f　the　night；　proclaim　the　clock　Of　late　struck　One；　and　now　I　see　the　prime　Of　day　break　from　the　pregnant　east：'tis　time　I　vanish：more　I　had　to　say；　But　night　determines　here；　Away！
  *56*
  THE　INVITATION
  To　sup　with　thee　thou　didst　me　home　invite；　And　mad'st　a　promise　that　mine　appetite　Should　meet　and　tire；　on　such　lautitious　meat；　The　like　not　Heliogabalus　did　eat：　And　richer　wine　would'st　give　to　me；　thy　guest；　Than　Roman　Sylla　pour'd　out　at　his　feast。　I　came；　'tis　true；　and　look'd　for　fowl　of　price；　The　bastard　Phoenix；　bird　of　Paradise；　And　for　no　less　than　aromatic　wine　Of　maidens…blush；　commix'd　with　jessamine。　Clean　was　the　hearth；　the　mantle　larded　jet；　Which；　wanting　Lar　and　smoke；　hung　weeping　wet；　At　last　i'　th'　noon　of　winter；　did　appear　A　ragg'd　soused　neats…foot；　with　sick　vinegar；　And　in　a　burnish'd　flagonet；　stood　by　Beer　small　as　comfort；　dead　as　charity。　At　which　amazed；　and　pond'ring　on　the　food；　How　cold　it　was；　and　how　it　chill'd　my　blood；　I　curst　the　master；　and　I　damn'd　the　souce；　And　swore　I'd　got　the　ague　of　the　house。　Well；　when　to　eat　thou　dost　me　next　desire；　I'll　bring　a　fever；　since　thou　keep'st　no　fire。
  *57*
  TO　SIR　CLIPSBY　CREW
  Since　to　the　country　first　I　came；　I　have　lost　my　former　flame；　And；　methinks；　I　not　inherit；　As　I　did；　my　ravish'd　spirit。　If　I　write　a　verse　or　two；　'Tis　with　very　much　ado；　In　regard　I　want　that　wine　Which　should　conjure　up　a　line。　Yet；　though　now　of　Muse　bereft；　I　have　still　the　manners　left　For　to　thank　you；　noble　sir；　For　those　gifts　you　do　confer　Upon　him；　who　only　can　Be　in　prose　a　grateful　man。
  *58*
  A　COUNTRY　LIFE：　TO　HIS　BROTHER；　MR　THOMAS　HERRICK
  Thrice；　and　above；　blest；　my　soul's　half；　art　thou；　In　thy　both　last　and　better　vow；　Could'st　leave　the　city；　for　exchange；　to　see　The　country's　sweet　simplicity；　And　it　to　know　and　practise；　with　intent　To　grow　the　sooner　innocent；　By　studying　to　know　virtue；　and　to　aim　More　at　her　nature　than　her　name；　The　last　is　but　the　least；　the　first　doth　tell　Ways　less　to　live；　than　to　live　well：　And　both　are　known　to　thee；　who　now　canst　live　Led　by　thy　conscience；　to　give　Justice　to　soon…pleased　nature；　and　to　show　Wisdom　and　she　together　go；　And　keep　one　centre；　This　with　that　conspires　To　teach　man　to　confine　desires；　And　know　that　riches　have　their　proper　stint　In　the　contented　mind；　not　mint；　And　canst　instruct　that　those　who　have　the　itch　Of　craving　more；　are　never　rich。　These　things　thou　knows't　to　th'　height；　and　dost　prevent　That　plague；　because　thou　art　content　With　that　Heaven　gave　thee　with　a　wary　hand；　（More　blessed　in　thy　brass　than　land）　To　keep　cheap　Nature　even　and　upright；　To　cool；　not　cocker　appetite。　Thus　thou　canst　tersely　live　to　satisfy　The　belly　chiefly；　not　the　eye；　Keeping　the　barking　stomach　wisely　quiet；　Less　with　a　neat　than　needful　diet。　But　that　which　most　makes　sweet　thy　country　life；　Is　the　fruition　of　a　wife；　Whom；　stars　consenting　with　thy　fate；　thou　hast　Got　not　so　beautiful　as　chaste；　By　whose　warm　side　thou　dost　securely　sleep；　While　Love　the　sentinel　doth　keep；　With　those　deeds　done　by　day；　which　ne'er　affright　Thy　silken　slumbers　in　the　night：　Nor　has　the　darkness　power　to　usher　in　Fear　to　those　sheets　that　know　no　sin。　The　damask'd　meadows　and　the　pebbly　streams　Sweeten　and　make　soft　your　dreams：　The　purling　springs；　groves；　birds；　and　well　weaved　bowers；　With　fields　enamelled　with　flowers；　Present　their　shapes；　while　fantasy　discloses　Millions　of　Lilies　mix'd　with　Roses。　Then　dream；　ye　hear　the　lamb　by　many　a　bleat　Woo'd　to　come　suck　the　milky　teat；　While　Faunus　in　the　vision　comes；　to　keep　From　rav'ning　wolves　the　fleecy　sheep：　With　thousand　such　enchanting　dreams；　that　meet　To　make　sleep　not　so　sound　as　sweet；　Nor　call　these　figures　so　thy　rest　endear；　As　not　to　rise　when　Chanticlere　Warns　the　last　watch；but　with　the　dawn　dost　rise　To　work；　but　first　to　sacrifice；　Making　thy　peace　with　Heaven　for　some　late　fault；　With　holy…meal　and　spirting　salt；　Which　done；　thy　painful　thumb　this　sentence　tells　us；　'Jove　for　our　labour　all　things　sells　us。'　Nor　are　thy　daily　and　devout　affairs　Attended　with　those　desp'rate　cares　Th'　industrious　merchant　has；　who　for　to　find　Gold；　runneth　to　the　Western　Ind；　And　back　again；　tortured　with　fears；　doth　fly；　Untaught　to　suffer　Poverty；　But　thou　at　home；　blest　with　securest　ease；　Sitt'st；　and　believ'st　that　there　be　seas；　And　watery　dangers；　while　thy　whiter　hap　But　sees　these　things　within　thy　map；　And　viewing　them　with　a　more　safe　survey；　Mak'st　easy　fear　unto　thee　say；　'A　heart　thrice　walled　with　oak　and　brass；　that　man　Had；　first　durst　plough　the　ocean。'　But　thou　at　home；　without　or　tide　or　gale；　Canst　in　thy　map　securely　sail；　Seeing　those　painted　countries；　and　so　guess　By　those　fine　shades；　their　substances；　And　from　thy　compass　taking　small　advice；　Buy'st　travel　at　the　lowest　price。　Nor　are　thine　ears　so　deaf　but　thou　canst　hear；　Far　more　with　wonder　than　with　fear；　Fame　tell　of　states；　of　countries；　courts；　and　kings；　And　believe　there　be　such　things；　When　of　these　truths　thy　happier　knowledge　lies　More　in　thine　ears　than　in　thine　eyes。　And　when　thou　hear'st　by　that　too　true　report；　Vice　rules　the　most；　or　all；　at　court；　Thy　pious　wishes　are；　though　thou　not　there；　Virtue　had；　and　moved　her　sphere。　But　thou　liv'st　fearless；　and　thy　face　ne'er　shows　Fortune　when　she　comes；　or　goes；　But　with　thy　equal　thoughts；　prepared　dost　stand　To　take　her　by　the　either　hand；　Nor　car'st　which　comes　the　first；　the　foul　or　fair：　A　wise　man　ev'ry　way　lies　square；　And　like　a　surly　oak　with　storms　perplex'd　Grows　still　the　stronger；　strongly　vex'd。　Be　so；　bold　Spirit；　stand　centre…like；　unmoved；　And　be　not　only　thought；　but　proved　To　be　what　I　report　thee；　and　inure　Thyself；　if　want　comes；　to　endure；　And　so　thou　dost；　for　thy　desires　are　Confined　to　live　with　private　Lar：　Nor　curious　whether　appetite　be　fed　Or　with　the　first；　or　second　bread。　Who　keep'st　no　proud　mouth　for　delicious　cates；　Hunger　makes　coarse　meats；　delicates。　