University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

Enter Helena.
Hel.
I am out of breath with following him so fast,
O happy Hermia, wheresoe'er she is!
How her attractive Eyes still draw him on!
How came her Eyes so bright? not with falt tears;
If so, my eyes are oftner wash'd than hers.
Ha! who lies here? Lysander on the Ground!
I hope he is not dead! Lysander, speak.

[Ly. wakes.
Ly.
Ha, Helen! fairest of all Womankind!
More lovely than the Grecian Beauty was,
Who drew so many Kings to wed her Cause.
Ah, false Demetrius! when e'er we meet,
This Sword shall punish thy Ingratitude.

Hel.
O say not so, Lysander! though he loves
Your Mistress, kill him not; pray be content,
Be satisfy'd, your Hermia loves you still.

Ly.
Content with Hermia! no, I now repent
Each tedious minute I have spent with her.
'Tis Helena, not Hermia, I love:
Who wou'd not change a Raven for a Dove?
No growing things are ripe before their Season;
Time and Experience only ripens Reason.
When I saw Hermia first, I was unripe,
Raw, green, and unacquainted with the World;
But time and you have taught me better Skill,
For now my Reason over-rules my Will.
I find new Charms when on your Eyes I look,
And read Love's Stories in Love's fairest Book.

Hel.
What spightful Planet reign'd when I was born?
What have I done deserves this Mockery?
But fare you well; I thought you better natur'd.
Must I, because I am by one refus'd,
Be by the rest of all Mankind abus'd!

[Exit.
Ly.
She sees not Hermia. Sleep, sleep for ever;
Never come nearer to Lysander more.
For as a Surfeit of the sweetest things,
Creates a greater loathing in the Stomach.
Thou art my Surfeit, and I hate thee most:
O, may I never, never see thee more;
Helen the Goddess I must now adore.
[Ex. Ly.

Her.
Help me, Lysander, quickly! help me here,
[Her. wakes.
To pluck this crawling Serpent from my Breast:
Oh all ye Powers! what a Dream had I?
Methought a Serpent eat my Heart away,
And yet sat smiling at his cruel Prey:
Lysander; what, remov'd? where are you? speak.
No sound! no word! O I shall die with fear!
Who are these coming hither? Let me fly!
My Fears will vanish, if Lysander's nigh.
[Ex. Her.

Enter Bottom, Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.
Bot.

Are we all met?

Qu.

All, all, and drest in the same Habits we intend to act
in before the Duke; and here's a marvellous convenient place
for our Rehearsal; this Plat shall be our Stage; behind these
Trees our retiring Room: and we will do it in action, as we
will do it before the whole Court.

Enter Robin-Good-Fellow.
Ro.
What home-spun Fellows have we swagg'ring here,
So near the Grotto of the Fairy-Queen?

Qu.
Now every Man retire, and enter according to his Cue.
Prologue, stand ready, you begin.

Ro.
What, a Play toward? I'll be an Auditor;
An Actor too, perhaps, as I see cause.

Enter Prologue.
Pro.
If we offend, it is with our good Will
That you should think we come not to offend:
But with good will to shew our simple Skill,
That is the true beginning of our end.
Consider then we come but in despight;
We do not come as minding to content you.
Our true intent is all for your delight:
We are not here that you should here repent you.
The Actors are at hand, and by their show,
You shall know all that you are like to know.

Bo.

He has rid his Prologue like a rough Colt, he knows no
stop: 'Tis not enough to speak, but to speak true.

Enter Wall.
Wall.
In this same Interlude it doth befal,
That I, Starveling (by name) present a Wall:
And such a Wall as I would have you think,
That had in it a crannied hole or chink.
Through which the Lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe,
Did whisper often very secretly.
This Loam, this Rough-cast, and this Stone doth show,
That I am that same Wall, the Truth is so;
And this the Cranny is, right and sinister,
Through which the fearful Lovers are to whisper.

Ro.

Who wou'd desire Lime and Hair to speak better? 'Tis
the wittiest Partition I ever saw.

