The Bodleian First Folio

Reference: N2r - Comedies, p. 147

Left Column

A Midsommer nights Dreame. O then, what graces in my Loue do dwell, That he hath turn'd a heauen into hell. Lys. Helen, to you our mindes we will vnfold, To morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold

[215]

Her siluer visage, in the watry glasse, Decking with liquid pearle, the bladed grasse (A time that Louers flights doth still conceale) Through Athens gates, haue we deuis'd to steale. Her. And in the wood, where often you and I,

[220]

Vpon faint Primrose beds, were wont to lye, Emptying our bosomes, of their counsell sweld: There my Lysander, and my selfe shall meete, And thence from Athens turne away our eyes To seeke new friends and strange companions,

[225]

Farwell sweet play‑fellow, pray thou for vs, And good lucke grant thee thy Demetrius. Keepe word Lysander we must starue our sight, From louers foode, till morrow deepe midnight. Exit Hermia. Lys. I will my Hermia. Helena adieu,

[230]

As you on him, Demetrius dotes on you. Exit Lysander. Hele. How happy some, ore othersome can be? Through Athens I am thought as faire as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinkes not so: He will not know, what all, but he doth know,

[235]

And as hee erres, doting on Hermias eyes; So I, admiring of his qualities: Things base and vilde, holding no quantity, Loue can transpose to forme and dignity, Loue lookes not with the eyes, but with the minde,

[240]

And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blinde. Nor hath loues minde of any iudgement taste: Wings and no eyes, figure, vnheedy haste. And therefore is Loue said to be a childe, Because in choise he is often beguil'd,

[245]

As waggish boyes in game themselues forsweare; So the boy Loue is periur'd euery where. For ere Demetrius lookt on Hermias eyne, He hail'd downe oathes that he was onely mine. And when this Haile some heat from Hermia felt,

[250]

So he dissolu'd, and showres of oathes did melt, I will goe tell him of faire Hermias flight: Then to the wood will he, to morrow night Pursue her; and for his intelligence, If I haue thankes, it is a deere expence:

[255]

But heerein meane I to enrich my paine, To haue his sight thither, and backe againe. Exit.

[Act 1, Scene 2] Enter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Ioyner, Bottome the Weauer, Flute the bellowes‑mender, Snout the Tinker, and Starueling the Taylor. Quin.

Is all our company heere?

Bot.

You were best to call them generally, man by

man, according to the scrip.

Qui.

[260]

Here is the scrowle of euery mans name, which

is thought fit through all Athens, to play in our Enter

lude before the Duke and the Dutches, on his wedding

day at night.

Bot.

First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats

[265]

on: then read the names of the Actors: and so grow on

to a point.

Quin.

Marry our play is the most lamentable Come

dy, and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisbie.

Bot.

A very good peece of worke I assure you, and a

Image

[full image]

Right Column

[270]

merry. Now good Peter Quince, call forth your Actors

by the scrowle. Masters spread your selues.

Quince.

Answere as I call you. Nick Bottome the

Weauer.

Bottome.

Ready; name what part I am for, and

[275]

proceed.

Quince.

You Nicke Bottome are set downe for Py ramus .

Bot.

What is Pyramus, a louer, or a tyrant?

Quin.

A Louer that kills himselfe most gallantly for

[280]

loue.

Bot.

That will aske some teares in the true perfor

ming of it: if I do it, let the audience looke to their eies:

I will mooue stormes; I will condole in some measure.

To the rest yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could

[285]

play Ercles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all

split the raging Rocks; and shiuering shocks shall break

the locks of prison gates, and Phibbus carre shall shine

from farre, and make and marre the foolish Fates. This

was lofty. Now name the rest of the Players. This

[290]

is Ercles vaine, a tyrants vaine: a louer is more condo

ling.

Quin.

Francis Flute the Bellowes‑mender.

Flu.

Heere Peter Quince.

Quin.

You must take Thisbie on you.

Flut.

[295]

What is Thisbie, a wandring Knight?

Quin.

It is the Lady that Pyramus must loue.

Flut.

Nay faith, let not mee play a woman, I haue a

beard comming.

Qui.

That's all one, you shall play it in a Maske, and

[300]

you may speake as small as you will.

Bot.

And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbie too:

Ile speake in a monstrous little voyce; Thisne, Thisne, ah

Pyramus my louer deare, thy Thisbie deare, and Lady

deare.

Quin.

[305]

No no, you must play Pyramus, and Flute, you

Thisby.

Bot.

Well, proceed.

Qu.

Robin Starueling the Taylor.

Star.

Heere Peter Quince.

Quince.

[310]

Robin Starueling, you must play Thisbies

mother?

Tom Snowt, the Tinker.

Snowt.

Heere Peter Quince.

Quin.

