And farewell, friends.-
Thus Thisby ends:
Adieu, adieu, adieu."

THESEUS. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

DEMETRIUS. Ay, and Wall too.

BOTTOM. No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the Epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?

THESEUS. No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse, for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had play'd Pyramus, and hung himself in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine tragedy; and so it is, truly, and very notably discharg'd. But come, your Bergomask: let your epilogue alone.

[A dance by two of the Clowns.
The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve.
Lovers, to bed: 't is almost fairy-time.
I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn,
As much as we this night have overwatch'd.
This palpable gross play hath well beguil'd
The heavy gait of night.-Sweet friends, to bed. —

A fortnight hold we this solemnity,

In nightly revels and new jollity.

SCENE II.

Enter PUCK.

[Dies.

PUCK.

Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon ;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

All with weary task fordone,
Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch, that lies in woe,

In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night,

That the graves, all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,

In the church-way paths to glide :

[Exeunt.

And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house :

I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with all their Train.

OBERON.

Though the 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.

TITANIA.

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

OBERON.

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,

[Here a Song and Dance