934. THE BONDMAN.

Bind me but to thee with thine hair, And quickly I shall be Made by that fetter or that snare A bondman unto thee. Or if thou tak'st that bond away, Then bore me through the ear, And by the law I ought to stay For ever with thee here.

935. CHOOSE FOR THE BEST.

Give house-room to the best; 'tis never known Virtue and pleasure both to dwell in one.

936. TO SILVIA.

Pardon my trespass, Silvia; I confess My kiss out-went the bounds of shamefastness: None is discreet at all times; no, not Jove Himself, at one time, can be wise and love.

937. FAIR SHOWS DECEIVE.

Smooth was the sea, and seem'd to call Two pretty girls to play withal: Who paddling there, the sea soon frown'd, And on a sudden both were drown'd. What credit can we give to seas, Who, kissing, kill such saints as these?

938. HIS WISH.

Fat be my hind; unlearned be my wife; Peaceful my night; my day devoid of strife: To these a comely offspring I desire, Singing about my everlasting fire.

Hind, country servant.

939. UPON JULIA WASHING HERSELF IN THE RIVER.

How fierce was I, when I did see My Julia wash herself in thee! So lilies thorough crystal look: So purest pebbles in the brook: As in the river Julia did, Half with a lawn of water hid. Into thy streams myself I threw, And struggling there, I kiss'd thee too; And more had done, it is confess'd, Had not thy waves forbade the rest.

940. A MEAN IN OUR MEANS.

Though frankincense the deities require, We must not give all to the hallowed fire. Such be our gifts, and such be our expense, As for ourselves to leave some frankincense.

941. UPON CLUNN.

A roll of parchment Clunn about him bears, Charg'd with the arms of all his ancestors: And seems half ravish'd, when he looks upon That bar, this bend; that fess, this cheveron; This manch, that moon; this martlet, and that mound; This counterchange of pearl and diamond. What joy can Clunn have in that coat, or this, Whenas his own still out at elbows is?

942. UPON CUPID.

Love, like a beggar, came to me With hose and doublet torn: His shirt bedangling from his knee, With hat and shoes outworn.

He ask'd an alms; I gave him bread, And meat too, for his need: Of which, when he had fully fed, He wished me all good speed.

Away he went, but as he turn'd (In faith I know not how) He touch'd me so, as that I burnd, And am tormented now.

Love's silent flames and fires obscure Then crept into my heart; And though I saw no bow, I'm sure His finger was the dart.

946. AN HYMN TO LOVE.

I will confess With cheerfulness, Love is a thing so likes me, That let her lay On me all day, I'll kiss the hand that strikes me.

I will not, I, Now blubb'ring, cry, It, ah! too late repents me, That I did fall To love at all, Since love so much contents me.

No, no, I'll be In fetters free: While others they sit wringing Their hands for pain, I'll entertain The wounds of love with singing.

With flowers and wine, And cakes divine, To strike me I will tempt thee: Which done; no more I'll come before Thee and thine altars empty.

947. TO HIS HONOURED AND MOST INGENIOUS FRIEND, MR. CHARLES COTTON.

For brave comportment, wit without offence, Words fully flowing, yet of influence: Thou art that man of men, the man alone, Worthy the public admiration: Who with thine own eyes read'st what we do write, And giv'st our numbers euphony and weight; Tell'st when a verse springs high, how understood To be, or not, born of the royal blood. What state above, what symmetry below, Lines have, or should have, thou the best can'st show. For which, my Charles, it is my pride to be Not so much known, as to be lov'd of thee. Long may I live so, and my wreath of bays Be less another's laurel than thy praise.

948. WOMEN USELESS.

What need we marry women, when Without their use we may have men, And such as will in short time be For murder fit, or mutiny? As Cadmus once a new way found, By throwing teeth into the ground; From which poor seed, and rudely sown, Sprung up a war-like nation: So let us iron, silver, gold, Brass, lead, or tin throw into th' mould; And we shall see in little space Rise up of men a fighting race. If this can be, say then, what need Have we of women or their seed?

949. LOVE IS A SYRUP.

Love is a syrup; and whoe'er we see Sick and surcharg'd with this satiety, Shall by this pleasing trespass quickly prove There's loathsomeness e'en in the sweets of love.

950. LEAVEN.

Love is a leaven; and a loving kiss The leaven of a loving sweetheart is.

951. REPLETION.

Physicians say repletion springs More from the sweet than sour things.

952. ON HIMSELF.

Weep for the dead, for they have lost this light: And weep for me, lost in an endless night. Or mourn, or make a marble verse for me, Who writ for many. Benedicite.

953. NO MAN WITHOUT MONEY.

No man such rare parts hath that he can swim, If favour or occasion help not him.

954. ON HIMSELF.

Lost to the world; lost to myself; alone Here now I rest under this marble stone: In depth of silence, heard and seen of none.

955. TO M. LEONARD WILLAN, HIS PECULIAR FRIEND.

I will be short, and having quickly hurl'd This line about, live thou throughout the world; Who art a man for all scenes; unto whom, What's hard to others, nothing's troublesome. Can'st write the comic, tragic strain, and fall From these to pen the pleasing pastoral: Who fli'st at all heights: prose and verse run'st through; Find'st here a fault, and mend'st the trespass too: For which I might extol thee, but speak less, Because thyself art coming to the press: And then should I in praising thee be slow, Posterity will pay thee what I owe.

956. TO HIS WORTHY FRIEND, M. JOHN HALL, STUDENT OF GRAY'S INN.

Tell me, young man, or did the Muses bring Thee less to taste than to drink up their spring, That none hereafter should be thought, or be A poet, or a poet-like but thee? What was thy birth, thy star that makes thee known, At twice ten years, a prime and public one? Tell us thy nation, kindred, or the whence Thou had'st and hast thy mighty influence, That makes thee lov'd, and of the men desir'd, And no less prais'd than of the maids admired. Put on thy laurel then; and in that trim Be thou Apollo or the type of him: Or let the unshorn god lend thee his lyre, And next to him be master of the choir.

957. TO JULIA.

Offer thy gift; but first the law commands Thee, Julia, first, to sanctify thy hands: Do that, my Julia, which the rites require, Then boldly give thine incense to the fire.

958. TO THE MOST COMELY AND PROPER M. ELIZABETH FINCH.

Handsome you are, and proper you will be Despite of all your infortunity: Live long and lovely, but yet grow no less In that your own prefixed comeliness: Spend on that stock: and when your life must fall, Leave others beauty to set up withal.

Proper, well-made.

960. TO HIS BOOK.

If hap it must, that I must see thee lie Absyrtus-like, all torn confusedly: With solemn tears, and with much grief of heart, I'll recollect thee, weeping, part by part; And having wash'd thee, close thee in a chest With spice; that done, I'll leave thee to thy rest.

Absyrtus-like, the brother of Medea, cut in pieces by her that his father might be delayed by gathering his limbs.

961. TO THE KING, UPON HIS WELCOME TO HAMPTON COURT. SET AND SUNG.

Welcome, great Caesar, welcome now you are As dearest peace after destructive war: Welcome as slumbers, or as beds of ease After our long and peevish sicknesses. O pomp of glory! Welcome now, and come To repossess once more your long'd-for home. A thousand altars smoke: a thousand thighs Of beeves here ready stand for sacrifice. Enter and prosper; while our eyes do wait For an ascendent throughly auspicate: Under which sign we may the former stone Lay of our safety's new foundation: That done, O Caesar! live and be to us Our fate, our fortune, and our genius; To whose free knees we may our temples tie As to a still protecting deity: That should you stir, we and our altars too May, great Augustus, go along with you. Chor. Long live the King! and to accomplish this, We'll from our own add far more years to his.

Ascendent, the most influential position of a planet in astrology. Auspicate, propitious.

962. ULTIMUS HEROUM: OR, TO THE MOST LEARNED, AND TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, HENRY, MARQUIS OF DORCHESTER.

And as time past when Cato the severe Enter'd the circumspacious theatre, In reverence of his person everyone Stood as he had been turn'd from flesh to stone; E'en so my numbers will astonished be If but looked on; struck dead, if scann'd by thee.

963. TO HIS MUSE; ANOTHER TO THE SAME.

Tell that brave man, fain thou would'st have access To kiss his hands, but that for fearfulness; Or else because th'art like a modest bride, Ready to blush to death, should he but chide.

966. TO HIS LEARNED FRIEND, M. JO. HARMAR, PHYSICIAN TO THE COLLEGE OF WESTMINSTER.

When first I find those numbers thou dost write, To be most soft, terse, sweet, and perpolite: Next, when I see thee tow'ring in the sky, In an expansion no less large than high; Then, in that compass, sailing here and there, And with circumgyration everywhere; Following with love and active heat thy game, And then at last to truss the epigram; I must confess, distinction none I see Between Domitian's Martial then, and thee. But this I know, should Jupiter again Descend from heaven to reconverse with men; The Roman language full, and superfine, If Jove would speak, he would accept of thine.

Perpolite, well polished.

967. UPON HIS SPANIEL TRACY.

Now thou art dead, no eye shall ever see, For shape and service, spaniel like to thee. This shall my love do, give thy sad death one Tear, that deserves of me a million.

968. THE DELUGE.

Drowning, drowning, I espy Coming from my Julia's eye: 'Tis some solace in our smart, To have friends to bear a part: I have none; but must be sure Th' inundation to endure. Shall not times hereafter tell This for no mean miracle? When the waters by their fall Threaten'd ruin unto all, Yet the deluge here was known Of a world to drown but one.

971. STRENGTH TO SUPPORT SOVEREIGNTY.

Let kings and rulers learn this line from me: Where power is weak, unsafe is majesty.

973. CRUTCHES.

Thou see'st me, Lucia, this year droop; Three zodiacs filled more, I shall stoop; Let crutches then provided be To shore up my debility. Then, while thou laugh'st, I'll sighing cry, "A ruin, underpropp'd, am I". Don will I then my beadsman's gown, And when so feeble I am grown, As my weak shoulders cannot bear The burden of a grasshopper, Yet with the bench of aged sires, When I and they keep termly fires, With my weak voice I'll sing, or say, Some odes I made of Lucia: Then will I heave my wither'd hand To Jove the mighty, for to stand Thy faithful friend, and to pour down Upon thee many a benison.

Zodiacs, used as symbols of the astronomical year. Beadsman's, almshouseman's.

974. TO JULIA.

Holy waters hither bring For the sacred sprinkling: Baptise me and thee, and so Let us to the altar go, And, ere we our rites commence, Wash our hands in innocence. Then I'll be the Rex Sacrorum, Thou the Queen of Peace and Quorum.

Quorum, i.e., quorum of justices of the peace, sportively added for the rhyme's sake.

975. UPON CASE.

Case is a lawyer, that ne'er pleads alone, But when he hears the like confusion, As when the disagreeing Commons throw About their House, their clamorous Aye or No: Then Case, as loud as any serjeant there, Cries out: My lord, my lord, the case is clear. But when all's hush'd, Case, than a fish more mute, Bestirs his hand, but starves in hand the suit.

976. TO PERENNA.

I a dirge will pen to thee; Thou a trentall make for me: That the monks and friars together, Here may sing the rest of either: Next, I'm sure, the nuns will have Candlemas to grace the grave.

Trentall, services for the dead.

977. TO HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, M. SUSANNA HERRICK.

The person crowns the place; your lot doth fall Last, yet to be with these a principal. Howe'er it fortuned; know for truth, I meant You a fore-leader in this testament.

978. UPON THE LADY CREW.

This stone can tell the story of my life, What was my birth, to whom I was a wife: In teeming years, how soon my sun was set. Where now I rest, these may be known by jet. For other things, my many children be The best and truest chronicles of me.

