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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Penance

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

The Penance

By Nahum Tate (1652–1715)
 
NYMPH FANARET, the gentlest maid
That ever happy swain obeyed,
(For what offence I cannot say)
A day and night, and half a day,
Banished her shepherd from her sight:        5
His fault for certain was not slight,
Or sure this tender judge had ne’er
Imposed a penance so severe.
And lest she should anon revoke
What in her warmer rage she spoke,        10
She bound the sentence with an oath,
Protested by her Faith and Troth,
Nought should compound for his offence
But the full time of abstinence.
Yet when his penance-glass were run,        15
His hours of castigation done,
Should he defer one moment’s space
To come and be restored to grace,
With sparkling threat’ning eyes she swore
That failing would incense her more        20
Than all his trespasses before.