Minor Poems of Michael Drayton

Name: Minor Poems of Michael Drayton
Author: Drayton, Michael

Drayton, Michael

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700

This Pallace standeth in the Ayre,
    By Nigromancie placed there,
    That it no Tempests needs to feare,
      Which way so ere it blow it.
    And somewhat Southward tow'rd the Noone,
    Whence lyes a way vp to the Moone,
    And thence the _Fayrie_ can as soone
      Passe to the earth below it.                                    40

    The Walls of Spiders legs are made,
    Well mortized and finely layd,
    He was the master of his Trade
      It curiously that builded:
    The Windowes of the eyes of Cats,
    And for the Roofe, instead of Slats,
    Is couer'd with the skinns of Batts,
      With Mooneshine that are guilded.

    Hence _Oberon_ him sport to make,
    (Their rest when weary mortalls take)                             50
    And none but onely _Fayries_ wake,
      Desendeth for his pleasure.
    And _Mab_ his meerry Queene by night
    Bestrids young Folks that lye vpright,
    (In elder Times the _Mare_ that hight)
      Which plagues them out of measure.

    Hence Shaddowes, seeming Idle shapes,
    Of little frisking Elues and Apes,
    To Earth doe make their wanton skapes,
      As hope of pastime hasts them:                                  60
    Which maydes think on the Hearth they see,
    When Fyers well nere consumed be,
    Their daunsing Hayes by two and three,
      Iust as their Fancy casts them.

    These make our Girles their sluttery rue,
    By pinching them both blacke and blew,
    And put a penny in their shue,
      The house for cleanely sweeping:
    And in their courses make that Round,
    In Meadowes, and in Marshes found,                                70
    Of them so call'd the _Fayrie_ ground,
      Of which they haue the keeping.

    Thus when a Childe haps to be gott,
    Which after prooues an Ideott,
    When Folke perceiue it thriueth not,
      The fault therein to smother:
    Some silly doting brainlesse Calfe,
    That vnderstands things by the halfe,
    Say that the _Fayrie_ left this Aulfe,
      And tooke away the other.                                       80

    But listen and I shall you tell,
    A chance in _Fayrie_ that befell,
    Which certainly may please some well;
      In Loue and Armes delighting:
    Of _Oberon_ that Iealous grewe,
    Of one of his owne _Fayrie_ crue,
    Too well (he fear'd) his Queene that knew,
      His loue but ill requiting.

    _Pigwiggen_ was this _Fayrie_ knight,
    One wondrous gratious in the sight                                90
    Of faire Queene _Mab_, which day and night,
      He amorously obserued;
    Which made king _Oberon_ suspect,
    His Seruice tooke too good effect,
    His saucinesse, and often checkt,
      And could have wisht him starued.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Minor Poems of Michael DraytonDrayton, Michael

General

Minor Poems of Michael Drayton

Drayton, Michael

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700

This Pallace standeth in the Ayre,
    By Nigromancie placed there,
    That it no Tempests needs to feare,
      Which way so ere it blow it.
    And somewhat Southward tow'rd the Noone,
    Whence lyes a way vp to the Moone,
    And thence the _Fayrie_ can as soone
      Passe to the earth below it.                                    40

    The Walls of Spiders legs are made,
    Well mortized and finely layd,
    He was the master of his Trade
      It curiously that builded:
    The Windowes of the eyes of Cats,
    And for the Roofe, instead of Slats,
    Is couer'd with the skinns of Batts,
      With Mooneshine that are guilded.

    Hence _Oberon_ him sport to make,
    (Their rest when weary mortalls take)                             50
    And none but onely _Fayries_ wake,
      Desendeth for his pleasure.
    And _Mab_ his meerry Queene by night
    Bestrids young Folks that lye vpright,
    (In elder Times the _Mare_ that hight)
      Which plagues them out of measure.

    Hence Shaddowes, seeming Idle shapes,
    Of little frisking Elues and Apes,
    To Earth doe make their wanton skapes,
      As hope of pastime hasts them:                                  60
    Which maydes think on the Hearth they see,
    When Fyers well nere consumed be,
    Their daunsing Hayes by two and three,
      Iust as their Fancy casts them.

    These make our Girles their sluttery rue,
    By pinching them both blacke and blew,
    And put a penny in their shue,
      The house for cleanely sweeping:
    And in their courses make that Round,
    In Meadowes, and in Marshes found,                                70
    Of them so call'd the _Fayrie_ ground,
      Of which they haue the keeping.

    Thus when a Childe haps to be gott,
    Which after prooues an Ideott,
    When Folke perceiue it thriueth not,
      The fault therein to smother:
    Some silly doting brainlesse Calfe,
    That vnderstands things by the halfe,
    Say that the _Fayrie_ left this Aulfe,
      And tooke away the other.                                       80

    But listen and I shall you tell,
    A chance in _Fayrie_ that befell,
    Which certainly may please some well;
      In Loue and Armes delighting:
    Of _Oberon_ that Iealous grewe,
    Of one of his owne _Fayrie_ crue,
    Too well (he fear'd) his Queene that knew,
      His loue but ill requiting.

    _Pigwiggen_ was this _Fayrie_ knight,
    One wondrous gratious in the sight                                90
    Of faire Queene _Mab_, which day and night,
      He amorously obserued;
    Which made king _Oberon_ suspect,
    His Seruice tooke too good effect,
    His saucinesse, and often checkt,
      And could have wisht him starued.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Minor Poems of Michael Drayton

Minor Poems of Michael Drayton

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