You, Pyramus father; my self, Thisbies father;

[315]

Snugge the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: and I hope there

is a play fitted.

Snug.

Haue you the Lions part written? pray you if

be, giue it me, for I am slow of studie.

Quin.

You may doe it extemporie, for it is nothing

[320]

but roaring.

Bot.

Let mee play the Lyon too, I will roare that I

will doe any mans heart good to heare me. I will roare,

that I will make the Duke say, Let him roare againe, let

him roare againe.

Quin.

[325]

If you should doe it too terribly, you would

fright the Dutchesse and the Ladies, that they would

shrike, and that were enough to hang vs all.

All.

That would hang vs euery mothers sonne.

Bottome.

I graunt you friends, if that you should

[330]

fright the Ladies out of their Wittes, they would

haue no more discretion but to hang vs: but I will ag

grauate my voyce so, that I will roare you as gently as

any sucking Doue; I will roare and 'twere any Nightin

gale.

Quin.

[335]

You can play no part but Piramus, for Pira N2 mus

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[Act 1, Scene 2] Enter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Ioyner, Bottome the Weauer, Flute the bellowes‑mender, Snout the Tinker, and Starueling the Taylor. Quin.

Is all our company heere?

Bot.

You were best to call them generally, man by

man, according to the scrip.

Qui.

[260]

Here is the scrowle of euery mans name, which

is thought fit through all Athens, to play in our Enter

lude before the Duke and the Dutches, on his wedding

day at night.

Bot.

First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats

[265]

on: then read the names of the Actors: and so grow on

to a point.

Quin.

Marry our play is the most lamentable Come

dy, and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisbie.

Bot.

A very good peece of worke I assure you, and a

[270]

merry. Now good Peter Quince, call forth your Actors

by the scrowle. Masters spread your selues.

Quince.

Answere as I call you. Nick Bottome the

Weauer.

Bottome.

Ready; name what part I am for, and

[275]

proceed.

Quince.

You Nicke Bottome are set downe for Py ramus .

Bot.

What is Pyramus, a louer, or a tyrant?

Quin.

A Louer that kills himselfe most gallantly for

[280]

loue.

Bot.

That will aske some teares in the true perfor

ming of it: if I do it, let the audience looke to their eies:

I will mooue stormes; I will condole in some measure.

To the rest yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could

[285]

play Ercles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all

split the raging Rocks; and shiuering shocks shall break

the locks of prison gates, and Phibbus carre shall shine

from farre, and make and marre the foolish Fates. This

was lofty. Now name the rest of the Players. This

[290]

is Ercles vaine, a tyrants vaine: a louer is more condo

ling.

Quin.

Francis Flute the Bellowes‑mender.

Flu.

Heere Peter Quince.

Quin.

You must take Thisbie on you.

Flut.

[295]

What is Thisbie, a wandring Knight?

Quin.

It is the Lady that Pyramus must loue.

Flut.

Nay faith, let not mee play a woman, I haue a

beard comming.

Qui.

That's all one, you shall play it in a Maske, and

[300]

you may speake as small as you will.

Bot.

And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbie too:

Ile speake in a monstrous little voyce; Thisne, Thisne, ah

Pyramus my louer deare, thy Thisbie deare, and Lady

deare.

Quin.

[305]

No no, you must play Pyramus, and Flute, you

Thisby.

Bot.

Well, proceed.

Qu.

Robin Starueling the Taylor.

Star.

Heere Peter Quince.

Quince.

[310]

Robin Starueling, you must play Thisbies

mother?

Tom Snowt, the Tinker.

Snowt.

Heere Peter Quince.

Quin.

You, Pyramus father; my self, Thisbies father;

[315]

Snugge the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: and I hope there

is a play fitted.

Snug.

Haue you the Lions part written? pray you if

be, giue it me, for I am slow of studie.

Quin.

You may doe it extemporie, for it is nothing

[320]

but roaring.

Bot.

Let mee play the Lyon too, I will roare that I

will doe any mans heart good to heare me. I will roare,

that I will make the Duke say, Let him roare againe, let

him roare againe.

Quin.

[325]

If you should doe it too terribly, you would

fright the Dutchesse and the Ladies, that they would

shrike, and that were enough to hang vs all.

All.

That would hang vs euery mothers sonne.

Bottome.

I graunt you friends, if that you should

[330]

fright the Ladies out of their Wittes, they would

haue no more discretion but to hang vs: but I will ag

grauate my voyce so, that I will roare you as gently as

any sucking Doue; I will roare and 'twere any Nightin

gale.

Quin.

[335]

You can play no part but Piramus, for Pira

mus is a sweet‑fac'd man, a proper man as one shall see in

a summers day; a most louely Gentleman‑like man, ther

fore you must needs play Piramus.

Bot.

