T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Kingdom of the Birds
Anonymous(A Dialogue between Mr. Pack and Mrs. Bradshaw, in the Opera, called The Kingdom of the Birds, 1719) |
She. | Oh Love if a God thou wilt be, | |
Do Justice in Favour of me | ||
For yonder approaching I see | ||
A Man with a Beard, | ||
Who as I have heard, | 5 | |
Has often undone | ||
Poor Maids that have none, | ||
With sighing, and toying, | ||
And crying, and lying, | ||
And such kind of Foolery. | 10 | |
He. | Fair Maid by your Leave, | |
My Heart does receive | ||
Strange Pleasure to meet you here, | ||
Pray tremble not so, | ||
Nor offer to go, | 15 | |
I’ll do ye no Harm, I swear, | ||
I’ll do ye no Harm, I swear. | ||
She. | My Mother is spinning at Home, | |
My Father works hard at his Loom, | ||
And we here a milking are come, | 20 | |
Their Dinner they want, | ||
Pray, Gentleman, don’t | ||
Make more ado on’t, | ||
Nor give us affront, | ||
We’re none of the Town | 25 | |
Will lie down for a Crown, | ||
Then away, Sir, and give us Room. | ||
He. | By Phœbus, by Jove, | |
By Honour, by Love, | ||
I’ll do ye dear sweet no harm, | 30 | |
Your as fresh as a Rose, | ||
I want one of those, | ||
Ah, how such a Wife would charm, | ||
Ah, how such a Wife would charm. | ||
She. | And can you then like the old Rule, | 35 |
Be Conjugal, honest, and dull, | ||
And marry, and look like a Fool, | ||
For I must be plain, | ||
All Tricks are in vain, | ||
There’s nothing can gain | 40 | |
The Thing you’d obtain, | ||
But moving, and proving, | ||
By Wedding, true Loving, | ||
My lesson I learnt at School. | ||
He. | I’ll do’t by this Hand, | 45 |
I’ve Houses, I’ve Land, | ||
Estate too in good Free-hold, | ||
My Dear, let us join, | ||
It all shall be thine, | ||
Besides a good Purse of Gold. | 50 | |
She. | You make me to blush, now I vow, | |
Oh Lord, shall I too baulk my Cow, | ||
But since the late Oath you have swore, | ||
Your Soul shall not be, | ||
In danger for me, | 55 | |
I’ll rather agree, | ||
Of two to make three, | ||
We’ll Wed, and we’ll Bed, | ||
There’s no more to be said, | ||
And I’ll ne’er go a Milking more. | 60 | |