979. ON TOMASIN PARSONS.

Grow up in beauty, as thou dost begin, And be of all admired, Tomasin.

980. CEREMONY UPON CANDLEMAS EVE.

Down with the rosemary, and so Down with the bays and mistletoe; Down with the holly, ivy, all, Wherewith ye dressed the Christmas Hall: That so the superstitious find No one least branch there left behind: For look, how many leaves there be Neglected, there (maids, trust to me) So many goblins you shall see.

981. SUSPICION MAKES SECURE.

He that will live of all cares dispossess'd, Must shun the bad, aye, and suspect the best.

983. TO HIS KINSMAN, M. THO. HERRICK, WHO DESIRED TO BE IN HIS BOOK.

Welcome to this my college, and though late Thou'st got a place here (standing candidate) It matters not, since thou art chosen one Here of my great and good foundation.

984. A BUCOLIC BETWIXT TWO: LACON AND THYRSIS.

Lacon. For a kiss or two, confess, What doth cause this pensiveness, Thou most lovely neat-herdess? Why so lonely on the hill? Why thy pipe by thee so still, That erewhile was heard so shrill? Tell me, do thy kine now fail To full fill the milking-pail? Say, what is't that thou dost ail?

Thyr. None of these; but out, alas! A mischance is come to pass, And I'll tell thee what it was: See, mine eyes are weeping-ripe.

Lacon. Tell, and I'll lay down my pipe.

Thyr. I have lost my lovely steer, That to me was far more dear Than these kine which I milk here: Broad of forehead, large of eye, Party-colour'd like a pie; Smooth in each limb as a die; Clear of hoof, and clear of horn: Sharply pointed as a thorn, With a neck by yoke unworn; From the which hung down by strings, Balls of cowslips, daisy rings, Interplac'd with ribbonings: Faultless every way for shape; Not a straw could him escape; Ever gamesome as an ape, But yet harmless as a sheep. Pardon, Lacon, if I weep; Tears will spring where woes are deep. Now, ay me! ay me! Last night Came a mad dog and did bite, Aye, and kill'd my dear delight.

Lacon. Alack, for grief!

Thyr. But I'll be brief. Hence I must, for time doth call Me, and my sad playmates all, To his ev'ning funeral. Live long, Lacon, so adieu!

Lacon. Mournful maid, farewell to you; Earth afford ye flowers to strew.

Pie, i.e., a magpie.

985. UPON SAPPHO.

Look upon Sappho's lip, and you will swear There is a love-like leaven rising there.

988. A BACCHANALIAN VERSE.

Drink up Your cup, But not spill wine; For if you Do, 'Tis an ill sign;

That we Foresee You are cloy'd here, If so, no Ho, But avoid here.

989. CARE A GOOD KEEPER.

Care keeps the conquest; 'tis no less renown To keep a city than to win a town.

990. RULES FOR OUR REACH.

Men must have bounds how far to walk; for we Are made far worse by lawless liberty.

991. TO BIANCA.

Ah, Bianca! now I see It is noon and past with me: In a while it will strike one; Then, Bianca, I am gone. Some effusions let me have Offer'd on my holy grave; Then, Bianca, let me rest With my face towards the East.

992. TO THE HANDSOME MISTRESS GRACE POTTER.

As is your name, so is your comely face Touch'd everywhere with such diffused grace, As that in all that admirable round There is not one least solecism found; And as that part, so every portion else Keeps line for line with beauty's parallels.

993. ANACREONTIC.

I must Not trust Here to any; Bereav'd, Deceiv'd By so many: As one Undone By my losses; Comply Will I With my crosses; Yet still I will Not be grieving, Since thence And hence Comes relieving. But this Sweet is In our mourning; Times bad And sad Are a-turning: And he Whom we See dejected, Next day We may See erected.

994. MORE MODEST, MORE MANLY.

'Tis still observ'd those men most valiant are, That are most modest ere they come to war.

995. NOT TO COVET MUCH WHERE LITTLE IS THE CHARGE.

Why should we covet much, whenas we know W'ave more to bear our charge than way to go?

996. ANACREONTIC VERSE.

Brisk methinks I am, and fine When I drink my cap'ring wine: Then to love I do incline, When I drink my wanton wine: And I wish all maidens mine, When I drink my sprightly wine: Well I sup and well I dine, When I drink my frolic wine; But I languish, lower, and pine, When I want my fragrant wine.

998. PATIENCE IN PRINCES.

Kings must not use the axe for each offence: Princes cure some faults by their patience.

999. FEAR GETS FORCE.

Despair takes heart, when there's no hope to speed: The coward then takes arms and does the deed.

1000. PARCEL-GILT POETRY.

Let's strive to be the best; the gods, we know it, Pillars and men, hate an indifferent poet.

1001. UPON LOVE, BY WAY OF QUESTION AND ANSWER.

I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Like and dislike ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Stroke ye to strike ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Love will befool ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Heat ye to cool ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Love gifts will send ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Stock ye to spend ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Love will fulfil ye. I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do? Ans. Kiss ye to kill ye.

1002. TO THE LORD HOPTON, ON HIS FIGHT IN CORNWALL.

Go on, brave Hopton, to effectuate that Which we, and times to come, shall wonder at. Lift up thy sword; next, suffer it to fall, And by that one blow set an end to all.

1003. HIS GRANGE.

How well contented in this private grange Spend I my life, that's subject unto change: Under whose roof with moss-work wrought, there I Kiss my brown wife and black posterity.

Grange, a farmstead.

1004. LEPROSY IN HOUSES.

When to a house I come, and see The Genius wasteful, more than free: The servants thumbless, yet to eat With lawless tooth the flour of wheat: The sons to suck the milk of kine, More than the teats of discipline: The daughters wild and loose in dress, Their cheeks unstained with shamefac'dness: The husband drunk, the wife to be A bawd to incivility; I must confess, I there descry, A house spread through with leprosy.

Thumbless, lazy: cp. painful thumb, supra.

1005. GOOD MANNERS AT MEAT.

This rule of manners I will teach my guests: To come with their own bellies unto feasts; Not to eat equal portions, but to rise Farced with the food that may themselves suffice.

Farced, stuffed.

1006. ANTHEA'S RETRACTATION.

Anthea laugh'd, and fearing lest excess Might stretch the cords of civil comeliness, She with a dainty blush rebuk'd her face, And call'd each line back to his rule and space.

1007. COMFORTS IN CROSSES.

Be not dismayed though crosses cast thee down; Thy fall is but the rising to a crown.

1008. SEEK AND FIND.

Attempt the end, and never stand to doubt; Nothing's so hard but search will find it out.

1009. REST.

On with thy work, though thou be'st hardly press'd: Labour is held up by the hope of rest.

1010. LEPROSY IN CLOTHES.

When flowing garments I behold Inspir'd with purple, pearl and gold, I think no other, but I see In them a glorious leprosy That does infect and make the rent More mortal in the vestiment. As flowery vestures do descry The wearer's rich immodesty: So plain and simple clothes do show Where virtue walks, not those that flow.

1012. GREAT MALADIES, LONG MEDICINES.

To an old sore a long cure must go on: Great faults require great satisfaction.

1013. HIS ANSWER TO A FRIEND.

You ask me what I do, and how I live? And, noble friend, this answer I must give: Drooping, I draw on to the vaults of death, O'er which you'll walk, when I am laid beneath.

1014. THE BEGGAR.

Shall I a daily beggar be, For love's sake asking alms of thee? Still shall I crave, and never get A hope of my desired bit? Ah, cruel maids! I'll go my way, Whereas, perchance, my fortunes may Find out a threshold or a door That may far sooner speed the poor: Where thrice we knock, and none will hear, Cold comfort still I'm sure lives there.

1015. BASTARDS.

Our bastard children are but like to plate Made by the coiners—illegitimate.

1016. HIS CHANGE.

My many cares and much distress Has made me like a wilderness; Or, discompos'd, I'm like a rude And all confused multitude: Out of my comely manners worn, And, as in means, in mind all torn.

1017. THE VISION.

Methought I saw, as I did dream in bed, A crawling vine about Anacreon's head. Flushed was his face; his hairs with oil did shine; And, as he spake, his mouth ran o'er with wine. Tippled he was, and tippling lisped withal; And lisping reeled, and reeling like to fall. A young enchantress close by him did stand, Tapping his plump thighs with a myrtle wand: She smil'd; he kiss'd; and kissing, cull'd her too, And being cup-shot, more he could not do. For which, methought, in pretty anger she Snatched off his crown, and gave the wreath to me; Since when, methinks, my brains about do swim, And I am wild and wanton like to him.

Cull'd, embraced. Cup-shot, drunk.

1018. A VOW TO VENUS.

Happily I had a sight Of my dearest dear last night; Make her this day smile on me, And I'll roses give to thee.

1019. ON HIS BOOK.

The bound, almost, now of my book I see, But yet no end of these therein, or me: Here we begin new life, while thousands quite Are lost, and theirs, in everlasting night.

1020. A SONNET OF PERILLA.

Then did I live when I did see Perilla smile on none but me. But, ah! by stars malignant crossed, The life I got I quickly lost; But yet a way there doth remain For me embalm'd to live again, And that's to love me; in which state I'll live as one regenerate.

1021. BAD MAY BE BETTER.

Man may at first transgress, but next do well: Vice doth in some but lodge a while, not dwell.

1022. POSTING TO PRINTING.

Let others to the printing press run fast; Since after death comes glory, I'll not haste.

1023. RAPINE BRINGS RUIN.

What's got by justice is established sure: No kingdoms got by rapine long endure.

1024. COMFORT TO A YOUTH THAT HAD LOST HIS LOVE.

What needs complaints, When she a place Has with the race Of saints? In endless mirth, She thinks not on What's said or done In earth. She sees no tears, Or any tone Of thy deep groan She hears: Nor does she mind, Or think on't now, That ever thou Wast kind; But chang'd above, She likes not there. As she did here, Thy love. Forbear, therefore, And lull asleep Thy woes, and weep No more.

1026. SAINT DISTAFF'S DAY, OR THE MORROW AFTER TWELFTH DAY.

Partly work and partly play Ye must on S. Distaff's day: From the plough soon free your team, Then come home and fodder them. If the maids a-spinning go, Burn the flax and fire the tow; Scorch their plackets, but beware That ye singe no maidenhair. Bring in pails of water, then, Let the maids bewash the men. Give S. Distaff all the right, Then bid Christmas sport good-night; And next morrow everyone To his own vocation.

Plackets, petticoats.

1027. SUFFERANCE.

In the hope of ease to come, Let's endure one martyrdom.

1028. HIS TEARS TO THAMESIS.

I send, I send here my supremest kiss To thee, my silver-footed Thamesis. No more shall I reiterate thy Strand, Whereon so many stately structures stand: Nor in the summer's sweeter evenings go To bathe in thee, as thousand others do; No more shall I along thy crystal glide In barge with boughs and rushes beautifi'd, With soft-smooth virgins for our chaste disport, To Richmond, Kingston, and to Hampton Court. Never again shall I with finny oar Put from, or draw unto the faithful shore: And landing here, or safely landing there, Make way to my beloved Westminster, Or to the golden Cheapside, where the earth Of Julia Herrick gave to me my birth. May all clean nymphs and curious water-dames With swan-like state float up and down thy streams: No drought upon thy wanton waters fall To make them lean and languishing at all. No ruffling winds come hither to disease Thy pure and silver-wristed Naiades. Keep up your state, ye streams; and as ye spring, Never make sick your banks by surfeiting. Grow young with tides, and though I see ye never, Receive this vow, so fare ye well for ever.

Reiterate, retread.

1029. PARDONS.

Those ends in war the best contentment bring, Whose peace is made up with a pardoning.

