To His Saviour. The New-Year's Gift.

That little pretty bleeding part
Of foreskin send to me:
And I'll return a bleeding heart
For New-Year's gift to Thee.

Rich is the gem that Thou did'st send,
Mine's faulty too and small;
But yet this gift Thou wilt commend
Because I send Thee all.

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is known for his book of poems, "Hesperides," which includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time." His works are noted for their clarity, simplicity, and musical quality. Herrick was also a vicar of Dean Prior in Devon, despite being ejected during the English Civil War and later reinstated.

Robert Herrick

Distrust.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

Penitency.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

His Winding-sheet

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

The Suspicion Upon His Over-Much Familiarity With A Gentlewoman.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

English

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Another New-Year's Gift: Or, Song For The Circumcision.

1. Hence, hence profane, and none appear
        With anything unhallowed here;
        No jot of leaven must be found
        Conceal'd in this most holy ground.

2. What is corrupt, or sour'd with sin,
        Leave that without, then enter in;

Chor. But let no Christmas mirth begin
        Before ye purge and circumcise
        Your hearts, and hands, lips, ears, and eyes.

3. Then, like a perfum'd altar, see
        That all things sweet and clean may be:
        For here's a Babe that, like a bride,
        Will blush to death if ought be spi'd
        Ill-scenting, or unpurifi'd.

Chor. The room is 'cens'd: help, help t' invoke
        Heaven to come down, the while we choke
        The temple with a cloud of smoke.

Robert Herrick

To His Saviour, A Child; A Present, By A Child

Go, pretty child, and bear this flower
Unto thy little Saviour;
And tell him, by that bud now blown,
He is the Rose of Sharon known.
When thou hast said so, stick it there
Upon his bib or stomacher;
And tell him, for good handsel too,
That thou hast brought a whistle new,
Made of a clean straight oaten reed,
To charm his cries at time of need;
Tell him, for coral, thou hast none,
But if thou hadst, he should have one;
But poor thou art, and known to be
Even as moneyless as he.
Lastly, if thou canst win a kiss
From those mellifluous lips of his;
Then never take a second on,
To spoil the first impression.

Robert Herrick

His Offering, With The Rest, At The Sepulchre.

To join with them who here confer
Gifts to my Saviour's sepulchre,
Devotion bids me hither bring
Somewhat for my thank-offering.
Lo! thus I bring a virgin flower,
To dress my Maiden Saviour.

Robert Herrick

The New-Year's Gift

Let others look for pearl and gold,
Tissues, or tabbies manifold:
One only lock of that sweet hay
Whereon the blessed Baby lay,
Or one poor swaddling-clout, shall be
The richest New-Year's gift to me.

Robert Herrick

A Carol Presented To Dr. Williams, Bishop Of Lincoln As A New-Year's Gift.

Fly hence, pale care, no more remember
Past sorrows with the fled December,
But let each pleasant cheek appear
Smooth as the childhood of the year,
    And sing a carol here.
'Twas brave, 'twas brave, could we command the hand
Of youth's swift watch to stand
As you have done your day;
Then should we not decay.
But all we wither, and our light
Is spilt in everlasting night,
Whenas your sight
Shows like the heavens above the moon,
Like an eternal noon
That sees no setting sun.

Keep up those flames, and though you shroud
Awhile your forehead in a cloud,
Do it like the sun to write
In the air a greater text of light;
Welcome to all our vows,
And since you pay
To us this day
So long desir'd,
See we have fir'd
Our holy s...

Robert Herrick

The New-Year's Gift: Or, Circumcision's Song. Sung To The King In The Presence At Whitehall.

1. Prepare for songs; He's come, He's come;
        And be it sin here to be dumb,
        And not with lutes to fill the room.

2. Cast holy water all about,
        And have a care no fire goes out,
        But 'cense the porch and place throughout.

3. The altars all on fire be;
        The storax fries; and ye may see
        How heart and hand do all agree
To make things sweet. Chor. Yet all less sweet than He.

4. Bring Him along, most pious priest,
        And tell us then, whenas thou seest
        His gently-gliding, dove-like eyes,
        And hear'st His whimpering and His cries;
        How can'st thou this Babe circumcise?

5. Ye must not be more pitiful than wise;
        For, now unless ye see Him bleed,
        W...

Robert Herrick