Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare

10 Thou must restore.

Alon. If thou be'st Prospero,

Give us particulars of thy preservation:

How thou hast met us here, who three hours since Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost,

15 How sharp the point of this remembrance is! My dear son Ferdinand.

Pro. I am woe for't2, sir.

Alon. Irreparable is the loss; and Patience

Says, it is past her cure.

20 Pro. I rather think,

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?

25 Pro. As great to me, as late '; 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.

Alon. A daughter?

300 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, [ter? Wheremysonlies. When did you lose your daughPro. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords

35 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,

Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;

And to thee, and thy company, I bid

40 That I am Prospero, and that very duke

A hearty welcome.

Alon. Whe'r thou best he, or no,

Or some inchanted trifle to abuse me,

As late I have been, I not know: thy pulse

Which was thrust forth of Milan; who moststrangely Upon this shore, where you werewrecked, waslandTo be the lord on't. No more yet of this; [ed For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,

Beats, as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee, 45 Not a relation for a breakfast, nor

The affliction of my mind amends, with which,

Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;

I fear, a madness held me: this must crave

(An if this be at all) a most strange story.

The cell's my court; here have I few attendants, And subjects none abroad: pray you look in;

Thy dukedom I resign; and do intreat, [Prospero

My dukedom since you have given me again,

Be living, and be here?

Pro. First, noble friend,

[To Gon.

At least, bring forth a wonder to content ye, As much as me my dukedom.

Thou pardon me my wrongs:-But how should 50 I will requite you with as good a thing;

Let me embrace thine age; whose honour cannot

Be measur'd, or contin'd.

Gon. Whether this be,

Or be not, I'll not swear.

Pro. You do yet taste

Some subtilties of the isle, that will not let you

Believe things certain :-- Welcome, my friends all:

But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,

[Aside to Seb. and Ant.

The entrance of the cell opens, and discovers Fer-
dinand and Miranda playing at chess.

55 Mira. Sweet lord, you play me false.
Fer. No, my dearest love,

I would not for the world.

[wrangle,

Mir. Yes, for a score of kingdoms, you should

And I would call it fair play.

60 Alon. If this prove

A vision of the island, one dear son

To drink the air, is an expression of swiftness of the same kind as to devour the way, in Henry VI.

* 'That is, I am sorry for it. To be woe, is often used by old writers to signify, to be sorry.

ing, My loss is as great as yours, and has as lately happened to me.

3 Mean

Shall

Shall I twice lose.

Seb. A most high miracle!

Fer. Thơ' the seas threaten, they are merciful;

I have curs'd them without cause.

Which but three glasses since, we gave out split, Is tight and yare, and bravely rigg'd, as when We first put out to sea.

Ari. Sir, all this service

Alon. Now all the blessings [Ferdinand kneels. 5 Have I done since I went. Of a glad father compass thee about!

Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.

Mira. O! wonder!

Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you
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 !

Pro. My tricksy 2 spirit!

}

[Aside.

Alon. These are notnaturalevents; theystrengthen
From strange to stranger:-Say, how came you hi-
Boats. If I did think, sir, I were well awake, [ther?

10'd strive to tell you. We were dead asleep,
And (how, we know not) all clapp'd under hatches,
Where, but evennow, withstrangeandseveralnoises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, gingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
15 We were awak'd; straightway, at liberty:
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant ship; our rster
Cap'ring to eye her: On a trice, so please you,
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,

20 And

were brought moping hither.

Ari. Was 't well done?

Pro. Bravely, my diligence. Thou [Aside.

shalt be free.

[issue

Gon. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his

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!

Re-enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain

amazedly following.

hither, spirit;

[To Arisl.

Set Caliban and his companions free:

[Aside.

Untie the spell. How fares my gracious sir? There are yet missing of your company 40 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:45 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

O look, sir, look, sir, here are more of us!

Will money buy them?

I prophesy'd, if a gallows were on land,

Ant. Very like; one of them

This fellow could not drown:-Now, blasphemy, 55 Is a plain fish, and no doubt marketable.

For when perhaps should be read where. 2 That is, my clever, adroit spirit. 3 Conduct, for conductor. Beating may mean hammering, working in the mind, dwelling long upon. Coragio is an exclamation of encouragement. That is, honest. A true man is, in the language of that time, opposed to a thief. The sense is, Mark what these men wear, and say if they are honest.

And

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

Cal. I shall be pinch'd to death.

Alon. Is not this Steph mo my drunken butler? 5. b. He's drunk now: Where had he wine? [they

you found it.

Seb. Or stole it, rather.

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

Alon. And Trinculoisreelingripe: Whereshould 10 Go quick away; the story of my life,

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 tear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.

