Pro. Then as my gift, and thine own acquifition
Worthily purchas'd, take my Daughter. But
If thou doft break her virgin-knot, before
All fanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy Rite be minifter'd,
No fweet afperfions fhall the heav'ns let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord shall beftrew
The union of your bed with weeds fo loathly,
That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps fhall light you.

Fer. As I hope

For quiet days, fair iffue, and long life,

With fuch love as 'tis now; the murkieft den,
The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worfer Genius can, fhall never melt

Mine honour into luft; to take away

The edge of that day's celebration,

When I fhall think or Phœbus' fteeds are founder'd,
Or night kept chain'd below.

Pro. Fairly spoke.

Sit then, and talk with her, fhe is thine own.
What, Ariel; my induftrious fervant, Ariel

Enter Ariel.

Ari. What would my potent mafter? here I am. Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you

In fuch another trick; go, bring the rabble,
O'er whom I give thee power, here to this place;
Incite them to quick motion, for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art; it is my promife,
And they expect it from me.

Ari. Presently?

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

Ari. Before you can fay, Come, and

And breathe twice; and cry, fo, so ;

Each one, tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you love me, mafter? no?

go,

Pro.

Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel; do not approach, "Till thou doft hear me call.

Ari. Well, I conceive.

[Exit.

Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein; the ftrongest oaths are ftraw
To th' fire i'th' blood: be more abftemious,
Or elfe, good-night, your vow!

Fer. I warrant you, Sir;

The white, cold, virgin-fnow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

Pro. Well.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary,

Rather than want a fpirit; appear, and pertly.
No tongue; all eyes; be filent.

[To Ferdinand. [Soft Mufick.

A MASQUE. Enter Iris.

Iris. Ceres, moft bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats, and peafe;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibling fheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with ftover, them to keep;
Thy banks with pioned, and tulip'd brims,
Which fpungy April at thy heft betrims,

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broomgroves,

Whole fhadow the difmiffed batchelor loves,

Being lafs-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard,

And thy fea-marge fteril, and rocky hard,

Where thou thy felf do'ft air; the Queen o'th' sky,
Whose wat'ry arch and meffenger am I,

Bids thee leave these; and with her Sov'raign Grace,
Here on this grafs-plot, in this very place,
To come and fport; her peacocks fly amain:
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter Ceres.

Cer. Hail, many-colour'd meffenger, that ne'er
Do'ft disobey the wife of Jupiter :

Who, with thy faffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffuseft honey drops, refreshing showers;

And

And with each end of thy blue bow do'ft crown
My bosky acres, and my unfhrub'd down,

Rich fcarf to my proud earth; why hath thy Queen
Summon'd me hither, to this fhort-grafs green?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate,
And fome donation freely to estate
On the blefs'd lovers.

Cer. Tell me, heav'nly bow,

If Venus or her fon, as thou do'ft know,
Do now attend the Queen: fince they did plot
The means, that dusky Dis my daughter got;
Her and her blind boy's fcandal'd company
I have forfworn.

Iris. Of her fociety

Be not afraid; I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her fon
Dove-drawn with her; here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
'Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain

Mars's hot minion is return'd again;

Her wafpish-headed fon has broke his arrows;

Swears, he will fhoot no more, but play with sparrows, And be a boy right-out.

Ger. High Queen of state,

Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gate.

[Juno defcends, and enters: Jun. How does my bounteous fifter? go with me To bless this twain, that they may profp'rous be, And honour'd in their iffue.

Jun. Honour, riches, marriage bleffing,

Long continuance and encreafing,

Juno fings ber bleffings on you:

Hourly joys be fill upon you

Cer. Earth's increase, and foyfon-plenty,

(25)

Barns and garners never empty,

Vines,

(25) Earth's Increase.] All the Editions, that I have ever feen, concur in placing this whole Sonnet to Jung: but very abfurdly, in my Opinion. I believe, every accurate Reader, who is acquainted with

poetical

Vines, with cluftring bunches growing,
Plants, with goodly burthen bowing;
Spring come to you, at the fartheft,
In the very end of harvest:
Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres's bleffing fo is on you.

Fer. This is a moft majestick vifion, and
Harmonious charmingly: may I be bold
To think these spirits?

Pro. Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines call'd to enact (26)
My present fancies.

Fer. Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,
Make this place paradise.

Pro. Sweet now, filence:

poetical Hiftory, and the diftin&t Offices of these two Goddeffes, and who then seriously reads over our Author's Lines, will agree with Me, that Ceres's Name ought to have been placed where I have now prefix'd it.

(26) I bave from All their Confines.] This All is obtruded upon Us by the nice Ears of our modern Editors, who were for helping the Verse, upon a Suppofition that the Accent in Confines muft needs be upon the firft Syllable. But the Practice of our Poet is against them; and therefore I have reftor'd him to his own Reading.

See As you like it. A. 2. Sc. 1.

And yet it irks me, the poor dappled Fools;
Being native Burghers of this defart City,
Should, in their own Confínes,

K. John. A&. 4.

This Kingdom, this Confine of Blood and Breath, And Hamlet. Aa. 1. Sc. 1.

Th extravagant and erring Spirit byes

To his Confine.

And in his Poem intitled, In Praise of his Love.
In whofe Confine immured is the Store,

Which should example where your Equal grew.
And, again, in his Poem call'd, A Lover's Complaint.

O most potential Love! Vow, Bond, nor Space,
In thee bath neither Sting, Knot, nor Confine:

And in his Amorous Epiftle of Paris to Helen.

Shipping myself from the Sigaan Shore,
Whence unto thefe Confines my Course I bore.

And, I believe, in every other Paffage throughout his Works, where he

has used this Word, the Accent is conftantly on the laft Syllable.

Juno

Juno and Ceres whifper feriously;

There's fomething elfe to do; hush, and be mute, Or else our spell is marr'd.

Juno and Ceres whisper, and fend Iris on imployment. Iris. You nymphs, call'd Nayads, of the winding brooks,

With your fedg'd crowns, and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crifp channels, and on this greenland
Answer your fummons, Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate.
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You fun-burn'd ficklemen, of Auguft weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry ;
Make holy-day; your rye-ftraw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

Enter certain reapers, properly habited; they join with the
nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof,
Profpero ftarts fuddenly, and fpeaks; after which, to a
ftrange, bollow and confused noife, they vanish heavily.
Pro. I had forgot that foul confpiracy
Of the beaft Caliban, and his confed'rates,
Against my life; the minute of their plot
Is almoft come. Well done, avoid; no more.
Fer. This is ftrange; your father's in some paffion
That works him strongly.

Mir. Never 'till this day

Saw I him touch'd with anger, fo diftemper❜d.
Pro. You look, my fon, in a mov'd fort,
As if you were difmay'd; be chearful, Sir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all fpirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And, like the bafeless fabrick of this vifion,
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The folemn temples, the great globe it felf,
Yea, all, which it inherit, shall diffolve;

And,