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to Eternity it lives.

       If we let fall the Noblenesse of this,

       And the first sound this child heare, be a hisse,

       How will it shake the bones of that good man,

       And make him cry from under ground, ‘O fan

       From me the witles chaffe of such a wrighter

       That blastes my Bayes, and my fam’d workes makes lighter

       Then Robin Hood!’ This is the feare we bring;

       For to say Truth, it were an endlesse thing,

       And too ambitious, to aspire to him,

       Weake as we are, and almost breathlesse swim

       In this deepe water. Do but you hold out

       Your helping hands, and we shall take about,

       And something doe to save us: You shall heare

       Sceanes, though below his Art, may yet appeare

       Worth two houres travell. To his bones sweet sleepe:

       Content to you. If this play doe not keepe

       A little dull time from us, we perceave

       Our losses fall so thicke, we must needs leave. [Florish.]

       Actus Primus.

      [Scaena 1.] (Athens. Before a temple.)

       [Enter Hymen with a Torch burning: a Boy, in a white Robe before

       singing, and strewing Flowres: After Hymen, a Nimph, encompast

       in

       her Tresses, bearing a wheaten Garland. Then Theseus betweene

       two other Nimphs with wheaten Chaplets on their heades. Then

       Hipolita the Bride, lead by Pirithous, and another holding a

       Garland over her head (her Tresses likewise hanging.) After

       her Emilia holding up her Traine. (Artesius and Attendants.)]

       The Song, [Musike.]

       Roses their sharpe spines being gon,

       Not royall in their smels alone,

       But in their hew.

       Maiden Pinckes, of odour faint,

       Dazies smel-lesse, yet most quaint

       And sweet Time true.

       Primrose first borne child of Ver,

       Merry Spring times Herbinger,

       With her bels dimme.

       Oxlips, in their Cradles growing,

       Mary-golds, on death beds blowing,

       Larkes-heeles trymme.

       All deere natures children sweete,

       Ly fore Bride and Bridegroomes feete, [Strew Flowers.]

       Blessing their sence.

       Not an angle of the aire,

       Bird melodious, or bird faire,

       Is absent hence.

       The Crow, the slaundrous Cuckoe, nor

       The boding Raven, nor Chough hore

       Nor chattring Pie,

       May on our Bridehouse pearch or sing,

       Or with them any discord bring,

       But from it fly.

       [Enter 3. Queenes in Blacke, with vailes staind, with imperiall

       Crownes. The 1. Queene fals downe at the foote of Theseus; The

       2. fals downe at the foote of Hypolita. The 3. before Emilia.]

       1. QUEEN.

       For pitties sake and true gentilities,

       Heare, and respect me.

       2. QUEEN.

       For your Mothers sake,

       And as you wish your womb may thrive with faire ones,

       Heare and respect me.

       3. QUEEN

       Now for the love of him whom Iove hath markd

       The honour of your Bed, and for the sake

       Of cleere virginity, be Advocate

       For us, and our distresses. This good deede

       Shall raze you out o’th Booke of Trespasses

       All you are set downe there.

       THESEUS.

       Sad Lady, rise.

       HIPPOLITA.

       Stand up.

       EMILIA.

       No knees to me.

       What woman I may steed that is distrest,

       Does bind me to her.

       THESEUS.

       What’s your request? Deliver you for all.

       1. QUEEN.

       We are 3. Queenes, whose Soveraignes fel before

       The wrath of cruell Creon; who endured

       The Beakes of Ravens, Tallents of the Kights,

       And pecks of Crowes, in the fowle feilds of Thebs.

       He will not suffer us to burne their bones,

       To urne their ashes, nor to take th’ offence

       Of mortall loathsomenes from the blest eye

       Of holy Phoebus, but infects the windes

       With stench of our slaine Lords. O pitty, Duke:

       Thou purger of the earth, draw thy feard Sword

       That does good turnes to’th world; give us the Bones

       Of our dead Kings, that we may Chappell them;

       And of thy boundles goodnes take some note

       That for our crowned heades we have no roofe,

       Save this which is the Lyons, and the Beares,

       And vault to every thing.

       THESEUS.

       Pray you, kneele not:

       I was transported with your Speech, and suffer’d

       Your knees to wrong themselves; I have heard the fortunes

       Of your dead Lords, which gives me such lamenting

       As wakes my vengeance, and revenge for’em,

       King Capaneus was your Lord: the day

       That he should marry you, at such a season,

       As now it is with me, I met your Groome,

       By Marsis Altar; you were that time faire,

       Not Iunos Mantle fairer then your Tresses,

       Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreathe

       Was then nor threashd, nor blasted; Fortune at you

       Dimpled her Cheeke with smiles: Hercules our kinesman

       (Then weaker than your eies) laide by his Club,

       He tumbled downe upon his Nemean hide

       And swore his sinews thawd: O greife, and time,

       Fearefull consumers, you will all devoure.

       1. QUEEN.

       O, I hope some God,

       Some God hath put his mercy in your manhood

       Whereto heel infuse powre, and presse you forth

       Our undertaker.

       THESEUS.

       O no knees, none, Widdow,

       Vnto

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