Page images
PDF
EPUB

me.

moriow.

That when I note another man like him,

yourself, for the example of others. God keep I may aroid him: Which of these is be?

your worship ; I wish your worship well; God seBora. If you would know your wronger, look on store you to health : I humbly give you leave to

depart; and if a merry meeting may be wished, Leon. Art thou the slave, that with thy breath God prohibit it.--Come, neighbour. bast killid

[Eaeunt DoobeRRY, VERGES, and Watch. Mine innocent child ?

Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell. Bera. Yea, even I alone.

Ant. Farewell, my lords; we look for you toLeon. No, not so, villain; thou bely'st thyself ; Here stand a pair of honourable men,

D. Pedro. We will not fail. A third is filed, that had a hand in it:

Claud.

To-night I'll mourn with Hero. I thank you, princes, for my daughter's death;

(Exeunt Don Pedro and CLAUL10. Record it with your high and worthy deeds ; Leon. Bring you these fellows on; we'll alk 'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.

with Margaret, Claud, I know not how to pray your patience, How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow. Yet I must speak : Choose your revenge yourself ;

[Ereun: Impose me to what penance your invention Can lay upon my sin : yet sinn'd I not,

SCENE II.-Leonato's Garden.
But in mistaking.
D. Pedro. By my soul, nor I;

Enter Benedick and MARGARET, meeting. And yet, to satisfy this good old man,

Bene. Pray thee, sweet mistress Margaret, deI would bend under any heavy weight

serve well at my hands, by helping me to the speech That be'll enjoin me to.

of Beatrice. Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live, Marg. Will you then write me a sunnet in praise That were impossible, but I pray you both, of my beauty ? Possess the people in Messina here

Bene. In so high a style, Margaret, that no man How innocent she died : and, if your love living shall come over it'; for, in most comelv truth, Cap labour aught in sad ipvention,

thou deservest it. Hang ber an epitaph upon ber tomb,

Marg. To have no man come over me? why. And sing it to her bones; sing it to-night:- shall I always keep below stairs ? To-morrow morning come you to my house; Bene. Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's And since you could not be my son-in-law, mouth, it catcbes. Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daughter, Marg: And your's as blunt as the fencer's foils, Almost the copy of my child that's dead,

which hit, but hurt not. And she alone is beir to both of us;

Bene. A inost manly wit, Margaret, it will not Give her the right you should have given her hurt a woman; and so, I pray thee, call Beatrice : cousin,

I give thee the bucklers. And so dies my revenge.

Marg. Give us the swords, we bave bucklers of Claud.

0, noble sir, Your over kindness doth wring tears from me Bene. If you use them, Margaret, you must put I do embrace your offer; and dispose

in the pikes with a vice; and they are dangerous For benceforth of poor Claudio.

weapons for maids. Leon. To-morrow then I will expect your com- Marg. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who, I ing;

think, hath legs.

[Exit MARGARET. To-night I take my leave. This naughty man Bene. And iherefore will come. Small face to face he brought to Margaret,

The god of love, Wbo, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong,

[Singing.

That sits above, Hir'd to it by your brother.

And knows me, and knows me, Bora.

No, by my soul, she was not; Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to

How pitiful I deserve,– me;

I mean, in singing ; but in loving.-Leander the But always hath been just and virtuous,

good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of pan. In anything that I do know by her.

ders, and a whole book full of these quondam carDogb. Moreover, sir, (wbich, indeed, is not pet-mongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the under white and black,) this plaintiff bere, the of- even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so fender, did call me ass : I beseech you, let it be truly turned over and over as my poor self, in love: remembered in his punishment: And also, the Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme; I have tried; watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they say, I can find out no rhyme to lady' but baby, an iunobe wears a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by cent rhyme; for scorn, horn, a hard rhyme ; for it; and borrows money in God's name; the which school, fool, a babbling rhyme; very ominous endbe bath used so long, and never paid, that now men ings: No, I was not boru under a rhyming planet, grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's nor I cannot woo in festival terms. sake Pray you, examine him upon that point.

Enter BEATRICE. Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.

Dogó. Your worship speaks like a most thankful Sweet Beatrice, would'st thou come when I called and reverend youth ; and I praise God for you. thee? Leon. There's for thy pains.

Beat. Yea, signior, and depart when you bid mo. Dogb. God save the foundation !

Bene. O, stay but till then! Leon. Go, I discbarge thee of thy prisoner, and Beat. Then, is spoken ; fare you well row :I thank thee.

and yet, ere I go, let me go with that I came for, Dogb. I leave an artant knave with your wor- wbich is, with knowing what hath passed between sbip; which, I beseech your worship, to correct you and Claudio.

our own.

