THESEUS, Duke of Athens.
Egeus, an Athenian Lord.

Lyfander, in love with Hermia.
Demetrius, in love with Hermia,

Quince, the Carpenter.

Snug, the Joiner.

Bottom, the Weaver.

Flute, the Bellows-mender.

Snowt, the Tinker.
Starveling, the Tailor.

Hippolita, Princefs of the Amazons, betrothed to Thefeus. Hermia, Daughter to Egeus, in love with Lyfander, Helena, in love with Demetrius.

Attendants.

Oberon, King of the Fairies.

Titania, Queen of the Fairies.

Puck, or Robin-goodfellow, a Fairy.

SCENE Athens, and a Wood not far from it.

ATHEN S.

Enter Thefeus and Hippolita, with attendants.

THESE US.

OW, fair Hippolita, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
Another moon: but oh, methinks, how
flow

This old moon wanes! The lingers my des
fires

Like to a ftep-dame, or a dowager,

Long withering out a young man's revenue.

Hip. Four days will quickly fteep themfelves in nights Four nights will quickly dream away the time:

And then the moon, like to a filver bow
New bent in heaven, fhall behold the night
Of our folemnities.

The Go, Philoftrate,

Stir up th' Athenian youth to merriments,
Awake the pert and nimble fpirit of mirth

Turn melancholly forth to funerals,
The pale companion is not for our pomp.
Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my fword,
And won thy love, doing thee injuries:
But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lyfander, and Demetrius.

Ege. Happy be Thefeus, our renowned Duke.
The. Thanks good Egeus; what's the news with thee?
Ege. Full of vexation, come I with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
Stand forth Demetrius. My noble lord,
This man hath my confent to marry her.
Stand forth Lyfander. And, my gracious Duke,
This hath bewitch'd the bofom of my child :
Thou, thou, Lyfander, thou haft giv'n her rhimes,
And interchang'd love-tokens with my child:
Thou haft by moon-light at her window fung,
With feigning voice, verfes of feigning love,
And ftoll'n th' impreffion of her fantasie
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nofegays, fweet-meats, (meffengers
Of ftrong prevailment in unharden'd youth)
With cunning haft thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To ftubborn harfhnefs. And, my gracious Duke,
Be't fo fhe will not here before your Grace
Confent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,
As fhe is mine, I may difpofe of her:
Which fhall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death, according to our law,
Immediately provided in that cafe.

The. What fay you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid. To you your father fhould be as a God;

One that compos'd your beauties; yea and one
To whom you are but as a form in wax
By him imprinted; and within his power

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