E'en so we met; and after long pursuit,

E'en so we join'd; we both became entire ; No need for either to renew a suit,

For I was flax and he was flames of fire: Our firm united souls did more than twine; So I my Best-Beloved's 's am; so He is mine.

If all those glittering Monarchs that command
The servile quarters of this earthly ball,
Should tender, in exchange, their shares of land,

I would not change my fortunes for them all:
Their wealth is but a counter to my coin:
The world's but theirs; but my Belovèd's mine.
FRANCIS QUARLES

AS

AS WHEN A LADY1

S when a lady, walking Flora's bowre,

Picks here a pinke, and there a gillyflowre,
Now plucks a violet from her purple bed,
And then a primrose, the yeere's maiden-head,
There nips the bryer, here the lover's pansy,
Shifting her dainty pleasures with her fancy,
This on her arms, and that she lists to weare
Upon the borders of her curious haire;
At length a rose-bud, passing all the rest,
She plucks, and bosoms in her lilly breast.

FRANCIS QUARLES

THE BRACELET TO JULIA

WHY I tie about thy wrist,

WHY

Julia, this my silken twist ;

For what other reason is't,

But to show thee how, in part,

1 From "History of Queene Ester" (1621).

Thou

my pretty captive art ?
But thy bondslave is my heart;
'Tis but silk that bindeth thee,

Knap the thread and thou art free:
But 'tis otherwise with me ;

I am bound, and fast bound, so
That from thee I cannot go ;

If I could, I would not so.

ROBERT HERRICK

UND

UPON ROSES

NDER a lawn, than skies more clear,
Some ruffled roses nestling were :

And, snugging there, they seem'd to lie

As in a flowery nunnery:

They blush'd, and look'd more fresh than flowers
Quicken'd of late by pearly showers,

And all because they were possess'd

But of the heat of Julia's breast:

Which, as a warm and moisten'd spring,

Gave them their ever-flourishing.

ROBERT HERRICK

THE NIGHT-PIECE, TO JULIA 1

HER eyes the glow-worm lend thee,

The shooting stars attend thee;
And the elves also,

Whose little eyes glow

Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee.

1

1It is perhaps not generally known how much "the very best lyric poet in the language" owed to his friend Ben Jonson in

No Will-o'-th'-Wisp mislight thee,
Nor snake or slow-worm bite thee ;
But on, on thy way

Not making a stay,

Since ghost there's none to affright thee.

Let not the dark thee cumber :
What though the moon does slumber?
The stars of the night

Will lend thee their light

Like tapers clear without number.

Then, Julia, let me woo thee,
Thus, thus to come unto me;
And when I shall meet

Thy silv'ry feet

My soul I'll pour into thee.

TO ELECTRA

DARE not ask a kiss,

I dare not beg a smile,

Lest having that, or this,

ROBERT HERRICK

I might grow proud the while.

this poem. In a masque called “ The Gipsies Metamorphosed" Ben Jonson wrote:

"The faery beam upon you,

The stars to glisten on you,
A moon of light

In the noon of night

Till the fire-drake hath o'ergone you!

"The wheel of fortune guide you,
The boy with the bow beside you;
Run aye in the way,

Till the bird of day

And the luckier lot betide you."

No, no, the utmost share
Of my desire shall be

Only to kiss that air

That lately kissed thee.

ROBERT HERRICK

TO HIS MISTRESS OBJECTING TO HIM NEITHER TOYING NOR TALKING

You say

I love not, 'cause I do not play

Still with your curls, and kiss the time away.

You blame me too, because I can't devise

Some sport to please those babies in your eyes:
By love's religion, I must here confess it,
The most I love when I the least express it.
Small griefs find tongues: full casks are ever found
To give (if any, yet) but little sound.
Deep waters noiseless are; and this we know,
That chiding streams betray small depth below.
So, when love speechless is, she doth express
A depth in love and that depth bottomless.
Now, since my love is tongueless, know me such
Who speak but little 'cause I love so much.

ROBERT HERRICK

A CONJURATION TO ELECTRA

Y those soft tods 1 of wool

BY

With which the air is full
By all those tinctures there,
That paint the hemisphere;
By dews and drizzling rain
That swell the golden grain ;

1 Gossamers.

;

By all those sweets that be
I' th' flowery nunnery;
By silent nights, and the
Three forms of Hecate ;
By all aspects that bless
The sober sorceress,

While juice she strains, and pith
To make her philters with ;
By time that hastens on
Things to perfection;
And by yourself, the best
Conjurement of the rest :
O my Electra! be

In love with none, but me.

ROBERT HERRICK

Sw

TO DIANEME

WEET, be not proud of those two eyes
Which, starlike, sparkle in their skies;
Nor be you proud that you can see
All hearts your captives, yours yet free;
Be you not proud of that rich hair
Which wantons with the love-sick air ;
Whenas that ruby which you wear,
Sunk from the tip of your soft ear,
Will last to be a precious stone

When all your world of beauty's gone.

TO ANTHEA

ROBERT HERRICK

OW is the time, when all the lights wax dim;

Now

And thou, Anthea, must withdraw from him

Who was thy servant. Dearest, bury me

Under that Holy-oak or Gospel-tree,