Though Amaryllis dance in green

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of unrequited love, contrasting the vibrant, joyful presence of others with the narrator's own deep sorrow. While "Amaryllis" dances like a "Fayrie Queene" and "Corina" smiles, the narrator's heart aches, leading to a resigned "Hey ho, chill love no more." This refrain underscores a persistent, yet ultimately futile, yearning. The central tension arises from the narrator's fixation on a "heardmaid gaye" who "laughes to see mee sigh so sore." Despite the pain inflicted by her "loving lookes, her beautie bright," the narrator admits "all in vaine / I love to like, and lose my gaine." This highlights a self-destructive cycle where affection is given without reciprocation, leading to loss and continued suffering. The language itself creates a fascinating paradox, particularly in the fourth stanza. The narrator addresses "wanton eyes" as "friendly foes" and describes their desire as breeding "flames of ice and freese in fire." This oxymoronic imagery perfectly captures the agonizing, contradictory nature of this love: it is both intensely desired and utterly destructive, offering no warmth but a chilling torment. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their stark portrayal of emotional paralysis. The narrator's attempts to "wayle" and "sighe" are met with indifference, as "the lesse my sighes and teares prevaile." The repeated "Hey ho, chill love no more" becomes less a declaration of victory and more a mournful acceptance of a love that cannot be, a lament for a desire that offers only pain and no relief.