T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Bessie Bell
By Richard Brathwaite (1588?–1673)(From Barnabee’s Journal, 1638) DAM. My bonny Bell. I love thee so well,DAMÆTAS. ELIZA-BELLA. 1. | |
| I would thou wad scud a lang hether, | |
| That we might here in a Cellar dwell, | |
| And blend our bows together! | |
| Deer a’rt to me as thy geere’s to thee, | 5 |
| The World will never suspect us, | |
| This place it is private, ’tis folly to drive it, | |
| Love Spies have no eyes to detect us. | |
2. BEL. Trust me Damætus, youth will not let us, | |
| Yet to be sing’d with love’s taper, | 10 |
| Bonny blith Swainlin intend thy Lambkin, | |
| To requite both thy lays and thy labour. | |
| I love not thee, why should’st thou love me, | |
| The yoke, I cannot approve it, | |
| Than lie still with one, I’d rather have none, | 15 |
| Nor I love, nor am lov’d, nor have loved. | |
3. DAM. To lead apes in hell, it will not do well, | |
| ’Tis an enemy to procreation, | |
| In the world to tarry and never to marry | |
| Would bring it soon to desolation. | 20 |
| See my countenance is merry, cheeks red as cherry, | |
| This Cover will never suspect us, | |
| This place it is private, ’tis folly to drive it, | |
| Loves Spies have no eyes to detect us. | |
4. BEL. ’Las, maidens must fain it, I love though I lain it, | 25 |
| I would, but I will not confess it, | |
| My years are consorting and fain would be sporting, | |
| But bashfulness shames to express it. | |
| I love not thee, why should’st thou love me, | |
| That yoke I cannot approve it, | 30 |
| Than lie still with one, I’d rather have none, | |
| Nor I love, nor am lov’d, nor have loved. | |
5. DAM. My beauteous Bell, who stars dost excell | |
| See mine eyes never dries but do weat me, | |
| Some comfort unbuckle my sweet honeysuckle, | 35 |
| Come away, do not stay, I entreat thee. | |
| Delay would undo me, hie quickly unto me, | |
| This River will never suspect us, | |
| This place it is private, ’tis folly to drive it, | |
| Loves Spies have no eyes to detect us. | 40 |
6. BEL. Come on Damætas, ripe age doth fit us, | |
| Take aside thy naked Bride and enjoy her, | |
| So thou coil thy sweeting, let flocks fall a bleeting, | |
| My maids weed on thy meed I’ll bestow there. | |
| Thus love I thee, so be thou love me, | 45 |
| The yoke is so sweet I approve it, | |
| To lie still with one is better than none, | |
| I do love, I am lov’d, and have lov’d it. | |