4NOw faire Hippolita, our nuptiall houre

5Drawes on apace: foure happy daies bring in

6Another Moon: but oh, me thinkes, how slow

7This old Moon wanes; She lingers my desires

8Like to a Step-dame, or a Dowager,

9Long withering out a yong mans reuennew.

10Hip. Foure daies wil quickly steep thẽselues in nights

11Foure nights wil quickly dreame away the time:

12And then the Moone, like to a siluer bow,

13Now bent in heauen, shal behold the night

14Of our solemnities.

15The. Go Philostrate,

16Stirre vp the Athenian youth to merriments,

17Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth,

18Turne melancholy forth to Funerals:

19The pale companion is not for our pompe,

20Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my sword,

21And wonne thy loue, doing thee iniuries:

22But I will wed thee in another key,

23With pompe, with triumph, and with reuelling.

26Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke.

27The. Thanks good Egeus: what's the news with thee?

28Ege. Full of vexation, come I, with complaint

29Against my childe, my daughter Hermia.

31My Noble Lord,

32This man hath my consent to marrie her.

34And my gracious Duke,

35This man hath bewitch'd the bosome of my childe:

36Thou, thou Lysander, thou hast giuen her rimes,

37And interchang'd loue-tokens with my childe:

38Thou hast by Moone-light at her window sung,

39With faining voice, verses of faining loue,

40And stolne the impression of her fantasie,

41With bracelets of thy haire, rings, gawdes, conceits,

42Knackes, trifles, Nose-gaies, sweet meats (messengers

43Of strong preuailment in vnhardned youth)

44With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughters heart,

45Turn'd her obedience (which is due to me)

46To stubborne harshnesse. And my gracious Duke,

47Be it so she will not heere before your Grace,

48Consent to marrie with Demetrius,

49I beg the ancient priuiledge of Athens;

50As she is mine, I may dispose of her;

51Which shall be either to this Gentleman,

52Or to her death, according to our Law,

53Immediately prouided in that case.

54The. What say you Hermia? be aduis'd faire Maide,

55To you your Father should be as a God;

56One that compos'd your beauties; yea and one

57To whom you are but as a forme in waxe

58By him imprinted: and within his power,

59To leaue the figure, or disfigure it:

60Demetrius is a worthy Gentleman.

61Her. So is Lysander.

62The. In himselfe he is.

63But in this kinde, wanting your fathers voyce.

64The other must be held the worthier.

65Her. I would my father look'd but with my eyes.

66The. Rather your eies must with his iudgment looke.

67Her. I do entreat your Grace to pardon me.

68I know not by what power I am made bold,

69Nor how it may concerne my modestie

70In such a presence heere to pleade my thoughts:

71But I beseech your Grace, that I may know

72The worst that may befall me in this case,

73If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

74The. Either to dye the death, or to abiure

75For euer the society of men.

76Therefore faire Hermia question your desires,

77Know of your youth, examine well your blood,

78Whether (if you yeeld not to your fathers choice)

79You can endure the liuerie of a Nunne,

80For aye to be in shady Cloister mew'd,

81To liue a barren sister all your life,

82Chanting faint hymnes to the cold fruitlesse Moone,

83Thrice blessed they that master so their blood,

84To vndergo such maiden pilgrimage,

85But earthlier happie is the Rose distil'd,

86Then that which withering on the virgin thorne,

87Growes, liues, and dies, in single blessednesse.