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SHAKESPEARE'S 

MIDSUMMER  NIGHT'S  DREAM, 


SHAKESPEARE'S 

MIDSUMMER 
NIGHTS     DREAM 

THE  SECOND  QUARTO, 

l6oO: 

A   FAC-SIMILE   IN   PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY, 

BY 

WILLIAM   GRIGGS, 

FOR   13  YEARS   PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER  TO  THE   INDIA   OFFICE* 
WITH   INTRODUCTION   BY 

J.  W.  EBSWORTH,  M.A., 

EDITOR  OF  "  THE  '  DROLLERIES*  OF  THE  RESTORATION  ;"  "  THE  BAGFORD 
BALLADS  ;"  "  THE  ROXBURGHE  BALLADS,"  ETC. 


LONDON : 

W.  GRIGGS,  HANOVER  STREET,  PECKHAM,  S.E. 
1880. 


TO   TWO    FRIENDS, 

J.    O.    HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS,    F.S.A.,    ETC., 

WHO,    MORE   THAN   ALL  OTHER  WRITERS, 

HAS   ILLUSTRATED   THE 

LITERATURE   OF 

"A  MIDSUMMER  NIGHTS  DREAM," 
AND  TO 

SIR  NOEL  PATON,   R.S.A.,  ETC., 

WHO,    ABOVE   ALL   OTHER   ARTISTS,   HAS   SHOWN   THE   FAIRY- LAND 
LOVELINESS    OF    OBERON    AND    TITANIA,     IN    THEIR 

HAUNTED   WOOD   NEAR   ATHENS, 

THIS   REPRODUCTION   OF   THE   SECOND   QUARTO 

IS,    WITH    SINCERE   ESTEEM 

AND   AFFECTION, 

/    f\  Brtrtcatefc, 

11  SO 

J.   W.    EBSWORTH. 

I  HO*. 

[Shaksperf-Quarto  Foe-similes,  No.  4.] 


INTRODUCTION 

TO  THE  PHOTO-LITHOGRAPH   OF 

JAMES  ROBERTS'S  QUARTO  EDITION,  1600: 
A    MIDSUMMER    NIGHT'S    DREAM, 


§6. 


Fisher's  text  must  have  had 
genuine  manuscript  autho 
rity. 

The  formation  of  the  Folio 
text. 

Some  peculiarities  of  the 
Folios. 

Robert s's  text  not  "corrected 

from  Fisher's." 
§  10.  Conclusion:  the  value  of  the 
Quarto  editions. 


§7. 

§8. 
§9- 


§  i.  James  Roberts1  s  Quarto  un 
registered. 

§  2.  The  two  Quartos  not  simul 
taneous •,  or  both  independent. 

§  3.  Four  Statements ;  to  be  sub 
stantiated. 

§  4.  The  First  Folio  based  on 
Robertas  Quarto. 

§  5.  Robertas  text  borrowed  from 
Fisher's  Quarto. 

§  i.    JAMES  ROBERTS'S  QUARTO  UNREGISTERED. 

|HE  three  most  important  versions  of  the  Midsummer  Nights 
Dream  text  are  now  placed  within  reach  of  the  student  of 
literature,  by  means  of  photo-lithography ;  which  gives,  with 
absolute  exactitude,  a  reproduction  of  every  peculiarity  in  the  typo 
graphy  of  the  originals.  It  would  not  be  too  much  to  say  that  equal 
facilities  for  independent  and  combined  examination  of  these  mate 
rials  were  never  hitherto  attainable,  at  moderate  cost,  since  the  early 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Even  in  1623,  when  for  twenty 
shillings  a  purchaser  could  claim  the  newly-issued  First  Folio  of 
"Mr.  William  Shakespeare's  Comedies,  Histories,  and  Tragedies: 
Published  according  to  the  True  Original  Copies :  London  :  Printed  by 
Isaac  laggard  and  Ed.  Blount,"  the  sixpenny  editions,  each  in  Quarto, 
that  had  been  circulated  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  must  have 


vj  INTRODUCTION, 

become  scarce,  and  therefore  more  costly.  All  these  originals  had 
in  our  day  ceased  to  be  accessible,  except  in  some  few  national  or 
ducal  libraries,  and  could  not  be  bought  without  a  ruinous  expen 
diture  of  money,  before  Howard  Staunton's  excellent  photo-lithograph 
appeared  in  1866:  more  trustworthy,  being  scientifically  reproduced, 
than  the  careful  typographical  reprint  of  the  same  First  Folio,  issued 
two  years  earlier,  but  reduced  into  a  quarto  size  of  page,  by  Lionel 
Booth,  of  307,  Regent  Street,  1864.  This  had  been  printed  by  L. 
Strangeways  and  H.  E.  Walden,  28,  Castle  Street,  Leicester  Square.1 
The  original  First  Folio,  in  perfect  condition,  occasionally  sells  at 
between  seven  hundred  and  eight  hundred  guineas  (the  Baroness 
Burdett-Coutts  paid  such  a  sum  for  hers) ;  and  the  Quartos  are  so 
rare  that  they  virtually  never  come  into  the  market  at  all. 

By  the  help  of  this  present  series  of  exact  reproductions,  students  of 
moderate  means,  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  are  once  more  enabled 
to  search  for  themselves  the  true  text,  and  to  collate  the  chief  autho 
rities,  unmisled  by  the  caprices  of  commentators,  or  by  the  deliberate 
falsifications  introduced  at  various  times.  There  are  many  persons 
now  desirous  of  investigating  the  subject,  and  capable  of  valuing  the 
uncorrupted  language  of  the  Poet. 

^  As  we  have  done  with  Fisher's  Quarto,  so  here  with  that  of 
Roberts  :  For  purposes  of  reference,  it  is  sufficient  that  we  number 
the  lines  of  the  Quarto,  in  fours,  on  the  inside  margin ;  and  also  mark 
the  division  of  Acts,  which  is  given  in  the  Folio  but  not  in  either 
Quarto.  We  add  a  list  of  characters,  on  a  separate  page,  facing  the 
title,  for  convenience  and  completeness  ;  but  no  list  was  given  in  any 
edition  before  Rowe's,  in  1709.* 

1  Still  later  appeared  a  marvellously  cheap  reproduction  by  photo-lithography, 
reducing  each  large  folio  page  into  an  8vo.,  necessarily  minute  in  character.  It 
was  published  in  1876,  by  Messrs.  Chatto  and  Windus,  with  an  Introduction  written 
by  J.  O.  Halliwell  Phillipps.  There  had  been  a  serviceable  imitation  of  the  First 
Folio,  issued  of  full  size  (known  as  "  Upcott's  Reprint  "),  about  1807.  We  need 
only  mention  the  costly  and  rare  Ashbee  Fac-similes,  which  were  lithographed  from 
elaborate  tracings.  They  were  attainable  by  few ;  at  five  guineas  each,  and  only 
thirty  copies  issued.  George  Stevens  had,  however,  in  1766  issued,  in  four  octavo 
volumes,  Twenty  of  the  Plays  of  Shakespeare  in  Quarto. 

a  It  shows  the  need  of  such  a  reproduction  as  our  own,  when  we  find  a  scholar 
(one  so  generally  accurate  as  the  learned  Daniel  Wilson,  Professor  of  History  and 
English  Literature  at  Toronto)  mistakenly  declare  :  "  It  is,  perhaps,  due  to  the 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

In  his  Introduction  prefixed  to  the  photo-lithograph  of  Fisher's 
Quarto,  the  present  writer  has  attempted  to  show  the  probable  date 
of  A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream  to  have  been  not  earlier  than  1593, 
or  later  than  1596.  It  cannot  possibly  have  been  produced  later 
than  August,  1598  (judging  from  the  mention  of  it  by  Meres); 
although  the  entry  of  Fisher's  Quarto  in  the  Registers  is  not  until  the 
8th  of  October,  1600. 

Of  the  Quarto  now  reproduced  there  is  no  entry  whatever  in  the 
same  Registers,  to  more  precisely  indicate  the  date  than  any  mere 
statement  of  the  year,  1600,  on  Roberts's  title-page.  We  are  left  en 
tirely  to  our  own  resources  in  the  endeavour  to  ascertain  which  of 
the  two  Quartos  was  the  earlier  issued.  After  careful  examination, 
and  judging  by  internal  evidence  in  the  absence  of  external  proof,  we 
venture  to  affirm  our  belief  that  Thomas  Fisher's  was  the  earlier 
produced.1 

early  place  which  *  A  Midsummer  Nighfs  Dream  '  undoubtedly  occupies  among 
the  dramatic  works  of  Shakespeare,  that  in  all  the  older  texts  it  is  divided  into  acts 
and  not  into  scenes  " — (Caliban :  A  Critique  on  Shakespeare's  Tempest  and  A  Mid 
summer  Nighfs  Dream.  1873.  P.  240.).  This  he  writes  after  giving  a  special 
description  of  the  two  Quartos  ;  but  the  simple  fact  is,  that  neither  of  them  shows 
any  division  whatever  into  acts  or  scenes.  The  Folio  of  1623  first  introduced  the 
distinction  of  the  acts  in  this  play,  but  made  no  further  division  into  scenes.  After 
all,  when  we  remember  how  little  was  done  on  the  early  Stage  to  change  the  back 
ground,  except  by  affixing  and  removing  an  explanatory  placard,  we  need  not 
wonder  at  the  deficiency  of  exact  limits  to  scenes  or  acts.  Like  Robert  Stephens's 
innovation  of  verse-division,  in  1551,  continued  in  our  English  Bibles,  the  system 
may  be  found  convenient  for  easy  reference  ;  but  it  is  frequently  destructive  of  some 
higher  charm.  It  breaks  the  continuity  of  subject,  and  our  attention  is  frittered 
away  on  fragmentary  passages.  A  modern  audience  loses  remembrance  of  the 
poetry  and  romance  of  the  drama  during  each  frivolous  recurrence  to  gossip  and 
flirtation,  to  fill  the  time  between  the  acts.  It  would  be  well  if  the  intervals 
were  less  obtrusively  marked,  both  in  acting  and  printing.  Here,  at  least,  in 
our  Quartos,  the  divisions  can  be  found  when  sought,  but  are  not  thrust  forcibly  on 
attention. 

1  In  this  we  avowedly  run  counter  to  the  opinion  expressed  by  so  honoured  an 
authority  as  J.  O.  Halliwell-Phillipps,  who  writes  as  follows  :  "  Perhaps  Fisher's 
edition,  which,  on  the  whole,  seems  to  be  more  correct  than  the  other,  was  printed 
from  a  corrected  copy  of  that  published  by  Roberts.  It  has,  indeed,  been  usually 
supposed  that  Fisher's  edition  was  the  earliest ;  but  no  evidence  has  been  adduced 
in  support  of  this  assertion,  and  the  probabilities  are  against  this  view  being  the 
correct  one.  Fisher's  edition  could  not  have  been  published  till  nearly  the  end  of 
the  year,  and,  in  the  absence  of  direct  information  to  the  contrary,  it  may  be  sup 
posed  that  the  one  printed  by  Roberts  is  really  the  first  edition."  (Memoranda  on 
The  Midsummer  Nighfs  Dream,  privately  printed,  1879,  p.  34:  written  1855.) 
One  ought  to  feel  quietly  confident  of  the  strength  of  argument,  and  evidence,  who 
holds  and  tries  to  establish  any  opinion  adverse  to  that  proclaimed  by  so  experienced 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

§  2.    THE  Two  QUARTOS  NOT  SIMULTANEOUS,  OR  BOTH 

INDEPENDENT. 

The  two  Quartos  were  certainly  not  issued  simultaneously,  although 
near  to  one  another  in  date,  both  being  of  the  same  year,  1600. 
They  were  not  both  independent,  in  the  sense  of  being  wholly  dis 
connected  with  each  other :  the  later  one  being  a  direct  or  modified 
copy  of  its  predecessor.  An  impression  of  the  earlier  Quarto  lay 
before  the  compositor  who  set-up  the  second.  Shakespeare  himself 
makes  one  of  his  characters,  Dogberry,  admit  that  "  When  two  men 
ride  upon  a  horse,  one  must  needs  ride  behind."  Now  it  was  most 
unlikely,  d  priori,  that  the  open  and  unrebuked  publisher  of  the 
Registered  Quarto,  Thomas  Fisher,  should  have  ridden  behind  the 
unlicensed,  and  probably  piratical  James  Roberts.1  Be  it  remem 
bered  that  after  the  8th  of  October  there  still  remained,  according  to 
the  "  old  style  "  of  computation,  more  than  five  months  for  Roberts  to 
publish  his  book,  and  yet  be  entitled  to  date  it  as  of  the  year  1600. 
So  any  conjectures,  based  on  Fisher's  Quarto  being  unpublished  "  till 
nearly  the  end  of  the  year"  affect  not  the  question  whether  the  two 
Quartos  were  issued  simultaneously.  If  any  person  believes  that  they 

a  guide.  But  we  have  formed  our  estimate  deliberately,  and  are  prepared  to  abide 
by  the  conclusions  thus  gained.  We  try  to  show  that  "the  probabilities"  are 
not  against  the  theory  of  Fisher  holding  priority  ;  and  also  bring  forward  the 
evidence  attainable  "  in  support  of  this  assertion."  As  a  mere  supposition,  one  is 
as  likely  as  the  other.  It  really  becomes  a  question  of  evidence,  to  be  gathered 
and  interpreted  from  a  collation  of  the  Quartos  themselves,  and  in  connection  with 
the  First  Folio  edition  of  1623. 

1  The  name  of  James  Roberts,  as  the  printer,  is  on  the  title-page  of  other  un 
registered  Shakespeare-Quartos,  viz.,  two  editions  of  The  Excellent  History  of 
the  Merchant  of  Venice,  with  the  extreme  Cruelly  of  Shylocke  the  lew,  etc.,  printed 
by  J.  Roberts,  1600  (L.  Heyes,  publisher)  ;  the  earliest  Quarto  extant  of  Titus 
Andronicus  (E.  White,  publisher),  the  same  year,  1600  ;  lastly,  the  second  Quarto 
of  Hamlet,  1604  (N.  Ling,  publisher),  with  another  edition  of  the  same  in  the  fol 
lowing  year,  1605. 

We  add  these  few  particulars  concerning  the  printers,  gathered  from  the  Regis 
ters  of  the  Company  of  Stationers  : — 

T[homas]  Fisher.  Date  of  Freedom,  3  June,  1600  (vol.  ii.  725).  Date  of 
First  Registered  publication  (the  Quarto  of  Midsummer 
Night's  Dream),  8  Oct.  1600  (in.  174). 

James  Robertes  (sic).  Date  of  Freedom,  27  June,  1564  (i.  240).  Date 
of  First  Registered  publication  (Christopher  Payne's 
Cristenmas  Carolles,  and  The  Country  Clown  Doth 
much  Desyre  a  gent  to  be),  15$$  (i.  402). 


INTRODUCTION.  ix 

were,  he  must  remember  that  the  burden  of  proof  is  left  to  him  :  for,  to 
the  best  of  our  knowledge,  there  exists  no  evidence  whatever  in  support 
of  such  a  view.  Still  less  (if  less  than  none  could  be)  is  there  any  sup 
port  given  to  an  idea  that  both  of  the  two  Quartos  may  have  been  framed 
from  separate  manuscript  originals.  While  the  innumerable  differences 
between  them  show  that  one  Quarto  is  not  a  servile  reproduction  of 
the  other,  it  is  likewise  true  that  the  characteristics  of  both,  showing 
a  general  and  frequently  also  a  specific  similarity  in  printing,  must 
shut  out  any  supposition  of  the  later  copy  having  been  wholly  unin 
fluenced  by  its  predecessor.  Both  Quartos  are  now  before  the  reader 
for  comparison.  We  need  do  little  beyond  indicate  certain  chains  of 
evidence :  to  establish  or  refute  certain  theories  in  connection  with 
the  Folio  text. 

§  3.     FOUR  STATEMENTS;  TO  BE  SUBSTANTIATED. 

We  advance  the  following  four  statements,  as  representing  indispu 
table  facts,  after  a  study  of  the  two  Quartos,  side  by  side,  and  in 
connection  with  the  other  chief  textual  authority,  the  first  Folio 
of  1623. 

i  st.  That  despite  a  general  resemblance  between  Fisher's  and 
Roberts's  editions  in  Quarto,  1600,  there  are  dissimilarities  dividing 
them,  which  prove  with  absolute  certainty  that  the  second-printed 
Quarto  (by  whomsoever  issued)  must  have  been  set-up  afresh.  A 
typographical  reprint  of  both  would  have  shown  this  contrast  less 
clearly  than  does  the  photo-lithographic  couple  of  Quartos  now 
offered  for  collation.  Out  of  a  multitude  of  examples,  the  different 
arrangement  of  the  Italicized  Stage-directions  offers  itself  to  view. 
In  Fisher's,  the  business  is  given  (as  usual)  in  Italic  type,  with  excep 
tion  of  the  proper  names  of  the  characters;  which  are  in  Roman 
type.  But  in  Roberts's,  the  whole  line  is  in  Italic  type,  names  and 
all.  The  minute  differences  of  spelling,  some  of  them  capricious  and 
occasional,  not  constant,  are  innumerable  and  suggestive. 

2nd.  That  when  "setting-up"  the  later  Quarto,  the  printer  has 
had  the  sheets  of  the  earlier  Quarto  beside  him  :  because  the  making- 
up  of  the  two  versions,  page  by  page,  is  closer  in  resemblance  than 


x  INTRODUCTION. 

could  have  happened  accidentally.  In  general,  the  pages  of  both 
editions  begin  with  the  same  line.  The  exceptions  are  chiefly  in  the 
prose  (or  else  in  the  pages  following  nearest  to  prose  passages),  and 
this  difference  was  caused  by  Roberts's  page  being  wider  than  Fisher's 
to  the  extent  of  about  two  letters'  breadth.  And  it  is  remarkable 
that  when  this  difference  ensued,  from  the  cause  here  shown,  a 
recurrence  has  been  speedily  made  to  the  former  agreement;  by  leav 
ing  a  wider  space  at  the  earliest  opportunity  where  stage-business  was 
mentioned.  Thus,  after  interruption,  the  restoration  of  similarity 
meets  us,  and  the  two  versions  begin  their  pages  again  with  the  same 
line.  Evidently  this  was  designedly,  and  not  by  chance.  Let  it  not 
be  thought  that  even  in  verse-printing  identity  of  line-lengths  was 
inevitable,  for  errors  of  arrangement  in  one  Quarto  are  repeated  in 
the  other  Quarto.  For  instance :  observe  the  blunder  of  printing 
"Stand  forth  Demetrius"  and  "Stand  forth  Lysander?  as  stage- 
directions  (in  p.  3),  while  the  construction  of  the  verse  proves  clearly 
that  each  broken  line  is  a  part  of  the  speech  spoken  by  Egeus,  and 
addressed  respectively  to  the  rival  lovers.  Yet  both  Quartos  give  the 
erroneous  indication,  as  though  we  were  to  read  it  as  "Business: 
here  Demetrius  is  to  stand  forward,"  and  the  same  of  Lysander. 
The  Folio  copies  the  mistake  without  detection.  Which  brings  us  to 

3rd.  That  the  First  Folio  edition,  1623,  was  demonstrably  set 
up  from  Roberts's  Quarto ;  although  that  Quarto  was  an  unauthorized, 
and  presumably  a  spurious  or  pirated  edition  :  recourse  not  being  had 
to  Fisher's  superior  Quarto  of  the  same  year  (registered  and  more 
carefully  punctuated,  although  less  modernly  spelt,  and  with  fewer 
prompter's  stage-directions).  In  confirmation  of  which  statement  we 
observe, 

4th.  That  where  there  are  differences  between  these  Quartos, 
the  First  Folio  closely  follows  that  of  Roberts's,  and  not  Fisher's : 

a.  In  spelling,  passim. 

(3.  In  punctuation,  passim. 

y.  In  position,  or  in  transposition,  of  words.1 

1  Exem.  gratia  (p.  48-176),  "Now  I  doe  wish  it,  "of  Fisher,  reads:  "Now  do 
I  wish  it,"  in  Roberts's  ;  and  also  in  the  First  Folio. 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

S.  Italicized  stage-directions  (much  more  frequent  in  Roberts's  than 
in  Fisher's)  are  followed ',  and  enlarged,  in  the  Folio? 
e.  In  plain  and  palpable  emendations.2 

§  4.     THE  FIRST  FOLIO  TEXT  BASED  ON  THAT  OF  ROBERTS'S 

QUARTO. 

Often,  where  the  Folio  corrects  a  phrase  (that  had  been  evidently 
wrongly  given  before,  by  Roberts),  it  had  been  wrongly  given  by 
Fisher  also.  Therefore,  we  see  that  the  correction  of  Roberts's  error 
was  not  borrowed  from  Fisher's  copy. 

Examples:  i.  (P.  26.)  Both  Quartos  blunder  in  giving  the  speech, 
on  Bottom's  exit,  "A  stranger  Pyramus  than  e'er  play'd  here"  to 
Quince.  The  improbability  of  his  making  such  a  comment  is  obvious. 
It  came  appropriately  from  the  mocking  voice  of  Puck  :  and  accord 
ingly  the  First  Folio  prints  it  with  "  Puck  "  for  the  speaker. 

2.  (P.  49.)  Fisher  and  Roberts  agree  in  misprinting,  "But  man  is 
but  patcht  a  foole ; "  which  in  the  Folio  is  rightly  given,  "  But  man 
is  but  a  patcht  fool,"  etc. 

3.  (P.  50.)  A  far  stronger  case,  where  both  Quartos  read,  "Enter 
Quince,  Flute,  Thisby,  and  the  rabble"    This  is  altered  in  the  Folio 
into  "  Enter  Quince,  Flute,  Thisbie,  Snout,  and  Starueling ; "  with  a 
substitution  of  "  Staru."  for  " Flute"  as  speaking  second.     Now  this 
has  evidently  been  guess-work,  without  authority  of  the  Poet's  manu 
script,  and  helps  to  perpetuate  a  "  muddle."     For  the  printers  fail  to 
remember  that  Flute  is  himself  the  representer  of  Thisbie.     Perhaps 
the  first  error  of  the  Quartos  was  the  omission  to  mark  (not  "  Thisbie" 
but)  "  ThisbiJs  Mother  "  : — a  character  that  had  been  allotted  to  the 
timid  Robin  Starveling,  although  she  does  not  speak  when  the  inter 
lude  is  afterwards  acted.     Her  part  is  dumb-show,  and  therefore 

1  Ex.  grat.  (p.  49,  line  187).  Where  Fisher  has  a  long  single  line,  Roberts 
divides  it  properly,  and  reads,  as  a  new  line,  "Come  Hippolita"  with  "Exit"  in- 


end  the  modern  Scene  I  of  Act  iv.)  is  not  in  Fisher's. 

2  Ex.  grat.  (p.  49.)    Fisher's  has  "  if  he  goe  about  expound  this  dream."    Roberts 
and  First  Folio  have  "if  he  go  about  to  expound  this  dream." 


xii  INTRODUCTION. 

especially  suited  to  the  nervous  tailor,  who  fears  his  own  voice  and 
shadow.  It  is  Flute  who  habitually  mistakes  his  words  (witness  his 
repetition  of  "  Ninny's  tomb,"  despite  the  correction  earlier  adminis 
tered  to  him  by  Quince).  Therefore,  we  may  be  sure  that  the 
awkward  misreading  of  "  Paramour "  for  "  Paragon,"  comes  from 
Flute ;  and  not  from  the  sensible  manager,  Peter  Quince,  to  whom  it 
is  wrongly  assigned.  Can  we  restore  the  right  name  ?  It  may  have 
been  either  Quince  or  Snout ;  or  even  "  Thisbie's  Mother,"  otherwise 
Starveling.  Certainly  not  "Thisby"= Flute.  Yet  the  Folio  accepts 
this  false  reading  unhesitatingly,  while  making  some  other  changes,  one 
of  which  is  merely  a  specification  of  business  detail.  In  fine,  the 
characters  are  so  clearly  marked  elsewhere  that  the  true  reading 
must  be  something  like  this : — 

Quince. — Have  you  sent  to  Bottom^  house  ?    Is  he  come  home  yet  ? 

Flute  [as  in  Quartos]. — He  cannot  be  heard  of.     Out  of  doubt  he  is  transported. 

Thisbie  [V  mothe-r=.Starveling\. — If  he  come  not,  then  the  play  is  marr'd.  It  goes 
not  forward,  does  it  ? 

Quince. — It  is  not  possible  :  you  have  not  a  man  in  all  Athens  able  to  discharge 
Pyramus  but  he. 

Thisbie  ['s  mother=.Starveling\. — No,  he  hath  simply  the  best  wit  of  any  handy- 
craft  man  in  Athens. 

Flute  [not  Quince,  as  wrongly  marked  in  Quartos  and  Folio]. — Yes,  and  the  best 
person  too,  and  he  is  a  very  Paramour,  for  a  sweet  voice. 

Quince  [or  else  Thisbie's  mother=Starveling,  but  certainly  not  Thisbie,  as 
marked  by  all]. — You  must  say,  Paragon.  A  Paramour  is  (God  bless  us  !)  a  thing 
of  naught. 

§  5.       ROBERTS'S   TEXT  BORROWED    FROM    FlSHER's    QUARTO. 

Now  as  to  the  sequence  of  publication,  we  hold  it  to  be  in  this 
chronological  order : — 

Earliest. — Fisher's  Quarto;  8th  October,  1600. 

