2

Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do feel the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your passionate words:
I scorn you not; it seems that you scorn me.
Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
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 goddess, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
And tender me, forsooth, affection;
But by your setting on, by your consent?
What though I be not so in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, so fortunate;
But miserable most, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise.
Her. I understand not what you mean by this.
Hel. Ay, do, perséver, counterfeit sad looks,
Make mows upon me when I turn my back;
Wink at each other; hold the sweet jest up:
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me such an argument. 3
But, fare ye well: 'tis partly mine own fault;
Which death, or absence, soon shall remedy.

2 Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.] Helena means to say, that she and her friend were as closely united, as much one person, as if they were both of the first house; as if they both had the privilege duc but to one person, (viz. to him of the first house,) the right of bearing the family coat without any distinguishing mark. MALONE.

3

- such an argument.] Such a subject of light merriment.

Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse; My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena!

Hel. O excellent!

Her.

Sweet, do not scorn her so.

Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel.

Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat; Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak

prayers.

Helen, I love thee; by my life I do;

I sware by that which I will lose for thee,
To prove him false, that says I love thee not.
Dem. I say, I love thee more than he can do.
Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come,—

Her.

Lysander, whereto tends all this?

Lys. Away, you Ethiop!

Dem.

No, no, sir: he will 4

seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow;

But yet come not: You are a tame man, go!

Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing let loose;

Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent.

Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is this,

Sweet love?

Lys.

Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out!

Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!

Her. Do you not jest?

Hel.

Yes, 'sooth; and so do you.

Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.

4 No, no, sir :- - he will, &c.] The only difficulty in this passage arises from the words - he will, sir, which are omitted in the second folio. In that edition it runs thus:

"No, no, sir, seeme to breake loose;

"Take on as you would follow,

"But yet come not: you are a tame man, go."

This appears to me the true reading. M. MASON.
Mr. Malone reads, "No, no, he'll — sir.”

-

Dem. I would, I had your bond; for, I perceive, A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word. Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.

Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love? Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?

I am as fair now, as I was erewhile.

Since night, you lov'd me; yet, since night you left me: Why, then you left me, - O, the gods forbid! ---

In earnest, shall I say?

Lys.

Ay, by my life;

And never did desire to see thee more.

Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt,
Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,

That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!
You thief of love! what, have you come by night,
And stol'n my love's heart from him?

Hel.
Fine, i'faith!
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,

No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie! you.counterfeit, you puppet you!

Her. Puppet! why so? Ay, that way goes the game.
Now I perceive that she hath made compare
Between our statures, she hath urg'd her height;
And with her personage, her tall personage,
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
And are you grown so high in his esteem,
Because I am so dwarfish, and so low?
How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;
How low am I? I am not yet so low,

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;

5

I have no gift at all in shrewishness;

I am a right maid for my cowardice;

Let her not strike me: You, perhaps, may think,
Because she's something lower than myself,

That I can match her.

Her.

Lower! hark, again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you;
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your stealth unto this wood:
He follow'd you; for love, I follow'd him.

But he hath chid me hence; and threaten'd me
To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:
And now, so you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I bear my folly back,
And follow you no further: Let me go:

You see how simple and how fond I am.

Her. Why, get you gone: Who is't that hinders you?
Hel. A foolish heart that I leave here behind.
Her. What, with Lysander?

Hel.

With Demetrius.

Lys. Be not afraid: she shall not harm thee, Helena. Dem. No, sir; she shall not, though you take her part. Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd : She was a vixen 7, when she went to school;

And, though she be but little, she is fierce.

Her. Little again? nothing but low and little? Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?

Let me come to her.

Lys.

Get you gone, you dwarf;

You minimus, of hind'ring knot-grass made;
You bead, you acorn.

6 how fond I am.] Fond, i. e. foolish.

8

7 She was a vixen,] Vixen or fixen, primitively signifies a female fox. 8 of hind'ring knot-grass made;] It appears that knot-grass was anciently supposed to prevent the growth of any animal or child.

Dem.
In her behalf that scorns your services.

You are too officious,

Let her alone; speak not of Helena ;

Take not her part: for if thou dost intend 9
Never so little show of love to her,

Thou shalt aby it.1

Lys.

Now she holds me not;

Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,
Or thine or mine, is most in Helena.

Dem. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole.

[Exeunt Lys. and DEM. Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Nay, go not back. Hel.

I will not trust you, I;

Nor longer stay in your curst company.
Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray;
My legs are longer though, to run away.
Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say.

[Exit.

[Exit, pursuing HELENA. Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistakʼst, Or else commit'st thy knaveries wilfully.

Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.

Did not you tell me, I should know the man
By the Athenian garments he had on?
And so far blameless proves my enterprize,
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's

And so far am I glad it so did sort, 2

eyes:

As this their jangling I esteem a sport.

Obe. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to fight: Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night;

The starry welkin cover thou anon

With drooping fog, as black as Acheron;
And lead these testy rivals so astray,

As one come not within another's way.

1 Thou shalt aby it.] To aby is to pay dear for, to suffer.