Nolo Mortem Peccatoris

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Composer
Thomas Morley
Difficulty
Moderately Easy radio_button_checked radio_button_checked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked radio_button_unchecked
Season
Lent Holy Week Season After Pentecost Ash Wednesday General
Voicing(s)
SATB
Instruments
Unaccompanied [a cappella] Keyboard [organ/piano]
Category
Anthems
Instrumental Only?
No
Description

SATB a cappella (optional keyboard). The classic Elizabethan macaronic (Latin and English) motet by Morley. Also see this SAB version for smaller choirs.

Audio
Lyrics

Nolo mortem peccatoris; Haec sunt verba Salvatoris. [I do not wish the death of a sinner. These are the words of the Saviour.]
Father I am thine only Son, sent down from heav’n mankind to save.
Father, all things fulfilled and done according to thy will, I have.
Father, my will now all is this: Nolo mortem peccatoris.
Father, behold my painful smart, taken for man on ev’ry side;
Ev'n from my birth to death most tart, no kind of pain I have denied,
but suffered all, and all for this: Nolo mortem peccatoris.