Next. — Roberts's  Quarto;  after  8th  October,  1600,  and  before 

March  25th,  1601. 

Last. — The  First  Folio,  1623;  copying  Roberts's  text,  with  con 
jectural  alterations  in  the  few  places  where  differences  occur. 
We  hold  it  to  be  almost  impossible— certainly  to  us  it  appears  in 
credible—that  any  printer  like  Thomas  Fisher  (with  Roberts's  printed 
text  before  his  eyes)  could  have  deliberately  changed  the  spelling,  in 
multitudinous  instances,  back  into  a  more  cramped  and  lumbering 


INTRODUCTION. 


archaic  fashion.      We  give  a  brief  sample  of  these  differences  in 
corresponding  places;  but  they  are  innumerable  throughout: — 


fishers  Quarto. 

tel — Snugge — els — homeSpunnes — per- 
happes — hewe — eeke — lewe — Snowte 
doe  —  hogge  —  Fynch  —  Sparrowe  — 
answere — ly — hee,  etc.  (all  taken 
within  the  compass  of  a  few  pages : 


Robert s's  Quarto. 

tell — Snug — else  —  home-Spuns — per 
haps  — hue — eke —  lew — Snowt — do 
— hog — Finch — Sparrow — answer — 
lye — he,  etc.  (all  within  pages  25 — 
28  :  and  in  the  prose). 


and  in  the  prose). 

Also  many  contractions — such  as  treble,  for  tremble;  latern,  for 
lantern ;  chabre,  for  chamber ;  vnderstad,  for  vnderstand ;  traslated, 
for  translated — all  made  unnecessarily,  because  they  are  in  the  same 
prose  portion  of  Fisher's  Folio. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  by  no  means  difficult  to  understand  the 
improved  clearness  in  typography  of  Roberts  over  that  of  Fisher  (sup 
posing,  as  we  do,  that  Roberts  had  Fisher's  printed  book  before  his 
eyes).  For  there  was  the  additional  space  gained — 

1.  By  the  excision  of  redundant  letters; 

2.  By  having  a  wider  platform  of  type  in  his  page  ; 

3.  By  his  gaining  an  occasional  line  in  prose  passages,  and  thus 
being  able  to  afford  extra  leads  at  entrance  of  characters. 

Despite  this  improvement  in  typographical  clearness,  there  is  a 
marked  deterioration  in  the  minute  divisions  of  the  verse  by  punctua 
tion.  Commas  are  less  frequent,  either  from  negligence  or  from 
systematic  repugnance  to  the  scholarly  and  grammatical  breaking-up 
of  sentences.  Either  supposition  would  account  for  the  change.  It 
cannot  be  that  Fisher  had  intentionally  improved  upon  Roberts  in 
these  minute  subdivisions ;  for,  if  so,  he  would  never  have  blundered 
in  more  important  details  of  punctuation,  such  as  we  see  differently 
given  in  the  two  Quartos.  Everything  indicates  the  priority  of 
Fisher. 

The  difference  of  date  being  at  most  only  a  few  months,  the 
frequent  change  of  spelling  made  by  Roberts  from  that  employed  by 
Fisher  must  have  been  attributable  to  personal  taste — a  modernizing 
tendency  of  fashion,  that  inclined  Roberts  to  simplify  his  spelling, 
and  dispense  with  so  many  useless  letters.  He  thus  economizes  his 
"lower  case." 


xiv  INTRODUCTION, 

Another  indication  of  the  order  of  succession,  now  formulated.  Let 
us  take  the  noble  passage,  wherein  Theseus  discourses  of  Imagination 
(Quartos,  p.  51).  It  is  surely  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  believe 
that  any  printer  or  tolerably  instructed  "  reader  of  the  press  "i  could 
have  had  Roberts's  text  lying  before  him,  and  yet  made  such  hurtful 
misarrangement  of  the  verse  as  we  now  find  in  line  6  of  Fisher's?  text, 
bringing  injuriously  into  the  same  line  "The  Lunatick."  VBoth 
editions,  here  as  elsewhere,  spoil  the  rhythm  of  the  poetry  by  wlrong 
division  of  lines.  But,  in  almost  every  case,  the  differences  between 
the  Quartos  mark  an  alteration  having  been  made  from  Fisher1  s\into 
Roberts's,  never  from  Roberts's  into  Fisher 's. 

(P.  25.)  Fisher  has:  "We  ought  to  looke  toote."  Roberts  gi'ves 
this  clearly  :  "We  ought  to  looke  to  it."  If  Roberts  had  come  first, 
and  been  copied  by  Fisher,  such  a  change  as  "toote"  would  not  hj.ave 
been  seen.  V 

What  is  shown  above,  by  the  injury  to  rhythm,  is  elsewhere  shewn 
by  the  redundancy  of  capitals  (as  in  line  88  of  p.  27,  Fisher's  Quarto, 
which  coidd  not  have  been  set  wrongly  from  the  correct  arrangement 
in  Roberts's).  We  fear  these  examples  may  appear  to  be  tediou'sly 
insisted  on ;  but  if  they  prove  our  statement — that  Fisher  preceded 
Roberts — an  important  step  is  gained  in  understanding  the  formation 
of  the  Folio's  text,  which  assuredly  was  built  on  that  of  Roberts's. 

§  6.     FISHER'S  TEXT  MUST  HAVE  HAD  GENUINE  MANUSCRIPT 
AUTHORITY. 

The  only  text  of  the  three  that  can  be  shown  to  have  been  forme  d 
on  genuine  manuscript  authority  is  that  which  we  possess  in  the  fac 
simile  of  Fisher's  Quarto.     There  is  absolutely  no  proof  whatever  in  . 
favour  of  an  independent  origin  for  the  Folio  text,  Heminge  and  I 
Condell  having  availed  themselves  of  the  printed  sheets  issued  by  ' 
Roberts  ;  and  these  sheets  were  taken  almost  without  further  cor 
rection  when  re-set,   "at  the  charges  of  W.  Jaggard,  Ed.  Blount, 
I.  Smithweeke,  and  W.  Aspley,  1623."    There  is,  moreover,  no  proof 
whatever  (but  presumptive  evidence  to  the  contrary)  that  any  inde- 

, _ UL 

u 


INTRODUCTION.  XV 

pendent  manuscript  authority  had  been  previously  employed  by  James 
Roberts. 

Those  persons  who  have  carefully  studied  the  pirated  and  corrupt 
versions  of  some  other  Shakespearian  plays  can  scarcely  fail  to  notice 
the  difference  when  they  come  to  examine  Fisher's  Quarto.  It  is, 
comparatively  speaking,  correctly  printed.  Whether  the  "  copy  "  or 
the  compositor  were  answerable  for  the  spelling,  we  know  not ;  but 
as  printers  have  always  been  strictly  conservative  in  such  debatable 
matters  (resisting  changes  advocated  by  individuals  or  inconstant 
fashion),1  we  are  inclined  to  lay  the  blame  chiefly  on  Fisher.  Cer 
tainly,  he  was  less  skilled  and  less  given  to  innovation  than  Roberts, 
who  used  his  earlier  sheets.  Fisher  is  somewhat  heedless  in  regard 
to  exits  and  entrances  (Roberts  adding  several  such  announcements, 
where  they  were  self-evidently  necessary).  But,  on  the  whole,  the 
text  is  given  with  so  close  an  approximation  to  correctness,  that  the 
reader  awakens  to  a  regretful  remembrance  of  the  vast  inferiority  in 
the  earliest  printed  texts  of  other  Shakespearian  dramas. 

In  short,  there  is  a  reasonable  ground  for  supposing  that  Fisher's 
Quarto  may  have  been  an  accredited  publication,  favoured  by  Shake 
speare,  although  not  corrected  for  the  press  by  himself. 

§  7.     THE  FORMATION  OF  THE  FOLIO  TEXT. 

We  know  not  what  reason  guided  Heminge  and  Condell  to  employ 
Roberts's  text  for  the  First  Folio,  instead  of  Fisher's.  But  we  are  not 
likely  to  err  in  supposing  the  choice  to  have  been  dictated  by  two  out 
of  three  circumstances. 

i  st.  They  did  not  possess  an  independent  holograph  manuscript  from 
Shakespeare's  hand  of  A  Midsummer  Nights  Dream.  Therefore  they 
availed  themselves  of  a  printed  version  (either  marked  as  "  prompt- 

1  We  are  all  of  us  under  obligation  to  intelligent  compositors  and  press-readers, 
for  their  steady  conservatism  and  shrewd  sense,  as  well  as  for  other  bounties. 
Long  may  they  continue  to  preserve  their  neighbours'  land-marks  !  They  are 
needed  now,  more  than  ever,  to  guard  our  English  literature  from  being  desecrated 
by  the  vagaries  of  self-styled  philologists  ;  who  would  speedily  bring  us  to  a  chaotic 
wilderness  of  barbarism,  through  some  ' '  spelling-reform. "  We  must  resist  these 
revolutionists,  who  threaten  us  that  lists  are  to  be  published  of  proscribed  forms  of 
spelling,  like  the  Hue-and-Cry  photographic  records  of  escaped  criminals. 


xvi  INTRODUCTION. 

book,"  for  representation,  or,  more  probably,  an  ordinary  purchased 
copy). 

2nd.  They  preferred  Roberts's  Quarto,  because  it  was  the  better 
printed  of  the  two  Quartos,  and  more  suited  for  their  reproduction.  Or 
else, 

3rd.  Because  Fisher's  Quarto  (although  registered)  was  by  this  time 
out  of  their  reach,  and,  perhaps,  virtually  forgotten.  But  Roberts's, 
we  know,  was  at  their  hand,  and  was  found  serviceable. 

All  of  us  owe  so  large  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  these  two  actors, 
"  John  Hemmings  and  Henry  Condell "  (as  their  names  are  given  in 
the  list  of  "The  Principall  Actors  in  all  these  playes  "  of  Shakespeare, 
at  beginning  of  the  First  Folio),  that  we  will  not  be  ungracious 
enough  to  swell  the  chorus  of  abuse  raised  by  ignorance  and  ingrati 
tude,  because  they  did  not  take  additional  pains  to  secure  us  an 
accurate  impression  of  the  ipsissima  verba  of  that  greatest  poet,  whom 
they  loved  and  honoured.  In  their  dedication  of  the  plays  to  the 
Earl  of  Pembroke,  they  claim  only  to  have  "  collected  them."  To  the 
public,  "  the  great  variety  of  readers,"  they  judiciously  offer  their 
advice,  "  to  buy  it  first/'  and  then  "  to  read,  and  censure,"  if  men 
will,  according  to  privilege  of  purchasers.  They  express  regret  that 
the  author  himself  had  not  "  liu'd  to  haue  set  forth  and  ouerseen  his 
owne  writings."  They  glance  at  the  "  diuerse  stolne,  and  surreptitious 
copies,  maim'd  and  deform'd  by  the  frauds  and  steal thes  of  injurious 
impostors,  that  expos'd  them;"  and  they  claim,  somewhat  beyond  the 
actual  warrant  of  truth,  to  now  offer  them  to  view  "  cur'd  and  perfect 
of  their  limbes:  and  all  these  rest"  [tdest,  these  never  hitherto  printed 
in  any  edition],  "  absolute  in  their  numbers,  as  he  conceiu'd  the." 
We  must  not  press  too  hardly  against  these  worthy  actors,  who  thus 
assumed  the  editorial  cares  of  authorship,  for  which  they  had  not 
been  trained  by  previous  practice.  What  they  urged  may  have  been  in 
great  part  true,  although  not  true  of  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  plays. 
Probably  of  "  The  Tempest,"  with  which  delightedly  they  open  their 
treasure-trove,  the  statement  is  substantially  correct ;  and  they  tried 
to  give  the  never-printed  masterpiece  as  "  we  haue  scarse  receiued 
from  him  a  blot  in  his  papers." 


INTRODUCTION.  xvii 

Of  sixteen  plays  we  see  the  earliest  known  transcript  in  the  Folio 
of  1623.  Where  it  is  faulty,  therefore,  we  are  often  left  helplessly 
perplexed.  But,  in  many  other  cases,  we  find  valuable  help  afforded 
by  the  earlier-printed  Quartos ;  to  some  of  which  the  Folio  was  in 
debted  for  its  text,  and  notably  so  in  the  case  of  that  loveliest  work 
of  youthful  fancy,  A  Midsummer  Nighfs  Dream. 

§  8.    SOME  PECULIARITIES  OF  THE  FOLIOS. 

Having  already  given  (in  the  Introduction  to  Fisher's  Quarto, 
p.  iii.)  the  entry  belonging  to  it  from  the  Registers  of  the  Stationers' 
Company,  C.  fol.  65  verso,  we  now  add  the  important  entry  concern 
ing  the  First  Folio.  It  is  of  date,  possibly,  before  the  volume  was 
fully  completed  (the  book  requires,  from  its  bulk,  to  be  a  long  time  in 
progress),  and  although  the  list  appears  to  have  been  carefully  tran 
scribed,  and  in  correct  order,  only  those  plays  are  mentioned  of  which 
no  Quarto  editions  are  extant :  "  soe  many  of  the  said  Copies  as  are 
not  formerly  entred  to  other  men."  It  thus  becomes  a  valuable 
record  of  the  admission  made  at  the  time,  that  there  were  sundry 
other  plays  floating  about — more  or  less  authorized,  and  as  legalized 
property — among  which  would  be  reckoned  A  Midsummer  Nighfs 
Dream. 

8°  Nouembris  1623. 

Master  Blounte  Entred  for  their  Copies  vnder  the  hands  of  Master 
Isaak  Jaggard.     Doctor  WORRALL  and  Master  Cole  Warden  Master 
WILLIAM  SHAKSPEERS  Comedyes,  Histories,  and  Tra- 
gedyes,  soe  manie  of  the  said  Copies  as  are  not  for 
merly  entred  to  other  men.  .  .  .  viz? vijs 

COMEDYES.      The  Tempest 

The  two  gentlemen  of  Verona 

Measure  for  Measure 

The  Comedy  of  Errors 

As  you  like  it 

AWs  well  that  ends  well 

Twelfe  night 

The  winters  tale 


xviii  INTRODUCTION. 

HISTORIES.     The  thirde parte  of  HENR  Y ye  SIXT 
HENR  Y  the  EIGHT 

TRAGEDIES.    CORIOLANUS 
TIMON  of  Athens 
JULIUS  C^SAR 
MACKBETH 

ANTHONIE  and  CLEOPATRA 
CYMBELINE 

It  will  be  found  useful  to  have  this  list  here  for  future  reference,  as 
well  as  for  present  service.  We  have  some  important  deductions  to 
draw  from  it  hereafter,  and  on  a  future  occasion,  when  we  have  free 
scope,  we  may  bring  fresh  evidence  to  establish  our  conclusions, 
regarding  the  materials  employed  in  the  First  Folio.  It  is  unneces 
sary  to  detail  the  few  changes  successively  made  in  the  Second, 
Third,  and  Fourth  Folios,  of  1632,  1664  (valuable  only  for  its  rarity, 
most  copies  of  this  edition  having  perished  in  the  Great  Fire  of 
1666),  and  1684.  Corruptions  of  the  text  continually  increased, 
there  being  no  resumed  attention  paid  to  early  Quartos. 

It  has  been  weakly  taken  for  granted  that  the  Folio  rectifies  the 
errors  of  the  Quartos.  Examination  proves  the  falsity  of  this  sup 
position.  It  will  be  convenient  to  give  our  proofs  in  a  foot-note.1 

1  The  Folio  spoils  Lysander's  speech  (p.  6,  line  133),  mutilating  the  verse  by 
omitting  "  Eigh  me  !" — the  full  line  being,  "  Eigh  me  !  for  aught  that  I  could  ever 
read,"  &c. 

Both  Quartos  had  rightly  printed  an  old-fashioned  word  (in  p.  6,  line  144),  in 
"Making  it  Momentany  as  a  sound."  The  Folio,  showing  ignorance  of  the 
phraseology,  has  conjecturally  changed  this  into  "  Momenta-He .^ 

Almost  the  only  innovation  of  the  Folio  possessing  any  value  is  in  Act  iii.  sc.  2, 
where  the  metre  is  restored  by  making  Hermia  say,  "I  am  amazed  at  your/aj- 
sionate  words."  But  even  here,  where  this  probable  conjecture  is  employed,  we 
might  rest  content  with  the  Quarto's  "  I  am  amazed  at  your  words  "  (unless  we 
accept  "passionate"  as  =  pash'nate,  dissyllabic),  in  a  choice  of  imperfections. 
Shakespeare  often  left  an  incomplete  verse. 

One  might  hail  as  an  approach  towards  correction  the  Folio's  reading,  "  Now  is 
the  niorall  downe  betweene  the  two  Neighbors  "  (which  is  itself  a  mistake  for 
mural:  if  we  are  to  accept  the  adjective,  instead  of  the  substantive,  to  make 
sense);  instead  of  the  puzzling,  "Now  is  the  Moon  Vsed  betweene  the  two 
neighbors'1  (p.  57,  line  204). 

lint  the  Folio  leaves  uncorrected  the  palpable  blunder,  "wondrous  strange 
snow"  (p.  53,  line  57),  which  probably  ought  to  be  "wondrous  seething"  or 
"  scaldinge  snow,"  or  some  other  contrasting  word,  as  in  the  case  of  "hot  ice." 

Let  a  fresh  plea  be  here  advanced  for  the  admission  of  this  conjectural  "  seeth- 


INTRODUCTION,  xix 

After  such  a  list  as  we  have  given,  which  might  have  been  swelled 
if  necessary,  it  is  idle  to  talk  of  the  Folio  editors  having  access  to  any 
manuscript  authority  for  A  Midsummer  Nighfs  Dream.  We  hold  it 
indisputable  that  they  used  Robertas  printed  Quarto,  sometimes  in 
creasing  the  defects,  sometimes  guessing  commonplace  variations; 
but  they  give  absolutely  nothing  of  such  improvements  as  would  have 
been  gained  from  a  genuine  manuscript,  or  even  from  a  certified 
"  revised  and  corrected  "  prompt-book. 

ing"  in  place  of  the  absurd  misprint  "strange,"  or  the  advocated  "swarthy,"  which 
is  inadmissible.  "Seething"  is  in  the  doubtful  Perkins'  Folio  of  1632;  but 
as  a  guess  it  is  not  disqualified.  We  note  that  in  Thomas  Bastard's  Chre staler os  : 
Seuen  bookes  of  Epigrames  written  by  T.  B.,  1598  (the  very  year  of  the  latest  pos 
sible  date  of  A  Midsummer  Nighfs  Dream],  on  p.  139,  we  meet  a  confirmation 
of  seething  being  used  as  synonymous  with  baking: — 

BOOK  VI.     EPIGRAM  13. 

' '  There  is  no  fish  in  brookes  little  or  great, 

And  why  ?  for  all  is  fish  that  comes  to  nett. 

The  small  eate  sweete,  the  great  more  daintely. 

The  great  will  seeth  or  bake,  the  small  will  frye."  etc. 

(British  Museum,  Case  39,  a.  3,  second  art.) 

Also,  the  Folio  continues  the  erroneous  "she  meanes,"  which  is  a  misprint  for 
"she  moans,"  in  mockery  of  Thisbie  (p.  60,  line  300).  Also,  the  Folio  accepts 
and  retains  the  misprint  (p.  61,  line  338)  of  "And  the  Wolfe  beholds  the  Moone  ;" 
instead  of  the  indisputable  "  beholds  the  Moone." 

Again,  in  Oberon's  disenchantment  spell  (p.  45,  line  70),  the  metre  is  spoilt  by 
the  Folio  interpolating  a  word,  "Be  thou  as  thou  art  wont  to  be."  And,  in 
Oberon's  last  speech,  or  song  (p.  62,  lines  384,  385),  both  Quartos  having  made  the 
blunder  of  a  misplaced  line,  the  Folio  blindly  follows  the  example,  perplexing  later 
commentators,  and  tempting  them  to  conjectural  emendation.  But  the  error  was 
simply  one  that  Roberts  had  already  fallen  into  (on  p.  28,  with  lines  125  and  127), 
viz.,  the  transposition  of  two  lines.  We  must  read  : 

"And  the  owner  of  it  blest 
Ever  shall  in  safety  rest." 

Not,  as  the  Quartos  and  Folio  wrongly  give  it : 

"  Ever  shall  in  safety  rest, 
And  the  owner  of  it  blest." 

Tire  Folio  errs  in  omitting  Oberon's  name,  attached  to  this  song  in  the  Quartos.  It 
gives  the  song  in  Italics,  not  recognizing  Oberon  as  leading  the  fairies,  which  he 
expressly  declares  : 

"And  this  Ditty  after  me,  Sing  and  dance  it  trippingly." 

We  have  no  call  to  believe,  with  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  (who,  at  the  time,  knew 
nothing  of  Fisher's  Quarto),  that  the  song  mentioned  by  Titania  is  lost. 

As  to  the  transposed  line  in  Titania's  address  to  Bottom,  we  shall  see  (on  next 
page)  that  the  Folio  endorses  Roberts's  corruption  of  the  Fisher  text. 


xx  INTRODUCTION. 

§  9.     ROBERTS'S  TEXT  NOT  "  CORRECTED  FROM  FISHER'S." 
No  one  hereafter  need  feel  any  timidity  in  speaking  of  the  Fisher 
Quarto  as   "  the  First  Quarto/'  and  of  Roberts's  Quarto  as  "  the 
Second  Quarto,"  if  our  demonstration  be  held  complete. 

In  Titania's  first  address  to  Bottom  a  palpable  error  occurs  in 
Roberts's  Quarto  ;  the  final  line  having,  wrongly,  become  the  second 
by  a  printer's  error :  that  is,  the  line  had  been  dropt  while  the  type 
was  being  set :  it  was  noticed,  and  then  inserted,  but  at  a  wrong 
place,  the  blunder  remaining  undetected,  although  the  comma  re 
maining  at  the  end  of  the  line  "  doth  moue  me,"  shows  plainly  the 
nature  of  the  accident.1  Now  this  glaring  typographical  error  is 
positively  copied  into  the  Folio,  although  it  spoils  the  verses  !  The 
compositor  had  sufficient  wit,  and  no  more,  to  alter  the  final  comma 
of  Roberts's  into  a  full  stop.  Surely  nothing  could  better  prove  (ist) 
the  absence  of  authoritative  correction  in  the  Folio,  and  (2nd)  the 
priority  of  Fisher's  to  Roberts's  corrupted  text. 

Far  from  Roberts's  being,  as  it  is  loosely  declared,  "  corrected  from 
Fisher's,"  the  verse  is  often  marred  by  Roberts  departing  from  Fisher's 
reading.  Here  are  instances  of  such  damage,  and  all  of  them  are  en 
dorsed  by  the  Folio  in  repetition  : — 

FISHER'S  TEXT.  ROBERTS'S,  AND  FOLIO. 

P.  7,  line  174.     prospers  loues.  [Rhyming  with  "doues"] 

changed  into      .....     loue. 
,,15     ,,     1 02.     And      thorough     this     distemperature, 

changed  into     .....     through  this 

„  —     ,,     103.     hoary  headed  frosts,  changed  into  .         .     hoared  headed  frosts 
,,17     »     !73-     round  about  the  earth,  changed  into         .     roiind  the  earth. 
»  35     j>      I73-     Helen,  it  is  not  so,  changed  into     .         .     It  is  not  so. 


that 


1  This  piece  of  evidence  is  so  important,  and  has  been  hitherto  so  overlooked, 
at  it  will  be  better  to  give  the  passage  in  full : — 


FISHER'S  QUARTO. 


Titania.—I  pray  thee,  gentle  mortall, 

sing  againe — 
Myne  eare  is  much  enamoured  of  thy 


note  : 


So  is  mine  eye  enthralled  to  thy  shape, 
And  thy  faire  vertues  force  (perforce) 

doth  mooue  mee, 
On  the  first  viewe  to  say,  to  sweare,  I 

loue  thee. 


ROBERTS'S  QUARTO,  AND  FOLIO. 

Tytania. — I  pray  thee  gentle  mortall, 

sing  againe, 
Mine  eare  is  much   enamored   of  thy 

note  ; 
On  the  first  view  to  say,  to  sweare  I 

love  thee. 

So  is  mine  eye  enthralled  to  thy  shape, 
And  thy  faire  vertues  force  (perforce) 

doth  moue  me, 


The  Folio   repeats  Roberts's  text,  verbatim,  et  literatim,  et  punctuatim,  except  at 
the  end,  which  has  a  period,  "  doth  moue  me."" 


INTRODUCTION.  xxi 

Or  weakening  the  sense,  even  when  not  marring  the  verse,  as  in — 

P.  8,  line  202.     His  folly,  Helena,  is  no  fault  of  mine, 

changed  into      .         .         •'-..«         •     none  of  mine. 
,,  16    ,,     153.     That  very  time  I  saw  [evidently  correct] 

changed  into      .         .         .         .         .1  say  [Quite  wrong]. 
»  17     »     !77-     The  next  thing //^w  she  waking,  changed 

into  .......     when  she  waking 

?>  —     j}     190.     And  ivodde  [i.  <?.  mad],  within  this  wood, 

changed  into      .....     wood  within  this  wood 
,,19    ,,    255.     Weed  wide  enough  to  wrap  a  fairy  in, 

changed  into      .....     rap  a  fairy  in  [!  !] 
,,47     ,,     131.     their  being  here  together,  changed  into  .     this  being 
,,48     „     164.     in  fancy  following  me,  changed  into       .    followed  me. 
j>  63    ,,     390.     these  visions,  changed  into     .         .         .     this  visions. 

