A Midsommer nightes dreame.
6563Her. I would my father lookt but with my eyes.
6664The. Rather your eyes mu
st, with his iudgement, looke,
6765Her. I doe intreat your grace, to pardon mee.
6866I know not by what power, I am made bould;
6967Nor how it may concerne my mode
sty,
7068In
such a pre
sence, here to plead my thoughts:
7169But I be
seech your Grace, that I may knowe
7270The wor
st that may befall mee in this ca
se,
7371If I refu
se to wed
Demetrius.
7472The. Either to dy the death, or to abiure,
7573For euer, the
society of men.
7674Therefore, faire
Hermia, que
stion your de
sires,
7775Knowe of your youth, examine well your blood,
7876Whether (if you yeelde not to your fathers choyce)
7977You can endure the liuery of a Nunne,
8078For aye to be in
shady cloy
ster, mew'd
8179To liue a barraine
sister all your life,
8280Chaunting faint hymnes, to the colde fruitle
sse Moone.
8381Thri
se ble
ssed they, that ma
ster
so there bloode,
8482To vndergoe
such maiden pilgrimage:
8583But earthlyer happy is the ro
se di
stild,
8684Then that, which, withering on the virgin thorne,
8785Growes, liues, and dies, in
single ble
ssedne
sse.
8886Her. So will I growe,
so liue,
so die my Lord,
8987Ere I will yield my virgin Patent, vp
9088Vnto his Lord
shippe, who
se vnwi
shed yoake
9189My
soule con
sents not to giue
souerainty.
9290The. Take time to paw
se, and by the next newe moone,
9391The
sealing day, betwixt my loue and mee,
9492For euerla
sting bond of fellow
shippe,
9593Vpon that day either prepare to dye,
9694For di
sobedience to your fathers will,
9795Or el
se to wed
Demetrius, as he would,
9896Or on
Dianaes altar to prote
st,
9997For aye, au
steritie and
single life.
Deme.