THE DEAD HOST'S WELCOME

by: John Fletcher

'IS late and cold; stir up the fire;

Sit close, and draw the table nigher;

Be merry, and drink wine that's old,

A hearty medicine 'gainst a cold:

Your beds of wanton down the best,

Where you shall tumble to your rest;

I could wish you wenches too,

But I am dead, and cannot do.

Call for the best the house may ring,

Sack, white, and claret, let them bring,

And drink apace, while breath you have;

You'll find but cold drink in the grave:

Plover, partridge, for your dinner,

And a capon for the sinner,

You shall find ready when you're up,

And your horse shall have his sup:

Welcome, welcome, shall fly round,

And I shall smile, though under ground.

• Beaumont and Fletcher - A biography of English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, plus links to purchase all of their works currently in print.
• Beaumont and Fletcher - A biography of Elizabethan dramatists and collaborators Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher; includes a list of related links.
• John Fletcher - A biographical sketch of English dramatist John Fletcher.
• Philaster, or Love Lies Bleeding - A synopsis of the play by Beaumont and Fletcher.
• John Fletcher: Bibliography - A bibliography of the works of John Fletcher; includes a list of critical resources.
• Purchase books by John Fletcher