Bene. Only foul words; and thereupon I will kiss Hang thou there upon the tomb, [affixing it. thee.

Praising her when I am dumb.Beat. Foul words is but foul wind, and foul Now, music, sound, and sing your solemu hymn. wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noi.

SONG. some ; therefore I will depart unkissed.

Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his Pardon, Goddess of the night, right sense, so forcible is thy wit : But, I must Those that slew thy virgin knight ; teil thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge ; For the which, with songs of woe, and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will Round about her tomb they go. subscribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now,

Midnight, assist our moan ; tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first

Help us to sigh and groan, fall in love with me?

Heavily, heavily : Beat. For them all together; which maintained

Graves, yawn, and yield your dead, so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit

Till death be uttered, any good part to intermingle with them. But for

Heavily, heavily. which of my good parts did you first suffer love for

Claud. Now unto thy bones good night! me ?

Yearly will I do this rite. Bene. Suffer love ; a good epithet! I do suffer

D. Pedro. Good morrow, masters; put your love, indeed, for I love thee against my will.

torches out: Beat. In spite of your heart, I think; alas !

The wolves have prey'd : and look, the gentle poor beart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite

day, it for yours; for I will never love that which my

Before tbe wheels of Phæbus, round about friend bates.

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of gray: Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

Thanks to you all, and leave us ; fare you well. Beat. It appears not in this confession: there's

Claud. Good morrow, masters ; each his several not one wise man among twenty, that will praise

way: himself.

D. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that

weeds ; lived in the time of good neighbours : if a man do And then to Leonato's we will go. not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he

Claud. And, Hymen, now with luckier issue shall live no longer in monument, than the bell

speeds, rings, and the widow weeps.

Than this, for whom we render'd up this woe! Beat. And how long is that, think you ?

[Ereunt Bene. Question ? - Why, an hour in clamour, and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is most SCENE IV-A Room in Leonato's llouse. expedient for the wise, (if Don Worm, bis conscience, find no impediment to the contrary,) to be Enter Leonato, Antonio, Benedick, Beatrice,

URSULA, Friar, and Hero. the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself: So much for praising myself, (who, I myself will Friar. Did I pot tell you she was innocent ? bear witness, is praiseworthy,) and now tell me, Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd How doth your cousin?

her, Beat. Very ill.

Upon the error that you heard debated. Bene. And how do you?

But Margaret was in some fault for this; Beat. Very ill too.

Although against her will, as it appears Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend: there in the true course of all the question. will I leave you too, for here comes one in baste. Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well. Enter URSULA.

Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd

To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it. Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle ; yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my Lady Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves ;

Leon. Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all, Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and And, when I send for you, come bither maskid • Claudio mightily abus'd ; and Don Jobn is the The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour author of all, who is fled and gone ; will you come to visit me :-You know your office, brother ; presently?

You must be father to your brother's daughter, Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior ?

And give her to young Claudio. [Exeunt Ladies, Bene. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and

Ant. Which I will do with confi'm'd countebe buried in thy eyes; and, moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle's.

[Exeunt.

Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.

Friar. To do what, signior ?
SCENE III.The Inside of a Church.

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.-Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, and Attendants, with Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior, music and tapers.

Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.

Leon. That oye my daughter lent ber; 'Tis most Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato ?

true. Atten. It is, my lord.

Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her. Claud. [Reads from a scroll.]

Leon. The sight whereof, 'I think, you had from Done to death by slanderous tongues

me, Was the Hero that here lies :

From Claudio and the prince; But what's your Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,

will ?
Gives her fame which never dies :

Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical :
So the life, that died with shame,

But, for my will, my will is, your good will
Lives in death with glorious fame.

May stand with ours, this day to be conjoiu'd

nance.

for me.

for me.

In the estate of honourable marriage ;

Bene.

No, no more than reason. la which, good friar, I shall desire your help. Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Leon. My heart is with your liking.

Ursula, Friar.

And my help. Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear you did. Here comes the prince, and Claudio.

Bene. They swore that you were almost sick Enter Don PEDRO and Claudio, with Attendants.

Beat. They swore that you were well-nigh dead D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly. Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow,

Bene. 'Tis no such matter :-Then you do not Claudio;

love me? We bere attend you ; Are you get determin'd

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompense. To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?

Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.

gentleman. Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves ready. [ Exit AntoniO.

her; D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Wby, what's Por here's a paper, written in his band, the matter,

A halting sonnet of bis own pure brain, Tbat you have such a February face,

Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?

