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EBBA 21248

Magdalene College - Pepys
Ballad XSLT Template
Mars and Venus:
OR,
The Amorous Combatants.
Mars strives for to give Venus Castle the rout,
But she most valiantly did beat him out;
He lost the day for all he was three to one,
He could not stay, his powder all was gone:
And furthermore he got a sore mischance,
To save some B alls he spoiled his best Lance;
She bids him come as often as he will,
For all his force, she can resist him still.
To a pleasant New Tune, or, Mars and Venus .

A Broad of late as I was walking,
in the Fields to take the ayr,
Mars and Venus there was talking,
in a pleasant shady Bower.
I stept close and sat down by them,
They little thought I had been so nigh them,
for to understand the matter,
Whereunto they fram'd their talk,
M ars vapoured thus as he did walk.

Says M ars I am the God of Battle,
and chief General of the Field;
[I] long to hear the Cannons rattle,
I [am] arm'd with Lance, Spear & Shield

I set forth with strong invasions,
I conquer Castles, Towns, and Nations,
there's no Champion dare resist me,
I conquer all where e're I go,
In spight of him that dare say no.

But hark you M ars , methinks you vapour,
ther's one Castle you ne'r won;
The Mistris of it ne'r drew Rapier,
and in it there's never a Gun:
Yet I dare lay both marks & pounds on't
that if e're you come within the bounds on't
e're you come off, you'l lose men there;
And be forc'd for to retreat,
And it's ten to one but you'l be beat.

I N truth (said Mars ) could I but spy it,
I will venter there to fight;
That same Castle if e're I come nigh it,
I will storm it by day or by night:
Tell me therefore where it standeth,
And the names the which it commandeth,
that same Castle which you treat on,
And I will thank you for your pains,
And be sure of this i'le make you amends.

It's Coney-hall, neer Navil-court,
it's at the Fort of Belly-hill;
Near Blew-hole-lane you may resort to't
or Bum-alley whether you will.
Through Placket-entry there is the way to't
In the low-country there you may go to't
Venus she's the Mistris of it,
And was never conquer'd by War,
Although there be no fence but hair.

Up to this Castle M ars drew his Army,
and Bum-alley up did block;
He was clad in gallant Armor,
she her own field fill'd with her smock,
He laid such a close siege round about it,
that there was none could come in or out it
this call'd Venus to a parly,
And to M ars away she went,
Desiring for to know his intent.

Says Mars I am come to win this Castle,
and i'le take it before I go,

Says Venus it's in vain to wra[?]
you cannot enter it as a Fo[e]
You must beat a Larum on my [?]
A point of War a Troopers r[?]
Tat too, Tat too , we march [?]
Tick Track is a gallant sport,
And on these terms i'le yield th[e fort]

Up to this Castle M ars he vent[?]
and in it he thrust his Lance [?]
But he repented that he had v[?]
for his Weapon got a misch[?]
And straightway it fell sick upo[?]
And in Coney-hall was force[?]
that caus'd Venus to be a[?]
And out o'th door she did him k[ick]
And was not that an uncivil t[rick]

Says Mars I am by a woman [?]
I will never come there an[?]
I fear my Lance that she hath [?]
when she kickt me out o'th[?]
Farewel Venus , farewel Cone[y-hall]
Farewel Bum-alley, adieu to [?]
I will ne'r come there a[?]
Except that she had prov'd m[?]
And so I bid you all adieu.

FINIS:

Printed for J. Wright, J. Clar[?]
and T. Passenge[r]

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