Chamber Window, where we play, open, and the Moon may

fhine in at the Casement.

Quin. Ay, or elfe one must come in with a Bufh of Thorns and a Lanthorn, and fay he comes to disfigure, or to present the Perfon of Moonshine; then there is another thing, we muft have a Wall in the great Chamber, for Pyramus and Thisby, fays the Story, did talk through the Chink of a Wall. Snug. You can never bring in a Wall. What fay you Bottom?

Bot. Some Man or other muft prefent Wall, and let him have fome Plafter, or fome Lome. or fome Rough-caft about him, to fignify Wall, or let him hold his Fingers thus; and through the Cranny fhall Pyramus and Thisby whisper.

Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, fit down every Mother's Son, and rehearse your Parts. Pyramus you begin; when you have spoken your Speech enter into that Brake, and fo every one according to his Cue.

Enter Puck.

Puck. What hempen Home-fpuns have we fwaggering here So near the Cradle of the Fairy Queen!

What, a Play toward? I'll be an Auditor;

An Actor too perhaps, if I fee Caufe.

Quin. Speak Pyramus; Thisby ftand forth.

Pyr. Thisby, the Flowers of odious Savour's fweet.
Quin. Odours, Odours.

Pyr. Odours favors fweet,

So that thy Breath, my deareft Thisby dear,

But hark, a Voice; ftay thou but here a while,

And by and by I will to thee appear.

Puck. A ftranger Pyramus than e'er plaid here.
Thif. Muft I fpeak now?

[Exit Pyr.

Quin. Ay marry muft you; for you must understand he goes but to fee a Noife that he heard, and is to come again. This Moft radiant Pyramus, moft lilly white of Hue, Of Colour like the red Rofe on triumphant Bryer, Most brisky Juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, As true as trueft Horfe, that yet would never tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninay's Tomb.

Quin. Ninus Tomb, Man; why you must not speak that yet; that you anfwer to Pyramus; you fpeak all your Part at,

once,

once, Cues and all. Pyramus enter, your Cue is paft; it is never tire.

Enter Pyramus.

Thif. O, as true as trueft Horfe, that yet would never tire. Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine. Quin. O monftrous! O ftrange! We are haunted; pray Mafters, fly Masters, help. [The Clowns Exeunt.

Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a Round,

Through Bog, through Bush, through Brake, through Bryer; Semetimes a Horfe I'll be, fometimes a Hound,

A Hog, a headlefs Bear, fometime a Fire,

And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and rore and burn,
Like Horfe, Hound, Hog, Bear, Fire, at every turn. [Exit.
Enter Bottom with an Ass Head.

Bot. Why do they run away? This is a Knavery of them to make me afeard.

Enter Snowt.

Snowt. O Bottom, thou art chang'd; what do I fee on thee?

Bot What do you fee? You see an Ass-head of your own, do you?

Enter Quince.

Quin. Blefs thee Bottom, bless thee, thou art tranflated, [Exit.

Bot. I fee their Knavery, this is to make an Afs of me, to fright me if they could; but I will not ftir from this Place, do what they can; I will walk up and down here, and will fing that they shall hear I am not afraid.

The Woofel Cock, fo black of hue,

With Orenge-tawny Bill,

The Throftle will his Note fo true.

The Wren and little Quill.

Queen. What Angel wakes me from my flowry Bed?

Bot. The Finch, the Sparrow, and the Lark,

The plain-fong Cuckow gray,

Whofe Note full many a Man doth mark,

And dares not answer nay,

[Waking.

For, indeed, who would fet his Wit to fo foolish a Bird? Who would give a Bird the Lye, tho' he cry Cuckow ne

ver fo

Queen.

Queen. I pray thee, gentle Mortal, fing again,
Mine Ear is much enamour'd of thy Note;
On the first view to fay, to fwear I love thee,
So is mine Eye enthralled to thy Shape,

And thy fair Virtues force (perforce) doth move me. Bot. Methinks, Mistress, you should have little Reason for that: And yet, to fay the truth, Reafon and Love keep little Company together, now a-days. The more the pity, that fome honeft Neighbours will not make them Friends, Nay, I can gleek upon occafion.

Queen. Thou art as Wife as thou art Beautiful.

Bot. Not fo neither: But if I had Wit enough to get out
of this Wood, I have enough to ferve mine own turn.
Queen. Out of this Wood do not defire to go,
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no,
I am a Spirit of no common Rate;

The Summer ftill doth tend upon my State,
And I do love thee; therefore go with me,
I'll give thee Fairies to attend on thee;

And they fhall fetch thee Jewels from the Deep,

And fing, while thou on preffed Flowers doth fleep:
And I will purge thy mortal Grofnefs fo,

That thou shalt like an airy Spirit go.

