The Way of a Virgin/The Penitent Nun

THE PENITENT NUN.^[1]

Dame Jane a sprightly Nun, and gay,
And formed of very yielding Clay,
Had long with resolution strove
To guard against the Shafts of Love.
Fond Cupid smiling, spies the Fair,
And soon he baffles all her Care,
In vain she tries her Pain to smother,
The Nymph too frail, the Nymph too frail,
becomes a Mother.
But now these little Follies o'er.
She firmly vows she'll sin no more;
No more to Vice will fall a Prey,
But spend in Prayer each fleeting Day.
Close in her Cell immur'd she lies,
Nor from the Cross removes her Eyes;
Whilst Sisters crouding at the Crate,
Spend all their Times, spend all their Time
in Wordly Prate.
The Abbess, overjoy'd to find
This happy Change in Jenny's Mind,
The rest, with Air compos'd, addressing,
"Daughters, if you expect a Blessing,
"From pious Jane, Example take,
"The World and all its Joys forsake."
"We will (they all replied as One)
"But first let's do as Jane has done."

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1. J. S. Farmer: Merry Songs and Ballads: vol. 5: by John Lockman: from Muscial Miscellany, (1731). Farmer, of course, is the editor and compiler of Slang and its Analogues, to which we make constant reference.