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diff --git a/2242-0.txt b/2242-0.txt Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..08a3f90 --- /dev/null +++ b/2242-0.txt diff --git a/2242.txt b/2242.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 89a36e6..0000000 --- a/2242.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3124 +0,0 @@ -***The Project Gutenberg's Etext of Shakespeare's First Folio*** -*******************A Midsommer Nights Dreame******************** - - -******************************************************************* -THIS EBOOK WAS ONE OF PROJECT GUTENBERG'S EARLY FILES PRODUCED AT A -TIME WHEN PROOFING METHODS AND TOOLS WERE NOT WELL DEVELOPED. THERE -IS AN IMPROVED EDITION OF THIS TITLE WHICH MAY BE VIEWED AS EBOOK -(#1514) at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1514 -******************************************************************* - - -This is our 3rd edition of most of these plays. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* - - - - - -Project Gutenberg's Etext of Shakespeare's The first Part of -Henry the Sixt - - - - -Executive Director's Notes: - -In addition to the notes below, and so you will *NOT* think all -the spelling errors introduced by the printers of the time have -been corrected, here are the first few lines of Hamlet, as they -are presented herein: - - Barnardo. Who's there? - Fran. Nay answer me: Stand & vnfold -your selfe - - Bar. Long liue the King - -*** - -As I understand it, the printers often ran out of certain words -or letters they had often packed into a "cliche". . .this is the -original meaning of the term cliche. . .and thus, being unwilling -to unpack the cliches, and thus you will see some substitutions -that look very odd. . .such as the exchanges of u for v, v for u, -above. . .and you may wonder why they did it this way, presuming -Shakespeare did not actually write the play in this manner. . . . - -The answer is that they MAY have packed "liue" into a cliche at a -time when they were out of "v"'s. . .possibly having used "vv" in -place of some "w"'s, etc. This was a common practice of the day, -as print was still quite expensive, and they didn't want to spend -more on a wider selection of characters than they had to. - -You will find a lot of these kinds of "errors" in this text, as I -have mentioned in other times and places, many "scholars" have an -extreme attachment to these errors, and many have accorded them a -very high place in the "canon" of Shakespeare. My father read an -assortment of these made available to him by Cambridge University -in England for several months in a glass room constructed for the -purpose. To the best of my knowledge he read ALL those available -. . .in great detail. . .and determined from the various changes, -that Shakespeare most likely did not write in nearly as many of a -variety of errors we credit him for, even though he was in/famous -for signing his name with several different spellings. - -So, please take this into account when reading the comments below -made by our volunteer who prepared this file: you may see errors -that are "not" errors. . . . - -So. . .with this caveat. . .we have NOT changed the canon errors, -here is the Project Gutenberg Etext of Shakespeare's The first -Part of Henry the Sixt. - -Michael S. Hart -Project Gutenberg -Executive Director - - -*** - - -Scanner's Notes: What this is and isn't. This was taken from -a copy of Shakespeare's first folio and it is as close as I can -come in ASCII to the printed text. - -The elongated S's have been changed to small s's and the -conjoined ae have been changed to ae. I have left the spelling, -punctuation, capitalization as close as possible to the -printed text. I have corrected some spelling mistakes (I have put -together a spelling dictionary devised from the spellings of the -Geneva Bible and Shakespeare's First Folio and have unified -spellings according to this template), typo's and expanded -abbreviations as I have come across them. Everything within -brackets [] is what I have added. So if you don't like that -you can delete everything within the brackets if you want a -purer Shakespeare. - -Another thing that you should be aware of is that there are textual -differences between various copies of the first folio. So there may -be differences (other than what I have mentioned above) between -this and other first folio editions. This is due to the printer's -habit of setting the type and running off a number of copies and -then proofing the printed copy and correcting the type and then -continuing the printing run. The proof run wasn't thrown away but -incorporated into the printed copies. This is just the way it is. -The text I have used was a composite of more than 30 different -First Folio editions' best pages. - -If you find any scanning errors, out and out typos, punctuation -errors, or if you disagree with my spelling choices please feel -free to email me those errors. I wish to make this the best -etext possible. My email address for right now are haradda@aol.com -and davidr@inconnect.com. I hope that you enjoy this. - -David Reed - -A Midsommer Nights Dreame - -Actus primus. - -Enter Theseus, Hippolita, with others. - - Theseus. Now faire Hippolita, our nuptiall houre -Drawes on apace: foure happy daies bring in -Another Moon: but oh, me thinkes, how slow -This old Moon wanes; She lingers my desires -Like to a Step-dame, or a Dowager, -Long withering out a yong mans reuennew - - Hip. Foure daies wil quickly steep the[m]selues in nights -Foure nights wil quickly dreame away the time: -And then the Moone, like to a siluer bow, -Now bent in heauen, shal behold the night -Of our solemnities - - The. Go Philostrate, -Stirre vp the Athenian youth to merriments, -Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth, -Turne melancholy forth to Funerals: -The pale companion is not for our pompe, -Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my sword, -And wonne thy loue, doing thee iniuries: -But I will wed thee in another key, -With pompe, with triumph, and with reuelling. -Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius. - - Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke - - The. Thanks good Egeus: what's the news with thee? - Ege. Full of vexation, come I, with complaint -Against my childe, my daughter Hermia. - -Stand forth Demetrius. - -My Noble Lord, -This man hath my consent to marrie her. - -Stand forth Lysander. - -And my gracious Duke, -This man hath bewitch'd the bosome of my childe: -Thou, thou Lysander, thou hast giuen her rimes, -And interchang'd loue-tokens with my childe: -Thou hast by Moone-light at her window sung, -With faining voice, verses of faining loue, -And stolne the impression of her fantasie, -With bracelets of thy haire, rings, gawdes, conceits, -Knackes, trifles, Nose-gaies, sweet meats (messengers -Of strong preuailment in vnhardned youth) -With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughters heart, -Turn'd her obedience (which is due to me) -To stubborne harshnesse. And my gracious Duke, -Be it so she will not heere before your Grace, -Consent to marrie with Demetrius, -I beg the ancient priuiledge of Athens; -As she is mine, I may dispose of her; -Which shall be either to this Gentleman, -Or to her death, according to our Law, -Immediately prouided in that case - - The. What say you Hermia? be aduis'd faire Maide, -To you your Father should be as a God; -One that compos'd your beauties; yea and one -To whom you are but as a forme in waxe -By him imprinted: and within his power, -To leaue the figure, or disfigure it: -Demetrius is a worthy Gentleman - - Her. So is Lysander - - The. In himselfe he is. -But in this kinde, wanting your fathers voyce, -The other must be held the worthier - - Her. I would my father look'd but with my eyes - - The. Rather your eies must with his iudgment looke - - Her. I do entreat your Grace to pardon me. -I know not by what power I am made bold, -Nor how it may concerne my modestie -In such a presence heere to pleade my thoughts: -But I beseech your Grace, that I may know -The worst that may befall me in this case, -If I refuse to wed Demetrius - - The. Either to dye the death, or to abiure -For euer the society of men. -Therefore faire Hermia question your desires, -Know of your youth, examine well your blood, -Whether (if you yeeld not to your fathers choice) -You can endure the liuerie of a Nunne, -For aye to be in shady Cloister mew'd, -To liue a barren sister all your life, -Chanting faint hymnes to the cold fruitlesse Moone, -Thrice blessed they that master so their blood, -To vndergo such maiden pilgrimage, -But earthlier happie is the Rose distil'd, -Then that which withering on the virgin thorne, -Growes, liues, and dies, in single blessednesse - - Her. So will I grow, so liue, so die my Lord, -Ere I will yeeld my virgin Patent vp -Vnto his Lordship, whose vnwished yoake, -My soule consents not to giue soueraignty - - The. Take time to pause, and by the next new Moon -The sealing day betwixt my loue and me, -For euerlasting bond of fellowship: -Vpon that day either prepare to dye, -For disobedience to your fathers will, -Or else to wed Demetrius as hee would, -Or on Dianaes Altar to protest -For aie, austerity, and single life - - Dem. Relent sweet Hermia, and Lysander, yeelde -Thy crazed title to my certaine right - - Lys. You haue her fathers loue, Demetrius: -Let me haue Hermiaes: do you marry him - - Egeus. Scornfull Lysander, true, he hath my Loue; -And what is mine, my loue shall render him. -And she is mine, and all my right of her, -I do estate vnto Demetrius - - Lys. I am my Lord, as well deriu'd as he, -As well possest: my loue is more then his: -My fortunes euery way as fairely ranck'd -(If not with vantage) as Demetrius: -And (which is more then all these boasts can be) -I am belou'd of beauteous Hermia. -Why should not I then prosecute my right? -Demetrius, Ile auouch it to his head, -Made loue to Nedars daughter, Helena, -And won her soule: and she (sweet Ladie) dotes, -Deuoutly dotes, dotes in Idolatry, -Vpon this spotted and inconstant man - - The. I must confesse, that I haue heard so much, -And with Demetrius thought to haue spoke thereof: -But being ouer-full of selfe-affaires, -My minde did lose it. But Demetrius come, -And come Egeus, you shall go with me, -I haue some priuate schooling for you both. -For you faire Hermia, looke you arme your selfe, -To fit your fancies to your Fathers will; -Or else the Law of Athens yeelds you vp -(Which by no meanes we may extenuate) -To death, or to a vow of single life. -Come my Hippolita, what cheare my loue? -Demetrius and Egeus go along: -I must imploy you in some businesse -Against our nuptiall, and conferre with you -Of something, neerely that concernes your selues - - Ege. With dutie and desire we follow you. - -Exeunt. - -Manet Lysander and Hermia. - - Lys. How now my loue? Why is your cheek so pale? -How chance the Roses there do fade so fast? - Her. Belike for want of raine, which I could well -Beteeme them, from the tempest of mine eyes - - Lys. For ought that euer I could reade, -Could euer heare by tale or historie, -The course of true loue neuer did run smooth, -But either it was different in blood - - Her. O crosse! too high to be enthral'd to loue - - Lys. Or else misgraffed, in respect of yeares - - Her. O spight! too old to be ingag'd to yong - - Lys. Or else it stood vpon the choise of merit - - Her. O hell! to choose loue by anothers eie - - Lys. Or if there were a simpathie in choise, -Warre, death, or sicknesse, did lay siege to it; -Making it momentarie, as a sound: -Swift as a shadow, short as any dreame, -Briefe as the lightning in the collied night, -That (in a spleene) vnfolds both heauen and earth; -And ere a man hath power to say, behold, -The iawes of darkness do deuoure it vp: -So quicke bright things come to confusion - - Her. If then true Louers haue beene euer crost, -It stands as an edict in destinie: -Then let vs teach our triall patience, -Because it is a customarie crosse, -As due to loue, as thoughts, and dreames, and sighes, -Wishes and teares; poore Fancies followers - - Lys. A good perswasion; therefore heare me Hermia, -I haue a Widdow Aunt, a dowager, -Of great reuennew, and she hath no childe, -From Athens is her house remou'd seuen leagues, -And she respects me, as her onely sonne: -There gentle Hermia, may I marrie thee, -And to that place, the sharpe Athenian Law -Cannot pursue vs. If thou lou'st me, then -Steale forth thy Fathers house to morrow night: -And in the wood, a league without the towne, -(Where I did meete thee once with Helena. -To do obseruance for a