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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S

DREA M.

ACTI

SCENE, the Duke's Palace in Athens.

Enter Thefeus, Hippolita, Philoftrate, with attendants.

N

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! the lingers my defires,
Like to a ftep-dame, or a dowager,

Long withering out a young man's revenue.

Hip. Four days will quickly fteep themselves in night; Four nights will quickly dream away the time:

And then the moon, like to a filver bow

New bent in heaven, fhall behold the night
Of our folemnities.

The. Go, Philoftrate,

Stir up th' Athenian youth to merriments,

Awake the pert and nimble fpirit of mirth:st of Turn melancholy forth to funerals,

The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit Phi. Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my fword,

And

And won thy love, doing thee injuries:

But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

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Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lyfander, and Demetrius.

Ege. Happy be Thefeus, our renowned Duke!

The. Thanks, good Egeus; what's the news with thee? Ege. Full of vexation, come I with Complaint Againft my child, my daughter Hermia. Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, This man hath my confent to marry her. Stand forth, Lylander. And, my gracious Duke, This man hath witch'd the bofom of my child: Thou, thou, Lyfander, thou haft giv'n her rhimes, And interchang'd love-tokens with my child: Thou haft by moon-light at her window fung, With feigning voice, verfes of feigning love And foll'n th' impreffion of her fantafic,

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With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks,
trifes,

Of ftrong previament in unmeats, (meffengers

With cunning haft thou filch'd my daughter's heart, Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,

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To.ftubborn harfhnefs: And, my gracious Duke,
Be't fo, the will not here before your Grace
Confent to marry with Demetrius;

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I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,
As the is mine, I may difpofe of her SARI
Which shall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death, according to our law wood gi
Immediately provided in that cafe. hiw endoin mod
The. What lay you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid.
To you your father fhould be as a God,
One, that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one,
300 30
To whom you are but as a form in wax
By him imprinted, and within his

power

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A

To leave the figure, or disfigure it out dewic
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
So inderten

Her

The. In himself he is;

But

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