Bot. Methinks, miftrefs, you fhould have little reafon for that and yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days. The more the pity, that fome honeft neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occafion. Queen. Thou art as wife, as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not fo neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. Queen. Out of this wood do not defire to go, Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. The fummer ftill doth tend upon my state, And they fhall fetch thee jewels from the deep, 1 Fair. Ready. 2 Fair. And I. 3 Fair. And I. Enter four Fairies. 4 Fair. And I, where fhall we go? Queen. Be kind, and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambole in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks and dewberries, With purple grapes, green figs and mulberries, Generality of the Impreffions have fhuffled, and confufed thefe Verfes, to the utmost degree of Obscurity and Nonfenfe: but I have from one of the old Quarto's reduced 'em to Clearnefs and Order: and as, without knowing fuch an Authority for it, Dr. Thirlby ingenioufly hinted to Me, they should be placed.. (16) Enter Peafebloffom, Cobweb, Moth, Muftardfeed, and four Fairies.] Here the common Editions have been fo extravagant as to fplit four Fairies into eight: but the old Quarto Impreffions both came into my Affiftance to reduce 'em to their right Number. The Queen calls them by their refpective Names, and immediately the four Fairies enter upon Call. The The honey-bags fteal from the humble bees, And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, 2 Fair. Hail! 3 Fair. Hail! Bot. I cry your worship's mercy heartily; I befeech, your worship's name. Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I fhall defire of you more acquaintance, good mafter Cobweb; if I cut my finger, I fhall make bold with you. Your name, honeft gentleman? Peafe. Peafebloom. Bot. I pray you, commend me to miftrefs Squash your mother, and to mafter Peafcod your father. Good mafter Peafebloom, I fhall defire of you more acquain tance too. Your name, I befeech you, Sir? Muf. Muftardfeed. Bot. Good mafter Muftardfeed, I know your patience well: that fame cowardly giant-like Ox-beef hath devour'd many a gentleman of your houfe. I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I defire more of your acquaintance, good mafter Muftardfeed. Queen. Come, wait upon him, lead him to my bower. The moon, methinks, looks with a watry eye, And when the weeps, weep ev'ry little flower, Lamenting fome enforced chastity! Tie up my love's tongue, bring him filently. [Exeunt. Enter King of Fairies. Ob. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd: Enter 'Enter Puck. Here comes my meffenger! how now, mad fprite, And forth my minnock comes: when they him fpy, And, at our ftamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; He murder cries, and help from Athens calls. Their fenfe thus weak, loft with their fears thus ftrong, And left fweet Pyramus tranflated there: Ob. This falls out better, than I could devife. Puck. I took him fleeping; that is finish'd too; And the Athenian woman by his fide, That, when he wakes, of force she must be ey'd. Enter Enter Demetrius and Hermia. Ob. Stand clofe, this is the fame Athenian.d Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you fo? Lay breath fo bitter on your bitter foe. Her. Now I but chide, but I fhould ufe thee worfe; Being o'er fhoes in blood, plunge in the deep, The fun was not fo true unto the day, This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the moon Dem. So fhould the murther'd look; and fo fhould Her. What's this to my Lyfander? where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I'ad rather give his carcafs to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'ft me paft the bounds bu Of maiden's patience. Haft Henceforth be never numberou flain him then? among men. O! once tell true, and even for my fake, Durft thou have look'd upon him, being awake? Dem. You spend your paffion on a mifpris'd mood; I am not guilty of Lyfander's blood, Nor is he dead, for ought that I can tell.. Dem. Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore? Her. A privilege never to fee me more; And from thy hated prefence part I fo: See me no more, whether he's dead or no.. [Exit. Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein, Here, therefore, for a while I will remain: So forrow's heavinefs doth heavier grow, For debt, that bankrupt fleep doth forrow owe; Which now in fome flight measure it will pay, If for his Tender here I make fom ftay. Lies down. Ob. What haft thou done? thou haft miftaken quite, And laid thy love-juice on fome true love's fight: Of thy mifprifion muft perforce enfue Some true love turn'd, and not a falfe turn'd true. Puck. Then fate o'er-rules, that one man holding troth A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Ob. About the wood go fwifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens, fe thou find. All fancy-fick fhe is, and pale of cheer; With fighs of love, that cofts the fresh blood dear; Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Hit with Cupid's archery, Sink in apple of his eye! When his love he doth efpy, Enter Puck. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand, And the youth, miftook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee. Shall we their fond pageant fee? [Exit. |