Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1596 [1594-1596] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T55 Fairies, fairy queens and enchanted desi · 511 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T55: fairy, fairies, oberon, mopsus, queen, land, grace, babylon, mab, thestylis.
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 played Pyramus, and hung himself in Thisbies garter, it would have been a fine Tragedy: and so it is truly, and very notably discharged. But come, your Burgomaske; let your Epilogue alone. The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. Lovers to bed, 'tis almost Fairy time. I fear we shall out-sleepe the coming morn, As much as we this night have overwatcht. This palpable gross play hath well beguiled The heavy gate of night. Sweet friends to bed. A fortnight hold we this solemnity. In nightly Revels; and new jollity. Now the hungry Lions rores, And the Wolf beholds the Moon: Whilst the heavy ploughman snores, All with weary task fore-done. 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 spirit, In the Churchway paths to glide 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 hallowed house. I am sent with broom before, To sweep the dust behind the door. Through the house give glimmering light, By the dead and drowsy fire, Every Elf and Fairy spirit, Hop as light as bird from brier, And this Ditty after me, sing and dance it trippinglie. 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. Now until the break of day, Through this house each Fairy stray. To the best Bridebed 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, Every Fairy take his gate, And each several chamber bless, Through this Palace with sweet peace, Ever shall in safety rest, And the owner of it blessed. Trip away, make no stay; Meet me all by break of day. If we shadows have offended, Think but this (and all is mended) That you have but slumbered here, While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Centles, do not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend. And as I am an honest Pucke, If we have unearned luck, Now to scape the Serpent's tongue, We will make amends ere long: Else the Pucke a liar call. So good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
No Epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuſe. Neuer excuſe; for when the plaiers are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if hee that writ it had plaid Piramus, and hung himſelfe in Thisbies garter, it would haue beene a fine Tragedy: and ſo it is truely, and very notably diſcharg'd. But come, your Burgomaske; let your Epilogue alone. The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelue. Louers to bed, 'tis almoſt Fairy time. I feare we ſhall out-ſleepe the comming morne, As much as we this night haue ouer-watcht. This palpable groſſe play hath well beguil'd The heauy gate of night. Sweet friends to bed. A fortnight hold we this ſolemnity. In nightly Reuels; and new iollitie. Now the hungry Lyons rores, And the Wolfe beholds the Moone: Whileſt the heauy ploughman ſnores, All with weary taske fore-done. Now the waſted brands doe glow, Whil'ſt the ſcritch-owle, ſcritching loud, Puts the wretch that lies in woe, In remembrance of a ſhrowd. Now it is the time of night, That the graues, all gaping wide, Euery one lets forth his ſpright, In the Church-way paths to glide And we Fairies, that do runne, By the triple Hecates teame, From the preſence of the Sunne, Following darkeneſſe like a dreame▪ Now are frollicke; not a Mouſe Shall diſturbe this hallowed houſe▪ I am ſent with broome before, To ſweep the duſt behinde the doore. Through the houſe giue glimmering light, By the dead and drowſie fier, Euerie Elfe and Fairie ſpright, Hop as light as bird from brier, And this Ditty after me, ſing and dance it trippinglie. Firſt rehearſe this ſong by roate, To each word a warbling note. Hand in hand, with Fairie grace, Will we ſing and bleſſe this place. Now vntill the breake of day, Through this houſe each Fairy ſtray. To the beſt Bride-bed will we, Which by vs ſhall bleſſed be: And the iſſue there create, Euer ſhall be fortunate: So ſhall all the couples three, Euer true in louing be: And the blots of Natures hand, Shall not in their iſſue ſtand. Neuer mole, harelip, nor ſcarre, Nor marke prodigious, ſuch as are Deſpiſed in Natiuitie, Shall vpon their children be. With this field dew conſecrate, Euery Fairy take his gate, And each ſeuerall chamber bleſſe, Through this Pallace with ſweet peace, Euer ſhall in ſafety reſt, And the owner of it bleſt. Trip away, make no ſtay; Meet me all by breake of day. If we ſhadowes haue offended, Thinke but this (and all is mended) That you haue but ſlumbred heere, While theſe viſions did appeare. And this weake and idle theame, No more yeelding but a dreame, Centles, doe not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend. And as I am an honeſt Pucke, If we haue vnearned lucke, Now to ſcape the Serpents tongue, We will make amends ere long: Elſe the Pucke a lyar call. So good night vnto you all. Giue me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin ſhall reſtore amends.