National Ballad and Song/Volume 5/The Bride's First Night

The Bride's First Night
by unknown author
350027The Bride's First Nightunknown

THE BRIDE’S FIRST NIGHT

[c. 1610–20]

[By “W. C.”; from Rawlinson MS., Poet. 214, leaf 71, back].

Being entered, and the bed with all thinges sett,
Vpon the side thereof a while they sitt.
when left alone, they talke and toy & smile,
She, whilst she canne, the tyme seeks to beguile,
till sudingly her cheekes are all bewept,
to loose so soone what she so long hath kept;
& oft she castes her eyes vpon the place
where she is to wrastle; and she highdes her face.
He with such gentle force compells the Lasse,
as would not breake her, were she made of glasse,
so loth he is to hurt her; yet he throwghs
her softly downe, and to her side he growes.
Venus begins to teach them a new trade,
The marrage quene here playes the chamber-maide:
Juno her-selfe, whose new affections growne,
and there attends to teach them Marse vnknowne,
the whilst he seekes for babyes in her eyes,
feeles her white neck, & ivery breasts that rise
Like 2 white snowy hills, and still doth praise
all that he feeles or touches; then thus sayes:
“O frish and flourishing Virgin now in brid,
and are you growne at length so near my side;
of all my hopes the storehouse and the treasure,
my long-expected, now my greatest pleasure;
my sweet & dearest loue, this could not be
nor happen thus, but by the gods decree;
& will [you] now the power of loue withstande?”
at this she turnes, & stayes his forward hand,
trembling to think of that which was to ensue,
or proue the thinge which yet she neuer knew;
twixt hope and fear she thus replyes:
“O faire and louely youth, list t’ a Virgins prayre!
of the ingrate, by those which gaue the such,
thy parents bee, I only beg thus much:
pitty my tears, put me to noe affright,
I only craue repriue but for this night”
with [that] she seemes intraunst, and prostrate lyes,
hath not one word to vtter more, nor eyes
to see herselfe vnvirgeyned, winkes, lyes still,
& since be needes must, letts him act his will:
betwixt them too, they quench loues amorrous fires,
she what she feares, he what he long desires.