University of Virginia Library

Paplet.
Now much I marl: 'Tis pretty; if tell Truth!
But say; Ha, Ha! Be He so soft in sooth?

Soflin.
My gentle Mey, he is of gentlest mood.
Oh that he were my Brother! sure I would
Taken his Hand and tender lead him in,
Whenso he to the distant Field had been.
There pretty stroak his Hand, Ne have it said
See Soflin there, O see! A fawning Maid!
In his soft Bosom I my Hand would slip,
And hang epon the sweetness of his Lip.

Paplet.
Don't, Soflin, don't! how can'st talk so? Lips sweet;
How meanest sweet? How doen know be sweet?

Soflin.
All as a-green I walk with Collikin,
The lovely'st Lad that ever walk'd a-green.
If be I'm fray'd by Flood, by Boar or Bull,
He sooth's me soft, and calls me softest Soul.
Be it not pretty? b'lieve me, Pap, he doth!
And holds me 'neath his lilly Arm now sooth!
And sweet the Swain my Hand in his will nip,
Then kiss me with the kisses of his Lip.
So save me, Sweet, as truth I tell, when say
(Why tarest the Flow'rs so fierce, my pretty Mey?)
But hear me, Chick! I seemen oft be fray,

fray. Or, affraid.

When I be not: But Maids should seem they say.

Paplet.
And so; why but—and pretty'st be't then Maid,
Be lip'd when frayed art? I'll be afraid!

Soflin.
Prettier? Oh prettier, Child, than may be thought,
You mayn't hug Men, if be you fearen nought:
But sure, so sweet it is, so hug in Arms!
Skuttle to Dear, and have him hide from harms!

Paplet.
No more, but then? Yet kind be Swains, you said;
How kind? Mayn't kiss. Would kissing kill 'em, Maid?
But soft! meseem'd—oh I'd have heard for nought
Our simple Chat, for ours is simple Chat!

Soflin.
Set still Sweet! Wind might wag: Or Leverit rush,
With Cock-up Ears: don't go! or Bird from bush.

Paplet.
That Cubbinet I fear, for whom the Meys
Late joyn'd, and bought a Pipeit; all I guess
To busy him, and keep from kissing so.
The Swain that whispers us in Ear, you know,
That he can sing, then snatches a quick kiss;
Sooth, as the Mey suspecteth nought amiss.
Now the poor Heart's so pleased with his Pipe!
'Fore Great Ones he can't hold, but lay'th to's lip.

Soflin.
I know the Swain, a tender Swain is he!
Fear him not Paplet, fear him not Sweet Mey.
I know the Swain, Who sooths so soft as he!
Believe me Lass, he'll never harm Sweet Mey.

Paplet.
Oh, but he often skulks a-hind a balk,
To hear the harmless Shepherdess in talk.
Then tells the Chat to Sparks at the great-Town,
Who maken Mock at Speech of simple Clown.
Ne strange, I trow; for say me, Sweet, is't fit

Ne. Or, Nor

Our weetless Tittletattle weren writ?
Unkindly Cubbinet! untoward boy!
Else, by my fay! he is a Gentle Boy.

Soflin.
Sooth is he, but to kissing he's so given!
He'll kiss till he's odd, and then kiss to come even.
He'll kiss at the Hedge, and he'll kiss at the Gate;
He'll kiss if the chattering Magpie but prate!

Paplet.
But how must do if Swain should ere kiss me?
He'll put my Arms around him, didst not say:
Oh!—if to put my hands a-hind he goes:
May strive pull 'way, and that will pull him close!

Soflin.
Be sure look tender, when to lip he go:
But, sooth if say, Thou canst not help look so.
That dainty dimple in thy little Cheek,
So soft thee show's, so modest, and so meek!

Paplet.
Worst is, if ever Youngling cast to lay
My hand in's bosom, 'twill so pretty be,
Not I know how, O I shan't help the fault,
But blush, poor son! how Soflie must I not?

So Paplet, softest Paplet, as she said,
Her sweer-dew Lips on Soflies Bosom laid.
Soflin.
No help, I ween; what will be, best let be.
But bad in thee, my Chick, more bad in me.

Paplet.
Yet Striplin Cheek look pretty so, meweet;
(All as the Rose in bed of Lillys set.)
For Florrey late to the great-town ha' been;
But oh, when first me saw, how blush'd the Swain!
Cause why; the sweetlip boy then cast to kiss;
Yet say me soft, be that so much amiss?

Soflin.

Paplet.
Why 'shamed? I would ha' stroak'd 'em off his Face:
And sooth now so, had'st felt how soft it was!
Oh pleasant! how you've lived! Didest not tho'
Out's Bosom take his Locks, when in did blow?
Do let me lye A-Lea with ye, now wo't?
For oft ye setten so, Lass, do ye not.

Soflin.
This Morn sweet sate we 'neath this sweet May-bough;
Ye Kentish Swains, no softer seat ye know!
The Flowers suck'd Honey-dew (O dainty draught!)
Soft for the Bees to sip that sip so soft.
Under my head a hand fair laid the Boy;
Then sinking down yclosen sleepie Eye.

Paplet.
Ay? say'st in sooth? and then—why dost not say?
Was it not lovely, when so loose he lay?
Meseems I should ha' pleased with tender Tongue
Or sooth'd, the while, with softness of a Song.

So us she said (and who so sweet can sain)
Her little Leg would in her Fellow's twine.
Then dainty'd droppen Hand in Soflie Breast:
Ah dainty Hand! how Cubbin yearn'd to kiss't!
Soflin.
Oh soft I lull'd him, soft as I could lull;
And in my Bosom put his Head to loll!
Sweet glow'd the while, his pretty rosie Cheek;
Smooth lay elong his Limbs, so slim and slieke.
Fair fed I on the fairness of his Face;
O Paplet, didst but ween how pleasant 'twas!

Paplet.

Ene. Or, One.

I've heard 'tis dainty lye along with Ene
We love; say Soflie, be't so dainty then?

Soflin.
Dainty? Ay dainty more than heart may weet
Don't look at me, Pap, and I'll tell thee what.
I putten hand in's bosom now that be's,
So silkie soft! then gently gave't a kiss!

Soft simpering saiden this the lovely Maid.
While Paplet 'tween her twey her hand fair had;
Who oft would turn and shift, as ill at ease:
Cubbin did too to see't. Ah careful Case!
Paplet.
Stay, Soflin, list! Heard I not some one sneeze
'Twas 'mong the Sedge; fast by those murmuring Bees!

Soflin.
Poor Chick, how thou dost quake! prethee leave quake.
Sooth 'twas some Bird but chirp'd in th' bushie brake

Paplet.
Much Wonder give it me, my gentle Dear!
Thou nought, ne any one, suspectest 'ere.

Soflin.

Paplet.
Then do Lads like in sooth, or seemen they?
I've heard say, Youngling Swain will harm Young Mey.
Yet Florrey looks so pretty and so pert,
Nought I know how, fancy he could not hurt.
And Collikin, O me! but Collikin,
Of all the Swains, for me—he is the Swain!

Soflin.