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Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like, ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you, more acquain- 5 tance, good master Mustard-seed.

Queen. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my
bower,

The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye;
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,
Lamenting some enforced chastity.
Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently.

SCENE II.

Enter Oberon.

[Exeunt:

Ob. I wonder if Titania be awaked; Then, what it was that next came in her eye, Which she must doat on in extremity.

Enter Puck.

Here comes my messenger,-How now,mad spirit? What night-rule now about this haunted grove?

Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play,
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.
The shallowest thick skin of that barren sort,
Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
Forsook his scene, and enter'd in a brake:
When I did him at this advantage take,

An ass's now I fixed on his head;
Anon, his Thisby must be answered.

And the Athenian woman by his side;
That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey?d.
Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

Ob. Stand close; this is the same Athenian.
Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man.
Dem. O,why rebuke you him that loves you so?
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. [worse;
Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse.
10 If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,
And kill me too,

The sun was not so true unto the day, As he to me: Would he have stol'n away 15 From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon, This whole earth may be bor'd; and that the moon May through the centre creep, and so displease Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes. It cannot be, but thou hast murder'd him; 20 So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.

Dem. So should the murder'd look: and so should I,

Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty: Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, 25 As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

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[spy, 35

And forth my minnock' comes: When they him
As wild geese, that the creeping fowler eye,
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun's report
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky;
So, at his sight, 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 sense, thus weak, lost with their fears, thus

strong,

Made senseless things begin to do them wrong:
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;
Some, sleeves; some, hats: from yielders all
things catch.

I led them on in this distracted fear,
And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
When in that moment (so it came to pass)
Titania wak'd, and straightway lov'd an ass.

Ob. This falls out better than I could devise. But hast thou yet latch'd' the Athenian's eyes With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

Puck. I took him sleeping—that is finish'd too,

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Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he?
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?
Dem. I had rather give his carcase to my hounds.
Her. Out, dog! out, cur, thou driv'st me past
the bounds

Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then?
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
Oh! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake;
Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake,
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?
An adder did it; for with doubler tongue
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.
Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd
mood:

I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.
Dem. An it I could, what should I get therefore?
Her. A privilege, never to see me more.-
And from thy hated presence part I so:
See me no more, whether he be dead, or no. [Exit.
Dem. There is no following her in this fierce
Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. [vein:
50 So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow,
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe;
Which now in some slight measure it will pay,
If for his tender here I make some stay.

55

[Lies down. Ob. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite,

And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight:

By patience is meant, standing still in a mustard-pot to be eaten with the beef, on which it was a constant attendant. Meaning, what frolick of the night? 'i. e. low, paltry fellows. 4 i. e. a head. Minnekin, now minx, is a nice trifling girl. Minnock is apparently a word of contempt; it is more probable that Shakspeare wrote mimmick or player. i. e. company. To latch the door, in Staffordshire, and the adjoining counties, is, to shut the door. our author's time, was the same with our exploit, or rather stroke. i. e. mistaken.

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'i. e. closed. * Touch, in

Of

Of thy misprision' must perforce ensue
Some true love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.
Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man hold-
ing troth,

A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

Ob. About the wood go swifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find: All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: By some illusion see thou bring her here; I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear. Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go; Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Ob. Flower of this purple dye,

Hit with Cupid's archery,

Sink in apple of his eye!
When his love he doth espy,
Let her shine as gloriously
As the Venus of the sky.-
When thou wak'st, if she be bye,
Beg of her for remedy.

Re-enter Puck.

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[Exit.

Ob. Stand aside: the noise they make,

Will cause Demetrius to awake.

Puck. Then will two, at once, woo one;

That must needs be sport alone:

And those things do best please me,
That befal prepost'rously.

Enter Lysander and Helena.

Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo

in scorn?

Scorn and derision never come in tears: Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born, In their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me seem scorn to you, Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true? Hel. You do advance your cunning more and

more.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray! These vows are Hermia's! Will you give her o'er: Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:

Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales,
Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.

Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none, in my mind,now you give hero'er.
Lys. Demetrius loves her; and he loves not you.
Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph,
perfect, divine!

To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
Crystal is muddy. O how ripe in show
Thy lips, those, kissing cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus' snow,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow,
When thou hold'st up thy hand: O let me kiss
This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!

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Hel. Ospight! O hell! I see you all are bent To set against me, for your merriment. If you were civil, and knew courtesy, You would not do me thus much injury. Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join, in souls', to mock me too? If you were men, as men you are in show, You would not use a gentle lady so;

To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, 10 When, I am sure, you hate me with you hearts. You both are rivals, and love Hermia;

And now both rivals to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,

To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes, 15 With your derision! None of nobler sort * Would so offend a virgin; and extort

A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.

Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know: 20 And here, with all good-will, with all my heart, In Herinia's love I yield you up my part; And yours of Helena to me bequeath, Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

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30

135

Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none: If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone. My heart with her but as guest-wise sojourn'd; And now to Helen it is home return'd, There to remain.

Lys. Helen, it is not so.

Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest to thy peril, thou aby it dear————

Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Enter Hermia.

Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function The ear more quick of apprehension makes; [takes, Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,

It pays the hearing double recompense: Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found. 40 Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. But why unkindly didst thou leave me so? Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?

45

Her. What love could press Lysander from my

side? [bide? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery o's', and eyes of light, [know, Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee 50 The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy! Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, To fashion this false sport in spight of me. 55 Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid! Have you conspir'd, have you with these contriv'd To bait me with this foul derision?

Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd, The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent, 60 When we have chid the hasty-footed time For parting us-O, and is all forgot?

All school-day friendship, childhood innocence?

› That is, join heartily. * Sort is here used for degree 'See note, p. 188. Shakspeare sometimes uses O We,

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We, Hermia, like two artificial' gods,
Have with our neeld' created both one flower,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key;
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted;
But yet a union in partition,

Two lovely berries moulded on one stem:
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the nrst, like coats in heraldry,

Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do teel the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your passionate words:
I scorn you not; it seems that you scorn me.
Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and tace?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
(Who even but now did spurn re with his foot)
To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, so rich within his soul.
And tender me, forsooth, affection;
But by your setting on, by your consent?
What though I be not so in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, so fortunate;
But miserable most, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise.

Her. I understand not what you mean by this. Hel. Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks, Make mouths upon me when I turn my back; Wink at each other; hold the sweet jest up: This sport, well carry'd, shall be chronicled. If you have any pity, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument'. But, fare ye well; 'tis partly mine own fault; Which death, or absence, soon shall remedy. Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse; My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena!

Hel. O excellent!

Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so.

Dem. If she cannot retreat, I can compel.
Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat;
Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak
Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do;

Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent. Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change sweet love? [is this, Lys. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out! 5 Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence! Her. Do you not jest?

Hel. Yes, 'sooth; and so do you.

Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Dem. I would I had your bond, for, I perceive, 10A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word. Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so. [dead? Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate?

15 Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love?

Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?

I am as fair now, as I was erewhile. [me: Since night, you lov'd me; yet, since night, you left 20W hy, then you let me, the gods forbid!

In earnest, shall I say?

Lys. Ay, by my life;

And never did desire to see thee more.
Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt,
25 Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,
That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Her.Ome! you juggler! oh, youcanker-blossom"
You thief of love! what, have you come by night,
And stol'n my love's heart from him?
30 Hel. Fine, i'faith!

35

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Impatient answers from my gentle tongue ? Fie, nie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you! Her. Puppet! why so? Ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare Between our statures; she hath urg'd her height; And with her personage, her tall personage, Her height,forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.40 And are you grown so high in his esteem, Because I am so dwarfish and so low? How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak; How low am I? I am not yet so low,

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. 45 Hel. I pray you, though you mock me,gentlemen, Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;

[prayers. 50

I swear by that which I will lose for the,
To prove him false, that says I love thee not.
Dem. I say, I love thee more than he can do.
Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come,-

Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this?
Lys. Away, you Ethiop!
Dem. No, no, sir, he'll

Seem to break loc se; take on, as you would follow;
But yet come not: You are a tame man, go!

Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr; vile thing,
let loose;

I have no gift at all in shrewishness;

I am a right maid for my cowardice;

Let her not strike me: You, perhaps, may think, Because she's something lower than myself,

That I can match her.

Her. Lower! hark, again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. I evermore did love you, Hermia;

55 Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you; Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your stealth unto this wood: He follow'd you; for love, I follow'd him. But he hath chid me hence; and threaten'd me 60 To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too: And now, so you will let me quiet go, To Athens will I bear my folly back,

'Meaning, ingenious, artful. 2 That is, needles.

* Meaning, such a subject of light merriment. 4 Shakspeare here alludes to the worm that preys on the leaves or buds of flowers, always beginning in tl.e middle.

And

And follow you no further: Let me go:
You see how simple and how fond' I am. [you?
Her. Why get you gone: Who is't that hinders
Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.
Her. What, with Lysander?
Hel. With Demetrius.

[lena. Lys. Be not afraid, she shall not harm thee, HeDem. No, sir; she shall not, though you take

her part.

Hel. O,when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd; She was a vixen, when she went to school; Aud, though she be but little, she is fierce.

Her. Lattle again? nothing but low and little?— Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? Let me come to her.

