第 5 节
作者:不言败      更新:2021-02-20 05:18      字数:9322
  How many lie forgot In vaults beneath; And piece…meal rot Without a fame in death?
  Behold this living stone I rear for me; Ne'er to be thrown Down; envious Time; by thee。
  Pillars let some set up If so they please; Here is my hope; And my Pyramides。
  *14*
  TO HIS BOOK
  If hap it must; that I must see thee lie Absyrtus…like; all torn confusedly; With solemn tears; and with much grief of heart; I'll recollect thee; weeping; part by part; And having wash'd thee; close thee in a chest With spice; that done; I'll leave thee to thy rest。
  *15*
  UPON HIMSELF
  Thou shalt not all die; for while Love's fire shines Upon his altar; men shall read thy lines; And learn'd musicians shall; to honour Herrick's Fame; and his name; both set and sing his lyrics。
  To his book's end this last line he'd have placed: Jocund his Muse was; but his Life was chaste。
  ** IDYLLICA **
  *16*
  THE COUNTRY LIFE:
  TO THE HONOURED MR ENDYMION PORTER; GROOM OF THE BED…CHAMBER TO HIS MAJESTY
  Sweet country life; to such unknown; Whose lives are others'; not their own! But serving courts and cities; be Less happy; less enjoying thee。 Thou never plough'st the ocean's foam To seek and bring rough pepper home: Nor to the Eastern Ind dost rove To bring from thence the scorched clove: Nor; with the loss of thy loved rest; Bring'st home the ingot from the West。 No; thy ambition's master…piece Flies no thought higher than a fleece: Or how to pay thy hinds; and clear All scores: and so to end the year: But walk'st about thine own dear bounds; Not envying others' larger grounds: For well thou know'st; 'tis not th' extent Of land makes life; but sweet content。 When now the cock (the ploughman's horn) Calls forth the lily…wristed morn; Then to thy corn…fields thou dost go; Which though well soil'd; yet thou dost know That the best compost for the lands Is the wise master's feet; and hands。 There at the plough thou find'st thy team; With a hind whistling there to them: And cheer'st them up; by singing how The kingdom's portion is the plough。 This done; then to th' enamell'd meads Thou go'st; and as thy foot there treads; Thou seest a present God…like power Imprinted in each herb and flower: And smell'st the breath of great…eyed kine; Sweet as the blossoms of the vine。 Here thou behold'st thy large sleek neat Unto the dew…laps up in meat: And; as thou look'st; the wanton steer; The heifer; cow; and ox draw near; To make a pleasing pastime there。 These seen; thou go'st to view thy flocks Of sheep; safe from the wolf and fox; And find'st their bellies there as full Of short sweet grass; as backs with wool: And leav'st them; as they feed and fill; A shepherd piping on a hill。
  For sports; for pageantry; and plays; Thou hast thy eves; and holydays: On which the young men and maids meet; To exercise their dancing feet: Tripping the comely country Round; With daffadils and daisies crown'd。 Thy wakes; thy quintels; here thou hast; Thy May…poles too with garlands graced; Thy Morris…dance; thy Whitsun…ale; Thy shearing…feast; which never fail。 Thy harvest home; thy wassail bowl; That's toss'd up after Fox i' th' hole: Thy mummeries; thy Twelve…tide kings And queens; thy Christmas revellings: Thy nut…brown mirth; thy russet wit; And no man pays too dear for it。 To these; thou hast thy times to go And trace the hare i' th' treacherous snow: Thy witty wiles to draw; and get The lark into the trammel net: Thou hast thy cockrood; and thy glade To take the precious pheasant made: Thy lime…twigs; snares; and pit…falls then To catch the pilfering birds; not men。
  O happy life!  if that their good The husbandmen but understood! Who all the day themselves do please; And younglings; with such sports as these: And lying down; have nought t' affright Sweet Sleep; that makes more short the night。 CAETERA DESUNT
  *17*
  TO PHILLIS; TO LOVE AND LIVE WITH HIM
