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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  When Phœbus Addrest

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

When Phœbus Addrest

Anonymous
 
(From The Percy Folio Manuscript, 1620–50, page 96 of MS.; probably the earliest copy known)

WHEN Phœbus addrest himself to the west,
  And set up his rest below,
Cynthia agreed in her glittering weed
  Her beauty on me to bestow;
And walking alone, attended by none,        5
  By chance I heard one cry
“O do not, do not, kill me yet,
  For I am not prepared to die!”
 
With that I drew near to see and to hear,
  And strange did appear such a show;        10
The Moon it was bright, and gave such a light
  As fits not each wight to know:
A man and a maid, together were laid,
  And ever the maid she did cry,
“O do not, do not, kill me yet, I,        15
  For I am not resolved to die!”
 
The youth was rough, he took up her stuff,
  And to blindman’s buff they did go;
He kept such a coil, he gave her the foil,
  So great the broil it did grow.        20
But she was so young, and he was so strong,
  And he left her not till she did cry,
“O do not, do not, kill me yet,
  For I am not resolved to die!”
 
With that he gave o’er, and solemnly swore        25
  He would kill her no more that night,
But bade her adieu: full little he knew
  She would tempt him to more delight.
But when they should part, it went to her heart,
  And gave her more cause for to cry,        30
“O kill me, kill me, once again,
  For now I am willing to die!”