Pro.
If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends; for I
Have given you here a thread of mine own life^{5 note}

Or that for which I live; whom once again
I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast strangely stood the test^{6 note}

Fer.
I do believe it,
Against an oracle.

Pro.
Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition^{7 note}

All sanctimonious ceremonies^{9 note}



may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,
No sweet aspersion^{1 note} shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
That you shall hate it both: therefore, take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

Fer.
As I hope
For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,
With such love as 'tis now; the murkiest den,
The most oppórtune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worser Genius can, shall never melt
Mine honour into lust; to take away
The edge of that day's celebration,
When I shall think, or Phœbus' steeds are founder'd,
Or night kept chain'd below^{2 note}





.

Pro.
Fairly spoke^{3 note}:
Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.—
What, Ariel; my industrious servant Ariel! 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^{4 note},
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^{5 note}

Ari.
Presently?

Pro.
Ay, with a twink.

Ari.
Before you can say, Come, and go,
And breathe twice; and cry, so, so;
Each one, tripping on his toe^{6 note}


,

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.

Ari.
Well I conceive. [Exit.

Pro.
Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i' the blood: be more abstemious,
Or else, good night, your vow!

Fer.
I warrant you, sir;
The white-cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

Pro.
Well.—
Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary^{7 note},
Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.—
No tongue^{8 note}; all eyes; be silent. [Soft musick. A Masque. Enter Iris.

Iris.
Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover^{9 note}

Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims^{1 note}

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves^{2 note},

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn^{3 note}
; thy pole-clipt vineyard^{4 note};

And thy sea-marge, steril, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: The queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch, and messenger, am I,
Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain. Enter Ceres.

Cer.
Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres^{5 note}

Iris.
A contract of true love to celebrate;
And some donation freely to estate
On the bless'd lovers.

Cer.
Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus, or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? since they did plot
The means, that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
I have forsworn.

Iris.
Of her society
Be not afraid; I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her son
Dove-drawn with her: here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain;
Mars's hot minion is return'd again:
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.

Cer.
Highest queen of state^{7 note}

Enter Juno.

Jun.
How does my bounteous sister? Go with me,
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,
And honour'd in their issue.
SONG. Juno.
Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you. Cer.
Earth's increase^{8 note}

Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing;
Plants, with goodly burden bowing;
Spring come to you, at the farthest,
In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity, and want, shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Fer.
This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly^{1 note}

Pro.
Spirits, which by mine art

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

Fer.
Let me live here ever;
So rare a wonder'd father^{2 note}, and a wife,
Make this place Paradise. [Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on employment.

Pro.
Sweet now, silence;
Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;
There's something else to do: hush, and be mute,
Or else our spell is marr'd.

Iris.
You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wand'ring brooks^{3 note},
With your sedg'd crowns, and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels^{4 note}

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof Prospero starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish.

Pro. [Aside.]
I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban, and his confederates,
Against my life; the minute of their plot
Is almost come.—[To the Spirits.] Well done;—avoid;—no more.

Fer.
This is strange^{5 note}: your father's in some passion
That works him strongly.

Mira.
Never till this day,
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.

Pro.
You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,
As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabrick of this vision^{6 note}

The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit^{7 note}
, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded^{8 note}

Leave not a rack behind^{9 note}

Is rounded with a sleep.—Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled.

Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:
If you be pleas'd retire into my cell,
And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk,
To still my beating mind.

Fer., Mira.
We wish your peace. [Exeunt.

Pro.
Come with a thought:—I thank you:—Ariel, come^{2 note}
. Enter Ariel.

Ari.
Thy thoughts I cleave to^{3 note}

Pro.
Spirit,
We must prepare to meet with Caliban^{4 note}

Ari.
Ay, my commander: when I presented Ceres,

I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd,
Lest I might anger thee.

Pro.
Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?

Ari.
I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;
So full of valour, that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet: yet always bending
Towards their project: Then I beat my tabor,
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears,
Advanc'd their eye-lids^{5 note}















, lifted up their noses,
As they smelt musick^{6 note}

; so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss^{7 note}

Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I' the filthy mantled pool^{8 note}
beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.

Pro.
This was well done, my bird:
Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
The trumpery in my house, go, bring it hither,
For stale to catch these thieves^{9 note}

Ari.
I go, I go. [Exit.

Pro.
A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick^{1 note}; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost^{2 note};
And as, with age, his body uglier grows,

So his mind cankers^{2 note}