  Live; live with me; and thou shalt see The pleasures I'll prepare for thee: What sweets the country can afford Shall bless thy bed; and bless thy board。 The soft sweet moss shall be thy bed; With crawling woodbine over…spread: By which the silver…shedding streams Shall gently melt thee into dreams。 Thy clothing next; shall be a gown Made of the fleeces' purest down。 The tongues of kids shall be thy meat; Their milk thy drink; and thou shalt eat The paste of filberts for thy bread With cream of cowslips buttered: Thy feasting…table shall be hills With daisies spread; and daffadils; Where thou shalt sit; and Red…breast by; For meat; shall give thee melody。 I'll give thee chains and carcanets Of primroses and violets。 A bag and bottle thou shalt have; That richly wrought; and this as brave; So that as either shall express The wearer's no mean shepherdess。 At shearing…times; and yearly wakes; When Themilis his pastime makes; There thou shalt be; and be the wit; Nay more; the feast; and grace of it。 On holydays; when virgins meet To dance the heys with nimble feet; Thou shalt come forth; and then appear The Queen of Roses for that year。 And having danced ('bove all the best) Carry the garland from the rest; In wicker…baskets maids shall bring To thee; my dearest shepherdling; The blushing apple; bashful pear; And shame…faced plum; all simp'ring there。 Walk in the groves; and thou shalt find The name of Phillis in the rind Of every straight and smooth…skin tree; Where kissing that; I'll twice kiss thee。 To thee a sheep…hook I will send; Be…prank'd with ribbands; to this end; This; this alluring hook might be Less for to catch a sheep; than me。 Thou shalt have possets; wassails fine; Not made of ale; but spiced wine; To make thy maids and self free mirth; All sitting near the glitt'ring hearth。 Thou shalt have ribbands; roses; rings; Gloves; garters; stockings; shoes; and strings Of winning colours; that shall move Others to lust; but me to love。 These; nay; and more; thine own shall be; If thou wilt love; and live with me。
  *18*
  THE WASSAIL
  Give way; give way; ye gates; and win An easy blessing to your bin And basket; by our entering in。
  May both with manchet stand replete; Your larders; too; so hung with meat; That though a thousand; thousand eat;
  Yet; ere twelve moons shall whirl about Their silv'ry spheres; there's none may doubt But more's sent in than was served out。
  Next; may your dairies prosper so; As that your pans no ebb may know; But if they do; the more to flow;
  Like to a solemn sober stream; Bank'd all with lilies; and the cream Of sweetest cowslips filling them。
  Then may your plants be press'd with fruit; Nor bee or hive you have be mute; But sweetly sounding like a lute。
  Last; may your harrows; shares; and ploughs; Your stacks; your stocks; your sweetest mows; All prosper by your virgin…vows。
  Alas!  we bless; but see none here; That brings us either ale or beer; In a dry…house all things are near。
  Let's leave a longer time to wait; Where rust and cobwebs bind the gate; And all live here with needy fate;
  Where chimneys do for ever weep For want of warmth; and stomachs keep With noise the servants' eyes from sleep。
  It is in vain to sing; or stay Our free feet here; but we'll away: Yet to the Lares this we'll say:
  'The time will come when you'll be sad; 'And reckon this for fortune bad; 'T'ave lost the good ye might have had。'
  *19*
  THE FAIRIES
  If ye will with Mab find grace; Set each platter in his place; Rake the fire up; and get Water in; ere sun be set。 Wash your pails and cleanse your dairies; Sluts are loathsome to the fairies; Sweep your house; Who doth not so; Mab will pinch her by the toe。
  *20*
  CEREMONY UPON CANDLEMAS EVE
  Down with the rosemary; and so Down with the bays and misletoe; Down with the holly; ivy; all Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas hall; That so the superstitious find No one least branch there left behind; For look; how many leaves there be Neglected there; maids; trust to me; So many goblins you shall see。
  *21*
  CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE
  Down with the rosemary and bays; Down with the misletoe; 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。
  *22*
  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。
  *23*
  FAREWELL FROST; OR WELCOME SPRING
  Fled are the frosts; and now the fields appear Reclothed in fresh and verdant diaper; Thaw'd are the snows; and now the lusty Spring Gives to each mead a neat enamelling; The palms put forth their gems; and every tree Now swaggers in her l