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 leafy gallantry.
The while the Daulian minstrel sweetly sings With warbling notes her Terean sufferings.
--What gentle winds perspire! as if here Never had been the northern plunderer To strip the trees and fields, to their distress, Leaving them to a pitied nakedness.
And look how when a frantic storm doth tear A stubborn oak or holm, long growing there,--
But lull'd to calmness, then succeeds a breeze That scarcely stirs the nodding leaves of trees;
So when this war, which tempest-like doth spoil Our salt, our corn, our honey, wine, and oil, Falls to a temper, and doth mildly cast His inconsiderate frenzy off, at last, The gentle dove may, when these turmoils cease, Bring in her bill, once more, the branch of Peace.
*24*
TO THE MAIDS, TO WALK ABROAD
Come, sit we under yonder tree, Where merry as the maids we'll be;
And as on primroses we sit, We'll venture, if we can, at wit;
If not, at draw-gloves we will play, So spend some minutes of the day;
Or else spin out the thread of sands, Playing at questions and commands:
Or tell what strange tricks Love can do, By quickly making one of two.
Thus we will sit and talk, but tell No cruel truths of Philomel, Or Phillis, whom hard fate forced on To kill herself for Demophon;
But fables we'll relate; how Jove Put on all shapes to get a Love;
As now a satyr, then a swan, A bull but then, and now a man.
Next, we will act how young men woo, And sigh and kiss as lovers do;
And talk of brides; and who shall make That wedding-smock, this bridal-cake, That dress, this sprig, that leaf, this vine, That smooth and silken columbine.
This done, we'll draw lots who shall buy And gild the bays and rosemary;
What posies for our wedding rings;
What gloves we'll give, and ribbonings;
And smiling at our selves, decree Who then the joining priest shall be;
What short sweet prayers shall be said, And how the posset shall be made With cream of lilies, not of kine, And maiden's-blush for spiced wine.
Thus having talk'd, we'll next commend A kiss to each, and so we'll end.
*25*
CORINA'S GOING A MAYING
Get up, get up for shame! the blooming morn Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.
See how Aurora throws her fair Fresh-quilted colours through the air:
Get up, sweet-slug-a-bed, and see The dew bespangling herb and tree.
Each flower has wept, and bow'd toward the east, Above an hour since; yet you not drest, Nay! not so much as out of bed?
When all the birds have matins said, And sung their thankful hymns: 'tis sin, Nay, profanation, to keep in,--
Whenas a thousand virgins on this day, Spring, sooner than the lark, to fetch in May.
Rise; and put on your foliage, and be seen To come forth, like the Spring-time, fresh and green, And sweet as Flora. Take no care For jewels for your gown, or hair:
Fear not; the leaves will strew Gems in abundance upon you:
Besides, the childhood of the day has kept, Against you come, some orient pearls unwept:
Come, and receive them while the light Hangs on the dew-locks of the night:
And Titan on the eastern hill Retires himself, or else stands still Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in praying:
Few beads are best, when once we go a Maying.
Come, my Corinna, come; and coming, mark How each field turns a street; each street a park Made green, and trimm'd with trees: see how Devotion gives each house a bough Or branch: each porch, each door, ere this, An ark, a tabernacle is Made up of white-thorn neatly interwove;
As if here were those cooler shades of love.
Can such delights be in the street, And open fields, and we not see't?
Come, we'll abroad: and let's obey The proclamation made for May:
And sin no more, as we have done, by staying;
But, my Corinna, come, let's go a Maying.
There's not a budding boy, or girl, this day, But is got up, and gone to bring in May.
A deal of youth, ere this, is come Back, and with white-thorn laden home.