Well, I will vndertake it. What beard were I

[340]

best to play it in?

Quin.

Why, what you will.

Bot.

I will discharge it, in either your straw‑colour

beard, your orange tawnie beard, your purple in graine

beard, or your French‑crowne colour'd beard, your per

[345]

fect yellow.

Quin.

Some of your French Crownes haue no haire

at all, and then you will play bare‑fac'd. But masters here

are your parts, and I am to intreat you, request you, and

desire you, to con them by too morrow night: and meet

[350]

me in the palace wood, a mile without the Towne, by

Moone‑light, there we will rehearse: for if we meete in

the Citie, we shalbe dog'd with company, and our deui

ses knowne. In the meane time, I wil draw a bil of pro

perties, such as our play wants. I pray you faile me not.

Bottom.

[355]

We will meete, and there we may rehearse

more obscenely and couragiously. Take paines, be per

fect, adieu.

Quin.

At the Dukes oake we meete.

Bot.

Enough, hold or cut bow‑strings.

Exeunt.

Download the digital text of the play

                                
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<div type="scene" n="2">
   <head type="supplied">[Act 1, Scene 2]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Ioyner, Bottome the
      <lb/>Weauer, Flute the bellowes‑mender, Snout the Tinker, and
      <lb/>Starueling the Taylor.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="257">Is all our company heere?</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="258">You were best to call them generally, man by
      <lb n="259"/>man, according to the scrip.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Qui.</speaker>
      <p n="260">Here is the scrowle of euery mans name, which
      <lb n="261"/>is thought fit through all<hi rend="italic">Athens</hi>, to play in our Enter
      <lb n="262"/>lude before the Duke and the Dutches, on his wedding
      <lb n="263"/>day at night.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="264">First, good<hi rend="italic">Peter Quince</hi>, say what the play treats
      <lb n="265"/>on: then read the names of the Actors: and so grow on
      <lb n="266"/>to a point.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="267">Marry our play is the most lamentable Come
      <lb n="268"/>dy, and most cruell death of<hi rend="italic">Pyramus</hi>and<hi rend="italic">Thisbie</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="269">A very good peece of worke I assure you, and a<cb n="2"/>
         
      <lb n="270"/>merry. Now good<hi rend="italic">Peter Quince</hi>, call forth your Actors
      <lb n="271"/>by the scrowle. Masters spread your selues.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quince.</speaker>
      <p n="272">Answere as I call you.<hi rend="italic">Nick Bottome</hi>the
      <lb n="273"/>Weauer.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bottome.</speaker>
      <p n="274">Ready; name what part I am for, and
      <lb n="275"/>proceed.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quince.</speaker>
      <p n="276">You<hi rend="italic">Nicke Bottome</hi>are set downe for<hi rend="italic">Py
      <lb n="277"/>ramus</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="278">What is<hi rend="italic">Pyramus</hi>, a louer, or a tyrant?</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="279">A Louer that kills himselfe most gallantly for
      <lb n="280"/>loue.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="281">That will aske some teares in the true perfor
      <lb n="282"/>ming of it: if I do it, let the audience looke to their eies:
      <lb n="283"/>I will mooue stormes; I will condole in some measure.
      <lb n="284"/>To the rest yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could
      <lb n="285"/>play<hi rend="italic">Ercles</hi>rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all
      <lb n="286"/>split the raging Rocks; and shiuering shocks shall break
      <lb n="287"/>the locks of prison gates, and<hi rend="italic">Phibbus</hi>carre shall shine
      <lb n="288"/>from farre, and make and marre the foolish Fates. This
      <lb n="289"/>was lofty. Now name the rest of the Players. This
      <lb n="290"/>is<hi rend="italic">Ercles</hi>vaine, a tyrants vaine: a louer is more condo
      <lb n="291"/>ling.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="292">
         <hi rend="italic">Francis Flute</hi>the Bellowes‑mender.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-flu">
      <speaker rend="italic">Flu.</speaker>
      <p n="293">Heere<hi rend="italic">Peter Quince</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="294">You must take<hi rend="italic">Thisbie</hi>on you.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-flu">
      <speaker rend="italic">Flut.</speaker>
      <p n="295">What is<hi rend="italic">Thisbie</hi>, a wandring Knight?</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="296">It is the Lady that<hi rend="italic">Pyramus</hi>must loue.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-flu">
      <speaker rend="italic">Flut.</speaker>
      <p n="297">Nay faith, let not mee play a woman, I haue a
      <lb n="298"/>beard comming.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Qui.</speaker>
      <p n="299">That's all one, you shall play it in a Maske, and
      <lb n="300"/>you may speake as small as you will.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="301">And I may hide my face, let me play<hi rend="italic">Thisbie</hi>too:
      <lb n="302"/>Ile speake in a monstrous little voyce;<hi rend="italic">Thisne, Thisne</hi>, ah
      <lb n="303"/>
         <hi rend="italic">Pyramus</hi>my louer deare, thy<hi rend="italic">Thisbie</hi>deare, and Lady
      <lb n="304"/>deare.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="305">No no, you must play<hi rend="italic">Pyramus</hi>, and<hi rend="italic">Flute</hi>, you
      <lb n="306"/>
         <hi rend="italic">Thisby</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="307">Well, proceed.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Qu.</speaker>
      <p n="308">
         <hi rend="italic">Robin Starueling</hi>the Taylor.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-sta">
      <speaker rend="italic">Star.</speaker>
      <p n="309">Heere<hi rend="italic">Peter Quince</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quince.</speaker>
      <p n="310">
         <hi rend="italic">Robin Starueling</hi>, you must play<hi rend="italic">Thisbies</hi>
         