1030. PEACE NOT PERMANENT.

Great cities seldom rest; if there be none T' invade from far, they'll find worse foes at home.

1031. TRUTH AND ERROR.

'Twixt truth and error there's this difference known; Error is fruitful, truth is only one.

1032. THINGS MORTAL STILL MUTABLE.

Things are uncertain, and the more we get, The more on icy pavements we are set.

1033. STUDIES TO BE SUPPORTED.

Studies themselves will languish and decay, When either price or praise is ta'en away.

1034. WIT PUNISHED, PROSPERS MOST.

Dread not the shackles: on with thine intent; Good wits get more fame by their punishment.

1035. TWELFTH NIGHT: OR, KING AND QUEEN.

Now, now the mirth comes With the cake full of plums, Where bean's the king of the sport here; Beside we must know, The pea also Must revel, as queen, in the court here.

Begin then to choose, This night as ye use, Who shall for the present delight here, Be a king by the lot, And who shall not Be Twelfth-day queen for the night here.

Which known, let us make Joy-sops with the cake; And let not a man then be seen here, Who unurg'd will not drink To the base from the brink A health to the king and the queen here.

Next crown the bowl full With gentle lamb's wool: Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger, With store of ale too; And thus ye must do To make the wassail a swinger.

Give then to the king And queen wassailing: And though with ale ye be whet here, Yet part ye from hence, As free from offence As when ye innocent met here.

1036. HIS DESIRE.

Give me a man that is not dull When all the world with rifts is full; But unamaz'd dares clearly sing, Whenas the roof's a-tottering: And, though it falls, continues still Tickling the cittern with his quill.

Cittern, a kind of lute; quill, the plectrum for striking it.

1037. CAUTION IN COUNSEL.

Know when to speak; for many times it brings Danger to give the best advice to kings.

1038. MODERATION.

Let moderation on thy passions wait; Who loves too much, too much the lov'd will hate.

1039. ADVICE THE BEST ACTOR.

Still take advice; though counsels, when they fly At random, sometimes hit most happily.

1040. CONFORMITY IS COMELY.

Conformity gives comeliness to things: And equal shares exclude all murmurings.

1041. LAWS.

Who violates the customs, hurts the health, Not of one man, but all the commonwealth.

1042. THE MEAN.

'Tis much among the filthy to be clean; Our heat of youth can hardly keep the mean.

1043. LIKE LOVES HIS LIKE.

Like will to like, each creature loves his kind; Chaste words proceed still from a bashful mind.

1044. HIS HOPE OR SHEET ANCHOR.

Among these tempests great and manifold My ship has here one only anchor-hold; That is my hope, which if that slip, I'm one Wildered in this vast wat'ry region.

1045. COMFORT IN CALAMITY.

'Tis no discomfort in the world to fall, When the great crack not crushes one, but all.

1046. TWILIGHT.

The twilight is no other thing, we say, Than night now gone, and yet not sprung the day.

1047. FALSE MOURNING.

He who wears blacks, and mourns not for the dead, Does but deride the party buried.

Blacks, mourning garments.

1048. THE WILL MAKES THE WORK; OR, CONSENT MAKES THE CURE.

No grief is grown so desperate, but the ill Is half way cured if the party will.

1049. DIET.

If wholesome diet can recure a man, What need of physic or physician?

1050. SMART.

Stripes, justly given, yerk us with their fall; But causeless whipping smarts the most of all.

1051. THE TINKER'S SONG.

Along, come along, Let's meet in a throng Here of tinkers; And quaff up a bowl As big as a cowl To beer drinkers. The pole of the hop Place in the aleshop To bethwack us, If ever we think So much as to drink Unto Bacchus. Who frolic will be For little cost, he Must not vary From beer-broth at all, So much as to call For Canary.

1052. HIS COMFORT.

The only comfort of my life Is, that I never yet had wife; Nor will hereafter; since I know Who weds, o'er-buys his weal with woe

1053. SINCERITY.

Wash clean the vessel, lest ye sour Whatever liquor in ye pour.

1054. TO ANTHEA.

Sick is Anthea, sickly is the spring, The primrose sick, and sickly everything; The while my dear Anthea does but droop, The tulips, lilies, daffodils do stoop: But when again she's got her healthful hour, Each bending then will rise a proper flower.

1055. NOR BUYING OR SELLING.

Now, if you love me, tell me, For as I will not sell ye, So not one cross to buy thee I'll give, if thou deny me.

Cross, a coin.

1056. TO HIS PECULIAR FRIEND, M. JO. WICKS.

Since shed or cottage I have none, I sing the more, that thou hast one To whose glad threshold, and free door, I may a poet come, though poor, And eat with thee a savoury bit, Paying but common thanks for it. Yet should I chance, my Wicks, to see An over-leaven look in thee, To sour the bread, and turn the beer To an exalted vinegar: Or should'st thou prize me as a dish Of thrice-boiled worts, or third-day's fish; I'd rather hungry go and come, Than to thy house be burdensome; Yet, in my depth of grief, I'd be One that should drop his beads for thee.

Worts, cabbages. Drop his beads, i.e., pray.

1057. THE MORE MIGHTY, THE MORE MERCIFUL.

Who may do most, does least: the bravest will Show mercy there, where they have power to kill.

1058. AFTER AUTUMN, WINTER.

Die ere long, I'm sure, I shall; After leaves, the tree must fall.

1059. A GOOD DEATH.

For truth I may this sentence tell, No man dies ill, that liveth well.

1060. RECOMPENSE.

Who plants an olive, but to eat the oil? Reward, we know, is the chief end of toil.

1061. ON FORTUNE.

This is my comfort when she's most unkind: She can but spoil me of my means, not mind.

1062. TO SIR GEORGE PARRY, DOCTOR OF THE CIVIL LAW.

I have my laurel chaplet on my head If, 'mongst these many numbers to be read, But one by you be hugg'd and cherished.

Peruse my measures thoroughly, and where Your judgment finds a guilty poem, there Be you a judge; but not a judge severe.

The mean pass by, or over, none contemn; The good applaud; the peccant less condemn, Since absolution you can give to them.

Stand forth, brave man, here to the public sight; And in my book now claim a twofold right: The first as doctor, and the last as knight.

1063. CHARMS.

This I'll tell ye by the way: Maidens, when ye leavens lay, Cross your dough, and your dispatch Will be better for your batch.

1064. ANOTHER.

In the morning when ye rise, Wash your hands and cleanse your eyes. Next be sure ye have a care To disperse the water far; For as far as that doth light, So far keeps the evil sprite.

1065. ANOTHER.

If ye fear to be affrighted When ye are by chance benighted, In your pocket for a trust Carry nothing but a crust: For that holy piece of bread Charms the danger and the dread.

1067. GENTLENESS.

That prince must govern with a gentle hand Who will have love comply with his command.

1068. A DIALOGUE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND MISTRESS ELIZA WHEELER, UNDER THE NAME OF AMARYLLIS.

Her. My dearest love, since thou wilt go, And leave me here behind thee, For love or pity let me know The place where I may find thee.

Ama. In country meadows pearl'd with dew, And set about with lilies, There, filling maunds with cowslips, you May find your Amaryllis.

Her. What have the meads to do with thee, Or with thy youthful hours? Live thou at Court, where thou mayst be The queen of men, not flowers.

Let country wenches make 'em fine With posies, since 'tis fitter For thee with richest gems to shine, And like the stars to glitter.

Ama. You set too high a rate upon A shepherdess so homely. Her. Believe it, dearest, there's not one I' th' Court that's half so comely.

I prithee stay. Ama. I must away; Let's kiss first, then we'll sever. Ambo. And though we bid adieu to-day, We shall not part for ever.

Maunds, baskets.

1069. TO JULIA.

Help me, Julia, for to pray, Matins sing, or matins say: This, I know, the fiend will fly Far away, if thou be'st by. Bring the holy water hither, Let us wash and pray together; When our beads are thus united, Then the foe will fly affrighted.

Beads, prayers.

1070. TO ROSES IN JULIA'S BOSOM.

Roses, you can never die, Since the place wherein ye lie, Heat and moisture mix'd are so As to make ye ever grow.

1071. TO THE HONOURED MASTER ENDYMION PORTER.

When to thy porch I come and ravish'd see The state of poets there attending thee, Those bards and I, all in a chorus sing: We are thy prophets, Porter, thou our king.

1072. SPEAK IN SEASON.

When times are troubled, then forbear; but speak When a clear day out of a cloud does break.

1073. OBEDIENCE.

The power of princes rests in the consent Of only those who are obedient: Which if away, proud sceptres then will lie Low, and of thrones the ancient majesty.

1074. ANOTHER OF THE SAME.

No man so well a kingdom rules as he Who hath himself obeyed the sovereignty.

1075. OF LOVE.

1. Instruct me now what love will do. 2. 'Twill make a tongueless man to woo. 1. Inform me next, what love will do. 2. 'Twill strangely make a one of two. 1. Teach me besides, what love will do. 2. 'Twill quickly mar, and make ye too. 1. Tell me now last, what love will do. 2. 'Twill hurt and heal a heart pierc'd through.

1076. UPON TRAP.

Trap of a player turn'd a priest now is: Behold a sudden metamorphosis. If tithe-pigs fail, then will he shift the scene, And from a priest turn player once again.

1080. THE SCHOOL OR PEARL OF PUTNEY, THE MISTRESS OF ALL SINGULAR MANNERS, MISTRESS PORTMAN.

Whether I was myself, or else did see Out of myself that glorious hierarchy; Or whether those, in orders rare, or these Made up one state of sixty Venuses; Or whether fairies, syrens, nymphs they were, Or muses on their mountain sitting there; Or some enchanted place, I do not know, Or Sharon, where eternal roses grow. This I am sure: I ravished stood, as one Confus'd in utter admiration. Methought I saw them stir, and gently move, And look as all were capable of love; And in their motion smelt much like to flowers Inspir'd by th' sunbeams after dews and showers. There did I see the reverend rectress stand, Who with her eye's gleam, or a glance of hand, Those spirits raised; and with like precepts then, As with a magic, laid them all again. A happy realm! When no compulsive law, Or fear of it, but love keeps all in awe. Live you, great mistress of your arts, and be A nursing mother so to majesty, As those your ladies may in time be seen, For grace and carriage, everyone a queen. One birth their parents gave them; but their new, And better being, they receive from you. Man's former birth is graceless; but the state Of life comes in, when he's regenerate.

1081. TO PERENNA.

Thou say'st I'm dull; if edgeless so I be, I'll whet my lips, and sharpen love on thee.

1082. ON HIMSELF.

Let me not live if I not love: Since I as yet did never prove Where pleasures met, at last do find All pleasures meet in womankind.

1083. ON LOVE.

That love 'twixt men does ever longest last Where war and peace the dice by turns do cast.

1084. ANOTHER ON LOVE.

Love's of itself too sweet; the best of all Is, when love's honey has a dash of gall.

1086. UPON CHUB.

When Chub brings in his harvest, still he cries, "Aha, my boys! here's meat for Christmas pies!" Soon after he for beer so scores his wheat, That at the tide he has not bread to eat.

1087. PLEASURES PERNICIOUS.

Where pleasures rule a kingdom, never there Is sober virtue seen to move her sphere.

1088. ON HIMSELF.

A wearied pilgrim, I have wandered here Twice five-and-twenty, bate me but one year; Long I have lasted in this world, 'tis true, But yet those years that I have lived, but few. Who by his grey hairs doth his lusters tell, Lives not those years, but he that lives them well. One man has reach'd his sixty years, but he Of all those threescore, has not liv'd half three. He lives, who lives to virtue; men who cast Their ends for pleasure, do not live, but last.

Luster, five years.