Enter Pyramus.
Py.
O grim-look'd Night! a Night with hue so black!
O night! which ever art when day is not!
Oh night! oh night! alack! alack! alack!
I fear my Thisbe's Promise is forgot.
And thou, oh Wall; thou sweet and lovely Wall,
That stands between her Father's Ground and mine,
Shew me thy Chink to blink through with my eyn.
Thanks, courteous Wall, Jove shield thee well for this.
But what see I? no Thisbe do I see:
O wicked Wall, through whom I see no Bliss!
Curst be thy Stones for thus deceiving me.

Ro.
Methinks the Wall being sensible, shou'd curse again.

Bo.
No, but he shou'd not: Deceiving me is Thisbe's Cue.
Therefore hold your prating there.

Enter Thisbe.
Th.
O Wall, full often hast thou heard my Moans;
For parting my fair Pyramus and me.

Py.
I hear a Voice; now will I to the Chink,
To spy if I can see my Thisbe's Face. Thisbe!

Th.
My Love thou art; my Love, I think.

Py.
Think what thou wilt, I am thy Lover's Grace;
And like Limander am I trusty still.

Th.
And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.

Py.
Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true.

Th.
As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you.

Py.
O kiss me through the Hole of this vile Wall.

Th.
I kiss the Wall's Hole, not thy Lips at all.

Py.
Wilt thou at Ninny's Tomb meet me straightway?

Th.
Tide Life, tide Death; I come without delay.

[Exeunt Pyramus and Thisbe several ways.
Wall.
Thus have I Wall, my part discharged so,
And being done, thus Wall away does go.
[Ex. Wall.

Enter Lion and Moonshine.
Lyon.
You Ladies, you (whose gentle Hearts do fear
The smallest monstrous Mouse that creeps on Floor)
May now perchance both quake and tremble here.
When Lion rough in wildest Rage doth roar,
Then know that I one Snug the Joyner am;
No Lion fell, nor else no Lion's Dam.
For if I shou'd as Lion, come in strife
Into this place, 'twere pity of my Life.

Ro.
Upon my word, a very gentle Beast.

Moon.
This Lanthorn does the horned Moon present,
My self the Man i'th' Moon do seem to be.

Ro.
Make an end, good Moon-shine.

Moon.

All I have to say is to tell you, that the Lanthorn is
the Moon, I the Man in the Moon, this Thorn-bush my
Thorn-bush, and this Dog my Dog.

Enter Thisbe.
Th.
This is old Ninny's Tomb; where is my Love?

Lion.
Oa, Oa, Oa

[Exit Thisbe running, the Lion after her.
Ro.
Well roar'd Lion, and well run Thisbe too.

Enter Pyramus.
Py.
Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy Sunny Beams:
I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright:
For by thy Gracious, Golden, Glittering Streams,
I trust to taste of truest Thisbe's sight.
But stay. O spight!
But mark; poor Knight!
What dreadful dole is here?
Eyes do not see,
How can it be?
O dainty Duck! O dear!
Thy Mantle slain? what stain'd with Blood?
Approach, you Furies fell:
O Fates! come, come.
Cut, thread, and thrum,
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell.

Ro.

If this wont move the Ladies, poor Pyramus will take
pains to little purpose.

Py.
O wherefore, Nature, did'st thou Lions frame?
Since Lion vile has here deflour'd my Dear.
Wich is—no, no, which was the fairest Dame
That liv'd, that lov'd, that lik'd, that look'd with chear,
Come Tears confound!
Out Sword, and wound
The Pap of Pyramus:
Ay, that left Pap,
Where Heart doth hop,
As Bird doth hop in Cage.
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
Now am I dead,
Now am I fled,
My Soul is in the Sky.
Tongue lose thy light,
Eyes take your flight,
Now die, die, die, die.

Enter Thisbe.
Th.
Asleep, my Love?
What dead, my Dove?
O Pyramus arise!
Speak, speak! quite dumb?
Dead, dead! a Tomb
Must cover my sweet Eyes.
These Lilly-Lips, this Cherry-Nose,
These yellow Cowslip-Cheeks,
Are gone, are gone,
Lovers make moan,
His Eyes are green as Leeks.
Tongue not a word,
Come trusty Sword,
Come Blade, my Breast imbrue.
Now farewell Friends,
Thus Thisbe ends,
Adieu, adieu, adieu.

