They only had rehearsed, to sing by night. 
  The banquet ended, and the battle done,
  They danced by star-light and the friendly moon: 
  And when they were to part, the laureate queen
  Supplied with steeds the lady of the green,
  Her and her train conducting on the way,
  The moon to follow, and avoid the day.

    This when I saw, inquisitive to know
  The secret moral of the mystic show, 460
  I started from my shade, in hopes to find
  Some nymph to satisfy my longing mind: 
  And as my fair adventure fell, I found
  A lady all in white, with laurel crown’d,
  Who closed the rear, and softly paced along,
  Repeating to herself the former song. 
  With due respect my body I inclined,
  As to some being of superior kind,
  And made my court according to the day,
  Wishing her queen and her a happy May. 470
  Great thanks, my daughter, with a gracious bow,
  She said; and I, who much desired to know
  Of whence she was, yet fearful how to break
  My mind, adventured humbly thus to speak: 
  Madam, might I presume and not offend,
  So may the stars and shining moon attend
  Your nightly sports, as you vouchsafe to tell,
  What nymphs they were who mortal forms excel,
  And what the knights who fought in listed fields so well. 
  To this the dame replied:  Fair daughter, know, 480
  That what you saw was all a fairy show;
  And all those airy shapes you now behold,
  Were human bodies once, and clothed with earthly mould;
  Our souls, not yet prepared for upper light,
  Till doomsday wander in the shades of night;
  This only holiday of all the year,
  We privileged in sunshine may appear: 
  With songs and dance we celebrate the day,
  And with due honours usher in the May. 
  At other times we reign by night alone, 490
  And posting through the skies pursue the moon;
  But when the morn arises, none are found;
  For cruel Demogorgon walks the round,
  And if he finds a fairy lag in light,
  He drives the wretch before, and lashes into night.

    All courteous are by kind; and ever proud
  With friendly offices to help the good. 
  In every land we have a larger space
  Than what is known to you of mortal race;
  Where we with green adorn our fairy bowers, 500
  And even this grove, unseen before, is ours. 
  Know farther; every lady clothed in white,
  And, crown’d with oak and laurel every knight,
  Are servants to the Leaf, by liveries known
  Of innocence; and I myself am one. 
  Saw you not her, so graceful to behold,
  In white attire, and crown’d with radiant gold? 
  The sovereign lady of our land is she,
  Diana call’d, the Queen of Chastity: 
  And, for the spotless name of maid she