Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

2CS ANCIENT SONGS
a kind 'of 'diminutive demons, or middle /pedes between men
andfpirits, nvhom they ^/WDuergar or Dwarfs, and
to whom they attributed many wonderful performances, far
exceeding himan art. Vid. Hervarer Saga Olaj Verelj*
1675. Hiekes Thefaur. &c.
This Song is given from an old black-letter copy,
COME,
follow, follow mee,
Ye, fairye elves that bee ;
Come follow Mab your queene,
And trip it o'er the greene :
Hand in hand we'll dance around,
Becaufe this place is fairye ground.
When mortals are at re^,
And fnoring in their nell ;
Unheard, and un-efpy'd,
Through key-holes we do glide; 10
Over tables, ftooles, and fhelves,
We trip it with our fairye elves.
And, if the houfe be foull
With platter, dim or bowl,
Up ftaires we nimbly creep, 15
And find the fluts afleep :
Then we pinch their armes and thighes ;
None us heares, nor none efpies.
But if the houfe be fwept,
And from uncleannefs kept,
We praife the houfhold maid,
And duely fhe is paid :
5
20
Every