A FLOWER WEDDING

Yes, flower bells rang right merry that day, When there was a marriage of flowers, they say.

Young LAD’S LOVE had courted Miss Meadow·Sweet, And the two soon agreed at the Altar to meet.

A LILY white robe was worn by the Bride, And SWEET WILLIAM, the Groom, drest in red, at her side.

Miss Violet, Primrose, and gay Marygold, With their Ladies’ Fingers her train did uphold.

In Ladysmocks, Bridesmaids, Forget·me·not blue, With their sashes all tied in Love·knot·true.

The Bride’s Mother follows with loving Eyebright, All in Winter Green and fine Furze bedight.

Whilst her father looked young, though with Old·man’s·beard.

(Was a Dande·lion in youth I have heard.)

The troth was plighted for woe or for weal, And the lines attested by Solomon’s Seal:

The Bachelor’s Button was cast aside,

And the throng that witnessed was London’s Pride:

There was Good King Henry, a tall Jonquil,

Like Narcissus himself by the waters still;

There were Lords & Ladies to grace the dance,

And Rose Mary, and—

Rose·la·France:

With his Golden Rod

the Sweet Sultan came;

Lastly, Creeping Jenny, an elderly dame

To order the feast—there was Ling, and Hartstongue,

And Goosefoot with Sage, the House·leek among

Very Sweet Peas, & Good Cherry Pie, Such a feast as an Alderman could not deny!

In lovely King·Cups there was Chamomile Tea

And the fortune in gifts was a wonder to see! A new Penny-Royal, A fine Golden Feather;

A pair of Horse-chestnuts,

a Jacob’s Ladder,

Venus’s·looking·glass,

a fine Arrow-head Discovered long since in the river’s bed;

Garments of Flax,

and a Lady’s Cushion;

Hose·in·hose, Lady’s slippers to put on,

Buttercups gold, and a Pitcher-plant Nay, everything that a house could want.

In Venus’s-fly-trap the pair drove away,

“Speedwell, and be happy,” their friends gaily say;

But alack! what a hubbub when one chanced to find The Bride’s only Box was there left behind!

The Wild-thyme they had, and the fuss that was made Kept the guests in a rout thro’ the Deadly night shade.

But the CLOCKS ticked apace to the ope of Dais-y Snowflakes were fast falling when all said good-bye,

With regrets for “that box,”—yet they need not to stint, For the Bridegroom was rich, he’d a post at the Mint