T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
A Song from “Westminster Drolleries”
By Aphra Behn (1640–1689)(1671) THAT beauty I ador’d before, | |
| I now as much despise: | |
| ’Tis money only makes the whore: | |
| She that for love with her Crony lies, | |
| Is chaste: But that’s the whore that kisses for prize. | 5 |
| Let Jove with gold his Danae woo, | |
| It shall be no rule for me: | |
| Nay, ’t may be I may do so too, | |
| When I’m as old as he. | |
| Till then I’ll never hire the thing that’s free. | 10 |
| If coin must your affection imp, | |
| Pray get some other friend: | |
| My pocket ne’er shall be my pimp, | |
| I never that intend, | |
| Yet can be noble too, if I see they mend. | 15 |
| Since loving was a liberal art, | |
| How canst thou trade for gain? | |
| ’Tis pleasure is on your part, | |
| ’Tis we men take the pain: | |
| And being so, must Women have the gain? | 20 |
| No, no, I’ll never farm your bed, | |
| Nor your Smock-tenant be: | |
| I hate to rent your white and red, | |
| You shall not let your love to me: | |
| I court a Mistris, not a Landlady. | 25 |
| A Pox take him that first set up, | |
| The Excise of flesh and skin: | |
| And since it will no better be, | |
| Let’s both to kiss begin; | |
| To kiss freely: if not, you may go spin. | 30 |