PERSONS REPRESENTED.

THESIUS, Duke of Arbens.

HELENA, in love witb Demetrius. att EGIUS, Father to Hermia. LYSANDER, in love with Hermia.

Attendants, DEMETRIUS, in love witb Hermia.

PHILOSTRATE, Master of tbe Sports to Tbefeus. OBERON, King of rba Fairies. tant Quince, the Carpenter.

TITANIA, Queen of tbe Fairies. Snuo, tbe Joiner.

Puck, or ROBIN-GOODFELLOW, e Fuiry. Bottom, ibe Weaver.

PLASLBLOSSOM, FLUTE, tbe Belienos-mender,

COBWEB,

Fairies. SnowT, ibe Tinker.

Мотн, , STARVELING, Ebe Taylor.

MUSTARD-SELD,

Pyramus
HIPPOLITA, Queen of tbe Amazons, betrorbed 30 Tbifoe,

Characters in the Interlude
Theseus.

Wall,
Hermia, Daugbter to Egeus, in love with Ly Mconfhines

performed by sbe Clownia Jander

Lyons ha

Orber Fajries attending tbeir King and Queen : Attendants on Theseus and Hippolka.

SCENE, Athens, and a Wood not far from it.

SCENE I.

Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my sword,

And won thy love, doing thee injuries ;
The Palace of Theseus in Arbens.

But I will wed thee in another key,
Exer Theseus, Hippolita, Philoftrate, with Attendants.

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling,
Tbe,
Na een

ow, fair Hippolita, our nuptial hour 5) Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius
Draws on apace; four happy days Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned doke!
bring in

Tbe. Thanks, good Egeus : What's the news Another moon : but, oh, methinks, how slow

with thee?
This old moon wanes! the lingers my desires, Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint
Like to a Itep-dame, or a dowager,

10 Against my child, my daughter Hermia...
Long withering out a young man's revenue. Stand forth, Demetrius;-My noble lord,
Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves This man hath my consent to marry her :
in nights;

Stand forth, Lysander ;-and, my gracious duke
Four nights will quickly dream away the time; This man hath witch'd the bolom of my child:
And then the moon, like to a tilver bow 15 Thou, thou, Lysander, thou haft given her shines,
New bent in heaven, shall behold the night

And interchang'd love-tokens with my child:
Of our solemnities.

Thou haft by moon-light at her window sung,
The Co, Philoftrate,

With feigning voice, verses of feigning love :
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;

And stol'n the impression of her fantasy
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; 20 With bracelets of thy hair, rings; gawds", conceits,
Turn melancholy forth to funerals,

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweet-neats, meitengers
The pale companion is not for our pomp. Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:

With cunninghalt thou filchid my daughter's heart;

(Exit Phill

Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,

Ege. Seornful Lysander ! true, he hath my love; To stubborn harshness : And, my gracious duke, And what is mine, my love shall render him: Be it so she will not here before your grace.

And she is mine; and all my right of her Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I do estate unto Demetrius. I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; •

5 Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, As she is mine, I may dispose of her :

As well possess’d; my love is more than his; Which shall be either to this gentleman,

My fortunes every way as fairly rank’d, Or to her death; according to our law,

If not with vantage, ao Demetrius'; Immediately provided in that case. [maid : And, which is more than all these boasts can be

Tbe. What say you, Hermia ? be advis'd, fair 10 I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia :
To you your father should be as a god;

Why should not I then prosecute my right?
One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one Demetrius}, I'll avouch it to his head,
To whom you are but as a form in wax,

Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
By him imprinted, and within his power

And won her soul; and the, sweet lady, dotesy To leave the figure, or disfigure it.

15 Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

Upon this spotted and inconstant man. Her. So is Lysander.

The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, Tbe. In himself he is :

And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, But, being over-full of self-affairs, The other must be held the worthier.

20 My mind did lose it.-But, Demetrius, come; Her. I would my father look’d but with my eyes. And come, Egeus; you shall go with me, The. Rather your eyes must with his judgment I have some private schooling for you both.look.