morne of May) -There will I stay for thee - - Her. My good Lysander, -I sweare to thee, by Cupids strongest bow, -By his best arrow with the golden head, -By the simplicitie of Venus Doues, -By that which knitteth soules, and prospers loue, -And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage Queene, -When the false Troyan vnder saile was seene, -By all the vowes that euer men haue broke, -(In number more then euer women spoke) -In that same place thou hast appointed me, -To morrow truly will I meete with thee - - Lys. Keepe promise loue: looke here comes Helena. -Enter Helena. - - Her. God speede faire Helena, whither away? - Hel. Cal you me faire? that faire againe vnsay, -Demetrius loues you faire: O happie faire! -Your eyes are loadstarres, and your tongues sweete ayre -More tuneable then Larke to shepheards eare, -When wheate is greene, when hauthorne buds appeare, -Sicknesse is catching: O were fauor so, -Your words I catch, faire Hermia ere I go, -My eare should catch your voice, my eye, your eye, -My tongue should catch your tongues sweete melodie, -Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, -The rest Ile giue to be to you translated. -O teach me how you looke, and with what art -You sway the motion of Demetrius hart - - Her. I frowne vpon him, yet he loues me still - - Hel. O that your frownes would teach my smiles -such skil - - Her. I giue him curses, yet he giues me loue - - Hel. O that my prayers could such affection mooue - - Her. The more I hate, the more he followes me - - Hel. The more I loue, the more he hateth me - - Her. His folly Helena is none of mine - - Hel. None but your beauty, wold that fault wer mine - Her. Take comfort: he no more shall see my face, -Lysander and my selfe will flie this place. -Before the time I did Lysander see, -Seem'd Athens like a Paradise to mee. -O then, what graces in my Loue do dwell, -That he hath turn'd a heauen into hell - - Lys. Helen, to you our mindes we will vnfold, -To morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold -Her siluer visage, in the watry glasse, -Decking with liquid pearle, the bladed grasse -(A time that Louers flights doth still conceale) -Through Athens gates, haue we deuis'd to steale - - Her. And in the wood, where often you and I, -Vpon faint Primrose beds, were wont to lye, -Emptying our bosomes, of their counsell sweld: -There my Lysander, and my selfe shall meete, -And thence from Athens turne away our eyes -To seeke new friends and strange companions, -Farwell sweet play-fellow, pray thou for vs, -And good lucke grant thee thy Demetrius. -Keepe word Lysander we must starue our sight, -From louers foode, till morrow deepe midnight. - -Exit Hermia. - - Lys. I will my Hermia. Helena adieu, -As you on him, Demetrius dotes on you. - -Exit Lysander. - - Hele. How happy some, ore othersome can be? -Through Athens I am thought as faire as she. -But what of that? Demetrius thinkes not so: -He will not know, what all, but he doth know, -And as hee erres, doting on Hermias eyes; -So I, admiring of his qualities: -Things base and vilde, holding no quantity, -Loue can transpose to forme and dignity, -Loue lookes not with the eyes, but with the minde, -And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blinde. -Nor hath loues minde of any iudgement taste: -Wings and no eyes, figure, vnheedy haste. -And therefore is Loue said to be a childe, -Because in choise he is often beguil'd, -As waggish boyes in game themselues forsweare; -So the boy Loue is periur'd euery where. -For ere Demetrius lookt on Hermias eyne, -He hail'd downe oathes that he was onely mine. -And when this Haile some heat from Hermia felt, -So he dissolu'd, and showres of oathes did melt, -I will goe tell him of faire Hermias flight: -Then to the wood will he, to morrow night -Pursue her; and for his intelligence, -If I haue thankes, it is a deere expence: -But heerein meane I to enrich my paine, -To haue his sight thither, and backe againe. -Enter. - -Enter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Ioyner, Bottome the Weauer, -Flute -the bellowes-mender, Snout the Tinker, and Starueling the Taylor. - - Quin. Is all our company heere? - Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by -man according to the scrip - - Qui. Here is the scrowle of euery mans name, which -is thought fit through all Athens, to play in our Enterlude -before the Duke and the Dutches, on his wedding -day at night - - Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats -on: then read the names of the Actors: and so grow on -to a point - - Quin. Marry our play is the most lamentable comedy, -and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisbie - - Bot. A very good peece of worke I assure you, and a -merry. Now good Peter Quince, call forth your Actors -by the scrowle. Masters spread your selues - - Quince. Answere as I call you. Nick Bottome the -Weauer - - Bottome. Ready; name what part I am for, and -proceed - - Quince. You Nicke Bottome are set downe for Pyramus - - Bot. What is Pyramus, a louer, or a tyrant? - Quin. A Louer that kills himselfe most gallantly for -loue - - Bot. That will aske some teares in the true performing -of it: if I do it, let the audience looke to their eies: -I will mooue stormes; I will condole in some measure. -To the rest yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could -play Ercles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all -split the raging Rocks; and shiuering shocks shall break -the locks of prison gates, and Phibbus carre shall shine -from farre, and make and marre the foolish Fates. This -was lofty. Now name the rest of the Players. This -is Ercles vaine, a tyrants vaine: a louer is more condoling - - Quin. Francis Flute the Bellowes-mender - - Flu. Heere Peter Quince - - Quin. You must take Thisbie on you - - Flut. What is Thisbie, a wandring Knight? - Quin. It is the Lady that Pyramus must loue - - Flut. Nay faith, let not mee play a woman, I haue a -beard comming - - Qui. That's all one, you shall play it in a Maske, and -you may speake as small as you will - - Bot. And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbie too: -Ile speake in a monstrous little voyce; Thisne, Thisne, ah -Pyramus my louer deare, thy Thisbie deare, and Lady -deare - - Quin. No no, you must play Pyramus, and Flute, you -Thisby - - Bot. Well, proceed - - Qu. Robin Starueling the Taylor - - Star. Heere Peter Quince - - Quince. Robin Starueling, you must play Thisbies -mother? -Tom Snowt, the Tinker - - Snowt. Heere Peter Quince - - Quin. you, Pyramus father; my self, Thisbies father; -Snugge the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: and I hope there -is a play fitted - - Snug. Haue you the Lions part written? pray you if -be, giue it me, for I am slow of studie - - Quin. You may doe it extemporie, for it is nothing -but roaring - - Bot. Let mee play the Lyon too, I will roare that I -will doe any mans heart good to heare me. I will roare, -that I will make the Duke say, Let him roare againe, let -him roare againe - - Quin. If you should do it too terribly, you would -fright the Dutchesse and the Ladies, that they would -shrike, and that were enough to hang us all - - All. That would hang vs euery mothers sonne - - Bottome. I graunt you friends, if that you should -fright the Ladies out of their Wittes, they would -haue no more discretion but to hang vs: but I will aggrauate -my voyce so, that I will roare you as gently as -any sucking Doue; I will roare and 'twere any Nightingale - - Quin. You can play no part but Piramus, for Piramus -is a sweet-fac'd man, a proper man as one shall see in -a summers day; a most louely Gentleman-like man, therfore -you must needs play Piramus - - Bot. Well, I will vndertake it. What beard were I -best to play it in? - Quin. Why, what you will - - Bot. I will discharge it, in either your straw-colour -beard, your orange tawnie beard, your purple in graine -beard, or your French-crowne colour'd beard, your perfect -yellow - - Quin. Some of your French Crownes haue no haire -at all, and then you will play bare-fac'd. But masters here -are your parts, and I am to intreat you, request you, and -desire you, to con them by too morrow night: and meet -me in the palace wood, a mile without the Towne, by -Moone-light, there we will rehearse: for if we meete in -the Citie, we shalbe dog'd with company, and our deuises -knowne. In the meane time, I wil draw a bil of properties, -such as our play wants. I pray you faile me not - - Bottom. We will meete, and there we may rehearse -more obscenely and couragiously. Take paines, be perfect, -adieu - - Quin. At the Dukes oake we meete - - Bot. Enough, hold or cut bow-strings. - -Exeunt. - -Actus Secundus. - -Enter a Fairie at one dore, and Robin goodfellow at another. - - Rob. How now spirit, whether wander you? - Fai. Ouer hil, ouer dale, through bush, through briar, -Ouer parke, ouer pale, through flood, through fire, -I do wander euerie where, swifter then y Moons sphere; -And I serue the Fairy Queene, to dew her orbs vpon the green. -The Cowslips tall, her pensioners bee, -In their gold coats, spots you see, -Those be Rubies, Fairie fauors, -In those freckles, liue their sauors, -I must go seeke some dew drops heere, -And hang a pearle in euery cowslips eare. -Farewell thou Lob of spirits, Ile be gon, -Our Queene and all her Elues come heere anon - - Rob. The King doth keepe his Reuels here to night, -Take heed the Queene come not within his sight, -For Oberon is passing fell and wrath, -Because that she, as her attendant, hath -A louely boy stolne from an Indian King, -She neuer had so sweet a changeling, -And iealous Oberon would haue the childe -Knight of his traine, to trace the Forrests wilde. -But she (perforce) with-holds the loued boy, -Crownes him with flowers, and makes him all her ioy. -And now they neuer meete in groue, or greene, -By fountaine cleere, or spangled star-light sheene, -But they do square, that all their Elues for feare -Creepe into Acorne cups and hide them there - - Fai. Either I mistake your shape and making quite, -Or else you are that shrew'd and knauish spirit -Cal'd Robin Good-fellow. Are you not hee, -That frights the maidens of the Villagree, -Skim milke, and sometimes labour in the querne, -And bootlesse make the breathlesse huswife cherne, -And sometime make the drinke to beare no barme, -Misleade night-wanderers, laughing at their harme, -Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Pucke, -You do their worke, and they shall haue good lucke. -Are not you he? - Rob. Thou speak'st aright; -I am that merrie wanderer of the night: -I iest to Oberon, and make him smile, -When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile, -Neighing in likenesse of a silly foale, -And sometime lurke I in a Gossips bole, -In very likenesse of a roasted crab: -And when she drinkes, against her lips I bob, -And on her withered dewlop poure the Ale. -The wisest Aunt telling the saddest tale, -Sometime for three-foot stoole, mistaketh me, -Then slip I from her bum, downe topples she, -And tailour cries, and fals into a coffe. -And then the whole quire hold their hips, and loffe, -And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and sweare, -A merrier houre was neuer wasted there. -But roome Fairy, heere comes Oberon - - Fair. And heere my Mistris: -Would that he were gone. -Enter the King of Fairies at one doore with his traine, and the -Queene at -another with hers. - - Ob. Ill met by Moone-light. -Proud Tytania - - Qu. What, iealous Oberon? Fairy skip hence. -I haue forsworne his bed and companie - - Ob. Tarrie rash Wanton; am not I thy Lord? - Qu. Then I must be thy Lady: but I know -When thou wast stolne away from Fairy Land, -And in the shape of Corin, sate all day, -Playing on pipes of Corne, and versing loue -To amorous Phillida. Why art thou heere -Come from the farthest steepe of India? -But that forsooth the bouncing Amazon -Your buskin'd Mistresse, and your Warrior loue, -To Theseus must be Wedded; and you come, -To giue their bed ioy and prosperitie - - Ob. How canst thou thus for shame Tytania. -Glance at my credite, with Hippolita? -Knowing I know thy loue to Theseus? -Didst thou not leade him through the glimmering night -From Peregenia, whom he rauished? -And make him with faire Eagles breake his faith -With Ariadne, and Antiopa? - Que. These are the forgeries of iealousie, -And neuer since the middle Summers spring -Met we on hil, in dale, forrest, or mead, -By paued fountaine, or by rushie brooke, -Or in the beached margent of the sea, -To dance our ringlets to the whistling Winde, -But with thy braules thou hast disturb'd our sport. -Therefore