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. QUIN. Speak, Pyramus, Thisby, stand forth. 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, 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; 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, [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, 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 they fhall fetch thee jewels from the deep, That thou shalt like an airy spirit go. Peafebloffom! Cobweb! Moth and Mustardfeed! 3 FAIR. And I where fhall we go? QUEEN. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; 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. And when the weeps, weep ev'ry little flower, 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, [Exeunt. And forth my minnock comes: when they him spy, Or ruffet-pated choughs, many in fort, |