bin euer crost It stands as an edict in destiny Then let vs teach our triall patience Because it is a customary crosse As dewe to loue as thoughts and dreames and sighes Wishes and teares poore Fancies followers Lys. A good perswasion therefore heare mee Hermia I haue a widowe aunt a dowager Of great reuenew and she hath no childe From Athens is her house remote seauen leagues And she respectes mee as her only sonne There gentle Hermia may I marry thee And to that place the sharpe Athenian law Can not pursue vs. If thou louest mee then Steale forth thy fathers house tomorrow night And in the wood a league without the towne Where I did meete thee once with Helena To do obseruance to a morne of May There will I stay for thee Her My good Lysander I sweare to thee by Cupids strongest bowe By his best arrowe with the golden heade By the simplicitie of Venus doues By that which knitteth soules and prospers loues And by that fire which burnd the Carthage queene When the false Troian 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 mee To morrow truely will I meete with thee Lys. Keepe promise loue looke here comes Helena Enter Helena Her God speede faire Helena wither away Hel. Call you mee faire That faire againe vnsay Demetrius loues your faire ô happy faire Your eyes are loadstarres and your tongues sweete aire More tunable then larke to sheepeheards eare When wheat is greene when hauthorne buddes appeare Sicknesse is catching O were fauour so Your words I catch faire Hermia ere I goe My eare should catch your voice my eye your eye My tongue should catch your tongues sweete melody Were the world mine Demetrius being bated The rest I le giue to be to you translated O teach mee how you looke and with what Art You sway the motion of Demetrius heart Her I frowne vpon him yet hee loues mee still Hel. O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skil Her I giue him curses yet he giues mee loue Hel. O that my prayers could such affection mooue Her The more I hate the more he followes mee Hel. The more I loue the more he hateth mee Her His folly Helena is no fault of mine Hel. None but your beauty would that fault were mine Her Take comfort he no more shall see my face Lysander and my selfe will sly this place Before the time I did Lisander see Seem'd Athens as a Paradise to mee O then what graces in my loue dooe dwell That hee hath turnd a heauen vnto a hell Lys. Helen to you our mindes wee will vnfould To morrow night when Phoebe doth beholde 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 wee deuis'd to steale Her And in the wood where often you and I Vpon faint Primrose beddes 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 Farewell sweete playfellow pray thou for vs And good lucke graunt 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 dote on you Exit Lysander Hele. How happie some ore othersome can be Through Athens I am thought as faire as shee But what of that Demetrius thinkes not so He will not knowe what all but hee doe know And as hee erres doting on Hermias eyes So I admiring of his qualities Things base and vile holding no quantitie Loue can transpose to forme and dignitie Loue lookes not with the eyes but with the minde And therefore is wingd Cupid painted blinde Nor hath loues minde of any iudgement taste Wings and no eyes figure vnheedy haste And therefore is loue said to bee a childe Because in choyce he is so oft beguil'd As waggish boyes in game themselues forsweare So the boy Loue is periur'd euery where For ere Demetrius lookt on Hermias eyen Hee hayld downe othes that he was onely mine And when this haile some heate from Hermia felt So he dissolued and showrs of oathes did melt I will goe tell him of faire Hermias flight Then to the wodde will he to morrow night Pursue her and for this intelligence If I haue thankes it is a deare expense But herein meane I to enrich my paine To haue his sight thither and back againe Exit Enter Quince the Carpenter and Snugge the Ioyner and Bottom the Weauer and Flute the Bellowes mender Snout the Tinker and Starueling the Tayler Quin. Is all our company heere Bot. You were best to call them generally man by man according to the scrippe Quin. Here is the scrowle of euery mans name which is thought fit through al Athens to play in our Enterlude before the Duke the Dutches on his wedding day at night Bott First good Peeter Quince say what the Play treats on then read the names of the Actors so grow to a point Quin. Mary our Play is the most lamentable comedy and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisby Bot. A very good peece of worke I assure you a merry Now good Peeter Quince call forth your Actors by the scrowle Masters spreade your selues Quin. Answere as I call you Nick Bottom the Weauer Bott Readie Name what part I am for and proceede Quin. You Nick Bottom are set downe for Pyramus Bott What is Pyramus A louer or a tyrant Quin. A louer that kils himselfe most gallant for loue Bott That