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Flourish. Enter KING, and Train. Cran. [Kneeling.] And to your royal grace, and the good queen,

miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman, who cried out, clubs! when I might see from far some forty truncheoneers draw to her succour, which were the hope of the Strand, where she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broomstaff with me, I defied them still; when suddenly a file of boys behind them, loose shot, delivered such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw nine honour in, and let them win the work: The devil is amongst them, I think, surely.

Port. These are the youths that thunder at a play-house, and fight for bitten apples; that no audience, but the Tribulation of Tower-hill, or the limbs of Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able to endure. I have some of them in Limbo Patrum, and there they are like to dance these three days; besides the running banquet of two beadles, that is to come.

Enter the Lord CHAMBERLAIN. Cham. Mercy o'me, what a multitude are bere !

They grow still too, from all parts they coming,

are As if we kept a fair here! Where are these porters,

These lazy knaves ?-Ye have made a fine hand, fellows.

There's a trim rabble let in: Are all these Your faithful friends o'the suburbs? We shall bave

Great store of room, no doubt, left for the
ladies,

When they pass back from the christening.
Port. An't please your honour

We are but meu; and what so many may do,
Not being torn a pieces, we have done :
An army cannot rule them.

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Port. Make way there for the princess.
Man. You great fellow, stand close up, or
I'll make your head ache.

Port. You i'the camblet, get up o'the rail ;
I'll pick you o'er the pales else. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-The Palace. ¶

Enter Trumpets, sounding: then two Aldermen, Lord MAYOR, GARTER, CRANMER, Duke of NORFOLK, with his Marshal's Staff, Duke of SUFFOLK, two Noblemen bearing great standing-bowls for the christening gifts; then four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the Duchess of NORFOLK, godmother, bearing the child richly habited in a mantle, &c. Train borne by a Lady; then follows the Marchioness of DORSET, the other godmother, and Ludies. The Troop pass once about the stage, and GARTER speaks.

Gart. Heaven from thy endless goodness, send prosperous life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty princess of England,

Elizabeth! **

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My noble partners and myself thus pray :-
All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady,
Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy,
May hourly fall upon ye!

K. He. Thank you, good lord archbishop.
What is her name?

Cran. Elizabeth.

K. Hen. Stand up, lord.

[The KING kisses the child. With this kiss take my blessing: God protect

thee !

Into whose hands I give thy life.

Cran. Amen.

K. Hen. My noble gossips, ye have been too
prodigal :

I thank ye heartily; so shall this lady,
When she has so much English.
Cran. Let me speak, Sir,

For heaven now bids me; and the words I
utter

Let none think flattery, for they'll find them truth.

This royal infant, (heaven still move about
ber!)

Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness: She shal
be

(But few now living can behold that goodness,)
A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed: Sheba was never
More covetous of wisdom, and fair virtue,
Than this pure soul shall be: all princely

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Shall see this, and bless heaven.
K. Hen. Thou speakest wonders.]
Cran. She shall be, to the happiness of Erg-

These lines to the interruption by the king seem have been inserted at a subsequent period.

Scene IV.

KING HENRY VIII.

An aged princess; many days shall see her,⚫ And yet no day without a deed to crown it. 'Would I had known no more! but she must die,

She must, the saints must have her; yet a virgin,

A most unspotted lily shall she pass

To the ground, and all the world shall mourn ber.

K. Hen. O lord archbishop,

Thou hast made me now a man; never, before
This happy child, did I get any thing:
This oracle of coinfort has so pleas'd me,
That, when I am in heaven, I shall desire

To see what this child does, and praise my
Maker.-

I thank ye all,-To you, my good lord mayor, And your good brethren, I am much beholden; I have receiv'd much honour by your presence, And ye sball find me thankful,

lords ;

Lead the way, Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank

ye,

As this play was probably written in the time of Queen Elizabeth, it is easily determined where Cranmer's eulogium termiuated.

She will be sick else. This day, no man think He has business at his house; for all shall stay,

This little one shall make it holiday. [Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.•

'Tis ten to one, this play can never please All that are here: Some come to take their ease,

And sleep an act or two; but those, we fear, We have frighted with our trumpets; so, 'tis clear

They'll say, 'tis naught: others, to hear the city

Abus'd extremely, and to cry,-that's witty!
Which we have not done neither : that, I fear,
All the expected good we are like to hear
For this play at this time, is only in

The merciful construction of good women;
For such a one we show'd them: If they smile,
All the best men are our's; for 'tis ill hap,
And say, 'twill do, I know, within a while
If they bold, when their ladies bid them clap.

