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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  Song: “He that will court a Wench that is coy”

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

Song: “He that will court a Wench that is coy”

Anonymous
 
(Printed in 1670)

HE that will court a Wench that is coy,
That is proud, that is peevish and antic,
Let him be careless to sport and toy,
And as peevish as she is frantic:
  Laugh at her and slight her,        5
  Flatter her, spight her,
  Rail and commend her again.
It is the way to woo her,
If that you mean to come close to her,
  Such Girls will love such men.        10
 
He that will court a Wench that is mild,
That is soft and kind of behaviour;
  Let him kindly woo her,
  Nor roughly come to her,
’Tis the way to win her favour.        15
  Give her kisses plenty:
  She’ll take them were they twenty,
  Stroke her and kiss her again,
It is the way to woo her,
If that you mean to come close to her,        20
  Such Girls do love soft men.
 
He that will court a Wench that is mad,
That will squeak and cry out if you handle her,
  Let him kick and fling,
  Till he make the house ring,        25
’Tis the only way to tame her:
  Take her up and touze her,
  Salute her and rouze her
Then kiss her, and please her again:
It is the way to woo her        30
If that you mean to come close to her,
  Mad Girls do love mad men.