will aske some teares in the true performing of it If I doe it let the Audience looke to their eyes I wil 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 Catin to make all split the raging rocks and shiuering shocks shall breake the locks of prison gates and Phibbus carre shall shine from farre and make marre the foolish Fates This was loftie 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. Here Peeter Quince Quin. Flute you must take Thisby on you Fla. What is Thisby A wandring knight Quin. It is the Lady that Pyramus must loue Fl. Nay faith let not me play a womā I haue a beard cōming Quin. That 's all one you shall play it in a Maske and you may speake as small as you will Bott And I may hide my face let me play Thisby to I le speake in a monstrous little voice Thisne Thisne ah Pyramus my louer deare thy Thysby deare Lady deare Qu. No no you must play Pyramus Flute you Thysby Bot. Well proceede
aire That Rheumaticke diseases doe abound And thorough this distemperature wee see The seasons alter hoary headed frosts Fall in the fresh lappe of the Crymson rose And on old Hyems chinne and Icy crowne An odorous Chaplet of sweete Sommer buddes Is as in mockery set The Spring the Sommer The childing Autumne angry Winter change Their wonted Liueries and the mazed worlde By their increase now knowes not which is which And this same progeny of euils Comes from our debate from our dissention We are their Parents and originall Oberon Doe you amend it then it lyes in you Why should Titania crosse her Oberon I doe but begge a little Changeling boy To be my Henchman Queene Set your heart at rest The Faiery Land buies not the childe of mee His mother was a Votresse of my order And in the spiced Indian ayer 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 conceaue And grow bigge bellied with the wanton winde Which she with prettie and with swimming gate Following her wombe then rich with my young squire Would imitate and saile vpon the land To fetch me trifles and returne againe As from a voyage rich with marchandise But she being mortall of that boy did dye And for her sake doe I reare vp her boy And for her sake I will not part with him Ob. How long within this wood entend you stay Quee. Perchaunce till after Theseus wedding day If you will patiently daunce in our Round And see our Moonelight Reuelles goe with vs If not shunne me and I will spare your haunts Ob. Giue mee that boy and I will goe with thee Quee. Not for thy Fairy kingdome Fairies away We shall chide downeright if I longer stay Exeunt Ob. Well goe 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 hermonious breath That the rude sea grewe ciuill at her song And cettaine starres shot madly from their Spheares To heare the Sea-maids musicke Puck I remember Ob. That very time I saw but thou could'st not Flying betweene the colde Moone and the earth Cupid all arm'd a certaine aime he tooke At a faire Vestall throned by west And loos'd his loue-shaft smartly from his bowe As it should pearce a hundred thousand hearts But I might see young Cupids fiery shaft Quencht in the chast 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 mee that flowre the herbe I shewed thee once The iewce of it on sleeping eyeliddes laide Will make or man or woman madly dote Vpon the next liue creature that it sees Fetch mee this herbe and be thou here againe Ere the Leuiathan can swimme a league Pu. I le put a girdle roūd about the earth in forty minutes Oberon Hauing once this iuice I l watch Titania when she is a sleepe And droppe the liquor of it in her eyes The next thing then she waking lookes vpon Be it on Lyon Beare or Wolfe or Bull On medling Monky or on busie Ape She shall pursue it with the soule of Loue. And ere I take this charme from of her sight As I can take it with another herbe I le make her render vp her Page to mee But who comes here I am inuisible And I will ouerheare their conference Enter Demetrius Helena following him Deme. I loue thee not therefore pursue me not Where is Lysander and faire Hermia The one I le stay the other stayeth me Thou toldst me they were stolne vnto this wood And here am I and wodde within this wood Because I cannot meete my Hermia Hence get the gone and follow mee no more Hel. You draw mee 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. Doe I entise you Doe I speake you faire Or rather doe I not in plainest truthe Tell you I doe not not I cannot loue you Hele. And euen for that do I loue you the more I am your Spaniell and Demetrius The more you beat mee I will fawne on you Vse me but as your Spaniell spurne me strike mee Neglect mee loose me onely giue me leaue Vnworthie as I am to follow you What worser place can I begge in your loue And yet a place of high respect with mee Then to be vsed as you vse your dogge Deme. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit For I am sick when I do looke on thee Hele. And I am sick when I looke not on you Deme. You doe impeach your modestie too much To leaue the citie and commit your selfe Into the hands of one that loues you not To trust the opportunitie of night And the ill counsell of a desert place With the rich worth of your virginitie 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 saide I am alone When all the world is here to looke on mee Dems I le runne from thee and hide me in the brakes And leaue thee to the mercy of wilde beastes Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you Runne when you will The story shall be chaung'd Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase The Doue pursues the Griffon the milde Hinde Makes speede to catch the Tigre Bootelesse speede When cowardise pursues and valour flies Demet. I will not stay thy questions Let me goe Or if thou followe mee do not beleeue But I shall doe thee mischiefe in the wood Hel. I in the Temple in the towne the fielde You doe me mischiefe Fy Demetrius Your wrongs doe set a scandall on my sex We cannot fight for loue as men may doe We should be woo'd and were not made to wooe I le follow thee and make a heauen of hell To dy vpon the hand I loue so well Ob. Fare thee well Nymph Ere he do leaue this groue Thou shalt fly 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 mee I know a banke where the wilde time blowes Where Oxlips and the nodding Violet growes Quite ouercanopi'd with lushious woodbine With sweete muske roses and with Eglantine There sleepes Tytania sometime of the night Luld in these flowers with daunces and delight And there the snake throwes her
appeare Robin I goe I goe looke how I goe Swifter then arrow from the Tartars bowe Ob. Flower of this purple dy Hit with Cupids archery Sinke in apple of his eye When his loue he doth espy Let her shine as gloriously As the Venus of the sky When thou wak'st if she be by Begge of her for remedy Enter Puck Puck Captaine of our Fairy band Helena is heere at hande And the youth mistooke by mee Pleading for a louers fee. Shall wee their fond pageant see Lord what fooles these mortals bee Ob. Stand aside The noyse they make Will cause Demetrius to awake Pu. Then will two at once wooe one That must needes be sport alone And those things do best please mee That befall prepost'rously Enter Lysander and Helena Lys. Why should you think that I should wooe in scorne Scorne and derision neuer come in teares Looke when I vow I weepe and vowes so borne In their natiuitie all truth appeares How can these things in mee seeme scorne to you Bearing the badge of faith to prooue them true Hel. You doe aduance your cunning more and more When trueth killes truth ô diuelish holy fray These vowes are Hermias Will you giue her ore Weigh oath with oath and you will nothing waigh Your vowes to her and mee 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 Deme. O Helen goddesse nymph perfect diuine To what my loue shall I compare thine eyne Christall is muddy O how ripe in showe Thy lippes those kissing cherries tempting growe That pure coniealed white high Taurus snow Fand with the Easterne winde turnes to a crowe When thou holdst vp thy hand O let me kisse This Princesse of pure white this seale of blisse Hel. O spight O hell I see you all are bent To set against mee for your merriment If you were ciuill and knew curtesie You would not doe mee thus much iniury Can you not hate mee as I know you doe But you must ioyne in soules to mocke mee to If you were men as men you are in showe You would not vse a gentle Lady so To vowe and sweare and super praise my parts When I am sure you hate mee with your hearts You both are Riuals and loue Hermia And now both Riualles to mock Helena A trim exploit a manly enterprise To coniure teares vp in a poore maides eyes With your derision None of noble sort Would so offend a virgine and extort A poore soules patience all to make you sport Lysand You are vnkinde Demetrius be not so For you loue Hermia this you know I know And heare with all good will with all my heart In Hermias loue I yeelde you vp my part And yours of Helena to mee bequeath Whom I doe loue and will do till my death Hel. Neuer did mockers waste more idle breath Deme. Lysander keepe thy Hermia I will none If ere I lou'd her all that loue is gone My heart to her but as guestwise soiournd And now to Helen is it home returnd There to remaine Lys. Helen it is not so Deme. