Farewel, fweet play-fellow; pray thou for us, Lyf. I will, my Hermia [Exit Hermia. Helena, adieu; [Exit Lyfand. As you on him, Demet, ius doat on you! Hel. How happy fome, o'er other fome, can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as the. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not fo: He will not know; what all, but he, do know. Bu So I, admiring of his qualities. Things bafe and vile, holding no quantity, [Exit. SCENE SCENE changes to a Cottage. Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snowt, and Quin. S all our company here ? Bot. You were beft to call them generally man by man, according to the fcrip.. Quin. Here is the fcrowl of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the Duke and Dutchefs, on his wedding-day at night. Bot. First, good Peter Quince, fay what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors; and fo grow on to a point. Quin. Marry, our play is the mioft lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. Bot. A very good piece of work, I affure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the fcrowl. Mafters, fpread yourfelves. Quin. Anfwer, as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver. Bot. Ready name what part I am for, and proceed. Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are fet down for Pyramus. Bot. What is Pyramus, a lover, or a tyrant ? Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gallantly for love. To Bot. That will ask fome tears in the true performing of it; if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move ftorms; I will condole in some measure. the reft; yet, my chief humour is for a tyrant; I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in: To make all fplit- the raging rocks, and fhivering Thocks fhall break the locks of prifon gates and "Phibbus' carr fhall fhine from far, and make and mar "the foolish fates"-This was lofty. Now name the rest of the players. This is, Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is more condoling Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender. Quin. You must take Thijby on you. Fli Flu. What is 7 bisby, a wand'ring Knight? हे Flu. Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. Quin. That's all one, you fhall play it in a mafque; and you may fpeak as fmall, as you will, Bo. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too; Ill fpeak in a monftrous little voice, Thifne, Thifne ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisby dear, and lady dear. Quin. No, no, you must play Pyramus; and Flure, 'you. Thisby... Bot. Well, proceed. Quin. Robin Starveling, the taylor. Star. Here, Peter Quince. Quin. Robin, Starveling, you must play Thisby's mo ther. (3) Tem Snowt, the tinker. Snow. Here, Peter Quince. Quin. You, Pyramus's father; myfelf, Thisby's father Sug, the joiner, you, the lion's part: I hope, there is a play fitted. 90 Snug. Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am flow of study. Quin. You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. Bet. Let me play the lion too; I will roar, that I will do any man's heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the Duke fay, let him roar again, let him roar again. Quin. If you fhould do it too terribly, you would fright the Dutchefs and the ladies, that they would hriek, and that were enough to hang us all. All. That would hang us every mother's fon. (3) au must play Thilby's Mother.] There seems a double rgetfulness of our Poet, in relation to the Characters of this Interlude. The Father and Mother of Thisby, and the Father of Pyramus, are here mentioned, who do not appear at all in the Interfude; but Wall and Moonshine are both employed in it, of whom there is not the leaft Notice taken here. Bot. Bot. I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more difcretion but to hang us; but I will aggravate my voice fo, that I will roar you as gently as any fucking dove; E will roar you an 'twere any nightingale. mus Quin. You can play no pait but Pyramus, for Pyraus is a sweet-fac'd man; a proper man, as one fhall fee in a fummer's-day; a moft lovely gentleman-like man therefore you muft needs play Pyramus. Bot. Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I beft to play it in ? Quin. Why, what you will. Bot. I will difcharge it in either your ftraw-colour'd beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French crown-colour'd beard; your per fect yellow. Quin. (4) Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play bare-fac'd. But, mafters, here are your parts; and I am to intreat you, request you, and defire you, to con them by to-morrow night; and meet in the palace-wood, a mile without the town, by moon-light, there we will rehearfe; for if we meet in the city, our devices know we fhall be dog'd with company, and In the mean time I will draw a bill of properties, fuch as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not. Bot. We will meet, and there we may rehearse more obfcenely and courageoufly. Take pains, be perfect, adieu.. Quin. At the Duke's oak we meet. Bot. Enough; hold, or cut bow-ftrings. [Exeunt.. (4) Some of your French Crowns have no air at all,] See the third Note on Measure for Measure, which explains this dark Paflage. A C T II. SCENE, a Wood. Enter a Fairy at one Door, and Puck (or Robin goodfellow) at another. PUCK. OW now, spirit, whither wander you ? Through bush, through briar, Over park, over pale, Through flood, through fire, Puck. The King doth keep his revels here to night, Take heed, the Queen come not within his fight. For Oberon is paffing fell and wrath, Becaufe that he, as her attendant, hath Crowns him with flow'rs, and makes him all her joy. But |