1022975Ob. I wonder if Titania be awak't;

1023976Then what it was, that next came in her eye,

1024977Which she must dote on, in extreamitie.

1026978Here comes my messenger. How now, mad spirit?

1027979What nightrule now about this haunted groue?

1028980Puck. My mistresse with a monster is in loue,

1029981Neere to her close and consecrated bower.

1030982While she was in her dull, and sleeping hower,

1031983A crew of patches, rude Mechanicals,

1032984That worke for bread, vpon Athenian stalles,

1033985Were met together to rehearse a play,

1034986Intended for great Theseus nuptiall day:

1035987The shallowest thickskinne, of that barraine sort,

1036988Who Pyramus presented, in their sport,

1037989Forsooke his Scene, and entred in a brake,

1038990VVhen I did him at this aduantage take:

1039991An Asses nole I fixed on his head.

1040992Anon his Thisbie must be answered,

1041993And forth my Minnick comes. When they him spy;

1042994As wilde geese, that the creeping Fouler eye,

1043995Or russet pated choughes, many in sort

1044996(Rysing, and cawing, at the gunnes report)

1045997Seuer themselues, and madly sweepe the sky:

1046998So, at his sight, away his fellowes fly,

1047999And at our stampe, here ore and ore, one falles:

10481000He murther cryes, and helpe from Athens cals.

10491001Their sense, thus weake, lost with their feares, thus strong,

10501002Made senselesse things begin to doe them wrong.

10511003For, briers and thornes, at their apparell, snatch:

10521004Some sleeues, some hats; from yeelders, all things catch.

10531005I led them on, in this distracted feare,

10541006And left sweete Pyramus translated there:

10551007When in that moment (so it came to passe)

10561008Tytania wak't, and straight way lou'd an Asse.

10571009Ob. This falles out better, then I could deuise.

10581010But hast thou yet latcht the Athenians eyes,

10591011With the loue iuice, as I did bid thee doe?

10601012Rob. I tooke him sleeping (that is finisht to)

10611013And the Athenian woman, by his side;

10621014That when he wak't, of force she must be ey'd.

10641016Ob. Stand close: this is the same Athenian.

10651017Rob. This is the woman: but not this the man.

10661018Demet. O, Why rebuke you him, that loues you so?

10671019Lay breath so bitter, on your bitter foe.

10681020Her. Now I but chide: but I should vse thee worse.

10691021For thou (I feare) hast giuen me cause to curse.

10701022If thou hast slaine Lysander, in his sleepe;

10711023Being ore shooes in blood, plunge in the deepe, & kill mee(to.

10731024The Sunne was not so true vnto the day,

10741025As hee to mee. Would hee haue stollen away,

10751026Frow sleeping Hermia? Ile beleeue, as soone,

10761027This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the Moone

10771028May through the Center creepe, and so displease

10781029Her brothers noonetide, with th' Antipodes.

10791030It cannot be, but thou hast murdred him.

10801031So should a murtherer looke; so dead, so grimme.

10811032Dem. So should the murthered looke, and so should I,

10821033Pearst through the heart, with your sterne cruelty.

10831034Yet you, the murtherer, looke as bright, as cleere,

10841035As yonder Venus, in her glimmering spheare.

10851036Her. Whats this to my Lysander? Where is hee?

10861037Ah good Demetrius, wilt thou giue him mee?

10871038Deme. I had rather giue his carcasse to my hounds.

10881039Her. Out dog, out curre: thou driu'st me past the bounds

10891040Of maidens patience. Hast thou slaine him then?

10901041Henceforth be neuer numbred among men.

10911042O, once tell true: tell true, euen for my sake:

10921043Durst thou haue lookt vpon him, being awake?

10931044And hast thou kild him, sleeping? O braue tutch!

10941045Could not a worme, an Adder do so much?

10951046An Adder did it: For with doubler tongue

10961047Then thyne (thou serpent) neuer Adder stung.

