THESEUS, Duke of Athens.
Egeus, an Athenian Lord.
Lysander, in love with Hermia.
Demetrius, in love with Hermia.

Quince, the Carpenter.

Snug, the Joiner.
Bottom, the Weaver.

Flute, the Bellows-mender.
Snowt, the Tinker.

Starveling, the Tailor.

Hippolita, Princess of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. Hermia, Daughter to Egeus, in love with Lyfander, Helena, in love with Demetrius.

Attendants.

Oberon, King of the Fairies.
Titania, Queen of the Fairies.

Puck, or Robin-goodfellow, a Fairy.

Peafebloffom,

Cobweb,

Moth,

Mustardfeed,

Fairies,

Other Fairies attending on the King and Queen.

SCENE Athens, and a Wood not far from it.

ACTI. SCENE L

ATHENS.

Enter Theseus and Hippolita, with attendants.

THESEUS.

OW, fair Hippolita, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
Another moon :/ but oh, methinks, how

flow

This old moon wanes! she lingers my d

fires

Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,
Long withering out a young man's revenue.

den

Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights

Four nights will quickly dream away the time:
And then the moon, like to a filver bow

New bent in heaven, shall behold the night

Of our folemnities.

The. Go, Philostrate,

Stir up th' Athenian youth to merriments,
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth:

Turn-melancholly forth to funerals,
The pale companion is not for our pomp.
Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my fword,
And won thy love, doing thee injuries:
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius.

Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke.
The. Thanks good Egeus; what's the news with thee?
Ege. Full of vexation, come I with complaint

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
Stand forth Demetrius. My noble lord,
This man hath my consent to marry her.
Stand forth Lyfander. And, my gracious Duke,
This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child:
Thou, thou, Lyfander, thou haft giv'n her rhímes,
And interchang'd love-tokens with my child:
Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung,
With feigning voice, verses of feigning love,
And fstoll'n th' impression of her fantasie
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweet-meats, (messengers
Of ftrong prevailment in unharden'd youth)
With cunning haft thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To ftubborn harshness. And, my gracious Duke,
Be't so she will not here before your Grace
Consent to marry with Demetrius,
I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,
As she is mine, I may dispose of her:
Which shall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death, according to our law,
Immediately provided in that cafe.

The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid.

To you your father should be as a God;
One that compos'd your beauties; yea and one
To whom you are but as a form in wax

By him imprinted; and within his power

To