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And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
And make her full of bateful fantasies.
Take thou some of it, and seek through this
A sweet Athenian lady is in love
With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;
But do it, when the next thing he espies
May be the lady: Thou shalt know the man
By the Athenian garments he hath on.
Effect it with some care; that he may prove
More fond on her, than she upon her love:
And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.
Puck. Fear not, my lord, your servant shall
ent do so..
[Exeunt.
SCENE III. Another part of the Wood.

Enter TITANIA, with her train.
Tita.Come, now a roundel*, and a fairy song;
Then, for the third part of a minute, hence;
Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds;
Some, war with rear-mice t for their leathern
wings,
[back
To'make my small elves coats; and some, keep
The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and

wonders

At our quaint spirits: Sing me now asleep; Then to your offices, and let me rest.

SONG.

1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue,

Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen; Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; Come not near our fairy queen: CHORUS. Philomel, with melody,

Sing in our sweet lullaby;

Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby:
Never harm, nor spell, nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.
2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here;
Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence:
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm, nor snail, do no offence.
CHORUS. Philomel, with melody, &c.
1 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well:
One, aloof, stand sentinel.

[Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps.
Enter OBERON.

Obe. What thou seest, when thou dost wake, [Squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eye-lids. Do it for thy true love take; Love and languish for his sake: Be it ounce T, or cat, or bear, Pard, or boar with bristled hair, In thy eye that shall appear When thou wak'st, it is thy dear; Wake, when some vile thing is near.

Exit.

Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA. Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; '

Lys.One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. Her. Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, Lie further off yet, do not lie so near. [my dear, Lys.O,take the sense,sweet,of my innocence; Love takes the meaning, in love's conference. I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit ; So that but one heart we can make of it: Two bosoms interchained with an oath; So then, two bosoms, and a single troth. Then, by your side no bed-room me deny; For, lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.

Her. Lysander riddles very prettily:Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, If Hermia meant to say, Lysander lied. But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy Lie further off; in human modesty Such separation, as, may well be said, Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid: Sofar be distant; and good night, sweet friend: Thy love ne'er alter, till thy sweet life end!

Lys. Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I; And then end life, when I end loyalty! Here is my bed: Sleep give thee all his rest! Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd! [They sleep.

Puck.

Enter PUCK.
Through the forest have I gone,
But Athenian found I none,
On whose eyes I might approve
This flower's force in stirring love.
Night and silence! who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear:
This is he, my master said,
Despised the Athenian maid;
And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
On the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! she durst not lie
Near this lack-love, kill-courtesy.
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw

All the power this charm doth owe **:
When thou wak'st, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eye-lid.
So awake, when I am gone;
For I must now to Oberon. [Exit.
Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running.
Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet De-
metrius,
[haunt me thus.
Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not
Hel. O, wilt thou darkling 11 leave me? do

not so.

Dem. Stay, on thy peril; I alone will go. [Exit DEMETRIUS. Hel. O,I am out of breath in this fond chase! The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies; For she hath blessed and attractive eyes. [tears: How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers. No, no, I am as ugly as a bear; For beasts that meet me, run away for fear: Therefore, no marvel, though Demetrius Do, as a monster, fly my presence thus. What wicked and dissembling glass of mine Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eyne?-+ Sports. $ Efts. Slow-worms. ** Possess.

And to speak troth, I have forgot our way; We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head.

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tt In the dark. Ꮲ

But who is here?-Lysander! on the ground! But you must flout my insufficiency? [do,
Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound:-Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you
Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake.
In such disdainful manner me to woo.
Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy But fare you well: perforce I must confess,
sweet sake,
[Waking. I thought you lord of more true gentleness.
Transparent Helena! Nature here shows art, O, that a lady, of one man refus'd,
That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Should, of another, therefore be abus'd! [Exit.
Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word Lys. She sees not Hermia:-Hermia, sleep
Is that vile name, to perish on my sword!
thou there;
Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so:
What though he love your Hermia? Lord,For, as a surfeit of the sweetest things

what though?

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Yet Hermia still loves you; then be content.
Lys. Content with Hermia? No: I do repent
The tedious minutes I with her have spent,
Not Hermia, but Helena I love:

Who will not change a raven for a dove?
The will of man is by his reason sway'd;
And reason says you are the worthier maid.
Things growing are not ripe until their season:
So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason;
And touching now the point of human skill,
Reason becomes the marshal to my will,
And leads me to your eyes; where I o'erlook
Love's stories written in love's richest book.
Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery
born?

When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn?
Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,
That I did never, no, nor never can,
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,

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And never mayst thou come Lysander near !

