Fairy Tales, Now First Collected/Tale 7
TALE VII.
THE SHEPHERDS DREAM.
A shepheard, whilst his flock did feede,
him in his cloke did wrap,
Bids Patch his dog stand sentenell,
both to secure a nap,
And, lest his bagpipe, sheephooke, skrip,
and bottell (most his wealth)
By vagrants (more then, many now)
might suffer of their stealth.
As he twixt sleepe and waking lay,
against a greene banks side,
A round of Fairie-elves, and Larrs
of other kind, he spide:
Who, in their dancing, him so charm'd,
that though he wakt he slept,
Now pincht they him, antickt about,
and on, and off him lept.
Mongst them, of bigger bulke and voyce,
a bare-breecht goblin was,
That at their gamboles laughed, like
the braying of an asse.
At once the shepherds bagpipe (for
they also used it.)
Was husht, and round about him they,
as if in councell, sit.
Upon whose face the breechlesse Larr
did set his buttocks bare,
Bespeaking thus his beau-compeers,
like Caiphas in his chaire.
Poore Robin Good-fellow, sweet elfs,
much thanks you for this glee,
Since last I came into this land,
a raritie to see:
When nunnes, monks, friers, and votaries,
were here of every sort,
We were accustomed, ye wot,
to this and merrier sport.
Wo worth (may our great Pan, and we
his puples say) that frier,
That by revealing Christ obscur'd
to Christ did soules retire.
For since great Pans great vicar on
the earth was disobaid
In England, I, beyond the seas,
a mal-content have staid.
Whence, by a brute of pouder that.
should blow to heaven or hell
The protestants, I hither came,
where all I found too well:
And in the catholick maine cause,
small hope or rather none;
No sooner, therefore was I come,
but that I wisht me gone.
Was then a merry world with us,
when Mary wore the crowne,
And holy-water-sprinkle was
beleevd to put us downe,
Ho, ho, ho, ho, needs must I laugh,
such fooleries to name:
And at my crummed mess of milke,
each night, from maid or dame
To do their chares, as they supposd,
when in their deadest sleepe
I puld them out their beds, and made
themselves their houses sweepe,
How clatterd I amongst their pots
and pans, as dreamed they!
My hempen hampen sentence,[1] when
some tender foole would lay
Me shirt or slop, them greeved, for
I then would go away.
Yee fairies too made mothers, if
weake faith, to sweare that ye
Into their beds did foist your babes,
and theirs exchang'd to be.
When yee (that elvish manners did
from elvish shapes observe)
By pinching her, that beat that child,
made child and mother swerve,
This in that erd beliefe, That, not
corrected, bad that grew.
Thus yee, I, pope, and cloysterers,
all in one teame then drew.
But all things have gone crosse with us
since here the gospell shind,
Nor helps it aught that she that it
unclowded is inshrind.[2]
Well, though our Romish exorcists
and regulars be outed,
No lesse hypocrisie mongst some
their contraries is doubted:
And may they so persever and
so perish Robin prayes:
But too too zealous people are
too many cloy my wayes.
For that this realme is in the right,
Rome in the wrong for loore,
I must confesse, though much is else
as faultie as before.
To farmers came I, that, at least,
their lofe and cheese once freed,
For all would eate, but found themselves
the parings now to need:
So do their landlords rack their rents:
though in the mannor-place
Scarce smoakt a chimney: yet did smoke
perplex me in strange cace.
I saw the chimneys cleerd of fire,
where nerethelesse it smokt
So bitterly, as one not used
to like, it might have chokt.
But when I saw it did proceed
from nostrels, and from throtes
Of ladies, lords, and sillie groomes,
not burning skins nor cotes,
Great Belsabub, thought I, can all
spit fier as well as thine?
Or where am I? it cannot be
under the torred line.
My fellow Incubus (who heere
still residence did keepe,
Witnes so many dadlesse babes
begot on girles asleepe)[3]
Did put me by that feare, and said
it was an Indian weede,
'That feum'd away more wealth than would
a many thousands feed.
Freed of that feare, the novelty
of cooches scath'd me so,
As from their drifts and cluttering
I knew not where to go.
These also worke, quoth Incubus,
to our availe, for why?
They tend to idle pride, and to
inhospitalitie.
With that I, comforted, did then
prepe into every one,
And of mine old acquaintances
spide many a countrie Jone,
Whose fathers drove the dung-cart, though
the daughters now will none.
I knew when prelates, and the peeres
had faire attendance on,
By gentlemen and yeomandrie,
but that faire world is gone:
For most, like Jehu, hurrie with
pedanties two or three,
Yet all go downe the winde, save those
that hospitalious bee.
Great'st ladies with their women, on
their palfries mounted faire
Rode through the streets, well waited on,
their artless faces bare,
Which now in coches scorne to be
salued of the aire.
I knew when men-judicial rode
on sober mules, whereby
They might of suters, these, and they,
aske, answere, and replie.