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know Least to thy perill thou aby it deare Looke where thy loue comes yonder is thy deare Enter Hermia Her Darke night that from the eye his function takes The eare more quicke of apprehension makes Wherein it doth impaire the seeing sense It payes the hearing double recompence Thou art not by myne eye Lysander found Mine eare I thanke it brought me to thy sound But why vnkindly didst thou leaue mee so Lys. Why should he 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 fiery oes and eyes of light Why seek'st thou me Could not this make thee know The hate I bare thee made mee leaue thee so Her You speake not as you thinke It cannot bee Hel. Lo she is one of this confederacy Now I perceiue they haue conioynd all three To fashion this false sport in spight of mee Iniurious Hermia most vngratefull maide Haue you conspir'd haue you with these contriu'd To baite mee with this foule derision Is all the counsell that we two haue shar'd The sisters vowes the howers that we haue spent When we haue chid the hastie footed time For parting vs O is all forgot All schooldaies friendshippe childhood innocence VVee 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 voyces and mindes Had bin incorporate So wee grewe together Like to a double cherry seeming parted But yet an vnion in partition Two louely berries moulded on one stemme So with two seeming bodies but one heart Two of the first life coats in heraldry Due but to one and crowned with one creast And will you rent our auncient loue asunder To ioyne with men in scorning your poore friend It is not friendly t is not maidenly Our sex as well as I may chide you for it Though I alone doe fele the iniury Her I am amazed at your words I scorne you not It seemes that you scorne mee Hel. Haue you not set Lysander as in scorne To follow mee and praise my eyes and face And made your other loue Demetrius Who euen but now did spurne mee with his foote To call mee goddesse nymph diuine and rare Pretious celestiall VVherefore speakes he this To her he hates And wherfore doth Lysander Deny your loue so rich within his soule And tender mee forsooth affection But by your setting on by your consent VVhat 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 counterfait sad lookes Make mouthes vpon mee when I turne my back Winke each at other holde the sweeete ieast vp This sport well carried shall bee chronicled If you haue any pitty grace or manners You would not make mee such an argument But fare ye well t is partly my owne fault Which death or absence soone shall remedy Lys. Stay gentle Helena heare my excuse My loue my life my soule faire Helena Hel. O excellent Herm. Sweete doe not scorne her so Dem. If she cannot entreat I can compell Lys. Thou canst compell no more then she intreat Thy threats haue no more strength then her weake praise Helen I loue thee by my life I doe I sweare by that which I will loose for thee To prooue him false that saies I loue thee not Dem. I say I loue thee more then he can do Lys. If thou say so withdrawe
enammeld skinne Weed wide enough to wrappe a Fairy in And with the iuyce of this I le streake her eyes And make her full of hatefull phantasies Take thou some of it and seeke through this groue A sweete Athenian Lady is in loue With a disdainefull youth annoint his eyes But doe it when the next thing he espies May be the Ladie Thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on Effect it with some care that he may prooue More fond on her then she vpon her loue And looke thou meete me ere the first Cocke crowe Pu. Feare not my Lord your seruant shall do so Exeunt Enter Tytania Queene of Fairies with her traine Quee. Come now a Roundell and a Fairy song Then for the third part of a minute hence Some to kill cankers in the musk rose buds Some warre with Reremise for their lethren wings To make my small Elues coates and some keepe backe The clamorous Owle that nightly hootes and wonders At our queint spirits Sing me now a sleepe Then to your offices and let mee rest Fairies sing You spotted Snakes with double tongue Thorny Hedge hogges be not seene Newts and blinde wormes do no wrong Come not neere our Fairy Queene Philomele with melody Sing in our sweete Lullaby Lulla lulla lullaby lulla lulla lullaby Neuer harme nor spell nor charme Come our louely lady nigh So good night with lullaby 1. Fai. Weauing Spiders come not heere Hence you long legd Spinners hence Beetles blacke approach not neere Worme nor snaile doe no offence Philomele with melody c. 2. Fai. Hence away now all is well One aloofe stand Centinell Enter Oberon Ob. What thou seest when thou doest wake Doe 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 Lysander and Hermia Lys. Faire loue you fainte with wandring in the wood And to speake troth I haue forgot our way Wee le rest vs Hermia if you thinke it good And tatty for the comfor of the day Her Bet it so Lysander finde you out a bedde For I vpon this banke will rest my head Lys. One turfe shall serue as pillow for vs both One heart one bedde two bosomes and one troth Her Nay god Lysander for my sake my deere Ly further off yet doe not lye so neere Lys. O take the sense sweete of my innocence Loue takes the meaning in loues conference I mean that my heart vnto yours it knit So that but one heart wee can make of it Two bosomes interchained 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 be shrewe my manners and my pride If Hermia meant to say Lysander lyed But gentle friend for loue and curtesie Ly further off in humane modesty Such separation as may well