Sour-eyed disdain, and discord, shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
That you shall hate it both: therefore, take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

Fer.

As I hope

For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,

With such love as 'tis now; the murkiest den,

The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion1 Our worser Genius can, shall never melt

Mine honor into lust; to take away

The edge of that day's celebration,

When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd, Or night kept chain'd below.

Pro.

Fairly spoke :

Sit then, and talk with her: she is thine own.
What, Ariel; my industrious servant Ariel!

Enter ARIEL.

Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last

service

Did worthily perform; and I must use you

In such another trick: go, bring the rabble,
O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place:
Incite them to quick motion; for I must

Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.

Ari.

Presently?

! Temptation.

The crew of meaner spirits.

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

Ari. Before you can say, Come and go, And breathe twice, and cry, So, so;

Each one, tripping on his toe,1

Will be here with mop and mowe.

Do you love me, master? no.

Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach, Till thou dost hear me call.

Ari.

Well I conceive.

[Exit.

Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw To the fire i' the blood: be more abstemious, Or else, good night, your vow!

Fer.

I warrant you, sir;

The white-cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardor of my liver.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary,3

Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly.-
No tongue; all eyes; be silent.

A masque. Enter IRIS.

[soft music.

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;

So in Milton's L'Allegro, v. 33.

Come, and trip it, as you go,
On the light fantastic toe.

"Making mouths or wry faces.
3 More than are sufficient.

4 Coarse hay.

Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,1
Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,

2

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,

4

Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
3
And thy sea-marge, steril, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch, and messenger, am I,
Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,

To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES.

5

Cer. Hail, many-color'd messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;

Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky 6 acres, and my
unshrubb'd down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate;

It is conjectured that by 'pioned and twilled brims' Shakspeare meant banks fringed with pionies and thicklymatted grass, resembling the stuff called twilled cloth, in which the cords appear closely twisted together. 3 Forsaken of his mistress.

2 Command.

The pole embraced by the vines.

5 Woody.

5 With vigor.