From Claudio, and the prince; But what's your And my help. Here comes the prince, and Claudio. We here attend you; Are you yet determin'd Claud. I think, he thinks upon the savage bull:- Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low; And some such strange bull leap'd your father's cow, And got a calf in that same noble feat, Much like to you, for you have just his bleat. Re-enter Antonio, with the Ladies masked. Claud. For this I owe you here come other reckonings. Which is the lady I must seize upon ? Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her. Claud. Why, then she's mine: Sweet, let me see your face. Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her hand Before this friar, and swear to marry her. Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar; I am your husband, if you like of me. Hero. And when I lived, I was your other wife: Nothing certainer : D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is dead! Leon. She died my lord, but whiles her slander lived. Friar, All this amazement can I qualify; When, after that the holy rites are ended, I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death: [her; Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves For here's a paper, written in his hand, A halting sonnet of his own pure brain, Fashion'd to Beatrice. Hero. And here's another, Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, Containing her affection unto Benedick. Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts -Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity. Beat. I would not deny you ;-but, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion; and, partly, to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption. Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth. [Kissing her. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married man ? 懇 Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do propose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have. beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my, kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin. Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee. Bene. Come, come, we are friends:-let's have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels. [sick. Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards. Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play muPrince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn. Enter a Messenger. ACT I. characters in the Interlude performed by the Clowns. Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta. SCENE, Athens, and a Wood not far from it. SCENE 1.-Athens. A Room in the Palace of Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, and The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Long withering out a young man's revenue. Four nights will quickly dream away the time; The. Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia.Stand forth, Demetrius ;-My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her :Stand forth, Lysander ;-and, my gracious duke, This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child: Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchang'd love-tokens with my child: Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung, With feigning voice, verses of feigning love; And stol'n the impression of her fantasy Or to her death; according to our law, The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair In himself he is: Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes. look. Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold; In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: The. Either to die the death, or to abjure Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon, (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, For everlasting bond of fellowship,) For disobedience to your father's will; With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,Upon that day either prepare to die, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; As she is mine, I may dispose of her : Which shall be either to this gentleman, Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia;-And, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius; Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him. Ege. Scornful Lysander true he hath my dore; And what is mine my love shall render him; Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, Upon this spotted and inconstant man. The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs, My mind did lose it.-But, Demetrius, come; I must employ you in some business [Exeunt Thes. Hip. Ege. Dem. and train. Lys. How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale ? How chance the roses there do fade so fast? The course of true love never did run smooth: Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! Her. If then true lovers have been ever cross'd, As due to love, as thoughts and dreams, and sighs, Her. My good Lysander ! I swear to thee by Cupid's strongest bow; By his best arrow with the golden head; By the simplicity of Venus' doves; By that which knitteth souls, and prospers loves; And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen, When the false Trojan under sail was seen; By all the vows that ever men have broke, Enter Helena. Her. God speed fair Helena ! Whither away? Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. Hel. O, that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. Hel. O, that my prayers could such affection move! Her. The more I hate, the more he follows me. Her. Take comfort; he no more shall see my face; Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: Her. And in the wood, where often you and I Lys. I will, my Hermia.-Helena adieu : As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! [Exit Lys. Hel. How happy some, o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know." And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes, So I, admiring of his qualities. Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind. Nor hath love's mind of any judgment taste; Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste: And therefore is love said to be a child, Because in choice he is so oft beguil'd. As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, So the boy Love is perjur'd every where : For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne, He hail'd down oaths, that he was only mine; And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, So he dissolv'd, and showers of oaths did melt. I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight: Then to the wood will he, to-morrow night, Quin. Marry, our play is-The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. I will do any man's heart good to hear me; I wi roar, that I will make the duke say, Let him roar again, Let him roar again. Quin. An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek; and that were enough to hang us all. All. That would hang us every mother's son. Bot. I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my voice so, that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any nightingale. Quin. You can play no part but Pyramus: for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer's day; a most lovely, gentleman-like man; therefore you must needs play Pyramus. Bot. Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in ?** Quin. Why, what you will. Bot. A very good piece of work, I assure you, Bot. I will discharge it in either your strawand a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth coloured beard, your orange-tawny beard, your puryour actors by the scroll: Masters, spread your-ple-in-grain beard, or your French-crown-colour selves. beard, your perfect yellow. Quin. Answer, as I call you.-Nick Bottom, the weaver. Bot. Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed. Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Py ramus. Bot. What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant? Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gallantly for love. Quin. Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play bare-faced. But, masters; here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night; and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moon-light; there will we rehearse: for if we meet in the city, we shall be dog'd with company, and our devices known. In the mean time I will draw a bill of Bot. That will ask some tears in the true per-properties, such as our play wants. I pray you fal forming of it: If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some measure. To the rest :-Yet my chief humour is for a tyrant; I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split. "The raging rocks, "Of prison-gates: "And Phibbus' car "Shall shine from far, "And make and mar "The foolish fates." This was lofty !-Now name the rest of the players. more condoling. Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender. Quin. You must take Thisby on you. Flu. What is Thisby? a wandering knight? Quin. It is the lady that Pyramus must love,! Flu. Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. Quin. That's all one; you shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will. Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too: I'll speak in a monstrous little voice ;-Thisne, Thisne,-Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear; thy Thisby dear! and lady dear! Quin. No, no; you must play Pyramus, and, Flute, you Thisby. Bot. Well, proceed. Quin. Robin Starveling, the tailor. Star. Here, Peter Quince.. me not. Bot. We will meet; and there we may rehearse more obscenely, and courageously. Take pains; be perfect; adieu. Quin. At the duke's oak we meet. Bot. Enough; Hold, or cut bow strings. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.-A Wood near Athens. Enter a Fairy at one door, and Puck at another. Thorough bush, thorough briar, Thorough flood, thorough fire, In those freckles live their savours: night; Take heed, the queen come not within his sight. Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's A lovely boy, stol'n from an Indian king mother. Tom Snout, the tinker. Snout. Here, Peter Quince. Quin. You, Pyramus's father; myself, Thisby's father; Snug, the joiner, you, the lion's part: and, I hope, here is a play fitted. Snug. Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study. Quin. You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. Bot. Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that #1 She never had so sweet a changeling: And now they never meet in grove, or green, Fai, Either 1 mistake your shape and making Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite, Puck. Thou speak'st aright; And, when she drinks, against her lips I bob, And then the whole quire hold their hips, and loffe; The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts Obe. Do you amend it then it lies in you: Tita. Would imitate; and sail upon the land, Fat. And here my mistress :-'Would that he As from a voyage, rich with merchandize. SCENE II. Enter Oberon, at one door, with his Obe. Tarry, rash wanton; Am not I thy lord? Obe. How canst thou thus, for shame, Titania, Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering From Perigenia, whom he ravished? And make him with fair Egle break his faith, Tita. These are the forgeries of jealousy: And never, since the middle summer's spring, Or on the beached margent of the sea, But with thy brawls thou hast disturb'd our sport. But she, being mortal, of that boy did die; Obe. How long within this wood intend you stay? [Exeunt Titania and her train. Obe. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove, Till I torment thee for this injury.. My gentle Puck, come hither Thou remember'st And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, Puck. I remember.. Obe. That very time I saw, (but thou could'st not,) Flying between the cold moon and the earth, Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took At a fair vestal, throned by the west; And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft Quench'd in the chaste beams of the wat'ry moon; Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell: Before, milk-white; now purple with love's wound, Obe. I : |