Strephon and Clea: OR, Love in its Prime: BEING The Happy Shepherd and Lovely Nymph:  

The timourous Nymph at last does yield to Love,  
And finds it next to Joys Incense above,  
The only Solace of the Soul, such Joys,  
Flowing from thence, as all sad Care Destroys:  
Long in kind Strephon's Arms she panting lay,  
'Twixt Sighs and Smiles, well pleased with wanton play:  
Till both to seed their Bleating Flocks do rise,  
Not tired with love, for Lovers that ne'er Cloys:   
To a pleasant New Tune Used at the playhouse.  
 

LOvely and Charming Clea lay,  
transported in her dear Strephon's Arms,  
With languishing Eyes, she dying lies,  
with melting Lips, and with sucking charms:  
Clinging close to embraces, and dying,  
short breath and sigh, with a Rapture she said,  
O Dear, I die, my Soul you'll undo me,  
Why will you ruin a harmless Maid?   

Ah! lovely Clea, Strephon cries,  
out Souls shall no unkindness meet,  
Nothing was ever more Divine,  
mortal Rapture's not more sweet:  
Thus they did often melt in Kisses,  
with such delightful and rabishing Charms,  
Till they quite tired with pleasures and Blisses,  
fell fast asleep in each others arms.   
 

Where Paradise Dreams did them possess,  
and joys far more than can be told,  
In love there is such great happiness,  
as cannot be purchased with Gold:  
The envying Nymphs did flock to view,  
them clasped beneath a Myrtle Shade,  
And wished that they such pleasures knew,  
As these at Venus Alter paid.   

Then Clea opened her bright Eyes,  
and finding herself in Strephon's Arms,  
Sent up her Blushes to the Skies,  
and wakes him with her Gentle Charms,  
Who starting, blames his Drowsy Love,  
and then his kind Devotion paid,  
While she sighed by the Powers above,  
Why will you ruin a harmless Maid.   

Yet willing to enjoy such Bliss,  
a pleasing sign slushed in her Face,  
And with her Sighs he mirt a kiss,  
which did him alently Embrace:  
Whilst panting on her breast he lay,  
those Ivory Bills where Cupid's stayed,  
To wing his Shafts, she thus did say,  
Why will you ruin a harmless Maid?   

But smiling still the dated him on,  
to Combat in Love's pleasing Field,  
Whilst phoebus Steeds their Course did run,  
and warbling Birds their Music yield:  
Who on each bough did Tune their joys,  
with amorous Ditty through the Shade,  
To there the Lovers, while still she cries,  
why will you ruin a harmless Maid.   

Then rising with her in his Arms,  
they pass unto the purling Stream,  
And there with Kissing, revive their Charms  
more pleasing than a Virgin Dream:  
Half smiling then, alas, she sighed,  
why? ever was I of Love afraid?  
To thee my Love I cannot hide,  
Though it may ruin a harmless Maid.   

Fear not my Joy, the Shepherd then,  
to his fair Clea soon replied,  
Thou seem'st far lovelier now, then when  
thou wert in all thy Virgin Pride:  
To seed our Flocks let us repair,  
and henceforth let all sorrow fade,  
'Tis thou shalt be my only Care;  
And i le not ruin a harmless Maid.   

Dark how the tender Lambs do bleat,  
Thou shalt my Queen and Mistress be,  
And on thy Smiles I'll ever wait,  
in Love and pleasure we'll live free:  
And feed our Flocks within this Brove,  
whilst to thy Eyes Devotion's paid,  
At which she sighed, by the God of Love,  
If you'll not ruin a harmless Maid.   

I'll yield myself unto your trust,  
and Clea shall be ever thine,  
Fear not my Boddess, I'll be just,  
to love thee ever's my Design:  
Soon they went with Myrtle Crowned;  
to seed their bleating Flocks that stayed,  
And lived in Love while she lost the sound,  
why will you ruin a harmless Maid?   
FINIS.   

Pointed for P. Brooksby, at the Golden-Ball, near the Hospital gate, in West-Smithfield.