10971048Deme. You spende your passion, on a mispris'd mood:

10981049I am not guilty of Lysanders bloode:

10991050Nor is he deade, for ought that I can tell.

11001051Her. I pray thee, tell mee then, that he is well.

11011052De. And if I could, what should I get therefore?

11021053Her. A priuiledge, neuer to see mee more:

11031054And from thy hated presence part I: see me no more;

11041055Whether he be dead or no. Exit.

11051056Deme. There is no following her in this fierce vaine.

11061057Heere therefore, for a while, I will remaine.

11071058So sorrowes heauinesse doth heauier growe.

11081059For debt that bankrout slippe doth sorrow owe:

11091060Which now in some slight measure it will pay;

11101061If for his tender here I make some stay. Ly doune.

11111062Ob. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite,

11121063And laid the loue iuice on some true loues sight.

11131064Of thy misprision, must perforce ensue

11141065Some true loue turnd, and not a false turnd true.

11151066Robi. Then fate orerules, that one man holding troth,

11161067A million faile, confounding oath on oath.

11171068Ob. About the wood, goe swifter then the winde,

11181069And Helena of Athens looke thou finde.

11191070All fancy sicke she is and pale of cheere,

11201071With sighes of loue, that costs the fresh blood deare.

11211072By some illusion see thou bring her here:

11221073Ile charme his eyes, against she doe appeare.

11231074Robin. I goe, I goe, looke how I goe.

11241075Swifter then arrow, from the Tartars bowe.

11251076Ob. Flower of this purple dy,

11261077Hit with Cupids archery,

11271078Sinke in apple of his eye,

11281079When his loue he doth espy,

11291080Let her shine as gloriously

11301081As the Venus of the sky.

11311082When thou wak'st, if she be by,

11321083Begge of her, for remedy.

11341085Puck. Captaine of our Fairy band,

11351086Helena is heere at hande,

11361087And the youth, mistooke by mee,

11371088Pleading for a louers fee.

11381089Shall wee their fond pageant see?

11391090Lord, what fooles these mortals bee!

11401091Ob. Stand aside. The noyse, they make,

11411092Will cause Demetrius to awake.

11421093Pu. Then will two, at once, wooe one:

11431094That must needes be sport alone.

11441095And those things do best please mee,

11451096That befall prepost'rously.

11471098Lys. Why should you think, that I should wooe in scorne?

11481099Scorne, and derision, neuer come in teares.

11491100Looke when I vow, I weepe: and vowes so borne,

11501101In their natiuitie all truth appeares.

11511102How can these things, in mee, seeme scorne to you?

11521103Bearing the badge of faith to prooue them true.

11531104Hel. You doe aduance your cunning, more, and more.

11541105When trueth killes truth, ? diuelish holy fray!

11551106These vowes are Hermias. Will you giue her ore?

11561107Weigh oath, with oath, and you will nothing waigh.

11571108Your vowes to her, and mee (put in two scales)

11581109Will euen weigh; and both as light as tales.

11591110Lys. I had no iudgement, when to her I swore.

11601111Hel. Nor none, in my minde, now you giue her ore.

11611112Lys. Demetrius loues her: and he loues not you.

11621113Deme. O Helen, goddesse, nymph, perfect diuine,

11631114To what, my loue, shall I compare thine eyne!

11641115Christall is muddy. O, how ripe, in showe,

11651116Thy lippes, those kissing cherries, tempting growe!

11661117That pure coniealed white, high Taurus snow,

11671118Fand with the Easterne winde, turnes to a crowe,

11681119When thou holdst vp thy hand. O, let me kisse

11691120This Princesse of pure white, this seale of blisse.

11701121Hel. O spight! O hell! I see, you all are bent

11711122To set against mee, for your merriment.

11721123If you were ciuill, and knew curtesie,

11731124You would not doe mee thus much iniury.

11741125Can you not hate mee, as I know you doe,

11751126But you must ioyne, in soules, to mocke mee to?

