but with all the enquyrie they could possibly use, nothing more then is aforesaid could of them bee understood. In memorie whereof it was then ordayned, That from thence-foorth no drum, pype, or other instrument should bee sounded in the street leading to the gate through which they had passed; nor no osterie to bee there holden: and it was also established, that, from that tyme forward, in all publyke wrytings that should bee made in that town, after the date therein set down of the yeare of our lord, the date of the yeare of the going foorth of their children should bee added; the which they have accordingly ever since continued: and this great wonder hapned on the 22. day of July, in the yeare of our lord one thowsand three hundreth, seaventie and six*.

* Verstègans Restitution of decayed intelligence: Antwerp, 1605, 4to. p. 85.

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*, when

some tender foole would lay

* "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

G

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*.

Well, though our Romish exorcists

and regulars be outed,

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."

*

Queen Elizabeth.

Discoverie of witchcraft, p. 85.