| T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22. | | | | A Song: “There was a swain full fair” | | By John Gay (1685–1732) |
| | (From The Wife of Bath, 1713)
THERE was a swain full fair, | |
| Was tripping it o’er the grass, | |
| And there he spied, with her nut-brown hair, | |
| A pretty, tight country lass. | |
| Fair damsel, says he, | 5 |
| With an air brisk and free, | |
| Come let us each other know; | |
| She blush’d in his face, | |
| And replied with a grace, | |
| Pray forbear, Sir:—no, no, no, no. | 10 |
| |
| The lad being bolder grown, | |
| Endeavoured to steal a kiss, | |
| She cried, pish!—let me alone, | |
| But held up her nose for the bliss. | |
| And when he begun, | 15 |
| She would never have done, | |
| But unto his lips she did grow, | |
| Near smothered to death, | |
| As soon as she’d breath, | |
| She stammer’d out, no, no, no, no. | 20 |
| |
| Come, come, says he, pretty maid, | |
| Let’s walk to yon private grove, | |
| Cupid always delights in the cooling shade | |
| There, I’ll read thee a lesson of love. | |
| She mends her pace, | 25 |
| And hastes to the place, | |
| But if her love-lecture you’d know; | |
| Let a bashful young muse | |
| Plead the maiden’s excuse, | |
| And answer you,—no, no, no, no. | 30 | | | |
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