Dem. Lysander, speake againe; Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?
Speake in some bush: Where dost thou hide thy head?
Rob. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, Telling the bushes that thou look"st for wars, And wilt not come? Come recreant, come thou childe, Ile whip thee with a rod. He is defil"d That drawes a sword on thee
Dem. Yea, art thou there?
Ro. Follow my voice, we"l try no manhood here.
Enter.
Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me on, When I come where he cals, then he"s gone.
The Villaine is much lighter heel"d then I: I followed fast, but faster he did flye;
shifting places.
That fallen am I in darke vneuen way, And here wil rest me. Come thou gentle day:
lye down.
For if but once thou shew me thy gray light, Ile finde Demetrius, and reuenge this spight.
Enter Robin and Demetrius.
Rob. Ho, ho, ho; coward, why com"st thou not?
Dem. Abide me, if thou dar"st. For well I wot, Thou runst before me, shifting euery place, And dar"st not stand, nor looke me in the face.
Where art thou?
Rob. Come hither, I am here
Dem. Nay then thou mock"st me; thou shalt buy this deere, If euer I thy face by day-light see.
Now goe thy way: faintnesse constraineth me, To measure out my length on this cold bed, By daies approach looke to be visited.
Enter Helena.
Hel. O weary night, O long and tedious night, Abate thy houres, shine comforts from the East, That I may backe to Athens by day-light, From these that my poore companie detest; And sleepe that sometime shuts vp sorrowes eie, Steale me a while from mine owne companie.
Sleepe.
Rob. Yet but three? Come one more, Two of both kindes makes vp foure.
Here she comes, curst and sad, Cupid is a knauish lad, Enter Hermia.
Thus to make poore females mad
Her. Neuer so wearie, neuer so in woe, Bedabbled with the dew, and torne with briars, I can no further crawle, no further goe; My legs can keepe no pace with my desires.
Here will I rest me till the breake of day, Heauens shield Lysander, if they meane a fray
Rob. On the ground sleepe sound, Ile apply your eie gentle louer, remedy.
When thou wak"st, thou tak"st True delight in the sight of thy former Ladies eye, And the Country Prouerb knowne, That euery man should take his owne, In your waking shall be showne.
Iacke shall haue Iill, nought shall goe ill.
The man shall haue his Mare againe, and all shall bee well.
They sleepe all the Act.
Actus Quartus.
Enter Queene of Fairies, and Clowne, and Fairies, and the King behinde them.
t.i.ta. Come, sit thee downe vpon this flowry bed, While I thy amiable cheekes doe coy, And sticke muske roses in thy sleeke smoothe head, And kisse thy faire large eares, my gentle ioy
Clow. Where"s Peaseblossome?
Peas. Ready
Clow. Scratch my head, Pease-blossome. Wher"s Mounsieuer Cobweb
Cob. Ready
Clowne. Mounsieur Cobweb, good Mounsier get your weapons in your hand, & kill me a red hipt humble-Bee, on the top of a thistle; and good Mounsieur bring mee the hony bag. Doe not fret your selfe too much in the action, Mounsieur; and good mounsieur haue a care the hony bag breake not, I would be loth to haue you ouerflowne with a hony-bag signiour. Where"s Mounsieur Mustardseed?
Mus. Ready
Clo. Giue me your neafe, Mounsieur Mustardseed.
Pray you leaue your courtesie good Mounsieur
Mus. What"s your will?
Clo. Nothing good Mounsieur, but to help Caualery Cobweb to scratch. I must to the Barbers Mounsieur, for me-thinkes I am maruellous hairy about the face. And I am such a tender a.s.se, if my haire do but tickle me, I must scratch
t.i.ta. What, wilt thou heare some musicke, my sweet loue
Clow. I haue a reasonable good eare in musicke. Let vs haue the tongs and the bones.
Musicke Tongs, Rurall Musicke.
t.i.ta. Or say sweete Loue, what thou desirest to eat
Clowne. Truly a pecke of Prouender; I could munch your good dry Oates. Me-thinkes I haue a great desire to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweete hay hath no fellow
t.i.ta. I haue a venturous Fairy, That shall seeke the Squirrels h.o.a.rd, And fetch thee new Nuts
Clown. I had rather haue a handfull or two of dried pease. But I pray you let none of your people stirre me, I haue an exposition of sleepe come vpon me
Tyta. Sleepe thou, and I will winde thee in my arms, Fairies be gone, and be alwaies away.
So doth the woodbine, the sweet Honisuckle, Gently entwist; the female Iuy so Enrings the barky fingers of the Elme.
O how I loue thee! how I dote on thee!
Enter Robin goodfellow and Oberon.
Ob. Welcome good Robin: Seest thou this sweet sight?
Her dotage now I doe begin to pitty.
For meeting her of late behinde the wood, Seeking sweet sauours for this hatefull foole, I did vpbraid her, and fall out with her.
For she his hairy temples then had rounded, With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers.
And that same dew which somtime on the buds, Was wont to swell like round and orient pearles; Stood now within the pretty flouriets eyes, Like teares that did their owne disgrace bewaile.
When I had at my pleasure taunted her, And she in milde termes beg"d my patience, I then did aske of her, her changeling childe, Which straight she gaue me, and her fairy sent To beare him to my Bower in Fairy Land.
And now I haue the Boy, I will vndoe This hatefull imperfection of her eyes.
And gentle Pucke, take this transformed scalpe, From off the head of this Athenian swaine; That he awaking when the other doe, May all to Athens backe againe repaire, And thinke no more of this nights accidents, But as the fierce vexation of dreame.
But first I will release the Fairy Queene.
Be thou as thou wast wont to be; See as thou wast wont to see.