Pastorals :: :: University of Virginia Library

Pastorals

After the Simple Manner of Theocritus. By Mr. Purney

Purney, Thomas (1695-ca. 1727)

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Foreby him sate these Maids in loose Array,
As fair and fresh as Summer Eve might see.
Sweet gay-green Flowers, so pretty put anear,
The Pink and Pancet pretty put anear.
Soflin and Paplet they; (ah dainty They!)
That ripe as Rose, this a soft-aged Mey.

Both lith as Youngling Roe, all-tender too
As Ladybird that lives on twinkling Dew.

A soft-aged Mey. or Mai; the d left out; is here used for one younger than we commonly mean by the Word Maid, suppose a Lass of 13 or 14 Years old. Tho' Chaucer uses it indifferently, as it has not the vulgarness of Maid, and is of a sound particularly sweet and simple.