Enter Peasebloffom, Cobweb, Moth, Muftardfee d, and four Fairies.

1 Fair. Ready. 2 Fair. And I.

3 Fair. And I,

4 Fair. And I, Where fhall we go?

Queen. Be kind and courteous to this Gentleman.
Hop in his Walks, and Gambole in his Eye,
Feed him with Apricocks and Dewberries,
With purple Grapes, green Figs, and Mulberries,
The Honey Bags fteal from the Humble Bees,
And for Night Tapers crop their waxen Thighs,
And light them at the fiery Glow-worm's Eyes,
To have my Love to Bed, and to arife:
And pluck the Wings from painted Butterflies,
To fan the Moon-beams from his fleeping Eyes,
Nod to him Elves, and do him Courtefies.

I Fair.

Fair. Hail Mortal, Hail.

2 Fair. Hail.

3 Fair. Hail.

Bot. I cry your Worship's Mercy heartily, I beseech your Worship's Name.

Cob. Cobweb.

Bot. I fhall defire of you more Acquaintance, good Mafter Cobweb; if I cut my Finger, I fhall make bold with you. Your Name, honeft Gentleman ?

Peaf. Peafebloffom.

Bot. I pray you commend me to Mistress Squash your Mother, and to Mafter Peafecod your Father. Good Mafter Peafebloom, I fhall defire of you more Acquaintance too. Your Name, I beseech you, Sir?

Muf. Mustardfeed.

Bot. Good Mafter Mustardfeed, I know your Patience well: That fame cowardly Giant-like Ox-beef hath devour'd many a Gentleman of your Houfe, I promise you, your Kindred hath made my Eyes water e'er now. I defire more of your Acquaintance, good Mafter Mustardfeed.

Queen. Come wait upon him, lead him to my Bower.
The Moon, methinks, looks with a watry Eye,

And when the weeps, weep every little Flower,
Lamenting fome enforced Chastity.

Tye up my Lover's Tongue, bring him filently. [Exeunt.
Enter King of Fairies folus.

Ob. I wonder if Titania be awak'd:

Then what it was that next came in her Eye,
Which the muft dote on in Extremity.

Enter Puck.

Here comes my Mcffenger: How now mad Spirit,
What Night-rule now about this haunted Grove?
Puck. My Mistress with a Monster is in love.
Near to her clofe and confecrated Bower,
While he was in her dull and fleeping Hour,
A crew of Patches, rude Mechanicals,
That work for Bread upon Athenian Stalls,
Were met together to Rehearfe a Play,
Intended for great Thefeus Nuptial Day.
The fhalloweft thick Skin of that barren fort,
Who Pyramus prefented, in their Sport

Forfook

For fook his Scene, and entred in a Brake,
When I did him at this Advantage take,
An Afs's Nole I fixed on his Head;
Anon his Thisby must be answered,

And forth my Mimick comes; When they him fpy,
As wild Geefe, that the creeping Fowler eye,
Or ruffet-pated Choughs, many in fort,
Rifing and Kawing at the Gun's report,
Sever themselves, and madly fweep the Sky;
So at his fight, away his Fellows fly,

And at our ftamp here o'er and o'er one falls;
He Murder cries, and help from, Athens calls.
Their Senfe thus weak, loft with their, Fears thus ftrong,
Made fenfeless things begin to do them wrong.
For Briars and Thorns at their Apparel fnatch,
Some Sleeves, fome Hats, from Yielders all things catch.
I led them on in this distracted fear,

And left fweet Pyramus tranflated there:
When in that moment (fo it came to paf)
Titania wak'd, and ftraightway lov'd an Afs.
Ob. This falls out better than I could devife.
But haft thou yet latch'd the Athenian Eyes
With the Love Juice, as I did bid thee do?
Puck. I took him fleeping; that is finish'd too;
And the Athenian Woman by his fide,

That when he wak'd, of force the must be ey❜d.
Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

Ob. Stand close, this is the fame Athenian.
Puck. This is the Woman, but not this the Man.
Dem. O why rebuke you him that loves you fo?

Lay Breath fo bitter on your bitter Foe.

Her. Now I but chide, but I fhould use thee worse; For thou, I fear, haft given me caufe to Curfe,

If thou haft flain Lyfander in his fleep.

Being o'er Shoes in Blood, plunge in the deep, and kill me too. The Sun was not fo true unto the Day

As he to me,

Would he have ftollen away

From fleeping Hermia? I'll believe as foon

This whole Earth may be bor'd, and that the Moon
May through the Center creep, and so displease

Her Brother's Noor-tide, with th' Antipodes.