The Hesperides Noble Numbers: Vol. 1 and 2 | Page 6

Devonshire" off his feet, and returned gaily to London, where he appears to have discarded his clerical habit and to have been made abundantly welcome by his friends.
Free from the cares of his incumbency, and free also from the restraints it imposed, Herrick's thoughts turned to the publication of his poems. As we have said, in his old Court-days these had found some circulation in manuscript, and in 1635 one of his fairy poems was printed, probably without his leave (see Appendix). In 1639 his poem (575) _The Apparition of his Mistress calling him to Elysium_ was licensed at Stationers' Hall under the title of _His Mistress' Shade_, and it was included the next year in an edition of Shakespeare's Poems (see Notes). On April 29, 1640, "The severall poems written by Master Robert Herrick," were entered as to be published by Andrew Crook, but no trace of such a volume has been discovered, and it was only in 1648 that _Hesperides_ at length appeared. Two years later upwards of eighty of the poems in it were printed in the 1650 edition of _Witt's Recreations_, but a small number of these show considerable variations from the _Hesperides_ versions, and it is probable that they were printed from the poet's manuscript. Compilers of other miscellanies and song books laid Herrick under contribution, but, with the one exception of his contribution to the _Lacrym? Musarum_ in 1649, no fresh production of his pen has been preserved, and we know nothing further of his life save that he returned to Dean Prior after the Restoration (August 24, 1662), and that according to the parish register "Robert Herrick, Vicker, was buried y^e 15th day October, 1674."
ALFRED W. POLLARD
NOTE TO SECOND EDITION.
In this edition some trifling errors, which had crept into the text and the numeration of the poems, have been corrected, and many fresh illustrations of Herrick's reading added in the notes, which have elsewhere been slightly compressed to make room for them. Almost all of the new notes have been supplied from the manuscript collections of a veteran student of Herrick who placed himself in correspondence with me after the publication of my first edition. To my great regret I am not allowed to make my acknowledgments to him by name.
1. W. P.
HESPERIDES:
OR,
THE WORKS
BOTH
HUMANE & DIVINE
OF
ROBERT HERRICK _Esq._
OVID.
_Effugient avidos Carmina nostra Rogos._
_LONDON._
Printed for _John Williams_, and _Francis Eglesfield_,
and are to be sold by _Tho: Hunt_, Book-seller
in _Exon._ 1648.
TO THE?MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST HOPEFUL
PRINCE.
CHARLES,
PRINCE OF WALES.
Well may my book come forth like public day?When such a light as you are leads the way,?Who are my work's creator, and alone?The flame of it, and the expansion.?And look how all those heavenly lamps acquire?Light from the sun, that inexhausted fire,?So all my morn and evening stars from you?Have their existence, and their influence too.?Full is my book of glories; but all these?By you become immortal substances.
HESPERIDES.
1. THE ARGUMENT OF HIS BOOK.
I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds and bowers,?Of April, May, of June and July-flowers;?I sing of May-poles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes,?Of bridegrooms, brides and of their bridal cakes;?I write of youth, of love, and have access?By these to sing of cleanly wantonness;?I sing of dews, of rains, and piece by piece?Of balm, of oil, of spice and ambergris;?I sing of times trans-shifting, and I write?How roses first came red and lilies white;?I write of groves, of twilights, and I sing?The Court of Mab, and of the Fairy King;?I write of hell; I sing (and ever shall)?Of heaven, and