269265Quin. Is all our company heere?

270266Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by

271267man, according to the scrippe.

272268Quin. Here is the scrowle of euery mans name, which is

273269thought fit, through al Athens, to play in our Enterlude, be-

274270fore the Duke, & the Dutches, on his wedding day at night.

276271Bott. First good Peeter Quince, say what the Play treats on:

277272then read the names of the Actors: & so grow to a point.

279273Quin. Mary, our Play is the most lamentable comedy,

280274and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisby.

281275Bot. A very good peece of worke, I assure you, & a mer-

282276ry. Now good Peeter Quince, call forth your Actors, by the

283277scrowle. Masters, spreade your selues.

284278Quin. Answere, as I call you. Nick Bottom, the Weauer?

286279Bott. Readie: Name what part I am for, and proceede.

288280Quin. You, Nick Bottom are set downe for Pyramus.

290281Bott. What is Pyramus? A louer, or a tyrant?

291282Quin. A louer that kils himselfe, most gallant, for loue.

293283Bott. That will aske some teares in the true performing

294284of it. If I doe it, let the Audience looke to their eyes: I wil

295285mooue stormes: I will condole, in some measure. To the

296286rest yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could play Er-

297287cles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all split the

298288raging rocks: and shiuering shocks, shall breake the locks

299289of prison gates, and Phibbus carre shall shine from farre,

300290and make & marre the foolish Fates. This was loftie. Now,

301291name the rest of the Players. This is Ercles vaine, a tyrants

302292vaine: A louer is more condoling.

304293Quin. Francis Flute, the Bellowes mender?

305294Flu. Here Peeter Quince.

306295Quin. Flute, you must take Thisby, on you.

307296Flu. What is Thisby? A wandring knight?

308297Quin. It is the Lady, that Pyramus must loue.

309298Fl. Nay faith: let not me play a womā: I haue a beard cō-(ming.

311299Quin. Thats all one: you shall play it in a Maske: and you

312300may speake as small as you will.

313301Bott. And I may hide my face, let me play Thisby to: Ile

314302speake in a monstrous little voice; Thisne, Thisne, ah Py-,

315303ramus my louer deare, thy Thysby deare, & Lady deare.

317304Qu. No, no: you must play Pyramus: & Flute, you Thysby.

319305Bot. Well, proceede. Qui. Robin Starueling, the Tailer?

321306Star. Here Peeter Quince.

322307Quin. Robin Starueling, you must play Thysbyes mother:

324308Tom Snowte, the Tinker?

325309Snowt. Here Peter Quince.

326310Quin. You, Pyramus father; my selfe, Thisbies father;

327311Snugge, the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: And I hope here

328312is a Play fitted.

329313Snug. Haue you the Lyons part written? Pray you, if it

330314bee, giue it mee: for I am slowe of studie.

331315Quin. You may doe it, extempore: for it is nothing but

332316roaring.

333317Bott. Let mee play the Lyon to. I will roare, that I will

334318doe any mans heart good to heare mee. I will roare, that

335319I will make the Duke say; Let him roare againe: let him

336320roare againe.

337321Quin. And you should do it too terribly, you would fright

338322the Dutchesse, and the Ladies, that they would shrike: and

339323that were inough to hang vs all.

340324All. That would hang vs, euery mothers sonne.

341325Bot. I grant you, friends, if you should fright the Ladies

342326out of their wits, they would haue no more discretion, but

343327to hang vs: but I will aggrauate my voice so, that I wil

344328roare you as gently, as any sucking doue: I will roare you,

345329and 'twere any Nightingale.

347330Quin. You can play no part but Piramus: for Piramus is a

348331sweete fac't man; a proper man as one shall see in a som-

349332mers day; a most louely gentlemanlike man: therefore

350333you must needes play Piramus.

351334Bot. Well: I will vndertake it. What beard were I best

352335to play it in?

353336Quin. Why? what you will.

354337Bot. I wil discharge it, in either your straw colour beard,

355338your Orange tawnie bearde, your purple in graine beard,

356339or your french crowne colour beard, your perfit yellow.

358340Quin. Some of your french crownes haue no haire at all;

359341and then you will play bare fac't. But maisters here are

360342your parts, and I am to intreat you, request you, and desire

361343you, to con them by to morrow night: and meete me in

362344the palace wood, a mile without the towne, by Moone-

363345light; there will wee rehearse: for if wee meete in the city,

364346wee shal be dogd with company, and our deuises known.

365347In the meane time, I will draw a bill of properties, such as

366348our play wants. I pray you faile me not.

367349Bot. Wee will meete, & there we may rehearse most ob-

368350scenely and coragiously. Take paines, bee perfit: adieu.

370351Quin. At the Dukes oke wee meete.

371352Bot. Enough: holde, or cut bowstrings. Exeunt.