And here's another. Claud. I think, be thinks upon the savage bull :

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from ber pocket, Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold, Containing her affection unto Benedick. And all Europa sball rejoice at thee;

Bene. A miracle ! here's our own hands against As once Europa did at lusty Jove,

our bearts !-Come, I will have thee; but, by this When he would play ibe noble beast in love.

light, I take thee for pity. Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;

Beat. I would not deny you ;- but, by this good And some such strange bull leap'd your father's day, I yield upon great persuasion ; and, party, COW,

to save your life, for I was told you were in a conAnd got a calf in that same noble feat,

sumption. Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

Bene. Peace, I will stop vour mouth.

[Kissing her. Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies masked. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married Claud. For this I owe you : here come other

man? reckonings.

Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of wit. Which is the lady I must seize upon ?

crackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Dost Ant. This same is she, and I do give you ber. thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram? No: Claud. Why, then she's mine : Sweet, let me see if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear

nothing handsome about him: In bri-f, since I do Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take ber propose to marry, I will think nothing to any purband

pose that the world can say against it, and there. Before this friar, and swear to marry her.

fore never flout at me for what I have said against Claud. Give me your hand before this boly friar; it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclu. I am your husband, if you like of me.

sion.-For thy part, Claudio, I did think' to have Hero. And when I lived, I was your other wife : beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my

[Unmasking. kiusman, live unbruised, and love my cousin. And when you lov'd, you were my other busband. Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have de. Claud. Another Hero?

nied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee ou Нето. ,

Notbing certainer : of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; One Hero died defl'd; but I do live,

which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin And, surely as I live, I am a maid.

do pot look exceeding narrowly to thee. D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is dead ! Bene. Come, come, we are friends :-let's bare a Leon. She died, my lord, but whiles her slander dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our lived.

own hearts, and our wives' heels. Friar. All this amazement can I qualify; Leon. We'll bave dancing afterwards. When, after that the boly rites are ended,

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play muI'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death :

sic.Meantiroe, let wonder seem familiar,

Prince, thou art sad ; get thee a wife, get thee a And to the chapel let us presently,

wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipped Bene. Soft and fair, friar,—Which is Beatrice ? with horn. Beat. I answer to that name; [Unmasking.)

Enter a Messenger.
What is your will?
Bene. Do not you love me?

Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in
Beat.
No, no more than reason.

fight, Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and And brought with armed men back to Messina. Claud o,

Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow ; l'll deHave been deceir'd; for they swore you did. rise thee brave punishments for him.--Strike up, Boat. Do not you love me?

pipers.

[Dance.- Exeunt

your face.

܀

MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

And then the moon, like to a silver bow

New bent in heaven, shall behold the night THESEUS, duke of Athens.

Of our solemnities. Eo Eus, father to Hermia.

The.

Go, Philostrate, LYSANDER, in love with Hermia.

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; DEMETRIUS,

Awake the port and nimble spirit of mirth; PHILOSTRATE, master of the revels to Theseus.

Turn melancholy forth to funerals, QUINCE, the carpenter.

The pale companion is not for our pomp:SNUG, the joiner.

[Erit PuiLOSTRATZ Bottom, the weaver.

Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, Flute, the bellows-mender.

And won thy love, doing thee injuries : Snout, the tinker.

But I will wed thee in another key, STARVELING, the tailor.

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.

Enter Egeus, Hermia, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS, HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke ! Helexa, in love with Demetrius.

The. Thanks, good Egeus : What's the news Oberon, king of the fairies.

witb thee? Titanja, queen of the fairies.

Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, a fairy.

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.Peas-BL03son,

Stand forth, Demetrius ;-My noble lord, COBWEB,

This man hath my consent to marry her :Мотн,

fairies. ,

Stand forth, Lysander ;--and, my gracious duke, MUSTARD-SEED,

This bath bewitch'd the bosom of my child :

Thou, thou, Lysander, thou bast given her rhymes, Pyramus, Thisbe,

And interchang'd love-tokens with my child characters in the Interlude perf med Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung, Wall, Moonshine, by the Clowns.

With feigning voice, verses of feigning love;

And stol'n the impression of her fantasy Lion,

Witb bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceito, Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats; messengers Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta. Of strong prevailment in unbarden'd youth:

With cunning hast tbou filch'd my daughter's beart; SCENE,-Athens, and a Wood not far from it. Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,

To stubborn harshness :-And, my gracious duke,
Be it so she will not here before your grace
Consent to marry with Demetrius,
I beg the ancient privilege of Athens;

As she is mine, I may dispose of her:
ACT I.

Which shall be either to this gentleman,

Or to her death ; according to our law, SCENE I. - Athens. A Room in the Palace of Immediately provided in that case. Theseus.

The. What say you, Hermia ? be advis’d, fair

maid : Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and

To you your father should be as a god;
Attendants.

