To make my small elves coats; and some, keep back SONG. 1. 1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue, Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; CHORUS. Philomel, with melody Sing in our sweet lullaby Come our lovely lady nigh; II. 2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here; Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence; CHORUS. Philomel, with melody, &c. 2 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well : One, aloof, stand sentinel. [Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps. Enter OBERON. Obe. What thou seest, when thou dost wake, [Squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids. Do it for thy true-love take; Love and languish for his sake: Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, Wake, when some vile thing near. Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA. [Exit. Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; And, to speak troth, I have forgot our way; We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be it so, Lysander, find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head. Lys. One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. Her. Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear, Lie further off yet, do not lie so near. Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence ; Her. Lysander riddles very prettily :— VOL. II. C Lys. Amen, Amen, to that fair prayer say I, And then end life, when I end loyalty! Here is my bed: Sleep give thee all his rest! Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd! [They sleep. Enter PUCK. Puck. Through the forest have I gone, On whose eyes I might approve Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running. [Exit. Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius. Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so. Dem. Stay, on thy peril; I alone will go. [Ex. DEM. Hel. O, I am out of breath in this fond chase! The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies; For she hath blessed and attractive eyes. How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears: For beasts that meet me run away for fear: Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy sweet sake. Transparent Helena! Nature shows her art, [Waking. That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word Is that vile name to perish on my sword! Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so: What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though? Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content. Lys. Content with Hermia? No: I do repent The tedious minutes I with her have spent. Not Hermia, but Helena now I love: Who will not change a raven for a dove? The will of man is by his reason sway'd: And reason says you are the worthier maid. Things growing are not ripe until their season; So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason; And touching now the point of human skill, Reason becomes the marshal to my will, And leads me to your eyes; where I o'erlook Love's stories, written in love's richest book. Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn? Is 't not enough, is 't not enough, young man, That I did never, no, nor never can, Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye, But you must flout my insufficiency? Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, I thought you lord of more true gentleness. Should of another therefore be abus'd! [Exit. Lys. She sees not Hermia :-Hermia, sleep thou there; And never mayst thou come Lysander near! For, as a surfeit of the sweetest things The deepest loathing to the stomach brings; And all my powers address your love and might [Exit. Her. [starting.] Help me, Lysander, help me! do To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! [Exit. |