T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Marriage Song, Called In and Out
By Richard Brathwaite (1588?1673)(From A Strappado for the Devil, 1615) HA, have I catched you: prethee sweet-heart show, | |
If so thou canst, who is in Turn-ball now? | |
Dost smile my precious one? Nay I must know, | |
There is no remedy, then tell me how; | |
What my ingenuous cheat, dost laugh to see, | 5 |
All former jars turn to an harmony, | |
So generally applauded? true thou may, | |
The Night is past, and now appears the day, | |
Full of true jouisance; long was thy suit, | |
Ere ’twas effected, being in and out, | 10 |
Vowing and breaking, making many an oath, | |
Which now I hope’s confirmed by you both. | |
O how I clip thee for it? since thy name, | |
Is there renewed, which first defam’d the same, | |
For (hear me Bride-groom) thou by this shalt save | 15 |
Thy self a Title: I will raze out knave, | |
Dishonest lover: vow infringing swain, | |
And say thou cease to love, that thou again | |
Might love more fervent, being taught to woo, | |
And wooing do what Silk-worms use to do; | 20 |
Who does surcease from labour now and then, | |
That after rest the better they might spin. | |
Spin then (my pretty Cobweb) let me see, | |
How well thy Bride likes thy activity. | |
That when she sees thy cunning, she may say; | 25 |
“Why now I’m pleas’d for all my long delay; | |
Play that stroke still, there’s none that here can let thee, | |
For none there is can better please thy Bettie. | |
O there (my dear) I hope thou’le nere give o’er, | |
Why might not this been done as well before? | 30 |
Nay faint not man, was Bettie so soon won, | |
That her short pleasure should be so soon done. | |
Nay then come up, are marriage joys so short, | |
That Maidenheads are lost with such small sport?” | |
This if she say (as this she well may say) | 35 |
Like a good Gamester hold her still out play. | |
First night at least wise, and it will be hard, | |
But she will love the better afterward. | |
Whence is the Proverb (as it hath been said) | |
Maidens love them that have their maidenhead: | 40 |
Come then, my lad, of metal make resort, | |
Unto the throne of love thy Bettie’s fort. | |
There plant thy Cannon siege her round about. | |
Be sure (my Boy) she cannot long hold out. | |
Erect thy standard, let her tender breast, | 45 |
Be thy pavilion: where thou takes thy rest. | |
Let her sweet-rosy Breath such joys bestow, | |
That in that vale of Paradise below, | |
Thou may collect thy joys to be far more, | |
Than any mortal ever had before. | 50 |
Yet hear me friend, if thou secure wilt be, | |
Observe these rules which I prescribe to thee. | |
Be not horn jealous, it will make thee mad, | |
Women will have it if it may be had. | |
Nor can a jealous eye prevent their sport, | 55 |
For if they lov’t far will they venter for’t. | |
Suppose her straying beauty should be led, | |
To the embraces of another’s bed, | |
Wilt thou Acteon-like thy hour-glass spend, | |
In moaning that thou never canst amend? | 60 |
No, my kind friend, if thoul’t be ruled by me, | |
I’d have thee wink at that which thou dost see, | |
Shading thy wife’s defects with patient mind, | |
Seeing, yet seeming to the world blind. | |
For tell me, friend, what harm is there in it? | 65 |
If then being cloyd, another have a bit? | |
Which thou may spare, and she as freely give, | |
Believe me, friend, thou hast no cause to grieve. | |
For though another in thy saddle ride, | |
When he is gone, there’s place for thee beside, | 70 |
Which thou may use at pleasure, and it end, | |
Reserve a pretty morsel for thy friend. | |
Let not thy reason then be counter-bufft, | |
Nor think thy pillow with horn-shavings stuft, | |
If’t be thy destiny to be a monster, | 75 |
Thou must be one, if no, how ere men conster. | |
Thou may remain secure, exempt from shame, | |
Though meagre Envy aggravate the same. | |
For this has been my firm position still, | |
The husband’s horns be in the woman’s will. | 80 |