The Fairy Queene.
Her invitation to those Elves,
That in the night doe sport themselves,
Of them a just Character here,
Decipher'd is as't shall appeare.
To the tune of, The Spanish Gypsies.
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COme follow follow me,
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You Fairy Elves that be,
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That trip it on the Green,
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Come circle me your Queen,
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Hand in hand wee'l dance a round,
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For this place is Fairy ground.
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Upon the dewy grasse,
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So nimbly we can passe,
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Your young and tender stalke,
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Nere bends when we doe walke,
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Yet in the morne it may be seene,
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Where we the night before have been,
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When mortalls ar at rest,
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And snorting in their nest,
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Through Key-holes close we slide,
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Unheard or unespy'd:
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Over Tables, stooles, and shelves,
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We trip it with our Fairy Elves.
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And if the house be foule,
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Either platter, dish, or bowle,
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Upstaires we nimbly creep,
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And finde the sluts asleepe:
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There we pinch them armes and thighs,
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None doth heare, nor none espies.
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But if the house be swept,
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And all things cleanly kept,
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We praise the houshold Maid,
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And surely she is paid;
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For 'tis our use before we goe,
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To leave a Tester in her shooe.
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Upon a Moshrompe head,
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Our Table-cloth we spread,
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The manchet that we eate,
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Is a graine of Rye or wheat:
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The pearly drops of dew we drinke,
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In Acorne cups fill'd to the brinke.
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The braines of Nightingales,
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With the unctious dew of Snales,
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Between two Nutshels stew'd,
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Is meat that's easily chew'd:
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The brains of Wrens, the brests of Mice
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Doth make us feasts of wondrous price
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The Grashopper, Gnat, and Fly,
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Our Minstrels playes supply,
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And with that a while,
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We doe the time beguile:
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And when the Moon doth hide her head,
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The Gloe-worme lights us to our bed.
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Being the Pastimes and other Slights,
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Of Will-with-a-wispe, and other mad Sprights.
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