:

That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd with cheer. Come, tears, confound;

300 Out, sword, and wound The pap of Pyramus ;

Ay, that left pap,

Where heart doth hop: [Stabs himself. Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.

Now am I dead,

Now am I fled ;
My soul is in the sky:

Tongue, lose thy light;
Moon, take thy flight: [Exit Moonshine.
Now die, die, die, die, die.

[Dios. Dem. No die, but an ace, for him ; for he is but one. Lys. Less than an ace, man ; for he is dead ; he is nothing.

The. With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover, and prove an ass.

Hip. How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes back and finds her lover?

The. She will find him by starlight. Here she comes ; and her passion ends the play.

321 Re-enter THISBE. Hip. Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Pyramus : I hope she will be brief..

Dem. A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which Thisbe, is the better; he for a man, God warrant us ; she for a woman, God bless us.

Lys. She latl: spiel him already with those sweet eyes. Dem. And thus she means, videlicet :

330 This.

Asleep, my love ?

What, dead, my dove?
O Pyramus, arise !

Speak, speak. Quite dumb?

Dead, dead ? A tomb
Must cover thy sweet eyes.

These lily lips,

This cherry nose,
These yellow cowslip cheeks,
Are gone, are gone :

310
Lovers, make moan :
His eyes were green as leeks.

O Sisters Three,

Come, come to me,
With hands as pale as milk ;

Lay them in gore,
Since you have shore

With shears his thread of silk.

Tongue, not a word :
Come, trusty sword ;

350 Come, blade, my breast imbrue :

[Stabs herself. And, farewell, friends;

Thus Thisbe ends :
Adieu, adieu, adieu.

[Dica The. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead. Dem. Ay, and Wall too.

Bit. [Springing up] No, I assure you ; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company ?

361 The. No epilogue, I pray you ; for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse ; for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had played Pyramus and hanged himself in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine tragedy : and so it is, truly ; and very notably discharged. But, come, your Bergomask : let your epilogue alone.

[4 dance. The iron tongue of

liath told twelve :

370 Lovers, to bed ; 'is almost fairy time. I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn As much as we this night lave overwatch'd. This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed. A fortnight hold we this solemnity, In nightly revels and new jullity.

[E.reunt. Enter Puck. Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf belowls the moon ;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

380
All with weary tasks fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night

That the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,

In the chur-b-way paths to glide :
And we fairies, that do run

390
By the triple llecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,

Now are frolic : not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house :
I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train.
Obe. Through the house give glimmering light,

By the dead and drowsy fire :
Every elf and fairy sprite

400
Hop as light as bird from brier ;
And this ditty, after me,

Sing, and dance it trippingly.
Tita. First, rehearse your song by rote,

To each word a warbling note :
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we sing, and bless this place. [Song and dance. Obe. Now, until the break of day,

Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,

410
Which by us shall blessed be ;
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be ;
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issues stand ;
Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,

420
Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,
Every fairy take his gait;
And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace ;
And the owner of it blest
Ever shall in safety rest.
Trip away ; make no stay ;
Meet me all by break of day,

[Exeunt Oberon, Titania, and train. Puck. If we shadows have offended,

430
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but sluinber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream.
Gentles, do not reprehend :
If you pardon, we will mend :

440

And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long ;
Else the Puck a liar call :
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Exit.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

The DUKE OF VENICE.

LAUNCELOT GOBBO, The PRINCE OF MOROCCO,

suitors the clown, servant to Shylock.

to The PRINCE OF ARRAGON, Portia. LEONARDO, servant to Bassanio.

OLD GOBBO, father to Launcelot. ANTONIO, a merchant of Venice.

BALTHASAR, servants to Portia. BASSANIO, his friend, suitor like.

STEPHANO,

wise to Portia. SALANIO,

Portia, a rich heiress. SALARINO, ( friends to Antonio Nerissa, her waiting-maid. GRATIANO,

and Bassanio. JESSICA, daughter to Shylock. SALERIO,

Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of LORENZO, in love with Jessica.

the Court of Justice, Gaoler, SHYLOCK, a rich Jew.

Servants to Portia, and other TUBAL, his friend.

Attendants.

SCENE: Partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the seat

of Portia, on the Continent.

Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO and SALANIO.
Ant. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad :
It wearies me; you say it wearies you ;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn ;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean ;
There, where your argosies with portly sail,
Like signiors and richi burghers on the flood,
Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea,
Do overpeer the peity traffickers,
That curtsy to them, do them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.

Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth,
The better part of my affections would

( 465 )

10