Were dropping wet, difconfolate, and wan,
And thro' their thin array, receiv'd the rain;
While those in white protected by the tree
Saw pass in vain th' affault, and stood from danger
free,

But as compaffion mov'd their gentle minds,
When ceas'd the ftorm, and filent were the winds,
Difpleas'd at what, not suff'ring, they had seen,
They went to chear the faction of the green :
The queen in white array, before her band,
Saluting, took her rival by the hand;

So did the knights and dames, with courtly grace,
And with behaviour sweet their foes embrace,
Then thus the queen with laurel on her brow,
Fair fifter I have fuffer'd in your woe;
Nor shall be wanting ought within my pow'r
your relief in my refreshing bow'r.

For

That other answer'd with a lowly look,
And foon the gracious invitation took :
For ill at ease both she and all her train

The scorching fun had born, and beating rain.
Like courtesy was us'd by all in white,

Each dame a dame receiv'd, and ev'ry knight a knight.

The laurel champions with their swords invade

The neighb'ring forefts, where the jufts were made,

And ferewood from the rotten hedges took,
And feeds of latent fire, from flints provoke :
A chearful blaze arofe, and by the fire

They warm'd their frozen feet, and dry'd their wet attire.

Refresh'd with heat, the ladies fought around For virtuousherbs, which gather'd from the ground They squeez'd the juice, and cooling ointment made,

Which on their fun-burnt cheeks, and their chapt skins they laid :

Then fought green falads, which they bade them eat, A fovereign remedy for inward heat.

The lady of the leaf ordain'd a feaft,

And made the lady of the flow'r her guest:
When lo, a bow'r afcended on the plain,

With fudden feats ordain'd, and large for either

train.

This bow'r was near my pleasant arbor plac'd,
That I could hear and fee whatever pafs'd:
The ladies fat with each a knight between,
Distinguish'd by their colors, white and green ;
The vanquish'd party with the victors join'd,
Nor wanted fweet difcourfe the banquet of the mind.
Mean time the minstrels play'd on either fide,
Vain of their art, and for the maftery vy'd:

The fweet contention lafted for an hour;

And reach'd
my fecret arbor from the bow'r.
The fun was fet; and Vefper, to fupply
His abfent beams, had lighted up the sky.
When Philomel officious all the day

To fing the fervice of th' enfuing May,
Fled from her laurel fhade, and wing'd her flight
Directly to the queen array'd in white:

And hopping fat familiar on her hand,

A new mufician, and increas'd the band.

The goldfinch, who, to hun the fcalding heat,
Had chang'd the medlar for a fafer feat,
And hid in bushes 'fcap'd the bitter show'r,
Now perch'd upon the lady of the flow'r;
And either fongfter holding out their throats,
And folding up their wings, renew'd their notes:
As if all day, preluding to the fight,

They only had rehears'd, to fing by night:
The banquet ended, and the battle done,

They danc'd by star-light and the friendly moon:
And when they were to part, the laureat queen
Supply'd with steeds the lady of the green,
Her and her train conducting on the way,
The moon to follow, and avoid the day.
This when I faw, inquifitive to know
The fecret moral of the myftique show,

I started from my fhade, in hopes to find
Some nymph to fatisfy my longing mind :
And as my fair adventure fell, I found

A lady all in white, with laurel crown'd,
Who clos'd the rear, and foftly pac'd along,
Repeating to her felf the former fong.
With due refpect my body I inclin'd,
As to fome being of fuperior kind,
And made my court according to the day,
Wishing her queen and her a happy May.
Great thanks, my daughter, with a gracious bow,
She faid; and I, who much defired to know
Of whence the was, yet fearful how to break
My mind, adventur'd humbly thus to speak:
Madam, might I prefume and not offend,

So

may the stars and shining moon attend Your nightly sports, as you vouchsafe to tell, What nymphs they were who mortal forms excel, And what the knights who fought in listed fields fo well.

To this the dame reply'd: Fair daughter, know,
That what you faw was all a fairy show:
And all those airy fhapes you now behold,

Were human bodies once, and cloth'd with earthly

mold,

Our fouls, not yet prepar'd for upper light,
Till doomsday wander in the fhades of night;
This only holiday of all the year,

We privileg'd in funshine may appear :
With fongs and dance we celebrate the day,
And with due honors ufher in the May.
At other times we reign by night alone,
And posting thro the skies pursue the moon:
But when the morn arifes, none are found;
For cruel Demogorgon walks the round,
And if he finds a fairy lag in light,

He drives the wretch before, and lashes into night.
All courteous are by kind; and ever proud
With friendly offices to help the good.
In every land we have a larger space

Than what is known to you of mortal race:
Where we with green adorn our fairy bow'rs,
And ev'n this grove, unfeen before, is ours.
Know farther; ev'ry lady cloath'd in white,
And, crown'd with oak and laurel ev'ry knight,
Are fervants to the leaf, by liveries known
Of innocence; and I myself am one.

Saw you not her fo graceful to behold

In white attire, and crown'd with radiant gold?