T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Cloris, Now Thou Art Fled away
Anonymous(From Sportive Wit: the Muses’ Merriment, 1656) |
CLORIS, since thou art gone astray, | |
Amyntas Shepherd’s fled away; | |
And all the joys he wont to spy | |
I’ th’ pretty babies of thine eye, | |
Are gone; and she hath none to say | 5 |
But who can help what will away, will away? | |
The Green on which it was his chance | |
To have her hand first in a dance, | |
Among the merry Maiden-crew, | |
Now making her nought but sigh and rue | 10 |
The time she ere had cause to say | |
Ah, who can help what will away, will away? | |
The Lawn with which she wont to deck | |
And circle in her whiter neck; | |
Her Apron lies behind the door; | 15 |
The strings won’t reach now as before: | |
Which makes her oft cry well-a-day: | |
But who can help what will away? | |
He often swore that he would leave me, | |
Ere of my heart he could bereave me: | 20 |
But when the Sign was in the tail, | |
He knew poor Maiden-flesh was frail; | |
And laughs now I have nought to say, | |
But who can help what will away. | |
But let the blame upon me lie, | 25 |
I had no heart him to deny: | |
Had I another Maidenhead, | |
I’d lose it ere I went to bed: | |
For what can all the world more say, | |
Than who can help what will away? | 30 |