be said Becomes a vertuous batcheler and a maide So farre be distant and good night sweete friend Thy loue nere alter till thy sweete 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 Puck Through the forrest haue I gone But Athenian found I none On whose eyes I might approue This flowers force in stirring loue Night and silence Who is heere Weedes of Athens he doth weare This is hee my master saide Despised the Athenian maide And here the maiden sleeping sound On the danke and dirty ground Pretty sowle she durst not lye Neere this lack-loue this kil-curtesie Churle vpon thy eyes I throwe All the power this charme doth owe When thou wak'st let loue forbidde Sleepe his seat on thy eye lidde So awake when I am gon For I must now to Oberon Exit Enter Demetrius and Helena running Hel. Stay though thou kill mee sweete Demetrius De. I charge thee hence and doe not haunt mee thus Hele. O wilt thou darkling leaue me doe not so De. Stay on thy perill I alone will goe Hel. O I am out of breath in this fond chase The more my prayer the lesser is my grace Happie 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 beastes that meete mee runne away for feare Therefore no maruaile though Demetrius Doe as a monster fly my presence thus What wicked and dissembling glasse of mine Made me compare with Hermias sphery eyen But who is here Lysander on the ground Dead or a sleepe I see no blood no wound Lysander if you liue good sir awake Lys. And runne through fire I will for thy sweete sake Transparent Helena nature shewes arte 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 sworde 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 doe repent The tedious minutes I with her haue spent Not Hermia but Helena I loue VVho will not change a Rauen for a doue The will of man is by his reason swai'd And reason saies you are the worthier maide Things growing are not ripe vntill their season So I being young till now ripe not to reason And touching now the point of humane skill Reason becomes the Marshall to my will And leads mee 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 I st not enough i st not enough young 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 doe mee wrong good sooth you doe In such disdainfull manner mee to wooe But fare you well perforce I must confesse I thought you Lord of more true gentlenesse O that a Ladie of one man refus'd Should of another therefore be abus'd Exit Lys. She sees not Hermia Hermia sleepe thou there And neuer maist thou come Lysander neere For as a surfet of the sweetest things The deepest loathing to the stomacke bringes Or as the heresies that men doe leaue Are hated most of those they did deceiue So thou my surfet and my heresie Of all bee hated but the most of mee And all my powers addresse your loue and might To honour Helen and to be her knight Exit Her Helpe mee Lysander helpe mee do thy best To pluck this crawling serpent from my brest Ay mee for pittie What a dreame
was here Lysander looke how I doe quake with feare Me thought a serpent eate my heart away And you sate smiling at his cruell pray Lysander what remou'd Lysander Lord What out of hearing gon No sound no word Alacke where are you Speake and if you heare Speake of all loues I swoune almost with feare No then I well perceiue you are not ny Either death or you I le finde immediately Exit Enter the Clownes Bott Are wee all met Quin. Pat pat and here 's a maruailes conuenient place for our rehearsall This greene plot shall be our stage this hauthorne brake our tyring house and wee will doe it in action as wee will doe it before the Duke Bott Peeter Quince Quin. What saiest thou bully Bottom Bot. There are things in this Comedy of Pyramus and Thisby that will neuer please First Pyramus must draw a sworde to kill himselfe which the Ladies cannot abide How answere you that Snout Berlakin a parlous feare Star I beleeue we must leaue the killing out when all is done Bott Not a whit I haue a deuise to make all well Write me a Prologue and let the Prologue seeme to say we wil do no harme with our swords and that Pyramus is not kild indeede and for the more better assurance tel them that I Pyramus am not Pyramus but Bottom the weauer this will put them out of feare Quin. Well wee will haue such a Prologue and it shall be written in eight and six Bot. No make it two more let it be written in eight eight Snout Will not the ladies be afeard of the Lyon Star I feare it I promise you Bot. Masters you ought to consider with your selfe to bring in God shielde vs a Lyon among Ladies is a most dreadfull thing For there is not a more fearefull wilde foule then your Lyon liuing we ought to looke toote Sno. Therfore another Prologue must tel he is not a Lion Bot. Nay you must name his name and halfe his face must be seene through the Lions 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 wold intreat you not to feare not to trēble my life for yours If you thinke I come hither as a Lyon it were