| T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22. | | | | Three Songs from “The Maid’s Tragedy” | | By Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) and John Fletcher (1579–1625) |
| | (From Act I.)
I. CYNTHIA, to thy power and thee, | |
| 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. | | | | |
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