 | Mansoul or The Riddle of the World |  |
But of the peerless Faerie Queen to Oberon:
Not yet I find recorded her lief name.
Howbeit some lately affirmed, it was Whitefoot.
Seeing in an old Romant, is founden writ;
Hów eachwhére She trode, there sprang up a white wort;
Crowned with its several dainty silver fret,
Sith called the daisie-flower.
Not yet I find recorded her lief name.
Howbeit some lately affirmed, it was Whitefoot.
Seeing in an old Romant, is founden writ;
Hów eachwhére She trode, there sprang up a white wort;
Crowned with its several dainty silver fret,
Sith called the daisie-flower.
And any enquire
Would more of this, I little can relate;
Save that a certain fond, unlucky wight:
Who was so hardy thát he durst avaunt
Him; hé could, for a pening, it pronounce:
Had been elf-shot. Colin wist what She hight,
But left untold. All ladies of her Court;
Had long combed out, like wáter-flags, elf-sheen locks.
Would more of this, I little can relate;
Save that a certain fond, unlucky wight:
Who was so hardy thát he durst avaunt
Him; hé could, for a pening, it pronounce:
Had been elf-shot. Colin wist what She hight,
But left untold. All ladies of her Court;
Had long combed out, like wáter-flags, elf-sheen locks.
Nor of that great rejoicing find I said:
Was made, when beauty-peerless, she was wed;
New Moons night, míd-time of the háythorn bloom;
(Auspicious tide, by sortilege, ascertained:)
With many gifts; but were it only this:
That she descended was of royal line;
Being, through one bélsire, sib to noble Oberon.
Was made, when beauty-peerless, she was wed;
New Moons night, míd-time of the háythorn bloom;
(Auspicious tide, by sortilege, ascertained:)
191
That she descended was of royal line;
Being, through one bélsire, sib to noble Oberon.
Moreo'er is sungen, how in faeries flight;
She borne was, riding o'er swart waves alone:
On stoopt neck, óf white swan, to Faerie Alban.
She borne was, riding o'er swart waves alone:
On stoopt neck, óf white swan, to Faerie Alban.
Her woning was a delve, neath white-eaved cliff.
In hill-steep; whére a royal manor was,
Far, in West rocks. There long she held her court:
And was that warm and dry, in wind and wet.
In hill-steep; whére a royal manor was,
Far, in West rocks. There long she held her court:
And was that warm and dry, in wind and wet.
Her chamber of paraments, wherein this Queen sate,
On the high settle, blissful like a bride;
With Sun-sheen golden diadem ón her head,
And girt with precious belt of faerie gold;
Which Helmbright forged, Her Sisters Son, for Her;
Was Moonsheen named, of elves, with Hall and Bower.
In wonder of íts fóur white radious walls;
Glittering with pearly stars: the carven squames,
One over other laid, of oyster-shales.
And flower was she of wifehood, tó lifes end;
And sovereign was her skill, wherein she excelled
All hítherto, in rémedíes of healing herbs.
On the high settle, blissful like a bride;
With Sun-sheen golden diadem ón her head,
And girt with precious belt of faerie gold;
Which Helmbright forged, Her Sisters Son, for Her;
Was Moonsheen named, of elves, with Hall and Bower.
In wonder of íts fóur white radious walls;
Glittering with pearly stars: the carven squames,
One over other laid, of oyster-shales.
And flower was she of wifehood, tó lifes end;
And sovereign was her skill, wherein she excelled
All hítherto, in rémedíes of healing herbs.
192
Was chiefest óf her maidens Goldilocks hight,
(This find I in story;) fór great prudence praised.
Of the Queens spense, had Goldilocks oversight:
Wherein was store laid up of the Kings mead;
With ácorn meal, woodnuts, wild mast, and heath honey.
And querns, work-instruments, looms and househood stuff.
(This find I in story;) fór great prudence praised.
Of the Queens spense, had Goldilocks oversight:
Wherein was store laid up of the Kings mead;
With ácorn meal, woodnuts, wild mast, and heath honey.
And querns, work-instruments, looms and househood stuff.
Nor less than she, Dame Eglantine was set,
Over the vessel and great cypress chests,
Of royal apparel: and her daughter bright,
Dewdrop, stood in attendance ón the Queen;
From seven winters old.
