The Poems of Charles Sackville Sixth Earl of Dorset: Edited by Brice Harris |
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A Song on Black Bess
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 | The Poems of Charles Sackville |  |
90
A Song on Black Bess
91
Methinks the poor town has been troubled too long
With Phyllis and Chloris in every song,
By fools who at once can both love and despair,
And will never leave calling them cruel and fair:
Which justly provokes me in rhyme to express
The truth that I know of bonny Black Bess.
With Phyllis and Chloris in every song,
By fools who at once can both love and despair,
And will never leave calling them cruel and fair:
Which justly provokes me in rhyme to express
The truth that I know of bonny Black Bess.
This Bess of my heart, this Bess of my soul,
Has a skin white as milk and hair black as coal;
She's plump, yet with ease you may span round her waist,
But her round swelling thighs can scarce be embrac'd:
Her belly is soft, not a word of the rest,
But I know what I think when I drink to the best.
Has a skin white as milk and hair black as coal;
She's plump, yet with ease you may span round her waist,
But her round swelling thighs can scarce be embrac'd:
Her belly is soft, not a word of the rest,
But I know what I think when I drink to the best.
The plowman and squire, the arranter clown,
At home she subdu'd in her paragon gown;
But now she adorns the boxes and pit,
And the proudest town gallants are forc'd to submit.
All hearts fall a leaping whenever she comes,
And beat day and night like my Lord Craven's drums.
At home she subdu'd in her paragon gown;
But now she adorns the boxes and pit,
And the proudest town gallants are forc'd to submit.
All hearts fall a leaping whenever she comes,
And beat day and night like my Lord Craven's drums.
92
I dare not permit her to come to Whitehall,
For she'd outshine the ladies, paint, jewels, and all.
If a lord shou'd but whisper his love in the crowd,
She'd sell him a bargain and laugh out aloud;
Then the Queen, overhearing what Betty did say,
Would send Mr. Roper to take her away.
For she'd outshine the ladies, paint, jewels, and all.
If a lord shou'd but whisper his love in the crowd,
She'd sell him a bargain and laugh out aloud;
Then the Queen, overhearing what Betty did say,
Would send Mr. Roper to take her away.
But to those that have had my dear Bess in their arms,
She's gentle and knows how to soften her charms;
And to every beauty can add a new grace,
Having learn'd how to lisp and to trip in her pace;
And with head on one side and a languishing eye,
To kill us by looking as if she would die.
She's gentle and knows how to soften her charms;
And to every beauty can add a new grace,
Having learn'd how to lisp and to trip in her pace;
And with head on one side and a languishing eye,
To kill us by looking as if she would die.
| The Poems of Charles Sackville | |