pittie of my life No I am no such thing I am a man as other men are there indeed let him name his name and tell them plainely he is Snugge 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 Pyramus and Thisby meete by Moone-light Sn. Doth the Moone shine that night we play our Play Bo. A Calender a Calender looke in the Almanack finde out Moone-shine finde out Moone-shine Quin. Yes it doth shine that night Cet 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 els one must come in with a bush of thorns a lātern and say he comes to disfigure or to present the person of Moone-shine Then there is another thing we must haue a wal in the great chāber for Pyramus Thisby saies the story did talke through the chinke of a wall Sno. You can neuer bring in a wal What say you Bottom Bot. Some man or other must present wall and let him haue some plaster or som lome or some rough cast about him to signifie wall or let him holde his fingers thus and through that crany shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper Quin. If that may be then all is well Come sit downe euery mothers sonne and reherse your parts Pyramus you beginne when you haue spoken your speech enter into that Brake and so euery one according to his cue Enter Robin Ro. What hempen homespunnes haue we swagging here So neere the Cradle of the Fairy Queene What a play toward I le be an Auditor An Actor to perhappes If I see cause Quin. Speake Pyramus Thysby stand forth Pyra Thisby the flowers of odious sauours sweete Quin. Odours odorous Py. Odours sauours sweete So hath thy breath my dearest Thisby deare But harke a voice stay thou but heere a while And by and by I will to thee appeare Exit Quin. A stranger Pyramus then ere played heere Thys Must I speake now Quin. I marry must you For you must vnderstād he goes but to see a noyse that he heard and is to come againe Thys Most radiant Pyramus most lillie white of hewe Of colour like the redrose on triumphant bryer Most brisky Iuuenall and eeke most louely Iewe As true as truest horse that yet would neuer tyre I le meete thee Pyramus at Ninnies toumbe Quin. Ninus toumbe man Why you must not speake That yet That you answere to Pyramus You speake Al your part at once cues and all Pyramus enter your cue is past It is neuer tire Thys O as true as truest horse that yet would neuer tyre Py. If I were faire Thysby I were onely thine Quin. O monstrous O strange We are haunted Pray masters fly masters helpe Rob. I le follow you I le leade you about a Round Through bogge through bush through brake through bryer Sometime a horse I le be sometime a hound A hogge a headelesse Beare sometime a fier And neigh and barke and grunt and rore and burne Like horse hound hogge beare fire at euery turne Exit Bott Why doe they runne away This is a knauery of them to make mee afeard Enter Snowte Sn. O Bottom thou art chaung'd What do I see on thee Bot. What doe you see You see an Asse head of your owne Do you Enter Quince Quin. Blesse thee Bottom blesse thee Thou art trāslated Exit Bot. I see their knauery This is to make an asse of mee to fright me if they could but I wil not stirre from this place do what they can I will walke vp and downe heere and I will sing that they shall heare I am not afraide The Woosell cock so blacke of hewe With Orange tawny bill The Throstle with his note so true The Wren with little quill Tytania What Angell wakes me from my flowry bed Bot. The Fynch the Sparrowe 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 birde Who would giue a bird the ly though hee cry Cuckow neuer so Tita. I pray thee gentle mortall sing againe Myne eare is much enamoured of thy note So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape And thy faire vertues force perforce doth mooue mee On the first viewe to say to sweare I loue thee Bott Mee thinks mistresse you should haue little reason for that And yet to say the truth reason and loue keepe little company together now a daies The more the pitty that some honest neighbours will not make them
friends Nay I can gleeke vpon occasion Tyta. Thou art as wise as thou art beautifull Bott Not so neither but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood I haue enough to serue mine owe turne Tyta. Out of this wood doe not desire to goe Thou shalt remaine here whether thou wilt or no. I am a spirit of no common rate The Sommer still doth tend vpon my state And I doe loue thee therefore goe with mee I le 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 ayery spirit goe Pease-blossome Cobweb Moth and Mustard-seede Enter foure Fairyes Fairies Readie and I and I and I. Where shall we goe Tita. Be kinde and curteous to this gentleman Hop in his walkes and gambole in his eyes Feede him with Apricocks and Dewberries With purple Grapes greene figges and Mulberries The hony bagges steale from the humble Bees And for night tapers croppe their waxen thighes And light them at the fiery Glowe-wormes eyes To haue my loue to bedde