1089. TO M. LAURENCE SWETNAHAM.

Read thou my lines, my Swetnaham; if there be A fault, 'tis hid if it be voic'd by thee. Thy mouth will make the sourest numbers please: How will it drop pure honey speaking these!

1090. HIS COVENANT; OR, PROTESTATION TO JULIA.

Why dost thou wound and break my heart, As if we should for ever part? Hast thou not heard an oath from me, After a day, or two, or three, I would come back and live with thee? Take, if thou dost distrust that vow, This second protestation now. Upon thy cheek that spangled tear, Which sits as dew of roses there, That tear shall scarce be dried before I'll kiss the threshold of thy door. Then weep not, sweet; but thus much know, I'm half return'd before I go.

1091. ON HIMSELF.

I will no longer kiss, I can no longer stay; The way of all flesh is That I must go this day. Since longer I can't live, My frolic youths, adieu; My lamp to you I'll give, And all my troubles too.

1092. TO THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED GENTLEMAN, M. MICHAEL OULSWORTH.

Nor think that thou in this my book art worst, Because not plac'd here with the midst, or first. Since fame that sides with these, or goes before Those, that must live with thee for evermore; That fame, and fame's rear'd pillar, thou shalt see In the next sheet, brave man, to follow thee. Fix on that column then, and never fall, Held up by Fame's eternal pedestal.

In the next sheet. See 1129.

1093. TO HIS GIRLS, WHO WOULD HAVE HIM SPORTFUL.

Alas! I can't, for tell me, how Can I be gamesome, aged now? Besides, ye see me daily grow Here, winter-like, to frost and snow; And I, ere long, my girls, shall see Ye quake for cold to look on me.

1094. TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD.

Truth by her own simplicity is known, Falsehood by varnish and vermilion.

1095. HIS LAST REQUEST TO JULIA.

I have been wanton and too bold, I fear, To chafe o'ermuch the virgin's cheek or ear. Beg for my pardon, Julia: he doth win Grace with the gods who's sorry for his sin. That done, my Julia, dearest Julia, come And go with me to choose my burial room: My fates are ended; when thy Herrick dies, Clasp thou his book, then close thou up his eyes.

1096. ON HIMSELF.

One ear tingles; some there be That are snarling now at me: Be they those that Homer bit, I will give them thanks for it.

1097. UPON KINGS.

Kings must be dauntless; subjects will contemn Those who want hearts and wear a diadem.

1098. TO HIS GIRLS.

Wanton wenches, do not bring For my hairs black colouring: For my locks, girls, let 'em be Grey or white, all's one to me.

1100. TO HIS BROTHER, NICHOLAS HERRICK.

What others have with cheapness seen and ease In varnish'd maps, by th' help of compasses, Or read in volumes and those books with all Their large narrations incanonical, Thou hast beheld those seas and countries far, And tell'st to us what once they were, and are. So that with bold truth thou can'st now relate This kingdom's fortune, and that empire's fate: Can'st talk to us of Sharon, where a spring Of roses have an endless flourishing; Of Sion, Sinai, Nebo, and with them Make known to us the new Jerusalem; The Mount of Olives, Calvary, and where Is, and hast seen, thy Saviour's sepulchre. So that the man that will but lay his ears As inapostate to the thing he hears, Shall by his hearing quickly come to see The truth of travels less in books than thee.

Large, exaggerated. Incanonical, untrustworthy.

1101. THE VOICE AND VIOL.

Rare is the voice itself: but when we sing To th' lute or viol, then 'tis ravishing.

1102. WAR.

If kings and kingdoms once distracted be, The sword of war must try the sovereignty

1103. A KING AND NO KING.

That prince who may do nothing but what's just, Rules but by leave, and takes his crown on trust.

1104. PLOTS NOT STILL PROSPEROUS.

All are not ill plots that do sometimes fail; Nor those false vows which ofttimes don't prevail.

1105. FLATTERY.

What is't that wastes a prince? example shows, 'Tis flattery spends a king, more than his foes.

1109. EXCESS.

Excess is sluttish: keep the mean; for why? Virtue's clean conclave is sobriety.

Conclave, guard.

1111. THE SOUL IS THE SALT.

The body's salt the soul is; which when gone, The flesh soon sucks in putrefaction.

1117. ABSTINENCE.

Against diseases here the strongest fence Is the defensive virtue, abstinence.

1118. NO DANGER TO MEN DESPERATE.

When fear admits no hope of safety, then Necessity makes dastards valiant men.

1119. SAUCE FOR SORROWS.

Although our suffering meet with no relief, An equal mind is the best sauce for grief.

1120. TO CUPID.

I have a leaden, thou a shaft of gold; Thou kill'st with heat, and I strike dead with cold. Let's try of us who shall the first expire; Or thou by frost, or I by quenchless fire: Extremes are fatal where they once do strike, And bring to th' heart destruction both alike.

1121. DISTRUST.

Whatever men for loyalty pretend, 'Tis wisdom's part to doubt a faithful friend.

1123. THE MOUNT OF THE MUSES.

After thy labour take thine ease, Here with the sweet Pierides. But if so be that men will not Give thee the laurel crown for lot; Be yet assur'd, thou shall have one Not subject to corruption.

1124. ON HIMSELF.

I'll write no more of love; but now repent Of all those times that I in it have spent. I'll write no more of life; but wish 'twas ended, And that my dust was to the earth commended.

1125. TO HIS BOOK.

Go thou forth, my book, though late: Yet be timely fortunate. It may chance good luck may send Thee a kinsman, or a friend, That may harbour thee, when I With my fates neglected lie. If thou know'st not where to dwell, See, the fire's by: farewell.

1126. THE END OF HIS WORK.

Part of the work remains; one part is past: And here my ship rides, having anchor cast.

1127. TO CROWN IT.

My wearied bark, O let it now be crown'd! The haven reach'd to which I first was bound.

1128. ON HIMSELF.

The work is done: young men and maidens, set Upon my curls the myrtle coronet Washed with sweet ointments: thus at last I come To suffer in the Muses' martyrdom; But with this comfort, if my blood be shed, The Muses will wear blacks when I am dead.

Blacks, mourning garments.

1129. THE PILLAR OF FAME.

Fame's pillar here, at last, we set, Outduring marble, brass, or jet. Charm'd and enchanted so As to withstand the blow Of o v e r t h r o w; Nor shall the seas, Or o u t r a g e s Of storms o'erbear What we uprear. Tho' kingdoms fall, This pillar never shall Decline or waste at all; But stand for ever by his own Firm and well-fix'd foundation.

To his book's end this last line he'd have placed: Jocund his muse was, but his life was chaste.



HIS

NOBLE NUMBERS:

OR,

HIS PIOUS PIECES,

Wherein (amongst other things)

he sings the Birth of his CHRIST; and sighes for his Saviours suffering on the Crosse.

HESIOD.

{Idmen pseudea polla legein etymoisin homoia. Idmen d', eut' ethelomen, alethea mythesasthai.}



LONDON Printed for John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield. 1647.



HIS NOBLE NUMBERS:

OR,

HIS PIOUS PIECES.

1. HIS CONFESSION.

Look how our foul days do exceed our fair; And as our bad, more than our good works are, E'en so those lines, pen'd by my wanton wit, Treble the number of these good I've writ. Things precious are least numerous: men are prone To do ten bad for one good action.

2. HIS PRAYER FOR ABSOLUTION.

For those my unbaptised rhymes, Writ in my wild unhallowed times; For every sentence, clause, and word, That's not inlaid with Thee, my Lord, Forgive me, God, and blot each line Out of my book that is not Thine. But if, 'mongst all, thou find'st here one Worthy Thy benediction; That one of all the rest shall be The glory of my work and me.

3. TO FIND GOD.

Weigh me the fire; or canst thou find A way to measure out the wind; Distinguish all those floods that are Mix'd in that watery theatre; And taste thou them as saltless there As in their channel first they were. Tell me the people that do keep Within the kingdoms of the deep; Or fetch me back that cloud again Beshiver'd into seeds of rain; Tell me the motes, dust, sands, and spears Of corn, when summer shakes his ears; Show me that world of stars, and whence They noiseless spill their influence: This if thou canst, then show me Him That rides the glorious cherubim.

Keep, abide.

4. WHAT GOD IS.

God is above the sphere of our esteem, And is the best known, not defining Him.

5. UPON GOD.

God is not only said to be An Ens, but Supraentity.

6. MERCY AND LOVE.

God hath two wings which He doth ever move; The one is mercy, and the next is love: Under the first the sinners ever trust; And with the last He still directs the just.

7. GOD'S ANGER WITHOUT AFFECTION.

God when He's angry here with anyone, His wrath is free from perturbation; And when we think His looks are sour and grim, The alteration is in us, not Him.

8. GOD NOT TO BE COMPREHENDED.

'Tis hard to find God, but to comprehend Him, as He is, is labour without end.

9. GOD'S PART.

Prayers and praises are those spotless two Lambs, by the law, which God requires as due.

10. AFFLICTION.

God ne'er afflicts us more than our desert, Though He may seem to overact His part: Sometimes He strikes us more than flesh can bear; But yet still less than grace can suffer here.

11. THREE FATAL SISTERS.

Three fatal sisters wait upon each sin; First, fear and shame without, then guilt within.

12. SILENCE.

Suffer thy legs, but not thy tongue to walk: God, the Most Wise, is sparing of His talk.

13. MIRTH.

True mirth resides not in the smiling skin: The sweetest solace is to act no sin.

14. LOADING AND UNLOADING.

God loads and unloads, thus His work begins, To load with blessings and unload from sins.

15. GOD'S MERCY.

God's boundless mercy is, to sinful man, Like to the ever-wealthy ocean: Which though it sends forth thousand streams, 'tis ne'er Known, or else seen, to be the emptier; And though it takes all in, 'tis yet no more Full, and fill'd full, than when full fill'd before.

16. PRAYERS MUST HAVE POISE.

God, He rejects all prayers that are slight And want their poise: words ought to have their weight.

17. TO GOD: AN ANTHEM SUNG IN THE CHAPEL AT WHITEHALL BEFORE THE KING.

Verse. My God, I'm wounded by my sin, And sore without, and sick within. Ver. Chor. I come to Thee, in hope to find Salve for my body and my mind. Verse. In Gilead though no balm be found To ease this smart or cure this wound, Ver. Chor. Yet, Lord, I know there is with Thee All saving health, and help for me. Verse. Then reach Thou forth that hand of Thine, That pours in oil, as well as wine, Ver. Chor. And let it work, for I'll endure The utmost smart, so Thou wilt cure.

18. UPON GOD.

God is all fore-part; for, we never see Any part backward in the Deity.

19. CALLING AND CORRECTING.

God is not only merciful to call Men to repent, but when He strikes withal.

20. NO ESCAPING THE SCOURGING.

God scourgeth some severely, some He spares; But all in smart have less or greater shares.

21. THE ROD.

God's rod doth watch while men do sleep, and then The rod doth sleep, while vigilant are men.

22. GOD HAS A TWOFOLD PART.

God, when for sin He makes His children smart, His own He acts not, but another's part; But when by stripes He saves them, then 'tis known He comes to play the part that is His own.

23. GOD IS ONE.

God, as He is most holy known, So He is said to be most one.

24. PERSECUTIONS PROFITABLE.

Afflictions they most profitable are To the beholder and the sufferer: Bettering them both, but by a double strain, The first by patience, and the last by pain.

25. TO GOD.

Do with me, God, as Thou didst deal with John, Who writ that heavenly Revelation. Let me, like him, first cracks of thunder hear, Then let the harps enchantments stroke mine ear: Here give me thorns, there, in Thy kingdom, set Upon my head the golden coronet; There give me day; but here my dreadful night: My sackcloth here; but there my stole of white.

Stroke, text strike.

