Fer. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound, And crown what I profess with kind event, If I speak true; if hollowly, invert What best is boded me, to mischief! I, Do love, prize, honor you. Mira. I am a fool, To weep at what I am glad of. Fair encounter Pro. Fer. Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning! I am your wife, if you will marry me; Fer. And I thus humble ever. Mira. My mistress, dearest, My husband then? Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand. Mira. And mine, with my heart in't: And now farewell, Till half an hour hence. Fer. A thousand thousand! Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surpris'd with all; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet ere supper time, must I perform Much business appertaining. [Exeunt FER. and MIR. [Exit. Caliban and Ariel, under the direction of Prospero, take charge of the other characters 'saved from the wreck. Caliban, to whom is confided the care of the Sailors, draws them into a conspiracy to destroy Prospero. The King and his Company are brought by Ariel to another part of the Island. Enter ALONZO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and others. Gon. By'r la'kin, I can go no further, sir; My old bones ache: here's a maze trod, indeed, Through forth-rights and meanders! by your patience, I needs must rest me. Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with weariness, Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose Seb. Will we take thoroughly. Ant. [Aside to SEBASTIAN The next advantage Let it be to-night; For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they Seb. I say, to-night: no more. Solemn and strange music; and PROSPERO above, invisible. Enter several strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet; they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation; and inviting the King, &c. to eat, they depart. Alon. What harmony is this? my good friends, hark! Gon. Marvellous sweet music! Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these? That there are unicorns; that, in Arabia There is one tree, the phoenix' throne; one phoenix At this hour reigning there. Ant. I'll believe both; And what does else want credit, come to me, Gon. If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? (For, certes, these are people of the island,) Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any. Pro. Aside.] Alon. Honest lord, some of you there present, I cannot too much muse, Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing (Although they want the use of tongue) a kind Of excellent dumb discourse. Pro. [Aside.] Praise in departing. Fran. They vanish'd strangely. Seb. No matter, since They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.-- Alon. Not I. Gon. Faith, sir, you need not fear: When we were boys, Dew-lapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging at them Whose heads stood in their breasts ? which now we find, Good warrant of. Although my last: no matter, since I feel, Stand to, and do as we. Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table, and with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes. Ari. You are three men of sin, whom destiny (That hath to instrument this lower world, [Seeing ALON. SEB. &c. draw their swords. Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well three One dowle that's in my plume; my fellow ministers You, and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mops and mowes, and carry out the table. Pro. [Aside.] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou In their distractions: they now are in my power; Young Ferdinand, (whom they suppose is drown'd,)' [Exit PROSPERO from above. Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you In this strange stare? Alon. Seb. I'll fight their legions o'er. Ant. I'll be thy second. [Exit. But one fiend at a time, [Exeunt SEB. and ANT. Gon. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now 'gins to bite the spirits :-I do beseech you That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly, Adr. Follow, I pray you. ACT IV. SCENE I.-Before Prospero's Cell. Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA. Pro. If I have too austerely punish'd you, [Exeunt I ratify this my rich gift. O, Ferdinand, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise, Fer. Against an oracle. I do believe it, Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition With full and holy rite be minister'd: Then Hymen's lamps shall light you. Fer. For quiet days, fair issue, and long life, As I hope With such love as 'tis now; the strong'st suggestion Mine honor. Pro. Fairly spoke : Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.- Enter ARIEL. Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you In such another trick: go, bring the rabble, O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this p.ace: Ari. Pro. Aye, with a twink. Presently? Ari. Before you can say, Come, and go, And breathe twice; and cry, so, so; Each one, tripping on his toe, Will be here with mop and mowe: Do you love me, master? no? Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach, Till thou dost hear me call. Now come, my Ariel: bring a corollary, Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly.— No tongue; all eyes: be silent. A Masque. Enter IRIS. Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease; [Soft music. |