SCENE I.
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.
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.
-- 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 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.
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. 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 noise-maker;
we are less afraid to be drown'd than thou art.
-- 5 --
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 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. Mercy on us!
[A confused noise within.
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.
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.
George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].