The deepest loathing to the stomach brings;
Or, as the heresies, that men do leave,
Are hated most of those they did deceive;
So thou, my surfeit, and my heresy,
Of all be hated; but the most of me! [might,
And all my powers, address your love and
To honour Helen, and to be her knight! [Exit.
Her. [starting.] Help me, Lysander, help

me! do thy best,

To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!
Ah me, for pity!-what a dream was here?
Lysander, look, how I do quake with fear:
Methought a serpent eat my heart away,
And you sat smiling at his cruel prey :-
Lysander! what, remov'd? Lysander! lord!
What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word?
Alack, where are you? speak, an if you hear;
Speak, of all loves; I swoon almost with fear.
No!-then I well perceive you are not nigh:
| Eitherdeath,or you, I'll find immediately.[Exit.

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Star. I fear it, I promise you.

Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves: to bring in, God shield us! a lion among ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful wild-fowl than your lion, living; and we ought to look to it. Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell, he is not a lion.

Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion's neck; and he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect,-Ladies, or fair ladies, I would wish you, or, I would request you, or, I would entreat you, not to fear, not to tremble: my life for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life: No, I am no such thing; I am a man as other men are:-and there, indeed, let him name his name; and tell them plainly, he is Snug the joiner.

Bot. Not a whit; I have a device to make all well. Write me a prologue: and let the prologue seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords; and that Pyramus is not Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is killed indeed; and, for the more better assur- two hard things; that is, to bring the moonance, tell them, that I Pyramus am not Pyra-light into a chamber: for you know, Pyramus mus, but Bottom the weaver: This will put and Thisby meet by moon-light. them out of fear.

Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall be written in eight and six.

By all that is dear.

Snug. Doth the moon shine, that night we play our play?

Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the

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Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lantern, and say, he comes to disfigure, or to present, the person of moon-shine. Then, there is another thing: we must have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall.

Snug. You never can bring in a wall.What say you, Bottom?

Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some lome, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake and so every one according to his cue. Enter Puck behind.

Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we

swaggering here,

So near the cradle of the fairy queen?
What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor;
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.
Quin.Speak,Pyramus:-Thisby,stand forth..
Pyr. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours
Quin. Odours, odours.
[sweet,-
Pyr.
So doth thy breath,my dearest Thisby dear.
But,hark,a voice! stay thou but here a while,
And by and by I will to thee appear. [Exit.
Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd
[Aside. Exit.
This. Must I speak now?
Quin. Ay, marry, must you: for you must
understand, he goes but to see a noise that he
heard, and is to come again.

odours savours sweet:

here!

Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about
a round,
[through brier;
Through bog, through bush, through brake,
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and
burn,

Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.
[Exit.
Bot. Why do they run away? this is a
knavery of them, to make me afeard §.
Re-enter SNOUT.

Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee?

Bot. What do you see? you see an ass's head of your own; Do you?

Re-enter QUINCE.

Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. [Exit. Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing,that they shall hear I am not afraid.[Sings. The ousel-cock, so black of hue, With orange-tawney bill,

The throstle with his note so true,
The wren with little quill ;-
Tita. What angel wakes me from my
flowery bed?
[Waking.
Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plain-song cuckoo|| gray,
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer, nay ;—
for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish
a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though
he cry, cuckoo, never so?

Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:
Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,
So is mine eye inthralled to thy shape; [me,
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move
On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee.

Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that: And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company to[brier,gether now-a-days: The more the pity, that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek T upon occasion.

This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily. white of hue,

Of colour like the red rose on triumphant Most briskly juvenal†, und eke most lovely Jew, [never tire, As true as truest horse, that yet would I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb. Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your part at once, cues, and all.-Pyramus enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire.

Re-enter Pucк, and Воттом with an ass's head.

This. O,-As true as truest horse, that

yet would never tire. [thine Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only Quin. Omonstrous! Ostrange! we are haunted, Pray, masters! fly, masters! help!

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Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.

Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go;
Thou shalt remain here,whether thou wilt or no.
I am a spirit, of no common rate;
The summer still doth tend upon my state,
And I do love thee: therefore, go with me;
I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee;
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep:
And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost
sleep:

And I will purge thy mortal grossness so, That thou shalt like an airy spirit go. [seed! [Exeunt Clowns. Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth and Mustard

Thicket. Young man. I The last words of the preceding speech, which serve as a hint to him who is to speak nest. Afraid. The cuckoo with his uniform note. ¶ Joke.

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3 Fai.

4 Fai.

And I.

And I.

Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks and dewberries *, With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees, And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs, And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes, To have my love to bed, and to arise; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, To fan the moon-beams from his sleeping eyes: Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. 1 Fai. Hail, mortal!

2 Fai. Hail!

3 Fai. Hail!

4 Fui. Hail!

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Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giantlike ox-beef hath devoured 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 Mustard-seed. Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower. [eye; The moon, methinks, looks with a watery And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforced chastity, Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another part of the Wood. Enter OBERON.

Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd; Then, what it was that next came in her eye, Which she must dote on in extremity. Enter PUCK. [spirit? Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad What night-rulet now about this haunted grove? Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love. Near to her close and consecrated bower, While she was in her dull and sleeping hour, A crew of patches, rude mechanicals, That work for bread upon Athenian stalls, Were met together to rehearse a play, Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day. The shallowest thick skin of that barren sort §, Who Pyramus presented, in their sport

Gooseberries. + Revelry.

Forsook his scene, and enter'd in a brake:
When I did him at this advantage take,
An ass's now I fixed on his head;
Anon, his Thisbe must be answered, [him spy,
And forth my mimic¶ comes: When they
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky;
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly :
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.
Their sense, thus weak, lost with their fears,
thus strong,

Made senseless things begin to do them wrong:
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;
Some, sleeves; some, hats; from yielders all
things catch.

I led them on in this distracted fear,
And left sweet Pyramus translated there :
When in that moment (so it came to pass,)
Titania wak'd, and straightway_lov'd an ass.

Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. But hast thou yet latch'd** the Athenian's eyes With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

Puck. I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd And the Athenian woman by his side; [too,That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey'd. Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA. Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. Puck.This is the woman,but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. [so? Her. Now I but chide, but I should use

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May through the centre creep, and so displease
Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes.
It cannot be, but thou hast murder'd him;
So should a murderer look; so dead, so grim.
Dem. So should the murder'd look; and so

should I,

[elty: Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruYet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere. Her.What's this to my Lysander?where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I had rather give his carcase to my hounds. [past the bounds Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then? Henceforth be never number'd among men! O! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake; Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake, And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? Ö brave touch tt!

Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

+ Simple fellows. ¶ Actor. ** infected.

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An adder did it; for with doubler tongue Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. Dem. You spend your passion on a mis pris'd mood:

I am not guilty of Lysander's blood; Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. [therefore?

Dem. And if I could, what should I get
Her. A privilege, never to see me more.-
And from thy hated presence part I so:
See me no more, whether he be dead or no.[Ex.
Dem. There is no following her in this fierce
Here,therefore,for a while I will remain. [vein:
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe;
Which now, in some slight measure it will
If for his tender here I make some stay. [pay,
[Lies down.
Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mis-
taken quite,
[sight:
And laid the love juice on some true-love's
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue [true.
Some true-love turn'd, and not a false turn'd
Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man
holding troth,

A million fail, confounding oath on bath.
Obe. About the wood go swifter than the
And Helena of Athens look thou find: wind,
All fancy sick † she is, and pale of cheer
With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood
By some illusion see thou bring her here;' [dear:
I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear.
Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go;
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.[Exit.
Obe. Flower of this purple die,
Hit with Cupid's archery,
Sink in apple of his eye!
When his love he doth espy,
Let her shine as gloriously
As the Venus of the sky.-
When thou wak'st, if she be by,
Beg of her for remedy.

Re-enter PUCK.

Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand;

And the youth, mistook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee;

Shall we their fond pageant see?
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make,
Will cause Demetrius to awake.

Puck. Then will two at once, woo one;
That must needs be sport alone;
And those things do best please me,
That befal preposterously.

Enter LYSANDER and HELENA. Lys. Why should you think, that I should

woo in scorn?

Scorn and derision never come in tears: Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born, In their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me seem scorn to you, Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true? Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more.

" A

When truth kills truth, O devilish holy fray! These vows are Hermia's; Will you give her o'er ? [weigh:

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales, Will even, weigh, and both as light as tales. Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I [her o'er.

swore.

Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. [perfect, divine!

Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph, To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! That pure congealed white, high Taurus' snow, Fann'd with the eastern wind turns to a crow, When thou hold'st up thy hand: O let me kiss This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss! Hel. O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent To set against me, for your merriment. If you were civil, and knew courtesy, You would not do me thus much injury. Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join, in souls §, to mock me too? If you were men, as men you are in show, You would not use a gentle lady so; To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, When, I am sure, you hate me with your hearts. You both are rivals, and love Hermia; And now both rivals, to mock Helena: A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes, With your derision! none, of noble sort, Would so offend a virgin; and extort A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.

Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; For you love Hermia! this, you know, I know: And here, with all good will, with all my heart,' In Hermia's love I yield you up my part; And yours of Helena to me bequeath, Whom I do love, and will do to my death. Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. [none:

Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone. My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; And now to Helen is it home return'd, There to remain.

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Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear ¶. [know, Look,where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.

Enter, HERMIA. [tion takes," Her. Dark night, that from the eye his funcThe ear more quick of apprehension makes; Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense. It pays the hearing double recompense :Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. But why unkindly didst thou leave me so? Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth [my side? Her. What love could press Lysander from Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,

press to go?

Mistaken. + Love-sick. Countenance. Heartily. Degree.

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Pay dearly for it.

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