As I travers’d to and fro, And in the fields was walking, I chanc’d to hear two Sisters That secretly were talking: The younger to the elder said, Prethee why do’st not marry? In faith, quoth she, I’le tell to thee, I mean not long to tarry.
When I was fifteen years of age, Then I had suitors many: But, I a wanton peevish wench Would not sport with any: Till at the last I sleeping fast, Cupid came to woo me, And, like a lad that was stark mad, He swore he would come to me. And then he lay down by my side And spread his armes upon me, And I, being ’twixt sleep and wake, Did strive to thrust him from me, But he with all the power he had, Did lie the harder on me. And then he did so play with me, As I was plaid with never; The wanton boy so pleased me, I would have slept for ever. And then methought the world turn’d round, And Phœbus fell a-skipping, And all the Nymphs and Goddesses About us two were tripping. Then seemed Neptune as he had pour’d His Ocean streams upon us, But Boreas with his blust’ring blasts Did strive to keep him from us. Limping Vulcan he came, As if he had been jealous, Venus follow’d after him, And swore she’d blow the bellows. Mars called Cupid Jackanapes, And swore he would him smother, Quoth Cupid, Said I so to thee When thou lay’st with my mother? Juno then, and Jupiter, Came marching with Apollo; Pan came in with Mercury, And then began the hollo; Cupid ran and hid himself, And so of joys bereft me: For suddenly I did awake, And all these fancies left me.
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