%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> [?] / Being the Pastimes and other Slights, / Of Will-with-a-wispe, and other mad Sprights. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1648-1648 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 10/16/2018 36405

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

R227866 YOu Airy sprights not a few, / Of Robin-good-fellowes crew, What cuning, merry, mad blades we be. [with variation] Manchester Central Library Blackletter Ballads Editor none none none none Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 13 [?] / Being the Pastimes and other Slights, / Of Will-with-a-wispe, and other mad Sprights. [?] Being the Pastimes and other Slights, Of Will-o'-the-wisp, and other mad Sprites. 1648-1648 Edw. Wright

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction / health alcohol Americas animals / nature Bible / biblical figures buildings / architecture catastrophe children class clothing / appearance country / nation crime death economics / commerce entertainments family Featured folklore gender holidays / seasons infidelity labor / craft law London love maritime marriage military / war monstrosity mythology / Classical news nobility / court politics / government procreation punishment race / ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious groups royalty rural life servitude sex / sexuality supernatural / magic travel trickery / deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth / age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 10/16/2018 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 10/16/2018 9:26:52 AM XBallad Raychawdhuri, Anita Created XML Version of Ballad 10/16/2018 9:26:52 AM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/16/2018 9:26:52 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Levinson-Emley, Rachel Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/16/2018 9:26:52 AM Transcriptionist Two Adkison, Katie Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/16/2018 9:26:52 AM Transcriptionist One McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/14/2018 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Being the Pastimes and other Slights,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Of Will-with-a-wispe, and other mad Sprights.</hi></seg>
YOu Airy sprights not a few, Of Robin-good-fellowes crew, Let's our old sports renew, Untill the sky look blew: That mortall men may know and see, What cuning, merry, mad blades we be. Ignis Fatuus first, Among the Fairies nurst, By Travellers often curst, By putting them to the worst: But they shall with amazement see, What cunning, merry, etc. Full many a joviall sparke, I put beside his marke, As he walkes home ith' darke, Through Forrest Grove, or Parke; He by a fained fire may see, What cunning, etc. A small deluding light, Presents itselfe in sight, And leads him with delight, Through uncouth paths all night, All weary rent, and torn hee'l see, What cunning, etc. 'Tis called Will with a wispe, But terme it what you list, It is most manifest That many men have mist, Their way thereby, and thus you see, What cunning, etc.
Old Robin-good-fellow likewise, In many a strange disguise, Playes many an enterprize, To blind the peoples eyes, In sundry shapes he'l let you see, What cunning, etc. Your gallants that venture faire, To steale either horse or Mare, Them in that shape he'l beare, Through water, earth and mire, In wet and dirty case they see, What cunning, etc. Sometimes to them he appeares, A fat Weather, which he that beares, Were as good to loose his eares, For with tormenting feares, The burthens vanist then they see, What cunning, etc. Sometimes he subtly jeeres, Night-walking wastcoateeres, When like a man he appeares, And them to the Constable beares, Then in Bride-well they feele and see, What cunning, etc. Thus Robin and the rest, Not needfull to be exprest, (In humane feature drest) Play many a merry jest; And Theeves upon the Gallowes see, What cunning, etc. For when they have lost the game, Then thus they doe exclaime, The Devill ought me a shame, And now he has paid the same; All such as these with shame shall see, What cunning, etc. These things and more beside, Might here be specifi'd, But let the case be try'd, Our Pen-man hath not ly'd, For mortals by experience see, What cuning, merry, mad blades we be.
FINIS. Printed for Edw. Wright in Gilt- spur-street.