King _Oberon_ forgotten had,
That he for iealousie ranne mad:
But of his Queene was wondrous glad,
And ask'd how they came thither:
_Pigwiggen_ likewise doth forget,
That he Queene _Mab_ had euer met;
Or that they were so hard beset,
When they were found together.
Nor neither of them both had thought,
That e'r they had each other sought; 690
Much lesse that they a Combat fought,
But such a dreame were lothing:
_Tom Thum_ had got a little sup,
And _Tomalin_ scarce kist the Cup,
Yet had their braines so sure lockt vp,
That they remembred nothing.
Queene _Mab_ and her light Maydes the while,
Amongst themselues doe closely smile,
To see the King caught with this wile,
With one another testing: 700
And to the _Fayrie_ Court they went,
With mickle ioy and merriment,
Which thing was done with good intent,
And thus I left them feasting.
FINIS.
THE QVEST OF CYNTHIA
What time the groues were clad in greene,
The Fields drest all in flowers,
And that the sleeke-hayred Nimphs were seene,
To seeke them Summer Bowers.
Forth rou'd I by the sliding Rills,
To finde where CYNTHIA sat,
Whose name so often from the hills,
The Ecchos wondred at.
When me vpon my Quest to bring,
That pleasure might excell, 10
The Birds stroue which should sweetliest sing,
The Flowers which sweet'st should smell.
Long wand'ring in the Woods (said I)
Oh whether's CYNTHIA gone?
When soone the Eccho doth reply,
To my last word, goe on.
At length vpon a lofty Firre,
It was my chance to finde,
Where that deare name most due to her,
Was caru'd vpon the rynde. 20
Which whilst with wonder I beheld,
The Bees their hony brought,
And vp the carued letters fild,
As they with gould were wrought.
And neere that trees more spacious roote,
Then looking on the ground,
The shape of her most dainty foot,
Imprinted there I found.
Which stuck there like a curious seale,
As though it should forbid 30
Vs, wretched mortalls, to reueale,
What vnder it was hid.
Besides the flowers which it had pres'd,
Apeared to my vew,
More fresh and louely than the rest,
That in the meadowes grew:
The cleere drops in the steps that stood,
Of that dilicious Girle,
The Nimphes amongst their dainty food,
Drunke for dissolued pearle. 40
The yeilding sand, where she had troad,
Vntutcht yet with the winde,
By the faire posture plainely show'd,
Where I might _Cynthia_ finde.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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