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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    How answere you that?
    825Snout. 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
    830do 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
    835written 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.
    840Bot. 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.
    845Sno. 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;
    850Ladies, or faire Ladies, I would wish you, or I would re-
    quest 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,
    855and 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?
    Bot.