Bright _Venus_ still glisters, Out-shining of _Luna_; _Saturne_ was present, as right did require; And he called _Jupiter_ with his Queen _Juno_, To see how Dame _Venus_ did burn in desire: Now _Jove_ sent _Mercury_ || To _Vulcan_ hastily, Because he should descry [decoy] Dame _Venus_ down: _Vulkan_ came running, On _Mars_ he stood frowning, Yet for all his cunning, || _Venus had a greene gowne_. 10. Cupid shootes arrowes At _Venus_ her darlings, For they are nearest unto him by kind: _Diana_ he hits not, nor can he pierce worldlings, For they have strong armour his darts to defend: The one hath chastity, And _Cupid_ doth defie; The others cruelty || makes him a clowne: But leaving this I see, From _Cupid_ few are free, And ther’s much courtesie _In a greene gowne_. FINIS. We have a firm conviction that these verses (not including “The bright Apollo”) were unauthorized additions by an inferior hand, of a mere ballad-monger. We hold by the _Antidote_. Part II., 100, Appendix, p. lxviii. Here is the old ballad mentioned, from our own black-letter copy. Compare it with _W. D._:— The Devonshire Damsels’ Frollick. Being an Account of nine or ten fair Maidens, who went one Evening lately, to wash themselves in a pleasant River, where they were discovered by several Young Men being their familiar Acquaintances, who took away their Gowns and Petticoats, with their Smocks and Wine and good Chear; leaving them a while in a most melancholly condition. To a pleasant New Play-house Tune [music is given]: Or, Where’s my Shepherd? This may be Printed. R[obt]. P[ocock, 1685-8]. _~Tom~ and ~William~ with ~Ned~ and ~Ben~,_ _In all they were about nine or ten;_ _Near a trickling River endeavour to see_ _a most delicate sight for men;_ _Nine young maidens they knew it full well,_ _~Sarah~, ~Susan~, with bonny ~Nell~,_ _and all those others whose names are not here,_ _intended to wash in a River clear._ _~Simon~ gave out the report_ _the rest resolving to see the sport[,]_ _The Young freely repairing declaring_ _that this is the humours of ~Venus~ Court[,]_ _In a Bower those Gallants remaine_ _seeing the Maidens trip o’re the plain[:]_ _They thought no Body did know their intent_ _as merrily over the Fields they went._ _~Nell~ a Bottle of Wine did bring_ _with many a delicate dainty thing[,]_ _Their Fainting Spirits to nourish and cherish_ _when they had been dabbling in the Spring[:]_ _They supposing no Creature did know_ _to the River they merrily goe,_ _When they came thither and seeing none near[,]_ _Then under the bushes they hid their chear._