Lyf. Get you gone, you Dwarf,

You Minimus, of hindring Knot-grafs made,
You Bead, you Acorn.

Dem. You are too officious

In her behalf that fcorns your Services.

Let her alone, fpeak not of Helena,

Take not her part: For if thou doft intend

Never fo little fhew of Love to her,

Thou shalt abide it.

Lyf. Now he holds me not,

Now follow if thou dar'ft, to try whofe Right

Of thine or mine is moft in Helena.

Dem. Follow? Nay, I'll go with thee Cheek by Jowl.

[Exit Lylander and Demetrius.

Her. You Miftrefs, all this Coyl is long of you:

Nay, go not back.

Hel. I will not truft you,

Nor longer ftay in your curft Company.

Your Hands than mine are quicker for a Fray,
My Legs are longer though, to run away.

Enter Oberon and Puck.

Ob. This is thy Negligence, still thou mistak'st,
Or else committ'ft thy Knaveries willingly.

Puck. Believe me, King of Shadows, I mistook:
Did not you tell me I fhould know the Man,
By the Athenian Garments he hath on ?
And so far blameless proves my Enterprize,
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's Eyes;
And fo far am I glad, it did fo fort,
As this their Jangling I efteem a Sport.
Ob. Thou feeft thefe Lovers feek a Place to fight;
Hie therefore, Robin, overcaft the Night,
The Starry Welkin cover thou anon
With drooping Fog, as black as Acheron,
And lead thefe tefty Rival fo aftray,
As one come not within another's way.
Like to Lyfander fometime frame thy Tongue,
Then ftir Demetrius up with bitter Wrong;
And fometime rail thou like Demetrius;

And from each other look thou lead them thus,

D 3

[Exeunt.

'Till

'Till o'er their Brows, Death-counterfeiting Sleep
With leaden Legs and batty Wings doth creep;
Then crush this Herb into Lyfander's Eye,
Whofe Liquor hath this virtuous Property,
To take from thence all Error, with its Might,
And make his Eye-balls rowl with wonted fight.
When they next wake, all this Derifion
Shall feem a Dream, and fruitlefs Vifion;
And back to Athens fhall the Lovers wend
With League, whofe date 'till Death fhall never end.
Whiles I in this Affair do thee imploy,

I'll to my Queen, and beg her Indian Boy;
And then I will her charmed Eye releafe

From Monsters view, and all things fhall be Peace.
Puck. My Fairy Lord, this must be done with hafte,
For Night's fwift Dragons cut the Clouds full faft,
And yonder fhines Aurora's Harbinger;

At whofe approach, Ghofts wandring here and there
Troop home to Church-yards; Damned Spirits all,
That in Crofs-ways and Floods have Burial,
Already to their wormy Beds are gone,

For fear left Day fhould look their Shames upon,
They wilfully exile themselves from Light,
And muft for aye confort with black-brow'd Night.
Ob. But we are Spirits of another fort;

I with the Morning-Love have oft made fport,
And like a Forefter the Groves may tread,
Even 'till the Eaftern Gate all fiery red,
Opening on Neptune with fair bleffed Beams,
Turns into yellow Gold his falt-green Streams.
But notwithstanding hafte, make no delay,

We may effect this Bufinefs yet e'er Day. [Exit Oberon. 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.

Enter Lyfander.

Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius?

Speak thou now.

Puck. Here, Villain, drawn and ready. Where art thou?
Lys. I will be with thee ftraight.

Pusk. Follow me then to plainer Ground.

Enter

Enter Demetrius

Dem. Lyfander, fpeak again;

Thou Run-away, thou Coward, art thou fled?
Speak in fome Bush: Where doft thou hide thy Head?
Puck. Thou Coward, art thou begging to the Stars,
Telling the Bushes that thou look'ft for Wars,

And wilt not come? Come Recreant, come chou Child,
I'll whip thee with a Rod, he is defil'd

That draws a Sword on thee.

Dem. Yea, art thou there?

Puck. Follow my Voice, we'll try no Manhood here. [Exe. Lyf. He goes before me, and ftill dares me on,

When I come where he calls me, then he's gone.

The Villain is much lighter heel'd than I:

I follow'd faft, but fafter he did fly;
That fall'n am I in dark uneven way,

[Shifting places.

And here will reft me. Come thou gentle Day: [Lyes down.
For if but once thou fhew me thy gray Light,
I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this Spight.

Enter Puck and Demetrius.

