February

It is now February and the Sun has gotten up a cocke-stride of his climbing, the valleys now are painted white, and the brookes are full of water. The frog goes to seeke out the paddocke, the gardiner falls to sorting of his seeds, and the husbandman falls afresh to scowring of his ploughshare. The tavernes and the innes seldome lack guests, and the ostler knows how to gain by his hay; the hunting horse is at the heels of the hound, while the ambling nagge carrieth the physitian and his footcloth; the blood of youth begins to spring and the honour of Art is gotten by exercise.
The trees a little begin to bud and the sap begins to rise up out of the root; physick now hath work among weake bodies and the apothecaries' drugges are very gainfull; there is hope of a better time not farre off, for this in itselfe is little comfortable . . . and the time of patience.
- Nicholas Breton, Fantasticks: Serving for a Perpetuall Prognostication (1626)
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from Lines on the Mermaid Tavern

I have heard that on a day
Mine host’s sign-board flew away,
Nobody knew whither, till
An astrologer’s old quill
To a sheepskin gave the story,
Said he saw you in your glory,
Underneath a new old-sign
Sipping beverage divine,
And pledging with contented smack
The Mermaid in the Zodiac.
- John Keats (1795–1821)

On Ben Jonson and a Country Man

Ben Johnson in a tavern once began
Rudely to talk to a plain Country man.
And thus it was, Thou dull laborious Moyle
That I beleeve wert made for nought but toyle
For every Acre of thy Land I have
Twenty of wit: Such Acres Sir, are brave,
Replyed the Country man: What great Mistakers
Have we been of your wealth, Mr Wise-Acres.
- Thomas Jordan (from Jewels of Ingenuity. 1660?)

The Sun which doth the greatest comfort bring

...what things have we seen
Done at the Mermaid: heard words that have been
So nimble, so full of subtil flame …
Then when there hath been thrown
Wit able enough to justifie the Town
For three days past, wit that might warrant be
For the whole City to talk foolishly
Till that were cancell'd, and when that was gone,
We left and Air behind us which alone,
Was able to make the two next Companies
Right witty; though but downright fools, more wise.
- Beaumont's epistle to Jonson (1605?)