Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

An Epithalamy to Sir Thomas Southwell and His Lady

By Robert Herrick (1591–1674)

(From Hesperides, 1648) I. NOW, now’s the time, so oft by truth
Promis’d should come to crown your youth.
Then, fair ones, do not wrong
Your joys by staying long;
Or let Love’s fire go out,	5
By lingering thus in doubt;
But learn that time once lost
Is ne’er redeem’d by cost.
Then away; come, Hymen, guide
To the bed the bashful bride.	10
II. Is it, sweet maid, your fault these holy
Bridal rites go on so slowly?
Dear, is it this you dread,
The loss of maidenhead?
Believe me, you will most	15
Esteem it when ’tis lost;
Then it no longer keep,
Lest issue lie asleep.
Then, away; come, Hymen, guide
To the bed the bashful bride.	20
III. There precious, pearly, purling tears
But spring from ceremonious fears.
And ’tis but native shame
That hides the loving flame,
And may a while control	25
The soft and am’rous soul;
But yet, Love’s fire will waste
Such bashfulness at last.
Then, away; come, Hymen, guide
To the bed the bashful bride.	30
IV. Night now hath watch’d herself half blind,
Yet not a maidenhead resign’d!
’Tis strange, ye will not fly
To Love’s sweet mystery.
Might yon full moon the sweets	35
Have, promis’d to your sheets,
She soon would leave her sphere,
To be admitted there.
Then, away; come, Hymen, guide
To the bed the bashful bride.	40
V. On, on devoutly, make no stay:
While Domiduca leads the way:
And Genius, who attends
The bed for lucky ends:
With Juno goes the hours	45
And Graces strewing flowers.
And the boys with sweet tunes sing:
Hymen! O Hymen! bring
Home the turtles; Hymen, guide
To the bed the bashful bride.	50
VI. Behold! how Hymen’s taper-light
Shows you how much is spent of night.
See, see the bridegroom’s torch
Half wasted in the porch.
And now those tapers five,	55
That show the womb shall thrive,
Their silv’ry flames advance,
To tell all prosp’rous chance
Still shall crown the happy life
Of the good man and the wife.	60
VII. Move forward then your rosy feet,
And make what ere they touch, turn sweet.
May all, like flow’ry meads,
Smell, where your soft foot treads;
And every thing assume	65
To it, the like perfume,
As Zephyrus when he ’spires
Through woodbine and sweetbriars.
Then, away; come, Hymen, guide
To the bed the bashful bride.	70
VIII. And now the yellow veil at last
Over her fragrant cheek is cast.
Now seems she to express
A bashful willingness:
Showing a heart consenting,	75
As with a will repenting.
Then gently lead her on
With wise suspicion;
For that, matrons say, a measure
Of that passion sweetens pleasure.	80
IX. You, you that be of her nearest kin,
Now o’er the threshold force her in.
But to avert the worst
Let her, her fillets first
Knit to the posts: this point	85
Remembering, to anoint
The sides: for ’tis a charm
Strong against future harm;
And the evil deeds, the which
There was hidden by the witch.	90
X. O Venus! thou to whom is known
The best way how to loose the zone
Of virgins! tell the maid
She need not be afraid,
And bid the youth apply	95
Close kisses if she cry:
And charge, he not forbears
Her, though she woo with tears.
Tell them now they must adventure,
Since that Love and Night bid enter.	100
XI. No fatal owl the bedstead keeps,
With direful notes to fright your sleeps;
No furies here about
To put the tapers out,
Watch or did make the bed:	105
’Tis omen full of dread;
But all fair signs appear
Within the chamber here.
Juno here far off doth stand,
Cooing sleep with charming wand.	110
XII. Virgins, weep not; ’twill come when,
As she, so you’ll be ripe for men.
Then grieve her not with saying
She must no more a Maying,
Or by rosebuds divine	115
Who’ll be her Valentine.
Nor name those wanton reaks
You’ve had at barley-breaks,
But now kiss her and thus say,
“Take time, lady, while ye may.”	120
XIII. Now bar the doors; the bridegroom puts
The eager boys to gather nuts.
And now, both Love and Time
To their full height do climb:
Oh! give them active heat	125
And moisture both complete:
Fit organs for increase,
To keep and to release
That which may the honour’d stem
Circle with a diadem.	130
XIV. And now, behold! the bed or couch
That ne’er knew bride’s or bridegroom’s touch,
Feels in itself a fire;
And, tickled with desire,
Pants with a downy breast,	135
As with a heart possesst,
Shrugging as it did move
Even with the soul of love.
And, oh! had it but a tongue,
Doves, ’t would say, ye bill too long.	140
XV. O enter then! but see ye shun
A sleep, until the act be done.
Let kisses in their close
Breathe as the damask rose,
Or sweet as is that gum	145
Doth from Panchaia come.
Teach nature now to know
Lips can make cherries grow
Sooner than she ever yet
In her wisdom could beget.	150
XVI. On your minutes, hours, days, months, years,
Drop the fat blessing of the spheres.
That good which Heav’n can give
To make you bravely live
Fall like a spangling dew	155
By day and night on you.
May Fortune’s lily-hand
Open at your command;
With all lucky birds to side
With the bridegroom and the bride.	160
XVII. Let bounteous Fate your spindles full
Fill, and wind up with whitest wool.
Let them not cut the thread
Of life until ye bid.
May death yet come at last,	165
And not with desp’rate haste,
But when ye both can say,
“Come, let us now away.”
Be ye to the barn then borne,
Two, like two ripe shocks of corn.	170