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 strait 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.
Noble Numbers
Song Cycle by Betty Roe (b. 1930)
1. To His Saviour, a Child; A Present, by a Child  [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674), "To a Child"
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Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]2. To God; An Anthem sung in the Chappell at Whitehall  [sung text checked 1 time]
Verse. My God, I'm wounded by my sin, And sore without, and sick within: Ver. Chor. I come to Thee, in hope to find Salve for my body and my mind. Verse. In Gilead though no balm be found To ease this smart or cure this wound; Ver. Chor. Yet, Lord, I know there is with Thee All saving health, and help for me. Verse. Then reach Thou forth that hand of Thine, That pours in oil, as well as wine. Ver. Chor. And let it work, for I'll endure The utmost smart, so Thou wilt cure.
Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674), "To God: An Anthem, sung in the Chappell at Whitehall, before the King", appears in The Hesperides
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Confirmed with Hesperides, the poems and other remains of Robert Herrick now first collected, edited by W.Carew Hazlitt, Volume the Second, London: John Russell Smith, 1869, page 366, from the section called "His Noble Numbers: or, his Pious Pieces."
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
3. To God  [sung text checked 1 time]
God gives not only corn for need, But likewise sup'rabundant seed; Bread for our service, bread for show, Meat for our meals, and fragments too: He gives not poorly, taking some Between the finger and the thumb; But for our glut and for our store, Fine flour press'd down, and running o'er.
Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
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Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]4. To His Angrie God  [sung text checked 1 time]
Through all the night Thou dost me fright, And hold'st mine eyes from sleeping; And day by day, My cup can say My wine is mix'd with weeping. Thou dost my bread With ashes knead Each evening and each morrow; Mine eye and ear Do see and hear The coming in of sorrow. Thy scourge of steel, Ah me! I feel Upon me beating ever: While my sick heart With dismal smart Is disacquainted never. Long, long, I'm sure, This can't endure, But in short time 'twill please Thee, My gentle God, To burn the rod, Or strike so as to ease me.
Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
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Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]5. To his sweet saviour  [sung text checked 1 time]
Night hath no wings to him that cannot sleep, And time seems then not for to fly, but creep; Slowly her chariot drives, as if that she Had broke her wheel[, or crack'd her axletree]1. [Just so it is with me, who, list'ning, pray]2 The winds to blow the tedious night away, [That I might see the cheerful, peeping day.]1 Sick is my heart! O Saviour! do Thou please To make my bed soft in my sicknesses: Lighten my candle, so that I beneath Sleep not for ever in the vaults of death; Let me Thy voice betimes i' th' morning hear: Call, and I'll come; say Thou the when, and where. [Draw me but first, and after Thee I'll run And make no one stop till my race be done.]1
Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674), "To his sweet saviour"
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View original text (without footnotes)1 omitted by Dyson.
2 Dyson: "So 'tis with me, who listening pray"
Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]