The Fairy Temple; Or, Oberon's Chapel Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BC DDEEFF A GGHHIIJJKKLLMMNOPPPP PEQRRSSPPPPRMTUPP VVPP UWPPMRXYPPPPEERRZZA2 A2A2A2DDA2A2PPPPA2A2 A2A2A2PPPPFQB2B2A2A2 B2B2PPPPA2A2PPMA2PPA 2A2PPB2A2MPC2C2PPPPR RPPA2A2A2A2D2E2PPPPP PPPA2A2PPA2A2THE FAIRY TEMPLE OR OBERON'S CHAPEL | A |
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DEDICATED TO MR JOHN MERRIFIELD | B |
COUNSELLOR AT LAW | C |
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RARE TEMPLES THOU HAST SEEN I KNOW | D |
AND RICH FOR IN AND OUTWARD SHOW | D |
SURVEY THIS CHAPEL BUILT ALONE | E |
WITHOUT OR LIME OR WOOD OR STONE | E |
THEN SAY IF ONE THOU'ST SEEN MORE FINE | F |
THAN THIS THE FAIRIES' ONCE NOW THINE | F |
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THE TEMPLE | A |
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A way enchaced with glass and beads | G |
There is that to the Chapel leads | G |
Whose structure for his holy rest | H |
Is here the Halcyon's curious nest | H |
Into the which who looks shall see | I |
His Temple of Idolatry | I |
Where he of god heads has such store | J |
As Rome's Pantheon had not more | J |
His house of Rimmon this he calls | K |
Girt with small bones instead of walls | K |
First in a niche more black than jet | L |
His idol cricket there is set | L |
Then in a polish'd oval by | M |
There stands his idol beetle fly | M |
Next in an arch akin to this | N |
His idol canker seated is | O |
Then in a round is placed by these | P |
His golden god Cantharides | P |
So that where'er ye look ye see | P |
No capital no cornice free | P |
Or frieze from this fine frippery | P |
Now this the Fairies would have known | E |
Theirs is a mixt religion | Q |
And some have heard the elves it call | R |
Part Pagan part Papistical | R |
If unto me all tongues were granted | S |
I could not speak the saints here painted | S |
Saint Tit Saint Nit Saint Is Saint Itis | P |
Who 'gainst Mab's state placed here right is | P |
Saint Will o' th' Wisp of no great bigness | P |
But alias call'd here FATUUS IGNIS | P |
Saint Frip Saint Trip Saint Fill Saint Filly | R |
Neither those other saint ships will I | M |
Here go about for to recite | T |
Their number almost infinite | U |
Which one by one here set down are | P |
In this most curious calendar | P |
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First at the entrance of the gate | V |
A little puppet priest doth wait | V |
Who squeaks to all the comers there | P |
'Favour your tongues who enter here | P |
'Pure hands bring hither without stain ' | - |
A second pules 'Hence hence profane ' | - |
Hard by i' th' shell of half a nut | U |
The holy water there is put | W |
A little brush of squirrels' hairs | P |
Composed of odd not even pairs | P |
Stands in the platter or close by | M |
To purge the fairy family | R |
Near to the altar stands the priest | X |
There offering up the holy grist | Y |
Ducking in mood and perfect tense | P |
With much good do't him reverence | P |
The altar is not here four square | P |
Nor in a form triangular | P |
Nor made of glass or wood or stone | E |
But of a little transverse bone | E |
Which boys and bruckel'd children call | R |
Playing for points and pins cockall | R |
Whose linen drapery is a thin | Z |
Sub ile and ductile codling's skin | Z |
Which o'er the board is smoothly spread | A2 |
With little seal work damasked | A2 |
The fringe that circumbinds it too | A2 |
Is spangle work of trembling dew | A2 |
Which gently gleaming makes a show | D |
Like frost work glitt'ring on the snow | D |
Upon this fetuous board doth stand | A2 |
Something for shew bread and at hand | A2 |
Just in the middle of the altar | P |
Upon an end the Fairy psalter | P |
Graced with the trout flies' curious wings | P |
Which serve for watchet ribbonings | P |
Now we must know the elves are led | A2 |
Right by the Rubric which they read | A2 |
And if report of them be true | A2 |
They have their text for what they do | A2 |
Ay and their book of canons too | A2 |
And as Sir Thomas Parson tells | P |
They have their book of articles | P |
And if that Fairy knight not lies | P |
They have their book of homilies | P |
And other Scriptures that design | F |
A short but righteous discipline | Q |
The bason stands the board upon | B2 |
To take the free oblation | B2 |
A little pin dust which they hold | A2 |
More precious than we prize our gold | A2 |
Which charity they give to many | B2 |
Poor of the parish if there's any | B2 |
Upon the ends of these neat rails | P |
Hatch'd with the silver light of snails | P |
The elves in formal manner fix | P |
Two pure and holy candlesticks | P |
In either which a tall small bent | A2 |
Burns for the altar's ornament | A2 |
For sanctity they have to these | P |
Their curious copes and surplices | P |
Of cleanest cobweb hanging by | M |
In their religious vestery | A2 |
They have their ash pans and their brooms | P |
To purge the chapel and the rooms | P |
Their many mumbling mass priests here | A2 |
And many a dapper chorister | A2 |
Their ush'ring vergers here likewise | P |
Their canons and their chaunteries | P |
Of cloister monks they have enow | B2 |
Ay and their abbey lubbers too | A2 |
And if their legend do not lie | M |
They much affect the papacy | P |
And since the last is dead there's hope | C2 |
Elve Boniface shall next be Pope | C2 |
They have their cups and chalices | P |
Their pardons and indulgences | P |
Their beads of nits bells books and wax | P |
Candles forsooth and other knacks | P |
Their holy oil their fasting spittle | R |
Their sacred salt here not a little | R |
Dry chips old shoes rags grease and bones | P |
Beside their fumigations | P |
Many a trifle too and trinket | A2 |
And for what use scarce man would think it | A2 |
Next then upon the chanter's side | A2 |
An apple's core is hung up dried | A2 |
With rattling kernels which is rung | D2 |
To call to morn and even song | E2 |
The saint to which the most he prays | P |
And offers incense nights and days | P |
The lady of the lobster is | P |
Whose foot pace he doth stroke and kiss | P |
And humbly chives of saffron brings | P |
For his most cheerful offerings | P |
When after these he's paid his vows | P |
He lowly to the altar bows | P |
And then he dons the silk worm's shed | A2 |
Like a Turk's turban on his head | A2 |
And reverently departeth thence | P |
Hid in a cloud of frankincense | P |
And by the glow worm's light well guided | A2 |
Goes to the Feast that's now provided | A2 |
Robert Herrick
(1)
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