THE TEMPEST

Actus primus, Scena prima.

[On a ship at sea.]

A tempestuous noise of Thunder and Lightning beard: Enter a Ship-master, and a Boteswaine.

OTE-SWAINE.

BOTE-S

Master.

Botes. Heere Master: What cheere?

Mast. Good: Speake to th' Mariners: fall | too't, yarely, or we run our selves a ground, bestirre, bestirre. 1 lively

Enter Mariners.

Exit.

10

Botes. Heigh my hearts, cheerely, cheerely my harts: yare, yare:2 Take in the toppe-sale: Tend to th' Masters whistle: Blow till thou burst thy winde, if roome enough. 2 quick

Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Anthonio, Ferdinando,

Gonzalo, and others.

Alon. Good Boteswaine have care: where's the Ma

ster? Play the men.

15. Anthonio: Antonio-RowE; all through-CAPELL.

15. Ferdinando: Ferdinand-RowE.

Botes. I pray now keepe below.

Anth. Where is the Master, Boson?

20

Botes. Do you not heare him? you marre our labour, Keepe your Cabines: you do assist the storme.

Gonz. Nay, good be patient.

Botes. When the Sea is: hence, what cares these roarers for the name of King? to Cabine; silence: trouble 26

us not.

Gon. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboord. Botes. None that I more love then my selfe. You are a Counsellor, if you can command these Elements to silence, and worke the peace of the present, wee will not hand a rope more, use your authoritie: If you cannot, give thankes you have liv'd so long, and make your selfe readie in your Cabine for the mischance of the houre, if it so hap. Cheerely good hearts: out of our way I say. Exit.

Gon. I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning marke upon him, his complexion is perfect Gallowes: stand fast good Fate to his hanging, make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our owne doth little advantage: If he be not borne to bee hang'd, our case is miserable. Exit. 41

Enter Boteswaine.

Botes. Downe with the

top-1 -Mast: yare, lower, lower, bring her to Try with Maine-course. A plague

A

cry within. Enter Sebastian, Anthonio Gonzalo. upon this howling: they are lowder then the weather, or our office: yet againe? What do heere? Shal we give ore and drowne, have you a minde to sinke?

you

Sebas. A poxe o'your throat, you bawling, blasphemous incharitable Dog.

Botes. Worke you then.

50

Anth. Hang cur, hang, you whoreson insolent Noysemaker, we are lesse afraid to be drownde, then thou art.

Gonz. I'le warrant him for drowning, though the Ship were no stronger then a Nutt-shell, and as leaky as an unstanched wench.

Botes. Lay her a hold, a hold, set her two courses off to Sea againe, lay her off.

Enter Mariners wet.

Mari. All lost, to prayers, to prayers, all lost. 60 Botes. What must our mouths be cold?

Gonz. The King, and Prince, at prayers, let's assist them, for our case is as theirs.

Sebas. I'am out of patience.

An. We are meerly cheated of our lives by drunkards, This wide-chopt-rascall, would thou mightst lye drowning the washing of ten Tides.

Gonz. Hee'l be hang'd yet,

Though every drop of water sweare against it,

And gape at widst to glut him. A confused noyse within. Mercy on us.

We split, we split, Farewell my wife, and children, Farewell brother: we split, we split, we split.

Anth. Let's all sinke with' King

Seb. Let's take leave of him.

71

Exit.

Gonz. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of Sea, for an Acre of barren ground: Long heath, Browne

62-3. new 1. at For-POPE.

66-7. new 1. at The-POPE.

71-3. as stage cries indicating confused noyse within-CAPELL. 74. with' King: with the king-RowE.

firrs, any thing; the wills above be done, but I would

faine dye a dry death.

Scena Secunda.

Exit.

[The island.]

Enter Prospero and Miranda.

Mira. If by your Art (my deerest father) you have Put the wild waters in this Rore; alay them:

The skye it seemes would powre down stinking pitch,
But that the Sea, mounting to th' welkins cheeke,
Dashes the fire out. Oh! I have suffered

With those that I saw suffer: A brave vessell
(Who had no doubt some noble creature in her)
Dash'd all to peeces: O the cry did knocke
Against my very heart: poore soules, they perish'd.
Had I byn any God of power, I would
Have suncke the Sea within the Earth, or ere

IO

It should the good Ship so have swallow'd, and
The fraughting1 Soules within her.

1 lading

Pros. Be collected,

No more amazement: Tell your pitteous heart there's no harme done.

Mira. O woe, the day.

Pros. No harme:

I have done nothing, but in care of thee

(Of thee my deere one; thee my daughter) who
Art ignorant of what thou art. naught knowing
Of whence I am: nor that I am more better

Then Prospero, Master of a full poore cell,
And thy no greater Father.

Mira. More to know

Did never medle with my thoughts.

20

Pros. 'Tis time

30

I should informe thee farther: Lend thy hand
And plucke my Magick garment from me: So,

[Lays down his mantle.]
Lye there my Art: wipe thou thine eyes, have comfort,
The direfull spectacle of the wracke which touch'd
The very vertue of compassion in thee:
I have with such provision1 in mine Art
So safely ordered, that there is no soule
No not so much perdition as an hayre
Betid to any creature in the vessell

1 foresight

Which thou heardst cry, which thou saw'st sinke: Sit downe, |

For thou must now know farther.

Mira. You have often

Begun to tell me what I am, but stopt

And left me to a bootelesse Inquisition,
Concluding, stay: not yet.

Pros. The howr's now come

The very minute byds thee ope thine eare,
Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember
A time before we came unto this Cell?

I doe not thinke thou canst, for then thou was't not
Out three yeeres old.

Mira. Certainely Sir, I can.

Pros. By what? by any other house, or person? Of any thing the Image, tell me, that

Hath kept with thy remembrance.

Mira. 'Tis farre off:

And rather like a dreame, then an assurance

That my remembrance warrants: Had I not
Fowre, or five women once, that tended me?

40

50

Pros. Thou hadst; and more Miranda: But how is it That this lives in thy minde? What seest thou els 60