T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
On a Gentleman
Anonymous(A Song from Westminster Drolleries, 1671–2) |
POOR Cloris wept, and from her eyes | |
| The liquid tears came trickling down; | |
| Such wealthy drops may well suffice, | |
| To be the ransom of a Crown: | |
| And as she wept, she sigh’d, and said, | 5 |
| Alas for me, unhappy Maid, | |
| That by my folly, my folly am betray’d. | |
| When first these eyes, unhappy eyes, | |
| Met with the Author of my woe, | |
| Methought our Souls did sympathize, | 10 |
| And it was death to say him no. | |
| He sued, I granted; O then befel | |
| My shame which I’m afraid to tell! | |
| Ay me, that I had never lov’d so well. | |
| O had I been so wise as not | 15 |
| To have yielded up my Virgin-Fort, | |
| My life had been without a blot, | |
| And dar’d the envy of Report; | |
| But now my guilt hath made me be | |
| A scorn for time to point at me, | 20 |
| As at the Butt and Mark of Misery. | |
| Here now in sorrow do I sit, | |
| And pensive thoughts possess my breast! | |
| My silly heart with cares is split, | |
| And grief denies me wonted rest: | 25 |
| Come then black night and screen me round, | |
| That I may never more be found, | |
| Unless in tears, in tears of sorrow drown’d. | |