They all come in.
Snout.

Come, get up Pyramus and Thisbe, and let me speak
the Epilogue.

Ro.

No, no; I'll be the Epilogue.

Robin runs in amongst them.
Qu.
O monstrous! we are haunted!
Pray Masters; fly Masters.

All.
Help, help, help!

Exeunt, running several ways.
Ro.
I'll follow you;
I'll lead you such a round.
Through Bog, through Bush, through Brake, through Brier;
Sometimes a Horse I'll be, sometimes a Hound;
A Hog, a headless Bear; sometimes a Fire.
And neigh, and grunt, and bark, and roar, and burn,
Like Horse, Hog, Hound, Bear, Fire, at every turn.
[Ex. Rob.

Enter Bottom, with an Ass's Head on.
Bot.

Why do they run away? This is a piece of Knavery
among 'em, to make me afraid.

Enter Snout.
Sn.
O Bottom! Thou art chang'd.
What's that I see on thee?

Bot.
What do you see?
You see an Ass-head of your own, that you see.

Enter Peter Quince.
Qu.

Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! thou art translated.

[Exeunt Snout and Quince.
Bot.

I find their Knavery; they would fain make an Ass of
me, and fright me if they could. But I won't stir from this
place, do what they can. I will walk up and down here, and
I will sing, that they may hear I am not afraid.

SINGS.

Titania wakes.
Tit.
What Angel wakes me from my Flowry Bed.

Bot.

For indeed, who wou'd set his wit to so foolish a Bird? who
wou'd give a Bird the lie, tho' he cry Cuckow never so often?

Tit.
I pray thee, lovely Mortal, sing again:
My Ear is much enamour'd with thy Note.
My Eye is fix'd on thy Majestick Shape.
Oh, how thy Graces charm me! I am forc'd,
At the first sight to say, to swear I love thee.

Bot.

Methinks, Mistress, you should have little Reason for that;
and yet to say Truth, Reason, and Love, keep little Company together
now a days; the more the pity, that some honest Neighbour
will not make 'em Friends. Nay I can break a Jest on occasion.

Tit.

Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

Bot.

Not so neither; but if I had Wit enough to get out of
this Wood, I have enough to serve my own turn.

Tit.
Out of this Wood never desire to go;
Here you shall stay whether you will or no.
I'll purge your grossness, you shall never die,
But like an airy Spirit, you shall fly.
Where are my Fairy Spirits?

Enter 4 Fairies.
1 Fa.
I am here.

2 Fa.
And I.

3 Fa.
And I.

4. Fa.
And I.

All.
What shall we do?

Tit.
Attend this Charming Youth.
Dance as he walks, and gambole in his Eye.
Feed him with Apricocks, and Dew-berries;
With purple Grapes, ripe Figs, and Mulberries.
The Hony-Bags steal from the Humble-bees.
For his Night-Tapers crop their waxen thighs,
And light 'em at the fiery Glow-worms Eyes.
And pluck the Wings from painted Butter-flies,
To fan the Moon-beams from his sleeping Eyes.
Bow to him Elves, do Homage to my Love.

1 Fa.
Hail, Mortal, hail.

2 Fa.
Hail.

3 Fa.
Hail.

4 Fa.
Hail.

Tit.
Come, wait upon him, lead him to my Bower.
The Moon, methinks, looks with a watry Eye;
And when she weeps, then every little Flower
Laments for some lost Virgin's Chastity:
Tye up my Love's Tongue; bring him silently.

[Exeunt.
Enter Oberon.
Ob.
By this time my Titania should be wak'd;
I long to know what came first to her Eye.
Enter Robin-Good-Fellow.
Here comes my Messenger. Welcome, mad Spright:
What pranks have you been playing in the Grove?

Rob.
My Lady with a Monster is in love.
I led sweet Pyramus through the Fairy Pass,
And plac'd him just before the sleeping Queen;
She wak'd, and saw him, and straight lov'd the Ass,
His comly Visage, and his graceful Meen.

