Prospero.
Now does my project gather to a head;
My charms crack not; my spirits obey, and ^{4 note}
time

Goes upright with his carriage: how's the day?

Ari.
On the sixth hour, at which time, my lord,
You said, our work should cease.

Pro.
I did say so,
When first I rais'd the tempest; say, my spirit,
How fares the King and 's followers?

Ari.
Confin'd
In the same fashion as you gave in charge;
Just as you left them, all your prisoners, Sir,
In the Lime-Grove which weather-fends your cell.
They cannot budge, 'till your release. The King,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted;
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brim-full of sorrow and dismay; but, chiefly,
Him that you term'd the good old lord Gonzalo.
His tears run down his beard, like winter drops
From eaves of reeds; your charm so strongly works 'em,
That if you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender.

Pro.
Do'st thou think so, spirit?

Ari.
Mine would, Sir, were I human.

Pro.
And mine shall.
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
Passion as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art?
Tho' with their high wrongs I am struck to th' quick,
Yet, with my nobler reason, 'gainst my fury
Do I take part; the rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance; they being penitent,
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further; go, release them, Ariel;

My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,
And they shall be themselves.

Ari.
I'll fetch them, Sir. [Exit. SCENE II.

&plquo;Pro.
&plquo;Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,
&plquo;And ye, that on the sands with printless foot
&plquo;Do chase the ebbing Neptune; and do fly him,
&plquo;When he comes back; you demy-puppets, that
&plquo;By moon-shine do the green sour ringlets make,
&plquo;Whereof the ewe not bites; and you, whose pastime
&plquo;Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice
&plquo;To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid
&plquo;(Weak masters tho' ye be) ^{5 note}

&plquo;And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
&plquo;Set roaring war; to the dread ratling thunder
&plquo;Have I giv'n fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
&plquo;With his own bolt: the strong-bas'd promontory
&plquo;Have I made shake, and by the spurs pluckt up
&plquo;The pine and cedar: graves at my command
&plquo;Have open'd, and let forth their sleepers, wak'd
&plquo;By my so potent art.&prquo; ^{6 note}

Some heavenly musick, which ev'n now I do,
(To work mine end upon their senses, that
This airy charm has frail'd;) ^{7 note}

I'll break my staff;
Bury't a certain fadom in the earth;
And deeper than did ever plummet sound,
I'll drown my book. [Solemn Musick. SCENE III. Here enters Ariel before; then Alonzo with a frantick gesture, attended by Gonzalo. Sebastian and Anthonio in like manner, attended by Adrian and Francisco. They all enter the circle which Prospero had made, and there stand charm'd; which Prospero observing, speaks.

A solemn air, and the best comforter
To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains
Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand,
For you are spell-stopt.—
Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,

Mine eyes, even sociable to th' shew of thine,
Fall fellow-drops.—The charm dissolves apace;
And as the morning steals upon the night,
&plquo;Melting the darkness; so their rising senses
&plquo;Begin to chase the * ^noteign'rant fumes, that mantle
&plquo;Their clearer reason.&prquo; O my good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal Sir
To him thou follow'st; I will pay thy graces
Home both in word and deed.—Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonzo, use me and my daughter:
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act;
Thou'rt pinch'd for't now, Sebastian, flesh and blood.
You brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
Expell'd remorse and nature; who with Sebastian
(Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong)
Would here have kill'd your King; I do forgive thee,
Unnat'ral though thou art. &wlquo;Their understanding
&wlquo;Begins to swell, and the approaching tide
&wlquo;Will shortly fill the reasonable shore,
&wlquo;That now lies foul and muddy.&wrquo; Not one of them,
That yet looks on me, or would know me.—Ariel,
Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell;
I will dis-case me, and myself present, [Exit Ariel, and returns immediately.
As I was sometime Milan: quickly, Spirit;
Thou shalt e'er long be free. Ariel sings, and helps to attire him.

^{8 note}Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
In a cowslip's bell I lie:

There I couch, when owls do cry.
On the bat's back I do fly,
After ^{9 note}

Pro.
Why, that's my dainty Ariel; I shall miss thee;
But yet thou shalt have freedom. So, so, so,
To the King's ship, invisible as thou art;
There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
Under the hatches; the master and the boatswain,
Being awake, enforce them to this place;
And presently, I pr'ythee.

Ari.
I drink the air before me, and return
Or e'er your pulse twice beat. [Exit.

Gon.
All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement
Inhabits here; some heav'nly power guide us
Out of this fearful country!

Pro.
Behold, Sir King,
The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero:
For more assurance that a living Prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
And to thee and thy company I bid
A hearty welcome.

Alon.
Be'st thou he or no,
Or some inchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I not know; thy pulse
Beats, as of flesh and blood; and since I saw thee,
Th' affliction of my mind amends, with which,
I fear, a madness held me; this must crave
(And if this be at all) a most strange story:
Thy Dukedom I resign, and do intreat,
Thou pardon me my wrongs; but how should Prospero
Be living, and be here?

Pro.
First, noble friend,
Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
Be measur'd or confin'd.

Gon.
Whether this be,
Or be not, I'll not swear.

Pro.
You do yet taste
Some subtilties o' th' isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain: welcome, my friends all.
But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,
I here could pluck his Highness' frown upon you,
And justify you traitors; at this time
I'll tell no tales.

Seb.
The devil speaks in him.

Pro.
No:—
For you, most wicked Sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest faults; all of them; and require
My Dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know,
Thou must restore.

Alon.
If thou be'st Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation,

How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wreckt upon this shore; where I have lost
(How sharp the point of this remembrance is!)
My dear son Ferdinand.

Pro.
I'm woe for't, Sir.

Alon.
Irreparable is the loss, and Patience
Says, it is past her cure.

Pro.
I rather think,
You have not sought her help; of whose soft grace,
For the like loss, I have her sov'reign aid,
And rest myself content.

Alon.
You the like loss?

Pro.
As great to me, as late; and, supportable
To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
Than you may call to comfort you; for I
Have lost my daughter.

Alon.
A daughter?
O heav'ns! that they were living both in Naples,
The King and Queen there! that they were, I wish,
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed,
Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?

Pro.
In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
At this encounter do so much admire,
That they devour their reason; and scarce think,
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath: but howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain,
That I am Prosp'ro, and that very Duke
Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreckt, was landed
To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast, nor
Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, Sir;
This cell's my court; here have I few attendants,
And subjects none abroad; pray you, look in;
My Dukedom since you've given me again,

I will requite you with as good a thing;
At least, bring forth a wonder to content ye,
As much as me my Dukedom. SCENE IV. Opens to the Entrance of the Cell. Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda playing at Chess.

Mira.
Sweet lord, you play me false.

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

Mira.
^{1 note}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 oddly 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, ourselves,
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!

SCENE V. 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:
^{2 note}
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good and gallant ship; our master
Cap'ring to eye her; on a trice, so please you,
Ev'n in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.

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) ^{3 note}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. SCENE VI. 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 money 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.
^{4 note}

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.

^{5 note}

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;
^{6 note}
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
  As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
  Let your indulgence set me free!

Previous section