T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Three Songs from The Maids Tragedy
By Francis Beaumont (15841616) and John Fletcher (15791625)(From Act I.) CYNTHIA, to thy power and thee,I. | |
We obey. | |
Joy to this great company! | |
And no day | |
Come to steal this night away, | 5 |
Till the rites of love are ended; | |
And the lusty bridegroom say, | |
Welcome, light, of all befriended. | |
Pace out, you watery powers below; | |
Let your feet, | 10 |
Like the gallies when they row, | |
Even beat. | |
Let your unknown measures, set | |
To the still winds, tell to all, | |
That gods are come, immortal, great, | 15 |
To honour this great nuptial. | |
II. HOLD back thy hours, dark Night, till we have done; | |
The day will come too soon; | |
Young maids will curse thee if thou steal’st away, | |
And leav’st their losses open to the day: | 20 |
Stay, stay, and hide | |
The blushes of the bride. | |
Stay, gentle Night, and with thy darkness cover | |
The kisses of her lover. | |
Stay, and confound her tears, and her shrill cryings, | 25 |
Her weak denials, vows, and often dyings; | |
Stay, and hide all: | |
But help not, though she call. | |
III. TO bed, to bed; come Hymen, lead the bride, | |
And lay her by her husband’s side; | 30 |
Bring in the virgins every one, | |
That grieve to lie alone: | |
That they may kiss while they may say, a maid; | |
To-morrow, ’twill be other, kiss’d, and said. | |
Hesperus be long a-shining, | 35 |
Whilst these lovers are a-twining. | |