| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Robert Herrick. 1591–1674 |
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| 263. To Music, to becalm his Fever |
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| CHARM me asleep, and melt me so | |
| With thy delicious numbers, | |
| That, being ravish'd, hence I go | |
| Away in easy slumbers. | |
| Ease my sick head, | 5 |
| And make my bed, | |
| Thou power that canst sever | |
| From me this ill, | |
| And quickly still, | |
| Though thou not kill | 10 |
| My fever. | |
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| Thou sweetly canst convert the same | |
| From a consuming fire | |
| Into a gentle licking flame, | |
| And make it thus expire. | 15 |
| Then make me weep | |
| My pains asleep; | |
| And give me such reposes | |
| That I, poor I, | |
| May think thereby | 20 |
| I live and die | |
| 'Mongst roses. | |
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| Fall on me like the silent dew, | |
| Or like those maiden showers | |
| Which, by the peep of day, do strew | 25 |
| A baptim o'er the flowers. | |
| Melt, melt my pains | |
| With thy soft strains; | |
| That, having ease me given, | |
| With full delight | 30 |
| I leave this light, | |
| And take my flight | |
| For Heaven. | |
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