Enter QUINCE for the Prologue,

Prol. If we offend, it is with our good will.
That you should think, we come not to offend,
But with good will. To show our simple skill,
That is the true beginning of our end.
Consider then we come but in despite.

We do not come as minding to content you,
Our true intent is. All for your desight,
We are not here. That you should here repent you,
The actors are at hand; and, by their show,
You shall know all that you are like to know.

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To whisper, at the which let no man wonder. This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn, Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know, By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn

To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo.
This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,
The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,
Did scare away, or rather did affright;
And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,

Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain. Anon comes Puramus, sweet youth and tall,

And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain: Whereat with blade, with bloody blameful blade,

He bravely broach'd his boiling bloody breast; And Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,

His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest, 150 Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain, At large discourse, while here they do remain.

Exeunt Prologue, THISBE, Lion, and Moonshine.

The. I wonder if the lion be to speak. Dem. No wonder, my lord: one lion may, when many asses do.

Wall. In this same interlude it doth befall That I, one Snout by name, present a wall; And such a wall, as I would have you think, That had in it a crannied hole or chink, Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby, 160 Did whisper often very secretly. This loam, this rough-cast, and this stone doth show That I am that same wall; the truth is so; And this the cranny is, right and sinister, Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.

Dem. It is the wittiest parition that ever I heard discourse, my lord.

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The. Pyramus draws near the wall: silence! Enter PYRAMUS.

Pyr. O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!

O night, which ever art when day is not! O night! O night! alack, alack, alack!

The. Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?

Enter THISBE.

This. O wall full often hast thou heard my moans,
For parting my fair Pyramus and me:
My cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones,

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Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee. Pyr. I see a voice: now will I to the chink, To spy an I can hear my Thisby's face. Thisby !

This. Tide life, 'tide death, I come without delay. Exeunt PYRAMUS and THISBE. Wall. Thus have I, Wall, my part discharged so; And, being done, thus Wall away doth yo. Exit. The. Now is the mural down between the two neighbours.

210

Dem. No remedy, my lord, when walls are so wilful to hear without warning.

Hip. This is the silliest stuff that e'er I heard. The. The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them.

Hip. It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.

The. If we imagine no worse of them than they of themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here come two noble beasts in, a man and a lion.

Enter Lion and Moonshine.

Lion. You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear

The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, May now perchance both quake and tremble here, When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar.

Then know, that I, one Snug the joiner, am
A lion fell, nor else no lion's dam:
For, if I should as lion come in strife
Into this place, 'twere pity on my life.

The. A very gentle beast, and of a good conscience.

231 Dem. The very best at a beast, my lord, that e'er I saw.

Lys. This lion is a very fox for his valour. The. True; and a goose for his discretion. Dem. Not so, my lord; for his valour cannot carry his discretion, and the fox carries the goose. The. His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour, for the goose carries not the fox. It is well leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon.

241

Dem. Why, all these should be in the lantern ; for all these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.

Enter THISBE,

The. This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad. Hip. Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. Pyr. O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame, Since lion vile hath here deflower'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:

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Stabs himself.

Lion. Oh

bless us.

Lys. She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.

Dem. And thus she moans, videlicet:

This.

shines with a good grace.

Asleep, my love?

What, dead, my dove?

O Pyramus, arise!

Speak, speak! Quite dumb? Dead, dead! A tomb Must cover thy sweet eyes. These lily lips,

This cherry nose,

These yellow cowslip checks,
Are gone, are gone.
Lovers, make moan!

His eyes were green as leeks.
O Sisters Three,

Come, come to me,

With hands as pale as milk;

Lay them in gore,

Since you have shore

With shears his thread of silk.

Tongue, not a word:

Come, trusty sword;

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340

Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,

Exeunt.

380

And the wolf behowls the moon ; Whilst the heavy ploughman snores, All with weary task fordone. Now the wasted brands do glow, Whilst the screech-owl, screeching 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 sprite,

In the church-way paths to glide: And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team,

From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent with broom before,

To sweep the dust behind the door.

390

Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with their Train.
Obe.
Through the house give glimmering
light

Obe.

By the dead and drowsy fire;

Every elf and fairy sprite

Hop as light as bird from brier; And this ditty after me

Sing, and dance it trippingly.

400

410

Tita. First, rehearse your song by rote,
To each word a warbling note:
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing, and bless this place.
Song and dance.
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 and loving be;
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand:
Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,

Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,
Every fairy take his gait,

420

And each several chamber bless, Through this palace with sweet peace; And the owner of it blest,

Ever shall in safety rest.

Trip away;

Make no stay;

Meet me all by break of day.

Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and Train.

Puck. If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I'm an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck

430

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, 410 We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call:

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.

Exit.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Venice. A Street. Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO.

Ant. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad :
It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn ;

And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

10

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; There, where your argosies with portly sail. Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood, Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea, Do overpeer the petty traffickers, That court'sy to them, do them reverence, As they fly by them with their woven wings. Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth, The better part of my affections would Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind, Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and roads; And every object that might make me fear Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt Would make me sad.

20

Salar. My wind, cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague, when I thought What harm a wind too great might do at sea. I should not see the sandy hour-glass run But I should think of shallows and of flats. And see my wealthy Andrew. dock'd in sand, Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs To kiss her burial. Should I go to church And see the holy edifice of stone, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, Which touching but my gentle vessel's side, Would scatter all her spices on the stream, Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks,

30

TUBAL, a Jew, his Friend.

LAUNCELOT GOBBO, a Clown, Servant to Shylock.
OLD GOBBO, Father to Launcelot.
LEONARDO, Servant to Bassanio.
BALTHAZAR,}
STEPHANO,

Servants to Portia.

PORTIA, a rich Heiress. NERISSA, her Waiting-maid. JESSICA, Daughter to Shylock.

And, in a word. but even now worth this, And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought

To think on this, and shall I lack the thought
That such a thing bechanc'd would make me sad!
But tell not me I know Antonio
Is sad to think upon his merchandise.

49

Ant. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year: Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad. Salar. Why, then you are in love.

Ant.

Fie, fie! Salar. Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad,

Because you are not merry; and 'twere as easy For you to laugh, and leap, and say you are

merry,

Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headea Janus,

50

Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time:
Some that will evermore peep through their eyes
And langh like parrots at a bag-piper;
And other of such vinegar aspect
That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile.
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.

Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO. Salan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman.