1. Rembrandt, ‘The Night Watch’ 1642

2. Sir John Suckling ish

3. Suckling, Van Dyck,1632

4. ‘The Candle’ John Suckling
1   There is a thing which in the Light 2   Is seldom us'd, but in the Night 3   It serves the Maiden Female crew, 4   The Ladies, and the Good-wives too: 5   They use to take it in their hand, 6   And then it will uprightly stand; 7   And to a hole they it apply, 8   Where by its good will it would dye: 9   It spends, goes out, and still within 10   It leaves its moisture thick and thin.

5. Thomas Carew 1595?-1639

8. Terbrugghen, Hendrick ‘Duet’ 1628

9. Sir Peter Lely, c. 1640

10. ‘A Session of the Poets’ John Suckling Fragmenta Aurea 1646
1   A session was held the other day, 2   And Apollo himself was at it (they say) 3   The Laurel that had been so long reserv'd, 4   Was now to be given to him best deserv'd. And
5   Therefore the wits of the Town came thither, 6   T was strange to see how they flocked together, 7   Each strongly confident of his own way, 8   Thought to gain the Laurel away that day.

11. 17   The first that broke silence was good old Ben , 18   Prepar'd before with Canary wine, 19   And he told them plainly he deserv'd the Bayes, 20   For his were calld Works, where others were but
Plaies. …..
25   Apollo stopt him there, and bade him not go on, 26   'Twas merit, he said, and not presumption 27   Must carry't; at which Ben turned about, 28   And in great choler offer'd to go out:
But

12. 33   Tom Carew was next, but he had a fault 34   That would not well stand with a Laureat; 35   His Muse was hard bound, and th'issue of's brain 36   Was seldom brought forth but with trouble and pain.
And
37   All that were present there did agree, 38   A Laureat Muse should be easie and free, 39   Yet sure 'twas not that, but 'twas thought that his Grace 40   Consider'd he was well he had a Cup-bearers place   Will. Davenant asham'd of a foolish mischance 42   That he had got lately travelling in France , 43   Modestly hoped the handsomnesse of's Muse 44   Might any deformity about him excuse.

13. 65   In haste from the Court two or three came in, 66   And they brought letters (forsooth) from the
Queen, 67   'Twas discreetly done too, for if th'had come 68   Without them, th'had scarce been let into the
room   Suckling next was call'd, but did not appear, 70   But strait one whisperd Apollo i'th'ear, 71   That of all men living he cared not for't, 72   He loved not the Muses so well as his sport; 73   And prized black eyes, or a lucky hit 74   At bowls, above all the Trophies of wit; 75   But Apollo was angry, and publiquely said 76   'Twere fit that a fine were set upon's head.

14. Occasional Poems Herrick ‘Upon Prudence Baldwin her Sickness’
Lovelace ‘For a Lady with child that asked an old Shirt’.

15. The Difference between Kings and Subjects (Robert Herrick)
Twixt Kings and Subjects there’s this mighty odds
Subjects are taught by Men, Kings by the Gods.

16. Spring Wedding
I took your news outdoors, and strolled a while In silence on my square of garden-ground Where I could dim the roar of arguments, Ignore the scandal-flywheel whirring round,
And hear instead the green fuse in the flower Ignite, the breeze stretch out a shadow-hand
To ruffle blossom on its sticking points, The blackbirds sing, and singing take their stand.
I took your news outdoors, and found the Spring Had honoured all its promises to start Disclosing how the principles of earth Can make a common purpose with the heart.
The heart which slips and sidles like a stream Weighed down by winter-wreckage near its source - But given time, and come the clearing rain, Breaks loose to revel in its proper course.

17. Robert Herrick
The Hock-cart, or Harvest Home To the duke of Westmorland, his friend and patron
COME, sons of summer, by whose toil We are the lords of wine and oil : By whose tough labours, and rough hands, We rip up first, then reap our lands.
Crowned with the ears of corn, now come, And to the pipe sing harvest home.
Some bless the cart, some kiss the sheaves, Some prank them up with oaken leaves : Some cross the fill-horse, some with great Devotion stroke the home-borne wheat

18. And, you must know, your lord's word's true, Feed him ye must, whose food fills you ; And that this pleasure is like rain, Not sent ye for to drown your pain, But for to make it spring again.

