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Ile be a candle-holder and looke on,

The game was nere so faire, and I am dun.

Mer. Tut, duns the mouse, the conftables owne word
If thou art dun, weele draw thee from the mire
Or faue you reuerence loue, wherein thou ftickest
Vp to the eares, come we burne day-light ho.
Rom Nay thats not fo.

Mer. I meane fir in delay

We waft our lights in vaine, lights lights by day :
Take our good meaning, for our iudgement fits
Fiue times in that, ere once in our fine wits.
Rom. And we meane well in going to this mafke,
But tis no wit to go.

Mer. Why may one aske?

Rom. I dreampt a dreame to night.

Mer. And fo did I.

Rem. Well what was yours?

Mer. That dreamers often lye.

Ro. In bed a fleepe while they doe dreame things true. Mer. O then I fee queene Mab hath beene with you : She is the fairies midwife, and fhee comes in fhape no bigger the an agat ftone, on the forefinger of an alderman, drawne with a teeme of little atomies, ouer mens nofes as they lie afleepe her waggon fpokes made of long fpinners legs: the couer of the wings of grafhoppers, her traces of the smallest Spider web, her collers of the moonshines watry beames, her whip of crickets bone, the lafh of philome, her waggoner, a fmall gray coated gnat, not halfe fo bigge as a round little worme, prickt from the lazie finger of a man. Her chariot is an emptie hafel nut, made by the ioyner fquirrel or old grub, time out a mind, the faries coachmakers and in this state she gallops night by night, throgh louers brains, and then they

:

*Nay omitted.

‡ Spiders. *G 2

t of

dream

dream of loue. On courtiers knees, that dreame on curfies
ftrait, ore lawyers fingers who ftrait dreame on fees, ore ladies
lips who straight on kiffes dreame, which oft the angry Mab
with blifters plagues, because their breath with sweete meats
tainted are.
Sometime the gallops ore a courtiers nofe, and
then dreame✶ he of smelling out a fute and fometime comes
fhee with a tithpigs tale, tickling a parfos nofe as a lies a
fleepe, the he dreams of another benefice. Somtime she driu-
eth ore a fouldiers neck, and then dreames he of cutting for-
raine throats, of breaches, ambufcados, Spanish blades of
healths fiue fadome deepe, and then anon drums in his eare, at
which he startes and wakes, and being thus frighted, fweares a
prayer or two and fleepes againe : this is that very Mab that
plats the manes of horfes in the night and bakes the elklocks
in foule fluttish haires, which once vntangled, much misfor-
tune bodes.

This is the hag, when maides lie on their backs,
That preffes them, and learnes them firft to beare,
Making them women of good carriage:
This is fhe.

Romeo. Peace, peace, Mercutio peace,
Thou talkft of nothing.

Merc. True, I talke of dreames :

Which are the children of an idle braine,

Begot of nothing but vaine phantafie :
Which is as thin of fubftance as the ayre,
And more inconftant then the wind, who wooes
Euen now the frozen bosome of the north.
And being angerd puffes away from thence,
Turning his fide to the dew dropping fouth.

:

Ben. This wind you talke of, blowes vs from ourfelues, Supper is done, and we fhall come too late.

Ro. I feare too early, for my mind mifgiues,

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Some confequence yet hanging in the starres,
Shall bitterly begin his fearefull date

With this nights reuels, and expire the terme
Of a defpifed life clofde in my breft:

By fome vile forfeit of vntimely death.

But he that hath the stirrage † of my course,
Direct my fute; on luftie gentlemen.

Ben. Strike drum.

They march about the ftage, and feruingmen come forth with

napkins.

Enter Romeo.

Ser. Wheres Pothan that he helpes not to take away? He shift a trencher, he fcrape a trencher ?

1. When good manners fhall lie all in one or two mens hands, and they vnwafht too, tis a foule thing.

Ser. Away with the ioynftooles, remoue the court cubbert, looke to the plate, good thou, faue mee a peece of marchpane, and as thou loues mee, let the porter let in Sufan Grindstone, and Nell, Anthonie and Potpan.

2. I boy readie.

Ser. You are lookt for, and cald for, afkt for, and fought for in the great

chamber.

3. We cannot be here and there too, chearely boyes, Be brifk a while, and the longer liuer take all.

Exeunt.

Enter all the guests and gentlewomen to the maskers.

1. Capu. Welcome gentlemen, ladies that haue their toes Vaplagued with cornes, will walke about with you : Ah my miftreffes, which of you all

Will now deny to dance, the that makes dainty,

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She Ile fweare hath cornes: am I come neare ye now?
Welcome gentlemen, I haue feene the day

That I haue worne a visor and could tell

A whispering tale in a faire ladies eare:

Such as would please: tis gone, tis gone, tis gone,
You are welcome gentlemen, come mufitians play:

Muficke plaies, and they dance.

A hall, a hall, giue roome, and foote it girles,
More light you knaues, and turne the tables vp:
And quench the fier, the roome is growne too hot.
Ah firrah, this vnlookt for sport comes well:
Nay fit, nay fit, good cozin Capulet,

For you and I are paft our dauncing daies:
How long ift now fince last your felfe and I
Were in a maske?

2. Capu. Berlady thirty yeares.

1 Capu. What man tis not fo much, tis not fo much, Tis fince the nuptiall of Lucientio,

Come Pentycoft as quickly as it will.

Some fiue and twenty yeares, and then we maskt.
2 Capu. Tis more, tis more, his fonne is elder fir:

His fonne is thirty.

1 Capu. Will you tell me that?

His fonne was but a ward two yeares agoe.

Ro. What ladie is that which doth in rich the hand

Of yonder knight?

Ser. I know not fir.

Ro. O fhe doth teach the torches to burne bright:

It feemes the hangs vpon the cheeke of night,

As a rich iewel in an Ethiops eare,

Beauty too rich for vfe, for earth too deare:
So fhewes a fnowie doue trooping with crowes,

As yonder lady ore her fellowes fhowes :

The

The measure done, Ile watch her place of ftand,
And touching hers, make bleffed my rude hand.
Did my heart loue till now, forfweare it fight,
For I nere faw true beauty till this night.

Tib. This by his voice, fhould be a Mountague.
Fetch me my rapier boy, what dares the flaue
Come hether couerd with an antique face,
To fleere and fcorne at our folemnitie?
Now by the stocke and honour of my kin,
To ftrike him dead I hold it not a fin.

Capu. Why how now kinfman wherefore ftorme
Tib. Vncle this is a Mountague our foe:
A villaine that is hither come in fpight,
To fcorne at our folemnitie this night.
Capu. Young Romeo is it.

Tib. Tis he, that villaine Romeo.

Capu. Content thee gentle coze, let him alone,
A beares him like a portly gentleman :
And to fay truth, Verona brags of him,
To be a vertuous and well gouernd youth,
I would not for the welth of all this towne,
Here in my houfe doe him difparagement :
Therefore be patient, take no note of him,
It is my will, the which if thou respect,
Shew a faire prefence, and put off these frownes,
An ill befeeming femblance for a feast.

Tib. It fits when fuch a villaine is a guest,

Ile not endure him.

Capu. He fhall be endured.

What good.an boy, I say he shall, go too,
Am I the maister here or you? go too,

Youle not endure him, God fhall mend my foule,
Youle make a mutinie among my guests:
You will fet cock a hoope, youle be the man.
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