University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

Enter Oberon and his Train at one door. Queen and her Train at another.
OBERON.
Ill met by moon-light, proud Titania.

QUEEN.
What, jealous Oberon? Fairies, skip hence,
I have forsworn his bed and company.

OBERON.
Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
I do but beg a little changeling boy.

QUEEN.
The Fairy-land buys not the child of me;
His mother was a votress of my order,
And in the spiced Indian air by night
Full often she hath gossipt by my side;
But she being mortal, of that boy did die,
And for her sake I do rear up her child,
And for her sake I will not part with him.

OBERON.
How long within this wood intend you stay?

QUEEN.
Perchance, 'till after Theseus' wedding-day.
If you will patiently dance in our round,
And see our moon-light revels, go with us:
If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

OBERON.
Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.

QUEEN.
Not for thy Fairy kingdom. Elves away.
AIR.
[Exeunt Queen and train.

OBERON.
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
I shew'd thee once a flow'r, fetch me that herb.
The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid,
Will make a man or woman madly doat
Upon the next live creature that it sees.

PUCK.
I'll put a girdle round about the earth
In forty minutes.
[Exit Puck.

OBERON.
Having once this juice,
I'll watch Titania when she is asleep,
And drop the liquor of it in her eyes:
The next thing which she waking looks upon,
She shall pursue it with the soul of love;
And ere I take this charm from off her sight
(As I can take it with another herb)
I'll make her render up her page to me.
AIR.

[Exit.