Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Suzanne Westfall
Not Peer Reviewed

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)

A Midsommer nightes dreame.
Then crush this hearbe into Lysanders eye;
Whose liquor hath this vertuous property,
To take from thence all errour, with his might,
1410And make his eyebals roule with wonted sight.
When they next wake, all this derision
Shall seeme a dreame, and fruitelesse vision.
And backe to Athens shall the louers wend,
With league, whose date, till death shall neuer end.
1415Whiles I, in this affaire, doe thee imploy,
Ile to my Queene and beg her Indian boy:
And then I will her charmed eye release
From monsters viewe, and all things shall be peace.
Puck. My Faiery Lord, this must be done with haste.
1420For nights swift Dragons cut the clouds full fast,
And yonder shines Auroras harbinger:
At whose approach, Ghosts, wandring here and there,
Troope home to Churchyards: damned spirits all,
That in crosse waies and floods haue buriall,
1425Already to their wormy beds are gone:
For feare least day should looke their shames vpon,
They wilfully themselues exile from light,
And must for aye consort with black browed night.
Ober. But we are spirits of another sort.
1430I, with the mornings loue, haue oft made sport,
And like a forrester, the groues may tread
Euen till the Easterne gate all fiery red,
Opening on Neptune, with faire blessed beames,
Turnes, into yellow golde, his salt greene streames.
1435But notwithstanding, haste, make no delay:
We may effect this businesse, yet ere day.
Pu. Vp & down, vp & down, I will lead them vp & down:
I am feard in field & town. Goblin, lead them vp & downe.
Here comes one. Enter Lysander.
Lys Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now.
Rob. Here villaine, drawne & ready. Where art thou?
Lys.