T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Jilts
Anonymous(From Pills to Purge Melancholy, c. 1720) |
ON a Bank in flow’ry June, | |
| When Groves are green and gay, | |
| In a smiling Afternoon, | |
| With Doll young Willy lay: | |
| They thought none were to spy ’em, | 5 |
| But Nell stood list’ning by ’em; | |
| Oh fie! Doll cried, no, I vow, I’d rather die; | |
| Than wrong my Modesty: | |
| Quoth Nell, that I shall see. | |
| Smarting pain the Virgin finds, | 10 |
| Although by Nature taught, | |
| When she first to Man inclines; | |
| Quoth Nell I’ll venture that. | |
| Then who would loose a Treasure | |
| For such a puny Pleasure? | 15 |
| Not I, not I, no, a Maid I’ll live and die, | |
| And to my Vow be true: | |
| Quoth Nell, the more fool you. | |
| To my Closet I’ll repair, | |
| And Godly Books peruse; | 20 |
| Then devote my self to Pray’r, | |
| Quoth Nell, and —— use; | |
| You Men are all perfidious, | |
| But I will be Religious. | |
| Try all, fly all, whil’st I have Breath deny ye all, | 25 |
| For the Sex I now despise: | |
| Quoth Nell, and G—d she lies. | |
| Youthful Blood o’erspreads her Face, | |
| When Nature prompts to Sin: | |
| Modesty ebbs out apace, | 30 |
| And love as fast flows in: | |
| The Swain that heard this schooling, | |
| Ashamed, left off his fooling; | |
| Kill me, kill me, now I am ruined, let me die: | |
| You have damned my Soul to Hell; | 35 |
| Try her once again, cries Nell. | |