1022Ob. I wonder if Titania be awak't;

1023Then what it was that next came in her eye,

1024Which she must dote on, in extremitie.

1026Here comes my messenger: how now mad spirit,

1027What night-rule now about this gaunted groue?

1028Puck. My Mistris with a monster is in loue,

1029Neere to her close and consecrated bower,

1030While she was in her dull and sleeping hower,

1031A crew of patches, rude Mcehanicals,

1032That worke for bread vpon Athenian stals,

1033Were met together to rehearse a Play,

1034Intended for great Theseus nuptiall day:

1035The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,

1036Who Piramus presented, in their sport,

1037Forsooke his Scene, and entred in a brake,

1038When I did him at this aduantage take,

1039An Asses nole I fixed on his head.

1040Anon his Thisbie must be answered,

1041And forth my Mimmick comes: when they him spie,

1042As Wilde-geese, that the creeping Fowler eye,

1043Or russed-pated choughes, many in sort

1044(Rising and cawing at the guns report)

1045Seuer themselues, and madly sweepe the skye:

1046So at his sight, away his fellowes flye,

1047And at our stampe, here ore and ore one fals;

1048He murther cries, and helpe from Athens cals.

1049Their sense thus weake, lost with their feares thus strong,

1050Made senselesse things begin to do them wrong.

1051For briars and thornes at their apparell snatch,

1052Some sleeues, some hats, from yeelders all things catch,

1053I led them on in this distracted feare,

1054And left sweete Piramus translated there:

1055When in that moment (so it came to passe)

1056Tytania waked, and straightway lou'd an Asse.

1057Ob. This fals out better then I could deuise:

1058But hast thou yet lacht the Athenians eyes,

1059With the loue iuyce, as I bid thee doe?

1060Rob. I tooke him sleeping (that is finisht to)

1061And the Athenian woman by his side,

1062That when he wak't, of force she must be eyde.

1064Ob. Stand close, this is the same Athenian.

1065Rob. This is the woman, but not this the man.

1066Dem. O why rebuke you him that loues you so?

1067Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

1068Her. Now I but chide, but I should vse thee worse.

1069For thou (I feare) hast giuen me cause to curse,

1070If thou hast slaine Lysander in his sleepe,

1071Being oreshooes in bloud, plunge in the deepe, and kill

1072me too:

1073The Sunne was not so true vnto the day,

1074As he to me. Would he haue stollen away,

1075From sleeping Hermia? Ile beleeue as soone

1076This whole earth may be bord, and that the Moone

1077May through the Center creepe, and so displease

1078Her brothers noonetide, with th' Antipodes.

1079It cannot be but thou hast murdred him,

1080So should a mutrherer looke, so dead, so grim.

1081Dem. So should the murderer looke, and so should I,

1082Pierst through the heart with your stearne cruelty:

1083Yet you the murderer looks as bright as cleare,

1084As yonder Venus in her glimmering spheare.

1085Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he?

1086Ah good Demetrius, wilt thou giue him me?

1087Dem. I'de rather giue his carkasse to my hounds.

1088Her. Out dog, out cur, thou driu'st me past the bounds

1089Of maidens patience. Hast thou slaine him then?

1090Henceforth be neuer numbred among men.

1091Oh, once tell true, euen for my sake,

1092Durst thou a lookt vpon him, being awake?

1093And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O braue tutch:

1094Could not a worme, an Adder do so much?

1095An Adder did it: for with doubler tongue

1096Then thine (thou serpent) neuer Adder stung.

1097Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood,

1098I am not guiltie of Lysanders blood:

1099Nor is he dead for ought that I can tell.

1100Her. I pray thee tell me then that he is well.

1101Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore?

1102Her. A priuiledge, neuer to see me more;

1103And from thy hated presence part I: see me no more

1104Whether he be dead or no. Exit.

1105Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vaine,

1106Here therefore for a while I will remaine.

1107So sorrowes heauinesse doth heauier grow:

1108For debt that bankrout slip doth sorrow owe,

1109Which now in some slight measure it will pay,

N5 If

1110If for his tender here I make some stay. Lie downe.

1111Ob. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite

1112And laid the loue iuyce on some true loues sight:

1113Of thy misprision, must perforce ensue

1114Some true loue turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.

