Starveling1 note.
Quin.
Is all our company here?
Bot.
You were best to call them generally, man by
man, according to the scrip.
Quin.
Here is the scroll of every man's name, which
is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude
before the duke and duchess on his wedding-day
at night.
Bot.
First, good Peter Quince, say what the play
treats on; then read the names of the actors, and so
grow to a point2 note.
Quin.
Marry, our play is—The most lamentable
comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.
Bot.
A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a
merry.—Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors
by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.
Quin.
Answer, as I call you.—Nick Bottom, the
weaver.
Bot.
Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.
Quin.
You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
Bot.
What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?
Quin.
A lover, that kills himself most gallant for
love3 note.
Bot.
That will ask some tears in the true performing
-- 401 --
of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I
will move storms;11Q0253 I will condole in some measure. To
the rest:—yet my chief humour is for a tyrant: I could
play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make
all split.
“The raging rocks,
“And shivering shocks,
“Shall break the locks
“Of prison-gates:
“And Phibbus' car
“Shall shine from far,
“And make and mar
“The foolish fates4 note.”
This was lofty!—Now name the rest of the players.—
This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is more
condoling.
Quin.
Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.
Flu.
Here, Peter Quince.
Quin.
You must take Thisby on you.
Flu.
What is Thisby? a wandering knight?
Quin.
It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
Flu.
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman: I have
a beard coming.
Quin.
That's all one. You shall play it in a mask,
and you may speak as small as you will.
Bot.
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too.
I'll speak in a monstrous little voice:—“Thisne, Thisne
—Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear! thy Thisby dear, and
lady dear!”
Quin.
No, no; you must play Pyramus, and, Flute,
you Thisby.
Bot.
Well, proceed.
Quin.
Robin Starveling, the tailor.
Star.
Here, Peter Quince.
-- 402 --
Quin.
Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother.
—Tom Snout, the tinker.
Snout.
Here, Peter Quince.
Quin.
You, Pyramus's father; myself, Thisby's father.
—Snug, the joiner, you, the lion's part;—and, I hope,
here is a play fitted5 note.
Snug.
Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if
it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
Quin.
You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but
roaring.
Bot.
Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I
will do any man's heart good to hear me: I will roar,
that I will make the duke say, “Let him roar again:
let him roar again.”
Quin.
An you should do it too terribly, you would
fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would
shriek; and that were enough to hang us all.
All.
That would hang us, every mother's son.
Bot.
I grant you, friends, if that you should fright
the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more
discretion but to hang us, but I will aggravate my voice
so, that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove: I
will roar you an 'twere any nightingale6 note.
Quin.
You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus
is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall
see in a summer's day, a most lovely, gentlemanlike
man; therefore, you must needs play Pyramus.
Bot.
Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I
best to play it in?
Quin.
Why, what you will.
Bot.
I will discharge it in either your straw-colour
beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain
beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your perfect
yellow.
Quin.
Some of your French crowns have no hair at
-- 403 --
all, and then you will play bare-faced.—But masters,
here are your parts; and I am to entreat you, request
you, and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night,
and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the
town, by moon-light: there will we rehearse; for if we
meet in the city, we shall be dog'd with company, and
our devices known. In the mean time I will draw a
bill of properties, such as our play wants. I pray you,
fail me not.
Bot.
We will meet; and there we may rehearse more
obscenely7 note, and courageously. Take pains; be perfect;
adieu. 11Q0254
Quin.
At the duke's oak we meet.
Bot.
Enough, hold, or cut bow-strings8 note.
[Exeunt.
J. Payne Collier [1842–1844], The works of William Shakespeare. The text formed from an entirely new collation of the old editions: with the various readings, notes, a life of the poet, and a history of the Early English stage. By J. Payne Collier, Esq. F.S.A. In eight volumes (Whittaker & Co. [etc.], London) [word count] [S10101].