26. WHIPS.

God has His whips here to a twofold end: The bad to punish, and the good t' amend.

27. GOD'S PROVIDENCE.

If all transgressions here should have their pay, What need there then be of a reckoning day? If God should punish no sin here of men, His providence who would not question then?

28. TEMPTATION.

Those saints which God loves best, The devil tempts not least.

29. HIS EJACULATION TO GOD.

My God! look on me with Thine eye Of pity, not of scrutiny; For if Thou dost, Thou then shalt see Nothing but loathsome sores in me. O then, for mercy's sake, behold These my eruptions manifold, And heal me with Thy look or touch; But if Thou wilt not deign so much, Because I'm odious in Thy sight, Speak but the word, and cure me quite.

30. GOD'S GIFTS NOT SOON GRANTED.

God hears us when we pray, but yet defers His gifts, to exercise petitioners; And though a while He makes requesters stay, With princely hand He'll recompense delay.

31. PERSECUTIONS PURIFY.

God strikes His Church, but 'tis to this intent, To make, not mar her, by this punishment; So where He gives the bitter pills, be sure 'Tis not to poison, but to make thee pure.

32. PARDON.

God pardons those who do through frailty sin, But never those that persevere therein.

33. AN ODE OF THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOUR.

In numbers, and but these few, I sing Thy birth, O JESU! Thou pretty baby, born here, With sup'rabundant scorn here; Who for Thy princely port here, Hadst for Thy place Of birth a base Out-stable for Thy court here.

Instead of neat enclosures Of interwoven osiers, Instead of fragrant posies Of daffodils and roses, Thy cradle, Kingly Stranger, As Gospel tells, Was nothing else But here a homely manger.

But we with silks, not crewels, With sundry precious jewels, And lily-work will dress Thee; And as we dispossess Thee Of clouts, we'll make a chamber, Sweet babe, for Thee Of ivory, And plaister'd round with amber.

The Jews they did disdain Thee, But we will entertain Thee With glories to await here, Upon Thy princely state here; And more for love than pity, From year to year, We'll make Thee, here, A freeborn of our city.

Crewels, worsteds. Clouts, rags.

34. LIP-LABOUR.

In the old Scripture I have often read, The calf without meal ne'er was offered; To figure to us nothing more than this, Without the heart lip-labour nothing is.

35. THE HEART.

In prayer the lips ne'er act the winning part, Without the sweet concurrence of the heart.

36. EARRINGS.

Why wore th' Egyptians jewels in the ear? But for to teach us, all the grace is there, When we obey, by acting what we hear.

37. SIN SEEN.

When once the sin has fully acted been, Then is the horror of the trespass seen.

38. UPON TIME.

Time was upon The wing, to fly away; And I call'd on Him but awhile to stay; But he'd be gone, For ought that I could say.

He held out then A writing, as he went; And ask'd me, when False man would be content To pay again What God and Nature lent.

An hour-glass, In which were sands but few, As he did pass, He show'd, and told me, too, Mine end near was; And so away he flew.

39. HIS PETITION.

If war or want shall make me grow so poor, As for to beg my bread from door to door; Lord! let me never act that beggar's part, Who hath Thee in his mouth, not in his heart: He who asks alms in that so sacred Name, Without due reverence, plays the cheater's game.

40. TO GOD.

Thou hast promis'd, Lord, to be With me in my misery; Suffer me to be so bold As to speak, Lord, say and hold.

41. HIS LITANY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

In the hour of my distress, When temptations me oppress, And when I my sins confess, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When I lie within my bed, Sick in heart and sick in head, And with doubts discomforted, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the house doth sigh and weep, And the world is drown'd in sleep, Yet mine eyes the watch do keep, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the artless doctor sees No one hope, but of his fees, And his skill runs on the lees, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When his potion and his pill Has, or none, or little skill, Meet for nothing, but to kill; Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the passing bell doth toll, And the furies in a shoal Come to fright a parting soul, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the tapers now burn blue, And the comforters are few, And that number more than true, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the priest his last hath prayed, And I nod to what is said, 'Cause my speech is now decayed, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When, God knows, I'm toss'd about, Either with despair, or doubt; Yet before the glass be out, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the tempter me pursu'th With the sins of all my youth, And half damns me with untruth, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the flames and hellish cries Fright mine ears, and fright mine eyes, And all terrors me surprise, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the judgment is reveal'd, And that open'd which was seal'd, When to Thee I have appeal'd, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

42. THANKSGIVING.

Thanksgiving for a former, doth invite God to bestow a second benefit.

43. COCK-CROW.

Bellman of night, if I about shall go For to deny my Master, do thou crow. Thou stop'dst St. Peter in the midst of sin; Stay me, by crowing, ere I do begin: Better it is, premonish'd for to shun A sin, than fall to weeping when 'tis done.

44. ALL THINGS RUN WELL FOR THE RIGHTEOUS.

Adverse and prosperous fortunes both work on Here, for the righteous man's salvation; Be he oppos'd, or be he not withstood, All serve to th' augmentation of his good.

45. PAIN ENDS IN PLEASURE.

Afflictions bring us joy in times to come, When sins, by stripes, to us grow wearisome.

46. TO GOD.

I'll come, I'll creep, though Thou dost threat, Humbly unto Thy mercy-seat: When I am there, this then I'll do, Give Thee a dart, and dagger too; Next, when I have my faults confessed, Naked I'll show a sighing breast; Which if that can't Thy pity woo, Then let Thy justice do the rest And strike it through.

47. A THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR HIS HOUSE.

Lord, Thou hast given me a cell Wherein to dwell; A little house, whose humble roof Is weather-proof; Under the spars of which I lie Both soft and dry; Where Thou my chamber for to ward Hast set a guard Of harmless thoughts, to watch and keep Me, while I sleep. Low is my porch, as is my fate, Both void of state; And yet the threshold of my door Is worn by th' poor, Who thither come, and freely get Good words or meat; Like as my parlour, so my hall And kitchen's small; A little buttery, and therein A little bin Which keeps my little loaf of bread Unclipt, unflead. Some brittle sticks of thorn or briar Make me a fire, Close by whose living coal I sit, And glow like it. Lord, I confess, too, when I dine, The pulse is Thine, And all those other bits, that be There placed by Thee; The worts, the purslain, and the mess Of water-cress, Which of Thy kindness Thou hast sent; And my content Makes those, and my beloved beet, To be more sweet. 'Tis Thou that crown'st my glittering hearth With guiltless mirth; And giv'st me wassail bowls to drink, Spiced to the brink. Lord, 'tis Thy plenty-dropping hand, That soils my land; And giv'st me for my bushel sown, Twice ten for one. Thou mak'st my teeming hen to lay Her egg each day; Besides my healthful ewes to bear Me twins each year, The while the conduits of my kine Run cream for wine. All these, and better Thou dost send Me, to this end, That I should render, for my part, A thankful heart; Which, fired with incense, I resign, As wholly Thine; But the acceptance, that must be, My Christ, by Thee.

Unflead, lit. unflay'd. Purslain, an herb.

48. TO GOD.

Make, make me Thine, my gracious God, Or with Thy staff, or with Thy rod; And be the blow, too, what it will, Lord, I will kiss it, though it kill: Beat me, bruise me, rack me, rend me, Yet, in torments, I'll commend Thee; Examine me with fire, and prove me To the full, yet I will love Thee; Nor shall Thou give so deep a wound But I as patient will be found.

49. ANOTHER TO GOD.

Lord, do not beat me, Since I do sob and cry, And swoon away to die, Ere Thou dost threat me. Lord, do not scourge me, If I by lies and oaths Have soil'd myself or clothes, But rather purge me.

50. NONE TRULY HAPPY HERE.

Happy's that man to whom God gives A stock of goods, whereby he lives Near to the wishes of his heart: No man is blest through every part.

51. TO HIS EVER-LOVING GOD.

Can I not come to Thee, my God, for these So very many meeting hindrances, That slack my pace, but yet not make me stay? Who slowly goes, rids, in the end, his way. Clear Thou my paths, or shorten Thou my miles, Remove the bars, or lift me o'er the stiles; Since rough the way is, help me when I call, And take me up; or else prevent the fall. I ken my home, and it affords some ease To see far off the smoking villages. Fain would I rest, yet covet not to die For fear of future biting penury: No, no, my God, Thou know'st my wishes be To leave this life, not loving it, but Thee.

Rids way, gets over the ground.

52. ANOTHER.

Thou bid'st me come; I cannot come; for why? Thou dwell'st aloft, and I want wings to fly. To mount my soul, she must have pinions given; For 'tis no easy way from earth to heaven.

53. TO DEATH.

Thou bid'st me come away, And I'll no longer stay Than for to shed some tears For faults of former years, And to repent some crimes Done in the present times: And next, to take a bit Of bread, and wine with it: To don my robes of love, Fit for the place above; To gird my loins about With charity throughout; And so to travel hence With feet of innocence: These done, I'll only cry God mercy, and so die.

54. NEUTRALITY LOATHSOME.

God will have all, or none; serve Him, or fall Down before Baal, Bel, or Belial: Either be hot or cold: God doth despise, Abhor, and spew out all neutralities.

55. WELCOME WHAT COMES.

Whatever comes, let's be content withal: Among God's blessings there is no one small.

56. TO HIS ANGRY GOD.

Through all the night Thou dost me fright, And hold'st mine eyes from sleeping; And day by day, My cup can say My wine is mix'd with weeping.

Thou dost my bread With ashes knead Each evening and each morrow; Mine eye and ear Do see and hear The coming in of sorrow.

Thy scourge of steel, Ah me! I feel Upon me beating ever: While my sick heart With dismal smart Is disacquainted never.

Long, long, I'm sure, This can't endure, But in short time 'twill please Thee, My gentle God, To burn the rod, Or strike so as to ease me.

57. PATIENCE: OR, COMFORTS IN CROSSES.

Abundant plagues I late have had, Yet none of these have made me sad: For why? My Saviour with the sense Of suff'ring gives me patience.

58. ETERNITY.

O years! and age! farewell: Behold, I go Where I do know Infinity to dwell.

And these mine eyes shall see All times, how they Are lost i' th' sea Of vast eternity.

Where never moon shall sway The stars; but she And night shall be Drown'd in one endless day.

59. TO HIS SAVIOUR, A CHILD: A PRESENT BY A CHILD.

Go, pretty child, and bear this flower Unto thy little Saviour; And tell Him, by that bud now blown, He is the Rose of Sharon known. When thou hast said so, stick it there Upon His bib or stomacher; And tell Him, for good handsel too, That thou hast brought a whistle new, Made of a clean strait oaten reed, To charm His cries at time of need. Tell Him, for coral, thou hast none, But if thou hadst, He should have one; But poor thou art, and known to be Even as moneyless as He. Lastly, if thou canst win a kiss From those mellifluous lips of His; Then never take a second on, To spoil the first impression.

Handsel, earnest money.

60. THE NEW-YEAR'S GIFT.

Let others look for pearl and gold, Tissues, or tabbies manifold: One only lock of that sweet hay Whereon the blessed baby lay, Or one poor swaddling-clout, shall be The richest New-Year's gift to me.

Tabbies, shot silks.

61. TO GOD.

If anything delight me for to print My book, 'tis this: that Thou, my God, art in't.

62. GOD AND THE KING.

How am I bound to Two! God, who doth give The mind; the king, the means whereby I live.

63. GOD'S MIRTH: MAN'S MOURNING.

Where God is merry, there write down thy fears: What He with laughter speaks, hear thou with tears.

64. HONOURS ARE HINDRANCES.

Give me honours! what are these, But the pleasing hindrances? Stiles, and stops, and stays that come In the way 'twixt me and home; Clear the walk, and then shall I To my heaven less run than fly.