1115Rob. Then fate ore-rules, that one man holding troth,

1116A million faile, confounding oath on oath.

1117Ob. About the wood, goe swifter then the winde,

1118And Helena of Athens looke thou finde.

1119All fancy sicke she is, and pale of cheere,

1120With sighes of loue, that costs the fresh bloud deare.

1121By some illusion see thou bring her heere,

1122Ile charme his eyes against she doth appeare.

1123Robin. I go, I go, looke how I goe,

1124Swifter then arrow from the Tartars bowe. Exit.

1125Ob. Flower of this purple die,

1126Hit with Cupids archery,

1127Sinke in apple of his eye,

1128When his loue he doth espie,

1129Let her shine as gloriously

1130As the Venus of the sky.

1131When thou wak'st if she be by,

1132Beg of her for remedy.

1134Puck. Captaine of our Fairy band,

1135Helena is heere at hand,

1136And the youth, mistooke by me,

1137Pleading for a Louers fee.

1138Shall we their fond Pageant see?

1139Lord, what fooles these mortals be!

1140Ob. Stand aside: the noyse they make,

1141Will cause Demetrius to awake.

1142Puck. Then will two at once wooe one,

1143That must needs be sport alone:

1144And those things doe best please me,

1145That befall preposterously.

1147Lys. Why should you think y^t I should wooe in scorn?

1148Scorne and derision neuer comes in teares:

1149Looke when I vow I weepe; and vowes so borne,

1150In their natiuity all truth appeares.

1151How can these things in me, seeme scorne to you?

1152Bearing the badge of faith to proue them true.

1153Hel. You doe aduance your cunning more & more,

1154When truth kils truth, O diuelish holy fray!

1155These vowes are Hermias. Will you giue her ore?

1156Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh.

1157Your vowes to her, and me, (put in two scales)

1158Will euen weigh, and both as light as tales.

1159Lys. I had no iudgement, when to her I swore.

1160Hel. Nor none in my minde, now you giue her ore.

1161Lys. Demetrius loues her, and he loues not you. Awa.

1162Dem. O Helen, goddesse, nimph, perfect, diuine,

1163To what my, loue, shall I compare thine eyne!

1164Christall is muddy, O how ripe in show,

1165Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!

1166That pure congealed white, high Tauruss now,

1167Fan'd with the Easterne winde, turnes to a crow,

1168When thou holdst vp thy hand. O let me kisse

1169This Princesse of pure white, this seale of blisse.

1170Hell. O spight! O hell! I see you are all bent

1171To set against me, for your merriment:

1172If you were ciuill, and knew curtesie,

1173You would not doe me thus much iniury.

1174Can you not hate me, as I know you doe,

1175But you must ioyne in soules to mocke me to?

1176If you are men, as men you are in show,

1177You would not vse a gentle Lady so;

1178To vow, and sweare, and superpraise my parts,

1179When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.

1180You both are Riuals, and loue Hermia;

1181And now both Riuals to mocke Helena.

1182A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,

1183To coniure teares vp in a poore maids eyes,

1184With your derision; none of noble sort,

1185Would so offend a Virgin, and extort

1186A poore soules patience, all to make you sport.

1187Lysa. You are vnkind Demetrius; be not so,

1188For you loue Hermia; this you know I know;

1189And here with all good will, with all my heart,

1190In Hermias loue I yeeld you vp my part;

1191And yours of Helena, to me bequeath,

1192Whom I do loue, and will do to my death.

1193Hel. Neuer did mockers wast more idle breth.

1194Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia, I will none:

1195If ere I lou'd her, all that loue is gone.

1196My heart to her, but as guest-wise soiourn'd,

1197And now to Helen it is home return'd,

1198There to remaine.

1199Lys. It is not so.

1200De. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,

1201Lest to thy perill thou abide it deare.

1202Looke where thy Loue comes, yonder is thy deare.

1204Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,

1205The eare more quicke of apprehension makes,

1206Wherein it doth impaire the seeing sense,

1207It paies the hearing double recompence.

1208Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander found,

1209Mine eare (I thanke it) brought me to that sound.

1210But why vnkindly didst thou leaue me so?

1211Lysan. Why should hee stay whom Loue doth presse (to go?

1212Her. What loue could presse Lysander from my side?