the Windes, piping to vs in vaine, -As in reuenge, haue suck'd vp from the sea -Contagious fogges: Which falling in the Land, -Hath euerie petty Riuer made so proud, -That they haue ouer-borne their Continents. -The Oxe hath therefore stretch'd his yoake in vaine, -The Ploughman lost his sweat, and the greene Corne -Hath rotted, ere his youth attain'd a beard: -The fold stands empty in the drowned field, -And Crowes are fatted with the murrion flocke, -The nine mens Morris is fild vp with mud, -And the queint Mazes in the wanton greene, -For lacke of tread are vndistinguishable. -The humane mortals want their winter heere, -No night is now with hymne or caroll blest; -Therefore the Moone (the gouernesse of floods) -Pale in her anger, washes all the aire; -That Rheumaticke diseases doe abound. -And through this distemperature, we see -The seasons alter; hoared headed Frosts -Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson Rose, -And on old Hyems chinne and Icie crowne, -An odorous Chaplet of sweet Sommer buds -Is as in mockry set. The Spring, the Sommer, -The childing Autumne, angry Winter change -Their wonted Liueries, and the mazed world, -By their increase, now knowes not which is which; -And this same progeny of euills, -Comes from our debate, from our dissention, -We are their parents and originall - - Ober. Do you amend it then, it lies in you, -Why should Titania crosse her Oberon? -I do but beg a little changeling boy, -To be my Henchman - - Qu. Set your heart at rest, -The Fairy land buyes not the childe of me, -His mother was a Votresse of my Order, -And in the spiced Indian aire, by night -Full often hath she gossipt by my side, -And sat with me on Neptunes yellow sands, -Marking th' embarked traders on the flood, -When we haue laught to see the sailes conceiue, -And grow big bellied with the wanton winde: -Which she with pretty and with swimming gate, -Following (her wombe then rich with my yong squire) -Would imitate, and saile vpon the Land, -To fetch me trifles, and returne againe, -As from a voyage, rich with merchandize. -But she being mortall, of that boy did die, -And for her sake I doe reare vp her boy, -And for her sake I will not part with him - - Ob. How long within this wood intend you stay? - Qu. Perchance till after Theseus wedding day. -If you will patiently dance in our Round, -And see our Moone-light reuels, goe with vs; -If not, shun me and I will spare your haunts - - Ob. Giue me that boy, and I will goe with thee - - Qu. Not for thy Fairy Kingdome. Fairies away: -We shall chide downe right, if I longer stay. - -Exeunt - - Ob. Wel, go thy way: thou shalt not from this groue, -Till I torment thee for this iniury. -My gentle Pucke come hither; thou remembrest -Since once I sat vpon a promontory, -And heard a Meare-maide on a Dolphins backe, -Vttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, -That the rude sea grew ciuill at her song, -And certaine starres shot madly from their Spheares, -To heare the Sea-maids musicke - - Puc. I remember - - Ob. That very time I say (but thou couldst not) -Flying betweene the cold Moone and the earth, -Cupid all arm'd; a certaine aime he tooke -At a faire Vestall, throned by the West, -And loos'd his loue-shaft smartly from his bow, -As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts, -But I might see young Cupids fiery shaft -Quencht in the chaste beames of the watry Moone; -And the imperiall Votresse passed on, -In maiden meditation, fancy free. -Yet markt I where the bolt of Cupid fell. -It fell vpon a little westerne flower; -Before, milke-white: now purple with loues wound, -And maidens call it, Loue in idlenesse. -Fetch me that flower; the hearb I shew'd thee once, -The iuyce of it, on sleeping eye-lids laid, -Will make or man or woman madly dote -Vpon the next liue creature that it sees. -Fetch me this hearbe, and be thou heere againe, -Ere the Leuiathan can swim a league - - Pucke. Ile put a girdle about the earth, in forty minutes - - Ober. Hauing once this iuyce, -Ile watch Titania, when she is asleepe, -And drop the liquor of it in her eyes: -The next thing when she waking lookes vpon, -(Be it on Lyon, Beare, or Wolfe, or Bull, -On medling Monkey, or on busie Ape) -Shee shall pursue it, with the soule of loue. -And ere I take this charme off from her sight, -(As I can take it with another hearbe) -Ile make her render vp her Page to me. -But who comes heere? I am inuisible, -And I will ouer-heare their conference. -Enter Demetrius, Helena following him. - - Deme. I loue thee not, therefore pursue me not, -Where is Lysander, and faire Hermia? -The one Ile stay, the other stayeth me. -Thou toldst me they were stolne into this wood; -And heere am I, and wood within this wood, -Because I cannot meet my Hermia. -Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more - - Hel. You draw me, you hard-hearted Adamant, -But yet you draw not Iron, for my heart -Is true as steele. Leaue you your power to draw, -And I shall haue no power to follow you - - Deme. Do I entice you? do I speake you faire? -Or rather doe I not in plainest truth, -Tell you I doe not, nor I cannot loue you? - Hel. And euen for that doe I loue thee the more; -I am your spaniell, and Demetrius, -The more you beat me, I will fawne on you. -Vse me but as your spaniell; spurne me, strike me, -Neglect me, lose me; onely giue me leaue -(Vnworthy as I am) to follow you. -What worser place can I beg in your loue, -(And yet a place of high respect with me) -Then to be vsed as you doe your dogge - - Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, -For I am sicke when I do looke on thee - - Hel. And I am sicke when I looke not on you - - Dem. You doe impeach your modesty too much, -To leaue the Citty, and commit your selfe -Into the hands of one that loues you not, -To trust the opportunity of night. -And the ill counsell of a desert place, -With the rich worth of your virginity - - Hel. Your vertue is my priuiledge: for that -It is not night when I doe see your face. -Therefore I thinke I am not in the night, -Nor doth this wood lacke worlds of company, -For you in my respect are all the world. -Then how can it be said I am alone, -When all the world is heere to looke on me? - Dem. Ile run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, -And leaue thee to the mercy of wilde beasts - - Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you; -Runne when you will, the story shall be chang'd: -Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase; -The Doue pursues the Griffin, the milde Hinde -Makes speed to catch the Tyger. Bootlesse speede, -When cowardise pursues, and valour flies - - Demet. I will not stay thy questions, let me go; -Or if thou follow me, doe not beleeue, -But I shall doe thee mischiefe in the wood - - Hel. I, in the Temple, in the Towne, and Field -You doe me mischiefe. Fye Demetrius, -Your wrongs doe set a scandall on my sexe: -We cannot fight for loue, as men may doe; -We should be woo'd, and were not made to wooe. -I follow thee, and make a heauen of hell, -To die vpon the hand I loue so well. -Enter. - - Ob. Fare thee well Nymph, ere he do leaue this groue, -Thou shalt flie him, and he shall seeke thy loue. -Hast thou the flower there? Welcome wanderer. -Enter Pucke. - - Puck. I there it is - - Ob. I pray thee giue it me. -I know a banke where the wilde time blowes, -Where Oxslips and the nodding Violet growes, -Quite ouer-cannoped with luscious woodbine, -With sweet muske roses, and with Eglantine; -There sleepes Tytania, sometime of the night, -Lul'd in these flowers, with dances and delight: -And there the snake throwes her enammel'd skinne, -Weed wide enough to rap a Fairy in. -And with the iuyce of this Ile streake her eyes, -And make her full of hatefull fantasies. -Take thou some of it, and seek through this groue; -A sweet Athenian Lady is in loue -With a disdainefull youth: annoint his eyes, -But doe it when the next thing he espies, -May be the Lady. Thou shalt know the man, -By the Athenian garments he hath on. -Effect it with some care, that he may proue -More fond on her, then she vpon her loue; -And looke thou meet me ere the first Cocke crow - - Pu. Feare not my Lord, your seruant shall do so. -Enter. - -Enter Queene of Fairies, with her traine. - - Queen. Come, now a Roundell, and a Fairy song; -Then for the third part of a minute hence, -Some to kill Cankers in the muske rose buds, -Some warre with Reremise, for their leathern wings. -To make my small Elues coates, and some keepe backe -The clamorous Owle that nightly hoots and wonders -At our queint spirits: Sing me now asleepe, -Then to your offices, and let me rest - - Fairies Sing. You spotted Snakes with double tongue, -Thorny Hedgehogges be not seene, -Newts and blinde wormes do no wrong, -Come not neere our Fairy Queene. -Philomele with melodie, -Sing in your sweet Lullaby. -Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby, -Neuer harme, nor spell, nor charme, -Come our louely Lady nye, -So good night with Lullaby - - 2.Fairy. Weauing Spiders come not heere, -Hence you long leg'd Spinners, hence: -Beetles blacke approach not neere; -Worme nor Snayle doe no offence. -Philomele with melody, &c - - 1.Fairy. Hence away, now all is well; -One aloofe, stand Centinell. - -Shee sleepes. - -Enter Oberon. - - Ober. What thou seest when thou dost wake, -Do it for thy true Loue take: -Loue and languish for his sake. -Be it Ounce, or Catte, or Beare, -Pard, or Boare with bristled haire, -In thy eye that shall appeare, -When thou wak'st, it is thy deare, -Wake when some vile thing is neere. -Enter Lisander and Hermia. - - Lis. Faire loue, you faint with wandring in y woods, -And to speake troth I haue forgot our way: -Wee'll rest vs Hermia, If you thinke it good, -And tarry for the comfort of the day - - Her. Be it so Lysander; finde you out a bed, -For I vpon this banke will rest my head - - Lys. One turfe shall serue as pillow for vs both, -One heart, one bed, two bosomes, and one troth - - Her. Nay good Lysander, for my sake my deere -Lie further off yet, doe not lie so neere - - Lys. O take the sence sweet, of my innocence, -Loue takes the meaning, in loues conference, -I meane that my heart vnto yours is knit, -So that but one heart can you make of it. -Two bosomes interchanged with an oath, -So then two bosomes, and a single troth. -Then by your side, no bed-roome me deny, -For lying so, Hermia, I doe not lye - - Her. Lysander riddles very prettily; -Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, -If Hermia meant to say, Lysander lied. -But gentle friend, for loue and courtesie -Lie further off, in humane modesty, -Such separation, as may well be said, -Becomes a vertuous batchelour, and a maide, -So farre be distant, and good night sweet friend; -Thy loue nere alter, till thy sweet life end - - Lys. Amen, amen, to that faire prayer, say I, -And then end life, when I end loyalty: -Heere is my bed, sleepe giue thee all his rest - - Her. With halfe that wish, the wishers eyes be prest. -Enter Pucke. They sleepe. - - Puck. Through the Forest haue I gone, -But Athenian finde I none, -One whose eyes I might approue -This flowers force in stirring loue. -Nigh and silence: who is heere? -Weedes of Athens he doth weare: -This is he (my master said) -Despised the Athenian maide: -And heere the maiden sleeping sound, -On the danke and durty ground. -Pretty soule, she durst not lye -Neere this lacke-loue, this kill-curtesie. -Churle, vpon thy eyes I throw -All the power this charme doth owe: -When thou wak'st, let loue forbid -Sleepe his seate on thy eye-lid. -So awake when I am gone: -For I must now to Oberon. -Enter. - -Enter Demetrius and Helena running. - - Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweete Demetrius - - De. I charge thee hence, and do not haunt me thus - - Hel. O wilt thou darkling leaue me? do not so - - De. Stay on thy perill, I alone will goe. - -Exit Demetrius. - - Hel. O I am out of breath, in this fond chace, -The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace, -Happy is Hermia, wheresoere she lies; -For she hath blessed and attractiue eyes. -How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt teares. -If so, my eyes are oftner washt then hers. -No, no, I am as vgly as a Beare; -For beasts that meete me, runne away for feare, -Therefore no maruaile, though Demetrius -Doe as a monster, flie my presence thus. -What wicked and dissembling glasse of mine, -Made me compare with Hermias sphery eyne? -But who is here? Lysander on the ground; -Deade or asleepe? I see no bloud, no wound, -Lysander, if you liue, good sir awake - - Lys. And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake. -Transparent