      <lb n="311"/>mother?
      <lb n="312"/>
         <hi rend="italic">Tom Snowt</hi>, the Tinker.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-sno">
      <speaker rend="italic">Snowt.</speaker>
      <p n="313">Heere<hi rend="italic">Peter Quince</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="314">You,<hi rend="italic">Pyramus</hi>father; my self,<hi rend="italic">Thisbies</hi>father;
      <lb n="315"/>
         <hi rend="italic">Snugge</hi>the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: and I hope there
      <lb n="316"/>is a play fitted.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-snu">
      <speaker rend="italic">Snug.</speaker>
      <p n="317">Haue you the Lions part written? pray you if
      <lb n="318"/>be, giue it me, for I am slow of studie.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="319">You may doe it<hi rend="italic">extemporie</hi>, for it is nothing
      <lb n="320"/>but roaring.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="321">Let mee play the Lyon too, I will roare that I
      <lb n="322"/>will doe any mans heart good to heare me. I will roare,
      <lb n="323"/>that I will make the Duke say, Let him roare againe, let
      <lb n="324"/>him roare againe.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="325">If you should doe it too terribly, you would
      <lb n="326"/>fright the Dutchesse and the Ladies, that they would
      <lb n="327"/>shrike, and that were enough to hang vs all.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-all">
      <speaker rend="italic">All.</speaker>
      <p n="328">That would hang vs euery mothers sonne.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bottome.</speaker>
      <p n="329">I graunt you friends, if that you should
      <lb n="330"/>fright the Ladies out of their Wittes, they would
      <lb n="331"/>haue no more discretion but to hang vs: but I will ag
      <lb n="332"/>grauate my voyce so, that I will roare you as gently as
      <lb n="333"/>any sucking Doue; I will roare and 'twere any Nightin
      <lb n="334"/>gale.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="335">You can play no part but<hi rend="italic">Piramus</hi>, for<hi rend="italic">Pira</hi>
         <pb facs="FFimg:axc0168-0.jpg" n="148"/>
         <cb n="1"/>
         
      <lb n="336"/>
         <hi rend="italic">mus</hi>is a sweet‑fac'd man, a proper man as one shall see in
      <lb n="337"/>a summers day; a most louely Gentleman‑like man, ther
      <lb n="338"/>fore you must needs play<hi rend="italic">Piramus</hi>.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="339">Well, I will vndertake it. What beard were I
      <lb n="340"/>best to play it in?</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="341">Why, what you will.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="342">I will discharge it, in either your straw‑colour
      <lb n="343"/>beard, your orange tawnie beard, your purple in graine
      <lb n="344"/>beard, or your French‑crowne colour'd beard, your per
      <lb n="345"/>fect yellow.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="346">Some of your French Crownes haue no haire
      <lb n="347"/>at all, and then you will play bare‑fac'd. But masters here
      <lb n="348"/>are your parts, and I am to intreat you, request you, and
      <lb n="349"/>desire you, to con them by too morrow night: and meet
      <lb n="350"/>me in the palace wood, a mile without the Towne, by
      <lb n="351"/>Moone‑light, there we will rehearse: for if we meete in
      <lb n="352"/>the Citie, we shalbe dog'd with company, and our deui
      <lb n="353"/>ses knowne. In the meane time, I wil draw a bil of pro
      <lb n="354"/>perties, such as our play wants. I pray you faile me not.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bottom.</speaker>
      <p n="355">We will meete, and there we may rehearse
      <lb n="356"/>more obscenely and couragiously. Take paines, be per
      <lb n="357"/>fect, adieu.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-qui">
      <speaker rend="italic">Quin.</speaker>
      <p n="358">At the Dukes oake we meete.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mnd-bot">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bot.</speaker>
      <p n="359">Enough, hold or cut bow‑strings.</p>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
</div>

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The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.

Text and Image

Reference: N2r - Comedies, p. 147