Sometimes  the  change  is  unimportant,  either  reading  suiting  well 
enough,  as  in  (p.  37,  line  268)  Fisher's  Quarto:  "O  hated  potion" 
altered  into,  "  O  hated  poison  ". 

One  more  specimen  of  the  mere  guess-work  of  both  Roberts's  changes  and  the 
revisers  of  text  in  the  Folio.  In  Act  iii.  sc.  I  (D  4  =  p.  30,  line  19  of  both  Quartos), 
where  Puck  is  delightedly  recounting  the  discomfiture  of  the  Clowns,  on  the 
appearance  of  Bottom  wearing  the  Ass's  head,  Puck  uses  this  expression,  in 
Fisher's  Quarto  :  "And  forth  my  Minnick  comes."  This  is  altered  in  Roberts's 
Quarto,  into  "  And  forth  my  Minnock  comes."  The  change  is  only  a  blunder,  or 
from  some  fancy  of  rectifying  the  spelling  :  a  frequent  occasion  of  error  with 
Roberts.  But  when  the  Folio  text  is  being  formed  from  Roberts's,  twenty-three 
years  later,  there  is  a  total  ignorance  in  the  printing-office  as  to  the  meaning  of  the 
word,  and  it  is  therefore  transformed,  plausibly,  into  Mimic — "And  forth  my 
Mimmick  comes,"  as  though  it  were  spoken  in  reference  to  Bottom  being  one  of  the 
actors.  But  this  is  absolutely  a  blunder.  Puck  never  ceases  to  heap  ridicule  on 
Bottom,  as  "the  shallowest  thickskin  of  that  barren  sort;"  ironically  mocking 
him  as  "sweet  Pyramus,"  "a  stranger  Pyrannis  than  e'er  play'd  here,"  and, 
"  When  thou  wak'st  with  thine  owne  foole's  eyes  peepe."  Puck  is  far  too  choice 
and  culled  of  phrase  to  lavish  so  dainty  an  epithet  on  the  weaver  Bottom  as 
"Mimic."  The  word  he  uses,  we  may  be  sure,  is  a  word  of  insult.  Later  Folios 
further  corrupt  it  into  '' Mammock. "  But  Fisher  gave  us  the  true  Shakespearian 
word,  which  was  correctly  "  Minnick. "  (We  have  a  similar  one  in  "Mannikin," 
but  Minicken,  or  sometimes  Minikin  =  small,  neat,  finical ;  or,  in  an  opprobrious 
sense,  paltry  and  effeminately  unmanly. )  We  have  the  same  word  elsewhere  in 
Shakespeare  :  it  is  in  Edgar's  scrap  of  song,  as  Mad  Tom  (King  Lear,  Act  iii.),  in 
the  Folio  :— 

"  Sleep'st  or  wakest  thou,  jolly  Shepheard, 
Thy  sheepe  bee  in  the  corne  ; 

And  for  one  blast  of  thy  minikin  mouth, 
Thy  sheepe  shall  take  no  harme." 

§  10.     CONCLUSION':  THE  VALUE  OF  THE  QUARTOS. 

We  have  necessarily  left  important  matters  untouched,  that  may  be 
hereafter  discussed  in  our  forthcoming  edition,  long  promised  to  the 
New  Shakspere  Society ',  under  the  presidentship  of  Robert  Browning. 


xxii  INTRODUCTION. 

Pressure  of  other  promised  work  caused  delay.  Our  special  business 
in  this  Quarto  has  been  to  indicate,  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  its  true 
place  and  value  in  relation  to  Fisher's  Quarto  of  the  same  year,  1600, 
and  to  the  earliest  Folio,  1623.  So,  in  our  Introduction  to  Fisher's 
Quarto,  we  limited  ourselves  to  considering  the  evidence  in  adjust 
ment  of  the  date  as  a  composition,  and  only  briefly  touched  on  what 
may  well  be  called  the  higher  criticism.1 

To  another  opportunity,  perhaps  to  a  more  skilful  hand,  is  left  the 
unwinding  of  many  a  clue.  The  intricacies  of  the  fairy  mythology 
might  well  demand  attention  and  most  profound  scholarship.  Hitherto 
little  has  been  done,  beyond  the  gathering  of  materials,  to  form  a 
judgment.  Painters,  like  our  early  teacher,  David  Scott,  and  our  still 
living  friend,  revered  and  loved,  Sir  Noel  Paton,  have  delighted  to 
embody  on  their  canvas  the  airy  gambols  of  "  the  Puck,"  the  graceful 
dignity  of  Oberon,  the  loveliness  of  Titania,  the  quaint  variety  of 
blended  whimsicality  and  bewitching  beauty  among  the  elves  and 
sylphs  that  held  their  revels  in  the  haunted  woodland.  Poets  and 
musicians  have  not  lingered  far  behind  :  they  strove,  like  Mendelssohn, 
to  make  melody  reveal  the  mysteries  that  underlie  the  twilight 
gloaming— the  messages  that  are  heard  or  seen  by  those  alone  whose 
faculties  are  spiritualized  and  quickened,  after  having  breathed 
diviner  air.  From  sculpture  and  from  architecture  have  been  bor- 

1  After  all,  it  is  not  the  individual  opinion  of  any  Editor,  but  the  exact  reproduc 
tion  of  the  text  itself,  in  photo-lithographic  fac-simile,  that  must  indisputably  form 
the  chief  value  of  this  projected  series  of  Quartos.  If  their  text  be  presented  trust- 
worthily,  they  will  be  prized  and  circulated.  (For  any  delay  of  issue,  hitherto, 
neither  the  publisher  nor  the  present  writer  is  in  any  degree  responsible.  Both 
are  blameless.  Our  two  Quartos  of  A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream — a  labour  of 
love,  not  a  hireling  task — are  advanced  before  their  announced  position,  owing  to 
the  three  other  plays  which  should  have  preceded  them  being  still  behind  time. 
They  were  from  different  hands.)  We  have  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  give  a 
longer  or  more  exhaustive  Introduction  to  each  of  our  own  two  Quartos.  Together 
they  form  a  total  of  only  thirty-seven  pages. 

Moreover,  circumstances  have  shown  to  us  the  expediency  of  retaining,  for  the 
present,  within  our  own  possession,  certain  valuable  materials,  literary  and  pictorial, 
gathered  for  the  illustration  of  the  Fairy  Mythology  of  Shakespeare  and  his  Con 
temporaries.  They  are  kept  back  until  such  time  as  they  can  be  published  free  from 
any  injurious  control.  We  write  for  those  who  possess  sympathy  with  something 
beyond  the  dry  bones  of  etymological  and  linguistic  study  of  him  who  was  "the 
world's  Shakespeare."  Readers  will  meet  us  again  in  this  haunted  wood  of  Oberon 
and  Titania.  Let  us  hope  that  it  may  not  be  without  mutual  pleasure  or  mutual 
profit.  Vale. 


INTRODUCTION.  xxiii 

rowed  the  severe  and  stately  calm  that  meets  us  in  such  noble  figures 
as  Duke  Theseus  with  his  Amazonian  bride ;  the  slumbering  lovers, 
couched  apart,  half-hid  in  shadow,  half-glorified  by  the  moon's 
beams ;  and  even  the  procession  of  the  wedding-guests,  coming  at 
the  close  like  a  happy  inspiration — a  dreamland  fancy,  caught  up  in 
memory  from  some  description  of  the  Panathenaic  frieze,  as  told  by 
travellers  who  had  roved  through  Greece,  and  found  true  pleasure  in 
conversing  with  our  Stratford  Poet,  whose  listening  ear  was  ready  to 
accept  the  tale.  Elsewhere  we  see  him  in  his  superhuman  wisdom, 
his  wide- embracing  knowledge  of  all  varieties  of  men,  his  warmth  of 
heart,  his  scorn  of  cunning,  cruelty,  and  selfishness ;  his  mastery  over 
every  passion,  his  insight  into  every  hope  or  fear.  But  here  we  find 
him  keeping  an  open  court ;  not  too  lofty  for  our  homage,  but,  like  his 
own  Theseus,  cheerfully  accepting  our  poor  attempts  to  do  him 
service,  and  warm  ourselves  at  life's  true  Midsummer  in  his  smile. 

We  hold  within  our  grasp  the  very  pages,  printed  without  much 
typographical  skill,  that  in  those  early  days  gave  to  so  many  a  heart 
the  first  rapturous  enjoyment  of  fairyland.  It  is  our  own  fault  if  to  us 
they  bring  less  of  pleasure.  Well  said  the  earliest  editors  of  Shake 
speare  : — 

"  Reade  him,  therefore,  and  againe,  and  againe  :  And  if  then  you  doe  not  like 
him,  surely  you  are  in  some  manifest  danger,  not  to  understand  him." 

J.  WOODFALL  EBSWORTH. 
MOLASH  VICARAGE,  KENT, 

MIDSUMMER-DAY,  1880. 


A   MIDSUMMER  NIGHTS  DREAM. 

PERSONS  REPRESENTED. 

[The  two  Quarto  editions  and  the  four  Folio  editions  have  no  list  of  characters. 
Rowe  first  added  one,  in  1709.] 

THESEUS,  Duke  of  Athens. 

EGEUS,  an  Athenian  Lord,  Father  of  Hermia. 


PHILOSTRATE,  Master  of  the  Rei<els  to  Theseus. 
QUINCE,  a  Carpenter ; 
SNUG,  a  Joiner ; 

BOTTOM,  a  Weaver;  \AriuansafHh**. 

FLUTE,  a  Bellows-mender ;  ' 

SNOUT,  a  Tinker ; 

STARVELING,  a  Tailor ; 

HIPPOLYTA,  Queen  of  the  Amazons,  betrothed  to  Theseus. 

HERMIA,  daughter  of  Egeus,  in  love  with  Lysander. 

HELENA,  in  love  with  Demetrius. 

OBERON,  King  of  the  Fairies. 

TITANIA,  Queen  of  the  Fairies. 

PUCK,  or  RoBiN-GooDFELLOW,  a  Fairy. 

PEAS-BLOSSOM,    \ 

COBWEB,  ,-,... 

MOTH,  \Fatnes- 

MUSTARD-SEED,  J 


PYRAMUS, 

THISBE, 

WALL, 


Characters  in  the  Interlude,  performed  by  the  Clowns. 


MOONSHINE, 
LION, 

Other  Fairies  attendant  on  Oberon  and  Titania. 
*  Attendants  on  Theseus  and  Hippolyta. 

SCENE  varies,  from  the  Palace  of  Theseus  at  Athens,  and  Quince's 
house,  to  a  Wood  in  the  neighbourhood. 


Midfommer  nights 
dreame. 

As  it  bath  beene  fundry  times  pub~ 

tifyfy  afledy  by  the  Ttjght  Honours 

ble,  the  Lord  Chamberlaine  his 

feruants. 

Written  ty  VVflim  Sb 


Printed  h  lames  Tokens,  1600. 


li. 


A 
MIDSOMMER   NIGHTS 

DREAME. 

Enter  Thefttu,Hippolita,  with  others* 

Thefmt, 

f  w  faire  Hippo  foa&m  nuptiall  hoy  re 
•rawes  on  apace :  foure  happy  daics  bring  in 
!  Another  Moone :  buc  oh^me-thinks »  how  flow 
g^v.^jThis  old  Moone  wanes/  She  lingers  my  defires 
-ike  to  a  Step-dam,or  a  Dowager, 
Long  withering  out  a  young  mans  reuenew* 
///jp.Foure  daies  will  quickly  fteepe  themfelues  in nights 
Foure  daies  will  quickly  dreame  away  the  time ; 
And  then  the  Moone,like  to  a  filuer  bow, 
Now  bent  in  heauen,fhall  behold  the  night 
Ofourfolemnities. 

Tbe.GoePhiloftrate, 

Scirre  vp  the  Athenian  youth  to  merriments, 
Awake  the  peart  and  nimble  fpirit  of  mirth! 
Turne  melancholy  foorth  to  Funerals : 
The  pale  companion  is  not  for  our  pomp  v*-, 
HtypolitAil  woo'd  thee  with  my  fword, 
And  wonne  thy  loue,doing  thee  iniuries : 
But  I  will  wed  thee  in  another  key, 
With  pompe.with  triumph,and  with  reuelling, 

Enter  Sgettsandhis  daughter  Hermit jtndLyfwdtr) 

Helena  jind  Demetrius* 
^.Happybe  The[iuf>our  renowned  Duke* 
The. Thanks  good  Bgeus. What's  thenewes  with  thee? 
JEg; .Full  of  vexation,comc  I, with  complaint 

A  2  A* 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Againft  my  childe,my  daughter  Hermia. 

Standfoortk  Demetrius. 
My  noble  Lord. 
This  man  hath  my  confcnt  to  marry  her 

Stand foorth  Lj fonder. 
And  my  gracious  Duke, 

This  man  hath  bewitcht  the  bofomc  of  my  childc : 
Thou.thou  Ljfandert\hou  haft  giuen  her  rimes. 
And  interchang'd  loue  tokens  with  my  childe : 
Thou  haft  by  moone-light  at  her  window  fung, 
With  faining  voice,verfes  of  faining  loue, 
And  ftolne  the  impreflion  of  her  fantafie, 
With  bracelets  of  thy  haire,  rings,gawdes,  conceits, 
Knacks,  trifles.nofegaies,  fweet  meates  (meflengers 
Of  ftrong  preuailement  in  vnhardened  youth) 
With  cunning  haft  thou  filcht  my  daughters  heart, 
Turnd  her  obedience  (which  is  due  to  me) 
Toftubborne  hardineffe.And  my  gracious  Duke, 
Be  it  fo  (he  will  not  here  before  your  Grace, 
Confent  to  marry  with  Demetrius, 
Ibeg  the  ancient  priuiledge  of  Athens ; 

As  flie  is  mine,!  may  difpofe  of  her ; 
Which  fiiall  be  either  to  this  gentleman, 
Or  to  her  death,  according  to  our  law, 

Immediatly  prouided  in  that  cafe. 

Tin?.  What  fay  you  Herntta  ?  be  aduis'd,faire  maid, 

To  you  your  father  ftioud  be  as  a  God : 

One  that  compos'd  your  beauties ;  yea  and  one, 

To  whom  you  are  but  as  a  forme  in  wax 

By  him  imprint ed^and  within  his  power, 

To  leaue  the  figure.or  disfigure  it : 

Demttriw  i$  a  worthy  gentleman. 

Her. So  is  Lrfamkr.  ThtJn  himfelfe  he  is. 

But  in  this  kinde,wanting  your  fathers  voycc. 

The  other  muft  be  held  the  worthier. 

Her. 


A  Midfommers  nights  Dreame. 

Her. I  would  my  father  lookt  but  with  ray  eyes. 

7&f  .Rather  your  eyes  muft  with  his  iudgement  looke. 

Her.  I  do  intreate  your  Grace  to  pardon  me. 
I  know  not  by  what  power  I  am  made  bold, 
Nor  how  it  may  concerne  my  modefty, 
In  fuch  a  prefencc.hcrc  to  plead  my  thoughts ; 
But  I  befcech  your  Grace.chat  I  may  know 
The  word  that  may  befall  me  in  this  cafe, 
If  I  refufe  to  wed  T)emetritts* 

Tlfo.  Either  to  die  the  death,or  to  abiure 
For  euer  the  fociety  of  men* 
Therefore  faire  £fm0M,queftion  your  defires, 
Know  of  your  y  outh.cxamine  well  your  blood, 
Whether  (ifyouyeeld  not  to  your  fathers  choycc) 
You  can  endure  the  liuery  of  a  Nunne, 
For  aye  to  be  in  fhady  Cloifter  me w'd 
To  liue  a  barren  lifter  all  your  life. 
Chanting  faint  hymnesto  the  colde  fruitlefle  Moone. 
Thrice  blefled  they  that  matter  fo  their  blood, 
To  vndergo  fuch  maiden  pilgrimage, 
But  earthlier  happy  is  the  Rofe  diftild, 
Then  that  which  withering  on  the  virgin  thorne, 
Growe$jliues,and  dies»in  fmgle  bleflednefle. 

Her. So  will  Igrow/o  liuc,fo  dye  my  Lord, 
Ere  I  will  yeeld  my  virgin  Patent  vp 
Vnto  his  Lordfliip,  whofe  vnwiftied  yoake 
My  foule  confents  not  to  giue  fouerairuy. 

Ttv.Take  time  to  pau^and  by  the  next  new  Moone, 
The  fealing  day  betwixt  my  ioue  and  me, 
For  euerlafting  bond  of  fdlowfhip : 
Vpon  that  day  either  prepare  to  dye, 
For  difobediencc  to  your  fathers  will, 
Or  elfe  to  wed  Da0ifr/Mf,asbe  wold, 
Or  on  Ditwaes  Altar  to  proteft, 
For  aye,aufterity,and  (ingle  life. 

A  3  Dem. 


1L 


A  Midfommer  nights  Drcame. 

'Dem  .Relent  fweete  ff<rmia,*nd  Lyptndir,  yeeld  g2 

Thy  crazed  title  to  my  certaine  right. 

Lyf.  You  haue  her  Fathers  lou^Demetriw : 
Let  me  haue  Hermits :  do  you  marry  him. 

Egetu. Scornful!  Z^/i»d*r,true,he  hath  my  Loue  5  & 

And  what  is  mme,my  loue  (hall  render  him. 
Arid  (he  is  mine,and  all  my  right  of  her 
I  do  eftate  vnto  Demetrius. 

L]f**.\  am  my  Lord,as  well  deriu'd  as  hce, 
As  well  pofleft :  my  loue  is  more  then  his : 
My  fortunes  euery  way  as  fairely  ranckt 
(If  not  with  vantage)  as  Demetrius : 
And  (which  is  more  then  all  thcfe  boafts  can  be)  104 

I  am  belou'd  of  beautious  Hermta. 
Why  (hould  not  I  then  profecute  my  right  ? 
Demetrius, lit  auouch  it  to  his  head, 

Made  loue  to  Ned*rs  daughter,//*/***,  ws 

And  won  her  foule :  and  (he  ffwecie  Lady)  dotes, 
Deuoutly  dotes,  dotes  in  Idolatry, 
Vpon  this  fpottcd  and  inconftant  man. 

Tke.I  muft  confe(Te,that  I  haue  heard  fo  much,  1,2 

And  with  Z)*;»*fr/i//,thou!ght  to  haue  fpoke  thereof; 
But  being  ouer  full  of  felfc-affaircs,  * 
My  minde  did  lofe  it.But  Demetrius  come, 
And  come  ^**/,you  (hall  go  with  me,  116 

I  haue  fome  priuate  fchooling  for  you  both. 
For  you  faire  Ffermiaylooke  you  arme  your  felfc, 
To  nt  your  fancies  to  your  fathers  will ; 
Or  clfe  the  Law  of  Athens  yeelds  you  vp  120 

(Which  by  no  meanes  we  may  extenuate) 
To  death ;0r  to  a  vow  of  (ingle  life. 
Come  my  HiflolitA ;  what  chearc  my  loue? 

Demetriw  and  Egetu  goe  along :  124 

ihnefle 


I  muft  imploy  you  in  tome  bui 

Againft  our  nup  tiall  ,and  confer  re  with  you 

Or 


A  Midfommers  nights  Dreame. 

Of  fomething,neerely  that  concerncs  y  our  felues. 
^.With  ducy  and  defire,wc  follow  you.         Exeunt. 

Z/7/IHow  now  my  louc  ?  Why  is  your  cheeke  fo  pale  ? 
How  chance  the  roles  there  do  fade  fo  faft  ? 

/fcr.Belike  for  want  of  raine ;  which  I  could  well 
Beteeme  them,from  the  tempeft  of  my  eyes. 

£j/IEigh  me ;  for  ought  that  I  could  cuer  rcade, 
Could  eucr  hearc  by  talc  or  hiftory* 
The  courfc  of  true  louc  neucr  did  runnc  fmoothe, 
But  either  it  was  different  in  bloud ; 

Hrr.O  crofle !  too  high  to  be  inthrald  to  louc. 

Lyf.Or  clfe  mifgraffed,m  refpc&  of  ycarcs ; 

Her.O  fpight  J  too  oldc  to  be  ingag'd  to  yong. 

Lyf.Or  elie  it  flood  vpon  the  chohe  of  friends; 

Ber.O  heiJ,to  choofe  loue  by  anothers  eyes. 

Ljf.Orjf  there  were  a  (impathy  in  choife, 
Warre,death,or  fickne(Tc,did  lay  Hedge  to  it ; 
Making  it  moment  any,as  a  found  ; 
Swift  as  a  fhadow ;  fhort  as  any  dreame ; 
Briefe  as  the  lightening  in  the  collied  night, 
That  (in  a  fplecne)  vnfolds  both  heauen  and  earth  5 
And  ere  a  man  hath  power  to  fay,bchold, 
The  iawes  of darkneflfe  do  deuoure  it  vp : 
So  qutcke  bright  things  come  to  confufion, 

/Ar.  If  then  true  Louers  haue  bin  euer  croft, 
It  Rands  as  an  edi&  in  deftiny : 
T  hen  let  vs  teach  our  triall  patience, 
Becaufe  it  is  a  cuftomary  croffc, 
As  due  to  louc,as  thoughts>and  dreames,and  fighes, 
Wifties  and  teares ;  poore  Fancies  followers. 

Lyf*k  good  perfwafion :  therefore  heare  me9Hermta: 
I  haue  a  widow  Ant,  a  dowagerjf 
Of  great  reuenew,and  fhe  hath  no  childe, 
From  Athens  is  her  houfe  remote  feucn  leagues, 
And  (he  refpects  rne,as  her  oncly  fonne : 

There, 


Li. 


A  Midfbmmer  nights  Dreame. 

There  gentle  £frn»/*,may  I  marry  thee, 
And  to  that  place,the  lharpe  Athenian  law 
Cannot  purfue  vs.If  thou  loucft  me,then 
Steale  forth  thy  fathers  houfe.to  morrow  night  .- 
And  in  the  wood, a  league  without  the  to  wne 
(Where  I  did  meetc  thee  once  with  Helen*, 
To  do  obferuance  to  a  morne  of  MayJ 
There  will  I  flay  for  thee. 

Her  My  gooALjfauier, 
I  fweare  co  thee,by  Cupids  ftrongeft  bow, 
By  his  beft  arrow, with  the  golden  head, 
By  the  Simplicity  of  Venus  Doues. 
By  that  which  knitteth  foules,  and  profpers  loue, 
And  by  that  fire  which  burnd  the  Carthage  Qgeene, 
When  the  falfc  Troyan  vudcr  fayle  was  feene, 
By  all  the  vowes  that  euer  men  haue  broke, 
( [n  number  more  then  euer  women  (poke) 
In  that  fame  place  thou  hair  appointed  me, 
To  morrow  trucly  will  I  rneete  with  thee. 

/^Keepepromife  loue,looke  here  comes  Helen*. 
Bitter  Helena. 

Jf-for.God  fpeede  faire  Helena,*  hither  away  ? 

He/.Call  you  me  faire  ?  that  faire  againe  vnfay, 
Demetrius  loues  your  faire :  O  happy  faire ! 
Your  eyes  are  loadftar$,and  your  tongues  fweet  ayre 
More  tuneable  then  Larketo  Shepheards  care, 
When  wheate  is  greene,whcn  hauthorne  buds  appeare, 
S icknefle  is  catching  :  O  were  fauour  fo, 
Your  words  I  catch,faire  Hernia  ere  I  goe, 
My  care  (hould  catch  your  voice,ray  cye,your  eye, 
My  tongue  {hould  catch  your  tongues  fweet  melody, 
Were  the  world  m\nttDemetrigt  being  bated, 
The  reft  lie  giue  to  be  to  you  tranflated. 
O  teach  me  how  you  looke,and  with  what  art, 
You  fway  the  motion  of  Demetrius  hearr. 


Li. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

flVr.Ifi:owncvponhim,yct  he  loues  me  (till, 

ffel.O  that  your  frowns  wold  teach  my  fmiles  fuch  skii 

Her. I  giue  him  curfcs.yet  he  giues  me  loue. 

Hel.O  that  my  prayers  could  fuch  affc&ion  mooue. 

jHb-.The  more  I  hatc,the  more  he  folio  wes  me. 

/fe/.Thc  more  I  loucsthc  more  he  hatcth  me. 

ffer.His  folly  ^Helena  is  none  of  mine. 

£fe/.None  but  your  beauty,  wold  that  fault  were  mine. 

ffcr.Takc  comfort :  he  no  more  (hall  fee  my  face, 
ty fader  and  my  felfe  will  fly  this  place. 
Before  the  time  I  did  Ljfltnfar  fee, 
Seem'd  Athens  like  a  Paradice  to  me. 
O  then,what  graces  in  my  Louc  do  dwell, 
That  he  hath  turn'd  a  heauen  into  hell. 

Ljf.Hclcnjio  you  our  mindes  we  will  vnfoldj 
To  morrow  night, when  Pkabe  doth  behold 
Her  filuer  vifage,in  the  watry  glafTe, 
Decking  with  liquid  pearle,thc  bladcd  graffe 
(A  timc,that  louers  flights  dothflill  conceale) 
Through  Athens  gatcs,haue  we  deuifed  to  fteale. 

