T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
A Friend of Mine
Percy’s Folio Manuscript(Anonymous) A FRIEND of mine not long ago | |
| desired at my hands | |
| Some pretty toy to move delight | |
| to those that hearers stand. | |
| The which I mean to gratify | 5 |
| by all the means I may, | |
| And move delight in every wight | |
| that with affection stay. | |
| Some thought to prove wherein I should | |
| these several humors please, | 10 |
| The which to do, reason forbids, | |
| but I should some displease; | |
| But since my muse doth pleasure Chuse, | |
| and thereon bends her skill, | |
| Whereby I may drive time away, | 15 |
| and sorrows quite beguile. | |
| It was my Chance, not long ago, | |
| by a pleasant wood to walk, | |
| Where I unseen of any one | |
| did hear two lovers talk; | 20 |
| And as these lovers forth did pass, | |
| hard by a pleasant shade, | |
| Hard by a mighty Pine tree there, | |
| their resting place they made. | |
| “Insooth,” then did this young man say, | 25 |
| “I thinke this fragrant place | |
| Was only made for lovers true | |
| each other to embrace.” | |
| He took her by the middle small,— | |
| good sooth I do not mock,— | 30 |
| Not meaning to do any thing | |
| but to pull up her: smo: block. | |
| Whereon she sat, poor silly soul, | |
| to rest her weary bones. | |
| This maid she was no whit afraid, | 35 |
| but she caught him fast by the: stones: thumbs; | |
| Whereat he vext and grieved was, | |
| so that his flesh did wrinkle; | |
| This maid she was no whit afraid, | |
| but caught him fast hold by the: pintle: pimple. | 40 |
| Which he had on his chin likewise;— | |
| but let that pimple pass;— | |
| There is no man here but he may suppose | |
| she were a merry lass. | |
| He boldly ventured, being tall, | 45 |
| yet in his speech bu[t] blunt, | |
| He never ceast, but took up all, | |
| and caught her by the Cun: plumpe. | |
| And red rose lips he kist full sweet: | |
| quoth she, “I crave no sucour.” | 50 |
| Which made him to have a mighty mind | |
| to clip, kiss, and to fuck: pluck her | |
| Into his arms. “Nay! soft!” quoth she, | |
| “what needeth all this doing? | |
| For if you will be ruled by me, | 55 |
| you shall use small time in wooing. | |
| “For I will lay me down,” quoth she, | |
| “upon the slippery segs, | |
| And all my clothes I’ll truss up round, | |
| and spread about my: legs: eggs, | 60 |
| Which I have in my apron here | |
| under my girdle tuckt; | |
| So shall I be most fine and brave, | |
| most ready to be: fuckt: duckt | |
| “Unto some pleasant springing well; | 65 |
| for now its time of the year | |
| To deck, and bathe, and trim ourselves | |
| both head, hands, feet and gear.” | |