Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, And I was trimm'd in madam Julia's gown, Which served me as fit, by all men's judgment, As if the garment had been made for me: Therefore, I know she is about my height. And, at that time, I made her weep a good, For I did play a lamentable part: Madam, 'twas Ariadne, passioning For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight; Which I so lively acted with my tears, That my poor mistress, moved therewithal, Wept bitterly; and, would I might be dead, If I in thought felt not her very sorrow! Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!Alas, poor lady! desolate and left!I weep myself, to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lovest her. Farewell. [Exit SILVIA. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. SCENE I. The same. An Abbey. Enter EGLAMOUR. | I hope my master's suit will be but cold, ACT Egl. The sun begins to gild the western sky; And now it is about the very hour That Silvia, at Patrick's cell, should meet me. She will not fail; for lovers break not hours, Unless it be to come before their time; So much they spur their expedition. Enter SILVIA. See where she comes: Lady, a happy evening! Egl. Fear not: the forestisuotthree leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough.[Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What, that my leg is too long? Pro. No; that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths. Thu. What says she to my face? Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she; Despatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me. Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Be patient, we must bring you to our captain. one Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently. 2 Out. Come, bring her away. 1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us, But Moyses and Valerius follow him. Go thou with her to the west end of the wood; There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fled; The thicket is beset, he cannot scape. Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA. Jul. And me, when he approacheth to Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next Would I not undergo for one calm look? Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love, For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our Descended into perjury, to love me. captain's cave: Fear not; he bears an honorable mind, Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee! Val. How nse doth breed a habit in a man! ་ their law, Have some unhappy passenger in chace: Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus, I am sorry I must never trust thee more, 'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst! Pro. My shame and guilt confound me.-Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow Be a sufficient ransom for offence, I tender it here; I do as truly suffer, Val. Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleased; By penitence th' Eternal's wrath's appeased: [Faints. Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now? what is the matter? Look up; speak. Jul. O good sir, my master charged me To deliver a ring to madam Silvia; Which, out of my neglect, was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy? Jul. Here 'tis: this is it. Pro. How! let me see: [Gives a ring. Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia. [Shows another ring. Pro. But, how camest thou by this ring? at my depart, I gave this unto Julia. Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia! Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, And entertain❜d them deeply in her heart: It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true: O heaven! were man Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for ever. Jul. And I have mine. Enter Out-laws, with DUKE and THURIO. Come not within the measure of my wrath: Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I; Duk. The more degenerate and base art thou, To make such means for her as thou hast done, And leave her on such slight conditions.Now, by the honor of my ancestry, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love. Know then, I here forget all former griefs, Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit, To which I thus subscribe,-sir Valentine, Thou art a gentleman, and well derived; Take thou thy Silvia,for thou hast deserved her. Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy. I now beseech you for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. Duke. I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd men that I have kept withal, Are men endued with worthy qualities; Dispose of them, as thou knowst their deserts. Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile: What think you of this page, my lord? Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy. Duke. What mean you by that saying? Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That you will wonder what hath fortuned.Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear The story of your loves discovered: That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; One feast, one house, one mutual happiness. ¡Exeunt. MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. THESEUS, Duke of Athens. EGEUS, Father to Hermia. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, Persons represented. in love with Hermia. HERMIA, Daughter to Egeus, in love with HELENA, in love with Demetrius. OBERON, King of the Fairies. PHILOSTRATE, Master of the Revels to TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies. Theseus. QUINCE, the Carpenter. SNUG, the Joiner. BOTTOM, the Weaver. PUCK, or ROBIN-GOODFELLOW, a Fairy. FLUTE, the Bellows-mender. SNOUT, the Tinker. STARVELING, the Tailor. MUSTARD-SEED, HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betro- MOONSHINE, thed to Theseus. Characters in the Interlude performed by the Clowns. Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on THESEUS and HIPPOLYTA. ACT I. SCENE I. Athens. A Room in the Palace of Theseus. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA,PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants. The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue. Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities. The. Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals, The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit PHILOS. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, And won thy love, doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS. 1 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 child, my daughter Hermia.Stand forth, Demetrius ;-My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her:Stand forth,Lysander; and,my gracious duke, This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child: Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchanged love-tokens with my child: Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart; Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness:-And, my gracious Her. I would my father look'd but with my eyes. Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, The.Imust confess,that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs, The. Rather your eyes must with his judg-To fit your fancies to your father's will; ment look. Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold; Nor how it may concern my modesty, In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: But I beseech your grace that I may know The worst that may befal me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius. The. Either to die the death, or to abjure For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia;-And, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius; Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him. Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love: And what is mine my love shall render him; Lys. I am, my lord, as well derived as he, My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come; I must employ you in some business so pale? How chance the roses there do fade so fast? Her. Belike, for want of rain; which I could well Beteem them from the tempest of mine eyes. Lys. Ah me! for aught that ever I could read, Could ever hear by tale or history) The course of true love never did run smooth: But, either it was different in blood; Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! Lys. Or else misgraffed, in respect of years; Her. O spite! too old to be engaged to young! Lys. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends: Her. O hell! to choose love by another's eye! Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it; Making it momentany as a sound, Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; It stands as an edíct in destiny: Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's followers. Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me, I have a widow aunt, a dowager |