It is supposed that the epilogue and prologue to this play were both written by Ben Jonson.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

THE title of this play was probably suggested (like Twelfth Night, and The Winter's Tale,) by the time st which it was first performed; viz. at Midsummer thus it would be announced as " A Dream for the Entertainment of a Midsummer Night." No other ground can be assigned for the name which our auther has given to it; since the action is distinctly pointed out as occurring on the night preceding May-day. The piece was written in 1592; and, according to Stevens, might have been suggested by the Knight's Tale in Chaucer, or, as Capell supposes, Shakspeare may have taken the idea of his fairies from Drapton's fantastical poem, called Nymphidia, or, The Court of Fairy. Mason, however, denies that our poet made use of the materials which Shakspeare had rendered so popular; and asserts (in opposition to Johnson) that there is no analogy or resemblance between the fairies of the one, and the fairies of the other. The same critics are also at issue upon the general merits of this singular play. Johnson de clares that "all the parts, in their various modes, are well written." Malone, that the principal personages are insignificant---the fable meagre and uninteresting. Hippolyta, the Amazon, is undistinguished from any other female; and the solicitudes of Hermia and Demetrius, of Lysander and Helena, ure childish and frivolous. Theseus, the companion of Hercules, is not engaged in any adventure worthy his rank and reputation: "he goes out a Maying; meets the lovers in perplexity, and makes no effort to promote their happiness; but when supernatural events have reconciled them, he joins their company, and concludes the entertainment by uttering some miserable puns, at an interlude represented by clowns." These faults are, however, almost wholly redeemed, by the glowing fervour, and varied imagination, which Shakspeare has displayed in the poetry; by the rich characteristic humour (free from the taint of grossness) which enlivens the blunt-witted devices of his theatrical tailors and cobblers; and by the admirable satire which he has passed on those self-conceited actors, who (not unlike some modern "stars") would monopolize the favours of the public, trample upon every competitor, and "bear the palm alone." Bottom was perhaps the leading tragedian of some rival house, and on that account is honoured with sa ass's head.

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Turn melancholy forth to funerals,
The pale companion is not for our pomp.
[Exit PHILOSTRATE.
Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,
And won thy love, doing thee injuries;
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph,
ling.

and with revel

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 bath my consent to marry her :-
Stand forth, Lysander ;-and, my gracious

duke,

This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child:
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her
rhymes,

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 stol'n the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, † con-
ceits,

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats; messen

gers

Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's

heart;

Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To stubborn harshness :-And, my gracious
duke,

Be it 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 case.

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

To you your father should be as a god;
Cue that compos'd your beauties; yea,

one

To whom you are but as a form in wax,
By him imprinted, and within his power
To leave the figure, or disfigure it.

Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

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Her. So is Lysander.

The. In bimself he is :

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new moon,

(The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,
For everlasting bond of fellowship,)
Upon that day either prepare to die,
For disobedience to your father's will ;
Or else, to wed Demetrius, as he would:
Or on Diana's altar to protest,
For aye, austerity and single life.

Dem. Releut, sweet Hermia ;-And, Lysan-
der, yield

Thy crazed title to my certain right.

Lys. You have her father's love, Deme-
trius;

Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.

Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my

love;

And what is mine my love shall render him;
And she is mine; and all my right of her
I do estate unto Demetrius.

Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he,
As well possess'd; my love is more than bis ;
My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd,
If not with vantage, as Demetrius';
And, which is more than all these boasts can
be,

I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia:
Why should not I then prosecute my right?
Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head,
Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes,
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,

Upon this spotted and inconstant man.

The. I must confess, that I have heard so much,

And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof;

and But, being over-full of self-affairs,

Bat, in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
The other must be held the worthier.

Her. I would, my father look'd but with my

eyes.

The. Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.

Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
I know not by what power I am made bold;
Nor how it may concern my modesty,

In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts:
But I beseech your grace that I may know
The worst that may befall me in this case,
I refuse to wed Demetrius.

The. Either to die the death, or to abjure
For ever the society of men.