Her.  And  in  the  wood,where  often  you  and  19 
Vpon  faint  Pimrofc  beds,were  wont  to  lye, 
Emptying  our  bofomcs,of  their  counfcli  fweld, 
There  my  Ljfaftder^nd  my  felfe  fhail  mcetc, 
And  thence  from  Athens  turuc  away  our  eyes 
To  feeke  new  friends  and  ftrange  companions. 
Farwcll  fwcete  play-fellow,  pray  thou  for  vs, 
And  good  lucke  grant  thee  thy  Demetrius. 
Keepe  word  Lyfander  we  muft  ftarue  our  fight, 
Fromlouers  foode,till  morrow  deepe  midnight. 

Exit  Htrmia* 

£y£  Iwill  my  HermtaJIcletui  adieu, 
As  you  on  him,  Demetrius  dote  on  you.  Exit  Ljf. 

/fe/.How  happy  fomCjore  othcrfome  can  be  } 
Through  Athens  I  am  thought  as  faire  as  £he. 

B  But 


Li. 


A  Midfommernightesdreame, 

But  what  of  that?D<?#?*/r//#thinkes  notfb; 

He  will  notknowe,what  alljbut  hee  doe  know, 

And  as  hee  erresj  doting  on  Hermits  eyes.- 

Soljadmiring  of  his  qualities. 

Things  bafe  and  vile,  holding  no  quantitiej 

Louc  can  tranfpofe  to  forme  and  dignicie. 

JLoue  lookes  not  with  the  eye$,but  with  the  minde,* 

And  therefore  iswingd  Cupid  painted  blinde« 

Nor  hath  louesminde  of  any  iudgementtaftc: 

Wmgs>andnoeyes;,rlgure,vnheedyhaflc. 

And  therefore  is  loue  faid  to  bee  a  childe? 

Becaufe,inchoyce,he  is  fooft  beguil'd. 

As  waggifh  boycsjin  game,  thcmfeluesfotfweare:  242 

Soothe  boy,Loue  ,is  periur'd  euery  where. 

For»  ere  Demetrius lookt  on  Hermias  eyen3 

Hee  hay  Id  downe  othes^that  he  was  onely 

And  when  this  haile  fome  heate/rom  fftrtvftijelt)  246 

So  hedi(ToIuedjand(howrsofoathes  didmelc, 

I  will  goe  tell  him  of  faire  Hermiu  flight: 

Thcn,tothe  wodde, will  he  ,to  morrow  night, 

Purfucher :  and  for  thisintelligcnce^  2*>o 

If  Ihaue  thankes,it  isadeare  expcnfe: 

But  herein  meane  1  co  enrich  my  paine^ 

To  haue  his  fight  thithcr^and  back  againe.  Exit. 

Enter  Quince  the  C4rpenfer,4ndSnu%gcjbe  loyne^tind 
Bottom^r  he  Weauer\  and  Flute^  the  Bellowes  menAtr^ 
Snout,* 6*  Tinker \  And  StarueL'ng  the  Tyler \ 
Qvin.  Is  all  our  com  pany  hcere/ 
*£pt.  You  wcrebcft  to  call  them  generally, man  by 

man^according  to  the  fcrippe. 
Qttia.Hetc  is  the  fcrowle  ofcuery  mansnamCj  which  is 

thought  fit,through  al/#/fo*/jtopiay  in  ourEnterlude^be- 

fore  the.Ouke:&  the  DutcheSjOn  hiswcddingday  at  night. 

BottJFitR  good  Wee  tcr  Quince  fay  what  the  Play  treason; 

thca  read  the  names  of  the  Adtors.-&fo  grow  to  a  point* 


AMidfommernightcs  drcame. 

S#f».Mary,our  Play  isthc  moft  lamentable  comedy* 
and  moft  crucll  death  cfiTyramw  and  Tkifby* 

*Bot.  A  very  good  peccc  of  worke,!  aflure  you,  &  a  mer 
ry  .Now  good  <PteterQxince,<:i\\  forth  your  A&ors,by  the 
fcrowle«MafterSjfpreadcyourfelues. 
Quin.  Anfwerc,as  I  call  you.  NtckBottonu,  the  Weauer? 
*Boit.  Readie  •*  Name  what  pate  I  am  fbr^  and  proceeds. 


What  is  Pyramtu?  A  louer  j  or  a  tyrant? 

Qttin.  A  louer  that  kils  himfelfe,moft  gallanr^for  loue. 

Bott.  That  will  aflke  fome  teares  in  the  true  performing 
of  it,  Jf  I  doe  itjlet  the  Audience  looke  to  their  eyes:  I  wil 
mooue  Hormes  :  I  will  condole,in  forne  meafurc.  To  the 
reft  ye^mychiefe  humour  is  for  a  ty  rant*  1  could  play£?-- 
des  rarely,  or  a  part  to  teare  a  Cat  in  ,  to  make  all  fplit  the 
raging  rocks  :  and  fhiuering  (hocksyihallbreakc  the  locks 
ofprifongates^andP^/^/^carre  (hallfhine  from  farre, 
and  make  &  marre  the  foolifh  FatesThis  was  ioftie.Now, 
name  the  reft  of  the  Players.  This  is  Er£/e/vame,a  tyrants 
vaine  :  A  louer  is  more  condoling* 

Quin.  ¥r<wcisI?lutejkK,  Bello  wes  menderf 
F/tt.  Here  teeter  Quince. 
Quin.FlutejjWL  muft  take  *fhififr  on  you. 

Fla.  What  is  Thi/ty  A  wandring  knight? 

Quit.  It  is  the  Lady,that  Pyramtu  muft  loue.    (ming. 

F/.Nay  faith.-let  not  me  play  a  woma:I  haue  a  beard  co-» 

Qum*  Thats  all  one^ou  (hall  play  it  in  a  Mafkcjandy  ou 
may  fpeake  as  fmall  as  you  will. 

2?rff  .And  I  may  hide  my  face,  let  me  play  Tkifby  to  :  lie 
fpeake  in  a  monftrous  little  voice;  Tbif»ey  T'hifne^  ah  ?/* 
ramtu^my  louer  deare,thy  Tfyjby  deare,&  Lady  dcare. 

jg^.No,no:you  muft  play  PyrantHs:&  Flute,  you  Tfy/fy. 

Boi.  Wcll,proccede4  QH%.  Tt$bm  Startieltng^  Taller.' 

Star.  Here  Peeter  Quince* 

,yQum\i&  play  Tfyfye$  mothers 
Bx  To* 


Lii. 


AMidfommer  nights  Dreanie. 

thc  Tinker. 
.Hete  Peter  Qntncc, 
Q*inm  You,Pyr<*#;tfj  father ;  my  fclfe,Tfc/j£/>/  father ; 
Snuggc  the  Ioyncr,you  the  Lyons  part :  and  I  hope  here  is 
a  play  fitted. 

.£w*r£.Haiie  you  the  Lyons  part  written  ?  pray  you  if  it 
be,giue  it  me,for  I  am  flowc  of  ftudy. 

Qufn.  You  may  doit  extempore,  for  it  is  nothing  but 
roaring. 

Bet.  Let  me  play  the  Lyon  too,  I  will  roare,thac  I  will 
do  any  mans  heart  good  tohcarcmc.I  will  roare,  that  I 
will  make  the  Duke  fay,Let  him  roare  again,  let  him  roarc 
againe. 

Qttin.]f  you  fhould  do  it  too  terribly,you  would  fright 
the  Dutchcflc  and  the  Ladies,that  they  would  flirikc,  and 
that  were  enough  to  hang  vs  all. 

>4//.That  would  hang  vs  euery  mothers  forme. 
Bot.l  grant  you  friends,  ifyou  fhould  fright  the  Ladies 
out  of  their  wits,  they  would  hauc  no  more  difcrction  but 
to  hang  vs :  but  I  will  aggravate  my  voyce  fo,  that  I  will 
roarc  you  as  gently  as  any  fucking  Doue ;  I  will  roare  you 
and  t'werc  any  Nightingale. 

Quin.You  can  play  no  part  but  Pirarntu,  for  Pirajntu  is 
a  fweet  fac't  man,a  proper  man  as  one  fhal  fee  in  a  fomrners 
day  ;  a  moft  louely  gentlemanlike  man,thercforc  you  mufl 
needs  play  Piramvu. 

/tot.Wcll,!  will  vndertake  it. What  beard  were  1  bcft  ro 
play  it  in  ? 

^^Jwiw. Why, what  you  will. 

Bot.l  will  difchargc  it,in  cyther  your  ftraw-colour  beard, 
your  orange  tawny  beard,your  purple  in  graine  beard,  or 
your  french  crowne  colour  bcard,your  pcrfit  yellow* 
Qu/x.Somt  of  your  french  crownes  hauc  no  haire  at  all ; 
and  then  you  will  play  bare  fac't.  But  matters  hcerc  arc 
your  parts, and  I  am  to  entreat  you,requcft  you,and  dcfire 

you, 


In, 


A  Midfornmer  nights  Dreame, 

you,to  con  them  by  too  morrow  night:  andmeeteme  in 
the  palace  wood,  a  mile  without  the  townc,  byMoone- 
light,there  we  will  rehearfc :  for  if  we  mectein  the  Citty, 
we  fhall be  dogd  with  company.and  our  dcuifes  knownc. 
In  the  meane  timc,I  will  draw  a  bill  of  properties,  fuch  as 
our  play  wants.  I  pray  you  failc  me  not, 

Bor.     We  will  meete,  and  there  we  may  rehearfc  more 
obfcenely  and  couragioufly.  Take  paincs,beperflt,  adieu. 
<£#/»,  At  the  Dukes  oke  we  meete. 

/tor  .Enough,hold  or  cut  bow-firings.  Exeunt. 

Enter  afaiy  at  one  doorey  and  Robin  good-felloe 
of  another. 

^o^/w.How  now  fpirit,whcther  wander  you  ? 

/^/.OuerhilKoucrdale^hroughbufhjthrough  brier, 
Oucr  parke,ouer  pale^hrough  flood}through  fire, 
I  do  wander  euery  where,  fwifter  then  the  Moons  fphcrc  j 
And  I  feruc  the  Fairy  Queenc,  to  dew  her  orbcs  vpon  the 
The cowilips  tall.hcr  penfioncrs  be,  (grcene. 

In  their  gold  coats/pots  you  fee, 
Thofe  be  Rubies  .Fairy  fauours. 
In  thofc  frecklcs,liue  their  fauors, 
I  murt  goe  feckc  fame  dew  drops  here, 
And  hang  a  pearle  in  cucry  cowflips  care. 
Farwcll  thou  Lob  of  fpirits.llcbegonc, 
Our  Queenc  and  all  her  Elucs  come  here  anon. 

fo£.The  King  doth  keepe  his  Rcuels  hccre  to  night, 
Take  heed  the  Queene  come  not  within  his  fight, 
For  Qbcron  is  parting  fell  and  wrath, 
Bccaufc  that  fhc,as  her  attendant,hath 
A  louely  boy  ftollen  from  an  Indian  king, 
She  neucr  had  fo  fweete  a  changeling, 
And  icalous  Obtron  would  haue  the  chHde, 
Knight  of  his  traine,to  trace  the  Forrcfts  wildc. 
But  (he,perforce  with-holds  the  loued  boy, 
Ctowncs  him  with  flowcrs,and  makes  him  all  her  ioy. 

B  3  And 


ILi. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

A  nd  now  they  ncucr  mccte  in  groue,or  grccne, 
By  fountainc  clccre,or  fpangled  ftarlight  fheene, 
But  they  do  fquarc,that  all  their  Elues  for  fearc 
Crccpe  into  acornc  cups, and  hide  them  there. 

F^i.Either  I  miftake  your  fhape  and  making  quite, 
Or  elfe  you  arc  that  (hrevvd  and  knauifh  fpirit, 
Call'd  Robin  good-ff  How  .Are  you  noc  hee, 
That  frights  the  maidens  of  the  Villagree, 
Skim  milke,and  fometiroes  labour  in  the  querne, 
And  bootlefle  make  the  breathleffe  hufwifc  chernc, 
And  fometime  make  the  drinke  to  beare  no  barme, 
Mif-leade  nightxwandercrs,laughing  at  their  harmc, 
Thofe  that  hobgoblin  call  you,and  Iwecte  Puck, 
You  do  their  worke,and  they  (hall  haue  good  lucke, 
Are  not  you  he  t  (the  night, 

&?£.Thou  fpeak'ft  aright ;  I  am  that  merry  wanderer  of 
I  ieaft  to  O&ro»,and  make  him  fmile, 
When  I  a  fat  and  bcane-fed  horfe  beguile ; 
Neighing  in  likencflc  of  a  (illy  foale, 
And  fometime  lurke  I  in  a  go  (lips  bole, 
In  very  likenefTe  of  a  rofted  crab, 
And  when  (he  drinkes,againft  her  lips  I  bob, 
And  on  her  withered  dewlop  poure  the  ale. 
The  wifeft  Aunt  telling  the  (added  tale, 
Sometime  for  three  foote  ftoolc,miftaketh  me^ 
Then  flip  I  from  herbumjdowne  topples  (hc5 
And  tailour  cryes,and  fal$  into  a  coffe, 
And  then  the  whole  Quire  hold  their  hips.and  loffe, 
And  waxen  in  their  mirth,and  necze,and  fwcarc,  52 

A  merrier  houre  was  neuer  wafted  there. 
But  roomeFairy,here  comes  O  heron, 

FM.  And  here  my  miftreffc :  would  that  he  were  gone, 

€ntcr  the  King  ofFatriet  of  one  doore  with  his  trtunet 

and  the  Qucene  at  another  with  hers. 

0£.1U  met  by  raoone-light,proud  Tytanf*. 

Queen. 


ILL 


A  Midfommernights  Dreame. 

gueene.  What,iealous  Qberon  ?  Fairy  skip  hence, 
Ihaue  forfwornehis  bed  and  company. 

Ob. Tarry  rafh  wanton ;  am  not  I  thy  Lord  ? 

jg^/Thenlmuftbetby  Lady  :  but  I  know 
When  thou  haft  ftollen  away  from  Fairy  Land, 
And  in  the  fliapc  of  C<?r/»,fat  all  day, 
Playing  on  pipes  of  corne,and  verfing  loue, 
To  amorous  Phillida.Why  art  thou  here 
Come  from  the  far  theft  freepe  of  India  ? 
But  that  forfooth  the  bouncing  AmA*,ony 
Your  buskind  miftrefle,and  your  warrior  loue, 
To  Tbefcus  muft  be  wedded  ;  and  you  come, 
To  giue  their  bed  ioy  and  profperity. 

O£.How  canft  thou  thus  for  fhame,7)Mvr4, 
Glance  at  my  credite^with  Hippo/tta  ? 
Knowing  I  know  thy  loue  to  Thefetu. 
Didft  not  thou  leadehim  through  the  glimmering  nighta 
From  Pmjrw/'djWhom  he  rauifhed  ^ 
And  make  him  with  faire  Eagles  breake  his  faith 
With  >4r*ufer,and  4ntiofa  ? 

jQ»^».Thefc  are  the  forgeries  of  iealoufie, 
And  ncuer  fincc  the  middle  Sommers  fpring, 
Met  we  on  hill,in  dale,forreft  or  mead, 
By  paued  fountaine^or  by  rufiiy  brooke, 
Or  in  the  beached  margent  of  the  fea, 
To  dance  our  ringlets  to  the  whittling  winde, 
But  with  thy  bra  wles  thou  haft  difturbd  our  fport. 
Therefore  the  windes3pyping  to  vs  in  vaine, 
As  in  reuenge,haue  fuckt  vp  from  the  fea, 
Contagious  fogs ;  which  falling  in  the  Land, 
Hath  eucry  pelting  riuer  made  fo  proud, 
That  they  haue  ouer-bornc  their  Continents. 
The  Oxe  hath  therefore  ftrctcht  his  yoke  in  vaine, 
The  ploughman  loft  his  fweat,and  the  greene  Cornc 
Hath  rotted,erc  his  youth  attaind  a  beard : 

,B  4  The 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreamc. 

The  fold  Rands  empty ,in  the  drowned  field, 
And  Crowes  arc  fatted  with  the  murrion  flocke, 
The  nine  rnens  Morris  is  fild  vp  with  mud, 
And  the  qucint  Mazes  in  the  wanton  grcene> 
For  lackc  of  tread,are  vndiftinguifhable. 
The  humane  mortals  want  their  winter  hecre, 
No  night  is  now  with  hymmc  or  carroll  bleft ; 
Therefore  the  Moonc  (the  goucrnefle  of  floods) 
Pale  in  her  anger,wafhcs  all  the  aire ; 
ThatRheumaticke  difeafes  do  abound. 
And  through  this  diftcmperaturc,we  fee 
The  feafonsalter;hoarcd  headed  frofts 
Fall  in  the  frcfh  lap  of  the  crirufon  Rofe, 
And  on  old  Hyemschinnc  and  Iciecrowne, 
An  odorous  Chaplet  of  fwccte  Sommcr  buds 
Is  as  in  mockery  fet.Thc  Spring, the  Sommer, 
The  childing  Auturane.angry  Winter  change 
Their  wonted  Liucries, and  the  mazed  world, 
By  their  increafe^ow  knowesnot  which  is  which; 
And  this  fame  progeny  of  euils, 
Comes  from  our  debate,from  ourdifTemion, 
We  ^re  their  parents  and  originall. 

Oteron.Do  you  amend  it  then, it  Jycs  in  you. 
Why  ftiould  Titanttcroftc  her Obtron  ? 
I  do  but  beg  a  little  changeling  boy, 
To  be  my  Henchman. 

^Mffne.Sct  your  heart  at  reft, 
The  Fairy  land  buics  not  the  childe  of  me, 
His  mother  was  a  Votreflc  of  my  order, 
And  in  the  fpiccd  /w&itf  aire,by  night 
Full  often  hath  flic  goffipt  by  my  fide, 
And  fat  with  me  on  Neptttnes  yellow  fands, 
Marking  th'embarked  traders  on  the  flood, 
When  we  haue  laught  to  fee  the  failcs  concciue, 
And  grow  big  bellied  with  the  wanton  windc. 

Which 


JIL    rr 

A  Midfomtner  nights  Drearne. 

727  Which  fhe  with  pretty  and  with  fwimming  gate, 

Following  (her  vvombe  then  rich  with  my  young  fquire) 
Would  imitatCjand  faile  vpon  the  Land, 
To  fetch  me  trifles,and  returne  againe, 
737  As  from  a  voyage^ich  with  merchandize. 

But  fhe  being  mortall,of  that  boy  did  dye, 
And  for  her  fake  do  I  rcare  vp  her  boy, 
And  for  her  fake  I  will  not  part  with  him. 
735  ob.  How  long  within  this  wood  intend  you  ftay? 

jg«*«*.Perchance  till  after  Thefcw  wedding  day, 
Ifyou  will  patiently  dance  in  our  Round, 
And  fee  our  Moone- light  rcuels^o  with  vs ; 
If  not,fhun  me  and  I  will  fpare  your  haunts. 
0£,Giue  me  that  boy.and  I  will  go  with  thee. 
Qu.Not  for  thy  Fairie  Kingdome.Fairies  away : 
We  fhall  chide  downe  right,if  I  longer  (lay.  Exeunt 

943  0£.Well,go  thy  way :  thou  fhalt  not  from  this  groue. 

Till  I  torment  thee  for  this  iniury. 
My  gentle  Pucke  come  hither;  thou  rerncmbreft 
Since  once  I  fat  vpon  a  promontory, 
/47  And  heard  a  Meare-maide  on  a  Dolphins  backe, 

Vttering  fuch  dulcet  and  harmonious  breath, 
That  the  rude  fea  grew  ciuill  at  herfong, 
And  ccrtaine  ftarrcs  fhot  madly  from  their  Sphearw, 
To  hcare  the  Sea-maids  muficke, 
?uc.\  remember. 

O^.That  very  time  Ifay  (but  thou  couldft  not) 
Flying  betweenc  the  colde  Moone  and  the  earth, 
'55  Cupid  all  arm'd ;  a  ccrtaine  aime  he  tooke 

Atafairc  Vefral!,throned  by  Weft, 
And  loos'd  his  loue-fhaft  fmartly  from  his  bow* 
As  it  fhould  pierce  a  hundred  thoufand  hearts, 
But  I  mi ght  fee  young  Cupids  fiery  fliaft 
Quencht  in  the  chafte  beamcs  of  the  watry  Moonc^ 
And  the  imperiall  Votrcfle  pafled  on3 

C  In 


170 


1 1.1. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

In  maiden  meditation,  fancy  free*  162 

Yetmarkt  I  where  the  bolt  o 

It  fell  vpon  a  little  wefterne  flower ; 

Before,milke- white ;  now  purple  with  loues  wound, 

And  maidens  call  ic.Loue  in  idlcnefle. 

Fetch  me  that  flower ;  the  hearb  I  fhew'd  thce  once, 

The  iuyce  of  it,on  flceping  eye-lids  hide, 

Will  make  or  man  or  woman  madly  dote 

Vpon  the  next  Hue  creature  that  it  fees. 

Fetch  me  this  hearbe,and  be  thou  here  againe, 

Ere  the  Leuuttkan  can  fwirn  a  league* 

Pti.llc  put  a  girdle  about  the  earth,in  forty  minutes* 
Oforw.Hauing  once  this  iuycc, 
He  watch  Titania, whence  flbe  is  afleepe, 
And  drop  the  liquor  of  it  in  her  eyes  .* 
The  next  thing  when  (he  waking  lookes  vpon, 
(Be  it  on  Lyon,Beare,or  Wolfe,  or  Bull, 
On  medling  Monkey , or  on  bufie  ApcJ 
She  fh  all  purfue  it, with  the  foule  of  louc. 
And  ere  I  take  this  charme  off  from  her  fight, 
(As  I  can  take  it  with  another  hcarbe) 
lie  make  her  render  vp  her  Page  to  me. 
But  who  comes  heere  ?  I  am  inuiftble, 
And  I  will  ouer-heare  their  conference. 

Enter  DeTnetrius, Helena  follow  ing  him. 
Dftftf  .1  loue  thee  not, therefore  purfue  me  not, 
Where  is  Lyfander  and  faire  Hernia  ? 
The  one  lie  ftay,the  other  ftayeth  me. 
Thou  toldft  me  they  were  ftolne  vnto  this  wood ; 
And  here  am  I  and  wood  within  this  wood ^ 
Becaufe  I  cannot  mcete  my  Hermia. 
Hence,get  thcc  gone,and  follow  me  no  more* 

Hel.  You  draw  me,you  hard-hearted  Adamant, 
But  yet  you  draw  not  Iron/or  my  heart 
Is  true  as  ftecle .  Leaue  you  your  power  to  draw, 

And 


Ill 


A  Midfonmmer  nights  Dreame. 

196  And  1  (hall  hauc  no  power  to  follow  you. 

De/ffe.'Do  I  cnti  cc  you  ?  do  I  fpeakc  you  fairc  j 
Or  rather  do  I  not  in  plained  truth, 
Tell  you  I  do  not,not  I  cannot  loue  you  ? 

Jfr/.  And  euen  for  that  do  I  loue  thec  thcmorc ; 
I  am  your  fpaniell,  and  Demetrius, 
The  more  you  bcatc  me,I  v/ill  fawne  on  you. 
Vfe  me  but  as  your  fpanicll ;  fpurne  mc,ftrikc  me, 
204  Negle&me,lofe  me ;  onely  giuc  me  Icauc 

(Vnworthy  as  I  am)  to  follow  you. 
What  worfcr  place  can  1  beg  in  your  Iouef 
( And  yet  a  place  of  high  re(pe6r  with  me) 
208  Then  to  be  vfcd  as  you  vfcyour  dog. 

2>«».Tempt  not  too  much  the  hatred  of  my  (pirn. 
For  I  am  ficke  when  I  do  looke  on  thee. 

Het.  And  I  am  ficke  when  I  looke  not  on  you. 
2/2  Df /w.You  do  impeach  your  modefty  coo  much, 

To  leauethe  Citty,and  commit  your  fclfc 
Into  the  hands  of  one  that  loues  you  not, 
To  truft  the  opportunity  of  night, 
And  the  ill  counfell  of  a  defert  place, 
With  the  rich  worth  of  your  virginity. 

Hcl,  Your  vertue  is  my  prsuiledge :  for  that 
It  is  not  night  when  I  do  fee  your  face* 
220  Therefore  I  thinke  I  am  not  in  the  night, 

Nor  doth  this  wood  lacke  worlds  of  company, 
For  you  in  my  rcfoect  are  all  the  world. 
Then  how  can  it  be  faid  I  am  alone, 
224  When  all  the  world  is  here  to  looke  on  me  f 

jDemMc  run  from  thcc.and  hide  me  in  the  brakes, 
And  leaue  thee  to  the  mercy  of  wilde  Beafts. 

//r /.The  wildeft  hath  not  fuch  a  heart  as  you ; 
228  Runne  when  you  will , the  ftory  (hall  be  chaung'd : 

Apollo  flyes^nd  Dtphna  holds  the  chafe ; 
The  Doue  purfues  the  G  riffcn,  the  milde  Hinde 

C   i  Makes 


JLL 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Makes  fpeed  to  catch  the  Tygre.Boodefle  fpeede, 
When  cowardife  purfues,and  valor  flyes. 

