Robert Herrick

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

"Both you two have     Relation to the grave:     And where     The funeral-trump sounds, you are there,     I shall be made,     Ere long, a"

"Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night Has not as yet begun To make a seizure on the light, Or to seal up the sun. No marigolds yet closed are; N"

"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,"

"Beauty no other thing is, than a beam Flash'd out between the middle and extreme."

"All things o'er-ruled are here by chance:     The greatest man's inheritance,     Where'er the lucky lot doth fall,     Serves but for place of"

"Ask me why I send you here This sweet Infanta of the year? Ask me why I send to you This Primrose, thus bepearl'd with dew? I will whisper to your"

"How rich and pleasing thou, my Julia, art, In each thy dainty and peculiar part! First, for thy Queen-ship on thy head is set Of flowers a sweet co"

"That hour-glass which there you see With water fill'd, sirs, credit me, The humour was, as I have read, But lovers' tears incrystalled. Which, as"

"Thou gav'st me leave to kiss,     Thou gav'st me leave to woo;     Thou mad'st me think, by this     And that, thou lov'dst me too.     But I"

"Julia, when thy Herrick dies, Close thou up thy poet's eyes; And his last breath, let it be Taken in by none but thee."

"I have lost, and lately, these Many dainty mistresses: Stately Julia, prime of all; Sapho next, a principal: Smooth Anthea, for a skin White, and"

"Begin to charm, and as thou strok'st mine ears With thine enchantment, melt me into tears. Then let thy active hand scud o'er thy lyre, And make my"

"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 wis"

"Oft bend the bow, and thou with ease shalt do     What others can't with all their strength put to."

"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. Bern"

"He that will not love must be     My scholar, and learn this of me:     There be in love as many fears     As the summer's corn has ears:"

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

"Be those few hours, which I have yet to spend, Blest with the meditation of my end; Though they be few in number, I'm content; If otherwise, I stan"

"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:"

"Thou cam'st to cure me, doctor, of my cold,     And caught'st thyself the more by twenty fold:     Prithee go home; and for thy credit be     F"

"Men say you're fair; and fair ye are, 'tis true; But, hark! we praise the painter now, not you."

"What times of sweetness this fair day foreshows,     Whenas the Lily marries with the Rose!     What next is look'd for? but we all should see"

"Letcher was carted first about the streets,     For false position in his neighbour's sheets:     Next, hanged for thieving: now the people say,"

"Anthea laugh'd, and, fearing lest excess Might stretch the cords of civil comeliness She with a dainty blush rebuked her face, And call'd each line"

"Thrice happy roses, so much grac'd to have     Within the bosom of my love your grave.     Die when ye will, your sepulchre is known,     Your"

"Make me a heaven, and make me there     Many a less and greater sphere:     Make me the straight and oblique lines,     The motions, lations an"

"UPON THE DEATH OF HENRY, LORD HASTINGS.     The musical part being set by Mr. Henry Lawes.     THE SPEAKERS,     CHARON AND EUCOSMIA."

"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 go"

"To loose the button is no less,     Than to cast off all bashfulness."

"The Rose was sick, and smiling died; And, being to be sanctified, About the bed, there sighing stood The sweet and flowery sisterhood. Some hung t"

"That happiness does still the longest thrive,     Where joys and griefs have turns alternative."

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

"Sorrows divided amongst many, less     Discruciate a man in deep distress."

"Who, railing, drives the lazar from his door,     Instead of alms, sets dogs upon the poor."

"Take mine advice, and go not near     Those faces, sour as vinegar;     For these, and nobler numbers, can     Ne'er please the supercilious ma"

"I've paid thee what I promis'd; that's not all;     Besides I give thee here a verse that shall     (When hence thy circummortal part is gone),"

"Immortal clothing I put on So soon as, Julia, I am gone To mine eternal mansion. Thou, thou art here, to human sight Clothed all with incorrupted"

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

"Love, like a Gypsy, lately came, And did me much importune To see my hand, that by the same He might foretell my fortune. He saw my palm; and the"

"I have seen many maidens to have hair,     Both for their comely need and some to spare;     But Blanch has not so much upon her head     As to"

"Seeing thee, Soame, I see a goodly man,     And in that good a great patrician.     Next to which two, among the city powers     And thrones, t"

"Fled are the frosts, and now the fields appear Reclothed in fresh and verdant diaper; Thaw'd are the snows; and now the lusty Spring Gives to each"

"Long locks of late our zealot Peason wears,     Not for to hide his high and mighty ears;     No, but because he would not have it seen     Tha"

"Ah, Cruel Love!    must I endure Thy many scorns, and find no cure? Say, are thy medicines made to be Helps to all others but to me? I'll leave th"

"Fain would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg,     Which is as white and hairless as an egg."

"Love love begets, then never be     Unsoft to him who's smooth to thee.     Tigers and bears, I've heard some say,     For proffer'd love will"

"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 ca"

"Since Gander did his pretty youngling wed,     Gander, they say, doth each night piss a-bed:     What is the cause? Why, Gander will reply,"

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

"Tell me, what needs those rich deceits,     These golden toils, and trammel nets,     To take thine hairs when they are known     Already tame,"

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

"When my date's done, and my grey age must die,     Nurse up, great lord, this my posterity:     Weak though it be, long may it grow and stand,"

"The Flourish of Music; then followed the Song.      1. Tell us, thou clear and heavenly tongue,             Where is the Babe but lately sprung"

"Thou who wilt not love, do this,     Learn of me what woman is.     Something made of thread and thrum.     A mere botch of all and some."

"Christ took our nature on Him, not that He     'Bove all things loved it for the purity:     No, but He dress'd Him with our human trim,     Be"

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

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

"A Master of a house, as I have read,     Must be the first man up, and last in bed.     With the sun rising he must walk his grounds;     See t"

"Where love begins, there dead thy first desire:     A spark neglected makes a mighty fire."