1213Lys. Lysanders loue (that would not let him bide)

1214Faire Helena; who more engilds the night,

1215Then all yon fierie oes, and eies of light.

1216Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know,

1217The hate I bare thee, made me leaue thee so?

1218Her. You speake not as you thinke; it cannot be.

1219Hel. Loe, she is one of this confederacy,

1220Now I perceiue they haue conioyn'd all three,

1221To fashion this false sport in spight of me.

1222Iniurous Hermia, most vngratefull maid,

1223Haue you conspir'd, haue you with these contriu'd

1224To baite me, with this foule derision?

1225Is all the counsell that we two haue shar'd,

1226The sisters vowes, the houres that we haue spent,

1227When wee haue chid the hasty footed time,

1228For parting vs; O, is all forgot?

1229All schooledaies friendship, child-hood innocence?

1230We Hermia, like two Artificiall gods,

1231Haue with our needles, created both one flower,

1232Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

1233Both warbling of one song, both in one key;

1234As if our hands, our sides, voices, and mindes

1235Had beene incorporate. So we grew together,

1236Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,

1237But yet a vnion in partition,

1238Two louely berries molded on one stem,

1239So with two seeming bodies, but one heart,

1240Two of the first life coats in Heraldry,

1241Due but to one and crowned with one crest.

1242And will you rent our ancient loue asunder,

1243To ioyne with men in scorning your poore friend?

1244It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly.

1245Our sexe as well as I, may chide you for it,

1246Though I alone doe feele the iniurie.

1247Her. I am amazed at your passionate words,

1248I scorne you not; It seemes that you scorne me.

1249Hel. Haue you not set Lysander, as in scorne

1250To follow me, and praise my eies and face?

1251And made your other loue, Demetrius

1252(Who euen but now did spurne me with his foote)

1253To call me goddesse, nimph, diuine, and rare,

1254Precious, celestiall? Wherefore speakes he this

1255To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander

1256Denie your loue (so rich within his soule)

1257And tender me (forsooth) affection,

1258But by your setting on, by your consent?

1259What though I be not so in grace as you,

1260So hung vpon with loue, so fortunate?

1261(But miserable most, to loue vnlou'd)

1262This you should pittie, rather then despise.

1263Her. I vnderstand not what you meane by this.

1264Hel. I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes,

1265Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe,

1266Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp:

1267This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

1268If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners,

1269You would not make me such an argument:

1270But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault,

1271Which death or absence soone shall remedie.

1272Lys. Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse,

1273My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena.

1274Hel. O excellent!

1275Her. Sweete, do not scorne her so.

1276Dem. If she cannot entreate, I can compell.

1277Lys. Thou canst compell, no more then she entreate.

1278Thy threats haue no more strength then her weak praise.

1279Helen, I loue thee, by my life I doe;

1280I sweare by that which I will lose for thee,

1281To proue him false, that saies I loue thee not.

1282Dem. I say, I loue thee more then he can do.

1283Lys. If thou say so, with-draw and proue it too.

1284Dem. Quick, come.

1285Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this?

1286Lys. Away, you Ethiope.

1287Dem. No, no, Sir, seeme to breake loose;

1288Take on as you would follow,

1289But yet come not: you are a tame man, go.

1290Lys. Hang off thou cat, thou bur; vile thing let loose,

1291Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.

1292Her. Why are you growne so rude?

1293What change is this sweete Loue?

1294Lys. Thy loue? out tawny Tartar, out;

1295Out loathed medicine; O hated poison hence.

1296Her. Do you not iest?

1297Hel. Yes sooth, and so do you.

1298Lys. Demetrius: I will keepe my word with thee.

1299Dem. I would I had your bond: for I perceiue

1300A weake bond holds you; Ile not trust your word.

1301Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?

1302Although I hate her, Ile not harme her so.

1303Her. What, can you do me greater harme then hate?

1304Hate me, wherefore? O me, what newes my Loue?

1305Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?

1306I am as faire now, as I was ere while.

1307Since night you lou'dme; yet since night you left me.

1308Why then you left me (O the gods forbid

1309In earnest, shall I say?

1310Lys. I, by my life;

1311And neuer did desire to see thee more.

1312Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;

1313Be certaine, nothing truer: 'tis no iest,

1314That I doe hate thee, and loue Helena.

