The Hesperides & Noble Numbers Part 68

804. TO HIS FAITHFUL FRIEND, M. JOHN CROFTS, CUP-BEARER TO THE KING.

For all thy many courtesies to me, Nothing I have, my Crofts, to send to thee For the requital, save this only one Half of my just remuneration.

For since I've travell'd all this realm throughout To seek and find some few immortals out To circ.u.mspangle this my s.p.a.cious sphere, As lamps for everlasting shining here; And having fix'd thee in mine orb a star, Amongst the rest, both bright and singular, The present age will tell the world thou art, If not to th' whole, yet satisfi'd in part.

As for the rest, being too great a sum Here to be paid, I'll pay't i' th' world to come.

805. THE BRIDE-CAKE.

This day, my Julia, thou must make For Mistress Bride the wedding-cake: Knead but the dough, and it will be To paste of almonds turn'd by thee: Or kiss it thou but once or twice, And for the bride-cake there'll be spice.

806. TO BE MERRY.

Let's now take our time While w'are in our prime, And old, old age is afar off: For the evil, evil days Will come on apace, Before we can be aware of.

807. BURIAL.

Man may want land to live in; but for all Nature finds out some place for burial.

808. LENITY.

'Tis the Chirurgeon's praise, and height of art, Not to cut off, but cure the vicious part.

809. PENITENCE.

Who after his transgression doth repent, Is half, or altogether innocent.

810. GRIEF.

Consider sorrows, how they are aright: _Grief, if't be great, 'tis short; if long, 'tis light_.

811. THE MAIDEN-BLUSH.

So look the mornings when the sun Paints them with fresh vermilion: So cherries blush, and Kathern pears, And apricots in youthful years: So corals look more lovely red, And rubies lately polished: So purest diaper doth shine, Stain'd by the beams of claret wine: As Julia looks when she doth dress Her either cheek with bashfulness.

_Kathern pears_, _i.e._, Catharine pears.

812. THE MEAN.

_Imparity doth ever discord bring; The mean the music makes in everything._

813. HASTE HURTFUL.

_Haste is unhappy; what we rashly do Is both unlucky, aye, and foolish, too.

Where war with rashness is attempted, there The soldiers leave the field with equal fear._

814. PURGATORY.

Readers, we entreat ye pray For the soul of Lucia; That in little time she be From her purgatory free: In the interim she desires That your tears may cool her fires.

815. THE CLOUD.

Seest thou that cloud that rides in state, Part ruby-like, part candidate?

It is no other than the bed Where Venus sleeps half-smothered.

_Candidate_, robed in white.

817. THE AMBER BEAD.

I saw a fly within a bead Of amber cleanly buried; The urn was little, but the room More rich than Cleopatra's tomb.

818. TO MY DEAREST SISTER, M. MERCY HERRICK.

Whene'er I go, or whatsoe'er befalls Me in mine age, or foreign funerals, This blessing I will leave thee, ere I go: Prosper thy basket and therein thy dough.

Feed on the paste of filberts, or else knead And bake the flour of amber for thy bread.

Balm may thy trees drop, and thy springs run oil, And everlasting harvest crown thy soil!

These I but wish for; but thyself shall see The blessing fall in mellow times on thee.

819. THE TRANSFIGURATION.

Immortal clothing I put on So soon as, Julia, I am gone To mine eternal mansion.

Thou, thou art here, to human sight Cloth'd all with incorrupted light; But yet how more admir'dly bright Wilt thou appear, when thou art set In thy refulgent thronelet, That shin'st thus in thy counterfeit!

820. SUFFER THAT THOU CANST NOT SHIFT.

Does fortune rend thee? Bear with thy hard fate: _Virtuous instructions ne'er are delicate_.

Say, does she frown? still countermand her threats: _Virtue best loves those children that she beats_.

821. TO THE Pa.s.sENGER.

If I lie unburied, sir, These my relics pray inter: 'Tis religion's part to see Stones or turfs to cover me.

One word more I had to say: But it skills not; go your way; He that wants a burial room _For a stone, has Heaven his tomb_.

_Religion's_, orig. ed. _religious_.