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
Whether, if you yield not to your father's
choice,

You can endure the livery of a nun;
For aye; to be in shady cloister mew'd,
To live a barren sister all your life,
Cbaunting faint bymns to the cold fruitless

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My mind did lose it.-But, Demetrius, come;
And come, Egeus; you shall go with ine,
I have some private schooling for you both.—
For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
To fit your fancies to your father's will;
Or else the law of Athens yield you up
(Which by no means we may extenuate,)
To death, or to a vow of single life.-
Come, my Hippolyta ; What cheer, my love ?—
Demetrius, and Egeus, go along :

I mast employ you in some business
Against our nuptial; and confer with you
Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.
Ege. With duty and desire we follow you.

[Exeunt THES. HIP. EGE. DEM. and
train.

Lys. How now, my love? Why is your cheek
so pale?

How chance the roses there do fade so fast?
Her. Belike for want of rain; which I could

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Lys. Or else misgraffed, in respect of years Her. O spite! too old to be engag'd to young!

Lys. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends:

Her. O hell! to choose love by another's eye 1

t Ever.

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Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it;
Making it momentary as a sound,

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied

night,

That in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and
earth,

And ere a man hath power to say,-Behold!
The jaws of darkness do devour it up:

So quick bright things come to confusion. Her. If then true lovers have been cross'd,

It stands as an edict in destiny:
Then let us teach our trial patience,
Because it is a customary cross;

As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, sighs,

ever

and

Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's + followers.
Lys. A good persuasion: therefore, hear me,
Hermia.

I have a widow aunt, a dowager

Of great revenue, and she hath no child :'
Athens is
house remote
From
leagues;

her

seven

And she respects me as her only son.
There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;
Aud to that place the sharp Athenian law
Cannot pursue us: If thou lov'st me then,
Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night;
And in the wood, a league without the town,
Where I did meet thee once with Helena,
To do observance to a morn of May,
There will I stay for thee.

Her. My good Lysander!

I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow;
By his best arrow with the golden head;
By the simplicity of Venus' doves;
By

that which knitteth souls, and prospers
loves;

And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage
queen,

When the false Trojan under sail was seen;
By all the vows that ever men have broke,
In number more than ever womau spoke ;-
In that same place thou bast appointed me,
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.
Lys. Keep promise, love: Look, here comes
Helena.

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Her. His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. Hel. None, but your beauty; Would that fault were mine!

Her. Take comfort; he no more shall see my
face;

Lysander and myself will fly this place.-
Before the time I did Lysander see,
Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me:

O then, what graces in my love do dwell,
That be bath turn'd a heaven into hell!

Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will un-
fold:

To-morrow night when Phoebe doth behold
Her silver visage in the wat'ry glass,

Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass,
(A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal,)
Through Athens' gates have we devis'd to steal.
Her. And in the wood, where often you

and I

Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie,
Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet:
There my Lysander and myself shall meet:
And thence, from Athens turn away our eyes,
To seek new friends and stranger companies.
Farewell, sweet playfellow; pray thou for us,
And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius!
Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our
sight

From lovers' food, till morrow deep midnight.
[Exit HERNIA.
Lys. I will, my Hermia -Helena, adieu:
As you on him, Demetrius dote on you!

[Exit LYSAN. ER. Hel. How happy some, o'er other some call

be !

Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So 1, admiring of his qualities.

Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the
mind;

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind:
Nor hath love's mind of any judgment taste;
Wings, and no eyes, figure unbeedy haste:
And therefore is love said to be a child,
Because in choice he is so oft beguil'd.
As waggish boys in game themselves fer-

swear,

So the boy love is perjur'd every where:
un-For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne, t
He hail'd down oaths, that he was only mine;
And when this hail some heat from Henia

Demetrius loves your fair : O happy fair!
Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's
sweet air

More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear,
When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds

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My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet
melody.

Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated,
The rest I'll give to be to you translated.
O teach me how you look; and with what art
You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.
Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me
still.

Hel. Oh! that your frowns would teach my
smiles such skill!

Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me

love.

Hel. Oh! that my prayers could such affection

move!

Her. The more I bate, the more he follows

me.

felt,

So he dissolv'd, and showers of oaths did melt.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:
Then to the wood will he, to-morrow night,
Pursue her; aud for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:
But herein mean I to enrich my pain.
To have his sight thither, and back again.

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SCENE 11.-The same.-A Room in a
Cottage.

Enter SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, QUINCE,
and STARVELING.

Quin. Is all our company here! Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.

Quin. Here is the scroll of every man's rame, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and duchess, on his wedding-day at night.

Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on; then read the names of the 20

Hel. The more I love, the more he hateth me.tors; and so grow to a point.

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