| Share page |
|
• |
||
|
26 KIPLING'S SUSSEX
departure of the fairies from England to " Queen Bess's father who had come in with his Reformatories." It was because the Queen's father " just about tore the gizzards out of the parish churches " that the fairies became " turrified " and fled from cruel old England. Bishop Corbet admits their Romish tendencies :
" By which we note the fairies
Were of the old profession, Their songs were Ave Mary's,
Their dances a procession ; But now, alas, they all are dead,
Or gone beyond the seas, Or farther for religion fled,
Or else they'd take their ease.
John Aubrey, the antiquary, born in Wiltshire in 1626, left in his large collection of manuscripts some sidelights on the worthy Bishop which show him to be a jester of no mean rank. Aubrey says :
" After he was a doctor of divinity, he sang ballads at the Crosse at Abingdon. On a market-day, he and some of his comrades were at the tavern by the Crosse. The ballad-singer complayned he had no customs—he could not sell his ballads. The jolly Doctor puts off his gowne, and puts on the ballad-singer's leathern jacket, and being a handsome man, and a rare full voice, he presently vended a great many, and had a great audience.
" His conversation was extreme pleasant. Dr. |
||