather let his little, little footsteps press
Unregarded through the wilderness
Where milder, milder, where milder savages resort
The desert's safer, the desert's safer than the tyrant's court
Why, why, fairest object of my love
Why, why dost thou from my longing eyes remove?
Was it, was it a waking dream
That did foretell thy wondrous birth?
Thy wondrous, wondrous, wondrous birth
No vision, no, no, no, no
No vision from above
Where's Gabriel, where's Gabriel now that visited my cell?
I call, I call, I call, I call, I call
Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel
He comes not
Where's Gabriel now that visited my cell?
I call, I call, I call
Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel
He comes not
Flattering, flattering hopes, farewell
Farewell, farewell
Flattering hopes, farewell
Me, Judah's daughter, 'twas once caressed
Me, Judah's daughter, 'twas once caressed
Called me of mothers the most, the most
The most blessed
Called me of mothers the most, the most, the most
The most blessed
Now fatal change, now fatal change
On mothers, on mothers most, most distressed
On mothers most, most distressed
How, how, how shall my soul its motions guide?
How, how, how shall my soul its motions guide?
How, how, how shall my soul its motions guide?
How, how, how shall my soul its motions guide?
How, how, how, how shall I stem
How shall I stem the various, various tide
Whilst faith and doubt my lab'ring soul divide?
How, how, how, how shall I stem
How shall I stem the various, various tide
Whilst faith and doubt my lab'ring soul divide?
For whilst to thy dear, dear sight beguiled
I trust the God
But oh, I fear, but oh
Oh, I fear the child