1315Her. O me, you iugler, you canker blossome,

1316You theefe of loue; What, haue you come by night,

1317And stolne my loues heart from him?

1318Hel. Fine yfaith:

1319Haue you no modesty, no maiden shame,

1320No touch of bashfulnesse? What, will you teare

1321Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?

1322Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you.

1323Her. Puppet? why so? I, that way goes the game.

1324Now I perceiue that she hath made compare

1325Betweene our statures, she hath vrg'd her height,

1326And with her personage, her tall personage,

1327Her height (forsooth) she hath preuail'd with him.

1328And are you growne so high in his esteeme,

1329Because I am so dwarfish, and so low?

1330How low am I, thou painted May-pole? Speake,

1331How low am I? I am not yet so low,

1332But that my nailes can reach vnto thine eyes.

1333Hel. I pray you though you mocke me, gentlemen,

1334Let her not hurt me; I was neuer curst:

1335I haue no gift at all in shrewishnesse;

1336I am a right maide for my cowardize;

1337Let her not strike me: you perhaps may thinke,

1338Because she is something lower then my selfe,

1339That I can match her.

1340Her. Lower? harke againe.

1341Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me,

1342I euermore did loue you Hermia,

1343Did euer keepe your counsels, neuer wronged you,

1344Saue that in loue vnto Demetrius,

1345I told him of your stealth vnto this wood.

1346He followed you, for loue I followed him,

1347But he hath chid me hence, and threatned me

1348To strike me, spurne me, nay to kill me too;

1349And now, so you will let me quiet go,

1350To Athens will I beare my folly backe,

1351And follow you no further. Let me go.

1352You see how simple, and how fond I am.

1353Her. Why get you gone: who ist that hinders you?

1354Hel. A foolish heart, that I leaue here behinde.

1355Her. What, with Lysander?

1356Her. With Demetrius.

1357Lys. Be not afraid, she shall not harme thee Helena.

1358Dem. No sir, she shall not, though you take her part.

1359Hel. O when she's angry, she is keene and shrewd,

1360She was a vixen when she went to schoole,

1361And though she be but little, she is fierce.

1362Her. Little againe? Nothing but low and little?

1363Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?

1364Let me come to her.

1365Lys. Get you gone you dwarfe,

1366You minimus, of hindring knot-grasse made,

1367You bead, you acorne.

1368Dem. You are too officious,

1369In her behalfe that scornes your seruices.

N6 Let

1370Let her alone, speake not of Helena,

1371Take not her part. For if thou dost intend

1372Neuer so little shew of loue to her,

1373Thou shalt abide it.

1374Lys. Now she holds me not,

1375Now follow if thou dar'st, to try whose right,

1376Of thine or mine is most in Helena.

1377Dem. Follow? Nay, Ile goe with thee cheeke by

1378iowle. Exit Lysander and Demetrius.

1379Her. You Mistris, all this coyle is long of you.

1380Nay, goe not backe.

1381Hel. I will not trust you I,

1382Nor longer stay in your curst companie.

1383Your hands then mine, are quicker for a fray,

1384My legs are longer though to runne away.

1386Ob. This is thy negligence, still thou mistak'st,

1387Or else committ'st thy knaueries willingly.

1388Puck. Beleeue me, King of shadowes, I mistooke,

1389Did not you tell me, I should know the man,

1390By the Athenian garments he hath on?

1391And so farre blamelesse proues my enterprize,

1392That I haue nointed an Athenians eies,

1393And so farre am I glad, it so did sort,

1394As this their iangling I esteeme a sport.

1395Ob. Thou seest these Louers seeke a place to fight,

1396Hie therefore Robin, ouercast the night,

1397The starrie Welkin couer thou anon,

1398With drooping fogge as blacke as Acheron,

1399And lead these testie Riuals so astray,

1400As one come not within anothers way.

1401Like to Lysander, sometime frame thy tongue,

1402Then stirre Demetrius vp with bitter wrong;

1403And sometime raile thou like Demetrius;

1404And from each other looke thou leade them thus,

1405Till ore their browes, death-counterfeiting, sleepe

1406With leaden legs, and Battie-wings doth creepe:

1407Then crush this hearbe into Lysanders eie,

1408Whose liquor hath this vertuous propertie,

1409To take from thence all error, with his might,

1410And make his eie-bals role with wonted sight.

