XXIII. THE WITCHES' SONG
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—From Ben Jonson's Masque of Queens, presented at Whitehall, Feb. 2, 1609.
The editor thought it incumbent on him to insert some old
pieces on the popular superstition concerning witches, hobgoblins,
fairies, and ghosts. The last of these make their appearance
in most of the tragical ballads; and in the following
songs will be found some description of the former.
It is true, this song of the Witches, falling from the
learned pen of Ben Jonson, is rather an extract from the
various incantations of classic antiquity, than a display of
the opinions of our own vulgar. But let it be observed,
that a parcel of learned wiseacres had just before busied
themselves on this subject, with our British Solomon James I.
at their head: and these had so ransacked all writers ancient
and modern, and so blended and kneaded together the
several superstitions of different times and nations, that
those of genuine English growth could no longer be traced out and distinguished.
By good luck the whimsical belief of fairies and goblins
could furnish no pretences for torturing our fellow-creatures,
and therefore we have this handed down to us pure and unsophisticated.
Since this ballad was printed off the Editor hath seen an
ancient black-letter copy, containing some variations, and intitled,
“The merry pranks of Robin Good-Fellow. To the tune of Dulcina, &c.”
See p. 151.
To this copy were prefixed two wooden cuts of Robin
Good-Fellow, which seem to represent the dresses in which
this whimsical character was formerly exhibited on the stage.
To gratify the curious these are engraven below.
