Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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

Tottingham Frolic

Anonymous

(From Choyce Drollery) AS I came from Tottingham
Upon a Market-day,
There I met with a bonny Lass
Cloathed all in Gray,
Her Journey was to London,	5
With Butter-milk and Whey.
To come Down a down,
To come Down, down a down a.
Sweet-heart, quoth he,
You’re well overtook,	10
With that she cast her Head aside,
And lent to him a Look;
Then presently these two
Both Hands together shook:
To come, etc.	15
And as they rode together,
Along side by side,
The Maiden it so chanced,
Her Garter was unty’d;
For fear that she should lose it,	20
Look here, Sweet-heart, he cry’d,
Your Garter is down a down, etc.
Good Sir, quoth she,
I pray you take the Pain,
To do so much for me,	25
As to take it up again,
With a good will, quoth he,
When I come to yonder Plain,
I will take you down, etc.
And when they came unto the Place,	30
Upon the Grass so green,
The Maid she held her Legs so wide,
The Young man slipt between,
Such tying of a Garter,
You have but seldom seen.	35
To come down, etc.
Then she rose up again,
And thank’d him for his pain:
He took her by the middle small,
And Kiss’d her once again:	40
Her Journey was to London,
And he from Highgate came,
To come down, etc.
Thus Tibb of Tottingham,
She lost her Maiden-head,	45
But yet it is no matter,
It stood her in small stead,
For it did often trouble her,
As she lay in her Bed.
To come down, etc.	50
But when all her Butter-milk
And her Whey was sold,
The loss of her Maiden-head,
It waxed very cold:
But that which will away, quoth she,	55
Is very hard to hold,
To come, etc.
You Maids, you Wives, and Widows,
That now do hear my Song,
If any young man proffer Kindness,	60
Pray take it short, or long;
For there is no such Comfort
As lying with a Man.
To come Down a down,
To come Down, down a down a.	65