The Hesperides & Noble Numbers: Vol. 1 and 2Herrick, Robert
General
The Hesperides & Noble Numbers: Vol. 1 and 2
Herrick, Robert
Poetry
Or else that she in that white waxen hill
Hath seal'd the primrose of her utmost skill.
But now my muse hath spied a dark descent
From this so precious, pearly, permanent,
A milky highway that direction yields
Unto the port-mouth of the Elysian fields:
A place desired of all, but got by these
Whom love admits to the Hesperides;
Here's golden fruit, that doth exceed all price,
Growing in this love-guarded paradise;
Above the entrance there is written this:
This is the portal to the bower of bliss,
Through midst whereof a crystal stream there flows
Passing the sweet sweet of a musky rose.
With plump, soft flesh, of metal pure and fine,
Resembling shields, both pure and crystalline.
Hence rise those two ambitious hills that look
Into th' middle, sweet, sight-stealing crook,
Which for the better beautifying shrouds
Its humble self 'twixt two aspiring clouds
The third addition is four lines from the end, after "with a pearly
shell":
Richer than that fair, precious, virtuous horn
That arms the forehead of the unicorn.
The last four lines are joined on at the end of all:
Unto the idol of the work divine
I consecrate this loving life of mine,
Bowing my lips unto that stately root
Where beauty springs; and thus I kiss her foot.
INDEX OF FIRST LINES.
An old, old widow, Greedy needs would wed, 383.
Bad are all surfeits; but physicians call, 403.
Bar close as you can, and bolt fast too your door, 380.
Batt he gets children, not for love to rear 'em, 379.
Bice laughs, when no man speaks; and doth protest, 399.
Blanch swears her husband's lovely; when a scald, 376.
Blisse, last night drunk, did kiss his mother's knee, 404.
Boreman takes toll, cheats, flatters, lies! yet Boreman, 406.
Broomsted a lameness got by cold and beer, 392.
Brown bread Tom Pennie eats, and must of right, 406.
Buggins is drunk all night, all day he sleeps, 406.
Bungy does fast; looks pale; puts sackcloth on, 382.
Burr is a smell-feast, and a man alone, 404.
Center is known weak sighted, and he sells, 386.
Cob clouts his shoes, and as the story tells, 396.
Cock calls his wife his hen; when cock goes to 't, 395.
Comely acts well; and when he speaks his part, 399.
Craw cracks in sirrop; and does stinking say, 388.
Crooked you are, but that dislikes not me, 381.
Cuffe comes to church much; but he keeps his bed, 377.
Curse not the mice, no grist of thine they eat, 384.
Dunridge his issue hath; but is not styl'd, 392.
Doll, she so soon began the wanton trade, 385.
E'en all religious courses to be rich, 399.
Eeles winds and turns, and cheats and steals; yet Eeles, 386.
Feacie, some say, doth wash her clothes i' th' lie, 390.
Fie, quoth my lady, what a stink is here, 395.
First, Jolly's wife is lame; then next loose-hip'd, 378.
Flood, if he has for him and his a bit, 409.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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