SCENE I.
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
too'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, Anthonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others.
Alon.
Good Boatswain have care: Where's the Master?
Play the Men.
Boats.
I pray now keep below.
Ant.
Where is the Master, Boson?
-- 4 --
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 of the 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.
[Exit.
Enter Boatswain.
Boats.
Down with the Top-Mast: Yare, lower, lower;
bring her to try with Main-course. A Plague—
A cry within. Enter Sebastian, Anthonio and Gonzalo.
upon this Howling: 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 Noise-maker;
we are less afraid to be drown'd than thou art.
Gonz.
I'll warrant him for drowning, though 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.
Boats.
What must our Mouths be cold?
Gonz.
The King and Prince are at Prayers, let's assist them,
for our Case is as theirs.
-- 5 --
Sebas.
I'm out of Patience.
Ant.
We are 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,
Farewel Brother: We split, we split, we split.
Ant.
Let's all sink with the King.
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.
Charles Gildon [1709–1710], The works of Mr. William Shakespear; in six [seven] volumes. Adorn'd with Cuts. Revis'd and Corrected, with an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author. By N. Rowe ([Vol. 7] Printed for E. Curll... and E. Sanger [etc.], London) [word count] [S11401].
