Come, Tears, confound; out, Sword and wound
The pap of Pyramus:

Ay, that left pap,' where heart doth hop:
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
Now am I dead, now am I fled;

My soul is in the Sky:

Sun, lose thy light! Moon, take thy flight!
[Exit MOONSHINE.

Now die, die, die, die, die.

290

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.

[stabs himself.

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.

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 hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.
DEM. And thus she means," videlicet:

THIS. Asleep, my Love? what, dead, my Dove?

1. the 'a' is broad: to rhyme with 'hop.'

[dies.

These lily brows, this cherry nose,

These yellow cowslip cheeks,

Are gone, are gone: 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.

II: EE

O Pyramus, arise!

Speak, speak. Quite dumb? Dead, dead? A tomb
Must cover thy sweet eyes.

2 moans.

300

213

310

ACT V
Sc. I

ACT V
Sc. I

Tongue, not a word: come, trusty Sword;
Come, Blade, my breast imbrue:
And, farewell, Friends: thus Thisby ends:
Adieu, adieu, adieu.

THE. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.
DEM. Ay, and Wall too.

PUCK.

BOT. [rising.] No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the Epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask1 dance between two of our company?

327

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 blam'd. Marry, if he
that writ it had play'd Pyramus, and hang'd himself
in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine tragedy:
and so it is, truly; and very notably discharg'd. But,
come, your Bergomask: let your Epilogue alone.
[4 dance by two of the Clowns.
The iron tongue of Midnight hath told twelve:
Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost Fairy-time.

I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn
As much as we this night have overwatch'd.
This palpable-gross play hath well beguil'd
The heavy gait of Night. Sweet Friends, to bed.

A fortnight hold we this solemnity

In nightly revels and new jollity.

Enter PUCK, with a broom on his shoulder.
Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the Moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

All with weary task fordone.2
Now the wasted brands do glow,

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

320

[dies.

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 church-way paths to glide:

1 comico-rustic.

2 exhausted.

340

[exeunt.

350

And we Fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate'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.

TITA.

OBE.

Enter KING and QUEEN OF FAIRIES, with their Train.
Through the House give glimmering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire:
Every Elf and Fairy spright
Hop as light as bird from brier;
And this ditty, after me,
Sing, and dance it trippingly.
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.

THE SONG.

Now, until the break of day,

Through this House each Fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,

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 issue stand;
Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despis'd in nativity,
Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,
Every Fairy take his gait,1
And each several chamber bless
Through this Palace with sweet peace :

1 way.

360

370

380

390

ACT V
Sc. I

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

And the owner of it, blest,
Ever shall in safety rest.
Trip away; make no stay:
Meet me all by break of day.

ACT V

Sc. I

PUCK.

If we Shadows1 have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumber'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;
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.

1 (1) Fairies; (2) actors as characters in a play.

2 hissing.

[exeunt.

400

[exit.