The Hesperides & Noble Numbers Part 72

876. HOW HIS SOUL CAME ENSNARED.

My soul would one day go and seek For roses, and in Julia's cheek A richesse of those sweets she found, As in another Rosamond.

But gathering roses as she was, Not knowing what would come to pa.s.s, It chanc'd a ringlet of her hair Caught my poor soul, as in a snare: Which ever since has been in thrall; Yet freedom she enjoys withal.

_Richesse_, wealth.

877. FACTIONS.

The factions of the great ones call, To side with them, the commons all.

881. UPON JULIA'S HAIR BUNDLED UP IN A GOLDEN NET.

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

'Tis I am wild, and more than hairs Deserve these meshes and those snares.

Set free thy tresses, let them flow As airs do breathe or winds do blow: And let such curious net-works be Less set for them than spread for me.

883. THE SHOWER OF BLOSSOMS.

Love in a shower of blossoms came Down, and half drown'd me with the same: The blooms that fell were white and red; But with such sweets commingled, As whether--this I cannot tell-- My sight was pleas'd more, or my smell: But true it was, as I roll'd there, Without a thought of hurt or fear, Love turn'd himself into a bee, And with his javelin wounded me: From which mishap this use I make, _Where most sweets are, there lies a snake: Kisses and favours are sweet things; But those have thorns and these have stings._

885. A DEFENCE FOR WOMEN.

Naught are all women: I say no, Since for one bad, one good I know: For Clytemnestra most unkind, Loving Alcestis there we find: For one Medea that was bad, A good Penelope was had: For wanton Lais, then we have Chaste Lucrece, a wife as grave: And thus through womankind we see A good and bad. Sirs, credit me.

887. SLAVERY.

'Tis liberty to serve one lord; but he Who many serves, serves base servility.

888. CHARMS.

Bring the holy crust of bread, Lay it underneath the head; 'Tis a certain charm to keep Hags away, while children sleep.

889. ANOTHER.

Let the superst.i.tious wife Near the child's heart lay a knife: Point be up, and haft be down (While she gossips in the town); This, 'mongst other mystic charms, Keeps the sleeping child from harms.

890. ANOTHER TO BRING IN THE WITCH.

To house the hag, you must do this: Commix with meal a little p.i.s.s Of him bewitch'd; then forthwith make A little wafer or a cake; And this rawly bak'd will bring The old hag in. No surer thing.

891. ANOTHER CHARM FOR STABLES.

Hang up hooks and shears to scare Hence the hag that rides the mare, Till they be all over wet With the mire and the sweat: This observ'd, the manes shall be Of your horses all knot-free.

892. CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE.

Down with the rosemary and bays, Down with the mistletoe; Instead of holly, now up-raise The greener box, for show.

The holly hitherto did sway; Let box now domineer Until the dancing Easter day, Or Easter's eve appear.

Then youthful box which now hath grace Your houses to renew; Grown old, surrender must his place Unto the crisped yew.

When yew is out, then birch comes in, And many flowers beside; Both of a fresh and fragrant kin To honour Whitsuntide.

Green rushes, then, and sweetest bents, With cooler oaken boughs, Come in for comely ornaments To re-adorn the house.

Thus times do shift; each thing his turn does hold: _New things succeed, as former things grow old_.

_Bents_, gra.s.ses.

893. THE CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS DAY.

Kindle the Christmas brand, and then Till sunset let it burn; Which quench'd, then lay it up again Till Christmas next return.

Part must be kept wherewith to teend The Christmas log next year, And where 'tis safely kept, the fiend Can do no mischief there.

894. UPON CANDLEMAS DAY.

End now the white loaf and the pie, And let all sports with Christmas die.

_Teend_, kindle.

897. TO BIANCA, TO BLESS HIM.

Would I woo, and would I win?

Would I well my work begin?

Would I evermore be crowned With the end that I propound?

Would I frustrate or prevent All aspects malevolent?

Thwart all wizards, and with these Dead all black contingencies: Place my words and all works else In most happy parallels?

All will prosper, if so be I be kiss'd or bless'd by thee.

898. JULIA'S CHURCHING, OR PURIFICATION.

Put on thy holy filletings, and so To th' temple with the sober midwife go.

Attended thus, in a most solemn wise, By those who serve the child-bed mysteries, Burn first thine incense; next, whenas thou see'st The candid stole thrown o'er the pious priest, With reverend curtsies come, and to him bring Thy free (and not decurted) offering.

All rites well ended, with fair auspice come (As to the breaking of a bride-cake) home, Where ceremonious Hymen shall for thee Provide a second epithalamy.