And in conclufion, dumbly have broke off, I read as much, as from the ratling Tongue Ege. So please your Grace, the Prologue is addrest. [Flor. Trum. Confider then, we come but in defpight. We do not come as Our true intent is. We are not here. minding to content you, All for That you should here repent you, The Actors are at hand; and by their Show, Thef. This Fellow doth not ftand upon his Points. Lys. He hath rid his Prologue like a rough Colt; he knows not the ftop. A good Moral, my Lord. It is not enough to speak, but to speak true. Hip. Indeed he hath play'd on his Prologue, like a Child on the Recorder; a found, but not in government. Thef. His Speech was like a tangled Chain; nothing impair'd, but all diforder'd. Who is the next? Tawyer with a Trumpet before them. Enter Pyramus, and Thisby, Wall, Moon-shine, Pro. Gentles, perchance you wonder at this Show, This Man with Lime and Rough-caft, doth prefent This Man with Lanthorn, Dog, and Bush of Thorn, [Exeunt all but Wall. Thef. I wonder if the Lion be to speak. Dem. No wonder, my Lord; one Lion may, when many Affes do. Wall. In this fame Interlude it doth befal, That I, one Snowt by name, present a Wall: And fuch a Wall, as I would have you think, This Loam, this Rough-caft, and this Stone doth fhew, And this the Cranny is, right and sinister, Through which the fearful Lovers are to whisper. Thef. Would you defire Lime and Hair to speak better? Dem. It is the wittieft Partition that ever I heard difcourfe, my Lord. Thef. Pyramus draws near the Wall: Silence. Enter Pyramus. Pyr. O grim look'd Night! O Night with hue fo black! O Night, which ever art when Day is not! O Night, O Night, alack, alack, alack, I fear my Thisby's Promife is forgot. E 2 And And thou, O Wall, thou fweet and lovely Wall, O wicked Wall, through whom I fee no Bliss, Thef. The Wall, methinks, being fenfible, fhould Curfe again. Pyr. No in truth, Sir, he should not. Deceiving me, Pat. I told you; yonder fhe comes. This. O Wall, full often haft thou heard my Moans, My cherry Lips hath often kifs'd thy Stones; To fpy and I can fee my Thisby's Face. Thisby? Pyr. Think what thou wilt, I am thy Lovers Grace, This. And I like Helen, 'till the Fates me kill. Pyr. O kifs me through the hole of this vile Wall. [Exit. Thef. Now is the Moral down between the two Neighbours. Dem. No remedy, my Lord, when Walls are fo wilful, to hear without warning. Hip. This is the fillieft Stuff that e'er I heard. Thef. The beft in this kind are but Shadows, and the worst are no worse, if Imagination amend them. Hip. It must be your Imagination then, and not theirs. Thef. If we imagine no worfe of them than they of themfelves, they may pafs for Excellent Men. Here comes two noble Beafts, in a Man and a Lion. Enter Lion and Moon-fhine. Lion. You Ladies, you, whofe gentle Hearts do fear Into this place, 'twere pity of my Life. Thef. A very gentle Beaft, and of a good Confcience. Dem. Not fo, my Lord; for his Valour cannot carry his Discretion, and the Fox carries the Goose. Thef. His Difcretion I am fure cannot carry his Valour; for the Goose carries not the Fox. It is well: Leave it to his Difcretion, and let us hearken to the Moon. Moon. This Lanthorn doth the horned Moon prefent. Dem. He fhould have worn the Horns on his Head. Thef. He is no Crefcent, and his Horns are invifible, within the Circumference. Moon. This Lanthorn doth the horned Moon prefent: My felf the Man i'th' Moon doth seem to be. Thef. This is the greatest Error of all the reft: the Man fhould be put into the Lanthorn: How is it else the Man i'th' Moon? Dem. He dares not come there for the Candle; For you fee it is already in Snuff. Hip. I am weary of this Moon; would he would Change. Thef. It appears by his fmall Light of Difcretion, that he is in the Wane; but yet in courtefie, in all reason, we must ftay the time. Lyf. Proceed, Moon. Moon. All that I have to fay, is to tell you, that the E 3 Lanthorn Lanthorn is the Moon; I, the Man in the Moon; this Thorn Bufh, my Thorn Bufh; and this Dog, my Dog. Dem. Why, all these should be in the Lanthorn; for they are in the Moon. But filence; here comes Thisby. Enter Thisby. This. This is old Ninny's Tomb; where is my Love? Lion. Oh. Dem. Well roar'd Lion. Thef, Well run Thisby. Hip. Well fhone Moon. [The Lion roars, Thisby runs off, Truly the Moon shines with good grace. Dem. And then came Pyramus. Lyf. And fo the Lion vanish'd. Enter Pyramus,' Pyr. Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy funny Beams; But ftay: O fpight! but mark, poor Knight, Eyes do you fee! How can it be! O dainty Duck! O Deer! Thy Mantle good; what ftain'd with Blood! O Fates! Come, come: Cut Thred and Thrum, Thef. This Paffion, and the Death of a dear Friend, Hip. Befhrew my Heart, but I pity the Man. Pyr. O wherefore, Nature, didft thou Lions frame? Since Lion wild hath here Deflour'd my Dear;. Which is No, no which was the faireft Dame, That liv'd, that lov'd, that lik'd, that look'd with Cheer. Come Tears, confound: Out Sword, and wound The Pap of Pyramus, Ay, that left Pap, where Heart doth hop: Thus die I, thus, thus, thus, Now am I dead, now am I fled, my Soul is in the Sky, Tongue |