One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one
The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial bour To whom you are but as a form in wax,
Draws on apace ; four happy days bring in By him imprinted, and within bis power
Another moon : but, oh, methinks, how slow To leave the figure, or distigure it.
This old moon wanes ! sbe lingers my desires, Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

Her. So is Lysander. Long withering out a young man's revenue.

The.

In himself he is : Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in But, in tnis kind, wanting your father's voice, nights;

The other must be held the wortbier. Pour nights will quickly dream away the time; | Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes.

The. Rather your eyes must with bis judgment Ege. With duty, and desire, we follow you. look.

(Exeunt Thes. Hip. Ege. Dem. und train. Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. Lys. How now, my love? Why is your cheek ko I koow not by what power I am made bold;

pale ? Nor bow it may concern my modesty,

How chance the roses there do fade so fast? In such a presence bere, to plead my thoughts : Her. Belike for want of rain ; which I could well But I beseech your grace that I may know Beteem them from the tempest of mine eyes. The worst that may befal me in this case,

Lys. Ah me! for ought that ever I could read, If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

Could ever hear by tale or history, The. Fither to die the death, or to abjure The course of true love never did run smooth : For ever the society of men.

But, either it was different in blood; Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Her. O cross! too high to be entbrall'd to low! Know of your youtu, examine well your blood, Lys. Or else misgraffed, in respect of years ; Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice, Her. O spite ! too old to be engag'd to young! You can endure the livery of a nun;

Lys. Or elso it stood upon the choice of friends : For are to be in shady cloister mew'd,

Her. O hell! to choose love by another's eye! To live a barren sister all your life,

Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, Chanting faint bymns to the cold fruitless moon. War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it. Thrice blessed they, that master so their blood, Making it momentary as a sound, To undergo such maiden pilgrimage :

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; But earthlier happy is the rose distillid,

Brief as the lightning in the collied night, Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth, Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness. And ere a man hath power to say,—Behold!

Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, The jaws of darkness do devour it up: Ere I will yield my virgin patent up

So quick bright things come to confusion. Unto bis lordship, whose unwished yoke

Her. If then true lovers have been ever crossid, My soul consents not to give sovereignty. It stands as an edíct in destiny:

The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon, Then let us teach our trial patience,
(The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, Because it is a customary cross;
For everlasting bond of fellowship,)

As due to love, as thoughts and dreams, and sighs, Upon that day either prepare to die,

Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's followers. For disobedience to your father's will;

Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me, Or else, to wed Demetrius, as he would :

Hermia. Or on Diana's altar to protest,

I bave a widow aunt, a dowager For aye, austerity and single life.

Of great revenue, and she hath no child; Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia ;—And, Lysander, From Athens is her house remote seven leagues ; yield

And she respects me as her only son. Tby crazed title to my certain right.

There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;
Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius; And to that place the sharp Athenian law
Let me havt Hermia's: do you marry him. Cannot pursue us : If thou lov'st me then,

Ege. Scornful Lysander! true he hath my love ; Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night;
And what is mine my love shall render him; And in the wood, a league without the town,
And she is mine; and all my right of her Where I did meet thee once with Helena,
I do estate unto Demetrius.

To do observance to a morn of May,
Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, There will I stay for thee.
As well possess'd; my love is more than his; Her.

My good Lysander ! My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd,

I swear to thee by Cupid's strongest bow;
If not with vantage, as Demetrius;

By his best arrow with the golden head;
And, which is more than all these boasts can be, By the simplicity of Venus' doves,
I am belor'd of beauteous Hermia :

By that whicb knittetb souls, and prospers loves; Why should not I then prosecute my right! And by that fire wbich burn'd the Carthage queen, Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head,

When the false T'rojan under sail was seen; Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,

By all the vows that ever men have broke, And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, In number more than ever women spoke ;Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,

In that same place thou hast appointed me, Upon this spotted and inconstant man.

To-morrow truly will I meet with thee. The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, Lys. Keep promise, love : Look, here comes And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof;

Helena,
But, being over-full of self-affairs,

Enter HELENA.
My mind did lose it.-But, Demetrius, come;
And come, Egeus; you shall go with me,

Her. God speed fair Helena! Whither away? I bare some private schooling for you both.

Hel. Call you me fair ? thar fair again unsay. For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself Demetrius loves your fair : O happy fair! To fit your fancies to your father's will ;

Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet Or else the law of Athens yields you up

air (Which by no means we may extenuate,) More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear, To death, or to a vow of single life.

When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Come, my Hippolyta; What cheer, my love? Sickness is catching ; 0, were favour so! Demetrius, and Egeus, go along:

Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go; I must employ you in some business

My ear should catch your voice, my eye you are Against our nuptial; and confer with you My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody of something nearly that concerns yourselves. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated.

[graphic]
« PreviousContinue »