The combat that was then in hand,
Betwixt thofe Fairies mighty:
Which greatly fhe began to rue,
Perceiving that all Fayrie knew,
The firft occafion from her grew,
Of these affairs fo weighty.
Wherefore attended with her Maids,
Through fogs,and mists, and damps she wades.
To Proferpine the Queen of shades,
To treat, that it would please her,
The cause into her hands to take,
For ancient Love and Friendships fake,
And foon thereof an end to make,
Which of much care would eafe her.
A while there let we Mab alone,
And come we to King Oberon,
Who arm'd to meet his foe is gone,
For proud Pigwiggen crying:
Who fought the Fayrie King as fast,
And had fo well his journeys caft,
They he arrived at the laft,
His puiffant foe espying:
Stout Tomalin came with the King,
Tom Thumb doth on Pigwiggen bring,
They perfect were in every thing,
To fingle fights belonging:
And therefore they themselves ingage,
To see them exercife their rage,
With fair and comely equipage,
Not one the other wronging.
So like in arms thefe Champions were,
As they had been a very pair,
So that a Man would almost swear,
That either had been either;
Their furious Steeds began to Neigh, That they were heard a mighty way, Their ftaves upon their refts they lay: Yet ere they flew together,
Their Seconds minifter an Oath,
Which was indifferent to them both,
That on their Knightly faith and troth,
No Magick them fupplied;
And fought them that they had no charms,
Wherewith to work each others harms,
But came with fimple open arms,
To have their causes tried.
Together furiously they ran,
That to the ground came horfe and man,
The Blood out of their Helmets span,
So fharp were their Encounters;
And though they to the earth were thrown,
Yet quickly they regain'd their own,
Such nimbleness was never shown,
They were two Gallant Mounters.
When in a second Course again,
They forward came with might and main,
Yet which had better of the twain,
The Seconds could not judge yet; Their fhields were into pieces cleft, Their Helmets from their heads were reft, And to defend them nothing left.
These Champions would not budge yet.
Away from them their Staves they threw,
Their cruel Swords they quickly drew,
And freshly they the fight renew;
They every ftroke redoubled:
Which made Proferpina take heed,
And make to them the greater speed
For fear left they too much should bleed, Which wondrously her troubled
When to th' infernal Styx fhe goes,
She takes the Fogs from thence that rofe,
And in a Bagg doth them enclose ;
When well he had them blended:
She hies her then to Lethe spring,
A Bottle and thereof doth bring,
Wherewith fhe meant to work the thing,
Which only the intended.
Now Proferpine with Mab is gone
Unto the place where Oberon
And proud Pigwiggen, one to one,
Both to be flain were likely:
And there themselves they closely hide,
Because they would not be efpy'd;
For Proferpine meant to decide
The matter very quickly.
And fuddenly unties the Poke,
Which out of it fent such a smoak
As ready was them all to choak,
So grievous was the pother;
So that the Knights each other loft,
And ftood as ftill as any poft,
Tom Thumb, nor Tomalin could boaft
Themselves of any other.
But when the mist gan somewhat cease,
Proferpina commandeth peace:
And that a while they fhould release,
Each other of their Peril:
Which here (quoth the) I do proclaim
To all in dreadful Pluto's name,
That as ye will efchew his blame,
You let me hear the quarrel.
But here your felves you muft engage,
Somewhat to cool your fplenish Rage,.
Your grievous thirst and to affwage,
'That first you drink this liquor:
Which fhall your understanding clear,
As plainly shall to you appear;
Those things from me that you fhall hear,
Conceiving much the quicker.
This Lethe water you must know,
The Memory destroyeth fo,
That of our weal, or of our woe,
It all remembrance blotted; Of it nor can you ever think: For they no fooner took this drink ; But nought into their Brains could sink, Of what had them befotted.
King Oberon forgotten had,
That he for jealousie ran mad:
But of his Queen was wondrous glad,
And ask'd how they came thither:
Pigwiggen likewife doth forger,
That he Queen Mab had ever met;
Or that they were fo hard befet,
When they were found together..
Nor neither of them both had thought,
That e'er they had each other fought;
Much less that they a Combat fought,
But fuch a dream were loathing:
Tom Thumb had got a little fup,
And Tomalin fcarce kift the Cup,
Yet had their Brains fo fure lockt up,
That they remembred nothing..
Queen Mab and her light Maids the while, Amongst themfelves do closely smile,
To fee the King caught with this wile,
With one another jefting:
And to the Fayrie Court they went,
With mickle joy and merriment,
Which thing was done with good intent,
And thus I left them feafting.
HAT time the Groyes were clad in green,
The Fields dreft all in flowers,
And that the fleek-hair'd Nymphs were seen,
To seek them Summer Bowers;
Forth rov'd I by the fliding Rills
To find where Cynthia fat,
Whose name so often from the hills,
The Ecchos wondred at.
When me upon my Queft to bring,
That pleasure might excell,
The Birds ftrove which should sweetlieft fing,
The Flowers which sweet'ft should smell.
Long wandring in the Woods (faid 1)
Oh whither's Cynthia gone?
When foon the Eccho doth reply,
To my laft word, Go on.
At length upon a lofty Firr,
It was my chance to find,
Where that dear name moft due to her,
Was carv'd upon the rind.
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