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So near the cradle of the fairy queen?

What, a play tow'rd? I'll be an auditor;

An actor too, perhaps, if 1 fee cause.

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QUIN. Speak, Pyramus, Thisby, stand forth.
PYR. Thirby, the flower of odious favours sweet.
QUIN. Odours, odours,

PYR. Odours, favours sweet.

So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisby, dear;

But hark, a voice! stay thou but here a whit;

And, by and by, I will to thee appear. [Exit Pyramus. PUCK. A stranger Pyramus than e'er plaid here! [Afide. THIS. Mult I fpeak now?

QUIN. Ay, marry, muft you: for you must understand, he goes but to fee a noife that he heard, and is to come again.

THIS. Moft radiant Pyramus, most lilly-white of hue,

Of colour like the red rofe on triumphant brier,
Most brifkly Juvenile, and eke most lovely Jew,
As true as trueft horfe, that yet would never tirë,
I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.

QUIN. Ninus' tomb, man; why you must not speak that yet: that you anfwer to Pyramus;, you speak all your part at once, cues and all. Pyramus, enter; your cue is

past;

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THIS. O,

never tire.

As true as trueft horfe, that yet would

PYR. If I were fair, Thifby, I were only thine.

QUIN. O monstrous! Oftrange! we are haunted; pray,

mafters; fly, mafters; help!

[The clowns exeugt,

Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,

Through bog, through bush, through brake, through

bryer;

Sometimes a horfe I'll be, fometime a hound,

A hog, a headless bear, fometimes a fire,

And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar and burn,
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

[Exit.

BOT. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them to make me afeard.

Enter Snout.

SNOUT. O Bottom, thou art chang'd; what do I fee on thee?

BOT. What do you fee? you fee an afs-head of your own, do you?

Enter Quince.

QUIN. Bless thee, Bottom, blefs thee; thou art translated. BOT. I fee their knavery, this is to make an afs of me, to fright me if they can; but I will not stir from this place, do what they can; I will walk up and down here, and I will fing, that they shall hear I am not afraid.

The oufel cock fo black of hue,

With orange-tawny bill,

The throstle with his note fo true,

The wren with little quill.

[Sings.

QUEEN. What angel wakes me from my flow'ry bed?

BOT. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,

The plain-fong cuckow gray,

Whofe note full many a man doth mark,

And dares not answer nay.

[Waking.

For, indeed, who would fet his wit to fo foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lye, tho' he cry Cuckow never

fo?

QUEEN. I pray thee, gentle mortal, fing again; Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,

So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;

And thy fair virtue's force (perforce) doth move me,
On the first view to say, to fwear, I love thee.

BOT. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that: and yet, to fay 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 occasion.

QUEEN. Thou art as wife, as thou art beautiful.

BOT. Not so neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to ferve mine own turn.

QUEEN. Out of this wood do not defire to go, Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.

I am a fpirit of no common rate;

The fummer ftill doth tend upon my state,
And I do love thee; therefore, go with me,
I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee;

And they fhall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
And fing while thou on preffed flowers doft fleep:
And I will purge thy mortal groffness fo,

That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.

Peafebloffom! Cobweb! Moth and Mustardfeed!

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3 FAIR. And I where fhall we go?

QUEEN. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;
Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes;
Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
With purple grapes, green figs and mulberries,
The honey-bags fteal from the humble bees,
And for night tapers crop
their waxen-thighs,
And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
To have my love to bed, and to arife:
And pluck the wings from painted butterflies,
To fan the moon-beams from his fleeping eyes;
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtefies.
1 FAIR. Hail, mortal, bail!

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BOT. I cry your worship's mercy heartily; I beseech your worship's name.

COB. Cobweb.

Bor. 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.

PEASE. Peafebloom.

BOT. I pray you, commend me to Mrs. Squash your mother, and to mafter Peafcod your father. Good master Peasebloffom, I fhall defire of you more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, Sir.

Mus. Mustardseed.

BOT. Good master Mustardfeed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house. I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I defire more of your acquaintance, good master Mustardseed.

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,
Tie up my love's tongue, bring him filently.

SCENE IV.

Enter king of fairies.

Os. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd: Than what it was that next came in her eye, Which the muft doat on in extremity.

Enter Puck.

Here comes my meffenger! how now mad sprite,
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?
PUCK. My mistress with a monster is in love,
Near to her clofe and confecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and fleeping hour,
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play,
Intended for great Thefeus' nuptial day.
The fhallow'ft thick-fkin of that barren fort,
Who Pyramus prefented, in their sport
Forfook his fcene, and enter'd in a brake;
When I did him at this advantage take,
An afs's now I fixed on his head;
Anon his Thiby must be answered,

[Exeunt.

And forth my minnock comes: when they him spy,
As wild geefe, that the creeping fowler eye,

Or ruffet-pated choughs, many in fort,

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