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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Fairies. Readie: and I, and I, and I. Where shall we goe?
    Tita. Be kinde and curteous to this gentleman,
    Hop in his walkes, and gambole in his eyes,
    Feede him with Apricocks, and Dewberries,
    985With purple Grapes, greene figges, and Mulberries,
    The hony bagges steale from the humble Bees,
    And for night tapers, croppe their waxen thighes,
    And light them at the fiery Glowe-wormes eyes,
    To haue my loue to bedde, and to arise,
    990And pluck the wings, from painted Butterflies,
    To fanne the Moone-beames from his sleeping eyes,
    Nod to him Elues, and doe him curtesies.
    1. Fai. Haile mortall, haile.
    2. Fai. Haile.
    9953. Fai. Haile.
    Bot. I cry your worships mercy, hartily: I beseech your
    worshippes name.
    Cob. Cobwebbe.
    Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good ma-
    1000ster Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bolde with
    you. Your name honest gentleman?
    Pea. Pease-blossome.
    Bot. I pray you commend mee to mistresse Squash, your
    1005mother, and to master Peascod, your father. Good master
    Pease-blossome, I shall desire you of more acquaintance,
    to. Your name I beseech you sir?
    Must. Mustardseede.
    1010Bot. Good master Mustardseede, I know your patience
    woll. That same cowardly, gyantlike, Ox-beefe hath de-
    uourd many a gentleman of your house. I promise you,
    your kindred hath made my eyes water, ere now. I desire
    you more acquaintance, good master Mustardseede.
    Tita. Come waite vpon him: leade him to my bower.
    The Moone, me thinkes, lookes with a watry eye:
    And when shee weepes, weepes euery little flower,
    Lamen-