Helena, nature her shewes art, -That through thy bosome makes me see thy heart. -Where is Demetrius? oh how fit a word -Is that vile name, to perish on my sword! - Hel. Do not say so Lysander, say not so: -What though he loue your Hermia? Lord, what though? -Yet Hermia still loues you; then be content - - Lys. Content with Hermia? no, I do repent -The tedious minutes I with her haue spent. -Not Hermia, but Helena now I loue; -Who will not change a Rauen for a Doue? -The will of man is by his reason sway'd: -And reason saies you are the worthier Maide. -Things growing are not ripe vntill their season; -So I being yong, till now ripe not to reason, -And touching now the point of humane skill, -Reason becomes the Marshall to my will. -And leades me to your eyes, where I orelooke -Loues stories, written in Loues richest booke - - Hel. Wherefore was I to this keene mockery borne? -When at your hands did I deserue this scorne? -Ist not enough, ist not enough, yong man, -That I did neuer, no nor neuer can, -Deserue a sweete looke from Demetrius eye, -But you must flout my insufficiency? -Good troth you do me wrong (good-sooth you do) -In such disdainfull manner, me to wooe. -But fare you well; perforce I must confesse, -I thought you Lord of more true gentlenesse. -Oh, that a Lady of one man refus'd, -Should of another therefore be abus'd. -Enter - - Lys. She sees not Hermia: Hermia sleepe thou there, -And neuer maist thou come Lysander neere; -For as a surfeit of the sweetest things -The deepest loathing to the stomacke brings: -Or as the heresies that men do leaue, -Are hated most of those that did deceiue: -So thou, my surfeit, and my heresie, -Of all be hated; but the most of me; -And all my powers addresse your loue and might, -To honour Helen, and to be her Knight. -Enter. - - Her. Helpe me Lysander, helpe me; do thy best -To plucke this crawling serpent from my brest. -Aye me, for pitty; what a dreame was here? -Lysander looke, how I do quake with feare: -Me-thought a serpent eate my heart away, -And yet sat smiling at his cruell prey. -Lysander, What remoou'd? Lysander, Lord, -What, out of hearing, gone? No sound, no word? -Alacke where are you? speake and if you heare: -Speake of all loues; I sound almost with feare. -No, then I well perceiue you are not nye, -Either death or you Ile finde immediately. -Enter. - - -Actus Tertius. - -Enter the Clownes. - - Bot. Are we all met? - Quin. Pat, pat, and here's a maruailous conuenient -place for our rehearsall. This greene plot shall be our -stage, this hauthorne brake our tyring house, and we will -do it in action, as we will do it before the Duke - - Bot. Peter Quince? - Peter. What saist thou, bully Bottome? - Bot. There are things in this Comedy of Piramus and -Thisby, that will neuer please. First, Piramus must draw a -sword to kill himselfe; which the Ladies cannot abide. -How answere you that? - Snout. Berlaken, a parlous feare - - Star. I beleeue we must leaue the killing out, when -all is done - - Bot. Not a whit, I haue a deuice to make all well. -Write me a Prologue, and let the Prologue seeme to say, -we will do no harme with our swords, and that Pyramus -is not kill'd indeede: and for the more better assurance, -tell them, that I Piramus am not Piramus, but Bottome the -Weauer; this will put them out of feare - - Quin. Well, we will haue such a Prologue, and it shall -be written in eight and sixe - - Bot. No, make it two more, let it be written in eight -and eight - - Snout. Will not the Ladies be afear'd of the Lyon? - Star. I feare it, I promise you - - Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with your selues, to -bring in (God shield vs) a Lyon among Ladies, is a most -dreadfull thing. For there is not a more fearefull wilde -foule then your Lyon liuing: and wee ought to looke -to it - - Snout. Therefore another Prologue must tell he is not -a Lyon - - Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and halfe his face -must be seene through the Lyons necke, and he himselfe -must speake through, saying thus, or to the same defect; -Ladies, or faire Ladies, I would wish you, or I would -request you, or I would entreat you, not to feare, not to -tremble: my life for yours. If you thinke I come hither -as a Lyon, it were pitty of my life. No, I am no such -thing, I am a man as other men are; and there indeed let -him name his name, and tell him plainly hee is Snug the -ioyner - - Quin. Well, it shall be so; but there is two hard -things, that is, to bring the Moone-light into a chamber: -for you know Piramus and Thisby meete by Moonelight - - Sn. Doth the Moone shine that night wee play our -play? - Bot. A Calender, a Calender, looke in the Almanack, -finde out Moone-shine, finde out Moone-shine. -Enter Pucke. - - Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night - - Bot. Why then may you leaue a casement of the great -chamber window (where we play) open, and the Moone -may shine in at the casement - - Quin. I, or else one must come in with a bush of thorns -and a lanthorne, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present -the person of Moone-shine. Then there is another -thing, we must haue a wall in the great Chamber; for Piramus -and Thisby (saies the story) did talke through the -chinke of a wall - - Sn. You can neuer bring in a wall. What say you -Bottome? - Bot. Some man or other must present wall, and let -him haue some Plaster, or some Lome, or some rough -cast about him, to signifie wall; or let him hold his fingers -thus; and through that cranny shall Piramus and -Thisby whisper - - Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit -downe euery mothers sonne, and rehearse your parts. -Piramus, you begin; when you haue spoken your speech, -enter into that Brake, and so euery one according to his -cue. -Enter Robin. - - Rob. What hempen home-spuns haue we swaggering -here, -So neere the Cradle of the Faierie Queene? -What, a Play toward? Ile be an auditor, -An Actor too perhaps, if I see cause - - Quin. Speake Piramus: Thisby stand forth - - Pir. Thisby, the flowers of odious sauors sweete - - Quin. Odours, odours - - Pir. Odours sauors sweete, -So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby deare. -But harke, a voyce: stay thou but here a while, -And by and by I will to thee appeare. - -Exit. Pir. - - Puck. A stranger Piramus, then ere plaid here - - This. Must I speake now? - Pet. I marry must you. For you must vnderstand he -goes but to see a noyse that he heard, and is to come againe - - Thys. Most radiant Piramus, most Lilly white of hue, -Of colour like the red rose on triumphant bryer, -Most brisky Iuuenall, and eke most louely Iew, -As true as truest horse, that yet would neuer tyre, -Ile meete thee Piramus, at Ninnies toombe - - Pet. Ninus toombe man: why, you must not speake -that yet; that you answere to Piramus: you speake all -your part at once, cues and all. Piramus enter, your cue is -past; it is neuer tyre - - Thys. O, as true as truest horse, that yet would neuer -tyre: - Pir. If I were faire, Thisby I were onely thine - - Pet. O monstrous. O strange. We are hanted; pray -masters, flye masters, helpe. - -The Clownes all Exit. - - Puk. Ile follow you, Ile leade you about a Round, -Through bogge, through bush, through brake, through bryer, -Sometime a horse Ile be, sometime a hound: -A hogge, a headlesse beare, sometime a fire, -And neigh, and barke, and grunt, and rore, and burne, -Like horse, hound, hog, beare, fire, at euery turne. -Enter. - -Enter Piramus with the Asse head. - - Bot. Why do they run away? This is a knauery of -them to make me afeard. -Enter Snowt - - Sn. O Bottom, thou art chang'd; What doe I see on -thee? - Bot. What do you see? You see an Asse-head of your -owne, do you? -Enter Peter Quince. - - Pet. Blesse thee Bottome, blesse thee; thou art translated. -Enter. - - Bot. I see their knauery; this is to make an asse of me, -to fright me if they could; but I will not stirre from -this place, do what they can. I will walke vp and downe -here, and I will sing that they shall heare I am not afraid. -The Woosell cocke, so blacke of hew, -With Orenge-tawny bill. -The Throstle, with his note so true, -The Wren and little quill - - Tyta. What Angell wakes me from my flowry bed? - Bot. The Finch, the Sparrow, and the Larke, -The plainsong Cuckow gray; -Whose note full many a man doth marke, -And dares not answere, nay. -For indeede, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? -Who would giue a bird the lye, though he cry Cuckow, -neuer so? - Tyta. I pray thee gentle mortall, sing againe, -Mine eare is much enamored of thy note; -On the first view to say, to sweare I loue thee. -So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape. -And thy faire vertues force (perforce) doth moue me - - Bot. Me-thinkes mistresse, you should haue little -reason for that: and yet to say the truth, reason and -loue keepe little company together, nowadayes. -The more the pittie, that some honest neighbours will -not make them friends. Nay, I can gleeke vpon occasion - - Tyta. Thou art as wise, as thou art beautifull - - Bot. Not so neither: but if I had wit enough to get -out of this wood, I haue enough to serue mine owne -turne - - Tyta. Out of this wood, do not desire to goe, -Thou shalt remaine here, whether thou wilt or no. -I am a spirit of no common rate: -The Summer still doth tend vpon my state, -And I doe loue thee; therefore goe with me, -Ile giue thee Fairies to attend on thee; -And they shall fetch thee Iewels from the deepe, -And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleepe: -And I will purge thy mortall grossenesse so, -That thou shalt like an airie spirit go. -Enter Pease-blossome, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseede, and foure -Fairies. - - Fai. Ready; and I, and I, and I, Where shall we go? - Tita. Be kinde and curteous to this Gentleman, -Hop in his walkes, and gambole in his eies, -Feede him with Apricocks, and Dewberries, -With purple Grapes, greene Figs, and Mulberries, -The honie-bags steale from the humble Bees, -And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighes, -And light them at the fierie-Glow-wormes eyes, -To haue my loue to bed, and to arise: -And plucke the wings from painted Butterflies, -To fan the Moone-beames from his sleeping eies. -Nod to him Elues, and doe him curtesies - - 1.Fai. Haile mortall, haile - - 2.Fai. Haile - - 3.Fai. Haile - - Bot. I cry your worships mercy hartily; I beseech -your worships name - - Cob. Cobweb - - Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good -Master Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold -with you. -Your name honest Gentleman? - Pease. Pease Blossome - - Bot. I pray you commend me to mistresse Squash, -your mother, and to master Peascod your father. Good -master Pease-blossome, I shal desire of you more acquaintance -to. Your name I beseech you sir? - Mus. Mustard-seede - - Peas. Pease-blossome - - Bot. Good master Mustard seede, I know your patience -well: that same cowardly gyant-like Oxe beefe -hath deuoured many a gentleman of your house. I promise -you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere -now. I desire you more acquaintance, good Master -Mustard-seede - - Tita. Come waite vpon him, lead him to my bower. -The Moone me-thinks, lookes with a watrie eie, -And when she weepes, weepe euerie little flower, -Lamenting some enforced chastitie. -Tye vp my louers tongue, bring him silently. -Enter. - -Enter King of Pharies, solus. - - Ob. I wonder if Titania be awak't; -Then what it was that next came in her eye, -Which she must dote on, in extremitie. -Enter Pucke. - -Here comes my messenger: how now mad spirit, -What night-rule now about this haunted groue? - Puck. My Mistris with a monster is in loue, -Neere to her close and consecrated bower, -While she was in her dull and sleeping hower, -A crew of patches, rude Mechanicals, -That worke for bread vpon Athenian stals, -Were met together to rehearse a Play, -Intended for great Theseus nuptiall day: -The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort, -Who Piramus presented, in their sport, -Forsooke his Scene, and entred in a brake, -When I did him at this aduantage take, -An Asses nole I fixed on his head. -Anon his Thisbie must be answered, -And forth my Mimmick comes: when they him spie, -As Wilde-geese, that the creeping Fowler eye, -Or russed-pated choughes, many in sort -(Rising and cawing at the guns report) -Seuer themselues, and madly sweepe the skye: -So at his sight, away his fellowes flye, -And at our stampe, here ore and ore one fals; -He murther cries, and helpe from Athens cals. -Their sense thus weake, lost with their feares