Puck. Ho, ho, ho, Coward why com'ft thou not?
Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'ft: For well I wot,

Thou runn'ft before me, fhifting every place,
And dar'ft not ftand, nor look me in the Face.

Where art thou?

Puck. Come hither, I am here.

Dem. Nay then thou mock'ft me; thou shalt buy this dear,

If ever I thy Face by Day-light fee.

Now go thy way: Faintnefs constraineth me,

To measure out my length on this cold Bed,
By Day's approach look to be vifited.

Enter Helena,

[Lyes down.

Hel. O weary Night, O long and tedious Night,
Abate thy Hours, fhine Comforts from the Eaft,
That I may back to Athens by Day-light,
From these that my poor Company deteft,

And Sleep, that fometimes fhuts up Sorrow's Eye,
Steal me a while from mine own Company.
Puck. Yet but three? Come one more,
Two of both Kinds makes up four.

Here he comes, curft and fad,

[Sleeps

Cupid is a knavish Lad.

Thus to make poor Females mad.

Enter Hermia.

Her. Never fo weary, never fo in Woe.
Bedabbled with the Dew, and torn with Briars,
I can no further crawl, no further go;

My Legs can keep no Pace with my Defires:
Here will I reft me 'till the break of Day;

Heav'ns fhield Lyfander, if they mean a Fray. [Lyes down.
Puck, On the Ground fleep found,

I'll apply to your Eye, gentle Lover, remedy.

[Squeezing the Juice on Lyfander's Eye.

When thou wak'ft thou tak'st

True Delight in the Sight of former Lady's Eye,

And the Country Proverb known,

That every Man fhould take his own,

In your waking fhall be known.

Jack fhall have Jill, naught fhall go ill,

The Man fhall have his Mare again, and all be well. [Ex. Puck.

[They fleep.

A C T IV. SCENE I.

Euter Queen of Fairies, Bottom, Fairies attending, and the
King behind them.

Queen. While I thy amiable Cheeks do coy,
CO
Ome, fit thee down upon this flowry Bed,

And stick Musk Rofes in thy fleek-fmooth Head,
And kifs thy fair large Ears, my gentle Joy.

Bot. Where's Peafebloffom?

Peafe. Ready.

Bot. Scratch my Head, Peafebloffom. Where's Monfieur Cobweb?

Cob. Ready.

Bot. Monfieur Cobweb, good Monfieur get your Weapons in your Hand. and kill me a red-hipt Humble-Bee on the Top of a Thiftle, and good Monfieur bring me the Honey-bag. Do not fret your felf too much in the Action, Monfieur; and good Monfieur have a Care the Honey-bag break not; I would be loth to have you ove flown with a Honey-bag, Signior. Where's Monfieur Mustardfeed? Muft. Ready.

Bot.

Bot. Give me your News, Monfieur Mustard; Pray you leave your Curtefie, good Monfieur. Muft. What's your Will?

Bot. Nothing, good Monfieur, but to help Cavalero Cobweb to fcratch, I muft to the Barbers, Monfieur, for methinks I am marvellous hairy about the Face. And I am fuch a tender Afs, if my Hair doth but tickle me, I must fcratch.

Queen. What, wilt thou hear fome Mufick, my fweet Love?

Bot. I have a reasonable good Ear in Mufick, let us have the Tongs and the Bones.

Mufick Tongs, Rural Mufick.

Queen. Or fay, fweet Love, what-thou defir'ft to cat. Bot. Truly a Peck of Provender; I would munch your good dry Oats. Methinks I have a great Defire to a Bot tle of Hay: Good Hay, fweet Hay hath no Fellow. Queen. I have a venturous Fairy

That fhall feek the Squirrels Hoard,

And fetch thee new Nuts.

Bet. I had rather have a handful of dried Peale. But I pray you let none of your People ftir me, I have an Expofition of Sleep come upon me.

Queen. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my Arms; Fairies be gone, and be always away:

So doth the Woodbine the fweet Hony-fuckle

Gently entwift; the female Ivy fo

Enrings the barky Fingers of the Elm.

O how I love thee! how I dote on thee!
Enter Puck.

Ob. Welcome, good Robin;

Seeft thou this fweet Sight?

Her Dotage now I do begin to pity;
For meeting her of late hehind the Wood,
Seeking fweet Favours for this hateful Fool,
I did upbraid her, and fall out with her;
For the his hairy Temples then had rounded
With Coronet of fresh and fragrant Flowers,
And that fame Dew which fometime on the Buds
Was wont to fwell like round and orient Pearls,
Stood now within the pretty Flouriets Eyes,