65. THE PARASCEVE, OR PREPARATION.

To a love-feast we both invited are: The figur'd damask, or pure diaper, Over the golden altar now is spread, With bread, and wine, and vessels furnished; The sacred towel and the holy ewer Are ready by, to make the guests all pure: Let's go, my Alma; yet, ere we receive, Fit, fit it is we have our parasceve. Who to that sweet bread unprepar'd doth come, Better be starv'd, than but to taste one crumb.

Parasceve, preparation.

66. TO GOD.

God gives not only corn for need, But likewise sup'rabundant seed; Bread for our service, bread for show, Meat for our meals, and fragments too: He gives not poorly, taking some Between the finger and the thumb; But for our glut and for our store, Fine flour press'd down, and running o'er.

67. A WILL TO BE WORKING.

Although we cannot turn the fervent fit Of sin, we must strive 'gainst the stream of it; And howsoe'er we have the conquest miss'd, 'Tis for our glory that we did resist.

68. CHRIST'S PART.

Christ, He requires still, wheresoe'er He comes To feed or lodge, to have the best of rooms: Give Him the choice; grant Him the nobler part Of all the house: the best of all's the heart.

69. RICHES AND POVERTY.

God could have made all rich, or all men poor; But why He did not, let me tell wherefore: Had all been rich, where then had patience been? Had all been poor, who had His bounty seen?

70. SOBRIETY IN SEARCH.

To seek of God more than we well can find, Argues a strong distemper of the mind.

71. ALMS.

Give, if thou canst, an alms; if not, afford, Instead of that, a sweet and gentle word: God crowns our goodness wheresoe'er He sees, On our part, wanting all abilities.

72. TO HIS CONSCIENCE.

Can I not sin, but thou wilt be My private protonotary? Can I not woo thee to pass by A short and sweet iniquity? I'll cast a mist and cloud upon My delicate transgression So utter dark as that no eye Shall see the hugg'd impiety; Gifts blind the wise, and bribes do please And wind all other witnesses; And wilt not thou with gold be ti'd To lay thy pen and ink aside? That in the mirk and tongueless night Wanton I may, and thou not write? It will not be. And, therefore, now, For times to come I'll make this vow, From aberrations to live free; So I'll not fear the Judge or thee.

Protonotary, once the title of the chief clerk in the Courts of Common Pleas and King's Bench.

73. TO HIS SAVIOUR.

Lord, I confess, that Thou alone art able To purify this my Augean stable: Be the seas water, and the land all soap, Yet if Thy blood not wash me, there's no hope.

74. TO GOD.

God is all sufferance here; here He doth show No arrow nockt, only a stringless bow: His arrows fly, and all His stones are hurl'd Against the wicked in another world.

Nockt, placed ready for shooting.

75. HIS DREAM.

I dreamt, last night, Thou didst transfuse Oil from Thy jar into my cruse; And pouring still Thy wealthy store, The vessel full did then run o'er; Methought I did Thy bounty chide To see the waste; but 'twas replied By Thee, dear God, God gives man seed Ofttimes for waste, as for his need. Then I could say that house is bare That has not bread and some to spare.

76. GOD'S BOUNTY.

God's bounty, that ebbs less and less As men do wane in thankfulness.

77. TO HIS SWEET SAVIOUR.

Night hath no wings to him that cannot sleep, And time seems then not for to fly, but creep; Slowly her chariot drives, as if that she Had broke her wheel, or crack'd her axletree. Just so it is with me, who, list'ning, pray The winds to blow the tedious night away, That I might see the cheerful, peeping day. Sick is my heart! O Saviour! do Thou please To make my bed soft in my sicknesses: Lighten my candle, so that I beneath Sleep not for ever in the vaults of death; Let me Thy voice betimes i' th' morning hear: Call, and I'll come; say Thou the when, and where. Draw me but first, and after Thee I'll run And make no one stop till my race be done.

78. HIS CREED.

I do believe that die I must, And be return'd from out my dust: I do believe that when I rise, Christ I shall see, with these same eyes: I do believe that I must come, With others, to the dreadful doom: I do believe the bad must go From thence, to everlasting woe: I do believe the good, and I, Shall live with Him eternally: I do believe I shall inherit Heaven, by Christ's mercies, not my merit. I do believe the One in Three, And Three in perfect unity: Lastly, that JESUS is a deed Of gift from God: and here's my creed.

79. TEMPTATIONS.

Temptations hurt not, though they have access: Satan o'ercomes none, but by willingness.

80. THE LAMP.

When a man's faith is frozen up, as dead; Then is the lamp and oil extinguished.

81. SORROWS.

Sorrows our portion are: ere hence we go, Crosses we must have; or, hereafter woe.

82. PENITENCY.

A man's transgressions God does then remit, When man He makes a penitent for it.

83. THE DIRGE OF JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER: SUNG BY THE VIRGINS.

O thou, the wonder of all days! O paragon, and pearl of praise! O virgin-martyr, ever blest Above the rest Of all the maiden train! We come, And bring fresh strewings to thy tomb.

Thus, thus, and thus we compass round Thy harmless and unhaunted ground; And as we sing thy dirge, we will The daffodil And other flowers lay upon The altar of our love, thy stone.

Thou wonder of all maids, liest here. Of daughters all the dearest dear; The eye of virgins; nay, the queen Of this smooth green, And all sweet meads; from whence we get The primrose and the violet.

Too soon, too dear did Jephthah buy, By thy sad loss, our liberty: His was the bond and cov'nant, yet Thou paid'st the debt: Lamented maid! he won the day, But for the conquest thou didst pay.

Thy father brought with him along The olive branch and victor's song: He slew the Ammonites, we know, But to thy woe; And in the purchase of our peace, The cure was worse than the disease.

For which obedient zeal of thine, We offer here, before thy shrine, Our sighs for storax, tears for wine; And to make fine And fresh thy hearse-cloth, we will, here, Four times bestrew thee ev'ry year.

Receive, for this thy praise, our tears: Receive this offering of our hairs: Receive these crystal vials fill'd With tears distill'd From teeming eyes; to these we bring, Each maid, her silver filleting,

To gild thy tomb; besides, these cauls, These laces, ribbons, and these falls, These veils, wherewith we use to hide The bashful bride, When we conduct her to her groom: And all we lay upon thy tomb.

No more, no more, since thou art dead, Shall we e'er bring coy brides to bed; No more, at yearly festivals We cowslip balls Or chains of columbines shall make For this or that occasion's sake.

No, no; our maiden pleasures be Wrapp'd in the winding-sheet with thee: 'Tis we are dead, though not i' th' grave: Or, if we have One seed of life left, 'tis to keep A Lent for thee, to fast and weep.

Sleep in thy peace, thy bed of spice, And make this place all paradise: May sweets grow here: and smoke from hence Fat frankincense: Let balm and cassia send their scent From out thy maiden-monument.

May no wolf howl, or screech-owl stir A wing about thy sepulchre! No boisterous winds, or storms, come hither To starve or wither Thy soft sweet earth! but, like a spring, Love keep it ever flourishing.

May all shy maids, at wonted hours, Come forth to strew thy tomb with flow'rs: May virgins, when they come to mourn, Male-incense burn Upon thine altar! then return, And leave thee sleeping in thy urn.

Cauls, nets for the hair. Falls, trimmings hanging loosely. Male-incense, incense in globular drops.

84. TO GOD: ON HIS SICKNESS.

What though my harp and viol be Both hung upon the willow tree? What though my bed be now my grave, And for my house I darkness have? What though my healthful days are fled, And I lie number'd with the dead? Yet I have hope, by Thy great power, To spring; though now a wither'd flower.

85. SINS LOATHED, AND YET LOVED.

Shame checks our first attempts; but then 'tis prov'd Sins first dislik'd are after that belov'd.

86. SIN.

Sin leads the way, but as it goes, it feels The following plague still treading on his heels.

87. UPON GOD.

God, when He takes my goods and chattels hence, Gives me a portion, giving patience: What is in God is God; if so it be He patience gives, He gives Himself to me.

88. FAITH.

What here we hope for, we shall once inherit; By faith we all walk here, not by the Spirit.

89. HUMILITY.

Humble we must be, if to heaven we go: High is the roof there; but the gate is low: Whene'er thou speak'st, look with a lowly eye: Grace is increased by humility.

90. TEARS.

Our present tears here, not our present laughter, Are but the handsels of our joys hereafter.

Handsels, earnest money, foretaste.

91. SIN AND STRIFE.

After true sorrow for our sins, our strife Must last with Satan to the end of life.

92. AN ODE, OR PSALM TO GOD.

Dear God, If Thy smart rod Here did not make me sorry, I should not be With Thine or Thee In Thy eternal glory.

But since Thou didst convince My sins by gently striking; Add still to those First stripes new blows, According to Thy liking.

Fear me, Or scourging tear me; That thus from vices driven, I may from hell Fly up to dwell With Thee and Thine in heaven.

93. GRACES FOR CHILDREN.

What God gives, and what we take, 'Tis a gift for Christ, His sake: Be the meal of beans and peas, God be thanked for those and these: Have we flesh, or have we fish, All are fragments from His dish. He His Church save, and the king; And our peace here, like a spring, Make it ever flourishing.

94. GOD TO BE FIRST SERVED.

Honour thy parents; but good manners call Thee to adore thy God the first of all.

95. ANOTHER GRACE FOR A CHILD.

Here a little child I stand Heaving up my either hand; Cold as paddocks though they be, Here I lift them up to Thee, For a benison to fall On our meat and on us all. Amen.

Paddocks, frogs.

96. A CHRISTMAS CAROL SUNG TO THE KING IN THE PRESENCE AT WHITEHALL.

Chor. What sweeter music can we bring, Than a carol for to sing The birth of this our heavenly King? Awake the voice! awake the string! Heart, ear, and eye, and everything Awake! the while the active finger Runs division with the singer.

FROM THE FLOURISH THEY CAME TO THE SONG.

1. Dark and dull night, fly hence away And give the honour to this day That sees December turn'd to May.

2. If we may ask the reason, say The why and wherefore all things here Seem like the spring-time of the year.

3. Why does the chilling winter's morn Smile like a field beset with corn? Or smell like to a mead new shorn, Thus, on the sudden?

4. Come and see The cause, why things thus fragrant be: 'Tis He is born, whose quick'ning birth Gives life and lustre, public mirth, To heaven and the under-earth.

Chor. We see Him come, and know Him ours, Who, with His sunshine and His showers, Turns all the patient ground to flowers.

1. The darling of the world is come, And fit it is we find a room To welcome Him. 2. The nobler part Of all the house here is the heart,

Chor. Which we will give Him; and bequeath This holly and this ivy wreath, To do Him honour; who's our King, And Lord of all this revelling.

The musical part was composed by M. Henry Lawes.

Division, a rapid passage of music sung in one breath or a single syllable.

97. THE NEW-YEAR'S GIFT: OR, CIRCUMCISION'S SONG. SUNG TO THE KING IN THE PRESENCE AT WHITEHALL.

1. Prepare for songs; He's come, He's come; And be it sin here to be dumb, And not with lutes to fill the room.

2. Cast holy water all about, And have a care no fire goes out, But 'cense the porch and place throughout.

3. The altars all on fire be; The storax fries; and ye may see How heart and hand do all agree To make things sweet. Chor. Yet all less sweet than He.

4. Bring Him along, most pious priest, And tell us then, whenas thou seest His gently-gliding, dove-like eyes, And hear'st His whimpering and His cries; How can'st thou this Babe circumcise?

5. Ye must not be more pitiful than wise; For, now unless ye see Him bleed, Which makes the bapti'm, 'tis decreed The birth is fruitless. Chor. Then the work God speed.