Lys. Get you gone, you dwarf;

You minimus, of hind'ring knot-grass made';
You bead, you acorn.

Dem. You are too officious,

In her behalf that scorns your services.
Let her alone: speak not of Helena ;
Take not her part: for if thou dost intend
Never so little shew of love to her,
Thou shalt aby it.

4

Lus. Now she holds me not;

Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right, Or thine or mine, is most in Helena.

To take from thence all error, with his might,
And make his eye-balls roll with wonted sight.
When they next wake, all this derision
Shall seeni a dream and fruitless vision;

5 And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,
With league, whose date 'tilldeath shall never end.
Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,

Pil to my queen, and beg her Indian boy;
And then I will her charined eve release

10 From monster's view, and all things shall be peace. Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste;

15

For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger; [there, At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and Troop home to church-yards: damned spirits all, That in cross-ways and Hoods have burial, Already to their wormy beds are gone; For fear lest day should look their shames upon, 20 They wilfully themselves exile from light, And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night, Ob. But we are spirits of another sort:

I with the morning's love have oft made sport; And, like a forester, the groves may tread, 25 Even till the eastern-gate, all fiery red, Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams, Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streams. But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay: We may effect this business yet ere day. [Exit Ob, Puck. Up and down, up and down; I will lead them up and down: I am fear'd in field and town; Goblin, lead them up and down, Here comes one.

Dem. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowi. [Ex. Lysander and Demetrius. Her. You, mistress, all this coyl is 'long of you: 30 Nay, go not back.

Hel. I will not trust you, I;

Nor longer stay in you curst company.
Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray;
My legs are longer, though, to run away.
Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say.
[Exeunt; Hermia pursuing Helena.
Ob. This is thy negligence: still thou mistak'st,
Or else committ'st thy knaveries willingly.

35

Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. 40
Did not you tell me, I should know the man
By the Athenian garments he had on?
And so far blameless proves my enterprize,
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes;
And so far am I glad it did so sort',
As this their jangling I esteem a sport,

45

[fight:

Ob. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night; The starry welkin cover thou anon With drooping fog, as black as Acheron; And lead these testy rivals so astray, As one come not within another's way. Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue, Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong; And sometimes rail thou like Demetrius; And from each other look thou lead them thus, "Till o er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep: Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye: Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,

6

Enter Lysander.

Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.

Puck. Here, villain, drawn and ready. Where

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That is, foolish. 2i. e. you diminutive of the creation, you reptile. Knot-grass was anciently supposed to prevent the growth of any animal or child.

to happen. i. e. salutiferous.

Toaby is to pay dear for, to suffer.

i. e.

The

The villain is much lighter heel'd than I:
I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;
That fallen am I in dark uneven way,
And here will rest me. Come, thou gentle day!
[Lies down. 5
For if but once thou shew me thy great light,
I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spight.

Re-enter Puck and Demetrius.

Here she comes, curst, and sad:-
Cupid is a knavish lad,

Thus to make poor females mad.
Enter Hermia.

Her. Never so weary, never so in woe,
Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers;
I can no further crawl, no further go;
My legs can keep no pace with my desires.

Puck. Ho,ho,ho! coward, why comest thou not?
Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st: for well I wot, 10 Here will I rest me, till the break of day.

Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place;
And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face.
Where art thou?

Puck. Come hither; I am here.

Dem. Nay, then thou mock'st me. Thou shalt 15 buy this dear.

If ever I thy face by day-light see:

Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
To measure out my length on this cold bed.-

By day's approach look to be visited. [Lies down. 20

Enter Helena.

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Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!

Puck. On the ground

Sleep sound:
I'll apply

To your eye,

Gentle lover, remedy.

[Lies down.

[Squeezing the juice on Lysander's eye. When thou wak'st,

Thou tak'st

True delight

In the sight

Of thy former lady's eye:

And the country proverb known,
That every man should take his own,
In your waking shall be shown:
Jack shall have Jill;

Nought shall go ill;

The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well. [Exit Puck. They sleep.

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Bot. Give me your neif, monsieur Mustard-seed. Pray you, leave your courtesy, good monsieur. Must. What's your will?

Queen. COME, sit thee down upon this flowery 45 Bot. Nothing, good monsieur, but to help ca

bed,

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valero Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur; for, methinks, I am marvellous hairy about the face: and I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.

Queen. What, wilt thou hear some musick, my sweet love?

Bot. I have a reasonable good ear in musick: let us have the tongs and the bones'.

Queen. Or, say, sweet love, what thou desir'st to eat.

Bot. Truly, a peck of provender; I could munch your good dry oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.

Queen. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.

Meaning, the old rural musick of the tongs and

Bot.

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