Page:Royal riddle book.pdf/15

 As their counsellor and friend,

Here they practice harmless guiles,

Artful glances, killing smiles;

Here they all their beauty show,

Here they string the bended bow,

Here the quiver's fraught with darts,

Which they aim at lover's hearts;

And never make a visit twice,

Without asking my advice.

I'm white as the neck of Susannah the fair,

Tho' my lady sometimes is all cover'd with hair;

As a thunder am flat, as a bartle am blind,

Yet good services to for the race of mankind;

The copses and coverts traverse each day,

To drive from their holds and destroy beasts of prey,

Having two rows of teeth for-engagement design'd,

They all fly before me like chaff before wind

Now tell but my name,, ye mammas or misses,

And those that stand by shall reward you with kisses.

One winter's evening in the dark,

As I cross'd o'er St. James's park,

I got an odd but civil friend,

To light me to my journey's end;

His cap to me did plain appear,

Like that of a fierce grenadier;

Black was the cloak that wrapp'd him round,

And his feet never touch'd the ground

He seem'd of the infernal race,

With flaming fire about his face,

While from his nostrils issu'd smoke,

Yet all the way he never spoke,

Thus guarded I was carry'd home

But soon as to the doer I come,

An opake body interpos'd,

And the surprising scene was clos'd.