THE ELIZABETHAN FAIRIES

248 ROBIN GOODFELLOW
against the tricks of Robin Goodfellow or Puck. Ac-
cording to Clobery's Divine Glimpses of a Maiden Muse,
Old countrey folk, who pixie-leading fear,
Bear bread about them to prevent that harm,lZ2
a belief which is also mentioned by Robert Herrick in
Hespe~ides.'~~
Robin Goodfellow's standing fee, however, was not
forced from a reluctant householder, nor was it obtained
usually by robbery or terrorism. In return for his favor-
ite dish, he applied himself to all the domestic operations
which went on in the house. Nothing pleased him better
than to " make a fier in the morning, sweepe the house,
grind mustard and malt, drawe water," 124 and " helpe
the maydes to breake hempe, to bowlt, to dresse flaxe,
and to spin," lZ5 " cut wood, or do any manner of drudgery
work." lZ6
And with the country wenches, who but hee.
To wash their Dishes for some fresh-cheese hier:
Or set their Pots and Kettles bout the fier.lZ7
In all his domestic occupations, he was very earnest
and very noisy, and would " rumble in houses, drawe
latches, go up and downe staiers," lZ8 " locking and un-
locking of dores, tinckling amongst the fier-shouels and
the tonges, ratling uppon the boards, scraping vnder their
beds, and blowing out the candels, except they were
halowed." 12'
122 Rpt. Halliwell, Fairy Myth., p. xvii.
123 Page 323.
124 Scot, Dis. of Witch., 1651 ed., p. 437.
126 Robin Goodfellow; his mad prankes, and merry Jests, Hazlitt
rpt., p. 184.
126 Burton, Anat. of Mel., Vol. I, p. 220.
127 Rowlands, More Knaues Yet?, Vol. 11, p. 40.
1Z8Scot, Dis. of Witch., 1651 ed., p. 437.
129 Harsnet, Declaration, p. 14.