For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
Her. I do intreat your grace to pardon me. To fit your fancies to your father's will;
} know not by what power I am made bold; 25 Or else the law of Athens yields you up
Nor how it may concern my modesty,

(Which by no means we may extenuate)
In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: To death, or to a vow of single lise.-
But I beseech your grace, that I may know Come, my Hippolita; What cheer, my love ?--
The worst that may befal me in this cafe,

Demetrius, and Egeus, go along : If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

301 must employ you in some business The. Either to die the death, or to abjure Against our nuptial; and confer with you For ever the society of men.

Of something, nearly that concerns yourselves. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Ege. With duty, and desire, we follow you. Know of your youth', examine well your blood

[Exeunt Thef. Hip. Egeus, Dem. and trais, Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice, 35 Lyf. How, now, my love? Why is your cheek You can endure the livery of a nun;

So pale? For aye to be in thady cloister mew'd,

How chance the roses there do fade so fast? (well To live a barren fifter all your life,

Her. Belike, for want of rain ; which I could Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. Beteem ? them from the tempest of mine eyes. Thrice blefsed they, that master so their blood, 40 Lys. Ah me! for aught that I could ever read, To undergo such maiden pilgrimage :

Could ever hear by tale or history,
But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd,

The course of true love never did run smooth.
Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, But, either it was different in blood;
Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness.

Her.

cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! Her. So will I grow, fo live, so die, my lord, 45 Lyf. Or elfe misgraffed, in respect of years ; Ere I will yield my virgin patent up

Her. Ospight! too old to be engag‘d to young! Unto his lordship, to whose unwilh'd yoke

Lyf. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends : My soul confents not to give sovereignty.

Her. O hell! to chufe love by another's eye! Tbe. Take time to pause; and by the next new Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, moon,

50 War, death, or fickness, did lay siege to it; (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, Making it momentary as a sound, For everlasting bond of fellowship)

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; Upon that day either prepare to die,

Brief as the lightning in the colly'd 3 night, For disobedience to your father's will;

That, in a spleen 4, unfolds both heaven and earlig Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would; 55 And ere a man hath power to fayz-Behold! Or on Diana's altar to protest,

The jaws of darkness do devour it up: For aye, austerity and single life.

[yield So quick bright things come to confusion. Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia ;-And, Lyfander, Her. If then true lovers have been ever crossid, Thy crazed title to my certain right.

It stands as an edi&t in deftiny :
Lyf. You have her father's love, Demetrius; 60 Then let us teach our tryal patience,
Let me have Hermia's : do you marry him. Because it is a customary cross;
• j.c. confider your youth 2 1. Go give them, 3 1. e, black.

+ Meaning, in a suddes befy ft

As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and fighs, Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold :
Withes, and tears, poor fancy's followers. To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold
Lyf. A good persuafion; therefore, hear me, Her filver visage in the watry glass,
Hermia.

Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass,
I have a widow aunt, a dowager

5|(A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal) aki of great revenue, and the hath no child :

Through Athens' gates have we devis'd to steal. From Athens is her house remote seven leagues ;

Her. And in the wood, where often you and I And she respects me as her only son.

Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lye,
Elsa: "There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; Emptying our bosoms of their counsels swell'd;

And to that place the sharp Athenian law 10 There my Lyfander and myself shall meet :
Cannot pursue us : If thou lov'st me then, And thence, from Athens, turn away our eyes,
Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night;

To seek new friends and strange companions.
And, in the wood, a league without the town,

Farewel, sweet playfellow : pray thou for us,
Where I did meet thee once with Helena,

And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius !
To do observance to a morn of May,

15 Keep word, Lyfander : we must starve our fighe There will I stay for thee.

From lovers' food, 'till morrow deep midnight. Her. My good Lysander !

