ection>A Midsommer Nights Dreame
Actus primus.
Enter Theseus, Hippolita, with others.
Theseus. Now faire Hippolita, our nuptiall houre Drawes on apace: foure happy daies bring in Another Moon: but oh, me thinkes, how slow
This old Moon wanes; She lingers my desires
Like to a Step-dame, or a Dowager,
Long withering out a yong mans reuennew
Hip. Foure daies wil quickly steep the[m]selues in nights
Foure nights wil quickly dreame away the time: And then the Moone, like to a siluer bow,
Now bent in heauen, shal behold the night
Of our solemnities
The. Go Philostrate,
Stirre vp the Athenian youth to merriments, Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth, Turne melancholy forth to Funerals:
The pale companion is not for our pompe, Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my sword, And wonne thy loue, doing thee iniuries: But I will wed thee in another key,
With pompe, with triumph, and with reuelling.
Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke
The. Thanks good Egeus: what's the news with thee? Ege. Full of vexation, come I, with complaint
Against my childe, my daughter Hermia. Stand forth Demetrius.
My Noble Lord,
This man hath my consent to marrie her. Stand forth Lysander.
And my gracious Duke,
This man hath bewitch'd the bosome of my childe: Thou, thou Lysander, thou hast giuen her rimes, And interchang'd loue-tokens with my childe:
Thou hast by Moonelight at her window sung, With faining voice, verses of faining loue,
And stolne the impression of her fantasie,
With bracelets of thy haire, rings, gawdes, conceits, Knackes, trifles, Nose-gaies, sweet meats (messengers Of strong preuailment in vnhardned youth)
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughters heart, Turn'd her obedience (which is due to me)
To stubborne harshnesse. And my gracious Duke, Be it so she will not heere before your Grace, Consent to marrie with Demetrius,
I beg the ancient priuiledge of Athens; As she is mine, I may dispose of her; Which shall be either to this Gentleman, Or to her death, according to our Law,
1
Immediately prouided in that case
The. What say you Hermia? be aduis'd faire Maide, To you your Father should be as a God;
One that compos'd your beauties; yea and one
To whom you are but as a forme in waxe By him imprinted: and within his power, To leaue the figure, or disfigure it: Demetrius is a worthy Gentleman
Her. So is Lysander
The. In himselfe he is.
But in this kinde, wanting your fathers voyce, The other must be held the worthier
Her. I would my father look'd but with my eyes
The. Rather your eies must with his iudgment looke
Her. I do entreat your Grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold, Nor how it may concerne my modestie
In such a presence heere to pleade my thoughts: But I beseech your Grace, that I may know
The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius
The. Either to dye the death, or to abiure
For euer the society of men.
Therefore faire Hermia question your desires, Know of your youth, examine well your blood, Whether (if you yeeld not to your fathers choice) You can endure the liuerie of a Nunne,
For aye to be in shady Cloister mew'd, To liue a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymnes to the cold fruitlesse Moone, Thrice blessed they that master so their blood,
To vndergo such maiden pilgrimage, But earthlier happie is the Rose distil'd,
Then that which withering on the virgin thorne, Growes, liues, and dies, in single blessednesse
Her. So will I grow, so liue, so die my Lord, Ere I will yeeld my virgin Patent vp
Vnto his Lordship, whose vnwished yoake, My soule consents not to giue soueraignty
The. Take time to pause, and by the next new Moon
The sealing day betwixt my loue and me, For euerlasting bond of fellowship: Vpon that day either prepare to dye,
For disobedience to your fathers will,
Or else to wed Demetrius as hee would, Or on Dianaes Altar to protest
For aie, austerity, and single life
Dem. Relent sweet Hermia, and Lysander, yeelde
Thy crazed title to my certaine right
Lys. You haue her fathers loue, Demetrius: Let me haue Hermiaes: do you marry him
Egeus. Scornfull Lysander, true, he hath my Loue; And what is mine, my loue shall render him.
And she is mine, and all my right of her, I do estate vnto Demetrius
2
Lys. I am my Lord, as well deriu'd as he, As well possest: my loue is more then his: My fortunes euery way as fairely ranck'd (If not with vantage) as Demetrius:
And (which is more then all these boasts can be)
I am belou'd of beauteous Hermia.
Why should not I then prosecute my right? Demetrius, Ile auouch it to his head,
Made loue to Nedars daughter, Helena,
And won her soule: and she (sweet Ladie) dotes,
Deuoutly dotes, dotes in Idolatry, Vpon this spotted and inconstant man
The. I must confesse, that I haue heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to haue spoke thereof: But being ouer-full of selfe-affaires,
My minde did lose it. But Demetrius come, And come Egeus, you shall go with me,
I haue some priuate schooling for you both.
For you faire Hermia, looke you arme your selfe,
To fit