Demet.\  will  not  ftay  thy  qucftions,Iet  me  go ; 
Or  if  thou  follow  me,do  not  bclecue, 
But  I  {hall  do  thee  mifchiefe  in  the  wood.  335 

HeL I,in  the  Temple,in  the  To  wne,and  Field 
You  do  me  mifchicfe.Fye  Demetrius, 
Your  wrongs  do  fet  a  fcandall  on  my  fex : 
We  cannot  fight  for  loue,as  men  may  do ;  239 

We  (hould  be  woo'd,and  were  not  made  to  wooe. 
He  follow  thee  and  make  a  heauen  of  hell,  ^ 

To  dye  vpon  the  hand  1  loue  fo  well.  Exit. 

O^.Fare  thee  well  Nymph,ere  he  do  leaue  this  groticT"  243 

Thou  (halt  flye  him,and  he  (hall  fceke  thy  loue. 
Haft  thou  the  flower  there  ?  Welcome  wanderer* 
Enter 


Off. I  pray  thee  glue  it  me.  ^7 

I  know  a  banke  where  the  wilde  time  blowes, 
Where  Oxflips  and  the  nodding  Violet  growes, 
Quite  ouercanoped  with  lufhious  woodbine, 
With  fweetc  muske  rofcs,and  with  Eglantine; 
There  flcepes  7)f4w/<*,fometime  of  the  night, 
Luld  in  thefe  flowers,with  dances  and  delight: 
And  there  the  fnakcthrowes  her  enammeld  skinne, 
Weed  wide  enough  to  rap  a  Fairy  in.  255 

And  with  the  iuyce  of  thisjle  ftreake  her  eyes, 
And  make  her  full  of  hatefull  fantafies. 
Take  thou  fome  of  it,and  fceke  through  this  grouc; 

A  fweete  Athenian  Lady  is  in  loue  259 

With  a  difdainefull  youth  :  annoint  his  eyes, 

But  do  it  when  the  next  thinghe  cfpies, 

May  be  the  Lady  .Thou  fhalt  know  the  man, 

By  the  Athenian  garments  he  hath  on*  263 

Effe&  it  with  fomc  carc,that  he  may  prooue 

More 


ILL 


A  Midfommers  nights  Dreame. 

More  fond  on  hcr,then  fh  c  vpon  her  loue ; 
And  looke  ihou  mcete  me  ere  the  firft  Cockc  crow. 
/>#.Feare  not  my  I.ord,your  feruant  {hail  do  (b«    €xennt. 

Enter  Queene  of  fairies  ,with  her  traine. 
Queen. Come,now  a  Roundcli,and  a  Fairy  fong  5 
Jhen  for  the  third  part  of  a  minute  hence, 
Some  to  kill  cankers  in  the  muske  rofe  buds, 
Some  warre  with  Reremife,for  their  leathern  wings, 
To  make  my  fmall  Elucs  coate$>and  fome  kcepe  backe 
The  clamorous  O  wle,that  nightly  hootcs  and  wonders 
At  our  queint  fpirits :  Sing  me  now  afleepe, 
Then  to  your  offices,and  let  me  reft. 

Fairies  fng. 

Tou  Dotted fnakes  with  double  tongue, 
Thorny  Hedvebogges  be  notfeene, 
Newts  andvlindewormcs  do  no  wrong 
Come  not  neere  our  Fairy  quecne, 
Philomels  with  melody, 
Sing  in  ourfwcett  Lullafy, 
Lulia  Julia JullabyJulUikttlaJundy, 
Neuer  harmejtorfpelljior  charme, 
fome  our  louely  Lady  nye* 
So  goodnight  with  Lullaby. 

x  .Fairy.  Wearing  Spiders  come  not  heere, 
20  Henceyou  long  legdSfinders^ence : 

beetles  black?  approch  not  neere ; 
War  me  nor  Snayle  do  no  offence. 
Philomele  with  melody  ^c. 
24  2  .Fat. Hence  away  ,now  all  is  well ; 

One  aloofe,ftand  Centinell* 

Snter  Oberon. 

O^What  thou  feeft  when  thou  doft  waket 
Do  it  for  thy  thy  true  louc  take : 
28  Loue  and  languifh  for  his  fake. 

Be  it  Ounce, or  Catte,or  Bcare, 

C  Pard. 


ILii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Drea  me. 

Pard,or  Boare  with  bridled  haire,  30 

In  thy  eye  that  (hail  appeare, 
When  thou  wak'ft,  it  is  thy  deare, 
Wake  when  fome  vile  thing  is  ncere. 
Enter  Ly finder  And  Hcrmia* 

Z^Faire  Iouc,you  faint  with  wandring  in  the  woods,  34 

And  to  fpeakc  troth  I  haue  forgot  our  way : 
Wce'l  reft  vs  HermuijS you  thinke  it  good, 
And  tarry  for  the  comfort  of  the  day. 

Her.  Be  it  fo  Lyftnder ;  finde  you  out  a  bed, 
For  I  vpon  this  banke  will  reft  my  head. 

Z,j/lOne  turffe  (hall  ferae  as  pillow  for  vs  both, 
One  heart,one  bed,two  bofomes,and  one  troth. 

/frr.Nay  good  Ljftndcr  for  my  fake  my  dearc  42 

De  further  off  yet,do  not  lie  fo  neere. 

Ljf.O  take  the  fence  fweete,of  my  innocence, 
Loue  takes  the  meaning,inloucs  conference, 
I  meanc  that  my  heart  vnto  yours  is  knit, 
So  that  but  one  heart  we  can  make  of  it. 
Two  bofomes  interchained  with  an  oath, 
So  then  two  bofomes , and  a  tingle  troth. 

Then  by  your  fide,no  bed-roome  me  deny,  50 

For  lying  fo,  HermiaJ  do  not  lye. 

Her.Lyptwkr  riddles  very  prettily ; 
Now  much  befhrew  my  manners  and  my  pride, 
If  Hermit  meant  to  fay  ,Ly fader  lied.  54 

But  gentle  friend,for  loue  and  cottrtciie 
Lie  further  off,in  humane  modefty, 
Such  feparatton,as  may  well  be  faid, 
Becomes  a  vertuous  batcbellor,and  aroaide, 
So  farre be  diftan t,and  good  night  fweet  friend , 
Thy  loue  nere  alter  till  thy  fweete  life  endc. 

Ljf.hmen  amen,to  that  faire  praier,  fay  I, 

And  then  end  life, when  I  end  loialty :  62 

Heere  is  my  bed,fleepe  giue  thec  all  his  reft. 


Il.ii. 


A  Midfommers  nights  Dreame, 

64  /fcr.Whh  halfc  thai  wifli  the  wifhers  eyes  be  preft, 

Enter  Pucke* 

Pfld^Through  theForrcfthaue  I  gone, 
But  Athenian  finde  I  none, 
On  whofe  eies  I  might  approue 
6s  This  flowers  force  in  ftirring  loue. 

Night  and  (ilencc:  who  is  heere  ? 
VVecdes  of  Athens  he  doth  wcare : 
This  is  he  (my  matter  faid) 
72  Dcfpifcd  the  Athenian maidc : 

And  hcerc  the  maiden  flceping  found, 
On  the  danke  and  dirty  ground. 
Pretty  foule,(he  durft  not  lye 
76  Nccre  this  lack  louc,this  kill-curtcfie. 

Churlc,vpon  thy  eyes  I  throw 
All  the  power  this  charme  doth  owe : 
When  thou  wak'ft,let  loue  forbid 
Sleepe  his  fcate,on  thy  eye-lid. 
So  awake  when  I  am  cone  .• 
For  I  muft  now  to  Obcron.  Exit. 

Snter  Demetrius  and  Helena  running. 
JH^/.Stay,though  thou  kill  mejfweete  3)emetriM. 
De.l  charge  thec  hcnce,and  do  not  haunt  me  thus. 
JFfc/.O  wilt  thou  darkling  leauc  me  ?  donot  ib, 
2V.Stay  on  thy  perill,!  alone  will  goe. 
Hel.Ol  am  out  of  breath,in  this  fond  chafe, 
The  more  my  praier,the  lefler  is  my  grace. 
Happy  is  Hrriw*,wherefoere  (lie  lies ; 
For  flic  hath  bleflfed  and  attra^liue  eyes. 
How  came  her  eyes  fo  bright  ?  Not  with  fait  tcares, 
92  If  fo,my  eies  are  oftner  wafht  then  hers. 

No,no,  I  am  as  vgly  as  a  Bearc  5 
For  beafts  that  mcetc  me,runne  away  for  fcare, 
Therefore  no  maruaile,though  'Detnetritu 
96  Do  as  a  monfter,  flic  rny  prefencc  thus. 


What 


,  JliL 

A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

What  wicked  and  dhTembling  giaiTe  of  mine,  97 

Made  me  compare  with  Hermits  fphery  cyne  ? 
But  who  is  here,  L)  fader  on  the  grouud  ? 
Dead  or  afleepe  ?  I  fee  no  blood,no  wound, 
Ljfandtr,\fyou  liue^good  fir  awake. 

ty/And  run  through  fire  1  will  for  thy  fweet  fake. 
Tranfparant  H?/<?»<*,nature  fhewes  arte, 
That  through  thy  bofome  makes  me  fee  thy  heart. 
Where  is  Demetriw  ?  oh  how  fit  a  word  w. 

Is  that  vile  name,to  pcrifti  on  my  fword ! 
/ft/. Do  not  fay  fo  Lj gander ',fay  not  fo  : 
What  though  he  loue  your  Hermit*  Lord, what  though  ? 
Yet  Hermit  ftill  loucs  you ;  then  be  content,  T09 

/^Content  with  Hermit  ?  No,I  do  repent 
The  tedious  minutes  I  with  her  haue  fpent. 
Not  Hermit,but  Helent  now  I  louc  5 

Who  will  not  change  a  Rauen  for  a  Doue  #  y/J 

The  will  of  man  is  by  his  reafon  fwai'd : 
And  reafon  faics  you  are  the  worthier  maid. 
Things  growing  are  not  ripe  vntill  their  feafon ; 
So  I  being  young,  till  now  ripe  not  to  reafon,  7/7 

And  touching  now  the  point  of  humane  skill, 
Reafon  becomes  the  Marfhall  to  my  will, 
And  leads  me  to  your  eyes,  where  I  orelooke 
Loues  ftorics,written  in  Loues  richeft  booke. 

Hel.  Wherefore  was  I  to  thi  s  kcene  mock  cry  borne  ? 
When  at  your  hands  did  I  deferue  this  fcorne  ? 
Ift  not  enough,ift  not  enough,young  man, 

That  I  did  neuer,no  nor  neuer  can,  125 

Deferue  a  fwcete  looke  from  Demetriw  eye, 
But  you  muft  flout  my  infufficen  cy  ? 
Good  troth  you  do  me  wrong  (good-footh  you  do) 
In  fuch  difdainfull  manner,me  to  wooe. 
But  fare  you  well ;  perforce  I  muft  confefle, 
I  thought  you  Lord  of  more  true  gcntlcneflc. 

Oh, 


Ilii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Oh.rhat  a  Lady  of  one  man  refvs'd, 

Should  of  another  therefore  be  abus'd.  Exit* 

Lyf.She  fees  not  Hermia :  Hermiaflecpe  thou  there, 
And  neuer  maift  thou  come  Lyfander  neere ; 
For  as  a  furfet  of  the  fwceteft  things 
The  dcepeft  loathing  to  the  ftomacke  brings ; 
Or  as  the  herefies  that  men  do  leaue, 
Are  hated  moft  of  thofe  they  did  deceiue : 
So  thou,my  furfet,  and  my  hcrefie, 
Of  ail  be  hated ;  but  the  moft  of  me ; 
And  all  my  powers  addre(fe  your  loue  and  might, 
To  honour  ffc/^and  to  be  her  Knight.  Gxto* 

/frr.Helpe  me  Ly fonder ,helpe me;  do  thy  beft 
To  plucke  this  crawling  ferpent  from  my  breft. 
Aye  mc,for  pitty ;  what  a  dreamc  was  here  ? 
Ly  fader  iooke,how  I  do  quake  with  feare  s 
Me- thought  a  ferpent  eate  my  heart  away, 
And  you  fat  fmiling  at  his  cruell  prey. 
Ly fonder  iwfat  remoou'd  ?  LyfanderJLGt^ 
What,out  of  hearing,gone  ?  No  found,no  word  ? 
Alacke  where  are  you  ?  fpcake  and  if  you  heare ; 
Speake  of  all  ioues ;  I  fwound  almoft  with  feare, 
No.chen  I  well  pcrceiue  you  are  not  nye, 
Eyther  death  or  you  ile  finde  immediately.  <£**>« 

Enter  theflownet. 

Bat,  Are  we  all  met  ? 

<^«i«.Pat>pat1and  heres  a  maruailous  conuenient  place 
for  our  rehearfall.This  greene  plot  fhall  be  our  ftage,  this 
hauthorne  brake  our  tyring  houfe,and  we  will  doe  it  in  ac« 
tion,as  we  will  do  it  before  the  Duke, 

Bot.tpeter  quince* 

Prfw.What  faift  thou,bully  Ttottem*  ? 

*Bot.  There  are  things  in  this  Comedy  ofPiraMwmd 
7%*r£p,that  will  neuer  plcafe.  Firft^P/r^ww  rnuft  draw  a 
fword  to  kill  himfclfe ;  which  the  Ladyes  cannot  abide. 

D  How 


Hli 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreamc. 

How  anfwcr  you  that  ? 

Snout .Bcrlakcn,a  parlous  feare. 
Star.l  bclecue  we  muft  leaue  the  killing  out,  when  all  is 
done. 

/for .Not  a  whit,  I  haue  a  dcuice  to  make  all  well.  Write 
me  a  Prologue,and  let  the  Prologue  feeme  to  fay,  wee  will 
do  no  harmc  with  our  fwords,  and  that  Pjrantnt  is  not  kild 
indeed  :  and  for  the  more  better  affurance,  tell  them  that  I 
pirantM  am  not  PirtntHtjbut  Bottom*  the  Weauer ;  this  will 
putihemoutof  feare. 

<2tfp».Well,we  will  hauc  fuch  a  Prologue,and  it  fnall  be 
written  in  eight  and  fixe. 

'Sot.  No,make  it  two  more,  let  it  be  written  in  eight  fie 
eight. 

Snout.W\\\  not  the  Ladies  be  afeard  of  the  Lyon  ? 
Star. I  feare  it,  I  promife  you, 

Hot.  Mafters,you  ought  to  confider  with  your  felfe,  to 
bring  in  (God  fhield  vs)  a  Lyon  among  Ladies,  is  a  mod 
dreadfull  thing .  For  there  is  not  a  more  fearefull  vvilde 
fowlc  then  your  Lyon  liuing:  and  we  ought  to  looke  to  it. 
Sno.it.  Therefore  another  Prologue  muft  tell  he  is  not  a 
Lyon. 

Rot.  Nay,  you  muft  name  his  name,  and  halfe  his  face 
muft  be  feene  through  the  Lyons  necke,  and  hee  himfelfe 
muft  fpcake  through,  faying  thus, or  to  the  fame  deffeft ; 
Ladics,or  faire  Ladies,  I  would  wifh  you,  or  I  would  re~ 
queft  you,or  I  would  entreat  you  ,noi  to  feare,not  to  trem 
ble  :  my  life  for  yours. If  you  ihinke  I  come  herher  as  a  Ly- 
on,it  were  pitty  of  my  life.  No,/ am  no  fuch  thing,/ am  a 
man  as  other  men  are  j  and  there  indeed  let  him  name  his 
namc,and  tell  them  plainly  he  is  Snug  the  ioyner, 

Q*in.  Well,  it  (hall  be  fo ;  but  there  is  two  hard  things, 
that  is, to  bring  the  Moone-light  into  a  chamber :  for  you 
know,?*>*/»w  and  Tbub)  mecte  by  Moone-light* 

«$V».Doth  the  Moonc  (hinc  that  night  we  pl?y  our  play  ? 

Sot. 


IILi. 


A  Midfommerni^tsDrearne. 

46  "Bottom^  Calender  ,a  Calender,looke  in  the  Almanack, 

findeoutMoone-fhinejfinde  out  Moonefhinc. 
j£#*w.Yes,it  doth  fhine  that  night, 
Bott    Why  then  may  you  Icaueacafemencofthegreai 
5o  chamber  window  (whereweplay)  open,  and  the  Moonc 

may  fhine  in  at  the  cafement. 

Own.  I,or  elfe  one  muft  come  in  with  a  bu(h  of  thorns,& 
a  lanthorne,  and  fay  he  comes  to  disfigure,or  to  prcfcnt  the 
54  pcrfon  of  Moonc-fhine.    Then  there  is  another  thing,  we 

muft  hauea  wall  in  the  great  Chamber;  for  P tram tu  and 
Tbisty  (faies  the  ftory )  did  talke  through  the  chinke  of  a 
wall. 

Jtf.You  canneuer  bring  in  a  wall.  What  fay  you  Bottomet 
"Sot.  Some  man  or  other  muft  prefent  wall.and  let  him 
hauc  fome  plafter,  or  fome  lomc,  or  fome  rough  caft  about 
him,tofignifie  wall;  or  let  him  hold  his  fingers  thus;  and 
62  through  that  cranny, fh all  Piramtu  and  *Thisby  whifper. 

QjHtn.lf  that  may  be,then  all  is  well.  Comc,fu  downe  e- 
uery  mothers  fonne,and  rehearfe  your  parts.    piratnust  you 
begin ;  when  you  haue  fpoken  your  fpcech, enter  into  that 
66  Brake,and  fo  cuery  one  according  to  his  cue. 

Enter  Robin. 

&?£.What  hempen  home-fpuns  hauc  wefwaggring  herc^ 
So  neere  the  Cradle  of  the  Fairy  Queene  ? 
What»a  play  toward  i  lie  be  an  auditor, 
An  a&or  too  perhaps>if  1  fee  caufc. 

j2«/w.Speakc  Piramus*  Tkisty  ft  and  forth. 
Pir,Tbtsfy)i\\e  flowers  of  odious  fauors  fwecte. 
j2«/w.Odours,odorous. 
P/r.Odours  fauors  fwectc, 
So  hath  thy  breatr^my  deareft  Tktsby  dcare. 
But  harkc,  a  voycc  ; ftay  thou  but  hecre  a  while, 
And  by  and  by  I  will  to  thce  appcarc.  £xitt 

-7*  J&in.h  ftranger  Piramns  then  ere  plaid  here, 

Thif,  Muft  I  ipcakc  now  ? 

D     2  I 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame* 

Ptt.  I  marry  muft  you.  For  you  muft  vnderftand  he  goes 
but  to  fee  a  noyfe  that  he  heard,and  is  to  come  againe. 

7'^Moft  radiant  Wr^w«y,tnoft  Lilly  white  of  hue, 
Of  colour  like  the  red  cofe  on  triumphant  brycr, 
Moft  brisky  Iuuenall,and  eke  moft  lonely  lew, 
As  true  as  tmeft  horfe}that  yet  would  neucr  tyre. 
He  meete  thee  Tiramtu^  Ninnies  toombe. 

Pet.Ninus  toombe  man:  why  you  muft  not  fpcake  that 
yet ;  that  you  anfwer  to  Piramus :  you  fpeakc  all  your  part 
at  once,cues  and  al.P*ftM0&  enter,your  cue  is  part ;  it  is  lie- 
uer  tyre, 

J&7/.O,as  true  as  trueft  horfe,that  yet  would  neuer  tyre. 
Pir .If  I  were  faire,T/w^x  I  were  onely  thine.  92 

Pet.O  monftrous,O  ftrange.  We  arc  haunted  j  pray  ma- 
fters  fiyemafters,hclpe. 

Rob.  lie  follow  you,Ile  leadcyou  about  a  Round, 
Through  bogge,  through  budi,  through  brake,  through 
Sometime  a  horfe  lie  be,fometime  a  hound,  (br ycr 

A  hogge,a  headlefie  beare,fometimea  fire, 
And  neigh,and  barke,and  grunt}and  rcre,afid  burnep 
Like  horfejhound^hogjbearCjfircjat  euery  turne.       Exit* 
^f.Why  do  they  run  away  ?  This  is  a  knauery  of  them 
to  make  me  afeard.  Enter  Snow. 

Sft.O  jBottoMttho\.i  art  chang*d  >,  what  do  I  fee  on  thce  ? 
7$ot.  What  do  you  fee  ?  you  fee  an  aife  head  of  your  own. 
Do  you? 

Enter  Peter  quince* 

/Vf.Blefle  chec  70/;0ft*,blefle  thec ;  thou  art  tranflatcd, 

Exh* 

*Bot.l  fee  their  knauery ;  this  is  to  make  an  afle  of  me,  to 
flight  me  if  they  could ;  but  I  will  not  ftir  from  this  place, 
do  what  they  can.l  will  walke  vp  and  downe  hecre,  and  I 
will  fing  that  they  (hall  heare  I  am  not  afraid. 
The  Woofeil  cocke/o  blackc  of  hew, 
With  Orange  tawny  bill, 

The 


Illi 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

The  Throftle,with  his  note  fo  true, 
The  Wren  with  little  quill. 

Tyt ania.  What  Angell  wakes  me  from  my  flowry  bed  f 

&tf.The  Finch,the  Sparrow,and  the  Larke, 
The  plainfong  Cuckow  gray  « 
Whofe  note  full  many  a  man  doth  marke, 
And  dares  not  anfwer,nay» 

For  indeed,who  would  fet  his  wit  to  fo  foolifli  a  bird  ? 
Who  would  giue  a  bird  thelye,though  he  cry  Cuckow,ne- 
uer  fo  ? 

Tjta.I  pray  thee  gentle  mortall^ng  againe, 
Mine  eare  is  much  enamored  of  thy  note ; 
On  the  firft  view  to  fay,  to  fweare  1  loue  thee. 
So  is  mine  eye  enthralled  to  thy  fhape, 
And  thy  faire  vertues  force  (perforce)  doth  moue  me, 

Bot.  Me-thinks  miftrefie,  you  fhould  haue  little  reafon 
for  that :  and  yet  to  fay  the  truth,reafon  and  loue  keepe  lit. 
tie  company  together,now  adayes.7he  more  the  prtty,that 
fome  honert  neighbours  will  not  make  them  friends.  Nay 
I  can  gleeke  vpon  occafion. 
'33  75*4.7 hou  art  as  wife,  as  thou  art  beautiful], 

Bot .Not  fo  neither :  but  if  I  had  wit  enough  to  get  out  k 
of  this  wood,I  haue  enough  to  ferue  mine  owne  turne. 

T)*4.Out  of  this  woodjdo  not  defire  to  goc, 
Thou  {halt  remaine  here, whether  thou  wilt  or  no. 
I  am  a  fpirit  of  no  common  rate : 
The  Sommer  ftill  doth  tend  vpon  my  ftate, 
And  I  do  loue  thee ;  therefore  go  with  me, 
141          He  giue  thee  Fairies  to  attend  on  thee  5 

And  they  (hall  fetch  thee  lewels  from  the  deepe, 
And  fing,  while  thou  on  preiTed  flowers  doft  fleepe . 
And  I  will  purge  thy  mortall  groiTeneiTc  fo, 
That  thou  fhalt  like  an  ayry  fpirit  eo. 

Enter  foure  fairies. 
D    3 


IILi. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

jFW.Rcady  $  and  /,  and  /,  and  /.Where  fhall  we  go  ?  146 

T/te.Be  kindeand  cutteous  to  rhis  Gentleman, 
Hop  in  his  walkes,and  gambole  in  his  eies, 
Feedc  him  with  Apricocks,and  Dewberries, 
With  purple  Grapes.greene  Figs,and  Mulberries,  J50 

The  hony  bags  fteale  from  the  humble  Bees, 
And  for  night  tapers,crop  cheir  waxen  thighes, 
And  light  them  at  the  fiery  Glo  w-wormes  eies, 
To  haue  my  loue  to  bed,and  to  arifc  154 

And  plucke  the  wings  from  painted  Butterflies, 
Tofannc  the  Moone-beames  from  his  deeping  eyes, 
Nod  to  him  Elues,and  do  him  curtefies. 

x.F*/.Hailemcrtall,haile. 


Bot.  I  cry  your  worships  mercy  hartily  ;  I  befeech  your 
wor(htpsname.  162 

Cob.  Cobweb. 

Bot.  I  (hall  defire  you  of  more  acquaintance,  good  Ma- 
fter  Cobweb  :  if/  cut  my  finger,  /  (hall  make  bold  with  you, 
Your  name  honeft  gentleman?  ,66 

Peaf.  Pftfe-bloflomc. 

Bot.  I  pray  you  commend  me  to  miftrefie  5^^,  your 
Mother  ,and  to  maftcr  Peafcodyout  Father,    Good  rnaftcr 
Pe<tfe-bloffomt,  /(hall  defire  you  of  more  acquaintance  to. 
Your  name  I  befeech  you  fir  ? 
Mtif.Mttftard  feeds. 

Bot  .Good  m&far  (-Mustard  fitd,  I  know  your  patience 
well  :  that  fame  cowardly  gyant-like  Oxe-oeefe  hath  de-  174 

uoured  many  a  gentleman  of  your  houfe.  I  promife  you, 
your  kindred  hath  made  my  eyes  water  ere  now.  1  defire 
you  more  acquatntance,good  Matter  Muflardfeed. 

7/>4.Come  waite  vpon  him^eade  him  to  my  bower* 
The  Moone  me-thinks^ookes  with  a  watry  cie, 
And  when  (he  weepes,wcepe  eucry  little  flower, 

Lamen* 


STL 


A  Midfommer  nights  Drea  me, 

Lamenting  fomc  enforced  chaftiiy. 

Tye  vp  my  loucrs  tongue,bring  him  filently.  Exit. 

