THE ELIZABETHAN FAIRIES

62 ORIGIN AND NATURE
In connection with the general feeling that the nature
of the fairies was more or less wicked, it is significant that
their existence and belief in their existence was ascribed
by Protestant scholars to the teachings and influence of
the Catholic The statement by Bishop Hars-
net in I 603,
What a world of hel-worke, deuil-worke, and Elue worke had we
walking amongst vs heere in England, what time that popish mist
had befogged the eyes of our poore pe0p1e.l~~
had already been anticipated by Chapman,136 by Reginald
and witches. Cf. also Lyly, Endimion, IV, 3; Shakspere's Holinshed,
Boswell-Stone ed., 1896, p. 24. Especially interesting is a woodcut of
nymphs, appearing in Caxton's translation of Six Books of Meta-
morphose~~, Pepys Ms., Shakspeare Press, London, 1819: The facon
of Dyane.
In one instance at least the fairies' connection with the Church
of Rome was known and voiced by a country woman of Scotland who
represented them, or, at least, their agent, as being dissatisfied with
the Protestant faith and prophesying that the true religion would soon
return: " (16.) INTERROGAT, Quhat sche thocht of the new
law? Ansuerit, That sche had spokin with Thom about that mater;
bot Thom ansuerit, That this new law was nocht gude; and that the
auld ffayth suld cum hame agane, but nocht sic as it was befoir."
Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, Vol. I, pt. 2, p. 56. Cf. also William Browne,
An Elegie on the Countesse Dowager of Pembrooke, Hazlitt ed.,
1869, Vol. 11, p. 308:
" For should the world but know that thou wert gone,
Our Age too prone to Irreligion,
Knoweing soe much divinitie in thee,
Might thence conclude noe immortalitye.
And I belieue the Puritans themselues
Would be seduc'd to thinke, that Ghostes & Elves
Doe haunt vs yet, in hope that thou would'st deigne
To visitt vs, as when thou liv'd'st againe."
13= Declaration, p. 133.
138 An Humerous dayes Myrth, Pearson rpt. of 1599 ed., Vol. I,
P. 57.