Page 1365 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

Stay, and edify! [95]

THESEUS
What have we here?

PIRITHOUS
Some country sport, upon my life, sir.

THESEUS
Well, sir, go forward, we will edify.
Ladies, sit down; we’ll stay it.
A chair and stools are brought out; the ladies sit.

SCHOOLMASTER
Thou doughty Duke, all hail; all hail, sweet ladies!

THESEUS
This is a cold beginning. [100]

SCHOOLMASTER
If you but favour, our country pastime made is.
We are a few of those collected here
That ruder tongues distinguish villager;

And to say verity, and not to fable,
We are a merry rout, or else a rabble, [105]
Or company, or, by a figure, chorus,
That ’fore thy dignity will dance a morris.

And I that am the rectifier of all,
By title pedagogus, that let fall
The birch upon the breeches of the small ones, [110]
And humble with a ferula the tall ones,

Do here present this machine, or this frame;
And, dainty Duke, whose doughty dismal fame
From Dis to Daedalus, from post to pillar,
Is blown abroad, help me, thy poor well-willer, [115]

And with thy twinkling eyes look right and straight
Upon this mighty ‘Morr’, of mickle weight;