[Exit Herm. rakennu llwear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow;

Lyf. I will, my Hermia.—Helena, adieu :
By his beft arrow with the golden head ; 20 As you on him, Demetrius dote on you !
By the simplicity of Venus' doves;

[Exit Lyf. By that which knitteth fouls, and prospers loves;

He. How happy fome, o'er other some, can be!
And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen,

Through Athens I am thought as fair as the.
When the false Trojan under sail was seen ; But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;
By all the vows that ever men have broke, 125 He will not know what all but he do know,
In number more than ever women spoke ;

And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
In that same place thou hast appointed me,

So I, admiring of his qualities.
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee. (Helena. Things bafe and vile, holding no quantity,
L5f. Keep promise, love : Look, here comes Love can transpose to form and dignity,
Enter Helena,

30 Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; Her. God speed, fair Helena! Whither away?

And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind :
Hel. Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.

Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;
Demetrius loves your fair": O happy fair! [air Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste :
Your eyes are lode-stars ? ; and your tongue's sweet

And therefore is Love said to be a child,
More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear,

35 Because in choice he is so oft beguild.
When wheat is green,when haw-thorn buds appear.

As waggish boys themselves in game

forfwear, Sickness is catching ; 0, were favour 3 so ! So the boy Love is perjur'd every where: Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go ;

For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne, right In My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye,

He hail'd down oachs, that he was only mine;
My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody 40 And when this hail fome heat from Hermia felt,
Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, So he diffolv'd, and thowers of oaths did melt,
The rest I'll give to be to you translated 4. I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:
O, teach me how you look; and with what art Then to the wood will he, to-morrow night,
You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart. Pursue her; and for this intelligence
Hor: I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. 45 If I have thanks, it is a dear expence;
Hel. Oh, that your frowns would teach my But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
smiles such skill!

To have his fight thither, and back again. (Exito
Her. I give him curses, yet

gives me love. Hel. Oh, that my prayers could such affe&ion

SCENE II. move!

50

A Cortage.
Her. The more I hate, the more he follows me.
Hi. The more I love, the more he hateth me.

Enter Quince the carpenter, Snug the joiner, Boriors

ibe weaver, Flute the bellousmender, Snout the
Her. His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.

tinker, and Starveling the taylor.
Hel. None, but your beauty; 'Would that fault
were mine!

[face; 55 Quin. Is all our company here?
Her
. Take comfort; he no more Mall see my

Bot. You were best to call them generally, man
Lysander and myself will fiy this place.-

by man, according to the scrip 6.
Before the time I did Lyfander see,

Quin. Here is the scrow) of every man's name,
Seemd Athens as a paradise to me :

which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play
O then, what graces in my love do dwell, bolin our interlude before the duke and dutchess, on

That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell! This wedding-day at night. chy That is, your beauty, or your complexion. 2 The lode-star is the leading or guiding-star, that is, the 3 Favour here means feature, countenance.

4 To translate here implies to change, to transform. s inc. in sport, in jet. o i. e. the writing, or paper.

Bu.

5

di

I up:

pole-ftar.

IO

weaver.

Br. First, good Peter Quince, say what the Star. Here, Peter Quince.
play treats on ; then read the names of the actors; Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's
and so grow to a point.

mother.—Tom Snout, the tinker.
Quin. Marry our play is The most lamentable Snou. Here, Peter Quince.
comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and 5 Quin. You, Pyramus's father; myself, Thilby's
Thisby.

father ;-Snug the joiner, you, the lion's part:-
Bot. A very good piece of work, I assure you, and, I hope, there is a play fitted.
and a merry.--Now, good Peter Quince, call Snug. Have you the lion's part written ? Pray :
forth your actors by the scrowl: Mafters, spread you, if it be, give it me, for I am now of study'.
yourselves.

Quin. You may do it extempore, for it is no-
Quin. Answer, as I call you..Nick Bottom the thing but roaring.

HOTE
Bor. Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that

TY Bot. Ready: Name what part I am for, and I will do any man's heart good to hear me; I will proceed.

roar, that I will make the duke say, Let bin real
Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for 15 again, let bim roar again.
Pyramus.