Seb. Why how now, Stephano?

Ste.

[acramp'.

ouch me not: I am not Stephano, but

Pro. ou'd be king of the isle, sirrah?
Ste. I should have been a sore one then.

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 nuptials
15 Of these our dear beloved solemniz'd;
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

Alon. This is a strange thing as e'er 1 Book'd on. 20 Take the ear strangely.

[Pointing to Cariban.

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,

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,-
[Aside.
That is thy charge; then to the elements)
Be free, and fare thou well!
Please you, draw near.
[Exeunt omnes.

That is, I am all over a cramp. Prospero had ordered Ariel to shorten up their sinews with aged cramps. Touch me not alludes to the soreness occasioned by them. In the next line, the speaker confirms this meaning by a quibble on the word sore.

EPILOGUE,

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

NOW my charms are all d'erthrown,

And what strength I have's mine our,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or sent to Napies: Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the decerrer, 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,
50 Which was to please: Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant:
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer,
Which pierces so, that it assaults
55 Mercy itself, and frees ali jaults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

TWO

SCENE, sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua.

SCENE I.

An open place in Verona.

ACT I.

Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love,

How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.
Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love,

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,

Enter Valentine and Protheus.

Fal. CEASE to persuade, my loving Protheus;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely 5 For he was more than over shoes in love.

Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days [wits:
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would intreat thy company,

And yet you never swom the Hellespont.

Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots'.
Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.

To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But, since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou begone? Sweet Valentine, adieu!
Think on thy Protheus, when thou, haply, seest 15 With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights:

Coy looks, with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth,

Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:

Wish me partaker in thy happiness,
When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy dan-
If ever danger do environ thee,
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.

[ger,

If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain;
If lost, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

Ful. And on a love book pray for my success.

So, by you your circumstance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll Pro, Tislove you'llcavil at; Iamnotlove.[prove.

Theobald pronounces this to be a proverbial expression, though now disused, signifying, Don't make a laughing-stock of me; don't play upon me. Mr. Steevens, however, is of opinion, that it might take its origin from a sport the country-people in Warwickshire use at their harvest home, where one sits as judge to try misdemeanors committed in harvest, and the punishment for the men is, to be laid on a bench, and slapped on the breech with a pair of boots. This they call giving them the boots. He also adds, that the boots were an ancient engine of torture.

Val

Val. Love is your master, for he masters you; And he that is so yoked by a fool, Methinks should not be chronicled for wise.

Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud, Losing his verdure even in the prime, And all the fair effects of future hopes. But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee, That art a votary to fond desire? Once more adieu: my father at the road Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd., Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. Vul. Sweet Protheus, no; now let us take our At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters [leave. Of thy success in love, and what news else Betideth here in absence of thy friend: And I likewise will visit thee with mine. Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! Val. As much to you at home! and so farewell!

Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia?

Speed. Ay, sir: I a lost mutton'; gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and she, a lac'd mutton2, 5 gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons.

Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were best stick her.

10 Pro. Nay, in that you are astray; 'twere best pound you.

Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. 15 Speed. From a pound to a pin? Fold it over and

over,

Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.

Pro. But what said she? did she nod?[Speed nods. 20 Speed. I.

Pro. Nod, I? why that's noddy 3. Speed. You mistook, sir; I said she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I said I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. [Exit. 25 Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. [ter. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the let Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at nought; Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with

thought.

Enter Speed.

[master?

30 Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me?

Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word noddy for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.

What said she?

Speed. Sir Protheus, save you: saw you my 35 Pro. Come, come, open the inatter in brief:
Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan.
Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd already;
And I have play'd the sheep in losing him.

Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray,

And if the shepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude, that my master is a shepherd then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do.

Speed. Open your purse; that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver'd. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What

40 said she?

Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? couldst thou perceive so much from her?

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whe- | Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from

Specd. This proves me still a sheep.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.

Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the

ther I wake or sleep.

Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.

Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd.

45 her: no, not so much as a ducket for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel.

Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. 50 Pro. What, said she nothing?

Speed. No, not so much as take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereot, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll [wreck;

Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, Being destin'd to a drier death on shore :

sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep.

Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the shepherd,

the shepherd for the food follows not the sheep: 55 commend you to my master.

thou for wages foliowest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a sheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa.

• Speed calls himself a lost mutton, because he had lost his master, and because Protheus had been proving him a sheep. Cotgrave, in his English-French Dictionary, explains lac'd mutton by a girl of pleasure. A lac'd mutton was so established a name for a courtezan, that a street in Clerkenwell, which was much frequented by women of the town, was formerly called Mutton-lane. * Noddy was a game at cards. That is, you have gratified me with a tester, testern, or testen, that is, with a sixpence.

I must

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