A Midfommer Nights Dreame. N Enter Thefeus, Hippolita, with others. Thefeus. OW faire Hippelita, our nuptiall houre Drawes on apace: foure happy daies bring in Another moone: but oh, me-thinks, how flow This old moone wanes: fhe lingers my defires Like to a step-dam, or a dowager, Long withering out a young mans reuenew. Hip. 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 The. Goe Philoftrate, Stirre vp the Athenian youth to merriments, With pompe, with triumph, and with reuelling. Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, and Lyfander, Ege. Happy be Thefeus, our renowned duke. The. Thanks good Egeus. What's the newes with thee? Ege. Full of vexation, come I, with complaint Against my childe, my daughter Hermia. My noble lord, Stand fourth Demetrius. This man hath my confent to marry her. And my gracious duke, Stand foorth Lyfander. my childe: This man hath bewitcht the bosome of I beg the ancient priuiledge of Athens; The. What fay you Hermia? be aduis'd, faire maid, One that compos'd your beauties; yea and one, To whom you are but as a forme in wax By him imprinted, and within his power, Το To leaue the figure, or disfigure it: The. In himfelfe he is. But in this kinde, wanting your fathers voyce, The other must be held the worthier. Her. I would my father lookt but with my eyes. I know not by what power I am made bold, In fuch a prefence, here to plead my thoughts; The. Either to die the death, or to abiure For euer the fociety of men. Therefore faire Hermia, queftion your defires, For aye to be in fhady cloifter mew'd. To liue a barren fifter all your life, Chanting faint hymnes to the colde fruitleffe moone.. But earthlier happy is the rose distild, Than that which withering on the virgin thorne, Ere I will yeeld my virgin patent vp Vnto his lordship, whofe vnwifhed yoake My foule confents not to giue fouerainty. The. Take time to pause, and by the next new moone, The fealing day betwixt my loue and me, A 3 For For everlasting bond of fellowship: For aye, aufterity, and fingle life. Dem. Relent fweete Hermia, and Lyfander, yeeld Thy crazed title to my certaine right. Lyf. You haue her fathers loue, Demetrius: Let me haue Hermias do you marry him. Egeus. Scornfull Lyfander, true, he hath my loue; And what is mine, my loue shall render him. And she is mine, and all my right of her I do eftate vnto Demetrius. Lys. I am my lord, as well deriu'd as hee, As well poffeft: my loue is more than his : My fortunes euery way as fairely ranckt (If not with vantage) as Demetrius : And (which is more than all these boasts can be) I am belou'd of beautious Hermia. Why should not I then profecute my right? Demetrius, Ile auouch it to his head, Made loue to Nedars daughter, Helena, And won her foule: and fhe (fweete lady) dotes, Vpon this fpotted and inconftant man. The. I must confesse, that I haue heard fo much, And with Demetrius, thought to haue fpoke thereof; But being ouer full of felfe-affaires, My minde did lose it. But Demetrius come, And come Egeus, you fhall go with me, I haue fome priuate schooling for you both. For you faire Hermia, looke you are your felfe, *Loose it. To fit your fancies to your fathers will; I must imploy you in fome bufineffe Of fomething, neerely that concernes your felues. Exeunt Lyf. How now my loue? Why is your cheeké fo pale? How chance the rofes there do fade fo faft? Her. Belike for want of raine; which I could well Beteeme them, from the tempeft of my eyes. A Lys. Eigh me; for ought that I could euer reade, The course of true loue neuer did runne smoothe, Her. O croffe! too high to be inthrald to loue." Swift as a fhadow; fhort as any dreame; Briefe as the lightening in the collied night, That (in a spleene) vnfolds both heauen and earth ... The iawes of darknesse do deuoure it vp: Her. If then true louers haue bin euer croft, It stands as an edict in destiny: A 4 A Then |