20. ‘To Penshurst’ Ben Jonson

21. ‘To Saxham’, Thomas Carew
The pheasant, partridge, and the lark Flew to thy house, as to the Ark. The willing ox of himself came Home to the slaughter with the lamb, And every beast did thither bring Himself, to be an offering. The scaly herd more pleasure took, Bathed in thy dish than in the brook ; Water, earth, air, did all conspire To pay their tributes to thy fire

22. The King's Majesty's Declaration to his Subjects Concerning Lawful Sports to be Used (‘Booke of Sports’: issued 1618, reissued 1633)
We did justly in our progress through Lancashire rebuke some Puritans and precise people, and took order that the like unlawful carriage should not be used by any of them hereafter, in the prohibiting and unlawful punishing of our good people for using their lawful recreations and honest exercises upon Sundays, and other Holy-days, after the afternoon sermon or service. * * * With our own ears we heard the general complaint of our people, that they were barred from all lawful recreations and exercises upon the Sunday's afternoon, after the ending of all divine service, which cannot but produce two evils: the one the hindering of the conversion of many, whom their priests will take occasion hereby to vex, persuading them that no honest mirth or recreation is lawful or tolerable in our religion, which cannot but breed a great discontentment in our people's hearts,

23. Our pleasure is, that the Bishop of that Diocese take the like strait order with all the Puritans and Precisians within the same, either constraining them to conform themselves or to leave the county....and as for our good people's lawful recreation, our pleasure likewise is, that after the end of divine service our good people be not disturbed, letted or discouraged from any lawful recreation, such as dancing, either men or women; archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or any other such harmless recreation, nor from having of May-games, Whitsun-ales, and Morris-dances; and the setting up of May-poles and other sports therewith used: so as the same be had in due and convenient time, without impediment or neglect of divine service: and that women shall have leave to carry rushes to the church for the decorating of it, according to their old custom......

24. Leah Marcus
The Politics of Mirth:
Jonson, Herrick, Milton, Marvell, and the Defense of Old Holiday Pastimes
(University of Chicago Press, 1986)

25. ‘The Bad Season Makes the Poet Sad’ Robert Herrick
DULL to myself, and almost dead to these My many fresh and fragrant mistresses ; Lost to all music now, since everything Puts on the semblance here of sorrowing. Sick is the land to the heart, and doth endure More dangerous faintings by her desp'rate cure. But if that golden age would come again, And Charles here rule, as he before did reign ; If smooth and unperplexed the seasons were, As when the sweet Maria lived here : I should delight to have my curls half drown'd In Tyrian dews, and head with roses crown'd ; And once more yet, ere I am laid out dead, Knock at a star with my exalted head.

26. DELIGHT IN DISORDER. by Robert Herrick
A SWEET disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness : A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction : An erring lace which here and there Enthrals the crimson stomacher : A cuff neglectful, and thereby Ribbons to flow confusedly : A winning wave (deserving note) In the tempestuous petticoat : A careless shoe-string, in whose tie I see a wild civility : Do more bewitch me than when art Is too precise in every part.

27. Richard Lovelace

28. Order of the Black Riband

29. 1   Ovr times are much degenerate from those 2   Which your sweet Muse which your fair Fortune chose, 3   And as complexions alter with the Climes, 4   Our wits have drawne th'infection of our times. 5   That candid Age no other way could tell 6   To be ingenious, but by speaking well. 7   Who best could prayse, had then the greatest prayse, 8   Twas more esteemd to give, then weare the Bayes: 9   Modest ambition studi'd only then, 10   To honour not her selfe, but worthy men. 11   These vertues now are banisht out of Towne, 12   Our Civill Wars have lost the Civicke crowne. 13   He highest builds, who with most Art destroys, 14   And against others Fame his owne employs   The barbed Censurers begin to looke 22   Like the grim consistory on thy Booke: 23   And on each line cast a reforming eye, 24   Severer then the yong Presbytery Andrew Marvell
To his Noble Friend Mr. Richard Lovelace , upon his POEMS. (Lucasta, 1649)

30. Richard Lovelace, ‘The Ant’
1   Forbear thou great good Husband, little Ant 2      A little respite from thy flood of sweat; 3   Thou, thine own Horse and Cart under this Plan 4      Thy spacious tent, fan thy prodigious heat; 5   Down with thy double load of that one grain; 6   It is a Granarie for all thy Train. 7   Cease large example of wise thrift a while, 8      (For thy example is become our Law) 9   And teach thy frowns a seasonable smile: 10      So Cato sometimes the nak'd Florals saw. 11   And thou almighty foe, lay by thy sting, 12   Whilst thy unpay'd Musicians, Crickets, sing   Lucasta , She that holy makes the Day, 14      And 'stills new Life in fields of Fueillemort: 15   Hath back restor'd their Verdure with one Ray, 16      And with her Eye bid all to play and sport, 17   Ant to work still; Age will Thee Truant call; 18   And to save now, th'art worse than prodigal.