Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with their Train.
Obe. Through this house give glimmering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire:
Every elf and fairy sprite

Hop as light as bird from brier,
And this ditty, after me,
Sing and dance it trippingly.

Tita. First, rehearse your song by rote,
To each word a warbling note,
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing, and bless this place.

Obe.

SONG AND DANCE.

Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be;

And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,

Shall upon their children be.-
With this field-dew consecrate,

Every fairy take his gate;

And each several chamber bless,

Through this palace, with sweet peace:

E'er shall it in safety rest,

And the owner of it blest.

Trip away:

Make no stay:

Meet me all by break of day.

[Exeunt OBE., TITA., and Train.

Puck. If we shadows have offended,

Think but this-and all is mended-
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend;
If you pardon, we will mend.

And, as I'm an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call:

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Exit.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO, a Fantastical Spaniard.

SIR NATHANIEL, a Curate.

HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster.
DULL, a Constable.

COSTARD, a Clown.

MOTH, Page to ARMADO.

Officers and Others, Attendants on the KING and PRINCESS.

SCENE,-NAVARRE.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-NAVARRE. A Park, with a Palace in it.

Enter the KING, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN
King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live register'd upon our brazen tombs,

And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring time,

The endeavour of this present breath may buy

That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge,
And make us heirs of all eternity.

Therefore, brave conquerors,--for so you are,
That war against your own affections,

And the huge army of the world's desires,-
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little Academe,
Still and contemplative in living_art.
You three, Birón, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me
My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes

That are recorded in this schedule here:

Your oaths are pass'd; and now subscribe your names,
That his own hand may strike his honour down
That violates the smallest branch herein:

If you are arm'd to do as sworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too.
Long. I am resolv'd; 'tis but a three years' fast :
The mind shall banquet though the body pine:
Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits.
Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified:
The grosser manner of these world's delights
He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves: