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throw it the bride. This caused the sack posset to be taken away, which being done, it only remained now to kiss the women round, and so depart, whilst the bride's mother locked fast the door, and took away the key, that none might interrupt them. They now being both left alone, the bridegroom, without any doubt improves his time: and therefore let this suffice, that they now revel in these joys they not long before durst hardly think of; and for the bridegroom, as Carew expresses it:

Now his enfranchis'd hand on every side,
May o'er her naked polish'd ivory glide;
No curtain new o'er the transparent lawn
Is there before her virgin treasure drawn.
New, void of all offence, he may behold,
Her bosom bare, and her unbraided gold.

But though he had revelled in bliss all night, yet his fair spouse's mother came to the blithe couple in the morning, to enquire how her dearest daughter did — Yet the son was first saluted, with, Son, how is it? So well, said he, that I have been this night in Paradise. With that the