Dem. Difparage not the faith thou doft not know, Leaft to thy perill thou abide it deare.

Looke where thy loue comes yonder is thy deare.

Enter Hermia.

Her. Darke night, that from the eye his function takes, The eare more quicke of apprehenfion makes,

Wherein it doth impaire the feeing sense,
It paies the hearing double recompence.
Thou art not by mine eie, Lyfander found,
Mine eare (I thanke it) brought me to thy found.

But why vnkindly didft thou leaue me fo?

Lyf. Why should he stay, whom loue doth preffe to go? Her. What loue could preffe Lyfander from my fide? Lyf. Lyfanders loue (that would not let him bide) Faire Helena; who more engilds the night,

Then all yon fiery oes, and cies of light.

Why feek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know,
The hate I bare thee, made me leaue thee fo?

Her. You fpeake not as you thinke; it cannot be.
Hel. Loe, fhe is one of this confederacy,
Now I perceiue, they haue conioynd all three,
To fashion this falfe fport, in fpight of me.
Iniurious Hermia, moft vngratefull maide,
Haue you confpir'd, haue you with these contriu'd
To baite me, with this foule derifion?

Is all the counfell that we two haue fhar'd,

The fifters vowes, the houres that we haue spent,
When we haue chid the hafty footed time,.

For parting vs; O, is all forgot?

All schoole-daies friendship, child-hood innocence ?
We Hermia, like two artificiall gods,

Haue with our needles, created both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and mindes
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 stemme,
So with two seeming bodies, but one heart,
Two of the first life coats in heraldry,

Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rent our ancient loue asunder,
To ioyne with men in fcorning your poore friend?
It is not friendly, tis not maidenly.

Our fexe as well as I may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feele the iniury.

Her. I am amazed at your words,

I fcorne you not; it seems that you fcorne me.
Hel. Haue you not fet Lyfander, as in fcorne
To follow me, and praise my eies and face?
And made your other loue, Demetrius,

(Who euen but now did fpurne me with his foote)
To call me goddeffe, nimph, diuine, and rare,
Precious, celestiall? Wherefore fpeakes he this
To her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your loue (so rich within his foule)
And tender me (forfooth) affection,
But by your fetting on, by your confent?
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 should pitty, rather then despise.
Her. I vnderstand not what you meane by this.
Hel. I, do, perfeuer, counterfeit sad lookes,
C 4

Make

Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, -
Winke each at other, hold the fweete ieaft vp.:
This fport well carried, fhall be chronicled.
If you haue any pitty, grace, or manners,
You would not make me fuch an argument.
But faryewell, tis partly mine owne fault,
Which death or abfence foone fhall remedy.

Lyf. Stay gentle Helena, heare my excufe,
My loue, my life, my foule, faire Helena.
Hel. O excellent!

Her. Sweete, do not fcorne her fo.

Dem. If the cannot entreate, I can compell.

Lyf. Thou canft compell, no more then she entreate. Thy threats haue no more strength then her weake praise. Helen, I loue thee, by my life I doe;

I fweare by that which I will lofe for thee,

To proue him false, that faies I loue thee not.
Dem. I fay, I loue thee more than he can do.
Lys. If thou fay fo, with-draw and proue it to.
Dem. Quick, come.

Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?
Lyf. Away, you Ethiope.

Dem. No, no, hee'l feeme to breake loofe;

Take on as you would follow,

But yet come not: you are a tame man, go.

Lyf. Hang off thou cat, thou bur; vile thing let loose,

Or I will shake thee from me like a ferpent.

Her. Why are you growne fo rude?

What change is this, fweete loue?

Lyf. Thy loue? out tawny Tartar, out;

Out loathed medicine; ô hated * poifon hence.
Her. Do you not ieast?

Hel. Yes footh, and fo do you.

*Potion.

Lyf.

Lyf. Demetrius, I will keepe my word with thee. Dem. I would I had your bond: for I perceiue, A weake bond holds you; Ile not trust your word.

Lyf. What, fhould I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, Ile not harme her fo.

Her. What can you do me greater harme then hate? Hate me, wherefore? O me, what newes my loue?

Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lyfander ?

I am as faire now, as I was ere while.

Since night you lou'd me; yet fince night you left me.
Why then you left me (ô the gods forbid)

In earnest, shall I fay?

Lys. I, by my life ;

And neuer did defire to see thee more.

Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;
Be certaine ; nothing truer; tis no ieast,
That I do hate thee, and loue Helena.

Her. O me, you iuggler, you canker bloffome,
You theefe of loue; what, haue you come by night,
And ftolne my loues heart from him?

Hel. Fine ifaith.

Haue you no modefty, no maiden shame,

No touch of bafhfulneffe? What, will you teare
Impatient anfwers from my gentle tongue?

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

Her. Puppet? why fo? I, that way goes the game.
Now I perceiue that fhe hath made compare
Betweene our statures, fhe hath vrg'd her height,
Aud with her perfonage, her tall parfonage,
Her height (forfooth) she hath preuaild with him.
And are you growne fo high in his esteeme,
Because I am fo dwarfish and fo low?
How low am I, thou painted may-pole? Speake,

How

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

But that my nailes can reach vnto thine eyes.

Hel. I pray you though you mocke me, gentlemen,
Let her not hurt me; I was neuer curst :

I haue no gift at all in fhrewishnesse :
I am a right maid for my cowardize;

Let her not strike me: you perhaps may thinke,
Because she is fomething lower than myselfe,
That I can match her.

Her. Lower harke againe.

Hel. Good Hermia, do 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 stealth 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 backe,
And follow you no further. Let me go.
You fee how fimple, and how fond I am.

Her. Why get you gone: who ist that hinders you?
Hel. A foolish heart, that I leaue heere behinde.

Her. What, with Lyfander?

Hel. With Demetrius.

Lyf. Be not afraid, fhe fhall not harme thee Helena.
Deme. No fir, fhe fhall not, though you take her part.

Hel. O when shee's angry, fhe is keene and fhrewd,

She was a vixen when she went to schoole,

And though she be but little, fhe is fierce.

Her. Little againe? Nothing but low and little ? Why will you fuffer her to flout me thus?

Let me come to her.

Lyf.