Who live as changelings ever since,

For love of your domains.

At morning and at evening both,
You merry were and glad,
So little care of sleep or sloth
These pretty ladies had;

When Tom came home from labor,
Or Cis to milking rose,
Then merrily went their tabor,
And nimbly went their toes.

Witness those rings and roundelays
Of theirs, which yet remain,
Were footed in Queen Mary's days
On many a grassy plain;
But since of late Elizabeth,

And later, James came in,
They never danced on any heath
As when the time hath been.

By which we note the fairies
Were of the old profession,
Their songs were Ave-Maries,

Their dances were procession:
But now, alas! they all are dead,
Or gone beyond the seas;
Or farther for religion fled;
Or else they take their ease.

A tell-tale in their company
They never could endure,
And whoso kept not secretly

Their mirth, was punished sure; It was a just and Christian deed, To pinch such black and blue: O, how the commonwealth doth need Such justices as you!

UNKNOWN.

[Before 1649]

ROBIN GOODFELLOW.

FROM Oberon, in fairy-land,

The king of ghosts and shadows there, Mad Robin I, at his command,

Am sent to view the night-sports here. What revel rout

Is kept about,

In every corner where I go,

I will o'ersee,

And merry be,

And make good sport, with ho, ho, ho!

21

1 mark their gloze,

And it disclose

UNKNOWN.

[Before 1649-]

EDOM O' GORDON.

IT fell about the Martinmas,
When the wind blew shrill and cauld,
Said Edom o' Gordon to his men,

"We maun draw to a hauld.

"And whatna hauld sall we draw to, My merry men and me?

We will gae to the house of the Rodes, To see that fair ladye."

The lady stood on her castle wa', Beheld baith dale and down;

When I have done

I get me gone,

And leave them scolding, ho, ho,

Came riding towards the town.