11761127If you were men, as men you are in showe,

11771128You would not vse a gentle Lady so;

11781129To vowe, and sweare, and superpraise my parts,

11791130When I am sure, you hate mee with your hearts.

11801131You both are Riuals, and loue Hermia:

11811132And now both Riualles, to mock Helena.

11821133A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,

11831134To coniure teares vp, in a poore maides eyes,

11841135With your derision None, of noble sort,

11851136Would so offend a virgine, and extort

11861137A poore soules patience, all to make you sport.

11871138Lysand. You are vnkinde, Demetrius: be not so.

11881139For you loue Hermia: this you know I know.

11891140And heare, with all good will, with all my heart,

11901141In Hermias loue I yeelde you vp my part:

11911142And yours of Helena, to mee bequeath:

11921143Whom I doe loue, and will do till my death.

11931144Hel. Neuer did mockers waste more idle breath.

11941145Deme. Lysander, keepe thy Hermia: I will none.

11951146If ere I lou'd her, all that loue is gone.

11961147My heart to her, but as guestwise, soiournd:

11971148And now to Helen, is it home returnd,

11981149There to remaine.

11991150Lys. Helen, it is not so.

12001151Deme. Disparage not the faith, thou dost not know;

12011152Least to thy perill, thou aby it deare.

12021153Looke where thy loue comes: yonder is thy deare.

12041155Her. Darke night, that from the eye, his function takes,

12051156The eare more quicke of apprehension makes.

12061157Wherein it doth impaire the seeing sense,

12071158It payes the hearing double recompence.

12081159Thou art not, by myne eye, Lysander, found:

12091160Mine eare, I thanke it, brought me to thy sound.

12101161But why, vnkindly, didst thou leaue mee so?

12111162Lys. Why should he stay, whom loue doth presse to go?

12121163Her. What loue could presse Lysander, from my side?

12131164Lys. Lysanders loue (that would not let him bide)

12141165Faire Helena: who more engilds the night

12151166Then all yon fiery oes, and eyes of light.

12161167Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know,

12171168The hate I bare thee, made mee leaue thee so?

12181169Her. You speake not as you thinke: It cannot bee.

12191170Hel. Lo: she is one of this confederacy.

12201171Now I perceiue, they haue conioynd all three,

12211172To fashion this false sport, in spight of mee.

12221173Iniurious Hermia, most vngratefull maide,

12231174Haue you conspir'd, haue you with these contriu'd

12241175To baite mee, with this foule derision?

12251176Is all the counsell that we two haue shar'd,

12261177The sisters vowes, the howers that we haue spent,

12271178When we haue chid the hastie footed time,

12281179For parting vs; O, is all forgot?

12291180All schooldaies friendshippe, childhood innocence?

12301181VVee, Hermia, like two artificiall gods,

12311182Haue with our needles, created both one flower,

12321183Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

12331184Both warbling of one song, both in one key;

12341185As if our hands, our sides, voyces, and mindes

12351186Had bin incorporate. So wee grewe together,

12361187Like to a double cherry, seeming parted;

12371188But yet an vnion in partition,

12381189Two louely berries moulded on one stemme:

12391190So with two seeming bodies, but one heart,

12401191Two of the first life coats in heraldry,

12411192Due but to one, and crowned with one creast.

12421193And will you rent our auncient loue asunder,

12431194To ioyne with men, in scorning your poore friend?

12441195It is not friendly, tis not maidenly.

12451196Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it;

12461197Though I alone doe fele the iniury.

12471198Her. I am amazed at your words:

12481199I scorne you not. It seemes that you scorne mee.

12491200Hel. Haue you not set Lysander, as in scorne,

12501201To follow mee, and praise my eyes and face?

12511202And made your other loue, Demetrius

12521203(Who euen but now did spurne mee with his foote)

12531204To call mee goddesse, nymph, diuine, and rare,

12541205Pretious celestiall? VVherefore speakes he this,

12551206To her he hates? And wherfore doth Lysander

12561207Deny your loue (so rich within his soule)

12571208And tender mee (forsooth) affection,

12581209But by your setting on, by your consent?

