The fhalloweft thick-fkin of that barren fort,
Who Piramus presented, in their sport,
Forfooke his fcene, and entred in a brake,
When I did him at this aduantage take,
An affes nole I fixed on his head.

Anon his Thisbie must be answered,

And forth

my *minnock comes: when they him spy, As wilde geefe, that the creeping fowler eye, Or ruffed pated choughes, many in fort (Rifing and cawing at the guns report) Seuer themfelues, and madly fweepe the sky: So at his fight, away his fellowes flye,

s;

And at our stampe, here ore and ore one falles
He murther cryes, and helpe from Athens cals,
Their fenfe thus weake, loft with their feares thus ftrong,
Made fenfeleffe things begin to do them wrong.

For briars and thornes at their apparell fnatch,

Some fleeues, fome hats, from yeelders all things catch,
I led them on in this diftracted feare,

And left sweete Piramus tranflated there:
When in that moment (fo it came to passe)
Tytania waked, and ftraightway lou'd an affe.
Ob. This falles out better than I could deuife:
But haft thou yet † lacht the Athenians eyes,
With the loue iuyce, as I did bid thee do?

Rob. I tooke him fleeping (that is finisht to)
And the Athenian woman by his fide,

That when he wak't, of force fhe must be eyde.

Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

Ob. Stand clofe, this is the fame Athenian.

Rob. This is the 'woman, but not this the man.

VOL. I.

*Minnick.

† Latch'd.

C

Dem.

Dem. O why rebuke you him that loues you fo?

Lay breath fo bitter on your bitter foe.

Her. Now I but chide, but I should vse thee worse.

For thou (I feare) haft giuen me cause to curfe.

If thou haft flaine Lyfander in his fleepe,

(to,

Being ore shooes in bloud, plunge in the deepe, and kill me

The funne was not so true vnto the day,

As he to me. Would he haue stollen away,

From fleeping Hermia? Ile beleeue as foone

This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the moone
May through the center creepe, and fo displease
Her brothers noonetide, with th' Antipodes.

It cannot be but thou haft murdred him,

So fhould a murderer looke, fo dead, fo grim.

Dem. So fhould the murdere looke, and fo fhould I,
Pierst through the heart with your stearne cruelty :
Yet you the murdered looke as bright, as cleare,
As yonder Venus in her glimmering spheare.

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

Dem. Ide rather giue his carkaffe to my hounds. Her. Out dog, out curre, thou driu'ft me past the bonds Of maidens patience. Haft thou flaine him then? Henceforth be neuer numbred among men.

*

Oh, once tell true, even for my fake,

Durst thou haue lookt vpon him being awake?

And haft thou kild him, fleeping? O braue tutch:
Could not a worme, an adder do fo much?
An adder did it. For with doubler tongue

Then thine (thou ferpent) neuer adder stung.

Dem. You fpend your paffion on a mifpriz'd mood,

I am not guilty of Lyfanders bloud:

Nor is he dead, for ought that I can tell.

*Tell true even.

Her

Her. I pray thee tell me then, that he is well.
Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore?
Her. A priuiledge, neuer to see me more,
And from thy hated prefence part I, fee me no more,
Whether he be dead or no.

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vaine,
Heere therefore for a while I will remaine.
So forrowes heauineffe doth heauier grow.
For debt that bankrout flip doth forrow owe,
Which now in fome flight measure it will pay,
If for his tender heere I make fome stay.

Exit.

Lie downe

Ob. What haft thou done? Thou haft mistaken quite,
And laide the loue iuyce on fome true loues fight:
Of thy mifprifion, must perforce enfue

Some true loue turn'd, and not a false 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 of Athens looke thou finde.

All fancy ficke fhe is, and pale of cheere,

With fighes of loue, that cofts the fresh bloud deare.
By fome illufion fee thou bring her heere,
Ile charme his eies, against fhe do appeare.

Robin. I go, I go, looke how I goe,

Swifter than arrow from the Tartars bowe.

Ob. Flower of this purple die,

Hit with Cupids archery,

Sinke in apple of his eye,

When his loue he doth efpy,

Let her fhine as gloriously

As the Venus of the sky.
When thou wak'ft, if she be by,
Beg of her for remedy.

Exit.

Enter

C 2

Enter Pucke.

Pucke. Captaine of our fairy band,

Helena is heere at hand,

And the youth, miftooke by me,

Pleading for a louers fee.

Shall we their fond pageant fee?

Lord, what fooles these mortals be!

Ob. Stand afide: the noyfe they make,
Will caufe Demetrius to awake.

Puc. Then will two at once wooe one,
That muft needs be fport alone :
And those things do best please me,

That befall preposterously.

Enter Lyfander and Helena.

Lys. Why fhould you think that I should wooe in fcorn?

Scorne and derifion neuer come in teares :

Looke when I vow I weepe; and vowes fo borne,

In their natiuity all truth appeares.

How can these things in me, feeme fcorne to you?
Bearing the badge of faith to proue them true.

Hel. You do aduance your cunning more and more,
When truth kils truth, O diuelish holy fray!
Thefe vowes are Hermias. Will you giue her ore?
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh.
Your vowes to her, and me (put in two scales)
Will euen weigh, and both as light as tales.

Lys. I had no iudgement, when to her I fwore.
Hel. Nor none in my minde, now you giue her ore.
-Lyf. Demetrius loues her, and he loues not you.
Deme. O Helen, goddesse, nimph, perfect, diuine,
To what, my loue, fhall I compare thine eine !
Chriftall is muddy, O how ripe in showe,

Thy

Thy lips, thofe kiffing cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus fnow,
Fan'd with the easterne winde, turnes to a crow,
When thou hoidst vp thy hand. O let me kisse
This princeffe of pure white, this feale of bliffe.
Hell. O fpite! ô hell! I fee you all are bent
To fet against me, for your merriment.
If you were ciuil, and knew curtefie,
You would not do me thus much iniury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must ioyne in foules to mocke me too?
If you were men, as men you are in show,
You would not vfe a gentle lady fo;

To vow, and sweare, and fuperpraise my parts,
When I am fure you hate me with your hearts..
You both are riuals, and loue Hermia;

And now both riuals, to mocke Helena.
A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,
To coniure teares vp in a poore maides eyes,
With your derifion, none of noble fort,
Would fo offend a virgine, and extort
A poore foules patience, all to make you sport.
Lyfan. You are vnkinde Demetrius; be not so.
For you loue Hermia; that you know I know;
And heere with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermias loue I yeeld you vp my part;
And yours of Helena, to me bequeath,
Whom I do loue, and will do to my death.

Hel. Neuer did mockers waste more idle breath.
Deme. Lyfander, keepe thy Hermia, I will none:
If ere I lou'd her, all that loue is gone.

My heart to her, but as gueft-wife foiournd,
And now to Helen it is home return'd,
There to remaine.