wakes me from my flow’ry bed?
Bot. [Sings.]
The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plain-song cuckoo grey,
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer nay—
for indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry “cuckoo” never so?
Tita.
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again.
Mine ear is much enamored of thy note;
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;
And thy fair virtue’s force (perforce) doth move me
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that. And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days. The more the pity that some honest neighbors will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.
Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
Bot. Not so, neither; but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine owe turn.
Tita.
Out of this wood do not desire to go;
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.
I am a spirit of no common rate;
The summer still doth tend upon my state;
And I do love thee; therefore go with me.
I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee;
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep.
And I will purge thy mortal grossness so,
That thou shalt like an aery spirit go.
Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!
Enter four Fairies [Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed].
[Peas.]
Ready.
[Cob.]
And I.
[Moth.]
And I.
[Mus.]
And I.
[All.]
Where shall we go?
Tita.
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman,
Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes;
Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries;
The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,
And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs,
And light them at the fiery glow-worm’s eyes,
To have my love to bed and to arise;
And pluck the wings from painted butterflies,
To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes.
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.
[Peas.] Hail, mortal!
[Cob.] Hail!
[Moth.] Hail!
[Mus.] Hail!
Bot. I cry your worships mercy, heartily. I beseech your worship’s name.
Cob. Cobweb.
Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb. If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you. Your name, honest gentleman?
Peas. Peaseblossom.
Bot. I pray you commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir?
Mus. Mustardseed.
Bot. Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well. That same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devour’d many a gentleman of your house. I promise you your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you [of] more acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed.
Tita.
Come wait upon him; lead him to my bower.
The moon methinks looks with a wat’ry eye;
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,
Lamenting some enforced chastity.
Tie up my lover’s tongue, bring him silently.
Exeunt.
¶
[Scene II]
Enter King of Fairies [Oberon].
Obe.
I wonder if Titania be awak’d;
Then what it was that next came in her eye,
Which she must dote on in extremity.
[Enter Puck.]
Here comes my messenger. How now, mad spirit?
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?
Puck.
My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
