[Strews flowers.]
All dear Nature’s children sweet
Lie ’fore bride and bridegroom’s feet,
Blessing their sense.
Not an angel of the air,
Bird melodious or bird fair,
Is absent hence.
The crow, the sland’rous cuckoo, nor
The boding raven, nor chough hoar,
Nor chatt’ring ’pie,
May on our bride-house perch or sing,
Or with them any discord bring,
But from it fly.
Enter three Queens in black, with veils stained, with imperial crowns. The first Queen falls down at the foot of Theseus; the second falls down at the foot of Hippolyta; the third before Emilia.
FIRST QUEEN.
For pity’s sake and true gentility’s,
Hear and respect me.
SECOND QUEEN.
For your mother’s sake,
And as you wish your womb may thrive with fair ones,
Hear and respect me.
THIRD QUEEN.
Now, for the love of him whom Jove hath marked
The honour of your bed, and for the sake
Of clear virginity, be advocate
For us and our distresses. This good deed
Shall raze you out o’ th’ book of trespasses
All you are set down there.
THESEUS.
Sad lady, rise.
HIPPOLYTA.
Stand up.
EMILIA.
No knees to me.
What woman I may stead that is distressed,
Does bind me to her.