THE ELIZABETHAN FAIRIES

ROBIN GOODFELLOW 225
such as . . . Robin Goodfellow, that would supply the
office of servants, specially of maids." l9
Tarltons Newes out of Purgatorie of 1588, likened
" Hob Thrust, Robin Goodfellow and such like spirites,
as they tearme them of the buttry, famozed in every olde
wives chronicle for their mad merrye prankes " to " Fa-
miliares Lares that were rather pleasantly disposed then
endued with any hurtful1 influence "; 20 while Nashe, in
1592, regarded " Robbin-good-fellowes,21 Elfes, Fairies,
Hobgoblins of our latter age " as the native equivalents
of " Fawnes, Satyres, Dryades, & Hamadryades." ''
With the exception of these three somewhat general
classifications of Robin Goodfellow in terms of classical
mythology, he was treated as an individual folk spirit
until I 594 ; and identified, as in Tell-Trothes New-Yeares
Gift of I 593, as a " merry mate " " who neuer did worse
harme then correct manners, and made diligent maides " ;
who had " by nature giuen him, that he should bee subiect
to no inferiour power whatsoeuer, either ruling or in-
habiting vnder the highest elemente," and who was
invested " with a general1 priuiledge Po search euery
corner, and enter any castell to a good purpose." 23
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, he was given a num-
ber of classifications and names. Besides being pre-
sented as the jester of Oberon and as a member of the
fairy band,'" he was made to call himself a g~blin,'~ an
l8 Zbid., A Discourse upon divels and spirits, p. 374.
20 Page 55.
21 This is one of the few occurrences of the name of Robin Good-
fellow used in the plural. There are no occurrences in literature or
folk tale of more than one Robin Goodfellow.
22 Terr. of the Night, Vol. I, p. 347. Cf. also Ibid., pp. 367-368 for
a further description of Robin Goodfellow.
23 New Shak. Soc., 1876, Ser. 6, No. 2, pp. 3-4.
24 11, I, 1. 44; and 111, 2, 1. 110.
26 111, 2, 1. 399.