Weeping full sore

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a sorrowful lady by a river, her natural beauty so profound it needs no adornment. This striking image immediately sets a tone of melancholic grace. The scene is further elevated by the presence of Diana's nymphs, suggesting a mythical or idealized setting. The central tension arises from the contrast between the lady's immense beauty and her overwhelming sadness. The narrator questions this "demeanure," finding it incongruous that such a fair dame is "so full of sorowe." A nymph explains that despite her "gifts of beauty," fortune's gifts are "daynty," implying a lack of worldly happiness or good fortune that overshadows her inherent loveliness. The most compelling aspect is the personification of Love itself, enchanted by her beauty and transformed into an "adament" by her sight. This elevates her sorrow from a personal affliction to something that even the god of love is powerless against, or perhaps, is deeply affected by. The nymph's explanation further solidifies this, highlighting a disconnect between inner beauty and outward fortune. This piece resonates because it captures a timeless, almost archetypal image of beauty marred by an unseen sorrow. The language, while archaic, creates a sense of elevated tragedy, suggesting that even divine forces and natural beauty cannot always overcome the caprices of fate. The focus remains on the visual and emotional paradox of a lady whose outward perfection is overshadowed by an inner, fortune-driven grief.