Enter Lysander.

Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak

Puck. Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where

art thou?

Lys. I will be with thee straight.

Puck.

To plainer ground.

Dem.

Follow me then

[Exit Lys. as following the voice.

Enter Demetrius.

Lysander! speak again.

Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?

Speak. In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?

Puck. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars, And wilt not come? Come, recreant; come, thou

child;

I'll whip thee with a rod: He is defil'd

That draws a sword on thee.

Dem.

Yea; art thou there?

Puck. Follow my voice; we'll try no manhood

here.

[Exeunt.

Re-enter Lysander.

Lys. He

goes before me,

and still dares me on ;

When I come where he calls, then he is gone.

The villain is much lighter heel'd than I:
I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;
That fallen am I in dark uneven way,

And here will rest me. Come, thou gentle day!

[Lies down.

For if but once thou show me thy grey light,
I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite.

Re-enter Puck and Demetrius.

[Sleeps.

Puck. Ho, ho! ho, ho! Coward, why com'st thou not?

Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot, Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place; And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face. Where art thou?

Puck.

Come hither; I am here. Dem. Nay, then thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,

If ever I thy face by day-light see:

Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
To measure out my length on this cold bed.-
By day's approach look to be visited.

[Lies down and sleeps,

Enter Helena.

Hel. O weary night, O long and tedious night, Abate thy hours: shine, comforts, from the east; That I may back to Athens, by day-light,

From these that my poor company detest:And, sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye, Steal me awhile from mine own company. [Sleeps. Puck. Yet but three? Come one more;

Two of both kinds makes up four,
Here she comes, curst and sad :—

Cupid is a knavish lad,

Thus to make poor females mad.

Enter Hermia.

Her. Never so weary, never so in woe,
Bedabbled with dew, and tore with briars;

I can no further crawl, no further go;

My legs can keep no pace with my desires. Here will I rest me, till the break of day. Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!

VOL. II.

Puck. On the ground

Sleep sound:

I'll apply

To your eye,

Gentle lover, remedy,

[Lies down,

[Squeezing the juice on Lysander's eye,

U

When thou wak'st,
Thou tak'st

True delight

In the sight

Of thy former lady's eye;

And the country proverb known,
That every man should take his own,
In your waking shall be shown:
Jack shall have Jill:

Nought shall go ill;

The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well.

[Exit Puck.-Dem. Hel. &c. sleep.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. The same.

Enter Titania and Bottom, Fairies attending;
Oberon behind unseen.

Tita. Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy*,

And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.
Bot. Where's Peas-blossom?

Peas. Ready.

Bot. Scratch my head, Peas-blossom.-Where's monsieur Cobweb?

Cob. Ready.

Bot. Monsieur Cobweb; good monsieur, get your weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle; and, good mon sieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, monsieur; and good monsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not; I would be loath to have you over-flown with a honey-bag, signior. Where's monsieur Mustard-seed?

Must. Ready.

Bot. Give me your neift, monsieur Mustard-seed. + Fist,

* Stroke.