and to arise And pluck the wings from painted Butterflies To fanne the Moone-beames from his sleeping eyes 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 worshippes name Cob. Cobwebbe Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance good master Cobweb if I cut my finger I shall make bolde with you Your name honest gentleman Pea. Pease-blossome Bot. I pray you commend mee to mistresse Squash your mother and to master Peascod your father Good master Pease-blossome I shall desire you of more acquaintance to Your name I beseech you sir Must. Mustardseede Bot. Good master Mustardseede I know your patience woll That same cowardly gyantlike Ox-beefe hath deuourd 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 Mustardseede Tita. Come waite vpon him leade him to my bower The Moone me thinkes lookes with a watry eye And when shee weepes weepes euery little flower Lamenting some enforced chastitie Ty vp my louers tongue bring him silently Exit Enter King of Fairies and Robin goodfellow Ob. I wonder if Titania be awak't Then what it was that next came in her eye Which she must dote on in extreamitie Here comes my messenger How now mad spirit What night rule now about this haunted groue Puck My mistresse 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 stalles Were met together to rehearse a play Intended for great Theseus nuptiall day The shallowest thickskinne of that barraine sort Who Pyramus presented in their sport Forsooke his Scene and entred in a brake VVhen I did him at this aduantage take An Asses nole I fixed on his head Anon his Thisbie must be answered And forth my Minnick comes When they him spy As wilde geese that the creeping Fouler eye Or russet pated choughes many in sort Rysing and cawing at the gunnes report Seuer themselues and madly sweepe the sky So at his sight away his fellowes fly And at our stampe here ore and ore one falles He murther cryes and helpe from Athens cals Their sense thus weake lost with their feares thus strong Made senselesse things begin to doe them wrong For briers 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 Pyramus translated there When in that moment so it came to passe Tytania wak't and straight way lou'd an Asse Ob. This falles out better then I could deuise But hast thou yet latcht the Athenians eyes With the loue iuice as I did 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 ey'd Enter Demetrius and Hermia Ob. Stand close this is the same Athenian Rob. This is the woman but not this the man Demet. 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 staine Lysander in his sleepe Being ore shooes in blood plunge in the deepe kill mee to The Sunne was not so true vnto the day As hee to mee Would hee haue stollen away Frow sleeping Hermia I le beleeue as soone This whole earth may be bor'd 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 grimme Dem. So should the murthered looke and so should I Pearst through the heart with your sterne cruelty Yet you the murtherer looke as bright as cleere As yonder Venus in her glimmering spheare Her What 's this to my Lysander Where is hee Ah good Demetrius wilt thou giue him mee Deme. I had rather giue his carcasse to my hounds Her Out dog out curre thou driu'st me past the bounds Of maidens patience Hast thou slaine him then Henceforth be neuer numbred among men O once tell true tell true euen for my sake Durst thou haue lookt vpon him being awake And hast thou kild him sleeping O braue tutch Could not a worme an Adder do so much An Adder did it For with doubler tongue Then thyne thou serpent neuer Adder stung Deme. You spende your passion on a mispris'd mood I am not guilty of Lysanders bloode Nor is he deade for ought that I can tell Her I pray thee tell mee then that he is well De. And if I could what should I get therefore Her A priuiledge neuer to see mee more And from thy hated presence part I see me no more Whether he be dead or no. Exit Deme. There is no following her in this fierce vaine Heere therefore for a while I will remaine So sorrowes heauinesse doth heauier growe For debt that bankrout flippe doth sorrow owe Which now in some slight measure it will pay If for his tender here I make some stay Ly doune Ob. What hast thou done Thou hast mistaken quite And laid the loue iuice on some true loues sight Of thy misprision must perforce ensue Some true loue turnd and not a false turnd true Robi Then fate orerules 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 blood deare By some illusion see thou bring her here I le charme his eyes against she doe
