Thes. Well run, Thisbe.

Hip. Well shone, Moon.

Truly, the Moon shines with a good grace.

Thes. Well mouz'd, Lion.

Dem. And then came Pyramus.

- Lyf. And fo the Lion vanish'd.

Enter Pyramus.

Pyr. Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy funny 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 fight.

But stay: O fpight! But mark, poor Knight,

What dreadful dole is here?

Eyes, do you
How can it be!

fee!

O dainty duck! O deer!
Thy mantle good,
What, stain'd with blood!
Approach, you furies fell :
O fates! come, come :
Cut thread and thrum;

4

:

Quail, crush, conclude, and quell.

Thes. This paffion, and the death of a dear friend Would go near to make a man look fad.

Hip. Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. Pyr. O wherefore, nature, didst thou Lions frame? Since Lion vile hath here deflour'd my dear : Which is--no, no- which was the fairest dame, That liv'd, that lov'd, that lik'd, that look'd with

cheer.

Come tears, confound: out sword, and wound
The pap of Pyramus.

Ay, that left pap, where heart doth hop:
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.

Now am I dead, now am I fled, my soul is in the sky;

Tongue,

Tongue, lose thy light: moon, take thy flight;
Now die, die, die, die, die.

[Dies.

Dem. No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but one. Lyf. Less than an ace, man; for he is dead; he is nothing.

:

Thes. With the help of a Surgeon he might yet recover, and prove an afs.

Hip. How chance the Moonshine is gone, before Thisbe

- comes back and finds her lover?

Enter Thisbe.

Thes. She will find him by star-light.

Here she comes; and her passion ends the Play.

:

Hip. Methinks, she should not use a long one for

fuch a Pyramus: I hope, she will be brief.

Dem. A moth will turn the ballance, which Pyra

mus, which Thisbe, is the better.

[eyes.

Lys. She hath spy'd him already with those sweet

Dem. And thus she (a) moans, videlicet.

Thes. Afleep, my love?

What dead, my dove??

O Pyramus, arife :

Speak, fpeak. Quite dumb ?

Dead, dead? a tomb

Muft cover thy fweet eyes.

These lilly brows,

This cherry nofe,

1

These yellow cowflip cheeks,

Are gone, are gone:

Lovers, make moan!

His eyes were green as leeks.

O fifters three,

Come, come to me,

With hands as pale as milk;

Lave them in gore,

[(a) moans- Mr. Theahald. Vulg. means.]

M 4

Since

Since you have shore

With shears his thread of filk.

Tongue, not a word:

Come, trusty sword;

Come, blade, my breast imbrue :

And farewel, friends,

Thus Thisbe ends;

Adieu, adieu, adieu.

[Dies.

Thes. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead. Dem. Ay, and Wall too.

Bot. No, I affure you, the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to fee the epilogue, or to hear a bergomask dance, between two of our company?

Thes. No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excufe. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blarn'd. Marry, if he, that writ it, had play'd Pyramus, and hung himself in Thisbe's garter it would have been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly, and very notably discharg'd. But come, your bergomask; let your Epilogue alone.

[Here a dance of clowns.

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve.
Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost Fairy time.
I fear, we shall out-sleep the coming morn,
As much as we this night have over-watch'd.
This palpable gross Play hath well beguil'd
The heavy gate of night. Sweet friends, to bed.

A fortnight hold we this folemnity,
In nightly revel and new jollity.

[Exeunt.

:

SCENE

Puck. 5 "Now the hungry lion roars,
"And the wolf behowls the moon:

" Whilst the heavy plowman snoars,
" All with weary task fore-done.
" Now the wasted brands do glow,
"Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud,
" Puts the wretch, that lies in woe,
"In remembrance of a shroud.
"Now it is the time of night,
"That the graves, all gaping wide,
" Every one lets forth his fpright,
" In the church-way paths to glide;
"And we Fairies, that do run
"By the triple Hecate's team,
"From the prefence of the fun,
" Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolick; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am fent with broom before,
To fweep the duft behind the door.

5 Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf BEHOLDS the moon :
Whilst the beavy plowman snoars,

All with weary task fore-done.] It being the design of these words to characterize the several animals, as they present themselves at the hour of midnight; and the wolf not being juftly characterized by saying he beholds the moon, which all other beafts of prey then awake do likewise, I make no question but the poet wrote

And the wolf BEHOWLS the moon.

which is his characteristic property. And further to support this emendation we may observe, that the sounds these animals emit, at this season, are plainly intended to be reprefented.

Enter

Enter King and Queen of Fairies, with their train. Ob. Through this house give glimmering light, By the dead and drowsie fire,

Every elf, and fairy sprite,

Hop as light as bird from brier;

And this ditty after me

Sing, and dance it trippingly.

Queen. First rehearse this fong by roat,

To each word a warbling note.
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we fing and bless this place.

The SONG.

Now until the break of day,
Through this house each Fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be :
And the issue, there create,
Ever shall be fortunate;
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be:
And the blots of nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hair-lip, nor fcar,
Nor mark prodigious, fuch as are
Despised in nativity,

Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew confecrate,
Every Fairy take his gate,
And each feveral chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace.

Ever shall it safely rest,
And the owner of it bleft.

Trip away, make no stay;

Meet me all by break of day.

Puck.