PnterKing  of  Fairies, <md  Robin good-ffttwr. 
Ob.l  wonder  if  Titttri*  be  awak't ; 
Then  what  it  was  that  next  came  in  her  eye, 
Which  (hemuft  dote  on,in  extremity. 
Here  comes  my  meffenger .-  how  now  mad  fpirit, 
What  night-rule  now  about  this  haunted  groue  ? 

PttckMy  miftrelfc  with  a  monfter  is  in  loue, 
Neere  to  her  clofe  and  confecrated  bower, 
While  (he  was  in  her  dull  and  fleepinghowcr, 
A  crew  ofpatches^rude  Mechanicals, 
That  workeforbread,vpon  Athenian  ftalles» 
Were  met  together  to  rehearfe  a  play, 
Intended  for  great  Thefcus  nuptiall  day : 
The  (halloweft  thick-skin  of  that  barren  (brt, 
Who  Piramw  prefented.in  their  fporc, 
Forfooke  his  Scene,and  entred  in  a  brake. 
When  I  did  him  at  this  aduantage  take, 
An  Affes  noie  I  fixed  on  his  head. 
Anon  his  Thisbie  muft  be  aufwcred, 
And  forth  my  Mtnnock  comes :  when  they  him  fpy , 
As  wilde  geefe,that  the  creeping  Fowler  eye, 
Or  ruffed  pated  choughes,many  in  fort 
(Rifing  and  cawing  at  the  guns  report) 
Seuer  themfclues.and  madly  fweepe  the  sky : 

24  So  at  his  fight,a  way  his  fellowes  flye, 

And  at  our  ftampe,here  ore  and  ore  one  falles  $ 
He  murther  cryes,and  helpefrom  Athens  cals. 
Their  fenfc  thus  weake,loft  with  their  feares  thus  ftrong, 

28  Made  fenfelefle  things  begin  to  do  them  wrong. 

For  briars  and  thornes  at  their  apparell  fnatch, 
Some  (leeues,fome  ha ts, from  yeeiders  all  things  catch, 
I  led  them  on  in  this  diftra&ed  feare, 
And  left  fweeteP^^^tranHated  there : 

When 


lll.ii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame 

When  in  that  moment  (fo  it  came  to  paife) 
TytAni*  waked,and  ftraightway  lou  d  an  a(fe. 

O£.This  falles  out  better  then  I  could  deuife : 
But  haft  thou  yet  lacht  the  •sfthenuins  eyes, 
With  the  loue  iuycc,as  I  did  bid  chee  do  ?  37 

Rob. I  tooke  him  deeping  (that  is  finiflu  to) 
And  the  Athenian  woman  by  his  fide, 
That  when  he  wak't,of  force  (he  muft  be  eyde. 
Enter  Demetriut  and  Hermit. 

O£.Stand  clofe,  this  is  the  fame  tslthcnian. 

£o£.This  is  the  woman/but  not  this  the  man. 

Deme.O  why  rebuke  you  him  that  loues  you  fo  ? 
Lay  breath  fo  bitter  on  your  bitter  foe. 

H«r.Now  I  but  chtde,but  I  fhould  vfe  thee  worfe.  45 

For  thou  (I  feare)  haft  giuen  me  caufe  to  curfe. 
If  thou  haft  flaine  Ly fader  in  his  fleepe,  (to, 

Being  ore  fhooes  in  bloud,plunge  in  the  deepe,and  kill  me 
The  Sunne  was  not  fo  true  vnto  the  day, 
As  he  to  me. Would  he  haue  ftollen  away, 
From  deeping  Hermit  i  He  beleeue  as  foone 
This  whole  earth  may  be  bor'd,and  that  the  Moone 
May  through  the  Center  creepe,and  fo  difpleafe  53 

Her  brothers  noonctide,with  th1 'Antif  odes. 
It  cannot  be  but  thou  haft  murdred  him, 
So  fhould  a  murderer  looke,fo  dead, To  grim* 

Dem.So  fhould  the  murdered  looke,8c  fo  fhould  I,  57 

Picrft  through  the  heart  with  your  ftearne  cruelty : 
Yet  you  the  murderer  looke  as  bri  ght,as  cleare, 
As  yonder  Ventu  in  her  glimmering  fpheare. 

Her.  What's  this  to  my  Ljfvtderl  where  is  he  ? 
Ah  good  Demetrius tvi\\t  thou  giue  him  me  ? 

Dem.ldc  rather  giue  his  carkaffe  to  my  hounds. 
Her. Out  dog, out  curre,thou  driu'ftmepaft  the  bonds 
Of  maidens  paticnce.Haft  thou  flaine  him  then?  65 

Henceforth  be  neuer  numbred  among  men. 

Oh, 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

67  Oh,once  tell  true,  euen  for  my  lake, 

Durft  thou  haue  lookc  vpon  him,being  awake  ? 
And  haft  thou  kild  him  fleeping  ?  O  braue  tucch : 
Could  not  a  worme,an  Adder  do  fo  much  ? 
An  Adder  did  it.For  with  doubler  tongue 
Then  thine  (thou  ferpent)  neuer  Adder  ftung. 

Dww.You  fpend  your  pafllon  on  a  milpriz'd  mood, 
I  am  not  guilty  of  Lyfanders  bloud : 
75  Nor  is  he  dead, for  ought  that  I  can  tell, 

JJcrJ  pray  thee  tell  me  then,that  he  is  well. 
Dem.hnd  if  I  could,  what  (hould  I  get  therefore  ? 
Her.  A  priuiledge,neuer  to  fee  me  more, 
79  And  from  thy  hated  prefence  part  I/ee  me  no  more, 

Whether  he  be  dead  or  no*  Exit 

jD*0;.There  is  no  following  her  in  this  fierce  vaine, 
Hecre  therefore  for  a  while  I  will  remaine. 
s3  So  forrowes  heauine(Te  doth  heauier  grow* 

For  debt  that  bankrout  flip  doth  forrow  owe, 
Which  now  in  fome  flight  meafure  it  will  pay, 
If  for  his  tender  heere  1  make  fome  ftay.         Lie  d&vne. 
0£.What  haft  thou  done  ?  Thou  haft  miftaken  quite, 
And  laide  the  loue  iuyce  on  fome  true  loues  fight : 
Of  thy  mifprifion,muft  perforce  enfue 
Some  true  loue  turn'd.and  not  afalfe  turnd  true. 

Rob.Then  fate  ore-rules,that  one  man  holding  troth, 
A  million  faile,confounding  oath  on  oath. 

Ob.  About  the  wood,goe  fwifter  then  the  winde, 
And  Helena,  ofidthens  looke  thou  finde, 
95  All  fancy  ficke  (he  is, and  pale  of  cheere, 

With  fighes  of  Ioue,that  cofts  the  frefh  bloud  deare. 
By  fome  illufion  fee  thou  bring  her  heere, 
He  charme  his  eies,againft  jfhe  do  appeare. 

Robin. I  go,I  go^looke  how  I  goe, 
Swifter  then  arrow  from  the  Tartars  bowe. 


i.  Flower  of  this  purple  die, 

E  Hit 


m.H. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Hit  with  fop**?*  archery, 
Sinkc  in  apple  of  his  eye, 
When  his  loue  he  doth  efpy, 
Let  her  (hine  as  glorioufly 
As  thc^CTW  of  the  sky. 
When  thou  wak'ft,if  me  be  by, 
Beg  of  her  for  remedy. 


wt> 


P«<%,Captainc  of  our  Fairy  band, 
Helena  is  heere  at  hand, 
And  the  youth,miftookc  by  me, 
Pleading  for  a  Louers  fee. 
Shall  we  their  fond  Pageant  fee  f 
Lord,what  fooles  thefe  mortals  be  !  "> 

O^.Stand  afidc  :  the  noyfe  they  make, 
Will  caufe  Demetrius  to  awake. 

Pw.Thcn  will  two  at  once  wooe  one, 
That  mud  needs  be  (port  alone  : 
And  thofc  things  do  bcft  pleafe  me, 
That  befall  prepoftcroufly. 

£nter  Lj  fonder  and  Helen** 

Z/r/lWhy  fnould  you  think  that  I  fliould  wooe  in  fcorn? 
Scorne  and  derifion  neuer  come  in  teares  : 
Looke  when  I  vow  I  wcepc  ;  and  vowes  fo  borne, 
In  their  natiuity  all  truth  appeares. 
How  can  thefe  things  in  me,fceme  fcorne  to  you  ? 
Bearing  the  badge  of  faith  to  proue  them  true. 

Htl.  You  do  aduance  your  cunning  more  and  more, 
When  truth  kils  truth,  O  diuelifh  holy  fray  \ 
Thefe  vowcs  are  HerntiasWill  you  giue  her  ore  ? 
Weigh  oath  with  oath,and  you  will  nothing  weigh* 
Your  vowes  to  her,and  me  (put  in  two  fcales) 
Will  cucn  wcigh,and  both  as  light  as  talcs. 
Lyf.l  had  no  Judgement,  when  to  her  1  (wore* 
Hfc/.Nor  none  in  my  rninde,now  you  giuc  her  ore. 

Lyf. 


143 


'47 


'55 


IILii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dream  e. 

135  LyffDemetrius  loues  her, and  he  loucs  not  you. 

2)*m*X>#f&#,godde{fe,nimph,perfec\diuine, 

To  what,  my  loue,mall  I  compare  thine  cine  \ 

Chriftall  is  muddy  ,O  how  ripe  in  fhowe, 
,39  Thy  lip$,thofe  kiflfing  cherries,  tempting  grow  ! 

That  pure  congealed  white;  high  Taurus  fnow, 

Fan'd  with  the  Eafterne  winde,turnes  to  a  crow> 

When  thou  holdft  vp  thy  hand.O  let  me  kiife 

This  Princefle  of  pure  white,  this  feale  of  bliflc, 
Hell.  O  fpight  1 6  hell !  I  fee  you  all  are  bent 

To  fet  againft  me,  for  your  merriment. 

If  you  were  ciuill,and  knew  curtefie, 

You  would  not  do  me  thus  much  iniury. 

Can  you  not  hate  me,as  I  know  you  do, 

But  you  muft  ioyne  in  foules  to  moctce  me  too  ? 

If  you  were  men,as  men  you  are  in  (bow, 

You  would  not  vfe  a  gentle  Lady  fo  5 

To  vow,and  fweare,and  fuperpraife  my  parts, 

When  I  am  fure  you  hate  me  with  your  hearts. 

You  both  are  Riuals,and  loue  Hermia  • 

And  now  bothRiuals,to  mocke  Helena. 

A  trim  exploit,a  manly  enterprise, 

To  coniure  teares  vp  in  a  poore  maides  eyes, 

With  your  derifion,none  of  noble  fort, 
159  Would  fo  offend  a  virgir>e,and  extort 

A  poore  foules  patience,  all  to  make  you  (port. 
Z,;/t*.You  are  vnkinde  DentetriHS',  be  not  fo. 

For  you  loue  Hermit ;  this  you  know  I  know  ; 
,6j  And  heere  with  all  good  will,with  all  my  heart, 

In  Hermiat  loue  I  yeeld  you  vp  my  part ; 

And  yours  of  Helena,  to  me  bequeath, 

Whom  I  do  lotte,and  will  do  to  my  death. 
167  H«r/,Neuer  did  mockers  waftc  more  idle  breath. 

?>e me.  lyfattder,kecpe  thy  HermiA,\  will  none : 

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

B  ^  My 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

My  heart  to  her,but  as  gueft-wife  foiournd, 
And  now  to  Helen  \t\s  home  return'd, 
There  to  remaine. 
Lyf.lt  is  not  Co. 

Zfcw.Difparage  not  the  faith  thou  doft  not  know, 
Lead  to  thy  perill  thou  abide  it  deare. 
Looke  where  thy  Loue  comes,yonder  is  thy  deare. 

Enter  Hermit. 

ffcr.Darke  night^that  from  the  eye  his  function  takes, 
The  care  more  quicke  of  apprehenfion  makes, 
Wherein  it  doth  impaire  the  feeing  fenfe> 
It  paies  the  hearing  double  rccompcnce. 
Thou  art  not  by  mine  eie,  Lyfandcr  found, 
Mine  eare  (I  thanke  it)  brought  me  to  thy  found. 
But  why  vnkindly  didft  thou  leaue  me  fo  ? 

Zrj/.Why  fhould  he  ftay,whom  loue  doth  prefle  to  go? 
ffcr.What  loue  could  preffe  Lyftnder  from  my  fide  ? 
Lyf.  Ljf anders  loue  (that  would  not  let  him  bide) 
Faire  Helena  \  who  more  engilds  the  night, 
Then  all  yon  fiery  oes,and  eics  of  light. 
Why  feek'ft  thou  me  s?  Could  not  this  make  thee  know* 
The  hate  I  bare  thee,  made  me  leaue  thee  fo .? 
H^.You  (peake  not  as  you  thinke ;  it  cannot  be. 
/fr/.Loe,{ne  is  one  of  this  confederacy, 
Now  I  perceiue,they  haue  conioynd  all  three, 
To  faftiion  this  falfe  fport,in  fpight  of  me. 
Insurious  //I?rw/<*,moft  vngrateruil  maidc, 
Haue  you  confpir'd,haue  you  with  thefe  contriuM 
To  baitc  mc,with  this  foule  derifion  ? 
Is  all  the  counfell  that  we  two  haue  (har'd, 
The  (iftcrs  vowes,the  houres  that  we  haue  fpent, 
When  we  haue  chid  the  hafty  footed  time, 
For  parting  vs ;  O,  is  all  forgot  > 
All  fchoole-daies  friend  ftiip,child  -hood  innocence  ? 
We  Hermia>likc  two  artificiall  gods, 


igf 


Haue 


216 


Illii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

204         Haue  with  our  needles,created  both  one  flower, 
Both  on  one  fampler,fitting  on  one  cuftiion, 
Both  warbling  of  one  fong,both  in  one  key ; 
As  if  our  hands,our  fidesjvoicesjand  mindes 

20$         Had  bin  incorporate.So  we  grew  together, 
Like  to  a  double  cherry, feeming  parted, 
But  yet  an  vnion  in  partition, 
Two  louely  berries  moulded  on  one  ftemrne, 
So  with  two  feeming  bodies,  but  one  heart, 
Two  of  the  fir  ft  life  coats  in  Heraldry, 
Due  but  to  one,and  crowned  with  one  creft. 
And  will  you  rent  our  ancient  loue  afunder, 
To  ioyne  with  men  in  fcorning  your  poore  friend  ? 
It  is  not  friendly,tis  not  maidenly. 
Our  fexe  as  well  as  Ijmay  chide  you  for  it, 
Though  I  alone  do  feele  the  iniury, 
20  Her  A  am  amazed  at  your  words, 

I  fcorne  you  not ;  It  feemes  that  you  fcorne  me. 
Hel.  Haue  you  not  fct  Ly fanfares  in  fcotne 
To  follow  riband  praife  my  eies  and  face  ? 

224  And  made  your  other  Loue>Dfmetriuf 

(Who  euen  but  now  did  fpurne  me  with  his  foote) 
To  call  me  goddefle^imphjdiuine^and  rare, 
Precious,  celeftiall  ?  Wherefore  fpeakes  he  this 

225  To  her  he  hates  ?  And  wherefore  doth  L)  fader 
Deny  your  loue  (fo  rich  within  his  foule) 
And  tender  me (forfooth)  affection, 

But  by  your  fetting  on,by  your  confent? 
232         What  though  I  be  not  fo  in  grace  as  you, 
So  hung  vpon  with  loue,  fo  fortunate  ? 
(But  miferable  moft,to  loue  vnlou*d) 
This  you  fhould  piety  ,rather  then  defpife* 
36  Her.l  vnderftand  not  what  you  meane  by  this. 

Hd.l9  dOjperfeuerjCounterfeit  fad  lookes, 
Make  mouthes  vpon  me  when  I  turne  my  backe, 

E   3  Winke 


IJI.ir. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Winkc  each  at  other,hold  the  fwcete  ieaft  vp  ;  239 

This  fport  well  carricdjfhall  be  chronicled. 

If  you  haue  any  piety,  gracc,or  manners, 

You  would  not  make  mefuch  an  argument. 

But  faryewelljtis  partly  mine  owne  fault,  242 

Which  death  or  abfence  foonc  (hall  remedy. 

Z/7/Stay  gentle  Helena  frcm  my  excufe, 
My  loue,my  life,  my  foule/aire  Helena. 

ffel.O  excellent  I  247 

JHer.S  wcete,do  not  fcorne  her  fo. 

Dent.lt  (he  cannot  entrcatc,!  can  compell. 

/-j/TThou  canft  compell,  no  more  then  (he  entreate. 
Thy  threats  haue  no  more  ftrength  then  her  weake  ptaife.  25, 

Helen>l  loue  thee,by  my  life  I  doe ; 
I  fweare  by  that  which  I  will  lofe  for  thee, 
To  proue  him  falfe,that  faies  I  loue  thee  not. 

Dem. I  fay, I  loue  thee  more  then  he  can  do.  255 

ItjfVi thou  fay  fo,with.draw  and  proue  it  to. 

Dem.  QuickjCome. 

Her.  Lyf*ndtry whereto  tends  all  this  ? 

lyf.  A  way,you  Ethiope.  259 

Dem.  No,no,hee'l  feeme  to  breake  loofc ; 
Take  on  as  you  would  follow, 
But  yet  come  not :  you  are  a  tame  man,go. 

Zp/IHangoffthou  cat,thou  bur;  vile  thing  let  loofe,  2f>3 

Or  I  will  (hake  thcc  from  me  like  a  ferpent. 

Her,  Why  are  you  growne  fo  rude  ? 
VVhat  change  is  this,(weete  Loue  j 

Lj/.Tby  loue  ?  out  tawny  Tartar ^out ;  267 

Out  loathed  medicine ;  6  hated  poifon  hence. 

/ffr.Do  you  not  ieaft  ? 

Hel.  Yes  footh,and  fo  do  you, 

Ljf,Demefrittf9i  will  kcepc  my  word  with  thee.  271 

*Dem.\  would  I  had  your  bond  .•  for  I  perceiue, 
A  weake  bond  holds  you  5  lie  not  tru  A  your  word. 

lyf. 


IILii 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

fyf-  Whatjfhould  I  hurt  hcr,ftrike  her^ktll  her  dead  ? 

Although  I  hate  her  lie  not  harme  her  fo. 
Her.  V  V  hat  ?  can  you  do  me  greater  harme  then  hate  ? 

Hate  me, wherefore  ?O  me,  what  newes  my  Loue  t 

Amnotl//*r»«4f  Are  not  you /^/W^r  ? 

I  am  as  faire  no w,as  I  was  ere  while. 

Since  night  you  lou'd  me  5  yet  fince  night  you  left  me. 

Why  then  you  left  me  (6  the  gods  forbid  J 
282  In  earneft,fhall  I  fay  ? 

Zv/:i,bymylife; 

And  ncucr  did  dcfire  co  fee  thee  more. 

Therefore  be  out  of  hope,of  queftion,of  doubt ; 
286  Be  certainc ;  nothing  truer ;  tis  no  ieaft, 

That  I  do  hate  thee,and  loue  Helena. 

Her.O  me.you  iuggler,you  canker  bio(Tome, 

You  theefc  of  loue ;  whac,haue  you  come  by  night, 
290  And  ftolne  my  loues heart  from  him? 

ffr/.Fincifaith. 

Haue  you  no  modefty,no  maiden  fliame, 

No  touch  of  baihfulncfle  ^  What,wili  you  tcarc 
294  Impatient  anfwers  from  my  gentle  congue  ? 

Fie,fie,you  counterfet,you  puppet,you. 

//^•.Puppet  ?  why  fo  ?  I,that  way  goes  the  game* 

Now  Iperceiue  that  (he hath  made  compare 
29*  Betweene  our  ftatures,fhe  hath  vrg'd  her  height, 

And  with  her  perfonage,her  tall  parfonage. 

Her  height  (forfooth )  fhe  hath  preuaild  with  him. 

And  arc  you  growne  fo  high  in  his  efleeme, 
302  Becaufe  I  am  fo  d  warfifh  and  fo  low  ? 

How  low  am  I,  thou  painted  May-pole  /  Speake, 

How  low  am  I  >  I  am  not  yet  fo  low, 

But  that  my  nailes  can  reach  vnio  thine  eyes. 
306  /&/.!  pray  you  though  you  mocke  me,  gentlemen, 

Let  her  not  hurt  me  5 1  wasneucr  curft : 

I  haue  no  gift  at  all  in  fhrewifhnefle: 

I 


III.ii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

I  am  aright  maid  for  my  cowarctae  5 
Let  her  not  ftrike  me :  you  perhaps  may  thinke, 
Becaufe  (he  is  fomething  lower  then  my  felfe, 
That  I  can  match  her* 

Her*  Lower?  harkeagaine. 

Hel.Good  Hermia^o  not  be  fo  bitter  with  me, 
I  euermore  did  loue  you  Hermia, 
Did  euer  keepe  your  counfels,neuer  wronged  you, 
Saue  that  in  loue  vnto  'Demetrius, 
I  told  him  of  your  ftealth  vnto  this  wood. 
He  followed  you,for  loue  I  followed  him, 
But  he  hath  chid  me  hence,and  threatned  me 
To  ftrike  me.fpurne  me,nay  to  kill  me  to; 
And  now,fo  you  will  let  me  quiet  goe, 
To  Athens  will  I  beare  my  folly  backc, 
And  follow  you  no  further,  Let  me  go. 
You  fee  how  n*mple,and  how  fond  I  am. 

Jfcr.Why  get  you  gone .-  who  ift  that  hinders  you  ? 

Hel.h  foolifti  heart,that  I  leaue  heere  bchinde. 

Her.  What,with  Lyptndert 

Hel.VVith  Dentetriw. 

Lyf&s  not  afraid,(he  fhall  not  harme  thee  Helena. 

DemNo  (ir^flie  fhali  not,though  you  take  her  part. 

Hel.O  when  (hee's  angry  ,(he  iskeene  and  fhrewd, 
She  was  a  vtxen  when  (lie  went  to  fchoole, 
And  though  (he  be  but  littie,fhe  is  fierce. 

/f^r.  Little  againe  i  Nothing  but  low  and  little  ? 
Why  will  you  fuffer  her  to  flout  me  thus  ? 
Let  me  come  to  her. 

£7/Get  you  gone  you  dwarfe, 
You  im>ff>0Mr,of  hindring  knot  grafle  made, 
You  bead,you  acorne. 

D^w.You  are  too  officious, 
In  her  behalfe  that  fcornes  your  feruices. 
Let  her  alone/peake  not  of  Helena* 

Take 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreamc 

Take  not  her  part.For  if  thou  doft  intend 
Neuer  To  little  (hew  of  loue  to  her, 
Thou  (halt  able  it. 

Zy/Now  flhe  holds  me  not, 
Now  follow  if  thou  dar'fl^to  try  whofc  right, 
Of  thine  or  mine,is  moft  in  Helena. 

DcmSollow  ?  Nay,Ile  go  with  thee  cheeke  by  iow 
Her.  You  Mift.re{Te,aH  this  coyle  is  long  of  you* 
352  Nay,goe  not  backe. 

HeLl  will  not  truft  you  I, 
Not  longer  (lay  in  your  curft  company. 
Your  hands  than  mine,are  quicker  for  a  fray, 
356  My  legs  are  longer  though  to  runne  away. 

ffer.l  am  amaz'd,and  know  not  what  to  fay,        Exeunt, 

O£.This  is  thy  negligence,(till  thou  mittak'ft, 
Or  elfe  coramit'ft  thy  knaueries  wilfully. 
36o  /V^Beleeue  me,King  of  fliaddowesj  miftooke, 

Did  not  you  tell  me,  I  fhould  know  the  man, 
By  the  Athenian  garments  he  hath  on  ? 
And  fo  farre  blamelefTe  proues  my  enterprize, 
364  That  I  haue  nointed  an  Athenians  eyes, 

And  fo  farre  am  I  glad, it  fo  did  fort, 
As  this  their  iangling  I  efteeme  a  fport. 

O^.Thou  feeft  thefe  Louers  feeke  a  place  to  fight, 
368  Hie  therefore  /fo£/'w,ouercaft  the  night^ 

The  ftarry  Welkin  couer  thou  anon> 
With  drooping  fogge  as  blacke  as  Acheron, 
And  leade  thefe  tefty  Riuals  fo  aftray, 
372  As  one  come  not  within  anothers  way. 

Like  to  Z^/iw^r/ometime  frame  thy  tongue, 
Then  (litre  Demetrius  vp  with  bitter  wrong ; 
And  fometime  raile  thou  like  Demetrius ; 
J76  And  from  each  other  looke  thou  leade  them  thus, 

Till  ore  their  browes,death-counterfeiting,  fleepe 
With  leaden  ledgs,and  Batty  wings  doth  creepe  j 

F  Then 


Hl.ii 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Then  cruib  this  hearbc  into  Ly finders  cie, 
Whofc  liquor  hath  this  vertuous  property, 
To  take  from  thence  all  error,with  his  might, 
And  make  his  eie-bals  rolle  with  wonted  fight. 
When  they  next  wake,  all  this  derifion 
Shall  feeme  a  dreame,and  fruitleflc  vifion, 
And  backcto  Athens  (hall  the  Loucrs  wend 
With  league,whofe  date  till  death  (hall  neuer  end . 
Whiles  1  in  this  affaire  do  thee  apply, 
lie  to  my  Queene,and  beg  her  Indian  boy ; 
And  then  I  will  her  charmed  eie  releafe 
From  monfters  view,and  all  things  (hall  be  peace. 