thus strong, -Made senslesse things begin to do them wrong. -For briars and thornes at their apparell snatch, -Some sleeues, some hats, from yeelders all things catch, -I led them on in this distracted feare, -And left sweete Piramus translated there: -When in that moment (so it came to passe) -Tytania waked, and straightway lou'd an Asse - - Ob. This fals out better then I could deuise: -But hast thou yet lacht the Athenians eyes, -With the loue iuyce, as I bid thee doe? - Rob. I tooke him sleeping (that is finisht to) -And the Athenian woman by his side, -That when he wak't, of force she must be eyde. -Enter Demetrius and Hermia. - - Ob. Stand close, this is the same Athenian - - Rob. This is the woman, but not this the man - - Dem. O why rebuke you him that loues you so? -Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe - - Her. Now I but chide, but I should vse thee worse. -For thou (I feare) hast giuen me cause to curse, -If thou hast slaine Lysander in his sleepe, -Being oreshooes in bloud, plunge in the deepe, and kill -me too: -The Sunne was not so true vnto the day, -As he to me. Would he haue stollen away, -From sleeping Hermia? Ile beleeue as soone -This whole earth may be bord, and that the Moone -May through the Center creepe, and so displease -Her brothers noonetide, with th'Antipodes. -It cannot be but thou hast murdred him, -So should a murtherer looke, so dead, so grim - - Dem. So should the murderer looke, and so should I, -Pierst through the heart with your stearne cruelty: -Yet you the murderer lookes as bright as cleare, -As yonder Venus in her glimmering spheare - - Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he? -Ah good Demetrius, wilt thou giue him me? - Dem. I'de rather giue his carkasse to my hounds - - Her. Out dog, out cur, thou driu'st me past the bounds -Of maidens patience. Hast thou slaine him then? -Henceforth be neuer numbred among men. -Oh, once tell true, euen for my sake, -Durst thou a lookt vpon him, being awake? -And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O braue tutch: -Could not a worme, an Adder do so much? -An Adder did it: for with doubler tongue -Then thine (thou serpent) neuer Adder stung - - Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood, -I am not guiltie of Lysanders blood: -Nor is he dead for ought that I can tell - - Her. I pray thee tell me then that he is well - - Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore? - Her. A priuiledge, neuer to see me more; -And from thy hated presence part I: see me no more -Whether he be dead or no. -Enter. - - Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vaine, -Here therefore for a while I will remaine. -So sorrowes heauinesse doth heauier grow: -For debt that bankrout slip doth sorrow owe, -Which now in some slight measure it will pay, -If for his tender here I make some stay. - -Lie downe. - - Ob. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite -And laid the loue iuyce on some true loues sight: -Of thy misprision, must perforce ensue -Some true loue turn'd, and not a false turn'd true - - Rob. Then fate ore-rules, that one man holding troth, -A million faile, confounding oath on oath - - Ob. About the wood, goe swifter then the winde, -And Helena of Athens looke thou finde. -All fancy sicke she is, and pale of cheere, -With sighes of loue, that costs the fresh bloud deare. -By some illusion see thou bring her heere, -Ile charme his eyes against she doth appeare - - Robin. I go, I go, looke how I goe, -Swifter then arrow from the Tartars bowe. -Enter. - - Ob. Flower of this purple die, -Hit with Cupids archery, -Sinke in apple of his eye, -When his loue he doth espie, -Let her shine as gloriously -As the Venus of the sky. -When thou wak'st if she be by, -Beg of her for remedy. -Enter Pucke. - - Puck. Captaine of our Fairy band, -Helena is heere at hand, -And the youth, mistooke by me, -Pleading for a Louers fee. -Shall we their fond Pageant see? -Lord, what fooles these mortals be! - Ob. Stand aside: the noyse they make, -Will cause Demetrius to awake - - Puck. Then will two at once wooe one, -That must needs be sport alone: -And those things doe best please me, -That befall preposterously. -Enter Lysander and Helena. - - Lys. Why should you think y I should wooe in scorn? -Scorne and derision neuer comes in teares: -Looke when I vow I weepe; and vowes so borne, -In their natiuity all truth appeares. -How can these things in me, seeme scorne to you? -Bearing the badge of faith to proue them true - - Hel. You doe aduance your cunning more & more, -When truth kils truth, O diuelish holy fray! -These vowes are Hermias. Will you giue her ore? -Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh. -Your vowes to her, and me, (put in two scales) -Will euen weigh, and both as light as tales - - Lys. I had no iudgement, when to her I swore - - Hel. Nor none in my minde, now you giue her ore - - Lys. Demetrius loues her, and he loues not you. - -Awa. - - Dem. O Helen, goddesse, nimph, perfect, diuine, -To what, my loue, shall I compare thine eyne! -Christall is muddy, O how ripe in show, -Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! -That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow, -Fan'd with the Easterne winde, turnes to a crow, -When thou holdst vp thy hand. O let me kisse -This Princesse of pure white, this seale of blisse - - Hell. O spight! O hell! I see you are all bent -To set against me, for your merriment: -If you were ciuill, and knew curtesie, -You would not doe me thus much iniury. -Can you not hate me, as I know you doe, -But you must ioyne in soules to mocke me to? -If you are men, as men you are in show, -You would not vse a gentle Lady so; -To vow, and sweare, and superpraise my parts, -When I am sure you hate me with your hearts. -You both are Riuals, and loue Hermia; -And now both Riuals to mocke Helena. -A trim exploit, a manly enterprize, -To coniure teares vp in a poore maids eyes, -With your derision; none of noble sort, -Would so offend a Virgin, and extort -A poore soules patience, all to make you sport, - Lysa. You are vnkind Demetrius; be not so, -For you loue Hermia; this you know I know; -And here with all good will, with all my heart, -In Hermias loue I yeeld you vp my part; -And yours of Helena, To me bequeath, -Whom I do loue, and will do to my death - - Hel. Neuer did mockers wast more idle breth - - Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia, I will none: -If ere I lou'd her, all that loue is gone. -My heart to her, but as guest-wise soiourn'd, -And now to Helen it is home return'd, -There to remaine - - Lys. It is not so - - De. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, -Lest to thy perill thou abide it deare. -Looke where thy Loue comes, yonder is thy deare. -Enter Hermia. - - Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, -The eare more quicke of apprehension makes, -Wherein it doth impaire the seeing sense, -It paies the hearing double recompence. -Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander found, -Mine eare (I thanke it) brought me to that sound. -But why vnkindly didst thou leaue me so? - Lysan. Why should hee stay whom Loue doth presse to go? - Her. What loue could presse Lysander from my side? - Lys. Lysanders loue (that would not let him bide) -Faire Helena; who more engilds the night, -Then all yon fierie oes, and eies of light. -Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know, -The hate I bare thee, made me leaue thee so? - Her. You speake not as you thinke; it cannot be - - Hel. Loe, she is one of this confederacy, -Now I perceiue they haue conioyn'd all three, -To fashion this false sport in spight of me. -Iniurous Hermia, most vngratefull maid, -Haue you conspir'd, haue you with these contriu'd -To baite me, with this foule derision? -Is all the counsell that we two haue shar'd, -The sisters vowes, the houres that we haue spent, -When wee haue chid the hasty footed time, -For parting vs; O, is all forgot? -All schooledaies friendship, child-hood innocence? -We Hermia, like two Artificiall gods, -Haue with our needles, created both one flower, -Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, -Both warbling of one song, both in one key: -As if our hands, our sides, voices, and mindes -Had beene incorporate. So we grew together, -Like to a double cherry, seeming parted, -But yet a vnion in partition, -Two louely berries molded on one stem, -So with two seeming bodies, but one heart, -Two of the first life coats in Heraldry, -Due but to one and crowned with one crest. -And will you rent our ancient loue asunder, -To ioyne with men in scorning your poore friend? -It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly. -Our sexe as well as I, may chide you for it, -Though I alone doe feele the iniurie - - Her. I am amazed at your passionate words, -I scorne you not; It seemes that you scorne me - - Hel. Haue you not set Lysander, as in scorne -To follow me, and praise my eies and face? -And made your other loue, Demetrius -(Who euen but now did spurne me with his foote) -To call me goddesse, nimph, diuine, and rare, -Precious, celestiall? Wherefore speakes he this -To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander -Denie your loue (so rich within his soule) -And tender me (forsooth) affection, -But by your setting on, by your consent? -What though I be not so in grace as you, -So hung vpon with loue, so fortunate? -(But miserable most, to loue vnlou'd) -This you should pittie, rather then despise - - Her. I vnderstand not what you meane by this - - Hel. I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, -Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, -Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: -This sport well carried, shall be chronicled. -If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, -You would not make me such an argument: -But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, -Which death or absence soone shall remedie - - Lys. Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, -My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena - - Hel. O excellent! - Her. Sweete, do not scorne her so - - Dem. If she cannot entreate, I can compell - - Lys. Thou canst compell, no more then she entreate. -Thy threats haue no more strength then her weak praise. -Helen, I loue thee, by my life I doe; -I sweare by that which I will lose for thee, -To proue him false, that saies I loue thee not - - Dem. I say, I loue thee more then he can do - - Lys. If thou say so, withdraw and proue it too - - Dem. Quick, come - - Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this? - Lys. Away, you Ethiope - - Dem. No, no, Sir, seeme to breake loose; -Take on as you would follow, -But yet come not: you are a tame man, go - - Lys. Hang off thou cat, thou bur; vile thing let loose, -Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent - - Her. Why are you growne so rude? -What change is this sweete Loue? - Lys. Thy loue? out tawny Tartar, out; -Out loathed medicine; O hated poison hence - - Her. Do you not iest? - Hel. Yes sooth, and so do you - - Lys. Demetrius: I will keepe my word with thee - - Dem. I would I had your bond: for I perceiue -A weake bond holds you; Ile not trust your word - - Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? -Although I hate her, Ile not harme her so - - Her. What, can you do me greater harme then hate? -Hate me, wherefore? O me, what newes my Loue? -Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander? -I am as faire now, as I was ere while. -Since night you lou'd me: yet since night you left me. -Why then you left me (O the gods forbid) -In earnest, shall I say? - Lys. I, by my life; -And neuer did desire to see thee more. -Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt; -Be certaine, nothing truer: 'tis no iest, -That I do hate thee, and loue Helena - - Her. O me, you iugler, you canker blossome, -You theefe of loue; What, haue you come by night, -And stolne my loues heart from him? - Hel. Fine yfaith: -Haue you no modesty, no maiden shame, -No touch of bashfulnesse? What, will you teare -Impatient answers from my gentle tongue? -Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you - - Her. Puppet? why so? I, that way goes the game. -Now I perceiue that she hath made compare -Betweene our statures, she hath vrg'd her height, -And with her personage, her tall personage, -Her height (forsooth) she hath preuail'd with him. -And are you growne so high in his esteeme, -Because I am so dwarfish, and so low? -How low am I, thou painted May-pole? Speake, -How low am I? I am not yet so low, -But that my nailes can reach vnto thine eyes - - Hel. I pray you though you mocke me, gentlemen, -Let her not hurt me; I was neuer curst: -I haue no gift at all in shrewishnesse; -I am a right maide for my cowardize; -Let her not strike me: you perhaps may thinke, -Because she is something lower then my selfe, -That I can match her - - Her. Lower? harke againe - - Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me, -I euermore did loue you Hermia, -Did euer keepe your counsels, neuer wronged you, -Saue that in loue vnto Demetrius, -I told him of your stealth vnto this wood. -He followed you, for loue I followed him, -But he hath chid me hence, and threatned me -To strike me, spurne me, nay to kill me too; -And now, so you will let me quiet go, -To Athens will I beare my folly backe, -And follow you no further. Let me go. -You see how simple, and how fond I am - - Her. Why get you gone: who ist that hinders you? - Hel. A foolish heart, that I leaue here behinde - - Her. What, with Lysander? - Her. With Demetrius - - Lys. Be not afraid, she shall not harme thee Helena - - Dem. No sir, she shall not, though you take her part - - Hel. O when she's angry, she is keene and shrewd, -She was a vixen when she went to schoole, -And though she be but little, she is fierce - - Her. Little againe? Nothing but low and little? -Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? -Let me come to her - - Lys. Get you gone you dwarfe, -You minimus, of hindring knot-grasse made, -You bead, you acorne - - Dem. You are too officious, -In her behalfe that scornes your seruices. -Let her alone, speake not of Helena, -Take not her part. For if thou dost intend -Neuer so little shew of loue to her, -Thou shalt abide it - - Lys. Now she holds me not, -Now follow if thou dar'st, to try whose right, -Of thine or mine is most in Helena - - Dem. Follow? Nay, Ile goe with thee cheeke by -iowle. - -Exit Lysander and Demetrius. - - Her. You Mistris, all this coyle is long of you. -Nay, goe not backe - - Hel. I will not trust you I, -Nor longer stay in your curst companie. -Your hands then mine, are quicker for a fray, -My legs are longer though to runne away. -Enter Oberon and Pucke. - - Ob. This is thy negligence, still thou mistak'st, -Or else committ'st thy knaueries willingly - - Puck. Beleeue me, King of shadowes, I mistooke, -Did not you tell me, I should know the man, -By the Athenian garments he hath on? -And so farre blamelesse proues my enterprize, -That I haue nointed an Athenians eies, -And so farre am I glad, it so did sort, -As this their iangling I esteeme a sport - - Ob. Thou seest these Louers seeke a place to fight, -Hie therefore Robin, ouercast the night, -The starrie Welkin couer thou anon, -With drooping fogge as blacke as Acheron, -And lead these testie Riuals so astray, -As one come not within anothers way. -Like to Lysander, sometime frame thy tongue, -Then stirre Demetrius vp with bitter wrong; -And sometime raile thou like Demetrius; -And from each other looke thou leade them thus, -Till ore their browes, death-counterfeiting, sleepe -With leaden legs, and Battie-wings doth creepe: -Then crush this hearbe into Lysanders eie, -Whose liquor hath this vertuous propertie, -To take from thence all error, with his might, -and make his eie-bals role with wonted sight. -When they next wake, all this derision -Shall seeme a dreame, and fruitless vision, -And backe to Athens shall the Louers wend -With league, whose date till death shall neuer end. -Whiles I in this affaire do thee imploy, -Ile to my Queene, and beg her Indian Boy; -And then I will her charmed eie release -From monsters view, and all things shall be peace - - Puck. My Fairie Lord, this must be done with haste, -For night-swift Dragons cut the Clouds full fast, -And yonder shines Auroras harbinger; -At whose approach Ghosts wandring here and there, -Troope home to Church-yards; damned spirits all, -That in crosse-waies and flouds haue buriall, -Alreadie to their wormie beds are gone; -For feare least day should looke their shames vpon, -They wilfully themselues exile from light, -And must for aye consort with blacke browd night - - Ob. But we are spirits of another sort: -I, with the mornings loue haue oft made sport, -And like a Forrester, the groues may tread, -Euen till the Easterne gate all fierie red, -Opening on Neptune, With faire blessed beames, -Turnes into yellow gold, his salt greene streames. -But not withstanding haste, make no delay: -We may effect this businesse, yet ere day - - Puck. Vp and downe, vp and downe, I will leade -them vp and downe: I am fear'd in field and towne. -Goblin, lead them vp and downe: here comes one. -Enter Lysander. - - Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? -Speake thou now - - Rob. Here villaine, drawne & readie. Where art thou? - Lys. I will be with thee straight - - Rob. Follow me then to plainer ground. -Enter Demetrius. - - Dem. Lysander, speake againe; -Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled? -Speake in some bush: Where dost thou hide thy head? - Rob. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, -Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars, -And wilt not come? Come recreant, come thou childe, -Ile whip thee with a rod. He is defil'd -That drawes a sword on thee - - Dem. Yea, art thou there? - Ro. Follow my voice, we'l try no manhood here. -Enter. - - Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me on, -When I come where he cals, then he's gone. -The Villaine is much lighter heel'd then I: -I followed fast, but faster he did flye; - -shifting places. - -That fallen am I in darke vneuen way, -And here wil rest me. Come thou gentle day: - -lye down. - -For if but once thou shew me thy gray light, -Ile finde Demetrius, and reuenge this spight. -Enter Robin and Demetrius. - - Rob. Ho, ho, ho; coward, why com'st thou not? - Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st. For well I wot, -Thou runst before me, shifting euery place, -And dar'st not stand, nor looke me in the face. -Where art thou? - Rob. Come hither, I am here - - Dem. Nay then thou mock'st me; thou shalt buy this -deere, -If euer I thy face by day-light see. -Now goe thy way: faintnesse constraineth me, -To measure out my length on this cold bed, -By daies approach looke to be visited. -Enter Helena. - - Hel. O weary night, O long and tedious night, -Abate thy houres, shine comforts from the East, -That I may backe to Athens by day-light, -From these that my poore companie detest; -And sleepe that sometime shuts vp sorrowes eie, -Steale me a while from mine owne companie. - -Sleepe. - - Rob. Yet but three? Come one more, -Two of both kindes makes vp foure. -Here she comes, curst and sad, -Cupid is a knauish lad, -Enter Hermia. - -Thus to make poore females mad - - Her. Neuer so wearie, neuer so in woe, -Bedabbled with the dew, and torne with briars, -I can no further crawle, no further goe; -My legs can keepe no pace with my desires. -Here will I rest me till the breake of day, -Heauens shield Lysander, if they meane a fray - - Rob. On the ground sleepe sound, -Ile apply your eie gentle louer, remedy. -When thou wak'st, thou tak'st -True delight in the sight of thy former Ladies eye, -And the Country Prouerb knowne, -That euery man should take his owne, -In your waking shall be showne. -Iacke shall haue Iill, nought shall goe ill. -The man shall haue his Mare againe, and all shall bee -well. - -They sleepe all the Act. - - -Actus Quartus. - -Enter Queene of Fairies, and Clowne, and Fairies, and the King -behinde -them. - - Tita. Come, sit thee downe vpon this flowry bed, -While I thy amiable cheekes doe coy, -And sticke muske roses in thy sleeke smoothe head, -And kisse thy faire large eares, my gentle ioy - - Clow. Where's Peaseblossome? - Peas. Ready - - Clow. Scratch my head, Pease-blossome. Wher's Mounsieuer -Cobweb - - Cob. Ready - - Clowne. Mounsieur Cobweb, good Mounsier get your -weapons in your hand, & kill me a red hipt humble-Bee, -on the top of a thistle; and good Mounsieur bring mee -the hony bag. Doe not fret your selfe too much in the -action, Mounsieur; and good mounsieur haue a care the -hony bag breake not, I would be loth to haue you ouerflowne -with a hony-bag signiour. Where's Mounsieur -Mustardseed? - Mus. Ready - - Clo. Giue me your neafe, Mounsieur Mustardseed. -Pray you leaue your courtesie good Mounsieur - - Mus. What's your will? - Clo. Nothing good Mounsieur, but to help Caualery -Cobweb to scratch. I must to the Barbers Mounsieur, for -me-thinkes I am maruellous hairy about the face. And I -am such a tender asse, if my haire do but tickle me, I must -scratch - - Tita. What, wilt thou heare some musicke, my sweet -loue - - Clow. I haue a reasonable good eare in musicke. Let -vs haue the tongs and the bones. - -Musicke Tongs, Rurall Musicke. - - Tita. Or say sweete Loue, what thou desirest to eat - - Clowne. Truly a pecke of Prouender; I could munch -your good dry Oates. Me-thinkes I haue a great desire -to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweete hay hath no fellow - - Tita. I haue a venturous Fairy, -That shall seeke the Squirrels hoard, -And fetch thee new Nuts - - Clown. I had rather haue a handfull or two of dried -pease. But I pray you let none of your people stirre me, I -haue an exposition of sleepe come vpon me - - Tyta. Sleepe thou, and I will winde thee in my arms, -Fairies be gone, and be alwaies away. -So doth the woodbine, the sweet Honisuckle, -Gently entwist; the female Iuy so -Enrings the barky fingers of the Elme. -O how I loue thee! how I dote on thee! -Enter Robin goodfellow and Oberon. - - Ob. Welcome good Robin: -Seest thou this sweet sight? -Her dotage now I doe begin to pitty. -For meeting her of late behinde the wood, -Seeking sweet sauours for this hatefull foole, -I did vpbraid her, and fall out with her. -For she his hairy temples then had rounded, -With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers. -And that same dew which somtime on the buds, -Was wont to swell like round and orient pearles; -Stood now within the pretty flouriets eyes, -Like teares that did their owne disgrace bewaile. -When I had at my pleasure taunted her, -And she in milde termes beg'd my patience, -I then did aske of her, her changeling childe, -Which straight she gaue me, and her fairy sent -To beare him to my Bower in Fairy Land. -And now I haue the Boy, I will vndoe -This hatefull imperfection of her eyes. -And gentle Pucke, take this transformed scalpe, -From off the head of this Athenian swaine; -That he awaking when the other doe, -May all to Athens backe againe repaire, -And thinke no more of this nights accidents, -But as the fierce vexation of dreame. -But first I will release the Fairy Queene. -Be thou as thou wast wont to be; -See as thou wast wont to see. -Dians bud, or Cupids flower, -Hath such force and blessed power. -Now my Titania wake you my sweet Queene - - Tita. My Oberon, what visions haue I seene! -Me-thought I was enamoured of an asse - - Ob. There lies your loue - - Tita. How came these things to passe? -Oh, how mine eyes doth loath this visage now! - Ob. Silence a while. Robin take off his head: -Titania, musick call, and strike more dead -Then common sleepe; of all these, fine the sense - - Tita. Musicke, ho musicke, such as charmeth sleepe. - -Musick still. - - Rob. When thou wak'st, with thine owne fooles eies -peepe - - Ob. Sound musick; come my Queen, take hands with me -And rocke the ground whereon these sleepers be. -Now thou and I new in amity, -And will to morrow midnight, solemnly -Dance in Duke Theseus house triumphantly, -And blesse it to all faire posterity. -There shall the paires of faithfull Louers be -Wedded, with Theseus, all in iollity - - Rob. Faire King attend, and marke, -I doe heare the morning Larke, - Ob. Then my Queene in silence sad, -Trip we after the nights shade; -We the Globe can compasse soone, -Swifter then the wandering Moone - - Tita. Come my Lord, and in our flight, -Tell me how it came this night, -That I sleeping heere was found, - -Sleepers Lye still. - -With these mortals on the ground. - -Exeunt. - -Winde Hornes. - -Enter Theseus, Egeus, Hippolita and all his traine. - - Thes. Goe one of you, finde out the Forrester, -For now our obseruation is perform'd; -And since we haue the vaward of the day, -My Loue shall heare the musicke of my hounds. -Vncouple in the Westerne valley, let them goe; -Dispatch I say, and finde the Forrester. -We will faire Queene, vp to the Mountains top, -And marke the musicall confusion -Of hounds and eccho in coniunction - - Hip. I was with Hercules and Cadmus once. -When in a wood of Creete they bayed the Beare -With hounds of Sparta; neuer did I heare -Such gallant chiding. For besides the groues, -The skies, the fountaines, euery region neere, -Seeme all one mutuall cry. I neuer heard -So musicall a discord, such sweet thunder - - Thes. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kinde, -So flew'd, so sanded, and their heads are hung -With eares that sweepe away the morning dew, -Crooke kneed, and dew-lapt, like Thessalian Buls, -Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bels, -Each vnder each. A cry more tuneable -Was neuer hallowed to, nor cheer'd with horne, -In Creete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly; -Iudge when you heare. But soft, what nimphs are these? - Egeus. My Lord, this is my daughter heere asleepe, -And this Lysander, this Demetrius is, -This Helena, olde Nedars Helena, -I wonder of this being heere together - - The. No doubt they rose vp early, to obserue -The right of May; and hearing our intent, -Came heere in grace of our solemnity. -But speake Egeus, is not this the day -That Hermia should giue answer of her choice? - Egeus. It is, my Lord - - Thes. Goe bid the hunts-men wake them with their -hornes. - -Hornes and they wake. - -Shout within, they all start vp. - - Thes. Good morrow friends: Saint Valentine is past, -Begin these wood birds but to couple now? - Lys. Pardon my Lord - - Thes. I pray you all stand vp. -I know you two are Riuall enemies. -How comes this gentle concord in the world, -That hatred is so farre from iealousie, -To sleepe by hate, and feare no enmity - - Lys. My Lord, I shall reply amazedly, -Halfe sleepe, halfe waking. but as yet, I sweare, -I cannot truly say how I came heere. -But as I thinke (for truly would I speake) -And now I doe bethinke me, so it is; -I came with Hermia hither. Our intent -Was to be gone from Athens, where we might be -Without the perill of the Athenian Law - - Ege. Enough, enough, my Lord: you haue enough; -I beg the Law, the Law, vpon his head: -They would have stolne away, they would Demetrius, -Thereby to haue defeated you and me: -You of your wife, and me of my consent; -Of my consent, that she should be your wife - - Dem. My Lord, faire Helen told me of their stealth, -Of this their purpose hither, to this wood, -And I in furie hither followed them; -Faire Helena, in fancy followed me. -But my good Lord, I wot not by what not by what power, -(But by some power it is) my loue -To Hermia (melted as the snow) -Seems to me now as the remembrance of an idle gaude, -Which in my childehood I did doat vpon: -And all the faith, the vertue of my heart, -The obiect and the pleasure of mine eye, -Is onely Helena. To her, my Lord, -Was I betroth'd, ere I see Hermia, -But like a sickenesse did I loath this food, -But as in health, come to my naturall taste, -Now doe I wish it, loue it, long for it, -And will for euermore be true to it - - Thes. Faire Louers, you are fortunately met; -Of this discourse we shall heare more anon. -Egeus, I will ouer-beare your will; -For in the Temple, by and by with vs, -These couples shall eternally be knit. -And for the morning now is something worne, -Our purpos'd hunting shall be set aside. -Away, with vs to Athens; three and three, -Wee'll hold a feast in great solemnitie. -Come Hippolita. - -Exit Duke and Lords. - - Dem. These things seeme small & vndistinguishable, -Like farre off mountaines turned into Clouds - - Her. Me-thinks I see these things with parted eye, -When euery thing seemes double - - Hel. So me-thinkes: -And I haue found Demetrius, like a iewell, -Mine owne, and not mine owne - - Dem. It seemes to mee, -That yet we sleepe, we dreame. Do not you thinke, -The Duke was heere, and bid vs follow him? - Her. Yea, and my Father - - Hel. And Hippolita - - Lys. And he bid vs follow to the Temple - - Dem. Why then we are awake; lets follow him, and -by the way let vs recount our dreames. - -Bottome wakes. - -Exit Louers. - - Clo. When my cue comes, call me, and I will answer. -My next is, most faire Piramus. Hey ho. Peter Quince? -Flute the bellowes-mender? Snout the tinker? Starueling? -Gods my life! Stolne hence, and left me asleepe: I -haue had a most rare vision. I had a dreame, past the wit -of man, to say, what dreame it was. Man is but an Asse, -if he goe about to expound this dreame. Me-thought I -was, there is no man can tell what. Me-thought I was, -and me-thought I had. But man is but a patch'd foole, -if he will offer to say, what me-thought I had. The eye of -man hath not heard, the eare of man hath not seen, mans -hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceiue, nor his -heart to report, what my dreame was. I will get Peter -Quince to write a ballet of this dreame, it shall be called -Bottomes Dreame, because it hath no bottome; and I will -sing it in the latter end of a play, before the Duke. Peraduenture, -to make it the more gracious, I shall sing it -at her death. -Enter. - -Enter Quince, Flute, Thisbie, Snout, and Starueling. - - Quin. Haue you sent to Bottomes house? Is he come -home yet? - Staru. He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt hee is -transported - - This. If he come not, then the play is mar'd. It goes -not forward, doth it? - Quin. It is not possible: you haue not a man in all -Athens, able to discharge Piramus but he - - This. No, hee hath simply the best wit of any handycraft -man in Athens - - Quin. Yea, and the best person too, and hee is a very -Paramour, for a sweet voyce - - This. You must say, Paragon. A Paramour is (God -blesse vs) a thing of nought. -Enter Snug the Ioyner. - - Snug. Masters, the Duke is comming from the Temple, -and there is two or three Lords & Ladies more married. -If our sport had gone forward, we had all bin made -men - - This. O sweet bully Bottome: thus hath he lost sixepence -a day, during his life; he could not haue scaped sixpence -a day. And the Duke had not giuen him sixpence -a day for playing Piramus, Ile be hang'd. He would haue -deserued it. Sixpence a day in Piramus, or nothing. -Enter Bottome. - - Bot. Where are these Lads? Where are these hearts? - Quin. Bottome, o most couragious day! O most happie -houre! - Bot. Masters, I am to discourse wonders; but ask me -not what. For if I tell you, I am no true Athenian. I -will tell you euery thing as it fell out - - Qu. Let vs heare, sweet Bottome - - Bot. Not a word of me: all that I will tell you, is, that -the Duke hath dined. Get your apparell together, good -strings to your beards, new ribbands to your pumps, -meete presently at the Palace, euery man looke ore his -part: for the short and the long is, our play is preferred: -In any case let Thisby haue cleane linnen: and let not him -that playes the Lion, paire his nailes, for they shall hang -out for the Lions clawes. And most deare Actors, eate -no Onions, nor Garlicke; for wee are to vtter sweete -breath, and I doe not doubt but to heare them say, it is a -sweet Comedy. No more words: away, go away. - -Exeunt. - - -Actus Quintus. - -Enter Theseus, Hippolita, Egeus and his Lords. - - Hip. 'Tis strange my Theseus, y these louers speake of - - The. More strange then true. I neuer may beleeue -These anticke fables, nor these Fairy toyes, -Louers and mad men haue such seething braines, -Such shaping phantasies, that apprehend more -Then coole reason euer comprehends. -The Lunaticke, the Louer, and the Poet, -Are of imagination all compact. -One sees more diuels then vaste hell can hold; -That is the mad man. The Louer, all as franticke, -Sees Helens beauty in a brow of Egipt. -The Poets eye in a fine frenzy rolling, doth glance -From heauen to earth, from earth to heauen. -And as imagination bodies forth the forms of things -Vnknowne; the Poets pen turnes them to shapes, -And giues to aire nothing, a locall habitation, -And a name. Such tricks hath strong imagination, -That if it would but apprehend some ioy, -It comprehends some bringer of that ioy. -Or in the night, imagining some feare, -Howe easie is a bush suppos'd a Beare? - Hip. But all the storie of the night told ouer, -And all their minds transfigur'd so together, -More witnesseth than fancies images, -And growes to something of great constancie; -But howsoeuer, strange, and admirable. -Enter louers, Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, and Helena. - - The. Heere come the louers, full of ioy and mirth: -Ioy, gentle friends, ioy and fresh dayes -Of loue accompany your hearts - - Lys. More then to vs, waite in your royall walkes, -your boord, your bed - - The. Come now, what maskes, what dances shall -we haue, -To weare away this long age of three houres, -Between our after supper, and bed-time? -Where is our vsuall manager of mirth? -What Reuels are in hand? Is there no play, -To ease the anguish of a torturing houre? -Call Egeus - - Ege. Heere mighty Theseus - - The. Say, what abridgement haue you for this euening? -What maske? What musicke? How shall we beguile -The lazie time, if not with some delight? - Ege. There is a breefe how many sports are rife: -Make choise of which your Highnesse will see first - - Lis. The battell with the Centaurs to be sung -By an Athenian Eunuch, to the Harpe - - The. Wee'l none of that. That haue I told my Loue -In glory of my kinsman Hercules - - Lis. The riot of the tipsie Bachanals, -Tearing the Thracian singer, in their rage? - The. That is an old deuice, and it was plaid -When I from Thebes came last a Conqueror - - Lis. The thrice three Muses, mourning for the death -of learning, late deceast in beggerie - - The. That is some Satire keene and criticall, -Not sorting with a nuptiall ceremonie - - Lis. A tedious breefe Scene of yong Piramus, -And his loue Thisby; very tragicall mirth - - The. Merry and tragicall? Tedious, and briefe? That -is, hot ice, and wondrous strange snow. How shall wee -finde the concord of this discord? - Ege. A play there is, my Lord, some ten words long, -Which is as breefe, as I haue knowne a play; -But by ten words, my Lord, it is too long; -Which makes it tedious. For in all the play, -There is not one word apt, one Player fitted. -And tragicall my noble Lord it is: for Piramus -Therein doth kill himselfe. Which when I saw -Rehearst, I must confesse, made mine eyes water: -But more merrie teares, the passion of loud laughter -Neuer shed - - Thes. What are they that do play it? - Ege. Hard handed men, that worke in Athens heere, -Which neuer labour'd in their mindes till now; -And now haue toyled their vnbreathed memories -With this same play, against your nuptiall - - The. And we will heare it - - Hip. No my noble Lord, it is not for you. I haue heard -It ouer, and it is nothing, nothing in the world; -Vnless you can finde sport in their intents, -Extreamely stretched, and cond with cruell paine, -To doe you seruice - - Thes. I will heare that play. For neuer any thing -Can be amisse, when simplenesse and duty tender it. -Goe bring them in, and take your places, Ladies - - Hip. I loue not to see wretchednesse orecharged; -And duty in his seruice perishing - - Thes. Why gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing - - Hip. He saies, they can doe nothing in this kinde - - Thes. The kinder we, to giue them thanks for nothing -Our sport shall be, to take what they mistake; -And what poore duty cannot doe, noble respect -Takes it in might, not merit. -Where I haue come, great Clearkes haue purposed -To greete me with premeditated welcomes; -Where I haue seene them shiuer and looke pale, -Make periods in the midst of sentences, -Throttle their practiz'd accent in their feares, -And in conclusion, dumbly haue broke off, -Not paying me a welcome. Trust me sweete, -Out of this silence yet, I pickt a welcome: -And in the modesty of fearefull duty, -I read as much, as from the ratling tongue -Of saucy and audacious eloquence. -Loue therefore, and tongue-tide simplicity, -In least, speake most, to my capacity - - Egeus. So please your Grace, the Prologue is addrest - - Duke. Let him approach. - -Flor. Trum. - -Enter the Prologue. Quince. - - Pro. If we offend, it is with our good will. -That you should thinke, we come not to offend, -But with good will. To shew our simple skill, -That is the true beginning of our end. -Consider then, we come but in despight. -We do not come, as minding to content you, -Our true intent is. All for your delight, -We are not heere. That you should here repent you, -The Actors are at hand; and by their show, -You shall know all, that you are like to know - - Thes. This fellow doth not stand vpon points - - Lys. He hath rid his Prologue, like a rough Colt: he -knowes not the stop. A good morall my lord. it is not -enough to speake, but to speake true - - Hip. Indeed hee hath plaid on his Prologue, like a -childe on a Recorder, a sound, but not in gouernment - - Thes. His speech was like a tangled chaine: nothing -impaired, but all disordered. Who is next? - -Tawyer with a Trumpet before them. - -Enter Pyramus and Thisby, Wall, Moone-shine, and Lyon. - - Prol. Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show, -But wonder on, till truth make all things plaine. -This man is Piramus, if you would know; -This beauteous Lady, Thisby is certaine. -This man, with lyme and rough-cast, doth present -Wall, that vile wall, which did these louers sunder: -And through walls chink (poor soules) they are content -To whisper. At the which, let no man wonder. -This man, with Lanthorne, dog, and bush of thorne, -Presenteth moone-shine. For if you will know, -By moone-shine did these Louers thinke no scorne -To meet at Ninus toombe, there, there to wooe: -This grizly beast (which Lyon hight by name) -The trusty Thisby, comming first by night, -Did scarre away, or rather did affright: -And as she fled, her mantle she did fall; -Which Lyon vile with bloody mouth did staine. -Anon comes Piramus, sweet youth and tall, -And findes his Thisbies Mantle slaine; -Whereat, with blade, with bloody blamefull blade, -He brauely broacht his boiling bloudy breast, -And Thisby, tarrying in Mulberry shade, -His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest, -Let Lyon, Moone-shine, Wall, and Louers twaine, -At large discourse, while here they doe remaine. - -Exit all but Wall. - - Thes. I wonder if the Lion be to speake - - Deme. No wonder, my Lord: one Lion may, when -many Asses doe. - -Exit Lyon, Thisbie, and Mooneshine. - - Wall. In this same Interlude, it doth befall, -That I, one Snowt (by name) present a wall: -And such a wall, as I would haue you thinke, -That had in it a crannied hole or chinke: -Through which the Louers, Piramus and Thisbie -Did whisper often, very secretly. -This loame, this rough-cast, and this stone doth shew, -That I am that same Wall; the truth is so. -And this the cranny is, right and sinister, -Through which the fearfull Louers are to whisper - - Thes. Would you desire Lime and Haire to speake -better? - Deme. It is the wittiest partition, that euer I heard -discourse, my Lord - - Thes. Pyramus drawes neere the Wall, silence. -Enter Pyramus. - - Pir. O grim lookt night, o night with hue so blacke, -O night, which euer art, when day is not: -O night, o night, alacke, alacke, alacke, -I feare my Thisbies promise is forgot. -And thou o wall, thou sweet and louely wall, -That stands between her fathers ground and mine, -Thou wall, o Wall, o sweet and louely wall, -Shew me thy chinke, to blinke through with mine eine. -Thankes courteous wall. Ioue shield thee well for this. -But what see I? No Thisbie doe I see. -O wicked wall, through whom I see no blisse, -Curst be thy stones for thus deceiuing mee - - Thes. The wall me-thinkes being sensible, should -curse againe - - Pir. No in truth sir, he should not. Deceiuing me, -Is Thisbies cue; she is to enter, and I am to spy -Her through the wall. You shall see it will fall. -Enter Thisbie. - -Pat as I told you; yonder she comes - - This. O wall, full often hast thou heard my mones, -For parting my faire Piramus, and me -My cherry lips haue often kist thy stones; -Thy stones with Lime and Haire knit vp in thee - - Pyra. I see a voyce; now will I to the chinke, -To spy and I can heare my Thisbies face. Thisbie? - This. My Loue thou art, my Loue I thinke - - Pir. Thinke what thou wilt, I am thy Louers grace, -And like Limander am I trusty still - - This. And like Helen till the Fates me kill - - Pir. Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true - - This. As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you - - Pir. O kisse me through the hole of this vile wall - - This. I kisse the wals hole, not your lips at all - - Pir. Wilt thou at Ninnies tombe meete me straight -way? - This. Tide life, tide death, I come without delay - - Wall. Thus haue I Wall, my part discharged so; -And being done, thus Wall away doth go. - -Exit Clow. - - Du. Now is the morall downe between the two -Neighbours - - Dem. No remedie my Lord, when Wals are so wilfull, -to heare without warning - - Dut. This is the silliest stuffe that ere I heard - - Du. The best in this kind are but shadowes, and the -worst are no worse, if imagination amend them - - Dut. It must be your imagination then, & not theirs - - Duk. If wee imagine no worse of them then they of -themselues, they may passe for excellent men. Here com -two noble beasts, in a man and a Lion. -Enter Lyon and Moone-shine - - Lyon. You Ladies, you (whose gentle harts do feare -The smallest monstrous mouse that creepes on floore) -May now perchance, both quake and tremble heere, -When Lion rough in wildest rage doth roare. -Then know that I, one Snug the Ioyner am -A Lion fell, nor else no Lions dam: -For if I should as Lion come in strife -Into this place, 'twere pittie of my life - - Du. A verie gentle beast, and of good conscience - - Dem. The verie best at a beast, my Lord, y ere I saw - - Lis. This Lion is a verie Fox for his valor - - Du. True, and a Goose for his discretion - - Dem. Not so my Lord: for his valor cannot carrie -his discretion, and the fox carries the Goose - - Du. His discretion I am sure cannot carrie his valor: -for the Goose carries not the Fox. It is well; leaue it to -his discretion, and let vs hearken to the Moone - - Moone. This Lanthorne doth the horned Moone present - - De. He should haue worne the hornes on his head - - Du. Hee is no crescent, and his hornes are inuisible, -within the circumference - - Moon. This lanthorne doth the horned Moone present: -My selfe, the man i'th Moone doth seeme to be - - Du. This is the greatest error of all the rest; the man -Should be put into the Lanthorne. How is it els the man -i'th Moone? - Dem. He dares not come there for the candle. -For you see, it is already in snuffe - - Dut. I am wearie of this Moone; would he would -change - - Du. It appeares by his smal light of discretion, that -he is in the wane: but yet in courtesie, in all reason, we -must stay the time - - Lys. Proceed Moone - - Moon. All that I haue to say, is to tell you, that the -Lanthorne is the Moone; I, the man in the Moone; this -thorne bush; my thorne bush; and this dog, my dog - - Dem. Why all these should be in the Lanthorne: for -they are in the Moone. But silence, heere comes Thisby. -Enter Thisby. - - This. This is old Ninnies tombe: where is my loue? - Lyon. Oh. - -The Lion roares, Thisby runs off. - - Dem. Well roar'd Lion - - Du. Well run Thisby - - Dut. Well shone Moone. -Truly the Moone shines with a good grace - - Du. Wel mouz'd Lion - - Dem. And then came Piramus - - Lys. And so the Lion vanisht. -Enter Piramus. - - Pyr. Sweet Moone, I thank thee for thy sunny beames, -I thanke thee Moone, for shining now so bright: -For by thy gracious, golden, glittering beames, -I trust to taste of truest Thisbies sight. -But stay: O spight! but marke, poore Knight, -What dreadful dole is heere? -Eyes do you see! How can it be! -O dainty Ducke: O Deere! -Thy mantle good; what staind with blood! -Approch you furies fell: -O Fates! come, come: Cut thred and thrum, -Quaile, crush, conclude, and quell - - Du. This passion, and the death of a deare friend, -Would go neere to make a man looke sad - - Dut. Beshrew my heart, but I pittie the man - - Pir. O wherefore Nature, did'st thou Lions frame? -Since lion vilde hath heere deflour'd my deere: -Which is: no, no, which was the fairest Dame -That liu'd, that lou'd, that like'd, that look'd with cheere. -Come teares, confound: Out sword, and wound -The pap of Piramus: -I, that left pap, where heart doth hop; -Thus dye I, thus, thus, thus. -Now am I dead, now am I fled, my soule is in the sky, -Tongue lose thy light, Moone take thy flight, -Now dye, dye, dye, dye, dye - - Dem. No Die, but an ace for him; for he is but one - - Lis. Lesse then an ace man. For he is dead, he is nothing - - Du. With the helpe of a Surgeon, he might yet recouer, -and proue an Asse - - Dut. How chance Moone-shine is gone before? -Thisby comes backe, and findes her Louer. -Enter Thisby. - - Duke. She wil finde him by starre-light. -Heere she comes, and her passion ends the play - - Dut. Me thinkes shee should not vse a long one for -such a Piramus: I hope she will be breefe - - Dem. A Moth wil turne the ballance, which Piramus -which Thisby is the better - - Lys. She hath spyed him already, with those sweete eyes - - Dem. And thus she meanes, videlicit - - This. Asleepe my Loue? What, dead my Doue? -O Piramus arise: -Speake, speake. Quite dumbe? Dead, dead? A tombe -Must couer thy sweet eyes. -These Lilly Lips, this cherry nose, -These yellow Cowslip cheekes -Are gone, are gone: Louers make mone: -His eyes were greene as Leekes. -O Sisters three, come, come to mee, -With hands as pale as Milke, -Lay them in gore, since you haue shore -with sheeres, his thred of silke. -Tongue not a word: Come trusty sword: -Come blade, my brest imbrue: -And farwell friends, thus Thisbie ends; -Adieu, adieu, adieu - - Duk. Moone-shine & Lion are left to burie the dead - - Deme. I, and Wall too - - Bot. No, I assure you, the wall is downe, that parted -their Fathers. Will it please you to see the Epilogue, or -to heare a Bergomask dance, betweene two of our company? - Duk. No Epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs -no excuse. Neuer excuse; for when the plaiers are all -dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if hee that -writ it had plaid Piramus, and hung himselfe in Thisbies -garter, it would haue beene a fine Tragedy: and so it is -truely, and very notably discharg'd. but come, your -Burgomaske; let your Epilogue alone. -The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelue. -Louers to bed, 'tis almost Fairy time. -I feare we shall out-sleepe the comming morne, -As much as we this night haue ouer-watcht. -This palpable grosse play hath well beguil'd -The heauy gate of night. Sweet friends to bed. -A fortnight hold we this solemnity. -In nightly Reuels; and new iollitie. - -Exeunt. - -Enter Pucke. - - Puck. Now the hungry Lyons rores, -And the Wolfe beholds the Moone: -Whilest the heauy ploughman snores, -All with weary taske fore-done. -Now the wasted brands doe glow, -Whil'st the scritch-owle, scritching loud, -Puts the wretch that lies in woe, -In remembrance of a shrowd. -Now it is the time of night, -That the graues, all gaping wide, -Euery one lets forth his spright, -In the Church-way paths to glide, -And we Fairies, that do runne, -By the triple Hecates teame, -From the presence of the Sunne, -Following darkenesse like a dreame, -Now are frollicke; not a Mouse -Shall disturbe this hallowed house. -I am sent with broome before, -To sweep the dust behinde the doore. -Enter King and Queene of Fairies, with their traine. - - Ob. Through the house giue glimmering light, -By the dead and drowsie fier, -Euerie Elfe and Fairie spright, -Hop as light as bird from brier, -And this Ditty after me, sing and dance it trippinglie, - Tita. First rehearse this song by roate, -To each word a warbling note. -Hand in hand, with Fairie grace, -Will we sing and blesse this place. - -The Song. - -Now vntill the breake of day, -Through this house each Fairy stray. -To the best Bride-bed will we, -Which by vs shall blessed be: -And the issue there create, -Euer shall be fortunate: -So shall all the couples three, -Euer true in louing be: -And the blots of Natures hand, -Shall not in their issue stand. -Neuer mole, harelip, nor scarre, -nor mark prodigious, such as are -Despised in Natiuitie, -Shall vpon their children be. -With this field dew consecrate, -Euery Fairy take his gate, -And each seuerall chamber blesse, -Through this Pallace with sweet peace, -Euer shall in safety rest. -And the owner of it blest. -Trip away, make no stay; -Meet me all by breake of day - - Robin. If we shadowes haue offended, -Thinke but this (and all is mended) -That you haue but slumbred heere, -While these Visions did appeare. -And this weake and idle theame, -No more yeelding but a dreame, -Gentles, doe not reprehend. -If you pardon, we will mend. -And as I am an honest Pucke, -If we haue vnearned lucke, -Now to scape the Serpents tongue, -We will make amends ere long: -Else the Pucke a lyar call. -So good night vnto you all. -Giue me your hands, if we be friends, -And Robin shall restore amends. - -FINIS. A MIDSOMMER Nights Dreame. diff --git a/2242.zip b/2242.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 57c9c50..0000000 --- a/2242.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/cover.jpg b/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cde057c --- /dev/null +++ b/cover.jpg |
