John Dowland (1563–1626) was an English, possibly Irish-born, composer, sin… Read Full Bio ↴John Dowland (1563–1626) was an English, possibly Irish-born, composer, singer, and lutenist.

Very little is known of Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London, or possibly Dublin. It is known that he went to Paris in 1580 where he was in service to the ambassador to the French court. He became a Roman Catholic at this time, which he claimed led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court. (However, he had told nobody of his conversion.) He worked instead for many years at the court of Christian IV of Denmark. He returned to England in 1606 and in 1612 secured a post as one of James I's lutenists. He died in London on the 20th February 1626.

Most of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute. It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.

He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, Lachrimae or Seaven Teares Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans, a set of seven for five viols and lute, each based on his well-known song "Flow My Tears". It became one of the best known pieces of consort music in his own time. His pavane "Lachrymae antiquae" was also one of the big hits of the seventeenth century.

Dowland's music often displays the melancholia that was so fashionable in music at that time, typified by a consort piece with the punning title "Semper Dowland, semper dolens" ("Always Dowland, always doleful").

I saw my lady weep
John Dowland Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by John Dowland:

Awake sweet love Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Can she excuse my wrongs Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue's cloak? Shall I…
Come again Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that…
Come Again Sweet Days Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come again sweet Love Come again Sweet love doth now invite Thy graces that refrai…
Come again sweet love doth now invite Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come Again! Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that refr…
Come Again!: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that…

Come Again: Come Again Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that refr…
Come Away Come Sweet Love Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Fine Knacks for Ladies Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new, Good p…
First Booke of Songes: Come again: Sweet love doth now invite Come again Sweet love doth now invite Thy graces that refrai…
Flow My Teares Flow, my tears, fall from your springs! Exiled for ever, let…
From Silent Night From silent night, true register of moanes From saddest Soul…
Go Crystal Tears Go crystal tears, like to the morning show'rs And sweetly…
If my complaints could passions move If my complaints could passions move, Or make Love see wher…
In Darkness Let Me Dwell In darkness let me dwell; the ground shall sorrow be, The…
My Thoughts Are Wing'd With Hopes My thoughts are wing'd with hopes, my hopes with love. Mount…
Say Love if ever thou did'st find Say, love, if ever thou didst find A woman with a…
sorrow stay Sorrow, sorrow stay Lend true repentant tears To a woeful, w…
The Lowest Trees have Tops The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall The fly…
Unquiet thoughts Unquiet thoughts, your civil slaughter stint, And wrap your …
Weep you no more Weep you no more, sad fountains; What need you flow so…

What if I never speed What if I never speed, shall I straight yield to despair, an…

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