Mira.
Sweet lord, you play me false,

Fer.
No, my dear love,
I would not for the world.

Mira.
Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,
And I would call it fair play.

Alon.
If this prove
A vision of the Island, one dear son
Shall I twice lose.

Seb.
A most high miracle!

Fer.
Though the seas threaten, they are merciful:
I've curs'd them without cause.

Alon.
Now all the blessings [Ferd. kneels.
Of a glad father compass thee about!
Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.

Mira.
O! wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here?
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!

Pro.
'Tis new to thee.

Alon.
What is this maid, with whom thou wast at play?
Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:
Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,
And brought us thus together?

Fer.
Sir, she's mortal;
But, by immortal providence, she's mine.
I chose her, when I could not ask my father
For his Advice: nor thought, I had one: she
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before; of whom I have
Receiv'd a second life, and second father
This lady makes him to me.

Alon.
I am hers;
But, oh, how odly will it sound, that I
Must ask my child forgiveness!

Pro.
There, Sir, stop;
Let us not burthen our remembrance with
An heaviness that's gone.

Gon.
I've inly wept,
Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you Gods,
And on this couple drop a blessed crown:
For it is you, that have chalk'd forth the way,
Which brought us hither!

Alon.
I say, Amen, Gonzalo!

Gon.
Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
Should become Kings of Naples! O rejoice
Beyond a common joy, and set it down
In gold on lasting pillars! in one voyage
Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis;
And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife,
Where he himself was lost; Prospero his Dukedom,
In a poor Isle; and all of us, our selves,
When no man was his own.

Alon.
Give me your hands:
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart,
That doth not wish you joy!

Gon.
Be't so, Amen! Enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following.
O look, Sir, look, Sir, here are more of us!
I prophesy'd, if a gallows were on land,
This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
Hast thou no mouth by land? what is the news?

Boats.
The best news is, that we have safely found
Our King and company; the next, our ship,
Which but three glasses since we gave out split,
Is tight and yare, and bravely rigg'd, as when
We first put out to sea.

Ari.
Sir, all this service
Have I done since I went.

Pro.
My tricksey spirit!

Alon.
These are not natural events; they strengthen,
From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?

Boats.
If I did think, Sir, I were well awake,
I'd strive to tell you. We were dead a-sleep,
And, how we know not, all clapt under hatches,
Where but ev'n now with strange and sev'ral noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awak'd; straightway at liberty:
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld(33) ^note

Ari.
Was't well done?

Pro.
Bravely, my diligence; thou shalt be free.

Alon.
This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod,
And there is in this business more than nature
Was ever conduct of; some oracle
Must rectify our knowledge.

Pro.
Sir, my Liege,
Do not infest your mind with beating on
The strangeness of this business; at pickt leisure
(Which shall be shortly) single I'll resolve you,
Which to you shall seem probable, of every
These happen'd accidents; till when be chearful,
And think of each thing well. Come hither, spirit;
Set Caliban and his companions free:
Untie the spell. How fares my gracious Sir?
There are yet missing of your company
Some few odd lads, that you remember not.

Enter Ariel, driving in Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, in their stolen apparel.

Ste.

Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune; Coragio, bully-monster, Coragio!

Trin.

If these be true spies, which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight.

Cal.
O Setebos, these be brave spirits, indeed!
How fine my master is! I am afraid,
He will chastise me.

Seb.
Ha, ha;
What things are these, my lord Anthonio!
Will mony buy 'em?

Ant.
Very like; one of them
Is a plain fish, and no doubt marketable.

Pro.
Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
Then say, if they be true: this mis-shap'd knave,
His mother was a witch, and one so strong
That could controul the moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command without her power:
These three have robb'd me; and this demy-devil
(For he's a bastard one) had plotted with them
To take my life; two of these fellows you
Must know and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal.
I shall be pincht to death.

Alon.
Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?

Seb.
He's drunk now: where had he wine?

Alon.
And Trinculo is reeling ripe; where should they
Find this grand 'lixir, that hath gilded 'em?(34) ^note

How cam'st thou in this pickle?

Trin.

I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.

Seb.

Why, how now, Stephano?

Ste.

O, touch me not: I am not Stephano, but a cramp.

Pro.

You'd be King o'th' isle, Sirrah?

Ste.

I should have been a sore one then.

Alon.

'Tis a strange thing, as e'er I look'd on.

Pro.
He is as disproportion'd in his manners,
As in his shape: go, Sirrah, to my cell,
Take with you your companions; as you look
To have my Pardon, trim it handsomly.

Cal.
Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter,
And seek for grace. What a thrice double ass
Was I, to take this drunkard for a god?
And worship this dull fool?

Pro.

Go to, away!

Alon.

Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

Seb.

Or stole it rather.

Pro.
Sir, I invite your highness, and your train,
To my poor cell; where you shall take your rest
For this one night, which (part of it) I'll waste
With such discourse, as, I not doubt, shall make it
Go quick away; the story of my life,
And the particular accidents gone by,
Since I came to this Isle: and in the morn
I'll bring you to your ship; and so to Naples;
Where I have hope to see the nuptials
Of these our dear-beloved solemniz'd;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.

Alon.
I long
To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.

Pro.
I'll deliver all;
And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious, that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off: My Ariel, chick,
That is thy charge: Then to the elements
Be free, and fare thou well! Please you, draw near. [Exeunt omnes.

EPILOGUE. Spoken by Prospero.
Now my charms are all o'er-thrown,
And what strength I have's mine own;
Which is most faint: and now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my Dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell:
But release me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. For now I want
Spirits t' enforce, art to enchant;
And my ending is despair,(35) ^note
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy it self, and frees all faults.
  As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
  Let your indulgence set me free.

A

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