Fer.
There be some sports are painful; and their labour
Delight in them sets ^note off: some kinds of baseness

Are nobly undergone; and most poor matters
Point to rich ends: This my mean task would be
As heavy to me, as 'tis odious; but
The mistress, which I serve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is
Ten times more gentle, than her father's crabbed;
And he's compos'd of harshness. I must remove
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress
Weeps, when she sees me work; and says, such baseness
Had ne'er like executor. I forget:
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours;
Most busy-less ^note, ^note when I do it.14Q0017 Enter Miranda; and Prospero, at a Distance, unseen.

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

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't to the pile.

Fer.
No, precious creature;
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.

Mir.
It would become me
As well as it does you: and I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
And yours it is against.

&clquo;Pro.
&clquo;Poor worm, thou art infected;&crquo;
&clquo;This visitation shews it.&crquo;

Mir.
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 you name? ^note

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

Fer.
Admir'd Miranda!
Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
What ^note dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have 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 do not know
One of my sex; no woman's face remember,
Save, from my glass, my own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men, than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not wish

Any companion in the world but you;
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides yourself, to like of: But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father's precepts
I therein do forget.

Fer.
I am, in my condition,
A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;
(I would not so!) and would no more endure
This wooden slavery, than I would suffer ^note
The flesh-fly blow my mouth: 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 log-man.

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 am glad of.

&clquo;Pro.
&clquo;Fair encounter&crquo;
&clquo;Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace&crquo;
&clquo;On that which breeds between them!&crquo;

Fer.
Wherefore weep you?

Mir.
At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
What I desire to give; and much less take
What I shall dye to want: But this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
The bigger bulk it shews. Hence, bashful cunning;

And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife, if you will marry me;
If not, I'll dye 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 ^note
As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.

Mir.
And mine, with my heart in't: And now, farewel,
'Till half an hour hence.

Fer.
A thousand thousand! [Exeunt Fer. and Mir. severally.

Pro.
So glad of this as they, I cannot be,
Who are surpriz'd with all; but my rejoicing ^note
At nothing can be more. I'll to my book;
For yet, ere supper-time, must I perform
Much business appertaining. [Exit. SCENE II. Another Part of the Island. Enter Stephano, and Trinculo, reeling; Caliban following, with the Bottle.

Ste.

Tell not me; when the but is out, we will drink water; not a drop, before: therefore bear up, and board 'em:—Servant monster, drink to me.

Tri.

Servant monster? the folly of this island! They say, there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if the other two be brain'd like us, the state totters.

Ste.

Drink, servant monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head. ^note

Tri.

Where should they be set else? he were a brave

monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.

Ste.

My man monster hath drown'd his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues, off and on, by this light.—Thou shalt be my lieutenant,14Q0018 monster, or my standard.

Tri.

Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

Ste.

We'll not run, monsieur monster.

Tri.

Nor go neither: but you'll lye, like dogs; and yet say nothing neither.

Ste.

Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou be'st a good moon-calf.

Cal.

How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe: I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

Tri.

Thou ly'st, most ignorant monster; I am in case to justle a constable: Why, thou debosh'd fish thou, was there ever man a coward, that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell me a monstrous lye, being but half a fish, and half a monster?

Cal.

Lo, how he mocks me; Wilt thou let him, my lord?

Tri.

Lord, quoth he? that a monster should be such a natural!

Cal.

Lo, lo, again: bite him to death, I pr'ythee.

Ste.

Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if you prove a mutineer, the next tree: the poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

Cal.
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd
To hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?

Ste.

Marry, will I: kneel, and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

Cal.

As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant; a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.

Ari.

Thou ly'st.

Cal.
Thou ly'st, thou jesting monkey thou;
I would, my valiant master would destroy thee:
I do not lye.

Ste.

Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Tri.

Why, I said nothing.

Ste.

Mum, then, and no more:—Proceed.

Cal.
I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it: If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him,—for, I know, thou dar'st;
But this † thing dare not,—

Ste.

That's most certain.

Cal.
thou ^note shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

Ste.

How now shall this be compass'd? Can'st thou bring me to the party?

Cal.
Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou may'st knock a nail into his head.

Ari.
Thou ly'st, thou can'st not.

Cal.
What a py'd ninny's this?—Thou scurvy patch!—
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,
He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not shew him
Where the quick freshes are.

Ste.

Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

Tri.

Why, what did I? I did nothing: I'll go no farther ^note off.

Ste.

Did'st thou not say, he ly'd?

Ari.

Thou ly'st.

Ste.

Do I so? take thou that: [striking him.] As you like this, give me the lye another time.

Tri.

I did not give the ^note lye: Out o' your wits, and hearing too?—A pox o' your bottle! this can sack, and drinking, do.—A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!

Cal.

Ha, ha, ha.

Ste.

Now forward with your tale.—Pr'ythee, stand further off.

Cal.
Beat him enough: after a little time,
I'll beat him too.

Ste.
Stand further.—Come, proceed.

Cal.
Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' the afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,
Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife: Remember,
First to possess his books: for without them
He's but a sot, as I am; nor hath not
One spirit to command; they all do hate him
As rootedly as I: burn but his books.
He has brave utensils, (for so he calls them)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal. ^note
And that most deeply to consider, is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her, a non-pareil: I never saw a woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax,
As great'st does least.

Ste.
Is it so brave a lass?

Cal.
Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant,
And bring thee forth brave brood.

Ste.

Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be king and queen; (save our graces!) and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys:—Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?

Tri.

Excellent.

Ste.

Give me thy hand; I am sorry, I beat thee: but, while thou liv'st, keep a good tongue in thy head.

Cal.
Within this half hour will he be asleep;
Wilt thou destroy him then?

Ste.
Ay, on mine honour.

&clquo;Ari.
&clquo;This will I tell my master.&crquo;

Cal.
Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure;
Let us be jocund: Will you troul the catch
You taught me but while-ere?

Ste.

At thy request, monster, I will do reason, ^note any reason:—Come on, Trinculo; let us sing.