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  • Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Suzanne Westfall
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-465-3

    Copyright Suzanne Westfall. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Suzanne Westfall
    Not Peer Reviewed

    A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)

    A Midsommer nightes dreame.
    Tom Snowte, the Tinker?
    325Snowt. Here Peter Quince.
    Quin. You, Pyramus father; my selfe, Thisbies father;
    Snugge, the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: And I hope here
    is a Play fitted.
    Snug. Haue you the Lyons part written? Pray you, if it
    330bee, giue it mee: for I am slowe of studie.
    Quin. You may doe it, extempore: for it is nothing but
    roaring.
    Bott. Let mee play the Lyon to. I will roare, that I will
    doe any mans heart good to heare mee. I will roare, that
    335I will make the Duke say; Let him roare againe: let him
    roare againe.
    Quin. And you should do it too terribly, you would fright
    the Dutchesse, and the Ladies, that they would shrike: and
    that were inough to hang vs all.
    340All. That would hang vs, euery mothers sonne.
    Bot. I grant you, friends, if you should fright the Ladies
    out of their wits, they would haue no more discretion, but
    to hang vs: but I will aggrauate my voice so, that I wil
    roare you as gently, as any sucking doue: I will roare you,
    345and 'twere any Nightingale.
    Quin. You can play no part but Piramus: for Piramus is a
    sweete fac't man; a proper man as one shall see in a som-
    mers day; a most louely gentlemanlike man: therefore
    350you must needes play Piramus.
    Bot. Well: I will vndertake it. What beard were I best
    to play it in?
    Quin. Why? what you will.
    Bot. I wil discharge it, in either your straw colour beard,
    355your Orange tawnie bearde, your purple in graine beard,
    or your french crowne colour beard, your perfit yellow.
    Quin. Some of your french crownes haue no haire at all;
    and then you will play bare fac't. But maisters here are
    360your parts, and I am to intreat you, request you, and desire
    you