To them whom they have wronged so; I get me gone, And leave them scolding, ho, ho, ho! When men do traps and engins set In loop holes where the vermine creepe, Who from their foldes and houses, get Their duckes and geese, and lambes and sheepe: And seeme a vermine taken so; But when they there, Approach me neare, I leap out laughing, ho, ho, ho! By wells and rills, in meadowes greene, Away we fling; And babes new born steal as we go, We leave instead And wend us laughing, ho, ho, ho! From hag-bred Merlin's time have I The hags and goblins do me know; My feates have told; So, Vale, Vale; ho, ho, ho! [This song which is attributed to Ben Jonson, I print from Percy's Reliques, vol. 3, p. 254. [Ed. 1811.] The form of Robin Good-Fellow, Sir Joshua Reynolds has painted for us, his doings are admirably told above.] THE FAIRY QUEEN. Come, follow, follow me, Come follow Mab your queene. When mortals are at rest, Through key-holes we do glide; And, if the house be foul But, if the house be swept, The grasshopper, gnat, and fly, On tops of dewy grass So nimbly do we pass, The young and tender stalk Ne'er bends when we do walk : Yet in the morning may be seen Where we the night before have been. [Printed from Percy's text. Its author has been well acquainted with the "Robin Goodfellow" in the page before.] CLOUDS AWAY, AND WELCOME DAY. THOMAS HEYWOOD. Born about 1580. Pack clouds away, and welcome day, Wake from thy nest, Robin-red-breast, And from each hill, let music shrill, [From "Pleasant Dialogues and Dramas, &c." 1607.] TELL ME DEAREST. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. P. M. Both. P. M. Both. P. M. Both. Born 1586-Died 1615. Born 1576-Died 1625. Tell me dearest what is love? 'Tis an arrow, 'tis a fire, 'Tis a grave Those poor fools that long to prove. Tell me more are women true? Be in both, All shall love, to love anew. Tell me more yet, can they grieve? When you men are wise as they Then I see, Faith will be, Never till they both believe. [From the Comedy of "The Captain," Act 2, Scene 2. Part of it is. |