Shakspeare and His Times [Vol. 1 of 2] / Including the Biography of the Poet; criticisms on his genius and writings; a new chronology of his plays; a disquisition on the on the object of his sonnets; and a history of the manners, customs, and amusements, superstitions, poetry, and elegant literature of his age

by Nathan Drake

"In the hinder end of harvest, on All-hallow een,

When our gude neighbours dois ride, if I read right,

Some buckled on a bunewand, and some on a been,

Ay trottand in troups from the twilight;

Some saidled a she-ape, all grathed into green,

Some hobland on a hemp stalk, hovard to the hight,

The king of Pharie and his court, with the elf queen,

With many elfish incubus was ridand that night;"[343:A]

and in the ballad called Young Tamlane, whose antiquity is ascertained from being noticed in the Complaynt of Scotland, the chief incident of the story is the recovery of Tamlane from the power of the fairies on this holy eve:—

"This night is Hallowe'en, Janet;