Author: Robert Herrick

Holy-Rood, come forth and shield Us i’ th’ city and the field; Safely guard us, now and aye, From the […]

At draw-gloves we’ll play, And prithee let’s lay A wager, and let it be this : Who first to the […]

Scobble for whoredom whips his wife and cries He’ll slit her nose; but blubbering she replies, “Good sir, make no […]

Sweet Amarillis, by a spring’s Soft and soul-melting murmurings, Slept; and thus sleeping, thither flew A Robin-red-breast; who at view, […]

I have lost, and lately, these Many dainty mistresses: Stately Julia, prime of all; Sapho next, a principal: Smooth Anthea, […]

If after rude and boisterous seas My wearied pinnace here finds ease; If so it be I’ve gain’d the shore, […]

That flow of gallants which approach To kiss thy hand from out the coach; That fleet of lackeys which do […]

Ah, Posthumus! our years hence fly And leave no sound: nor piety, Or prayers, or vow Can keep the wrinkle […]

The Hag is astride, This night for to ride, The devil and she together; Through thick and through thin, Now […]

Be the mistress of my choice, Clean in manners, clear in voice; Be she witty, more than wise, Pure enough, […]

Can I not sin, but thou wilt be My private protonotary? Can I not woo thee, to pass by A […]

Whenas in silks my Julia goes, Till, then, methinks, how sweetly flows That liquefaction of her clothes! Next, when I […]

A sweet disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness; A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine […]

Old Parson Beanes hunts six days of the week, And on the seventh, he has his notes to seek. Six […]

First, for effusions due unto the dead, My solemn vows have here accomplished; Next, how I love thee, that my […]

Anthea laugh’d, and, fearing lest excess Might stretch the cords of civil comeliness She with a dainty blush rebuked her […]

I could but see thee yesterday Stung by a fretful bee; And I the javelin suck’d away, And heal’d the […]

Kindle the Christmas brand, and then Till sunset let it burn; Which quench’d, then lay it up again, Till Christmas […]

In all thy need, be thou possest Still with a well prepared breast; Nor let the shackles make thee sad; […]

Go, happy Rose, and interwove With other flowers, bind my Love. Tell her, too, she must not be Longer flowing, […]

More discontents I never had Since I was born, than here; Where I have been, and still am, sad, In […]

I dreamed this mortal part of mine Was metamorphosed to a vine, Which, crawling one and every way, Enthralled my […]

Man is a watch, wound up at first, but never Wound up again; Once down, he’s down for ever. The […]

Hapcot! To thee the Fairy State I with discretion, dedicate. Because thou prizest things that are Curious, and un-familiar. Take […]

Droop, droop no more, or hang the head, Ye roses almost withered; Now strength, and newer purple get, Each here […]

Dull to myself, and almost dead to these, My many fresh and fragrant mistresses; Lost to all music now, since […]

My Muse in meads has spent her many hours Sitting, and sorting several sorts of flowers, To make for others […]

Among the myrtles as I walk’d Love and my sighs thus intertalk’d: Tell me, said I, in deep distress, Where […]

About the sweet bag of a bee Two cupids fell at odds, And whose the pretty prize should be They […]

THE APPARITION OF HIS, MISTRESS, CALLING HIM TO ELYSIUM DESUNT NONNULLA Come then, and like two doves with silvery wings, […]