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EBBA 35955

Beinecke Library - Michell-Jolliffe
Ballad XSLT Template
CUPID'S POWER.
Lovers forbear to grieve, be no more sad,
Here is such News will make your Hearts right glad;
Rouze up yourselves, take courage and be bold,
Look here is Cupids Power for to be sold:
And now a fig for Cupid or his Dart,
Without his Power he cannot wound thy Heart.
To the Tune of Dick and Nan: Or, The Tyrant.

TO cure melancholly,
I travers'd the fields,
To please my sad fancy
with such as it yields;
Early one morning
befure Phoebus did rise,
With his radiant leams to
adorn the clear skies.

The morning was fair,
the birds sweetly did sing,
The meddows were circled
with a silver spring:
And the stately green trees
by Boreas cool blast,
Did delight me with Musick,
till I them was past.

At the end of those Trees,
there was a large Plain,
Whose colour 'twere pity
one foot should it stain;
Its bright streams were as clear
as Crystal can be,
With joy I was ravish'd
this sight for to see.

I stood and admired,
but durst not go in,
For to tread in that Plain
I thought it a sin;
Yet being desirous
the whole Plain to see,
In haste I did get me up
into a Tree.

No sooner I was up,
but I looked round,
Of Harmonious Melody
I heard the sound,
And strait this green, lovely,
and inchanted Plain
Was fill'd with abundance
of fire and flame.

The sight made me tremble,
I quiver'd and shak't,
My bones it did shatter,
and my heart it ak't;
In the Plain I did see
thousands come tripping,
After a naked Boy
bowing and skipping.

His eyes they were blinded,
his Hair it was like gold,
His person 'twas lovely,
in's hands he did hold
A fine carved Bow, 'twas
most curiously done,
And a Quiver of Arrows
like an Archers son.

His attendance was many
and richly attir'd,
With Crowns and with Scepters,
at which I admir'd;
Kings, Princes, and Ladies,
came bowing and weeping,
With doleful sighs and groans,
they fell a greeting.

The Second Part, To the same Tune.

HE smil'd at them all,
but regarded them not,
Though all (I perceived)
was wounded and shot:
But then he withdrew,
and left them a space,
Then this Boy of fire
the green Plain did trace,

And came to the end, where
I was in the Tree,
It made me sore troubled
lest he should me see:
Then I did begin for
to fret and to rave,
Fearing to become
this little Boys slave.

But such Divine Power
did rule over me,
This little blinde Rascal
he did not me see;
So when he was come
to the place where I was,
His Quiver and Bow he
laid down on the grass.

And being delighted
to hear his own praise,
His melodious Voice
most sweetly did raise:
(Quoth he) I'm little Cupid,
the great God of Love,
A Terror to all men,
my being's above.

Vulcan my father's
a Blacksmith by Trade,
Like Venus my Mother,
no Beauty was made.
They compos'd me of fire,
and beauty together,
And richly they've arm'd me
with a Bow and Quiver.

With my Fathers heat,
that is fiery hot,
At Venus-like Beauty
my Arrows be shot;
At all sorts of persons
I do bend my Bow,
And whilest they be flying,
mine Arrows do grow.

This rare gallant Train
that my person attend,
Are those that but lately
my Power did offend,
And call me an idle,
and a sawcy Lad,
For which they are wounded,
and almost stark mad.

Diana so chaste, that doth
scorn to have Mate,
Whose Court's strongly guarded,
and bar'd is the Gate,
Yet the Nymphs that wait on her
be prickt at the breast;
The Surgeon's a young man
that must give them rest.

The Ginger-bread Lady
that treads upon Eggs,
And cannot tell where, nor
how to set her leggs,
'Twould comfort the Cockles
of her heart, if she can
But be tumbled and kist
by her Serving-man.

The cold frozen Virgin
I set all on fire,
And my golden Darts
doth kindle desire;
For she that did hate
to hear of my Name,
Now begs at my Shrine
to pity her flame.

The rare Scholars of Mars,
(brave Souldiers so stout)
That after they've conquer'd
their Foes by a rout,
Whose courage undaunted,
looks death in the face,
My invincible power
doth captive that place.

The whole World's my Court.
there's no people free,
From the Prince to the [beggar,]
all's subject to me:
What though I'm [a Lad]
that's childish a[nd small,]
Yet I little Cupi[d]
do conquer the[m all.]


London, Printed for Charls Tyus at the Three Bibles on L[ondon-bridge. 1664.]

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