Ob.
'Tis as I wish'd (my Puck) but tell me now,
How fares the scornful Youth?

Rob.
That's finish'd too.
I found 'em sleeping on a Bed of Brakes;
I streak'd his eyes, he sees her when he wakes.

Demetrius and Hermia cross the Stage.
Ob.
Stand close, they come. Now hate her if you can.

Rob.
This is the Woman, but not that the Man.

Ob.
What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite,
And laid the Juice on the true Lover's sight.

Rob.
Then Fate o'er-rules; where one Man keeps his Troth,
A thousand fail, by breaking Oath on Oath.

Ob.
About the Wood, go swifter than the Wind.
You shall the poor despairing Helen find;
By some Illusion train, and bring her here,
I'll charm his Eyes. And when the Damsel's near,
We'll wake Demetrius.

Rob.
I go, I go,
Swift as an Arrow from a Tartar's Bow.
[Ex. Rob.

Enter Titania, Bottom, and Fairies.
Tit.
Come, lovely Youth, sit on this flowry Bed,
While I thy amiable looks survey;
Garlands of Roses shall adorn thy Head,
A thousand Sweets shall melt themselves away,
To charm my Lover till the break of day.
Shall we have Musick sweet?

Bot.
Yes, if you please.

Tit.
Away, my Elves; prepare a Fairy Mask
To entertain my Love; and change this place
To my Enchanted Lake.

The Scene changes to a great Wood; a long row of large Trees on each side: A River in the middle: Two rows of lesser Trees of a different kind just on the side of the River, which meet in the middle, and make so many Arches: Two great Dragons make a Bridge over the River; their Bodies form two Arches, through which two Swans are seen in the River at a great distance.
Enter a Troop of Fawns, Dryades and Naides.

A Song in two Parts.

While a Symphany's Playing, the two Swans come Swimming on through the Arches to the bank of the River, as if they would Land; there turn themselves into Fairies, and Dance; at the same time the Bridge vanishes, and the Trees that were Arch'd, raise themselves upright.
Four Savages Enter, fright the Fairies away, and Dance an Entry.
Enter Coridon, and Mopsa.
Co.
Now the Maids and the Men are making of Hay,
We have left the dull Fools, and are stol'n away.
Then Mopsa no more
Be Coy as before,
But let us merrily, merrily Play,
And Kiss, and Kiss, the sweet time away.

Mo.
Why how now, Sir Clown, how came you so bold?
I'd have you to know I'm not made of that mold.
I tell you again,
Maids must Kiss no Men.
No, no; no, no; no Kissing at all;
I'le not Kiss, till I Kiss you for good and all.

Co.
No, no.

Mo.
No, no.

Co.
Not Kiss you at all.

Mo.
Not Kiss, till you Kiss me for good and all.
Not Kiss, &c.

Co.
Should you give me a score,
'Twould not lessen the store,
Then bid me chearfully, chearfully Kiss,
And take, and take, my fill of your Bliss.

Mo.
I'le not trust you so far, I know you too well;
Should I give you an Inch, you'd take a whole Ell.
Then Lordlike you Rule,
And laugh at the Fool.
No, no, &c.

A Song by a Nymph.

A DANCE of Hay-Makers.
After the DANCE
Chorus.
A Thousand Thousand ways we'll find,
To Entertain the Hours;
No Two shall e're be known so kind,
No Life so Blest as ours.

Tit.
Now I will Feast the Pallate of my Love,
The Sea, the Air, the Earth I'll ransack for thee.
Name all that Art or Nature e're produc'd,
My Sprights shall fetch it instantly: O say
What will you have to Eat?

Bo.

A Peck of Provender, if your Honour please; I could
munch some good dry Oats very heartily; I have a great exposition
of Sleep upon me, would some of your Attendants
would shew me a necessary place for that same purpose.

Tit.
I'll lead thee to a Bank strew'd o'er with Violets,
With Jessamine, and cooling Orange Flowers,
There I will fold thee in my tender Arms,
As the sweet Woodbine, or the Female Ivy,
Circles the Barky Body of the Elm.
We'll Sport away the remnant of the Night,
And all the World shall envy my Delight.

[Exeunt.