fore the
Duke.

Bot. Peter Quince.

Quin. What say'st thou, Bully Bottom?

Bot. There are things in this Comedy of Pyramus and Thisby, that
will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself,
which the Ladies cannot abide. How answer you that?

Snout. By'rlaken, a parlous fear!

Starv. I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.

Bot. Not a whit; I have a device to make all well; write me a
prologue, and let the prologue seem to say, we will do no harm with
our swords, and that Pyramus is not kill'd indeed; and for more better
assurance tell them, that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the
weaver: this will put them out of fear.

Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue, and it shall be written in
eight and six.

Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight.

Snout. Will not the Ladies be afraid of the Lion?

Starv. I fear it, I promise you.

Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves; to bring in,
heaven shield us! a Lion among Ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for
there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your Lion, living; and we
ought to look to it.

Snout. Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a Lion.

Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen
through the lion's neck; and he himself must speak through, saying
thus, or to the same defect: Ladies, or fair Ladies, I would wish you,
or I would request you, or I would intreat you, not to fear, not to
tremble; my life for yours; if you think I come hither as a lion, it
were pity of my life; no, I am no such thing; I am a man as other men
are; and there indeed let him name his name, and tell them plainly, He
is Snug the Joiner.

Quin. Well, it shall be so; but there is two hard things, that
is, to bring the moon-light into a chamber; for you know Pyramus and
Thisby met by moon-light.

Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?

Bot. A kalendar, a kalendar! look into the almanack; find out
moon-shine, find out moon-shine.

Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night.

Bot. Why then may you leave a casement of the great chamber window,
where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the casement.

Quin. Ay, or else one must come in with a bush of throns and a
lanthern; and say he comes to disfigure or to present the person of
moon-shine. Then there is another thing; we must have a wall in
the great chamber, for Pyramus and Thisby (says the story) di