Quin. An you mould do it too terribly, you would
Bot. What is Pyramus ? a lover, or a tyrant? fright the dutchefs and the ladies, that they would

Quin. A lover, that kills humself most gallantly Mriek; and that were enough to hang us all.
for love.

All. That would hang us every mother's son. Bor. That will ask some tears in the true per- 20 Bet. I grant you, friends, if that you should forming of it: If I do it, let the audience look to fright the ladies out of their wits, they would their eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in have no more discretion but to hang us : but I some measure. To the rest :-Yet my chief hu will aggravate my voice so, that I will roar you as mour is for a tyrant : I could play Ercles rarely, gently as any sucking-dove; I will roar you an or a part to tcar a cat in, to make all split,

25 'twere any nightingale. “ The raging rocks,

Quin. You can play no part but Pyramus : for “ And shivering shocks,

Pyrimus is a sweet-fac'd man; a proper man, as « Shall break the locks

one Mall see in a summer's day; a most lovely, “ Of prison-gates :

gentleman-like man ; therefore you must needs " And Phibbus' car

30 play Pyramus. « Shall shine from far,

Bor. Well, I will undertake it. What beard " And make and mar

were I best to play it in? « The foolim fates."

Quin. Why, what you will.

Bvi. I will discharge it in either your straw.com This was lofty !--Now name the rest of the play- 35 loured beard, your orange-tawney beard, your pur. ers.

This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein ; a lover ple-in-grain beard, or your French-crown-cokur is more condoling.

beard ?, your perfect yellow.
Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

Quin. Some of your French-crowns 3 have no
Flu. Here, Peter Quince.

hair at all, and then you will play bare-facd.-
Quin. You must take Thisby on you. 40 But, masters, here are your parts: and I am to
Flu. What is Thisby? a wandering knight? entreat you, request you, and desire you, to con
Quin. It is the lady that Pyramus must love. them by to-morrow night; and meet me in the

Flu. Nay, faith, let me not play a woman ; 1 palace wood, a mile without the town, by moon-
have a beard coming.

light; there will we rehearse; for if we meet in
Quir. That's allone ; you shall play it in a mask, 45 the city, we shall be dog’d with company, and
and you may speak as small as you will.

our devices known. In the mean time, I will
Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thil draw a bill of properties 4, such as our play wants.
by too : I'll speak in a monstrous little voice ; I pray you, fail me not.
“ Thisne, Thisney-Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear; Bot. We will meet; and there we may rehearse
thy Thilby dear! and lady dear !"

50 more obscenely, and courageously. Take pains ;
Quin. No, no, you must play Pyramus, and, be perfect; adieu.
Flute, you Thilby.

Quiri. At the duke's oak we meet.
Bot. Well, proceed.

Bc. Enough; Hold, or cut bow-strings 5.
Quin. Robin Starveling, the taylor.

(Exeunt

2 This alludes to the custom
5 Dr. Warburton says, this

? To fíudy a part, in the language of the theatre, is to get it by rote.
of wearing coloured beards. 3 See note ?, p. 77. 4 Sce note 5, p. 68.
proverbial phrase came originally from the camp. When a rendezvous was appointed, the militia fol-
diers would frequently make excuse for not keeping word, that their bozuftrings were broke

, i. e. their
arms unserviceable. Hence when one would give another absolute atsurance of meeting him, he would
say proverbially-Held or cut bow-fringsmi. e. whether the bow-ftring held or broke."

ACT

Puck. However hill, over dale,

20

S CE NE S.

Neighing in likeness of a filly foal :
A Wood,

And sometime lurk I in a goffip's bowl,

In very likeness of a roasted crab; Enter a Fairy at one door, and Puck (er Robin-good

And, when she drinks, against her lips I bob, fellur) at araber.

5 And on her wither'd dew-lap pour the ale. row now, fpirit! whither wander you? The wifest aunt ø, telling the saddest tale, Fai.

Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me; Thorough bush, thorough briar, Then Nip I from her bum, down topples the, Over park, over pale,

And taylor' cries, and falls into a cough : Thorough flood, thorough fire, 10 And then the whole quire hold their hips, and loffe, I do wander every where,

And waxen 1° in their mirth, and neeze and swear
Swifter than the moones sphere ;

A merrier hour was never wasted there.-
And I serve the fairy queen,

But room, Faery, here comes Oberon.
To dew her orbs ' upon the green;

Fai. And here my mistress :-'Would that ho
The cow lips tall her pensioners be; 15

were gone!
In their gold coats spots you see ;

S CE NE II.
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In tho e freckles live their favours :

Enter Oberon, king of Fairies, at one door with bis I must go seek fome dew-drops here,

train, and the queen at anorber with ber's. And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.

Ob. IU met by moon-light, proud Titania. Farewel, chou lob 2 of spirits, I'll be gone ; Queen. What, jealous Oberon ? Fairy, skip hence; Our queen and all her elves come here anon. I have forsworn his bed and company.

Puck. The king doth keep his revels here to-night; Ob. Tarry, rash wanton ; Ain not I thy lord ? | Take heed, the queen come not within his fight. Queen. Then I must be thy lady: But I know For Oberon is palling fell and wrath,

25 When thou hast stol'n away from fairy land, Because that she, as her attendant, hath

And in the shape of Corin sat all day,
A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king ; Playing on pipes of corn, and verling love
She never had so sweet a changeling :

To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here,
And jealous Oberon would have the child Come from the farthest steep of India ?
Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild: 30 But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,
But she, per-force, with-holds the loved boy, (joy: Your buskin'd mistress, and your warrior love,
Crowns him with fowers, and makes him all her To Theseus must be wedded ; and you come
And now they never meet in grove or green, To give their bed joy and prosperity.
By fountain clear, or spangled star-light heen 3, Ob. How can'st thou thus, for shame, Titania,
But they do square 4; that all their elves, for fear, 35 Glance at my credit with Hippolita,
Creep into acorn cups, and hide them there. [quite, Knowing I know thy love to Thereus ? [night

Fai. Either I mistake your hape and making Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering
Or else you are that threwd and knavish sprite, From Perigune, whom he ravish'd ?
Cail'd Robin Good-fellow : Are you not he, And make him with fair Ægle break his faith,
That frights the maidens of the villag'ry ; 40 With Ariadne, and Antiopa ?
Skim milk; and sometimes labour in the quern 5, Queen. These are the forgeries of jealousy:
And bootless make the breathless huswife churn; And never, since the middle summer's spring",
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead,
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm? By paved fountain, or by ruthy brook,
Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck?, 45 Or on the beached margent of the sea,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck: To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
Are not you he?

But with thy brawls thou hast disturbod our sport. Puck. Thou speak'st aright;

Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain, I am that merry wanderer of the night.

As in revenge, have suck'd up from the sea I jest to Oberon, and make him (mile,

50 Contagious fogs ; which falling in the land, When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,

Have every pelting 12 river made so proud,

6

I This alludes to the circles supposed to be made by the fairies on the ground, whose verdure proceeds from the fairy's care to water them. 2 Lob, lubber, losby, lobcock, all imply both indolence of body and dulness of mind. 3 i. e. shining. 4 Tv Square here signifies to quarrel. S A quern is a handmill. Barm is a name for yeast, still used in our midland counties. i Puck is said to have been an old Gothick word, fignifying fiend or devil. 8 In Staffordhire the epithet of aunt is still applied indircriminately to old women, and is there pronounced naunt. 9 This may perhaps allude to a custom of crying taylor at a sudden fall backwards, as a perfon who Nips beside his chair falls as a taylor squats upon his board. 10 i. e. cncrease. " By the middle summer's spring, our author seems to mean the beginning of middle or mid summer. 12 i. e. despicable, mean.. N 2

That