For indeed, who would fet his wit to fo foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lie, tho' he cry cuckow never fo?

Queen. I pray thee, gentle mortal, fing again, Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,

So is mine eye enthralled to thy fhape,

And thy fair virtue's force (perforce) doth move me,
On the first view to fay, to fwear, I love thee.

Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reafon for that: and yet, to say 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 fpirit of no common rate;

The fummer 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 doft fleep:
And I will purge thy mortal groffness so,
That thou shalt like an airy fpirit go.
Peafebloom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardfeed!

4

Fai. And I, where fhall we go?

Queen. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. Hop in his walks, and gambole in his eyes,

Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,

H 4

With

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 arise:
And pluck the wings from painted butterflies,
To fan the moon-beams from his fleeping eyes,
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtefies.
1 Fai. Hail, mortal, hail!

2 Fai. Hail!

3

Fai. Hail!

Bot. I cry your worship's mercy heartily, I befeech your worship's name.

Cob. Cobweb.

Bot. I fhall defire of you more acquaintance, good mafter Cobweb; if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you. Your name, honeft gentleman?

Peafe. Peafebloom.

Bot. I pray you, commend me to miftrefs Squash your mother, and to mafter Peafcode your father. Good master Peafebloffom, I fhall defire of you more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, Sir?

Muf. Mustardfeed.

3

Bot. Good mafter Mustardfeed, I know your parentage 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 ere now. 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 she weeps, 'weeps` every little flower Lamenting fome enforced chastity.

Tie up my love's tongue, bring him filently.

I

[Exeunt.

3 patience

4 weep

SCENE

SCENE IV.

Enter King of Fairies folus.

Ob. I Wonder if Titania be awak'd:

Then, what it was that next came in her eye, Which she must doat on in extremity.

Enter Puck.

Here comes my meffenger: how now, mad fprite!
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?
Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and confecrated bower,
While fhe was in her dull and fleeping hour,
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals
That work for bread upon Athenian ftalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play,
Intended for great Thefeus' nuptial day.
The fhallow'it 'thick-skull of that barren fort,
Who Pyramus prefented, in their sport
Forfook his scene, and enter'd 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 cawing at the gun's report,
Sever themselves and madly fweep the sky;
So at his fight away his fellows fly,

And at our stamp here o'er and o'er one falls;
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.

Their fenfe thus weak, loft with their fears thus ftrong,
Made fenfelefs things begin to do them wrong.

For

For briars and thorns at their apparel fnatch,

Some fleeves, fome hats; from yielders all things catch.
I led them on in this diftracted fear,
And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
When in that moment (fo it came to pass)
Titania wak'd, and ftraitway lov'd an Afs.

Ob. This falls out better than I could devife.
But haft thou yet lech'd the Athenian's 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 wakes, of force fhe must be ey'd.

Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

Ob. Stand clofe, 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 fhall use thee worse,
For thou, I fear, haft giv'n me cause to curse :
If thou haft flain Lyfander in his sleep,

Being o'er fhoes in blood, plunge in the deep,
And kill me too.

The fun was not so true unto the day,

As he to me. Would he have ftol'n 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 fo 7 'difeafe
Her brother's noon-tide with th' Antipodes.
It cannot be but thou haft murther'd him,
So fhould a murtherer look, fo dread, fo grim.

Dem. So fhould the murther'd look, and fo fhould I,
Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty:
Yet you the murtherer look as bright and clear
As yonder Venus in her glimm'ring fphere.

7 displease

'Iler.

Her. What's this to my Lyfander? where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?

Dem. I'ad rather give his carcafs to my hounds."
Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'ft me past the bounds
Of maiden's patience. Haft thou flain him then?
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
Oh! once tell true, and even for my fake,
Durit thou have look'd upon him, being awake?
An haft thou kill'd him fleeping? O brave touch?
Could not a worm, an adder do fo much?

An adder did it, for with doubler tongue
Than thine, thou ferpent, never adder stung.

Dem. You fpend your paffion on a mispris'd mood; I am not guilty of Lyfander's blood,

Nor is he dead for ought that I can tell.

Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.
Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore?
Her. A privilege never to fee me more;

And from thy hated prefence part I fo;
See me no more, whether he's dead or no.

[Exit.

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein,

Here therefore for a while I will remain :

So forrow's heavinefs doth heavier grow

For debt, that bankrupt fleep doth forrow owe,
Which now in fome flight measure it will pay,

If for his Tender here I make fome ftay. [Lyes down.

Ob. What haft thou done? thou haft mistaken quite, And laid thy love-juice on fome true love's fight: Of thy mifprifion must perforce enfue

* /Some true love turn'd falfe, not a falfe turn'd true.` Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; 'for` one man holding troth

A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

Ob. About the wood go fwifter than the wind,

And Helena of Athens fee thou find.

All

8 Some true love turn'd, and not a falfe turn'd true.

9 that