1411When they next wake, all this derision

1412Shall seeme a dreame, and fruitlesse vision,

1413And backe to Athens shall the Louers wend

1414With league, whose date till death shall neuer end.

1415Whiles I in this affaire do thee imply,

1416Ile to my Queene, and beg her Indian Boy;

1417And then I will her charmed eie release

1418From monsters view, and all things shall be peace.

1419Puck. My Fairie Lord, this must be done with haste,

1420For night-swift Dragons cut the Clouds full fast,

1421And yonder shines Auroras harbinger;

1422At whose approach Ghosts wandring here and there,

1423Troope home to Church-yards; damned spirits all,

1424That in crosse-waies and flouds haue buriall,

1425Alreadie to their wormie beds are gone;

1426For feare least day should looke their shames vpon,

1427They wilfully themselues dxile from light,

1428And must for aye consort with blacke browd night.

1429Ob. But we are spirits of another sort:

1430I, with the mornings loue haue oft made sport,

1431And like a Forrester, the groues may tread,

1432Euen till the Easterne gate all fierie red,

1433Opening on Neptune, with faire blessed beames,

1434Turnes into yellow gold, his salt greene streames.

1435But notwithstanding haste, make no delay:

1436We may effect this businesse, yet ere day.

1437Puck. Vp and downe, vp and downe, I will leade

1438them vp and downe: I am fear'd in field and towne.

1439Goblin, lead them vp and downe: here comes one.

1441Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius?

1442Speake thou now.

1443Rob. Here villaine, drawne & readie. Where art thou?

1444Lys. I will be with thee straight.

1445Rob. Follow me then to plainer ground.

1447Dem. Lysander, speake againe;

1448Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?

1449Speake in some bush: Where dost thou hide thy head?

1450Rob. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

1451Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,

1452And wilt not come? Come recreant, come thou childe,

1453Ile whip thee with a rod. He is defil'd

1454That drawes a sword on thee.

1455Dem. Yea, art thou there?

1456Ro. Follow my voice, we'l try no manhood here. Exit.

1457Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me on,

1458When I come where he cals, then he's gone.

1459The villaine is much lighter heel'd then I:

1460I followed fast, but faster he did flye; shifting places.

1461That fallen am I in darke vneuen way,

1462And here wil rest me. Come thou gentle day: lye down.

1463For if but once thou shew me thy gray light,

1464Ile finde Demetrius, and reuenge this spight.

1466Rob. Ho, ho, ho; coward, why com'st thou not?

1467Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st. For well I wot,

1468Thou runst before me, shifting euery place,

1469And dar'st not stand, nor looke me in the face.

1470Where art thou?

1471Rob. Come hither, I am here.

1472Dem. Nay then thou mock'st me; thou shalt buy this

1473deere,

1474If euer I thy face by day-light see.

1475Now goe thy way: faintnesse constraineth me,

1476To measure out my length on this cold bed,

1477By daies approach looke to be visited.

1479Hel. O weary night, O long and tedious night,

1480Abate thy houres, shine comforts from the East,

1481That I may backe to Athens by day-light,

1482From these that my poore companie detest;

1483And sleepe that sometime shuts vp sorrowes eie,

1484Steale me a while from mine owne companie. Sleepe.

1485Rob. Yet but three? Come one more,

1486Two of both kindes makes vp foure.

1487Here she comes, curst and sad,

1488Cupid is a knauish lad,

1490Thus to make poore females mad.

1491Her. Neuer so wearie, neuer so in woe,

1492Bedabbled with the dew, and torne with briars,

1493I can no further crawle, no further goe;

1494My legs can keepe no pace with my desires.

1495Here will I rest me till the breake of day,

1496Heauens shield Lysander, if they meane a fray.

1497Rob. On the ground sleepe sound,

1498Ile apply your eie gentle louer, remedy.

1499When thou wak'st, thou tak'st

1500True delight in the sight of thy former Ladies eye,

1501And the Country Prouerb knowne,

1502That euery man should take his owne,

1503In your waking shall be showne.

1504Iacke shall haue Iill, nought shall goe ill.

1505The man shall haue his Mare againe, and all shall bee

1506well.