12591210VVhat, though I be not so in grace as you,

12601211So hung vpon with loue, so fortunate?

12611212(But miserable most, to loue vnlou'd)

12621213This you should pittie, rather then despise.

12631214Her. I vnderstand not, what you meane by this.

12641215Hel. I doe. Perseuer, counterfait sad lookes:

12651216Make mouthes vpon mee, when I turne my back:

12661217Winke each at other, holde the sweeete ieast vp.

12671218This sport well carried, shall bee chronicled.

12681219If you haue any pitty, grace, or manners,

12691220You would not make mee such an argument.

12701221But fare ye well: tis partly my owne fault:

12711222Which death, or absence soone shall remedy.

12721223Lys. Stay, gentle Helena: heare my excuse,

12731224My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena.

12741225Hel. O excellent!

12751226Herm. Sweete, doe not scorne her so.

12761227Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compell.

12771228Lys. Thou canst compell no more, then she intreat.

12781229Thy threats haue no more strength then her weake praise.

12791230Helen, I loue thee, by my life I doe:

12801231I sweare by that which I will loose for thee;

12811232To prooue him false, that saies I loue thee not.

12821233Dem. I say, I loue thee more then he can do.

12831234Lys. If thou say so, withdrawe, and prooue it to.

12841235Dem. Quick come.

12851236Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this?

12861237Lys. Away, you Ethiop.

12871238Dem. No, no: heele

12881239Seeme to breake loose: take on as you would follow;

12891240But yet come not. You are a tame man, go.

12901241Lys. Hang of thou cat, thou bur: vile thing let loose;

12911242Or I will shake thee from mee, like a serpent.

12921243Her. Why are you growne so rude? What change is this,

12931244Sweete loue?

12941245Lys. Thy loue? Out tawny Tartar, out:

12951246Out loathed medcine: ? hated potion hence.

12961247Her. Doe you not ieast?

12971248Hel. Yes sooth: and so doe you.

12981249Lys. Demetrius, I will keepe my word, with thee.

12991250Dem. I would I had your bond. For I perceiue,

13001251A weake bond holds you. Ile not trust your word.

13011252Lys. What? should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?

13021253Although I hate her, Ile not harme her so.

13031254Her. What? Can you do me greater harme, then hate?

13041255Hate mee, wherefore? O me, what newes, my loue?

13051256Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?

13061257I am as faire now, as I was ere while.

13071258Since night, you lou'd mee; yet since night, you left mee.

13081259Why then, you left mee (? the gods forbid)

13091260In earnest, shall I say?

13101261Lys. I, by my life:

13111262And neuer did desire to see thee more.

13121263Thefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt:

13131264Be certaine: nothing truer: tis no ieast,

13141265That I doe hate thee, and loue Helena.

13151266Her. O mee, you iuggler, you canker blossome,

13161267You theefe of loue: what, haue you come by night,

13171268And stolne my loues heart, from him?

13181269Hel. Fine, I faith.

13191270Haue you no modesty, no maiden shame,

13201271No touch of bashfulnesse? What, will you teare

13211272Impatient answeres, from my gentle tongue?

13221273Fy, fy, you counterfait, you puppet, you.

13231274Her. Puppet? Why so? I, that way goes the game.

13241275Now I perceiue that she hath made compare,

13251276Betweene our statures, she hath vrg'd her height,

13261277And with her personage, her tall personage,

13271278Her height (forsooth) she hath preuaild with him.

13281279And are you growne so high in his esteeme,

13291280Because I am so dwarfish and so lowe?

13301281How lowe am I, thou painted May-pole? Speake:

13311282How lowe am I? I am not yet so lowe,

13321283But that my nailes can reach vnto thine eyes.

13331284Hel. I pray you, though you mocke me, gentleman,

13341285Let her not hurt me. I was neuer curst:

13351286I haue no gift at all in shrewishnesse:

13361287I am a right maid, for my cowardize:

13371288Let her not strike mee. You perhaps, may thinke,

13381289Because she is something lower then my selfe,

13391290That I can match her.

