“Say to him thus, that I defy
  His slanders and his infamy,
  And as a mortal enemy
      Do publicly proclaim him. 
  Withal that if I had mine own,
  He should not wear the Fairy crown,
  But with a vengeance should come down,
      Nor we a king should name him.”

  This Tomalin could not abide
  To hear his sovereign vilified;
  But to the Fairy Court him hied
      (Full furiously he posted),
  With everything Pigwiggen said: 
  How title to the crown he laid,
  And in what arms he was arrayed,
      As how himself he boasted.

  ’Twixt head and foot, from point to point,
  He told the arming of each joint,
  In every piece how neat and quaint,
      For Tomalin could do it: 
  How fair he sat, how sure he rid,
  As of the courser he bestrid,
  How managed, and how well he did;
      The King which listened to it,

  Quoth he, “Go, Tomalin, with speed,
  Provide me arms, provide my steed,
  And everything that I shall need;
      By thee I will be guided;
  To strait account call thou thy wit;
  See there be wanting not a whit,
  In everything see thou me fit,
      Just as my foe’s provided.”

  Soon flew this news through Fairy-land,
  Which gave Queen Mab to understand
  The combat that was then in hand
      Betwixt those men so mighty: 
  Which greatly she began to rue,
  Perceiving that all Fairy knew,
  The first occasion from her grew
      Of these affairs so weighty.

  Wherefore attended with her maids,
  Through fogs, and mists, and damps she wades,
  To Proserpine the Queen of Shades,
      To treat that it would please her
  The cause into her hands to take,
  For ancient love and friendship’s sake,
  And soon thereof an end to make,
      Which of much care would ease her.

  A while there let we Mab alone,
  And come we to King Oberon,
  Who, armed to meet his foe, is gone,
      For proud Pigwiggen crying: 
  Who sought the Fairy King as fast
  And had so well his journeys cast,
  That he arrived at the last,
      His puissant foe espying.

  Stout Tomalin came with the King,
  Tom Thumb doth on Pigwiggen bring,
  That perfect were in everything
      To single fights belonging: 
  And therefore they themselves engage
  To see them exercise their rage
  With fair and comely equipage,
      Not one the other wronging.

  So like in arms these champions were,
  As they had been a very pair,
  So that a man would almost swear
      That either had been either;
  Their furious steeds began to neigh,
  That they were heard a mighty way;
  Their staves upon their rests they lay;
      Yet, ere they flew together,

  Their seconds minister an oath,
  Which was indifferent to them both,
  That on their knightly faith and troth
      No magic them supplied;
  And sought them that they had no charms
  Wherewith to work each other’s harms,
  But came with simple open arms
      To have their causes tried.