Mars and Venus' love-makeing was usually figuratively as a battle in songs and ballads. 'Dub'd knight of the forked order' was another expression for 'cornuted' or 'horned'. An unreprinted broadside ballad of about 1650 in the Manchester collection is:
MARS AND VENUS IN OPPOSITION
For
When Mars and faire Venus were both in conjunction
The Cyclops beheld them with some of his fellowes
Poore Vulcan was horned by one of the function,
Whilst he silly Cuckold was blowing the bellowes:
Mars did unto Venus what his skill could afford her,
And dub'd Vulcan Knight of the new forked order.
This concludes:
And seeing that Vulcan was
so cunningly cornuted,
Let's horns so long as Acteons grow
they'l [sic] shall not be cornuted.
[Anyone that can understand this last line is doing better than I can.]
Venus' son Cupid, however, took a rather dim view of the 'battle' between Mars and Venus. A song in 'Merry Drollery', 1661, was expanded into a broadside ballad "Honesty is honesty, come off my mother, sirrah," with the tune direction, "Thomas you cannot." This has not been reprinted, and I do not have a copy. J. S. Farmer, 'Merry Songs and Ballads', I, p. 35, printed the song from a manuscript copy in the Bodleian Library, as follows:
Upon a certain day, when Mars and Venus met together,
All in a shady bower, wheras she did invite him thether;
But when Cupid did espy Mars hit the mark so narrow
He could not abide, but out he cryed
Come off my mother, Sirrah!
"Peace, boy!" quoth he, "and give consent, for Venus is a woman,
born to give the world content, and discontent to no man.
See how I hold her in mine armes," the boy thought he had run her through;
And then cryed the lad, as if he had been mad,
Come off my mother, Sirrah, Sirrah!
Come off my mother, Sirrah!
"I pray thee, Cupid, hold thy peace; I will not hurt thy mother;
Her smiles keep all the world at ease; all discontent is dead.
If thou will give me leave to draw my golden headed arrow,
Ile give thee a groat," "All's one for that,
Come off my mother, Sirrah, Sirrah!
Come off my mother, Sirrah!
"Peace boy!" quoth Venus, this is Mars the furious god of batle
All the heavenly plannets him obey, then cease thy needless prattle.
He is a god, and will command; hee'l neither beg nor borrow."
"-------Be he god or devi;, let him be more civill:
Come off my mother, Sirrah, Sirrah!
Come off my mother, Sirrah!
She tooke the child, and kist his cheek, saying "Mars his rage is over;
His friend that we all must keep; see, nothing thou discover;
He will not stay to trouble thee, heel go from hence to-morrow."
Come off my mother, Sirrah, Sirrah!
Come off my mother, Sirrah!
This song was reworked about 1730 century, giving it a somewhat different meter, requiring a new tune, and was published as a single sheet song with music:
CUPID'S REVENGE.
'Twas on a certain day, when Mars and Venus met,
they both being young and gay, to pleasure quickly Sett.
But little Cupid roguishly, He watched them so Narrow,
He could not hide, but loud he Cry'd
Come off my Mother Sirrah, Sirrah, Sirrah
[Chorus] Sirrah come off my Mother Sirrah.
Dear Cupid hold your tongue, my pretty little Boy,
I'le not your Mother wrong, go your way to play,
O how I Claspt her in my armes as if I'de thrust her thorrow,
Zounds cry's the lad, as if he was Mad,
Come off my Mother, Sirrah, Sirrah &c.
Dear Cupid hold your peace, your Mother is a Woman,
We do this for our ease, in all the World 'tis Common,
Now if you will but give me leave to draw my Golden Arrow,
I'le give you a Groat, pish I value it not,
Come off my Mother, Sirrah, Sirrah &c.
Dear Cupid this is Mars, the furious God of Battle,
All Planets fears his force, pray cease your tittle tattle,
He's a God that do's command, he neither beggs or borrows,
Be he God or Devil, he ought to be civil,
Come off my Mother, Sirrah, Sirrah &c.
She clap't his pouting Cheeks, crying Mars fury over,
Our friendship 'tis he seeks, see nothing you discover,
He will not stay to trouble you, he'le be gone to Morrow,
He may go be hang'd, be curst be damn'd,
Come off my Mother, Sirrah, Sirrah &c.