Than you may call to comfort you; for I
Have lost my daughter,

Alon. A daughter?

O heavens! 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 Prospero, and that very duke

Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, 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 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. No, my dearest love,

I would not for the world.

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.

Seb. A most high miracle!

Fer. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful:

I have cursed them without cause.

Alon. Now all the blessings

Of a glad father compass thee about!
Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.

Mira. O! wonder!

[FER. kneels to ALON.

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

Alon. I am hers:

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 spoken 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
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.*

Alon. Give me your hands:

Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart,

That doth not wish you joy!

Gon. Be't so! Amen!"

[To FER. and MIR.

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'er board, 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,t 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 tricksy‡ spirit!

Alon. These are not natural events; they strengthen, From strange to stranger :-Say, how came you hither?

* In his senses.

† Ready.

+ Clever, adroit.

[Aside, [Aside.

Boats. If I did think, Sir, I were well awake,
I'd strive to tell you. We were dead asleep,

And (how we know not), all clapp'd under hatches,
Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, gingling 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
Cap'ring to eye her: On a trice, so please you,
Even 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 pick'd leisure,
Which shall be shortly, single, I'll resolve you
(Which to you shall seem probable) of every

[Aside. [Aside.

These happen'd accidents: till when, be cheerful,

And think of each thing well.-Come hither, spirit;

[Aside.

Set Caliban and his companions free;

Untie the spell. [Exit ARIEL.] How fares my gracious Sir? There are yet missing of your company

Some few odd lads that you remember not.

Re-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 Antonio!
Will money buy them?

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 misshapen knave,
His mother was a witch; and one so strong
That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command, without her power:
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil
(For he's a bastard one) had plotted with them
* Conductor.

† Honest.

To take my life: two of these fellows you
Must know, and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal. I shall be pinched to death.

Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb. He is drunk now: Where had he wine?

Alon. And Tripculo is reeling ripe: Where should they
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them?—

How cam'st thou in this pickle?

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 flyblowing.

Seb. Why, how now, Stephano?

Ste. O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a cramp.
Pro. You'd be king of the isle, sirrah?

Ste. I should have been a sore one then.

Alon. This is as strange a thing as e'er I look'd on.

[Pointing to CALIBAN.

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 handsomely.

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.

[Exeunt CAL, STE., and TRIN.

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 nuptial
Of these our dear beloved solemnized;
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!-[Aside.] Please you, draw near.

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own;
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined 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: Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved 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.

*Applause: noise was supposed to dissolve a spell.

40