T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Surpris’d Nymph
Anonymous(From Pills to Purge Melancholy, 1707) |
THE FOUR and twentieth day of May, | |
| Of all days in the year; | |
| A Virgin Lady fresh and gay, | |
| Did privately appear: | |
| Hard by a River side got she, | 5 |
| And did sing loud the rather; | |
| Cause she was sure, she was secure, | |
| And had intent to bathe her. | |
| With glittering, glancing, jealous Eyes, | |
| She slyly looks about; | 10 |
| To see if any lurking Spies | |
| Were hid to find her out: | |
| And being well resolved that none, | |
| Could see her Nakedness, | |
| She pulled her Robes off one by one, | 15 |
| And did her self undress. | |
| Her purple Mantle fring’d with Gold, | |
| Her Ivory Hands unpinned; | |
| It would have made a Coward bold, | |
| Or tempted a Saint to ’a sinned: | 20 |
| She turned about and looked around, | |
| Quoth she, I hope I’m safe; | |
| Then her rosie Petticoat, | |
| She presently put off. | |
| The snow white Smock which she had on, | 25 |
| Transparently to deck her, | |
| Look’d like Cambric or Lawn, | |
| Upon an Alabaster Picture: | |
| Thro’ which Array I did faintly spy | |
| Her Belly and her Back; | 30 |
| Her Limbs were straight, and all was white, | |
| But that which should be Black. | |
| Into a fluent Stream she leapt, | |
| She looked like Venus Glass; | |
| The Fishes from all Quarters crept, | 35 |
| To see what Angel ’twas: | |
| She did so like a Vision look, | |
| Or Fancy in a Dream; | |
| ’Twas thought the Sun the Skies forsook, | |
| And dropt into the Stream. | 40 |
| Each Fish did wish himself a Man, | |
| About her all was drawn, | |
| And at the Sight of her began | |
| To spread abroad their Spawn: | |
| She turned to swim upon her Back, | 45 |
| And so display’d her Banner; | |
| If Jove had then in Heaven been, | |
| He would have dropt upon her. | |
| A Lad that long her Love had been, | |
| And could obtain no Grace, | 50 |
| For all her prying lay unseen, | |
| Hid in a secret place: | |
| Who had often been repuls’d, | |
| When he did come to Woo her; | |
| Pulled off his clothes, and furiously | 55 |
| Did run and leap into her. | |
| She squeaked, she cried, and down she dived, | |
| He brought her up again; | |
| He brought o’er upon the Shore, | |
| And then—and then—and then— | 60 |
| As Adam did Old Eve enjoy, | |
| You may guess what I mean; | |
| Because she all uncovered lay, | |
| He covered her again. | |
| With watered Eyes she pants and cries, | 65 |
| I’m utterly undone; | |
| If you will not be wed to me, | |
| E’er the next Morning Sun: | |
| He answered her he ne’er would stir, | |
| Out of her Sight till then; | 70 |
| We’ll both clap Hands in Wedlock Bands, | |
| Marry, and to’t again. | |