13401291Her. Lower? harke againe.

13411292Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with mee,

13421293I euermore did loue you Hermia,

13431294Did euer keepe your counsels, neuer wrongd you;

13441295Saue that in loue, vnto Demetrius,

13451296I tould him of your stealth vnto this wood.

13461297He followed you: for loue, I followed him.

13471298But he hath chid me hence, and threatned mee

13481299To strike mee, spurne mee; nay to kill mee to.

13491300And now, so you will let me quiet goe,

13501301To Athens will I beare my folly backe,

13511302And follow you no further. Let me goe.

13521303You see how simple, and how fond I am.

13531304Herm. Why? get you gon. Who ist that hinders you?

13541305Hel. A foolish heart, that I leaue here behind.

13551306Her. What, with Lysander?

13561307Hel. With Demetrius.

13571308Lys. Be not afraid: she shall not harme thee Helena.

13581309Deme. No sir: she shall not, though you take her part.

13591310Hel. O, when she is angry, she is keene and shrewd.

13601311She was a vixen, when she went to schoole:

13611312And though she be but little, she is fierce.

13621313Her. Little againe? Nothing hut low and little?

13631314Why will you suffer her to floute me thus?

13641315Let me come to her.

13651316Lys. Get you gon, you dwarfe;

13661317You minimus, of hindring knot grasse, made;

13671318You bead, you acorne

13681319Deme. You are too officious,

13691320In her behalfe, that scornes your seruices.

13701321Let her alone: speake not of Helena,

13711322Take not her part. For if thou dost intend

13721323Neuer so little shewe of loue to her,

13731324Thou shalt aby it.

13741325Lys. Now she holdes me not:

13751326Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,

13761327Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.

13771328Deme. Follow? Nay: Ile go with thee, cheeke by iowle.

13791329Her. You, mistresse, all this coyle is long of you.

13801330Nay: goe not backe.

13811331Hel. I will not trust you, I,

13821332Nor longer stay in your curst company.

13831333Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray:

13841334My legges are longer though, to runne away.

13851335Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say. Exeunt.

13861336Ob. This is thy negligence: still thou mistak'st,

13871337Or else commitst thy knaueries wilfully.

13881338Puck. Beleeue mee, king of shadowes, I mistooke.

13891339Did not you tell mee, I shoud know the man,

13901340By the Athenian garments, he had on?

13911341And, so farre blamelesse prooues my enterprise,

13921342That I haue nointed an Athenians eyes:

13931343And so farre am I glad, it so did sort,

13941344As this their iangling I esteeme a sport.

13951345Ob. Thou seest, these louers seeke a place to fight:

13961346Hy therefore Robin, ouercast the night,

13971347The starry welkin couer thou anon,

13981348With drooping fogge as blacke as Acheron,

13991349And lead these teasty Riuals so astray,

14001350As one come not within anothers way.

14011351Like to Lysander, sometime frame thy tongue:

14021352Then stirre Demetrius vp, with bitter wrong:

14031353And sometime raile thou like Demetrius:

14041354And from each other, looke thou lead them thus;

14051355Till ore their browes, death-counterfaiting, sleepe,

14061356With leaden legs, and Batty wings doth creepe:

14071357Then crush this hearbe into Lysanders eye;

14081358Whose liquor hath this vertuous property,

14091359To take from thence all errour, with his might,

14101360And make his eyebals roule with wonted sight.

14111361When they next wake, all this derision

14121362Shall seeme a dreame, and fruitelesse vision.

14131363And backe to Athens shall the louers wend,

14141364With league, whose date, till death shall neuer end.

14151365Whiles I, in this affaire, doe thee imploy,

14161366Ile to my Queene and beg her Indian boy:

14171367And then I will her charmed eye release

14181368From monsters viewe, and all things shall be peace.

14191369Puck. My Faiery Lord, this must be done with haste.