Over the vessel and great cypress chests,
Of royal apparel: and her daughter bright,
Dewdrop, stood in attendance ón the Queen;
From seven winters old.
Recorded is;
When three nights old in cradle, murmuring bees;
Brought of their treasure, to her infant lips.
She office held of Teller of blithe tales,
In the Queens household. And those new and old
Were so glad never-ending, that forgate
Fays which them heard, whilst drank their thirsting ears;
To eat and sleep. Might I record some one,
The least, though lacking grace of Dewdrops lips;
My page, with azure limned should seem and gilt.
When three nights old in cradle, murmuring bees;
Brought of their treasure, to her infant lips.
She office held of Teller of blithe tales,
In the Queens household. And those new and old
Were so glad never-ending, that forgate
Fays which them heard, whilst drank their thirsting ears;
To eat and sleep. Might I record some one,
The least, though lacking grace of Dewdrops lips;
193
Of me, have only this, Was faeries' Queen,
A mirror to all ladies of her Court;
Of nurture and in every gentle art;
As to dress sod and bake-meats: that was most,
Of garnered mast, and áll nuts in wild wood.
With right conserving of the Summers fruits;
As merries, plum, wild apples, wortle-berries.
Wild briar and sloes aústere, and búllaces.
A mirror to all ladies of her Court;
Of nurture and in every gentle art;
As to dress sod and bake-meats: that was most,
Of garnered mast, and áll nuts in wild wood.
With right conserving of the Summers fruits;
As merries, plum, wild apples, wortle-berries.
Wild briar and sloes aústere, and búllaces.
And in their spinning, weave that subtlest weft,
Fays use of wool-worts gathered in wet moss.
Were full of smiling laughter their twinned lips
Aye warbling whiles their nimble fingers wrought;
Quaint ditties learned, of thé Queens ówn white throat;
As thróstle, on wood spráy, delicious.
Fays use of wool-worts gathered in wet moss.
Were full of smiling laughter their twinned lips
Aye warbling whiles their nimble fingers wrought;
Quaint ditties learned, of thé Queens ówn white throat;
As thróstle, on wood spráy, delicious.
Elf-sheen fay-maidens, whén they ben at home,
Them chant in their sires halls; when wights have supped:
And fróm stern heroes' brows, well tears of bliss.
For elf-kin long had war, with sundry kinds
Of birds and tree and éven with great ground beasts.
Some they, in snares, gins, pitfalls, springes, took:
Other, with flint-head shafts and darts, they pierced.
Them chant in their sires halls; when wights have supped:
And fróm stern heroes' brows, well tears of bliss.
For elf-kin long had war, with sundry kinds
Of birds and tree and éven with great ground beasts.
Some they, in snares, gins, pitfalls, springes, took:
Other, with flint-head shafts and darts, they pierced.
194
This lastly I find recorded of the Queen.
One mórrow, issúing fróm her widows bower;
To gather, as hér wont was, the daisy-flower:
The self-same swan with golden gorget dight,
And gurgling voice, alighted at her feet.
One mórrow, issúing fróm her widows bower;
To gather, as hér wont was, the daisy-flower:
The self-same swan with golden gorget dight,
And gurgling voice, alighted at her feet.
Known then, her destiny it was, from ground to pass;
Though ever-young, she seated her as erst,
On hís stoopt neck. The swan her presently aloft,
Bare fróm elves' sight; and tó that blissful lake,
In sunset hills, opinion is, conveyed:
Whereas forth-faren King Oberon her awaits.
And they, in meadows wárm with thymy breath;
Being joined their spirits, in peace eternally rest.
Though ever-young, she seated her as erst,
On hís stoopt neck. The swan her presently aloft,
Bare fróm elves' sight; and tó that blissful lake,
In sunset hills, opinion is, conveyed:
Whereas forth-faren King Oberon her awaits.
And they, in meadows wárm with thymy breath;
Being joined their spirits, in peace eternally rest.
Fay maidens all, in réverence sith of her;
Be weavers named of Peace, at élves' home-hearths:
Power of their lays to still soon kindled hearts.
Be weavers named of Peace, at élves' home-hearths:
Power of their lays to still soon kindled hearts.
| Mansoul or The Riddle of the World | |