1. Touch gently, gently touch; and here Spring tulips up through all the year; And from His sacred blood, here shed, May roses grow to crown His own dear head.

Chor. Back, back again; each thing is done With zeal alike, as 'twas begun; Now singing, homeward let us carry The Babe unto His mother Mary; And when we have the Child commended To her warm bosom, then our rites are ended. Composed by M. Henry Lawes.

98. ANOTHER NEW-YEAR'S GIFT: OR, SONG FOR THE CIRCUMCISION.

1. Hence, hence profane, and none appear With anything unhallowed here; No jot of leaven must be found Conceal'd in this most holy ground.

2. What is corrupt, or sour'd with sin, Leave that without, then enter in;

Chor. But let no Christmas mirth begin Before ye purge and circumcise Your hearts, and hands, lips, ears, and eyes.

3. Then, like a perfum'd altar, see That all things sweet and clean may be: For here's a Babe that, like a bride, Will blush to death if ought be spi'd Ill-scenting, or unpurifi'd.

Chor. The room is 'cens'd: help, help t' invoke Heaven to come down, the while we choke The temple with a cloud of smoke.

4. Come then, and gently touch the birth Of Him, who's Lord of Heaven and Earth:

5. And softly handle Him; y'ad need, Because the pretty Babe does bleed. Poor pitied Child! who from Thy stall Bring'st, in Thy blood, a balm that shall Be the best New-Year's gift to all.

1. Let's bless the Babe: and, as we sing His praise, so let us bless the King.

Chor. Long may He live till He hath told His New-Years trebled to His old: And when that's done, to re-aspire A new-born Ph[oe]nix from His own chaste fire.

99. GOD'S PARDON.

When I shall sin, pardon my trespass here; For once in hell, none knows remission there.

100. SIN.

Sin once reached up to God's eternal sphere, And was committed, not remitted there.

101. EVIL.

Evil no nature hath; the loss of good Is that which gives to sin a livelihood.



102. THE STAR-SONG: A CAROL TO THE KING SUNG AT WHITEHALL.

The Flourish of Music; then followed the Song.

1. Tell us, thou clear and heavenly tongue, Where is the Babe but lately sprung? Lies he the lily-banks among?

2. Or say, if this new Birth of ours Sleeps, laid within some ark of flowers, Spangled with dew-light; thou canst clear All doubts, and manifest the where.

3. Declare to us, bright star, if we shall seek Him in the morning's blushing cheek, Or search the beds of spices through, To find him out.

Star. No, this ye need not do; But only come and see Him rest A Princely Babe in's mother's breast.

Chor. He's seen, He's seen! why then a round, Let's kiss the sweet and holy ground; And all rejoice that we have found A King before conception crown'd.

4. Come then, come then, and let us bring Unto our pretty Twelfth-tide King, Each one his several offering;

Chor. And when night comes, we'll give Him wassailing; And that His treble honours may be seen, We'll choose Him King, and make His mother Queen.

103. TO GOD.

With golden censers, and with incense, here Before Thy virgin-altar I appear, To pay Thee that I owe, since what I see In, or without, all, all belongs to Thee. Where shall I now begin to make, for one Least loan of Thine, half restitution? Alas! I cannot pay a jot; therefore I'll kiss the tally, and confess the score. Ten thousand talents lent me, Thou dost write; 'Tis true, my God, but I can't pay one mite.

Tally, the record of his score or debt.

104. TO HIS DEAR GOD.

I'll hope no more For things that will not come; And if they do, they prove but cumbersome. Wealth brings much woe; And, since it fortunes so, 'Tis better to be poor Than so t' abound As to be drown'd Or overwhelm'd with store.

Pale care, avaunt! I'll learn to be content With that small stock Thy bounty gave or lent. What may conduce To my most healthful use, Almighty God, me grant; But that, or this, That hurtful is, Deny Thy suppliant.

105. TO GOD: HIS GOOD WILL.

Gold I have none, but I present my need, O Thou, that crown'st the will, where wants the deed. Where rams are wanting, or large bullocks' thighs, There a poor lamb's a plenteous sacrifice. Take then his vows, who, if he had it, would Devote to Thee both incense, myrrh and gold Upon an altar rear'd by him, and crown'd Both with the ruby, pearl, and diamond.

106. ON HEAVEN.

Permit mine eyes to see Part, or the whole of Thee, O happy place! Where all have grace, And garlands shar'd, For their reward; Where each chaste soul In long white stole, And palms in hand, Do ravish'd stand; So in a ring, The praises sing Of Three in One That fill the Throne; While harps and viols then To voices say, Amen.

107. THE SUM AND THE SATISFACTION.

Last night I drew up mine account, And found my debits to amount To such a height, as for to tell How I should pay 's impossible. Well, this I'll do: my mighty score Thy mercy-seat I'll lay before; But therewithal I'll bring the band Which, in full force, did daring stand Till my Redeemer, on the tree, Made void for millions, as for me. Then, if thou bidst me pay, or go Unto the prison, I'll say, no; Christ having paid, I nothing owe: For, this is sure, the debt is dead By law, the bond once cancelled.

Score, debt or reckoning. Band, bond. Daring, frightening.

108. GOOD MEN AFFLICTED MOST.

God makes not good men wantons, but doth bring Them to the field, and, there, to skirmishing. With trials those, with terrors these He proves, And hazards those most whom the most He loves; For Sceva, darts; for Cocles, dangers; thus He finds a fire for mighty Mutius; Death for stout Cato; and besides all these, A poison, too, He has for Socrates; Torments for high Attilius; and, with want, Brings in Fabricius for a combatant: But bastard-slips, and such as He dislikes, He never brings them once to th' push of pikes.

109. GOOD CHRISTIANS

Play their offensive and defensive parts, Till they be hid o'er with a wood of darts.

110. THE WILL THE CAUSE OF WOE.

When man is punish'd, he is plagued still, Not for the fault of nature, but of will.

111. TO HEAVEN.

Open thy gates To him, who weeping waits, And might come in, But that held back by sin. Let mercy be So kind to set me free, And I will straight Come in, or force the gate.

112. THE RECOMPENSE.

All I have lost that could be rapt from me; And fare it well: yet, Herrick, if so be Thy dearest Saviour renders thee but one Smile, that one smile's full restitution.

113. TO GOD.

Pardon me, God, once more I Thee entreat, That I have placed Thee in so mean a seat Where round about Thou seest but all things vain, Uncircumcis'd, unseason'd and profane. But as Heaven's public and immortal eye Looks on the filth, but is not soil'd thereby, So Thou, my God, may'st on this impure look, But take no tincture from my sinful book: Let but one beam of glory on it shine, And that will make me and my work divine.

114. TO GOD.

Lord, I am like to mistletoe, Which has no root, and cannot grow Or prosper but by that same tree It clings about; so I by Thee. What need I then to fear at all, So long as I about Thee crawl? But if that tree should fall and die, Tumble shall heav'n, and down will I.

115. HIS WISH TO GOD.

I would to God that mine old age might have Before my last, but here a living grave, Some one poor almshouse; there to lie, or stir Ghostlike, as in my meaner sepulchre; A little piggin and a pipkin by, To hold things fitting my necessity, Which rightly used, both in their time and place, Might me excite to fore and after-grace. Thy Cross, my Christ, fix'd 'fore mine eyes should be, Not to adore that, but to worship Thee. So, here the remnant of my days I'd spend, Reading Thy Bible, and my Book; so end.

Piggin, a small wooden vessel.

116. SATAN.

When we 'gainst Satan stoutly fight, the more He tears and tugs us than he did before; Neglecting once to cast a frown on those Whom ease makes his without the help of blows.

117. HELL.

Hell is no other but a soundless pit, Where no one beam of comfort peeps in it.

118. THE WAY.

When I a ship see on the seas, Cuff'd with those wat'ry savages, And therewithal behold it hath In all that way no beaten path, Then, with a wonder, I confess Thou art our way i' th' wilderness; And while we blunder in the dark, Thou art our candle there, or spark.

119. GREAT GRIEF, GREAT GLORY.

The less our sorrows here and suff'rings cease, The more our crowns of glory there increase.

120. HELL.

Hell is the place where whipping-cheer abounds, But no one jailer there to wash the wounds.

121. THE BELLMAN.

Along the dark and silent night, With my lantern and my light, And the tinkling of my bell, Thus I walk, and this I tell: Death and dreadfulness call on To the gen'ral session, To whose dismal bar we there All accounts must come to clear. Scores of sins w'ave made here many, Wip'd out few, God knows, if any. Rise, ye debtors, then, and fall To make payment while I call. Ponder this, when I am gone; By the clock 'tis almost one.

122. THE GOODNESS OF HIS GOD.

When winds and seas do rage And threaten to undo me, Thou dost, their wrath assuage If I but call unto Thee.

A mighty storm last night Did seek my soul to swallow, But by the peep of light A gentle calm did follow.

What need I then despair, Though ills stand round about me; Since mischiefs neither dare To bark or bite without Thee?

123. THE WIDOWS' TEARS: OR, DIRGE OF DORCAS.

Come pity us, all ye who see Our harps hung on the willow tree: Come pity us, ye passers-by Who see or hear poor widows cry: Come pity us; and bring your ears And eyes to pity widows' tears. Chor. And when you are come hither Then we will keep A fast, and weep Our eyes out altogether.

For Tabitha, who dead lies here, Clean washed, and laid out for the bier, O modest matrons, weep and wail! For now the corn and wine must fail: The basket and the bin of bread, Wherewith so many souls were fed, Chor. Stand empty here for ever: And ah! the poor At thy worn door Shall be relieved never.

Woe worth the time, woe worth the day That 'reaved us of thee, Tabitha! For we have lost with thee the meal, The bits, the morsels, and the deal Of gentle paste and yielding dough That thou on widows did'st bestow. Chor. All's gone, and death hath taken Away from us Our maundy; thus Thy widows stand forsaken.

Ah, Dorcas, Dorcas! now adieu We bid the cruse and pannier too: Ay, and the flesh, for and the fish Doled to us in that lordly dish. We take our leaves now of the loom From whence the housewives' cloth did come: Chor. The web affords now nothing; Thou being dead, The worsted thread Is cut, that made us clothing.

Farewell the flax and reaming wool With which thy house was plentiful; Farewell the coats, the garments, and The sheets, the rugs, made by thy hand; Farewell thy fire and thy light That ne'er went out by day or night: Chor. No, or thy zeal so speedy, That found a way By peep of day, To feed and cloth the needy.

But, ah, alas! the almond bough And olive branch is withered now. The wine press now is ta'en from us, The saffron and the calamus. The spice and spikenard hence is gone, The storax and the cinnamon. Chor. The carol of our gladness Has taken wing, And our late spring Of mirth is turned to sadness.

How wise wast thou in all thy ways! How worthy of respect and praise! How matron-like didst thou go dressed! How soberly above the rest Of those that prank it with their plumes, And jet it with their choice perfumes! Chor. Thy vestures were not flowing: Nor did the street Accuse thy feet Of mincing in their going.

And though thou here li'st dead, we see A deal of beauty yet in thee. How sweetly shows thy smiling face, Thy lips with all-diffused grace! Thy hands, though cold, yet spotless white, And comely as the chrysolite! Chor. Thy belly like a hill is, Or as a neat Clean heap of wheat, All set about with lilies.

Sleep with thy beauties here, while we Will show these garments made by thee; These were the coats, in these are read The monuments of Dorcas dead. These were thy acts, and thou shall have These hung as honours o'er thy grave; Chor. And after us, distressed, Should fame be dumb, Thy very tomb Would cry out, Thou art blessed.

Deal, portion. Maundy, the alms given on Thursday in Holy Week. Reaming, drawing out into threads. Calamus, a fragrant plant, the sweet flag. Chrysolite, the topaz.

