T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Play-house Saint
By Thomas DUrfey (16531723)(Or, Phillis Unmasked; from Songs Complete, 1719) |
NEAR, famous Covent-Garden | |
A Dome there stands on high; | |
With a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Where Kings are represented, | |
And Queens in Metre die; | 5 |
With a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
The Beaus and Men of Business | |
Diversions hither bring, | |
To hear the wanton Doxies prate, | |
And see ’em dance and sing; | 10 |
With a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Here Phillis is a Darling, | |
As she her self gives out, | |
For a fa, la, la, la, | |
As tight a Lass as ever | 15 |
Did use a Double Clout, | |
On her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
She’s brisk and gay, and cunning, | |
And wants a Wedlock Yoke, | |
Her Mother was before her | 20 |
As good as ever stroke | |
For a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Young Suitors she had many, | |
From ’Squire, up to the Lord, | |
For her fa, la, la, la, etc. | 25 |
And daily she refused ’em, | |
For Virtue was the Word; | |
With her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
A Saint she would be thought, | |
And dissembled all she could, | 30 |
But jolly Rakes all knew she was | |
Of Play-house Flesh and Blood, | |
And her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Her Mother when encouraged | |
With warm Geneva Dose, | 35 |
And a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Still cried, take care dear Philly, | |
To keep thy Haunches close, | |
And this fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
This made her stand out stoutly, | 40 |
Opposing all that come, | |
Though twenty Demi-Cannon | |
Still were mounted at her Bum, | |
And her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
The Knight and Country Squire | 45 |
Were shot with her disdain, | |
And her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
The Lawyer was outwitted, | |
The hardy Soldier slain, | |
By her fa, la, la, la, etc. | 50 |
The bluff Tarpolian Sailor | |
In vain cried hard a Port, | |
She buffled Shirks at Sea, | |
As the Country, Town, and Court; | |
With a fa, la, la, la, etc. | 55 |
The God of Love grown angry, | |
That Phillis seemed so shy, | |
Of her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Resolved her Pride to humble, | |
And rout her pish and fie; | 60 |
He sent a splayfoot Taylor, | |
Who knew well how to stitch, | |
And in a little time had found | |
A Button for her Britch, | |
And her fa, la, la, la, etc. | 65 |
Yet was it not so close, | |
But ’tis known without all Doubt, | |
With a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
A little humane Figure | |
Has secretly dropped out, | 70 |
From her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
And tho’ some petty Scandal | |
Pursue this Venial Fact, | |
Her Mother she swears Zoons and C——t | |
Her Honour is intact, | 75 |
And her fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Oh Phillis, then be wise, | |
And give Ease to Lover’s racked, | |
For your fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
Let Coyness be abated, | 80 |
You know the Pitcher’s cracked, | |
By a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |
For shame, let lousie Tailors | |
No more your Love trapan, | |
Since nine of ’em, you know ’tis said, | 85 |
Can hardly make a man; | |
With a fa, la, la, la, etc. | |