I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you,
And justify you traitors; at this time

I'll tell no tales.

Seb. [Aside.] 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 fault-all of them; and require
My dukedom of thee, which perforce I know
Thou must restore.

Alon.

If thou beest Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation :

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

Pro.

I am woe' for 't, sir. Alon. Irreparable is the loss; and Patience Says it is past her cure.

You have not sought her help; of whose soft grace
For the like loss, I have her sovereign aid,

And rest myself content.

Alon.

You the like loss?

Pro. As great to me, as late; 2 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.

O heavens! that they were living both in Naples,

1 Woe.] Sorry. This word is still used in the north as an adjective.

2 As great, &c.]

is to you.

As great to me, and as recent, or fresh, as yours

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,1

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 Prospero, and that very duke

That was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wrecked, was landed,
To be the lord on 't. No more yet of this;
For 't is 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 have 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.

The entrance of the Cell opens, and discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA playing at chess.

Mira. Sweet lord, you play me false.

Fer.

I would not for the world.

No, my dearest love,

Mira. 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.

Admire.] Wonder.

Seb.

A most high miracle!

Fer. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful :

I have cursed them without cause. [FERD. kneels to ALON. Alon.

Of a glad father compass thee about!

Arise, and

Mira.

Now all the blessings

O, wonder!

say how thou cam'st here.

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 eldest acquaintance cannot be three hours :

Is she the goddess that hath severed us,

And brought us thus together?

Sir, she's mortal;

Fer.
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
Received a second life; and second father
This lady makes him to me.

Alon.

I am hers: 1

But O, how oddly will it sound, that I
Must ask my child forgiveness!

Pro.

There, sir, stop;

Let us not burden our remembrances

With a heaviness that 's gone.

Gon.

I have inly wept,

Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods,
And on this couple drop a blessed crown;

I am hers.] I am her father.

For it is you that have chalked 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
With 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.1

Alon. [To FER. and MIR.] Give me your hands: Let grief and sorrow still 2 embrace his heart

That doth not wish you joy!

Gon.

Be it so! Amen!

Re-enter ARIEL, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly

following.

O look, sir, look, sir! here are more of us!
I prophesied 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 rigged, as when

We first put out to sea.

1 No man was his own.] No man was master of himself, or selfpossessed.

'O that a man were his own man so much,

To rule himself thus.'

B. Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour, ii. 4.

Still.] Ever.

Ari. [Aside to Pro.] Sir, all this service

Have I done since I went.

Pro. [Aside to ARI.] My tricksy1 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 of sleep, And (how we know not) all clapped under hatches, Where, but even now, with strange and several noises Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains, And more diversity of sounds all horrible, We were awaked; straightway at liberty: Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld Our royal, good, and gallant ship; our master Capering to eye her on a trice, so please you, Even in a dream, were we divided from them, And were brought mopping 2 hither.

Ari. [Aside to PRO.]

Pro. [Aside to ARI.] shalt be free.

Was 't well done?

Bravely, my diligence. Thou

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: 3 some oracle

Must rectify our knowledge.

Pro.

Sir, my liege,

Do not infest your mind with beating on

The strangeness of this business: at picked leisure,
Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you

(Which to you shall seem probable) of every

Tricksy.] Cunning, sportive. So in the Merchant of Venice, iii. 5, Lorenzo refers to fools' that for a tricksy word defy the matter.' 2 Mopping.] Making strange faces to each other.

4

Conduct of.] Cause of, conducive to.

♦ Single I'll resolve you.] In private I will give you explanation.