124. TO GOD IN TIME OF PLUNDERING.

Rapine has yet took nought from me; But if it please my God I be Brought at the last to th' utmost bit, God make me thankful still for it. I have been grateful for my store: Let me say grace when there's no more.

125. TO HIS SAVIOUR. THE NEW-YEAR'S GIFT.

That little pretty bleeding part Of foreskin send to me: And I'll return a bleeding heart For New-Year's gift to Thee.

Rich is the gem that Thou did'st send, Mine's faulty too and small; But yet this gift Thou wilt commend Because I send Thee all.

126. DOOMSDAY.

Let not that day God's friends and servants scare; The bench is then their place, and not the bar.

127. THE POOR'S PORTION.

The sup'rabundance of my store, That is the portion of the poor: Wheat, barley, rye, or oats; what is't But He takes toll of? all the grist. Two raiments have I: Christ then makes This law; that He and I part stakes. Or have I two loaves, then I use The poor to cut, and I to choose.

128. THE WHITE ISLAND: OR, PLACE OF THE BLEST.

In this world, the isle of dreams, While we sit by sorrow's streams, Tears and terrors are our themes Reciting:

But when once from hence we fly, More and more approaching nigh Unto young Eternity Uniting:

In that whiter island, where Things are evermore sincere; Candour here, and lustre there Delighting:

There no monstrous fancies shall Out of hell an horror call, To create, or cause at all, Affrighting.

There in calm and cooling sleep We our eyes shall never steep; But eternal watch shall keep, Attending

Pleasures, such as shall pursue Me immortalised, and you; And fresh joys, as never to Have ending.

129. TO CHRIST.

I crawl, I creep; my Christ, I come To Thee for curing balsamum: Thou hast, nay more, Thou art the tree Affording salve of sovereignty. My mouth I'll lay unto Thy wound Bleeding, that no blood touch the ground: For, rather than one drop shall fall To waste, my JESU, I'll take all.

130. TO GOD.

God! to my little meal and oil Add but a bit of flesh to boil: And Thou my pipkinet shalt see, Give a wave-off'ring unto Thee.

131. FREE WELCOME.

God He refuseth no man, but makes way For all that now come or hereafter may.

132. GOD'S GRACE.

God's grace deserves here to be daily fed That, thus increased, it might be perfected.

133. COMING TO CHRIST.

To him who longs unto his Christ to go, Celerity even itself is slow.

134. CORRECTION.

God had but one Son free from sin; but none Of all His sons free from correction.

135. GOD'S BOUNTY.

God, as He's potent, so He's likewise known To give us more than hope can fix upon.

136. KNOWLEDGE.

Science in God is known to be A substance, not a quality.

137. SALUTATION.

Christ, I have read, did to His chaplains say, Sending them forth, Salute no man by th' way: Not that He taught His ministers to be Unsmooth or sour to all civility, But to instruct them to avoid all snares Of tardidation in the Lord's affairs. Manners are good; but till His errand ends, Salute we must nor strangers, kin, or friends.

Tardidation, sloth.

138. LASCIVIOUSNESS.

Lasciviousness is known to be The sister to saturity.

139. TEARS.

God from our eyes all tears hereafter wipes, And gives His children kisses then, not stripes.

140. GOD'S BLESSING.

In vain our labours are whatsoe'er they be, Unless God gives the benedicite.

141. GOD, AND LORD.

God is His name of nature; but that word Implies His power when He's called the Lord.

142. THE JUDGMENT-DAY.

God hides from man the reck'ning day, that he May fear it ever for uncertainty; That being ignorant of that one, he may Expect the coming of it every day.

143. ANGELS.

Angels are called gods; yet of them, none Are gods but by participation: As just men are entitled gods, yet none Are gods of them but by adoption.

144. LONG LIFE.

The longer thread of life we spin, The more occasion still to sin.

145. TEARS.

The tears of saints more sweet by far Than all the songs of sinners are.

146. MANNA.

That manna, which God on His people cast, Fitted itself to ev'ry feeder's taste.

147. REVERENCE.

True rev'rence is, as Cassiodore doth prove, The fear of God commix'd with cleanly love.

Cassiodore, Marcus Aurelius Cassiodorus, theologian and statesman 497-575?

148. MERCY.

Mercy, the wise Athenians held to be Not an affection, but a deity.

149. WAGES.

After this life, the wages shall Not shared alike be unto all.

150. TEMPTATION.

God tempteth no one, as St. Austin saith, For any ill, but for the proof of faith; Unto temptation God exposeth some, But none of purpose to be overcome.

151. GOD'S HANDS.

God's hands are round and smooth, that gifts may fall Freely from them and hold none back at all.

152. LABOUR.

Labour we must, and labour hard I' th' forum here, or vineyard.

153. MORA SPONSI, THE STAY OF THE BRIDEGROOM.

The time the bridegroom stays from hence Is but the time of penitence.

154. ROARING.

Roaring is nothing but a weeping part Forced from the mighty dolour of the heart.

155. THE EUCHARIST.

He that is hurt seeks help: sin is the wound; The salve for this i' th' Eucharist is found.

156. SIN SEVERELY PUNISHED.

God in His own day will be then severe To punish great sins, who small faults whipt here.

157. MONTES SCRIPTURARUM: THE MOUNTS OF THE SCRIPTURES.

The mountains of the Scriptures are, some say, Moses, and Jesus, called Joshua: The prophets, mountains of the Old are meant, Th' apostles, mounts of the New Testament.

158. PRAYER.

A prayer that is said alone Starves, having no companion. Great things ask for when thou dost pray, And those great are which ne'er decay. Pray not for silver, rust eats this; Ask not for gold, which metal is; Nor yet for houses, which are here But earth: such vows ne'er reach God's ear.

159. CHRIST'S SADNESS.

Christ was not sad, i' th' garden, for His own Passion, but for His sheep's dispersion.

160. GOD HEARS US.

God, who's in heaven, will hear from thence; If not to th' sound, yet to the sense.

161. GOD.

God, as the learned Damascene doth write, A sea of substance is, indefinite.

The learned Damascene, i.e., St. John of Damascus.

162. CLOUDS.

He that ascended in a cloud, shall come In clouds descending to the public doom.

163. COMFORTS IN CONTENTIONS.

The same who crowns the conqueror, will be A coadjutor in the agony.

164. HEAVEN.

Heaven is most fair; but fairer He That made that fairest canopy.

165. GOD.

In God there's nothing, but 'tis known to be Even God Himself, in perfect entity.

166. HIS POWER.

God can do all things, save but what are known For to imply a contradiction.

167. CHRIST'S WORDS ON THE CROSS: MY GOD, MY GOD.

Christ, when He hung the dreadful cross upon, Had, as it were, a dereliction In this regard, in those great terrors He Had no one beam from God's sweet majesty.

Dereliction, abandonment.

168. JEHOVAH.

Jehovah, as Boetius saith, No number of the plural hath.

169. CONFUSION OF FACE.

God then confounds man's face when He not bears The vows of those who are petitioners.

170. ANOTHER.

The shame of man's face is no more Than prayers repell'd, says Cassiodore.

171. BEGGARS.

Jacob God's beggar was; and so we wait, Though ne'er so rich, all beggars at His gate.

172. GOOD AND BAD.

The bad among the good are here mix'd ever; The good without the bad are here plac'd never.

173. SIN.

Sin no existence; nature none it hath, Or good at all, as learned Aquinas saith.

174. MARTHA, MARTHA.

The repetition of the name made known No other than Christ's full affection.

175. YOUTH AND AGE.

God on our youth bestows but little ease; But on our age most sweet indulgences.

176. GOD'S POWER.

God is so potent, as His power can Draw out of bad a sovereign good to man.

177. PARADISE.

Paradise is, as from the learn'd I gather, A choir of bless'd souls circling in the Father.

178. OBSERVATION.

The Jews, when they built houses, I have read, One part thereof left still unfinished, To make them thereby mindful of their own City's most sad and dire destruction.

179. THE ASS.

God did forbid the Israelites to bring An ass unto Him for an offering, Only, by this dull creature, to express His detestation to all slothfulness.

180. OBSERVATION.

The Virgin Mother stood at distance, there, From her Son's cross, not shedding once a tear, Because the law forbad to sit and cry For those who did as malefactors die. So she, to keep her mighty woes in awe, Tortured her love not to transgress the law. Observe we may, how Mary Joses then, And th' other Mary, Mary Magdalen, Sat by the grave; and sadly sitting there, Shed for their Master many a bitter tear; But 'twas not till their dearest Lord was dead And then to weep they both were licensed.

181. TAPERS.

Those tapers which we set upon the grave In fun'ral pomp, but this importance have: That souls departed are not put out quite; But as they walked here in their vestures white, So live in heaven in everlasting light.

182. CHRIST'S BIRTH.

One birth our Saviour had; the like none yet Was, or will be a second like to it.

183. THE VIRGIN MARY.

To work a wonder, God would have her shown At once a bud and yet a rose full-blown.

184. ANOTHER.

As sunbeams pierce the glass, and streaming in, No crack or schism leave i' th' subtle skin: So the Divine Hand worked and brake no thread, But, in a mother, kept a maidenhead.

185. GOD.

God, in the holy tongue, they call The place that filleth all in all.

186. ANOTHER OF GOD.

God's said to leave this place, and for to come Nearer to that place than to other some, Of local motion, in no least respect, But only by impression of effect.

187. ANOTHER.

God is Jehovah call'd: which name of His Implies or Essence, or the He that Is.

188. GOD'S PRESENCE.

God's evident, and may be said to be Present with just men, to the verity; But with the wicked if He doth comply, 'Tis, as St. Bernard saith, but seemingly.

189. GOD'S DWELLING.

God's said to dwell there, wheresoever He Puts down some prints of His high Majesty; As when to man He comes, and there doth place His Holy Spirit, or doth plant His Grace.

190. THE VIRGIN MARY.

The Virgin Mary was, as I have read, The House of God, by Christ inhabited; Into the which He entered, but, the door Once shut, was never to be open'd more.

191. TO GOD.

God's undivided, One in Persons Three, And Three in inconfused unity. Original of Essence there is none, 'Twixt God the Father, Holy Ghost, and Son: And though the Father be the first of Three, 'Tis but by order, not by entity.

192. UPON WOMAN AND MARY.

So long, it seem'd, as Mary's faith was small, Christ did her woman, not her Mary call; But no more woman, being strong in faith, But Mary call'd then, as St. Ambrose saith.

193. NORTH AND SOUTH.

The Jews their beds and offices of ease, Placed north and south for these clean purposes; That man's uncomely froth might not molest God's ways and walks, which lie still east and west.

194. SABBATHS.

Sabbaths are threefold, as St. Austin says: The first of time, or Sabbath here of days; The second is a conscience trespass-free; The last the Sabbath of Eternity.

195. THE FAST, OR LENT.

Noah the first was, as tradition says, That did ordain the fast of forty days.

196. SIN.

There is no evil that we do commit, But hath th' extraction of some good from it: As when we sin, God, the great Chemist, thence Draws out th' elixir of true penitence.

197. GOD.

God is more here than in another place, Not by His essence, but commerce of grace.

198. THIS, AND THE NEXT WORLD.

God hath this world for many made, 'tis true: But He hath made the World to Come for few.

199. EASE.

God gives to none so absolute an ease As not to know or feel some grievances.

200. BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS.

Paul, he began ill, but he ended well; Judas began well, but he foully fell: In godliness not the beginnings so Much as the ends are to be look'd unto.

201. TEMPORAL GOODS.

These temporal goods God, the most wise, commends To th' good and bad in common for two ends: First, that these goods none here may o'er-esteem Because the wicked do partake of them; Next, that these ills none cowardly may shun, Being, oft here, the just man's portion.