and prooue it to Dem. Quick come Her Lysander whereto tends all this Lys. Away you Ethiop Dem. No no hee le Seeme to breake loose take on as you would follow But yet come not You are a tame man go Lys. Hang of thou cat thou bur vile thing let loose Or I will shake thee from mee 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 medcine ô hated potion hence Her Doe you not ieast Hel. Yes sooth and so doe 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 I le not trust your word Lys. What should I hurt her strike her kill her dead Although I hate her I le not harme her so Her What Can you do me greater harme then hate Hate mee 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 mee yet since night you left mee Why then you left mee ô the gods forbid In earnest shall I say Lys. I by my life And neuer did desire to see thee more Thefore be out of hope of question of doubt Be certaine nothing truer t is no ieast That I doe hate thee and loue Helena Her O mee you iuggler you canker blossome You theefe of loue what haue you come by night And stolne my loues heart from him Hel. Fine I faith Haue you no modesty no maiden shame No touch of bashfulnesse What will you teare Impatient answeres from my gentle tongue Fy fy you counterfait 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 preuaild with him And are you growne so high in his esteeme Because I am so dwarfish and so lowe How lowe am I thou painted May-pole Speake How lowe am I I am not yet so lowe But that my nailes can reach vnto thine eyes Hel. I pray you though you mocke me gentleman Let her not hurt me I was neuer curst I haue no gift at all in shrewishnesse I am a right maid for my cowardize Let her not strike mee 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 mee I euermore did loue you Hermia Did euer keepe your counsels neuer wrongd you Saue that in loue vnto Demetrius I tould him of your stealth vnto this wood He followed you for loue I followed him But he hath chid me hence and threatned mee To strike mee spurne mee nay to kill mee to And now so you will let me quiet goe To Athens will I beare my folly backe And follow you no further Let me goe You see how simple and how fond I am Herm. Why get you gon Who i st that hinders you Hel. A foolish heart that I leaue here behind Her What with Lysander Hel. With Demetrius Lys. Be not afraid she shall not harme thee Helena Deme. No sir she shall not though you take her part Hel. O when she is 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 hut low and little Why will you suffer her to floute me thus Let me come to her Lys. Get you gon you dwarfe You minimus of hindring knot grasse made You bead you acorne Deme 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 shewe of loue to her Thou shalt aby it Lys. Now she holdes me not Now follow if thou dat'st to try whose right Of thine or mine is most in Helena Deme. Follow Nay I le go with thee cheeke by iowle Her You mistresse all this coyle is long of you Nay goe not backe Hel. I will not trust you I Nor longer stay in your curst company Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray My legges are longer though to runne away Her I am amaz'd and know not what to say Exeunt Ob. This is thy negligence still thou mistak'st Or else commitst thy knaueries wilfully Puck Beleeue mee king of shadowes I mistooke Did not you tell mee I should know the man By the Athenian garments he had on And so farr eblamelesse prooues my enterprise That I haue nointed an Athenians eyes 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 Hy therefore Robin ouercast the night The starry welkin couer thou anon With drooping fogge as blacke as Acheron And lead these teasty 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 lead them thus Till ore their browes death-counterfaiting sleepe With leaden legs and Batty wings doth creepe Then crush this hearbe into Lysanders eye Whose liquor hath this vertuous property To take from thence all errour with his might And make his eyebals roule with wonted sight When they next wake all this derision Shall seeme a dreame and fruitelesse vision And backe to Athens shall the louers wend With league whose date till death shall neuer end Whiles I in this affaire doe thee imploy I le to my Queene and beg her Indian boy And then I will her charmed eye release From monsters viewe and all things shall be peace Puck My Faiery Lord this must be done with haste For nights swift Dragons cut the clouds full fast And yonder shines Auroras harbinger At whose approach Ghosts wandring here and there Troope home to Churchyards damned spirits all That in crosse waies and floods haue buriall Already to their wormy beds are gone For feare least day should looke their shames vpon They wilfully themselues exile from light And must for aye consort with black browed night Ober. 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 fiery red Opening on Neptune with faire blessed beames Turnes into yellow golde his salt greene streames But notwithstanding haste make no delay We may effect this businesse yet ere day Pu. Vp down vp down I will lead them vp down I am feard in field town Goblin lead them vp downe Here comes one Enter Lysander Lys. Where art thou proud Demetrius Speak thou now Rob. Here villaine drawne ready Where art thou Lys. I will be with thee straight Rob. Follow me then to plainer ground Enter