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| BY these presents, be it known | |
| To all who bend before our throne, | |
| Fays and Fairies, Elves and Sprites, | |
| Beauteous Dames and gallant Knights, | |
| That We, Oberon the Grand, | 5 |
| Emperor of Fairy Land, | |
| King of Moonshine, Prince of Dreams, | |
| Lord of Aganippe’s streams, | |
| Baron of the dimpled isles | |
| That lie in pretty maiden’s smiles, | 10 |
| Arch-Treasurer of all the graces | |
| Dispersed through fifty lovely faces, | |
| Sovereign of the Flipper’s Order | |
| With all the rites thereon that border, | |
| Defender of the Sylphic Faith, | 15 |
| Declare—and thus your Monarch saith. | |
| Whereas there is a noble dame | |
| Whom mortals, Countess Temple name, | |
| To whom Ourself didst erst impart | |
| The choicest secrets of our art, | 20 |
| Taught her to tune th’ harmonious line | |
| To our own melody divine, | |
| Taught her the graceful negligence | |
| Which, scorning Art and veiling Sense, | |
| Achieves that conquest o’er the heart | 25 |
| Sense seldom gains; and never Art. | |
| This Lady, ’tis our Royal Will | |
| Our Laureate’s vacant seat should fill. | |
| A chaplet of immortal bays | |
| Shall crown her brows, and guard her Lays. | 30 |
| Of Nectar-Sack an acorn cup | |
| Be, at her board, each year, filled up. | |
| And as each Quarter Feast comes round, | |
| A Silver Penny shall be found | |
| Within the compass of her shoe; | 35 |
| And so We bid you all, Adieu! | |
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| Given at our Palace of Cowslip Castle, | |
| The shortest night of the year. | |
| Oberon. | |
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