Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns, 'Twill weep for having wearied you1; My father Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself;

He's safe for these three hours.

Ferd.

O most dear mistress,

The sun will set, before I shall discharge

What I must strive to do.

Miran.

If you'll sit down,

No, precious creature:

I'll bear your logs the while.

Ferd.

I'd rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
Miran.

As well as it does you
With much more ease;
And your's it is against.

Pros.

This visitation shows it.

Miran.

It would become me
and I should do it
for my good will is to it,

Poor worm! thou art infected;

You look wearily.

Ferd. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me, When you are by at night. I do beseech you,

(Chiefly, that I might set it in my prayers,)

What is your name?

Miran.

Miranda: - O my father,
I have broke your hest 2 to say so!

Ferd.
Admired Miranda!
Indeed the top of admiration; worth
What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have eyed with best regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed,
And put it to the foil: But you, O you,
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best.

Miran.

I do not know

One of my sex; no woman's face remember,

1 When green wood is burning, it frequently emits an acid, which makes a hissing noise.

2 Command.

Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men, than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty,
(The jewel in my dower,) I would not wish
Any companion in the world but

Nor can imagination form a shape,

you;

Beside yourself, to like of: But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father's precepts
I therein do forget.

Ferd.

I am, in my condition,

A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;

(I would, not so !) and would no more endure

This wooden slavery, than to suffer

The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak;
The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly to your service; there resides,
To make me slave to it; and for your sake,
Am I this patient log-man.

Miran.

Do you love me?

Ferd. 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,

1

Beyond all limit of what else in the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Miran.

To weep at what I am glad of.

I am a fool,

Fair encounter.

Pros.
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!

Ferd.

Wherefore weep you?

Miran. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer What I desire to give: - but this is trifling,

Ferd. Ay, with a heart as willing,

As bondage e'er of freedom; here's my hand.

1 Whatever.

Miran. And mine, with my heart in't: And now farewell, Till half an hour hence.

Ferd.

A thousand! thousand!

[Exeunt FERD. and MIRAN.

Pros. So glad of this as they I cannot be, Who are surprised 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.

SCENE II. Another part of the Island.

[Exit.

Enter STEPHANO and TRINCULO; CALIBAN following with a

bottle.

Ste. Tell not me; when the butt is out, we will drink water: not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board them Servant-monster, drink to me.

Trin. Servant-monster? The folly of this island! They say, there's but five upon this isle; we are three of them; if the other two be brained like us, the state totters.

Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

Trin. Where should they be set else?

Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me: I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues, off and on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe: I'll not serve him, he's not valiant.

Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster; I am in case to justle a constable. Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish, and half a monster?

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord? Trin. Lord, quoth he! that a monster should be such a natural!

Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.

Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head. The poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity. Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased, To hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?

Ste. Marry will I: kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

Enter ARIEL, invisible.

Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant; A sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me

Of the island.

Ari. Thou liest.

Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou;

I would my valiant master would destroy thee;
I do not lie.

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.

Ste. Mum then, and no more. [To CALIBAN.] Proceed. Cal. I say, by sorcery he got this isle;

From me he got it. If thy greatness will

Revenge it on him

But this thing dare not

for, I know, thou darest;

Ste. That's most certain.

Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

Ste. How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to the party?

Cal. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.
Ari. Thou liest, thou canst not.

Cal. What a pied ninny's this!

I do beseech thy greatness give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,

He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him
Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger interrupt the monster one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go further off.

Ste. Didst thou not say he lied?

Ari. Thou liest.

Ste. Do I so? take thou that. [Strikes him.] As you like this, give me the lie another time.

Cal. Ha, ha, ha!

Ste. Now, forward with your tale. Prithee stand farther off.

Cal. Beat him enough: after a little time, I'll beat him too.

Ste. Stand farther:- Come, proceed.

Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
In the afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,
Having first seized his books; or with a log

Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand1 with thy knife: Remember,
First to possess his books; for without them,
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not,

One spirit to command: They all do hate him
As rootedly as I: Burn but his books;
He has brave utensils, (for so he calls them,)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider, is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a nonpareil: I ne'er saw woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;
But she as far surpasses Sycorax,

As greatest does least.

Ste. Is it so brave a lass?

Cal. Ay, my lord.

Ste. Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be king and queen; (save our graces!) and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys:- Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo? Trin. Excellent.

Ste. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee; but, while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.

Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep;

Wilt thou destroy him then?

Ste.

Ay, on mine honour.

Ari. This will I tell my master.

Cal. Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure; Let us be jocund: Will you troll2 the catch

You taught me but while-ere?

Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason: Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.

[Sings.

Flout, 'em and cout'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em ;
Thought is free.

Cal. That's not the tune.

[ARIEL plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.