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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    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.
    650Enter 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,
    655To 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 Hedgehogges be not seene,
    Newts and blindewormes do no wrong,
    Come not neere our Fairy Queene.
    Philomele, with melody,
    665Sing 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.
    6701. 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.
    6752. Fai. Hence away: now all is well:
    One aloofe, stand Centinell.
    EnterOberon.
    Ob. What thou seest, when thou doest wake,
    Doe it for thy true loue take:
    680Loue and langui} for his sake.
    Be it Ounce, or Catte, or Beare,
    Pard,