Rise,
household
gods, and let us go;
But whither I myself not know.
But whither I myself not know.
Robert Herrick
TO MEADOWS.
Ye have been fresh and green,
Ye have been fill'd with flowers,
And ye the walks have been
Where maids have spent their hours.
You have beheld how they
With wicker arks did come
To kiss and bear away
The richer cowslips home.
Y'ave heard them sweetly sing,
And seen them in a round:
Each virgin like a spring,
With honeysuckles crown'd.
But now we see none here
Whose silvery feet did tread,
And with dishevell'd hair
Adorn'd this smoother mead.
Like unthrifts, having spent
Your stock and needy grown,
Y'are left here to lament
Your poor estates, alone.
_Round_, a rustic dance.
275. CROSSES.
Though good things answer many good intents,
_Crosses do still bring forth the best events_.
276. MISERIES.
Though hourly comforts from the gods we see,
_No life is yet life-proof from misery_.
278. TO HIS HOUSEHOLD GODS.
Rise, household gods, and let us go;
But whither I myself not know.
First, let us dwell on rudest seas;
Next, with severest savages;
Last, let us make our best abode
Where human foot as yet ne'er trod:
Search worlds of ice, and rather there
Dwell than in loathed Devonshire.
279. TO THE NIGHTINGALE AND ROBIN REDBREAST.
When I departed am, ring thou my knell,
Thou pitiful and pretty Philomel:
And when I'm laid out for a corse, then be
Thou sexton, redbreast, for to cover me.
280. TO THE YEW AND CYPRESS TO GRACE HIS FUNERAL.
Both you two have
Relation to the grave:
And where
The funeral-trump sounds, you are there,
I shall be made,
Ere long, a fleeting shade:
Pray, come
And do some honour to my tomb.
Do not deny
My last request; for I
Will be
Thankful to you, or friends, for me.
281. I CALL AND I CALL.
I call, I call: who do ye call?
The maids to catch this cowslip ball:
But since these cowslips fading be,
Troth, leave the flowers, and, maids, take me.
Yet, if that neither you will do,
Speak but the word and I'll take you.
282. ON A PERFUMED LADY.
Ye have been fresh and green,
Ye have been fill'd with flowers,
And ye the walks have been
Where maids have spent their hours.
You have beheld how they
With wicker arks did come
To kiss and bear away
The richer cowslips home.
Y'ave heard them sweetly sing,
And seen them in a round:
Each virgin like a spring,
With honeysuckles crown'd.
But now we see none here
Whose silvery feet did tread,
And with dishevell'd hair
Adorn'd this smoother mead.
Like unthrifts, having spent
Your stock and needy grown,
Y'are left here to lament
Your poor estates, alone.
_Round_, a rustic dance.
275. CROSSES.
Though good things answer many good intents,
_Crosses do still bring forth the best events_.
276. MISERIES.
Though hourly comforts from the gods we see,
_No life is yet life-proof from misery_.
278. TO HIS HOUSEHOLD GODS.
Rise, household gods, and let us go;
But whither I myself not know.
First, let us dwell on rudest seas;
Next, with severest savages;
Last, let us make our best abode
Where human foot as yet ne'er trod:
Search worlds of ice, and rather there
Dwell than in loathed Devonshire.
279. TO THE NIGHTINGALE AND ROBIN REDBREAST.
When I departed am, ring thou my knell,
Thou pitiful and pretty Philomel:
And when I'm laid out for a corse, then be
Thou sexton, redbreast, for to cover me.
280. TO THE YEW AND CYPRESS TO GRACE HIS FUNERAL.
Both you two have
Relation to the grave:
And where
The funeral-trump sounds, you are there,
I shall be made,
Ere long, a fleeting shade:
Pray, come
And do some honour to my tomb.
Do not deny
My last request; for I
Will be
Thankful to you, or friends, for me.
281. I CALL AND I CALL.
I call, I call: who do ye call?
The maids to catch this cowslip ball:
But since these cowslips fading be,
Troth, leave the flowers, and, maids, take me.
Yet, if that neither you will do,
Speak but the word and I'll take you.
282. ON A PERFUMED LADY.
