| |
| UP! 1 youths and virgins! up, and praise | |
| The God whose nights outshine his days! | |
| Hymen, whose hallowed rites | |
| Could never boast of brighter lights; | |
| Whose bands pass liberty. | 5 |
| Two of your troop, that with the morn were free, | |
| Are now waged to his war; | |
| And what they are, | |
| If you’ll perfection see, | |
| Yourselves must be. | 10 |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | |
| |
| What joys or honours can compare | |
| With holy nuptials, when they are | |
| Made out of equal parts | |
| Of years, of states, of hands, of hearts; | 15 |
| When in the happy choice | |
| The spouse and spoused have foremost voice! | |
| Such, glad of Hymen’s war, | |
| Live what they are | |
| And long perfection see: | 20 |
| And such ours be. | |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | |
| |
| The solemn state of this one night | |
| Were fit to last an age’s light; | |
| But there are rites behind | 25 |
| Have less of state and more of kind: | |
| Love’s wealthy crop of kisses, | |
| And fruitful harvest of his mother’s blisses. | |
| Sound then to Hymen’s war! | |
| That what these are, | 30 |
| Who will perfection see | |
| May haste to be. | |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | |
| |
| Love’s Commonwealth consists of toys; | |
| His Council are those antic boys, | 35 |
| Games, Laughter, Sports, Delights, | |
| That triumph with him on these nights: | |
| To whom we must give way, | |
| For now their reign begins, and lasts till day. | |
| They sweeten Hymen’s war, | 40 |
| And in that jar | |
| Make all, that married be, | |
| Perfection see. | |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | |
| |
| Why stays the bridgegroom to invade | 45 |
| Her that would be a matron made? | |
| Good-night! whilst yet we may | |
| Good-night to you a virgin say. | |
| To-morrow rise the same | |
| Your mother is, and use a nobler name! | 50 |
| Speed well in Hymen’s war, | |
| That what you are, | |
| By your perfection, we | |
| And all may see! | |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | 55 |
| |
| To-night is Venus’ vigil kept, | |
| This night no bridegroom ever slept; | |
| And if the fair bride do, | |
| The married say ’tis his fault too. | |
| Wake then, and let your lights | 60 |
| Wake too, for they’ll tell nothing of your nights, | |
| But that in Hymen’s war | |
| You perfect are; | |
| And such perfection we | |
| Do pray should be. | 65 |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | |
| |
| That, ere the rosy fingered Morn | |
| Behold nine moons, there may be born | |
| A babe to uphold the fame | |
| Of Radcliffe’s blood and Ramsay’s name; | 70 |
| That may, in his great seed, | |
| Wear the long honours of his father’s deed. | |
| Such fruits of Hymen’s war | |
| Most perfect are; | |
| And all perfection we | 75 |
| Wish you should see. | |
| Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wishèd star! | |
