Pro.
Your suit has pity in't, and has prevail'd.
But yet take heed; let prudence be your guide:
You must not stay, your visit must be short.—
One thing I had forgot; insinuate into his mind
A kindness to that youth, whom first you saw;
I would have friendship grow between them.

Mir.
You shall be obey'd in all things.

Pro.
Be earnest to unite their very souls.

Mir.
I shall endeavour it.

Pro.
This may secure Hippolyto
From that dark danger which my heart forebodes;
For friendship does provide a double strength
To oppose the assaults of fortune. See, he comes:—
Remember. [Exit Prospero. Enter Ferdinand, bearing a Log.

Mir.
Alas, now! 'pray you,
Work not so hard; I would, the lightning had
Burnt up those logs, that you are enjoin'd to pile!
'Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns,
'Twill weep for having weary'd you: My father
Is gone to study; 'pray now, rest yourself.

Fer.
O, most dear mistress,
The sun will set, before I shall discharge
What I must strive to do.

Mir.
If you'll sit down,
I'll bear your logs the while: 'Pray, give me that;
I'll carry it to the pile.

Fer.
No, precious creature:
I had rather crack my sinews,

Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.

Mir.
Why, I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
And yours it is against.—You look wearily.

Fer.
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?

Mir.
Miranda:—O, my father,
I have broke your hest to say so!

Fer.
Admir'd Miranda!—
Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
What's dearest to the world!—Full many a lady
I've ey'd 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 lik'd several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil: But you, O you,
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best.

Mir.
I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you:—
I prattle wildly, and my father's precepts
Therein I do forget.

Fer.
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 logman.

Mir.
Do you love me?

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

Mir.
I am a fool,
To weep at what I'm glad of.

Fer.
Wherefore weep you?

Mir.
At mine unworthiness.—Hence, bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife, if you will marry me;
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer.
My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.

Mir.
My husband then?

Fer.
Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.

Mir.
And mine, with my heart in't.—
Now, I've a suit to you, and I shall make it
The only trial of your love to me.

Fer.
You've said enough, never to be deny'd,
Were it my life.

Mir.
For my sake to love one, sir,
Who, for his own, indeed, does well deserve
All the respect that you can ever pay him.

Fer.
Is there another whom I ought to love,
And love him for your sake?

Mir.
Yes; such a one,
As, for his sweetness, and his goodly shape,
(If I who am unskill'd in forms may judge,)
Can scarce be match'd: my sister thinks so too,
My dear Dorinda.

Fer.
Have you a sister?

Mir.
Yes; she loves him too:
Come, you must love him for my sake: you shall.

Fer.
Must I for yours, and cannot for my own?

Since you would have me love him, I must hate him.

Mir.
Have I so far offended you already,
That he offends you only for my sake?
Yet, sure, you would not hate him if you saw him
As I have done, so fresh in youth and beauty.

Fer.
O poison to my hopes!

Mir.
Alas! what mean you?—
Hark! hark! I hear my father's step:—farewell!—
Here comes the youth:—I fear, I've stay'd too long. [Exit Miranda.

Fer.
Too long indeed; and yet not long enough. Enter Hippolyto.
Sir, well encounter'd; you're the happy man;
You've got the hearts of both the beauteous women.

Hip.
How, sir, I pray you? Are you sure of that?

Fer.
You know, Dorinda loves you; and
Miranda charg'd me love you for her sake.

Hip.
Then I must have her.

Fer.
Not till I am dead.

Hip.
How dead? What's that? But whatsoe'er it be,
I long to have her.

Fer.
Wait a little while;
Time and my grief may make me shortly die.

Hip.
I beg that you'll make haste then; for, to tell you
A secret, sir, which I have lately found
Within myself,—they are all made for me.

Fer.
That's but a fond conceit: you're made for one,
And one for you.

Hip.
You cannot tell me, sir;
I know, I'm made for twenty hundred women,
(I mean, if there so many be i'the world,)
So that, if once I see her, I shall love her.

Fer.
I find, I must not let you see her then.

Hip.
How will you hinder me?

Fer.
By force of arms:
Provide yourself a sword; for we must fight.

Hip.
A sword,—what's that?

Fer.
A weapon such as this. [Draws his Sword.

Hip.
What should I do with it?

Fer.
You must stand thus,
And aim at me, till one of us fall dead.

Hip.
But we have no swords growing in our world.

Fer.
What shall we do then to decide our quarrel?

Hip.
We'll take the sword by turns, and fight with it.

Fer.
Strange ignorance!—You must defend your life,
And so must I.—But, since you have no sword,
Take this; for in a corner of my cave
I now remember that I saw another.— [Gives Hippolyto the Sword.
When next we meet, prepare yourself to fight.

Hip.
Make haste then; this shall ne'er be yours again:
I mean to fight with all the men I meet,
And when they're dead, their women shall be mine.

Fer.
I see you are unskilful; I desire not
To take your life; but, if you please, we'll fight
On these conditions;—he, who first draws blood,
Shall be acknowledg'd as the conqueror,
And both the women shall be his.

Hip.
Agreed:
And ev'ry day I'll fight for two more with you.

Fer.
But win these first.

Hip.
Make haste, and find your sword. [Exeunt.

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