History & Politics
TO THE KING, Upon his welcome to Hampton-Court. Set and Sung.
From Hesperides (1648)
VVElcome, Great Cesar, welcome now you are,
As dearest Peace, after destructive Warre:
Welcome as slumbers; or as beds of ease
After our long, and peevish sicknesses.
O Pompe of Glory! Welcome now, and come
To re-possess once more your long'd-for home.
A thousand Altars smoake; a thousand thighes
Of Beeves here ready stand for Sacrifice.
Enter and prosper; while our eyes doe waite
For an Ascendent throughly Auspicate:
Under which signe we may the former stone
Lay of our safeties new foundation:
That done; O Cesar, live, and be to us,
Our Fate, our Fortune, and our Genius;
To whose free knees we may our temples tye
As to a still protecting Deitie.
That sho'd you stirre, we and our Altars too
May (Great Augustus) goe along with You.
Chor. Long live the King; and to accomplish this,
We'l from our owne, adde far more years to his.
Cite this poem
MLA
Herrick, Robert. “TO THE KING, Upon his welcome to Hampton-Court. Set and Sung.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/970/.
Chicago
Herrick, Robert. “TO THE KING, Upon his welcome to Hampton-Court. Set and Sung.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/970/.
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