T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Bunch of Rushes
Anonymous(Date unknown) IT was on a summer’s morning, | |
| As I walked forth to take the air, | |
| Down by a shady arbour, | |
| Where seldom strangers do appear | |
| I espied a comely fair maid, | 5 |
| Who I thought was going astray, | |
| With a bunch of rushes in her hand, | |
| Which she had pulled on the way. | |
| I cast my eyes around me, | |
| To see if the coast was clear or no; | 10 |
| And seeing no one near me, | |
| Straight way to her I then did go, | |
| Says I, my loving fair one, | |
| What are you doing here alone? | |
| I came to pull green rushes, | 15 |
| But now I’m going home. | |
| I clasp’d my arms around her, | |
| And embraced her most tenderly, | |
| She modestly rebuk’d me, saying, | |
| Kind sir, you make too free; | 20 |
| Do you mean to undo me, | |
| Because I look both poor and low, | |
| I beg you for to excuse me, | |
| Pray, loose me, sir, and let me go. | |
| I says, my lovely charmer, | 25 |
| To you I mean no injury; | |
| But come and sit beside me, | |
| Beneath yon wide and shady tree, | |
| Where the lofty lark and linnet, | |
| Shall witness our mutual love, | 30 |
| And I shall never deceive you, | |
| By all the powers above. | |
| She then modestly consented, | |
| And on the grass we both sat down, | |
| And for fear of any moisture, | 35 |
| Beneath she spread her new silk gown | |
| She says, young man, be easy, | |
| Her cheeks were red with blushes, O | |
| I beg you will not tease me, | |
| Don’t touch my bunch of rushes, O. | 40 |
| But now, sir, you are going, | |
| Pray, when shall we meet again, | |
| I answered in a few words, | |
| When the clerk shall say, amen. | |
| So make yourself quite easy, | 45 |
| And merry be while I’m away, | |
| And bless the happy hour, | |
| You came to pull green rushes, O. | |