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Dem. So fhould the murder'd look; and fo fhould I, Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty: Yet you the murderer look as bright, and clear, As yonder Venus in her glimm'ring sphere.

Her. What's this to my Lysander ? where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I'd rather give his carcafs to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'ft me past the

bounds

Of maiden's patience. Haft thou flain him then?
Henceforth be never number'd among men.
O! once tell true, and even for my fake,
Durft thou have look'd upon him, being awake!
And haft thou kill'd him fleeping? O brave touch!
Could not a worm, an adder do fo much?
An adder did it, for with doubler tongue
Than thine, thou ferpent, never adder ftung.
Dem. You fpend your paffion on a mispris'd mood:
I am not guilty of Lyfander's blood,

Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.
Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore ?
Her. A privilege never to fee me more;

And from thy hated prefence part I fo:
See me no more, whether he's dead or no.

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein,
Here, therefore, for a while I will remain ;
So forrow's heavinefs doth heavier grow,
For debt, that bankrupt fleep doth forrow owe;
Which now in fome flight meafure it will pay,
If for his Tender here I make fome stay.

[Exit.

[Lies down.

Ob. What haft thou done? thou haft mistaken quite, And laid thy love-juice on fome true love's fight:

Of thy mifprifion must perforce enfue

Some true love turn'd, and not a falfe turn'd true.
Puck. Then fate o'er-rules, that, one man holding troth,
A million fail, confounding oath on oath,

Ob. About the wood go fwifter than the wind,

And Helena of Athens, fee, thou find.

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All fancy fick fhe is, and pale of cheer;
With fighs of love, that coft the fresh blood dear;
By fome illufion, fee, thou bring her here;
I'll charm his Eyes, against the doth appear.
Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go;
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.
Ob. Flower of this purple dye,

Hit with Cupid's archery,
Sink in apple of his eye!
When his love he doth espy,
Let her fhine as gloriously
As the Venus of the sky.

When thou wak'st, if the be by,

Beg of her for remedy.

Enter Puck.

Puck. Captain of our fairy-band,
Helena is here at hand,

And the youth, miftook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee.

Shall we their fond pageant fee?
Lord, what fools thefe mortals be?

Ob. Stand afide; the noife they make

Will caufe Demetrius to awake.

Puck. Then will two at once woo one; That muft needs be sport alone.

And thofe things do best please me,

That befal prepoft'rously.

Enter Lyfander and Helena.

[Exit,

Ly. Why fhould you think, that I should woo in scorn;
Scorn and derifion never come in tears.

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,
In their nativity all truth appears :

How can these things in me feem fcorn to you,
Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?
Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more;
When truth kills truth, O devilish, holy, fray!
Thefe vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:

Your

Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,
Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.

Lyf. I had no judgment when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none in my Mind, now you give her o'er.
Lyf. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.
Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddefs, nymph, perfect,
divine,

To what, my love, fhall I compare thine eyne ?
Cryftal is muddy; O how ripe in fhow

Thy lips, thofe kiffing cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus now,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow
When thou hold'st up thy hand. O let me kiss
This Princess of pure white, this feal of bliss..
Hel. O fpight, O hell! I fee you all are bent
To fet against me, for your merriment:
If you were civil, and knew courtesy,
You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you
muft join in fouls to mock me too?
If you are men, as men you are in show,
You would not ufe a gentle lady fo:

To vow and swear, and fuper-praise my parts;
When, I am fure, you hate me with your hearts.
You both are rivals, and love Hermia,
And now both rivals to mock Helena.
A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
With your derifion! none of nobler fort
Would fo offend a virgin, and extort
A poor foul's patience all to make you fport.
Lyf. You are unkind, Demetrius be not fo;
For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know.
And here with all good will, with all my Heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

Hel. Never did mockers wafte more idle breath.
Dem. Lyfander, Reep thy Hermia, I will none;
If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.

}

My

My heart to her but, as gueft-wife, fojourn'd;
And now to Helen it is home return'd,

There ever to remain.

Ly. It is not fo.

Dem. Difparage not the faith, thou doft not know,
Left to thy peril thou abide it dear.

Look, where thy love comes, yonder is thy dear.
Enter Hermia.

Her. Dark night that from the Eye his function takes,
The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes:
Wherein it doth impair the feeing sense,
It pays the hearing double recompence.
Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found;
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy found.
But why unkindly did'st thou leave me fo?

Ly. Why fhould he ftay, whom love doth prefs to go?
Her. What love could prefs Lyfander from my fide?
Lyf. Lyfander's love, that would not let him 'bide,
Fair Helena; who more engilds the night,
Than all yon fiery O's and eyes of light.

Why feek't thou me? could not this make thee know,
The hate, I bear thee, made me leave thee fo?

Her. You fpeak not, as you think it cannot be.
Hel. Lo, fhe is one of this confed'racy;
Now, I perceive, they have conjoin'd all three,
To fathion this falfe fport in fpight of me.
Injurious Hermia, moit ungrateful maid,
Have you confpir'd, have you with thefe contriv'd
To bait me with this foul derifion?

Is all the counfel that we two have shar'd,
The fifters vows, the hours we have spent,
When we have chid the hafty-footed time
For parting us; O! and is all forgot?
Ail fchool-days friendship, childhood innocence ?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Created with our needles both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion ;
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds

Had

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Had been incorp'rate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, feeming parted,
But yet an union in partition;

Two lovely berries moulded on one stem,
So with two feeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the firft, like coats in heraldry, (13)
Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rend our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly;

Our fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do feel the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your paffionate words:
I scorn you not; it feems that you scorn me.
Hel. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in fcorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face ?
And made your other love, Demetrius,

(Who even but now, did spurn me with his foot)..
To call me goddefs, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celeftial? wherefore fpeaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lyfander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfooth, affection;
But by your fetting on, by your confent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, fo fortunate;
But miferable moft, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise. ·

Her. I under and not what you mean by this.
Hel. Ay, do, perfevere, counterfeit fad looks,
Make mouths upon me, when I turn my back ;
Wink each at other, hold the fweet jeft up:
This fport, well carried, fhall be chronicled.
lf you have any pity, grace, or manners.

(13) Tavo of the firft Life, coats in Heraldry.

The true

and Commu-Two of the

Due but to One, and crowned with one Creft.] Correction of this Paffage I owe to the Friendship nication of the ingenious Martin Folks, Efq; firft, fecond, &c. are Terms peculiar in Heraldry to diftinguish the different Quarterings of Coats.

You

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