I knew when more was thriv'd abroad
by war than now by peace,
And English feard where they be frompt,
since hostile tearmies did cease:
But by occasion, all things are
produced, be, decrease.
Times were when practize also preacht,
and well-said was well-done,
When courtiers cleerd the old before
they on the new would run.
When no judiciall place was bought,
lest justice might be sould,
When quirts, nor quillets, overthrew,
or long did causes hold,
When lawyers more deservd their fees,
and fatted lesse with gold.
When to the fifteenth psalme, sometimes,
had citizens recourse,
When lords of farmers, farmers of
the poore had more remorse.
When Povertie had Patience more:
when none, as some of late,
Illiterate, ridiculous,
might on the altar wate.
When canons, rubrick, liturgie,
and discipline throughout
One shiftlesse practise had, not to
indifferencie a flout.
More than be convocations now,
Diocessors were stout.
Although in clarks pluralities
were tolerated then
Of lemmens (livings should I say)
are now of clargie-men.
Pluralitie that huddle, have
also their brace of wives:
But all the better, all that while
hells heer-imployment thrives.
That thus and worse hold, and increase,
sith Rome may not returne,
Pray, fairies, graunt, infernals, that
in fire of envie burne.
I have, faire fairie-elfes, besides
large catalogue of sinne,
Observed in this land, in this
short time I heere have bin,
The which at my departure, when
Elizabeth first raign'd,
Were not in beeing, or were then
religiously refraind.
Howbeit, hence for Ireland at
the least I must transfreat:
Where Rome hath roome there riot I:
somes faith is heere too great.
Yet largelier than most statesmen know,
heere could I sport long while,
Insociable is not, ywis,
for catholics this ile.
Suppose the shepheard all this while
to have a troubled sleepe:
Well might he heare the preachment, by
the pulpit could not peepe:
Till merrie Robin, gerding out
a scape or twaine, did rise,
And, with the wind therof, might seeme,
were cleerd the shepherds eyes:
Who glad he was deliverd so
of them, then vanisht cleene,
Told some, I know not whom, what ye
have heard was said and seene.[4]
him in his cloke did wrap,
Bids Patch his dog stand sentenell,
both to secure a nap,
And, lest his bagpipe, sheephooke, skrip,
and bottell (most his wealth)
By vagrants (more then, many now)
might suffer of their stealth.
As he twixt sleepe and waking lay,
against a greene banks side,
A round of Fairie-elves, and Larrs
of other kind, he spide:
Who, in their dancing, him so charm'd,
that though he wakt he slept,
Now pincht they him, antickt about,
and on, and off him lept.
Mongst them, of bigger bulke and voyce,
a bare-breecht goblin was,
That at their gamboles laughed, like
the braying of an asse.
At once the shepherds bagpipe (for
they also used it.)
Was husht, and round about him they,
as if in councell, sit.
Upon whose face the breechlesse Larr
did set his buttocks bare,
Bespeaking thus his beau-compeers,
like Caiphas in his chaire.
Poore Robin Good-fellow, sweet elfs,
much thanks you for this glee,
Since last I came into this land,
a raritie to see:
When nunnes, monks, friers, and votaries,
were here of every sort,
We were accustomed, ye wot,
to this and merrier sport.
Wo worth (may our great Pan, and we
his puples say) that frier,
That by revealing Christ obscur'd
to Christ did soules retire.
For since great Pans great vicar on
the earth was disobaid
In England, I, beyond the seas,
a mal-content have staid.
Whence, by a brute of pouder that.
should blow to heaven or hell
The protestants, I hither came,
where all I found too well:
And in the catholick maine cause,
small hope or rather none;
No sooner, therefore was I come,
but that I wisht me gone.
Was then a merry world with us,
when Mary wore the crowne,
And holy-water-sprinkle was
beleevd to put us downe,
Ho, ho, ho, ho, needs must I laugh,
such fooleries to name:
And at my crummed mess of milke,
each night, from maid or dame
To do their chares, as they supposd,
when in their deadest sleepe
I puld them out their beds, and made
themselves their houses sweepe,
How clatterd I amongst their pots
and pans, as dreamed they!
My hempen hampen sentence,[1] when
some tender foole would lay
Me shirt or slop, them greeved, for
I then would go away.
Yee fairies too made mothers, if
weake faith, to sweare that ye
Into their beds did foist your babes,
and theirs exchang'd to be.
When yee (that elvish manners did
from elvish shapes observe)
By pinching her, that beat that child,
made child and mother swerve,
This in that erd beliefe, That, not
corrected, bad that grew.
Thus yee, I, pope, and cloysterers,
all in one teame then drew.
But all things have gone crosse with us
since here the gospell shind,
Nor helps it aught that she that it
unclowded is inshrind.[2]
Well, though our Romish exorcists
and regulars be outed,
No lesse hypocrisie mongst some
their contraries is doubted:
And may they so persever and
so perish Robin prayes:
But too too zealous people are
too many cloy my wayes.
