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In their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me feem fcorn to you, Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true? Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray! Thefe vows are Hermia's; Will you give her o'er ? Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales,

Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.
Lyf. I had no judgment, when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.
Lyf. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.
Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect,

divine!

To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show

Thy lips, thofe kiffing cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high 'Taurus' fnow,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow,
When thou hold'st up thy hand: O, let me kiss
This princess of pure white, this feal of bliss!
Hel. O fpight! O hell! I fee, you are all bent
To fet against me, for your merriment.

If

you were civil, and knew courtefy,

You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,

But

If

you muft 'join in foul to mock me too?

you were men, as men you are in show,

You would not use a gentle lady fo;

To vow, and fwear, and fuperpraise my parts,

When, I am fure, you hate me with your hearts.

nativity]-the very manner of their utterance.

4 Taurus]-A range of mountains in Afia.

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join in foul]-clofely and earnestly conspire-in fouls; ill fouls; in

fouls, scoffs.

You

You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
And now both rivals to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,

To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes,
With your derifion! none, of nobler fort,
Would fo offend a virgin; and ' extort
A poor foul's patience, all to make you fport.

Lyf. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not fo;
For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know:
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

Hel. Never did mockers wafte more idle breath.
Dem. Lyfander, keep thy Hermia; I will none;
If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.
My heart with her but, as gueft-wife, fojourn'd;
And now to Helen it is home return'd,
There to remain.

Lyf. Helen, it is not fo.

Dem. Difparage not the faith thou dost not know, Left, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.

Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.

Enter Hermia.

Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes;

Wherein it doth impair the feeing sense,

It pays the hearing double recompence :-
Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found;
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy found.
But why unkindly did'ft thou leave me fo?

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Lyf. Why fhould he ftay, whom love doth prefs to go? Her. What love could prefs Lyfander from my fide? Lyf. Lyfander's love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night

Than all yon fiery "o's and eyes of light.

W

Why feek'st thou me? could not " this make thee know,

The hate I bare thee made me leave thee fo?

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Her. You speak not as you think it cannot be.
Hel. Lo, fhe is one of this confederacy!
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three,
To fashion this falfe fport in fpight of me.
Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!
Have you confpired, have you with these contriv'd
To bait me with this foul derifion?

Is all the counfel that we two have fhar'd,

The fifters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hafty-footed time
For parting us,-O, and is all forgot?

All school-day friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our neelds created both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, feeming parted;
But yet a union in partition,

Two lovely berries molded on one stem:

So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart; *Two of the firft, like coats in heraldry,

"o's]-orbs.

x to me.

w this]-Helena's beauty.

Y artificial]-fkilful.

z needles.

Two of the firft,]-two coats of the first houfe, or principal quarterings of a coat, borne in two distinct shields, united at top, and crowned with one crest.

Due

Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly :

Our fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do fell the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your paffionate words:
I fcorn you not; it seems that you fcorn me.
Hel. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in scorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
(Who even but now did spurn me with his foot)
To call me goddefs, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celeftial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lyfander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfooth, affection;
But by your setting on, by your confent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, fo fortunate;
But miferable moft, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise.

Her. I understand not what you mean by this.
Hel. Ay, do, perfever, counterfeit fad looks,
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;
Wink at each other; hold the fweet jeft up:
This fport, well carry'd, fhall be chronicled.
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me fuch an argument.
But, fare ye well: 'tis partly mine own fault;
Which death, or absence, foon fhall remedy.
Lyf. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse

b an argument.]-subject of your mirth.
fault]-for loving Demetrius.

с

My

My love, my life, my foul, fair Helena !

Hel. O excellent!

Her. Sweet, do not fcorn her fo.

Dem. If fhe cannot entreat, I can compel.

Lyf. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat;
Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak
Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do;

I swear by that which I will lofe for thee,
To prove him falfe, that fays I love thee not.

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prayers.

Dem. I fay, I love thee more than he can do.
Lys. If thou fay fo, withdraw, and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come,—

Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?

Lyf. Away, you Ethiop!

Dem. No, no, he'll not come.

d

[To Her.

Seem to break loofe; take on, as you would follow;

But yet come not: You are a tame man, go!

Ly. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing, let loose; Or I will shake thee from me, like a ferpent.

Her. Why are you grown fo rude? what change is this, Sweet love?

Ly. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out! Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence! Her. Do you not jeft ?

Hel. Yes, 'footh; and so do you.

Ly. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Dem. I would, I had your bond: for, I perceive, A weak bond holds you; I'll not truft your word. Ly. What, fhould I hurt her, ftrike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her fo.

Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my

take on,]-affect, make flight effort.

love?

Am

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