Give me
honours!
Robert Herrick
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.
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.