PuckMy  Fairie  Lord,this  muft  be  done  with  hafte, 
For  night  fwifc  Dragons  cut  the  Clouds  full  faft, 
And  yonder  dimes  Auroras  harbinger; 
At  whofe  approch,Ghofts  wandring  heere  and  there, 
Troope  home  to  Church-yards ;  damned  fpirits  all, 
That  in  crofle  waies  and  flouds  haue  buriall. 
Already  to  their  wormy  beds  are  gone ; 
For  fearc  leaft  day  flrould  looke  their  fliames  vpon, 
They  wilfully  themfelues  exile  from  light, 
And  muft  for  aie  confort  with  blacke  browd  night. 

0£.But  we  are  fpirits  of  another  fort ; 
I,with  the  mornings  loue  haue  oft  made  fport, 
And  like  a  Forreftcr,the  groues  may  tread, 
Euen  till  theEaftcrne  gate  all  fiery  red, 
Opening  on  Neptf**e,vtit\i  faire  bleflfed  beames, 
Turnes  into  yellow  gold,his  fait  greene  ftreames. 
But  notwithftanding  hafte,make  no  delay, 
We  may  effect  this  bufine(Te,yet  ere  day. 

PvckjVp  and  downe,vp  and  downe,  I  will  leadc  them  vp 
&  downe  .•  I  am  feard  in  held  and  towne.  Goblin,  lead  them 
vp  and  downe :  here  comes  one.  Enter  Lyfznder. 

Lyf.  Where  art  cho^proud  'Detnetritu  ?  Speak  thou  now. 
.Herc  villaine,drawnc  and  ready.Whcre  art  thou  ? 

Lyf. 


1.11. 


4/4 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Lyf.l  will  be  with  thcc  ftraight. 
&£,Follow  me  then  to  plainer  ground. 

Enter  Demetrius. 
Deme.  Lyfonderfpevke  again  e ; 
Thou  runaway  ,thou  coward,art  thoii  fled  ? 
4,s  Speake  in  fome  bufh.Where  daft  thou  hide  thy  head  ? 

&>£.Thou  coward,art  thou  bragging  to  thcftars, 
Telling  the  bufhes  that  thou  lookYt  for  warres, 
And  wilt  not  come  ?  Come  recreant,come  thou  childe, 
He  whip  thee  with  a  rod.He  is  defil'd 
That  drawes  a  fword  on  thee. 
Dente.  Yea,art  thou  there  i 
Jfo.Follow  my  voice,wee'l  try  no  manhood  here.  Exeunt. 

LjfRt  goes  before  me,and  dill  dares  me  on, 
When  I  come  where  he  calles,then  hee's  gone. 
The  villaine  is  much  lighter  heel'd  then  I ; 
I  followed  faft,but  faftcr  he  did  flic ; 
That  fallen  am  I  in  darkc  vneuen  way, 
And  here  will  reft  me.Come  thou  gentle  day : 
For  if  but  once  thou  (hew  me  thy  gray  light, 
He  finde  Demetrita,and  reuenge  this  fpight. 

3^f  bin  and  Demetrius. 

lfa£.Ho,  ho,ho ;  coward, why  com'ft  thou  not  f 
J>^w^Abide  me,if  thou  dar'ft.For  well  I  wot, 
Thou  runft  before  me,fhifting  euery  place. 
And  dar*ft  not  ftand,noi  looke  rac  in  the  face. 
Where  art  thou? 

J20£,Come  hither,!  am  here. 

De.Nay  then  thou  mockft  me ;  thou  (halt  buy  this  deare, 
If  euer  I  thy  face  by  day-light  fee. 
Now  goe  thy  way :  faintneffe  conftraineth  me, 
To  meafure  out  my  length  on  this  cold  bed, 
By  daies  approch  lookc  to  be  vifited, 

Enter  Helena. 
Hcl.Q  weary  night,  6  long  andtedioumi^it, 

F  2  Abate 


III.fi. 


i\  iVAiuiommer  nignts  Ureame. 

Abate  thy  houres,(hine  comforts  from  the  eaft,  446 

That  I  may  backe  to  Athens  by  day-light, 

From  thefe  that  my  poore  company  deceft  ; 

And  fleepe  that  fometimes  {huts  vp  forrowes  cie, 

Steale  me  a  while  from  mine  owne  company*  Sleefc.  450 

Rob.Ytt  but  three  £  Come  one  more, 
Two  of  both  kindes  makes  vp  foure. 
Here  fhe  comes,cur  ft  and  fad, 
fkpid  is  a  knauifh  lad,  Enter  Hermia.)  454 

Thus  to  make  poore  females  mad. 
/frr.Neuer  fo  weary,  neuer  fo  in  woe, 

Bedabbled  with  the  dew,and  tome  with  briars, 

I  can  no  further  crawle,no  further  goe  ;  45* 

My  legs  can  keepe  no  pace  with  my  defires. 

Here  will  1  reft  me  till  the  breake  of  day, 

Heauens  fhield  Ly  fonder  tf  they  meane  a  fray. 
Ro&.On  the  ground  fleepe  lound, 

He  apply  your  eye  gentle  louer,remedy. 

When  thou  wak'tt,thou  tak'ft 

True  delight  in  the  (ight  of  thy  former  Ladies  eie, 

And  the  Country  Prouerbe  knowne, 

That  euery  man  (hould  take  his  owne, 

In  your  waking  (hall  be  fhowne. 

/<flr^{hall  haue  ////,noughc  (hall  go  ill, 

The  man  fliall  hauc  his  Mare  againe,and  all  ftiall  be  well*  470 

Enter  Qtteene  of  Fairiesyand  Clowne^nd  Fairies  ,  <wd  the          -—  • 
Kin   bekinde  them.  —  — 


.Come  (it  thee  downe  vpon  this  fiowry  bed, 
While  I  thy  amiable  cheekes  do  coy, 
And  ftickemuske  rofes  in  thy  fleeke  fmoothe  head, 
And  kiffe  thy  faire  large  eares,  my  gentle  ioy. 
£7(0»w^.Wherc's  Peafe-bloffome  ? 
Peaf.  Ready. 

C/^w^.Scratchmy  bmAfitfiMoffbme.  Wher's  Moun- 
fieur  Co  fact  ?  C^.Ready, 

Clown. 


IV.  i 


AMidfommers  nights  Dreame. 

C/0»Mounfieur  Cobweb,  gooa  Mounfieur  get  your  wea 
pons  in  your  hand,  and  kill  me  a  red  hipt  humble-bee,  on 
the  top  of  a  thiftle  5  and  good  Mounficur  bring  me  the  ho- 
nybag*  Doe  not  fret  your  felfe  too  much  in  the  action, 
73  Mounfieur ;  and  good  Mounfieur  haue  a  care  the  hony  bag 
breake  not,  I  would  be  loth  to  haue  you  ouerflowne  with  a 
hony-bag  figniour.  Where's  Mounfieur  Lftfyftardfitd'? 

>W*/:Ready. 

77  Cfo.Giue  me  your  neafe,Mounfieur  Mvftardfeed. 

Pray  you  leaue  your  courte(ie,good  Mounfieur. 
Muft. What's  your  wil  ? 

flo.  Nothing  good  Mounfieur,  but  to  helpe  Caualery 
Cobweb  to  fcratch*  I  muft  to  the  Barbers  Mounfieur,  for 
me-thinkes  I  am  maruailous  hairy  about  the  face.  And  I 
am  fuch  a  tender  afle,  if  my  haire  do  but  tickle  me,  I  muft 
fcratch. 

25  7iM.What,wilt  thou  heare  fome  fome  mufick,  my  fweet 

louc? 

Clowve.l  haue  a  reafonable  good  eare  in  muficke.  Let  vs 
haue  the  tongs  and  the  bones* 
29  Tita.Or  fay  fweete  Loue,what  thou  defireft  to  eate. 

C7<w.Truely  a  pecke  of  prouender;  I  could  mounch  your 
good  dry  Oates.  Me-thinkes  I  haue  a  great  defire  to  a  bot 
tle  of  hay :  good  hay,  fweete  hay  hath  no  fellow. 
33  Tita.  I  haue  a  venturous  Fairy, 

That  (hall  feeke  the  fquirrels  hoard. 
And  fetch  thee  new  Nuts. 

£lo.l  had  rather  haue  a  handfull  or  two  of  dried  peafc. 
37  But  I  pray  you  let  none  of  your  people  ftir  me,I  haue  an  ex- 

pofition  or  flcepe  come  vpon  me. 

7)ta.Sleepe  thou,and  I  will  winde  thee  in  my  armes, 
Fairies  be  gone,and  be  alwaies  away, 
So  doth  the  woodbine,the  fweete  Honifuckle, 
Gently  entwift ;  the  female  Tuy  fo 
Enrings  the  barky  fingers  of  the  Elme. 


I  V.i 


A  MicUommer  nights  Dreame. 

0  how  I  louc  thee !  how  I  dote  on  thcc ! 

Snter  Robin  goodfellow. 

O£.  Welcome  good  Robin :  feeft  thou  this  fwcet  fight  £ 
Her  dotage  now  1  do  begin  to  pitty. 
For  meeting  her  of  late  behinde  the  wood, 
Seeking  fweete  fauors  for  this  hateful!  foole, 

1  did  vpbraid  her,  and  fall  out  with  her. 
For  (he  his  hairy  temples  then  had  rounded, 
With  coronet  of  frcfh  and  fragrant  flowers. 
And  that  fame  dewtohich  fomtimeon  the  buds, 
VVas  wont  to  fwell  like  round  &  orient  pearles ; 
Stood  now  within  the  pretty  flour iets  eies, 
Liketeares  that  did  their  owne  difgrace  bewaile. 
When  I  had  at  my  pleafure  taunted  her, 

And  (he  in  milde  tearmes  bcgd  my  patience, 
I  then  did  aske  of  her,  her  changeling  childe, 
Which  ftraight  (he  gaue  me,and  her  Fairy  fent 
To  beare  him  to  my  Bower  in  Fairy  Land. 
And  now  I  haue  the  boy,I  will  vndoe 
This  hatefull  imperfe&ion  of  her  eies. 
And  gentle  Puc^e,  take  this  transformed  fcalpe, 
From  off  the  head  of  this  tsftbenian  fwaine; 
That  he  awaking  when  the  other  do, 
May  all  to  <sftbens  backe  againe  rcpaire, 
And  thinke  no  more  of  this  nights  accidents, 
But  as  the  fierce  vexation  of  a  dreame, 
But  firft  I  will  releafe  the  Fairy  Q^ieene. 


See  a*  thou  w*ft  wont  to  fee. 
*DUns  Myor  (ftpids  flower, 
Hath  focb force  and  bleffedpovtr. 
Now  my  Titauia  wake  y ou,my  fweete  Queene. 

TitaMy  O£*r0»,what  vifions  haue  I  feene ! 
Mc-thought  I  was  enamored  of  an  A(fc, 
0£, There  lies  your  loue. 

TK*. 


IV.i. 


AMidfommers  nights  Dreame. 

7s  Tit  A,  How  came  thefe  things  to  palfe  ? 

Oh,how  mine  eies  doth  loathe  this  vifagc  now ! 

O^.Silence  a  while.  Robin  take  of  this  head ; 
TVtawXmuficke  call,and  ftrike  more  dead 
82  Then  common  fleepe;  of  all  thefe,  fine  the  fenfe. 

7/>4.Muficke,ho  muficke/uch  as  charmcth  fleepe. 
jfy>£.When  thou  wak'ft,with  thine  owne  fooles  eies  peep. 
O^.Soundmufick;  come  my  Q^jeen,  take  hands  with  me 
And  rocke  the  ground  whereon  thefe  fieepers  be. 
Now  thou  and  I  are  new  in  amity, 
And  will  to  morrow  midnight,(olemnly 
Dance  in  D  uke  Thefitts  houfe  triumphantly, 
And  blefle  it  to  all  faire  pofterity. 
Jhere  (hall  the  paires  of  faithful!  Louers  be 
V  VeddedjWith  Thefew,i\\  in  iollity* 

&>&.  Fairy  King,auend  and  marke, 
I  do  heare  the  morning  Larke. 

O^.Then  my  Qucene  in  filence  fad, 
Trip  we  after  the  nights  (hade ; 
V  Ve  the  Globe  can  compaiTe  foone, 
98  Swifter  then  the  wandring  Moone. 

Tfof.Come  my  Lord,and  in  our  flight. 
Tell  me  how  it  came  this  night, 
That  I  fleeping  heere  was  found, 

With  thefe  mortals  on  the  ground.  Exeunt. 

Enter  Thefeus  and  aft  bis  traine*  Winde  homes, 

Tkef.  Goe  one  ofyou,finde  out  the  Forrefter, 
For  now  our  obferuation  is  perform'd ; 
And  fince  we  haue  the  vaward  of  the  day, 
My  Loue  (hall  heare  the  muticke  of  my  hounds. 
Vncouple  in  the  Wefterne  valley^let  them  go ; 
Difpatch  I  fay,and  finde  the  Forreftcr. 
We  will  faire  Quecne,vp  to  the  Mountaines  top, 
And  marke  the  muficall  confufion 
Of  hounds  and  eccho  in  coniimftion. 


IVi. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

p.  I  was  with  Hercules  and  Cadmus  once,  7V1 


When  in  a  wood  of  fireete  they  bayed  the  Beare 

With  hounds  of  Spar  fa  ;  neuer  did  I  heare 

Such  gallant  chiding.For  befides  the  groues, 

The  skies,the  fountaines,euery  region  neere,  n6 

Seeme  all  one  mutuall  cryJ  neuer  heard 

So  muficall  a  difcord,fuch  fweete  thunder. 

ThefMy  hounds  are  bred  out  of  the  Spartan  kinde, 
So  flew'd,fo  fanded.and  their  heads  are  hung  J2o 

With  cares  that  fweepe  away  the  morning  dew, 
Crooke  kneed,and  dew-lap  ttlikeTkeJfaltan  Buls, 
Slow  inpurfuite.but  matcht  in  mouth  like  bels, 
Each  vnder  each.A  cry  more  tuneable  124 

Was  neuer  hollowd  to,nor  cheer'd  with  home, 
In  Creete,m  Sparta  t  nor  in  Thfjfafy  ; 
Judge  when  you  heare.But  foft,what  nimphs  are  thefe  ? 

EgetuMy  Lord,this  is  my  daughter  hcere  a(leepe>  128 

And  this  Ly  fancier  yt\\\s  ^emetritis  is, 
This  ffe/ena,olde  Nedars  Helena, 
I  wonder  of  this  being  heerc  together* 

Tfo.No  doubt  they  rofe  vp  early  ,to  obferue  732 

The  right  of  May  ;  and  hearing  our  intent, 
Came  heere  in  grace  of  our  folemnity. 
But  fpeake  E£*«*,IS  not  this  the  day 
That  ffermia  fhould  giue  anfwer  of  her  choyfe  f  ,3<t 

8getts.lt  is,  my  Lord. 

Tb.Go  bid  the  huntfmen  wake  them  with  their  homes* 
Shout  withinjhey  allftart  vp.Winde  homes. 

Thef.Good  morrow  friends  :  Saint  Valentine  is  paft, 
Begin  thefe  wood  birds  b  ut  to  couple  now  ?  ,40 

I^r.Pardon,my  Lord. 

Thef.  I  pray  you  all  ftand  vp. 
I  know  you  two  are  Riuall  enemies. 
How  comes  this  gentle  concord  in  the  world, 
That  hatred  is  fo  far  re  from  ieaioufie, 

To 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dream  e. 

To  fleepe  by  hate,and  feare  no  enmity. 
Lyf.My  Lord,I  (hail  reply  amazedly, 

Halfe  fleepe,halfe  waking.But  as  yet,  I  fweare, 

I  cannot  truely  fay  how  I  came  here. 

But  as  I  thinke  (for  truely  would  I  fpeake) 

And  now  I  do  bethinke  me,  To  it  is ; 

1  came  with  Hermia  hither. Our  intent 

Was  to  be  gone  from  Athens,  where  we  might  be 
154  Without  the  perill  of  the  Athenian  Law. 

Eg*.Enough,enough  my  Lord :  you  haue  enough ; 

I  beg  the  Law,the  Law,vponhis  head  r 

They  would  haue  ftolneawayjthey  would,  DiiKrtriw, 
153  Thereby  to  haue  defeated  you  and  me : 

You  of  your  wifesand  me  of  my  confent ; 

Of  my  confent,that  (he  (hould  be  your  wife. 

Dtm.Uy  Lord,faire  Helen  told  me  of  their  ftealth, 

Of  this  their  purpofe  hhhcr,to  this  wood, 

And  I  in  fury  hither  followed  them ; 

Faire  Helena^  fancy  followed  me. 

But  my  good  Lord,I  wot  not  by  what  power 
166  (But  by  fome  power  it  is)  my  loue 

To  Hermia  (melted  as  the  fnow) 

Seemes  to  me  now  as  the  remembrance  of  an  idle  gaude, 

Which  in  my  childehood  I  did  dote  vpon : 

And  all  the  faith,the  vertue  of  my  heart, 

The  obie£  and  the  pleafure  of  mine  eic, 

Is  onely  Hetena.To  her,  my  Lord, 

Was  I  bethroth'djere  I  fee  Hermi^ 
1H  But  like  a  fickne(fe,did  I  loathe  this  food, 

Butasin  heahh,corae  to  my  naturall  tafte, 

Now  do  I  wi(h  it,loue  it,long  for  it, 

And  will  for  euermorebe  true  to  it* 
?78  Tfcr/Iaire  Louers,you  arc  fortunately  met  5 

Of  this  difcourfe,we  will  heare  more  anon* 
ty  I  will  oucrbeare  your  will ; 


IV.i. 


A  Midfomtner  nights  Dreame. 

For  in  the  Temple, by  and  by  with  vs, 
Thefe  couples  fhall  eternally  be  knit. 
And  for  the  morning  now  is  fomething  worne. 
Our  purposM  hunting  (hall  be  fet  afide. 
Away,  wUh  vs  to  Athens;  three  and  three, 
Wee  1  hold  a  feaft  in  great  folemni ty.      ^-'^^ 
Come  H/ppolitA.  ( £xit£ 

Deme.  Thefe  things  feeme  fmall  and  vtfdftfinguifliable, 
Like  farre  offmountaines  turned  into  Clouds. 

/y*r,Me-thinks  I  fee  thefe  things  with  parted  eie, 
When  euery  thing  feemes  double. 

//*/.So  me-thinkes : 

And  I  haue  found  T)cnMtritut like  aie well, 
Mine  owne,and  not  mine  owne« 

'Dem.  Are  you  fure 

That  we  are  awake  ?It  feemes  to  me, 
That  yet  we  (leepe,we  dreame.Do  not  you  thinke, 
The  Duke  was  heere,and  bid  vs  follow  him  f 
//«%Yea,  and  my  Father. 
Bel.  And  Hippolita. 

Ztf/TAnd  he  bid  vs  follow  to  theTemple. 
Dent.  Why  then  we  are  awake ;  let's  follow  hirn,and  by 
the  way  let  vs  recount  our  dreames.  Exit* 

Clo.  When  my  cue  comes,call  me,and  I  will  anfwer.  My 
next  is,moft  faire  PtoAmHsR cy  ho.  Peter  Quince  ?  Flute  the 
bello  wes-mender  ?  Snout  the  tinker  ?  Stantcling  f  Gods  my 
life !  Stolne  hence,  and  left  me  afleepe  .•  I  haue  had  a  moft 
rare  vifion.I  haue  had  a  dreame,paft  the  wit  of  man,  to  fay, 
what  dreame  it  was.  Man  is  but  an  A(fe,if  he  go  about  to 
expound  this  dreame.  Me-thought  1  was,  there  is  no  man 
can  tell  what.  Me-tho  ught  I  was,  and  me- thought  I  had. 
But  man  is  but  patent  a  toole,if  he  will  offer  to  lay,  what 
me-thought  I  had.  The  eie  of  man  hath  not  heard,the  eare  213 
of  man  hath  not  feene,  mans  hand  is  not  able  to  tafte,  his 
tongue  to  conceiue,nor  his  heart  to  report,what  my  dream 

was. 


IV. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Drearne. 

2,6  was.  I  will  get  Peter  Quince  to  write  a  Ballet  of  this  dream, 

it  (hallbeczftd'Bottomes  Dream?,  becaufeithath  nobot* 
tomes  and  I  will  (Ing  it  in  the  latter  end  ofa  play,  before 
the  Duke.  Peraduentwre,to  make  it  the  more 

220  (hall  fiag  it  at  her  death, 


•MHMM 

' "'  Enter  Quince^  Flttt^Thisbu!,  and  the  rMle. 


fc.Haue  you  fent  to  Bottoms  houfe  ?  Is  he  come  home 
yet? 

F//#*.He  cannot  be  heard  of,  Out  of  doubt  hee  is  tranf- 
ported. 

Tbif.lf  he  come  not,  then  the  play  is  mard.  It  goes  not 
for  ward,  doth  it  I 

Quin*  It  is  not  poffibie :  you  haue  not  a  man  in  ail  tx-/- 
*&;/*;, able  to  difcharge  Piratnus but  he. 

Thif.  Nojhehath  fimply  the  beft  wit  of  any  handy-craft 
man  in  Athens. 

£uin.  Yea, and  the  beftperfontoo^nd  he  is  a  verypara- 
mour,for  a  fweete  voyce, 

Thif.  You  muft  fay,Paragon.  A  Paramour  is  (God  bleffe 
vs)  a  thing  of  nought. 

Snter  Snug  the  I<yver* 

Snug.  Mafters,the  Duke  is  comming  from  the  Temple, 
and  there  is  two  or  three  Lords  and  Ladies  more  married* 
If  our  fport  had  gone  for  ward,we  had  ail  beene  made  men. 

7%if.O  fweete  bully  'Bottome :  thus  hath  he  loft  fixpence 
a  day, during  his  life;  he  could  not  haue  fcaped  fixpence  a 
day.  And  the  Duke  had  noteiuen  him  fixpence  a  day  for 
playing  ?*ra»w,Ile  be  hang'd.  He  would  haue  dcferued 
it.Sixpence  a  day  in  Pirantw^ot  nothing. 

Enter  'Bottome, 

Sot.  Where  are  thefe  Lads  *  Where  are  thefe  hearts  * 
Quin.  Bottome,  6  moft  couragious  day  1  O  moft  happy 
houre ! 

G  ^  Bot. 


IV.  ii. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame, 

Bot.  Matters,  I  am  to  difcourfe  wonders ;  but  aske  mce 
not  what  .For  if  I  cell  you,  I  am  not  true  AthcnfatJ.  will  tel 
you  euery  thing  right  as  it  fell  out* 

Qtgn.'Ltt  vs  heare,fweete  Bottome. 

Bot.  Not  a  word  of  me :  all  that  I  will  tell  you,is,  that 
the  Duke  hath  dined.  Get  your  appareil  together,  good 
ftrings  to  your  beards,new  ribbands  to  your  pumps,meete 
prefently  at  the  Palace,  euerie  man  looke  ore  his  part :  for 
the  fhort  and  the  long  is,our  play  is  preferd.  In  any  cafe  let 
Tkifby  haue  cleane  linnen  :  and  let  not  him  that  piaies  the 
Lion,paire  his  nailes,  for  they  (hall  hang  out  for  the  Lions 
clawes.  And  moft  dearc  Actors,  eate  no  Onions,  nor  Gar- 
lickc ;  for  we  are  to  vtter  fweete  breath,and  I  do  not  doubt 
but  to  heare  them  fay,  it  is  a  fweete  Comedy.  No  more 
words :  away, go  away. 

Enter  Thefeus,  Hipfolita,  and  Pkiloftrate. 

Hip.  Tis  ftrange  my  Tbefeusjhzt  thefe  louers  fpeake  of. 

The. More  ftrange  then  true.I  neuer  may  beleeue 
Thefe  anticke  fables,nor  thefe  Fairy  toies, 
Louers  and  mad  men  haue  fuch  feething  braines, 
Such  fhapingphantafiesjthat  apprehend  more 
Then  coolereafon  euer  comprehends. 
The  Lunaticke,the  Louer,and  the  Poet, 
Are  of  imagination  all  compact. 
One  fees  more  diuels  then  vafte  hell  can  hold ; 
That  is  themadman.The  Louer,all  as  franticke, 
Sees  Helens  beauty  in  a  brow  of  £gipt. 
The  Poets  eie  in  a  fine  frenzy  rolling,doth  glance 
Fromheauen  to  carth,from  earth  to  heaucn. 
And  as  imagination  bodies  forth  the  formes  of  things 
Vnknowne ;  the  Poets  pen  turnes  them  to  (hapes, 
And  giues  to  airy  nothing,a  locall  habitation, 
And  a  name. Such  trickes  hathftrong  imagination^ 

That 


V.i. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

That  if  it  would  but  apprehend  fome  ioy, 
It  comprehends  fome  bringer  of  that  ioy. 
Or  in  the  night,imagining  fome  feare, 
How  eafie  is  abufli  fuppos'd  a  Beare? 

/ty.But  all  the  ftory  of  the  night  told  ouet, 
And  all  their  mindes  transfigur'dfo  together, 
More  witnefleth  than  fancies  images, 
And  growes  to  fomething  of  great  conftancy ; 
26         But  howfoeuer,ftrange  and  admirable. 

