Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rent our ancient love afunder,
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 passionate words :
I fcorn you not; it seems that you scorn me.
Hel. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in fcorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
(Who even but now did fpurn me with his foot)
To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfootn, 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, persever, 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.
Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excufe

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.

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

I fwear by that which I will lofe for thee,

To prove him falfe, that fays I love thee not.
Dem. I fay, I love thee more than he can do.
Lyf. 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!

Lyf. 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 jest?

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

Lyf. 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 trust your word. Lyf. 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 love?

take on,]-affect, make flight effort.

Am

Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lyfander?

I am as fair now, as I was erewhile.

Since night, you lov'd me; yet, fince night, you left me: Why, then you left me,-O the gods forbid !

In earnest, shall I say?

Lys. Ay, by my life;

And never did defire to see thee more.

Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt,
Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,
That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

с

Her. O me! you jugler! oh, you canker-blossom! You thief of love! what, have you come by night, And ftol'n my love's heart from him?

Hel. Fine, i'faith!

Have you no modefty, no maiden shame,

f

the

No touch of bafhfulness? What, will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!
Her. Puppet! why fo! Ay, that way goes
Now I perceive that she hath made compare
Between our statures, fhe hath urg'd her height;
And with her perfonage, her tall perfonage,

game.

Her height, forfooth, fhe hath prevail'd with him.—
And are you grown fo high in his esteem,

Because I am fo dwarfish, and fo low?
How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;

How low am I? I am not yet so low,

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,

canker-bloom!]-a worm that preys on the buds of flowers.
touch]-fenfe; spice, remain.

"Haft thou - a touch, a feeling

"Of their afflictions."

TEMPEST, A& V, S. 1. Pro.

Let

g

Let her not hurt me: I was never curft;

I have no gift at all in fhrewishness;

I am a right maid for my cowardice;

Let her not strike me: You, perhaps, may think,
Because she's fomething lower than myself,
That I can match her.

Her. Lower! hark, again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be fo bitter with me.
I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your counfels, never wrong'd you;
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your stealth unto this wood:
He follow'd you; for love, I follow'd him.
But he hath chid me hence; and threaten'd me
To strike me, spurn me, nay to kill me too:
And now, fo you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I bear my folly back,
And follow you no further: Let me go:
You fee how fimple and how fond I am.
Her. Why, get you gone: Who is't that hinders
Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.

Ꮒ

Her. What, with Lysander?

Hel. With Demetrius.

Lyf. Be not afraid; fhe fhall not harm thee, Helena.
Dem. No, fir; fhe fhall not, though you take her part.
Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd:

She was a vixen, when she went to school;
And, though fhe be but little, fhe is fierce.
Her. Little again? nothing but low and little ?
Why will you fuffer her to flout me thus?

Let me come to her.

Lys. Get you gone, you dwarf;

curft ;]-quarrelsome.

VOL. II.

fond]-weak.

E

You

You'minimus, of hind'ring knot-grafs made;
You bead, you acorn.

Dem. You are too officious,

In her behalf that fcorns your fervices.
Let her alone; fpeak not of Helena;

Take not her part: for if thou doft * intend
Never fo little fhew of love to her,

Thou shalt 'aby it.

Lys. Now fhe holds me not;

Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,

Or thine or mine, is most in Helena.

Dem. Follow ? nay, I'll go with thee," cheek by jowl.

[Exit Lyfander and Demetrius.

Her. You, mistress, all this "coyl is 'long of you:

Nay, go not back.

Hel. I will not trust you, I;

Nor longer stay in your curft company.

Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray;

. My legs are longer though, to run away.

[Exeunt: Hermia pursuing Helena. Ob. This is thy negligence: ftill thou mistak'st, Or else commit'it thy knaveries willingly.

P

Puck. Believe me, king of fhadows, I mistook.
Did not you tell me, I fhould know the man
By the Athenian garments he had on?
And fo far blameless proves my enterprize,
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes:
And fo far am I glad it did fofort,
As this their jangling I esteem a fport.

1 You minim, you-you diminutive, you reptile.
k intend]-make tender of.

cheek by jowl.]-fide by fide.

aby it.]-pay dearly for it.

a coyl is 'long of you:]-disturbance is occafioned by you.
• in your curft company.]-in company with such a vixen.
• awilfully.
a fort,]-fall out.

Ob.