Canst；　and　unurged；　forsake　that　larded　fare；　Which　art；　not　nature；　makes　so　rare；　To　taste　boil'd　nettles；　coleworts；　beets；　and　eat　These；　and　sour　herbs；　as　dainty　meat：　While　soft　opinion　makes　thy　Genius　say；　'Content　makes　all　ambrosia；'　Nor　is　it　that　thou　keep'st　this　stricter　size　So　much　for　want；　as　exercise；　To　numb　the　sense　of　dearth；　which；　should　sin　haste　it；　Thou　might'st　but　only　see't；　not　taste　it；　Yet　can　thy　humble　roof　maintain　a　quire　Of　singing　crickets　by　thy　fire；　And　the　brisk　mouse　may　feast　herself　with　crumbs；　Till　that　the　green…eyed　kitling　comes；　Then　to　her　cabin；　blest　she　can　escape　The　sudden　danger　of　a　rape。　And　thus　thy　little　well…kept　stock　doth　prove；　Wealth　cannot　make　a　life；　but　love。　Nor　art　thou　so　close…handed；　but　canst　spend；　（Counsel　concurring　with　the　end）；　As　well　as　spare；　still　conning　o'er　this　theme；　To　shun　the　first　and　last　extreme；　Ordaining　that　thy　small　stock　find　no　breach；　Or　to　exceed　thy　tether's　reach；　But　to　live　round；　and　close；　and　wisely　true　To　thine　own　self；　and　known　to　few。　Thus　let　thy　rural　sanctuary　be　Elysium　to　thy　wife　and　thee；　There　to　disport　your　selves　with　golden　measure；　For　seldom　use　commends　the　pleasure。　Live；　and　live　blest；　thrice　happy　pair；　let　breath；　But　lost　to　one；　be　th'　other's　death：　And　as　there　is　one　love；　one　faith；　one　troth；　Be　so　one　death；　one　grave　to　both；　Till　when；　in　such　assurance　live；　ye　may　Nor　fear；　or　wish　your　dying　day。
  *59*
  TO　HIS　PECULIAR　FRIEND；　MR　JOHN　WICKS
  Since　shed　or　cottage　I　have　none；　I　sing　the　more；　that　thou　hast　one；　To　whose　glad　threshold；　and　free　door　I　may　a　Poet　come；　though　poor；　And　eat　with　thee　a　savoury　bit；　Paying　but　common　thanks　for　it。　Yet　should　I　chance；　my　Wicks；　to　see　An　over…leaven　look　in　thee；　To　sour　the　bread；　and　turn　the　beer　To　an　exalted　vinegar；　Or　should'st　thou　prize　me　as　a　dish　Of　thrice…boil'd　worts；　or　third…day's　fish；　I'd　rather　hungry　go　and　come　Than　to　thy　house　be　burdensome；　Yet；　in　my　depth　of　grief；　I'd　be　One　that　should　drop　his　beads　for　thee。
  *60*
  A　PARANAETICALL；　OR　ADVISIVE　VERSE　TO　HIS　FRIEND；　MR　JOHN　WICKS
  Is　this　a　life；　to　break　thy　sleep；　To　rise　as　soon　as　day　doth　peep？　To　tire　thy　patient　ox　or　ass　By　noon；　and　let　thy　good　days　pass；　Not　knowing　this；　that　Jove　decrees　Some　mirth；　t'　adulce　man's　miseries？　No；　'tis　a　life　to　have　thine　oil　Without　extortion　from　thy　soil；　Thy　faithful　fields　to　yield　thee　grain；　Although　with　some；　yet　little　pain；　To　have　thy　mind；　and　nuptial　bed；　With　fears　and　cares　uncumbered　A　pleasing　wife；　that　by　thy　side　Lies　softly　panting　like　a　bride；　This　is　to　live；　and　to　endear　Those　minutes　Time　has　lent　us　here。　Then；　while　fates　suffer；　live　thou　free；　As　is　that　air　that　circles　thee；　And　crown　thy　temples　too；　and　let　Thy　servant；　not　thy　own　self；　sweat；　To　strut　thy　barns　with　sheaves　of　wheat。　Time　steals　away　like　to　a　stream；　And　we　glide　hence　away　with　them：　No　sound　recalls　the　hours　once　fled；　Or　roses；　being　withered；　Nor　us；　my　friend；　when　we　are　lost；　Like　to　a　dew；　or　melted　frost。　Then　live　we　mirthful　while　we　should；　And　turn　the　iron　age　to　gold；　Let's　feast　and　frolic；　sing　and　play；　And　thus　less　last；　than　live　our　day。　Whose　life　with　car