14201370For nights swift Dragons cut the clouds full fast,

14211371And yonder shines Auroras harbinger:

14221372At whose approach, Ghosts, wandring here and there,

14231373Troope home to Churchyards: damned spirits all,

14241374That in crosse waies and floods haue buriall,

14251375Already to their wormy beds are gone:

14261376For feare least day should looke their shames vpon,

14271377They wilfully themselues exile from light,

14281378And must for aye consort with black browed night.

14291379Ober. But we are spirits of another sort.

14301380I, with the mornings loue, haue oft made sport,

14311381And like a forrester, the groues may tread

14321382Euen till the Easterne gate all fiery red,

14331383Opening on Neptune, with faire blessed beames,

14341384Turnes, into yellow golde, his salt greene streames.

14351385But notwithstanding, haste, make no delay:

14361386We may effect this businesse, yet ere day.

14371387Pu. Vp & down, vp & down, I will lead them vp & down:

14381388I am feard in field & town. Goblin, lead them vp & downe.

14411390Lys Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now.

14431391Rob. Here villaine, drawne & ready. Where art thou?

14441392Lys. I will be with thee straight.

14451393Rob. Follow me then to plainer ground.

14471395Deme. Lysander, speake againe.

14481396Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?

14491397Speake in some bush. Where doest thou hide thy head?

14501398Rob. Thou coward art thou bragging, to the starres,

14511399Telling the bushes that thou look'st for warres,

14521400And wilt not come? Come recreant, come thou childe,

14531401Ile whippe thee with a rodde. He is defil'd,

14541402That drawes a sword on thee.

14551403De. Yea, art thou there?

14561404Ro. Follow my voice: weele try no manhood here. Exeūt.

14571405Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me on:

14581406When I come where he calles, then he is gon.

14591407The villaine is much lighter heel'd then I;

14601408I followed fast: but faster he did fly;

14611409That fallen am I in darke vneauen way,

14621410And here will rest me. Come thou gentle day.

14631411For if but once, thou shewe me thy gray light,

14641412Ile finde Demetrius, and reuenge this spight.

14661414Robi. Ho, ho, ho: Coward, why comst thou not?

14671415Deme. Abide me, if thou dar'st. For well I wot,

14681416Thou runst before mee, shifting euery place,

14691417And dar'st not stand, nor looke me in the face.

14701418Where art thou now?

14711419Rob. Come hither: I am here.

14721420De. Nay then thou mockst me. Thou shalt buy this dear,

14741421If euer I thy face by day light see.

14751422Now, goe thy way. Faintnesse constraineth mee,

14761423To measure, out my length, on this cold bed:>

14771424By daies approach looke to be visited.

14791426Hele. O weary night, O long and tedious night,

14801427Abate thy houres, shine comforts, from the east;

14811428That I may backe to Athens, by day light,

14821429From these that my poore company detest:

14831430And sleepe, that sometimes shuts vp sorrowes eye,

14841431Steale mee a while from mine owne companie. Sleepe.

14851432Rob. Yet but three? Come one more.

14861433Two of both kindes makes vp fower.

14871434Heare shee comes, curst and sadde.

14881435Cupid is a knauish ladde,

14901436Thus to make poore females madde.

14911437Her. Neuer so weary, neuer so in woe,

14921438Bedabbled with the deaw, and torne with briers:

14931439I can no further crawle, no further goe:

14941440My legges can keepe no pase with my desires.

14951441Here will I rest mee, till the breake of day:

14961442Heauens shielde Lysander, if they meane a fray.

14971443Rob. On the ground, sleepe sound:

14981444Ile apply your eye, gentle louer, remedy.

14991445When thou wak'st, thou tak'st

15001446True delight, in the sight, of thy former ladies eye:

15011447And the country prouerbe knowne,

15021448That euery man should take his owne,

15031449In your waking shall be showen.

15041450Iacke shall haue Iill: nought shall goe ill:

15051451The man shall haue his mare again, & all shall be well.