Scene 1
SCENE, On a Ship at Sea.
A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard: Enter a Ship-master, and a Boatswain.
Master.
Boatswain,—
Boats.
Here, Master: what cheer?
Mast.
Good, speak to th' mariners: fall
to't yarely, or we run our selves a-ground;
bestir, bestir.
[Exit.
Enter Mariners.
Boats.
Hey, my hearts; cheerly, my hearts; yare,
yare; take in the top-sail; tend to th' master's whistle;
blow, 'till thou burst thy wind, if room enough.
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others.
Alon.
Good Boatswain, have care: where's the master?
play the men.
-- 4 --
Boats.
I pray now, keep below.
Ant.
Where is the master, boatswain?
Boats.
Do you not hear him? you mar our labour;
keep your cabins; you do assist the storm.
Gonz.
Nay, good, be patient.
Boats.
When the sea is. Hence—what care these
Roarers for the name of King? to cabin; silence;
trouble us not.
Gonz.
Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.
Boats.
None, that I more love than my self. You
are a counsellor; if you can command these elements
to silence, and work the peace o'the(1) note present, we will
not hand a rope more; use your authority. If you
cannot, give thanks you have liv'd so long, and make
your self ready in your cabin for the mischance of the
hour, if it so hap. Cheerly, good hearts: out of our
way, I say.
[Exit.
Gonz.
I have great comfort from this fellow; methinks,
he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion
is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good fate, to
his hanging; make the rope of his destiny our cable,
for our own doth little advantage: if he be not born to
be hang'd, our case is miserable.
[Exeunt.
Re-enter Boatswain.
Boats.
Down with the top-mast: yare, lower, lower;
bring her to try with main-course. A plague upon
this howling!—
A cry within. Re-enter Sebastian, Anthonio, and Gonzalo.
they are louder than the weather, or our office. Yet
again? what do you here? shall we give o'er, and
drown? have you a mind to sink?
Sebas.
A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous,
uncharitable dog.
Boats.
Work you then.
Ant.
Hang, cur, hang; you whoreson, insolent, noisemaker;
we are less afraid to be drown'd, than thou art.
-- 5 --
Gonz.
I'll warrant him from drowning, tho' the ship
were no stronger than a nut-shell, and as leaky as an
unstanch'd wench.
Boats.
Lay her a-hold, a-hold; set her two courses
off to sea again, lay her off.
Enter Mariners wet.
Mar.
All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!
[Exe.
Boats.
What, must our Mouths be cold?
Gonz.
The King and Prince at pray'rs! let us assist 'em.
For our case is as theirs.
Seb.
I'm out of patience.
Ant.
We're meerly cheated of our lives by drunkards.
This wide-chopt rascal—would, thou might'st lye drowning,
The washing of ten tides!
Gonz.
He'll be hang'd yet,
Though every drop of water swear against it,
And gape at wid'st to glut him.
A confused noise within.]
Mercy on us!
We split, we split! Farewel, my Wife and Children!
Brother, farewel! we split, we split, we split!
Ant.
Let's all sink with the King.
[Exit.
Seb.
Let's take leave of him.
[Exit.
Gonz.
Now would I give a thousand furlongs of
sea for an acre of barren ground; long heath, brown
furze, any thing;—the wills above be done, but I
would fain die a dry death!
[Exit.
Lewis Theobald [1733], The works of Shakespeare: in seven volumes. Collated with the Oldest Copies, and Corrected; With notes, Explanatory and Critical; By Mr. Theobald (Printed for A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch [and] J. Tonson [etc.], London) [word count] [S11201].
