The Surpris’d Nymph
The four and twentieth day of May,
Of all days in the year;
A Virgin Lady fresh and gay,
Did privately appear:
Hard by a River side got she,
And did sing loud the rather;
Cause she was sure, she was secure,
And had intent to bathe her.
With glittering, glancing, jealous Eyes,
She slyly looks about;
To see if any lurking Spies
Were hid to find her out:
And being well resolved that none,
Could see her Nakedness,
She pulled her Robes off one by one,
And did her self undress.
Her purple Mantle fring’d with Gold,
Her Ivory Hands unpinned;
It would have made a Coward bold,
Or tempted a Saint to ’a sinned:
She turned about and looked around,
Quoth she, I hope I’m safe;
Then her rosie Petticoat,
She presently put off.
The snow white Smock which she had on,
Transparently to deck her,
Look’d like Cambric or Lawn,
Upon an Alabaster Picture:
Thro’ which Array I did faintly spy
Her Belly and her Back;
Her Limbs were straight, and all was white,
But that which should be Black.
Into a fluent Stream she leapt,
She looked like Venus Glass;
The Fishes from all Quarters crept,
To see what Angel ’twas:
She did so like a Vision look,
Or Fancy in a Dream;
’Twas thought the Sun the Skies forsook,
And dropt into the Stream.
Each Fish did wish himself a Man,
About her all was drawn,
And at the Sight of her began
To spread abroad their Spawn:
She turned to swim upon her Back,
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poem from Pills to Purge Melancholy (1707)
Added by Veronica Serbanoiu
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