Sntcr  totters  :  Lyfaxder,  Demctriw,  Hermia,and  Helena, 

Thef.  Here  come  the  louers,full  of  ioy  and  mirth : 
loy,  gentle  friends,  ioy  and  frefh  daies 
Of  loue  accompany  your  hearts. 
30  Ljf.  More  then  to  vsjvvaite  in  your  roiall  walkes,  your 

boord,yourbed. 

Thef.   Come  now, what  maskes,  what  dances  (hall  wee 

haue, 

34         To  weare  away  this  long  age  of  three  houres, 
Betweenc  or  after  fuppcr,  and  bed-time  ? 
Where  is  our  vfuall  manager  of  mirth  ? 
What  Reuels  are  in  hand  >  Is  there  no  play, 
3g         To  cafe  the  anguifli  of  a  torturing  hourc  ? 
Call  Pbiloftrttte. 

Philo,  Hecre  mighty  Thefetts, 

Tifof£Say,what  abridgment  haue  you  for  this  cucning  ? 
What  maske,what  muficke  ?  how  (hall  we  beguile 
The  laxie  time,if  not  with  fome  delight  ? 

P&/7.There  is  a  briefe,how  many  fports  are  rife. 
Make  choife  of  which  your  Highnefle  will  fee  firft. 
Thef.  The  battell  with  the  Centattrs  to  be  fung 
By  an  Athenian  Eunuch,to  the  Harpe. 
Wee'l  none  of  that.That  haue  I  tolde  my  Loue, 
In  glory  of  my  kiniman  Hercules. 
50          The  riot  of  the  tipiie  Bachanalf, 

G  3  Tea- 


V.i. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Tearing  the  Thracuut  finger,in  their  rage  ? 
That  is  an  oldc  deuice ;  and  it  was  plaid, 
When  I  from  Tktbcs  came  laft  a  Conqueror. 
The  thrice  three  Mufes,mourning  for  the  death 
Of  1  earn  ing  jl  ate  d  eccaft  in  be  ggery.  55 

That  is  fome  Sttrrc  kecnc  and  criticall, 
Not  forcing  with  a  nuptiall  ceremony. 
A  tedious  briefe  Scene  of  young  Piramuiy 
And  his  Loue  Tkisfy ;  very  tragicall  mirth  ?  so 

Merry  and  tragicall  ?  Tedious  and  briefe  ?  That  is  hotlcef 
And  wondrous  ftrange  Snow.  How  fhall  we  ftnde  the  con 
cord  of  this  difcord  i 

Pbtio.Pi.  play  there  ifjiny  Lord, fome  ten  words  long, 
Which  is  as  briefe, as  I  hauc  knowne a  play; 
But  by  ten  words,my  Lord>it  is  too  long ; 
Which  makes  it  tedious.For  in  all  the  play, 
There  is  not  one  word  apt,one  plaicr  fitted.  6? 


And  tragical!,my  noble  Lord,it  is  :  for  Pi 
Therein  doth  kill  himfelfe. 


Which  when  I  faw 

Reheard,!  muft.confcfle,  made  mine  eies  water  ; 
But  more  merry  teares  thcpaifion  of  loud  laughter 
Neuet  Oied. 

Tbff.  What  are  they  that  do  play  it  ? 

P/u/p.Hard  handed  jnen^that  worke  in  ^r/;^»/hcre, 
Which  neuer  laboured  in  their  mindcs  till  now  ; 
And  now  hauetoyled  their  vnbreathed  memories, 
With  this  fame  play,  a  gainft  your  nuptiali. 

Tbsf.  And  we  will  heare  it. 

T'fo.Nojfny  noble  Lord,it  is  not  for  fou.I  hauc  heard 
It  oue  r.and  u  is  noching,nothing  in  the  world  ; 
Vnlcffe  you  c,an  findc  fport  in  their  intents, 
Extremely  ftretcht,and  cond  with  cnicll  paint, 
Todoyouferuicc. 

Tktf.l  will  hcare  that  play  .For  neuer  any  thing 
Can  be  amiflcjwhen  flmplcneiTe  and  duty  tender  it. 

Goc 


V.i. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dr  eame* 

86  Ooe  bring  them  in,and  take  your  placcs,Ladies« 

Hip.l  louenot  to  fee  wretchedneflc  ©recharged; 
And  duety  in  his  feruice  perifhing. 
Thcf.  Why  gentle  fweete,you  (hall  fee  no  {uch  thing. 

90  Hip.  He  faies,  they  can  do  nothing  in  this  kindc. 

T^.The  kinder  wc,to  giue  them  thanks  for  nothing. 
Our  fport  (hall  be,to  take  what  they  miftake : 
And  what  poore  duty  cannot  do,noble  refpeft 
Takes  it  in  might,not  merir. 
Where  1  haue  come,great  Clearkes  haue  purpofed 
To  grcetc  me  with  premeditated  welcomes ; 
Where  I  haue  feene  them  fhiuer  and  looke  pale, 

98  Make  periods  in  the  midft  of  fcntences, 

Throttle  their  pra&iz'd  accent  in  their  fearcs, 
And  in  conciufion,dumbly  haue  broke  off, 
Not  paying  me  a  welcomc.Truft  me  fwectc, 
Out  of  this  fiience  yet,I  pickt  a  welcome : 
And  in  the  modefty  of  fearcfull  duty, 
I  read  as  much,as  from  the  ratling  tongue 
Of  faucy  and  audacious  eloquence. 

106  Loue  thercfbre,and  tongue-tide  fimplicity, 

In  leaft,fpeake  moft,to  my  capacity. 

Philo.So  plcafc  your  Grace,the Prologue  is  addreft. 
D^.Let  him  approach. 

Enter  the  Prologue. 

Pro,  If  we  offend,  it  is  with  our  good  will. 
That  you  fliould  thinkc,wc  come  not  to  offend, 
But  with  good  will.   To  (hew  our  (imple  skill, 
That  is  the  true  beginning  of  our  end. 
Confider  then, we  come  but  in  defpight. 
We  do  not  come,as  minding  to  content  you, 
Our  true  intent  is.  All  for  your  delight, 
V  Ve  are  not  hcere.That  you  (hould  here  repent  you, 

us  The  A&ors  are  at  hand ;  and  by  thetr  (how, 

You  (hall  know  all,that  you  are  like  to  know. 


V.I 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame* 

is  fellow  doth  not  ftand  vpon  points.  uo 

Ljf.  He  hath  rid  his  Prologue,  like  a  rough  Cole :  hec 

knowes  not  the  ft  op,  A  good  moral!  my  Lord.    It  is  not  e- 

nough  to  fpeake,but  to  fpeake  true. 
Htp.  Indeed  he  hath  plaid  on  this  Prologue,  like  a  childe 

on  a Recorder,a  found,but  not  in  gouernment* 

Thtf.His  fpeech  was  like  a  tangled  chaine ;  nothing  im- 

pairedjbut  all  disordered.  Who  is  next  ? 


'24 


Enter  Tyramtu  and  Thufy,W*ll,  Moone-jhmeyan^Lyon. 

'Prologue.  Gentles,  perchance  you  wonder  at  this  (how,         128 
But  wonder  on,till  truth  make  all  things  plaine, 
This  man  is  Ptramwjtyou  would  know ; 
This  beautious  Lady,27?^^  is  certaine. 
This  man  with  lyme  and  roughcaft,  doth  prefent  132 

Wall.that  vile  wall,  which  did  thefe  louers  funder : 
And  through  wals  chinke(poore  foules)  they  are  content 
To  whifper.  At  the  which,  let  no  man  wonder. 
This  man>with  Lanthorne,dog>and  bufti  of  thorne, 
Prefenteth  moone-(hine.For  if  you  will  know, 
Bymoone-fliine  did  thefe  Louers  thinkeno  fcorne 
To  meece  at  Ninas  toombe,there,there  to  wooe : 
This  grixly  beaft  (which  Lyon  hight  by  name)  140 

The  trufty  Thirty,  comming  firft  by  night, 
Did  fcarre  away,or  rather  did  affright : 
And  as  (he  fled.her  mantle  (lie  did  fall ; 
Which  Lion  vile  with  bloody  mouth  did  Maine.  744 

Anon  comes  PiVviww^fweete  youth  and  tall, 
And  findes  his  trufty  T^Ubtes  Mantle  (laine ; 
Whereat/with  blade,with  bloody  blamefull  blade, 
He  brauely  broacht  his  boiling  bloody  breaft, 
And  7fc£fy,tarrying  in  Mulberry  {hade, 
His  dagger  drew,and  died.For  all  the  reft, 
Let  Lyan,  LM<*one-jhmet  fVall,znd  Louers  twaine, 
At  large  difcourfe, while  here  they  do  remaine.  752 

Thef. 


V.r 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreamc. 

Thtf.  I  wonder  if  the  Lyon  be  to  fpeake. 
Deme.No  wonder,my  Lord:  one  Lion  may  when  many 
Aflesdo. 

Exit  Lyon,  Tbifby,  and  Meont-fline . 
Wall, In  this  fame  Interlude  it  doth  befall, 
757  That  I,one  flute  (by  name)  prefent  a  wall  : 

And  fuch  a  wallas  I  would  haue  you  thinke, 
That  had  in  it  a  crannied  hole  or  chinke : 
Through  which  the  Louets,Piramw  and  Tkisfy, 
761  Did  whifper  ofte^very  fecretly. 

This  lome,this  roughcaft,  and  this  ftone  doth  (how. 
That  I  am  that  fame  wall ;  the  truth  is  fo. 
And  this  the  cranny  is,rignt  and  (inifter. 
Through  which  the  fearefull  Louers  are  to  whifper, 
Thef.  Would  you  defire  lime  and  haire  to  (peak  better  .* 
Demt.  It  is  the  wittieft  partition,  chat  euer  Ihearddif- 
courfe,my  Lord. 

Thef.  Viramw  drawes  neere  the  wall,(ilence. 
F/r«O  grim  lookt  night, 6  night  with  hue  fo  black e, 
O  night, which  euer  art,when  day  is  not : 

0  night,  6  nighc,alacke,alackc,a!acke, 

1  feare  my  Tbisbies  promife  is  forgot. 
And  thou  6  wall,  6  fweete,6  louely  wall, 

That  (lands  betweene her  Fathers  ground  and  mine, 
Thou  wall,  6  wall,6  fweete  and  louely  wall, 
,77  Shew  me  thy  chinke,to  blink  through  with  mine  eine. 

Thanks  courteous  wall,  loue  fhield  thee  well  for  this. 
But  what  fee  I  ?  No  Thisfydol  fee. 
O  wicked  walkthrough  whom  I  fee  no  blifle, 
Curft  be  thy  ftones,for  thus  deceiuing  me. 

Tbef.  The  wall  me-thinks  being  fenfiblejfliould  curfe  a- 
gaine. 

Ptr.No  in  truth  fir,he  fhould  not. Deceiving  me9 
is5  Is  Thirties  cue ;  (he  is  to  enter  now,and  I  am  to  ipy 

Her  through  the  wall.  You  (hall  fee  it  will  fall 

H  Pat 


V.i. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

Pat  as  I  told  you ;  yonder  flic  comes.  Enter  Wish. 

Thif,  O  wall, full  often  haft  thou  heard  my  moncs, 
For  parting  my  fairc  /Vn«0*tf,and  me. 
My  cherry  lips  haue  often  kift  thy  ftones ; 
Thy  ftones  with  lime  and  haire  knit  now  againe,  ,g, 

Pyra.  I  fee  a  voice ;  now  will  I  to  the  chinke, 
To  fpy  and  I  can  heare  my  Thirties  face.  7*/ 
'Tbtf.My  Loue  thou  an, my  Loue  I  thinke. 
Pir.Thinke  what  thou  wilt,I  am  thy  Louers  grac^  195 

And  \\VcLimander  &m  I  trufty  ft  ill* 

Thtf.  And  I  like  Helen  .till  the  fates  me  kill, 

PJr.NotSbafalw  to  /V0rrw,was  fo  true. 

7&/y*As  Shafaltts  to  Prarw,  I  to  you.  igg 

T/r.OkiiTe  me  through  the  hole  of  this  vile  wall. 

Tkif.1  kiffe  the  wals  hole,not  your  lips  at  all. 

Pir.  Wilt  thou  at  Ninnies  toomb  mectc  me  ftraightway  ? 

TforyiTide  life,t  idc  death,!  come  without  delay,  70j 

ffaff.Thus  haue  I  fPfcftmy  part  difchargcd  fo; 

And  being  done,  thus  Wdl  a  way  doth  goc. 

P#«Now  is  the  Moon  vfcd  bctwecne  the  two  neighbors. 

Deme.No  remcdy,my  Lord,  when  wals  are  fo  wilfull,  to 

hcare  without  warning. 

Z>»f<r&.This  is  the  fillieft  ftuffe  that  ere  I  heard. 
D/%.The  beft  in  this  kinde  arc  but  (badowcs,   and  the 
•\vorft  are  no  worfc,if  imagination  amend  them. 
Dntch.lt  muft  be  your  imagination  then,and  not  theirs. 
D^tf.Ifwee  imagine  no  worfe  of  them  then  they  of  them- 
felucs,they  may  pafle  for  excellent  men.     Heerc  come  two 
noble  bcafts,  in  a  man  and  a  Lyon.  2(s 

Enter  Lyon  And  <JMoone-fhine, 
Zjjwj.You  Ladies,  you  (whofe  gentle  hearts  do  fcarc 
The  fmalleft  monftrous  mouCe  that  creepes  on  floorc) 
May  now  pcrchance,both  quake  and  tremble  hcere, 
When  Lyon  rough,in  wildcft  rage  doth  roarc.  2'9 

Then  know  that  Ij&Snug  theioyner  am 


V.i. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreamc. 

221  A  Lyon  fel^nor  clfe  no  Lyons  damme, 

For  if  I  ftiould^s  Lyon  come  in  ftrife, 
Into  this  place,t\vere  pitty  on  my  life, 

Duk$.h  very  gentle  bcaft.and  of  a  good  confciencc. 
225  D*/ftf  .The  very  bcft  at  a  beaft,my  Lord,that  ere  I  faw* 

Lj/VThis  Lyon  is  a  very  Fox  for  his  valour. 
2)#£*.True,and  aGoofeforhis  difcretion. 
De .Not  fo  my  Lord.For  his  valour  cannot  carry  his  dif- 
229  crction ;  and  the  Fox  carries  the  goofc. 

Duke.  His  difcretion  I  am  fure  cannot  carry  his  valour. 
For  the  Goofe  carries  not  the  Fox. It  is  well ;  Icaue  it  to  his 
difcretion,and  let  vs  hearken  to  the  Moone* 
233  7H00«.This  lanthornc  doth  the  horned  Moonc  prefcne. 

Dtmejic  (hould  haue  worne  the  homes  on  his  head. 
D»^.He  is  no  crcfcent,and  his  homes  are  inuifible,  v/i th 
in  the  circumference. 
2 37  Mion*.  This  lanthorne  doth  the  horned  Moone  prcfent, 

My  fclfc,thc  man  ith'Moonc  do  feeme  to  be. 

Dftfy.  This  is  the  grcateft  error  of  all  the  reft ;   the  man 
fhould  be  put  into  die  Lanthorne.   How  is  it  elfe  the  man 
241          i'th  Moone  ? 

Dov.He  dares  not  come  there  for  the  candle. 
For  you  fee,it  is  already  in  fnuffe.  (change. 

Dutch  .1  am  weary  of  this  Moone ;  would  he  would 
245  Duke.lt  appeares  oy  his  fmall  light  of  difcretion,  that  hee 

is  in  the  wane :  but  yet  in  curtefic,in  all  rcafon,wc  mud  ftay 
the  time* 

Lyfand.  Proceed  Moone. 
249  Mooae.Ml  that  I  haue  to  fay,is  to  tell  you,that  the  Lan 

thorne  is  the  Moone ;  I,the  man  in  the  Moone ,  this  thornc 
bu(h,my  thornebu(h,and  thisdog,my  dog. 

Demc.  Why  all  thefe  fhould  bee  in  the  Lanthorne:  for 
253         they  are  in  the  Moonc. But  (ilencc,hcerc  comes  Tbisfy. 

fitter  Tkisfy. 

T'kThis  is  old  Ninies  toomb :  wher's  my  loue  ?  fyffn.Oh 

H  ^  Dent* 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

*.  Well  roard  Lyon.  9 


Dutch.  Well  fh/*  jne  J/«wf .     Truely  the  Moone  flbines 
With  a  good  grace. 

7>*\*.  Well  mouz'd  Lyon. 
Dem .  An  d  t  hen  ca  m  e  Pirawtu. 
Z/y/iAnd  fo  the  Lyon  vanifht. 


%S  weete  Moone,  I  thank  thee  for  thy  funny  beames, 
I  thanke  thee  Moone/or  iliining  now  fo  bright,  263 

For  by  thy  gracious,golden,  glittering  beames, 
I  truft  to  take  of  trucft  Tbisfa  fight. 
But  flay  .•  6  fpight !  but  marke3poore  knight, 
What  drcadtull  dole  is  here  ? 
Eyes  do  you  fee  |  how  can  it  be ! 
O  dainty  ducke,  6  deare ! 
Thy  mantle  good,  what  ftaind  with  blood  ? 

Approach  ye  Furies  fell,  ,7/ 

O  fates  come,come,cut  thred  and  thrum, 
Quaile,cru(h,  conclude,and  quell. 

2>«%This  pafTion,and  the  death  of  a  deare  friend  would 
goeneeretomakeamanlookefad.  273 

Dutch.  Befhrew  my  heart,but  I  pitty  the  man. 

Pir.O  wherefore  Nature,didft  thou  Lyons  frame  ? 
Since  Lyon  vilde  hath  heere  deflour'd  my  deare ; 
Which  is,no,no,  which  was  thefaireft  dame  279 

That  liu'd,that  lou'd,that  lik't,that  look't  with  checre. 
Corneteares  confound,out  fword  and  wound 
The  pap  of  Pyramw: 
I,that  left  pap,where  heart  doth  hop ; 
Thus  die  I^hus^hus^thus. 

Now  am  1  dead,now  am  I  flcd,my  foule,  is  in  the  sky, 
Tongue  lofe  thy  light,Moone  take  thy  flight, 
Now  dye^ye.dyCjdyCjdye*  287 

*,No  Die,but  an  ace  for  him ;  for  he  is  but  one. 


A  Midfommers  nights  Dreame. 

£;/.Lc{Te  then  an  aceman.For  he  is  dead,he  is  nothing* 
Duke.    Wich  the  helpe  of  a  Surgeon>hc  might  yet  reco- 
uer  and  proue  an  afle. 

2)tf/r£.How  chance  Moone-fhine  is  gone  before? 
293         Tht'sfy  comes  backe,and  findes  her  Louer* 

Dttl<e.S\\c  will  finde  him  by  ftar-light.    Here  flic  comes, 
and  her  paffion  ends  the  play. 

2)#f  .Me-thinkes  fhe  Ihould  not  vfe  a  long  one  for  fuch 
a  Tirawus :  I  hope  Hie  will  be  briefc. 

Dem*    A  Moth  will  turne  the  ballance,  which  PfntmM, 
which  Tkisbie  is  the  better .-  hee  for  a  man,  God  warnd  vs ; 
(he  for  a  woman,God  blefle  vs. 
301  Ljf.  She  hath  fpied  him  already , with  thofe  fwcete  eies. 

Dem.And  thus  (lie  rocanes,v/^/*«>. 
Thtf.  Afleepe  my  Louc .?  What,dead  my  Doue  ? 
O  Piramtts  arife, 

Speakc,fpeake.Quite  dumbc  ?  Dead,dcad  ?  A  toombe 
Muft  couer  thy  fweete  eies. 
Thefe  lilly  lips,ihis  cherry  nofe, 
Thefe  yellow  cowflip  cheekes 
A  re  gone,are  gone ;  Louers  make  mone : 
His  eyes  weregreene  as  Leekes.  ^ 
O  fitters  thrce,comc,come  to  me, 
With  hands  as  pale  as  milke, 
Lay  them  in  gore,finceyou  haue  (hore 
With  fheeres^is  thredof  (ilke. 
Tongue  not  a  word^ome  trufty  fword, 
Comebladc,my  breaft  imbrcw : 
j/7        And  farwell  friends,thus  This  fa  end  s ; 
Adieu,  adieu, adieu* 

ZM^.Moone-fhincand  Lyon  are  left  to  bury  the  dead. 
lZ)emc.],*nd  Wall  too 
321  Lyon.     No,  I  affure  you  the  wall  is  downe,  that  parted 

their  Fathers,  "Will  it  pleafe  you  to  fee  the  Epilogue,  or  to 
heare  a  Bcrgomask  dance,bctweene  two  of  our  company  ? 

H  3  D»kf* 


V.i. 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dreame. 

.  No  Epilogue,  I  pray  you ;  for  your  play  needs  no  324 

excufe.  Neuer  cxcufc ;  for  when  the  players  arc  all  dead, 
there  need  none  to  be  blamed.  Marry,if  he  that  writ  it,had 
plaid  Pirtmus,  and  hang'd himfelfe  mTltisfaet  garter,  h 
would  hauc  becnc  a  fine  Tragedy :  and  fo  it  is  truely ,  and  328 

very  notably  difcharg'd*  But  come,your  Burgomaske ;  let 
your  Epilogue  alone. 

The  iron  tongue  of  midnight  hath  toidc  twelue. 
Loucrs  to  bed,tis  almoft  Fairy  time.  332 

I  fcare  we  (hall  ouc-fleepe  the  comming  mornc, 
As  much  as  we  this  night  haue  ouer-watcht. 
This  palpable  groffc  play  hath  well  beguil'd 
The  hcauy  gate  of  night,Sweet  friends  co  bed.  336 

A  fortnight  hold  we  this  folemnity, 
In  nightly  Reuels,and  new  iollity.  Exeunt. 

Enter  *Pucke. 

fuck  Now  the  hungry  Lyons  rores, 
And  the  Wolfe  beholds  the  Moonc ;  340 

Whilft  the  hcauy  ploughman  fnorcs, 
All  with  weary  taske  fore-done. 
Now  the  wafted  brands  do  glow, 
Wh'ilft  the  fcritch-owlc/critching  loud,  J44 

Puts  the  wretch  that  lies  in  woe, 
In  remembrance  of  a  fhrowd* 
Now  it  is  the  time  of  night, 
That  the  graues,all  gaping  wide, 
Euery  one  lets  forth  his  fp right, 
In  the  Churchway  paths  to  glide. 
And  we  Fairics,that  do  runnne, 
By  the  triple  HccAtes  tea  me,  352 

From  the  prefence  of  the  Sunne, 
Following  darknefle  like  a  dreame, 
Now  are  frollicke ;  not  a  Moufe 
Shall  difturbc  this  hallowed  houfe.  356 

I  am  fent  with  broome  before, 

To 


V.ii. 


AMidfommers  nights  Dreame. 

J5s  To  fweepc  the  duft  behinde  the  doorc. 

Enter  King  andQufene  of  Fairies  jrith  their  ininc. 
Ob. Through  the  houfe  giue  glimmering  light, 

By  the  dead  and  drowficficr, 

Euery  Elfe  and  Fairy  fpright, 
362  Hop  as  light  as  bird  from  brier, 

And  this  Ditty  after  me,Sing  and  dance  it  trippingly. 
7/M.Firft  rehcarfe  this  fong  by  roate, 

To  each  word  a  warbling  note. 
366  Hand  in  hand,with  Fairy  grace; 

Will  we  (ing  and  blefle  this  place. 
O£.Now  vntill  thcbrcake  of  day, 

Through  this  houfe,each  Fairy  ftray. 
270  Tothebeftbridc-bcdwillwe, 

Which  by  vs  (hall  blcfled  be : 

And  the  ifluc  there  create, 

Eucr  fhall  be  fortunate: 

So  fliall  all  the  couples  three, 

Euer  true  in  louing  be : 

And  the  blots  of  Natures  hand, 

Shall  not  in  their  iflue  (land* 
31s  Neuer  molc,harc4ip,nor  fcarre, 

Nor  marke  prodigious, fuch  as  arc 

Dcfpifcd  in  natiuity, 

Shall  vpon  their  children  be. 

With  this  field  dew  confecrate, 

Eucry  Fairy  take  his  gate, 

And  each  feuerali  chamber  blefTe, 

Through  this  Palace,whh  fwcete  pcacc> 

Euer  (hall  in  fafety  reft, 

And  the  owner  of  it  blcft. 

Trip  away,make  no  flay ; 

Meeteme  allsby  breake  of  day.  Exeunt. 

390  Robin.  If  we  flhadowcs  haue  offended, 

Thinkc  but  this  (and  all  is  mended) 

That 


Vii 


A  Midfommer  nights  Dream 

That  you  haue  but  flumbred  heere, 
While  this  vifions  did  appeare. 
And  this  weake  and  idle  thearne, 
No  more  ycelding  but  a  dreame. 
Gentles, do  not  reprehend. 
If  you  pardon,\ve  will  mend. 
And  as  I  am  an  honeft  Pucke^ 
If  we  haue  vnearned  lucke, 
Now  to  fcapethe  Serpents  tongue, 
We  will  make  amends  ere  long ; 
Elfe  the  Vucke  a  lyar  call. 
So  good  night  vnto  you  all. 
Giue  me  your  hands,ifwe  be  friends, 
And  'Robin  (hall  reft  ore  amends. 

FINIS. 


400 


PR 

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327 
1830a 


Shakespeare,  William 

Midsummer  night ' s  dream 


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