For that this realme is in the right,
Rome in the wrong for loore,
I must confesse, though much is else
as faultie as before.
To farmers came I, that, at least,
their lofe and cheese once freed,
For all would eate, but found themselves
the parings now to need:
So do their landlords rack their rents:
though in the mannor-place
Scarce smoakt a chimney: yet did smoke
perplex me in strange cace.
I saw the chimneys cleerd of fire,
where nerethelesse it smokt
So bitterly, as one not used
to like, it might have chokt.
But when I saw it did proceed
from nostrels, and from throtes
Of ladies, lords, and sillie groomes,
not burning skins nor cotes,
Great Belsabub, thought I, can all
spit fier as well as thine?
Or where am I? it cannot be
under the torred line.
My fellow Incubus (who heere
still residence did keepe,
Witnes so many dadlesse babes
begot on girles asleepe)[3]
Did put me by that feare, and said
it was an Indian weede,
'That feum'd away more wealth than would
a many thousands feed.
Freed of that feare, the novelty
of cooches scath'd me so,
As from their drifts and cluttering
I knew not where to go.
These also worke, quoth Incubus,
to our availe, for why?
They tend to idle pride, and to
inhospitalitie.
With that I, comforted, did then
prepe into every one,
And of mine old acquaintances
spide many a countrie Jone,
Whose fathers drove the dung-cart, though
the daughters now will none.
I knew when prelates, and the peeres
had faire attendance on,
By gentlemen and yeomandrie,
but that faire world is gone:
For most, like Jehu, hurrie with
pedanties two or three,
Yet all go downe the winde, save those
that hospitalious bee.
Great'st ladies with their women, on
their palfries mounted faire
Rode through the streets, well waited on,
their artless faces bare,
Which now in coches scorne to be
salued of the aire.
I knew when men-judicial rode
on sober mules, whereby
They might of suters, these, and they,
aske, answere, and replie.
I knew when more was thriv'd abroad
by war than now by peace,
And English feard where they be frompt,
since hostile tearmies did cease:
But by occasion, all things are
produced, be, decrease.
Times were when practize also preacht,
and well-said was well-done,
When courtiers cleerd the old before
they on the new would run.
When no judiciall place was bought,
lest justice might be sould,
When quirts, nor quillets, overthrew,
or long did causes hold,
When lawyers more deservd their fees,
and fatted lesse with gold.
When to the fifteenth psalme, sometimes,
had citizens recourse,
When lords of farmers, farmers of
the poore had more remorse.
When Povertie had Patience more:
when none, as some of late,
Illiterate, ridiculous,
might on the altar wate.
When canons, rubrick, liturgie,
and discipline throughout
One shiftlesse practise had, not to
indifferencie a flout.
More than be convocations now,
Diocessors were stout.
Although in clarks pluralities
were tolerated then
Of lemmens (livings should I say)
are now of clargie-men.
Pluralitie that huddle, have
also their brace of wives:
But all the better, all that while
hells heer-imployment thrives.
That thus and worse hold, and increase,
sith Rome may not returne,
Pray, fairies, graunt, infernals, that
in fire of envie burne.
I have, faire fairie-elfes, besides
large catalogue of sinne,
Observed in this land, in this
short time I heere have bin,
The which at my departure, when
Elizabeth first raign'd,
Were not in beeing, or were then
religiously refraind.
Howbeit, hence for Ireland at
the least I must transfreat:
Where Rome hath roome there riot I:
somes faith is heere too great.
Yet largelier than most statesmen know,
heere could I sport long while,
Insociable is not, ywis,
for catholics this ile.
Suppose the shepheard all this while
to have a troubled sleepe:
Well might he heare the preachment, by
the pulpit could not peepe:
Till merrie Robin, gerding out
a scape or twaine, did rise,
And, with the wind therof, might seeme,
were cleerd the shepherds eyes:
Who glad he was deliverd so
of them, then vanisht cleene,
Told some, I know not whom, what ye
have heard was said and seene.[4]
- ↑ "Indeed," says Reginald Scot, "your grandams maides were woont to set a boll of milke before him [Incubus] and his cousine Robin Good-fellow, for grinding of malt or mustard, and sweeping the house at midnight: and you have also heard that he would chafe exceedingly, if the maid or good-wife of the house, having compassion on his nakednes, laid anie clothes for him, beesides his messe of white bread and milke, which was his standing fee. For in that case he saith, what have we here?
Hemton hamten,
Here will I never more tread nor stampen."
Discoverie of witchcraft, p. 85. - ↑ Queen Elizabeth.
- ↑ Gervase of Tilbury says "Vidimus quosdam dæmones tanto zelo mulieres amare, quod ad inaudita prorumpunt ludibria, et eum ad concubitum carum accedunt mirà mole eas opprimunt, nec ab aliis videntur." Otia imperialia, D. 1, c. 17.
- ↑ Warners Albions England, London, 1612, 8vo. chap. 91.