Fair encounter

Pro. Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace On that which breeds between them! Fer. Wherefore weep you? Mira. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer What I desire to give; and much less take, What I shall die to want: But this is trifling; And all the more it seeks to hide itself,

The bigger bulk it shews. Hence, bashful cunning!

And prompt me, plain and holy innocence !
I am your wife, if you will marry me ;
If not I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; bút I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer.

And I thus humble ever.

Mira.

My mistress, dearest,

My husband then?

Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thes thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.

:

Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack for my part, the sea cannot drown me: I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirts leagues, off and on, by this light. Thou shalt be

my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

Ste. We'll not run, monsieur monster. Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lie, like dogs; and yet say nothing neither.

Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy

shoe :

I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster; I am in case to justle a constable: why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever a man a coward, that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish, and half a monster?

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?

Trin. Lord, quoth he! be such a natural!

that a monster should

Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I pr'ythee. Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head ; if you prove a mutineer, the next treeThe poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased

To hearken once again the suit I made thee? Ste. Marry will I kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou;
I would, my valiant master would destroy thee:
I do not lie.

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your

teeth.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.

Ste. Mum then, and no more. [To CALIBAN.] Proceed.

Cal. I say, by sorcery he got this isle; From me he got it. If thy greatness will for, I know, thou dar'st;

SCENE II. · Another part of the Island. Enter STEPHANO and TRINCULO; CALIBAN following with a bottle.

Ste. That's most certain. Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thec. Ste. How now shall this be compassed? Carst thou bring me to the party?

Cal. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep, Where thou may'st knock a nail into his head. Ari. Thou liest, thou canst not.

Cal. What a pied ninny's this? Thou scurvy patch!

I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone.

Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him I' the afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,

Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife: Remember,
First to possess his books; for without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not

One spirit to command: They all do hate him,
As rootedly as I: Burn but his books;
He has brave utensils, (for so he calls them,)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider, is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a non-pareil: I ne'er saw woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax,

As greatest does least.

Ste. Is it so brave a lass?

Cal. Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant,

And bring thee forth brave brood.

Ste. Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be king and queen; (save our graces!) and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys : . Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?

Trin. Excellent.

Ste. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee: but, while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.

Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep;
Wilt thou destroy him then?

Ste.
Ay, on mine honour.
Ari. This will I tell my master.
Ca!. Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of plea-

sure;

Let us be jocund: Will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?

Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason: Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. [Sings. Flout 'em, and skout 'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em; Thought is free.

Cal. That's not the tune.

Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of No-body.

Ste. If thou beest a man, shew thysca in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list. Trin. O, forgive me my sins!

Ste. He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee:Mercy upon us!

Cal. Art thou afeard?

Ste. No, monster, not I.

Cal. Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices, That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep, Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming, The clouds, methought, would open and shew riches Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd, I cry'd to dream again.

Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my musick for nothing. Cal. When Prospero is destroyed.

Ste. That shall be by and by: I remember the story. Trin. The sound is going away: let's follow it, and after, do our work.

Ste. Lead, monster; we'll follow. I would, I could see this taborer: he lays it on. Trin. Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. [Exeunt.

Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose
That you resolv'd to effect.
Seb.

Will we take thoroughly.
Ant.

The next advantage Let it be to-night; For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance, As when they are fresh. Seb. I say, to-night: no more. Solemn and strange musick; and PROSPERO above, invisible. Enter several strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet; they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting the King, &c. to eat, they depart.

Alon. What harmony is this? my good friends, hark!

Gon. Marvellous sweet musick!

Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these?

Seb. A living drollery: Now I will believe, That there are unicorns; that, in Arabia

At this hour reigning there.

Ant. I'll believe both; And what does else want credit, come to me, And I'll be sworn 'tis true: Travellers ne'er did lie, Though fools at home condemn them. Gon.

If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? If I should say, I saw such islanders, (For, certes, these are people of the island,) Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Their manners are more gentle-kind, than of Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any.

Pro.

Honest lord,

Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table, and with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes.

Ari. You are three men of sin, whom destiny (That hath to instrument this lower world, And what is in't,) the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up; and on this island Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad;

[Seeing ALON. SEB. &c. draw their swords. And even with such like valour, men hang and drown Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of fate; the elements,

Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish

One dowle that's in my plume; my fellow-ministers

Are like invulnerable: if you could hurt,
Your swords are now too massy for your strengths,
And will not be uplifted: But, remember,
(For that's my business to you,) that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero;
Expos'd unto the sea, which hath requit it,
Him, and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace: Thee, of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce by me,
Ling'ring perdition (worse than any death
Can be at once,) shall step by step attend
You, and your ways; whose wraths to guard you
from

(Which here, in this most desolate isle; else falls Upon your heads,) is nothing, but heart's sorrow, And a clear life ensuing.

He vanishes in thunder: then to soft musick, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mops and mowes, and carry out the table.

Pro. [Aside.] Bravely the figure of this harpy

hast thou

Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring:
Of my instruction hast thou nothing 'bated,
In what thou hadst to say so, with good life,
And observation strange, my meaner ministers
Their several kinds have done: my high charms work,
And these, mine enemies, are all knit up

In their distractions: they now are in my power;
And in these fits I leave them, whilst I visit
Young Ferdinand, (whom they suppose is drown'd,)
And his and my loved darling.

[Erit PROSPERO from above.
Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why
stand you
In thus strange stare?
Alon.
O, it is monstrous! monstrous
Methought, the billows spoke, and told me of it;
The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd
The name of Prosper; it did bass my trespass.
Therefore my son i' the ooze is bedded; and
I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,
And with him there lie mudded.
Seb.

I'll fight their legions o'er.
Ant.

[Exit.

But one fiend at a time,

I'll be thy second. [Exeunt SEB. and ANT. Gon. All three of them are desperate; their great

SCENE I. Before Prospero's Cell. Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA Pro. If I have too austerely punish'd you, Your compensation makes amends; for I

Have given you here a thread of mine own life.
Or that for which I live; whom once again

I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven,

Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Worthily purchas'd, take my daughter: But If thou dost break her virgin knot before All sanctimonious ceremonies may With full and holy rite be minister'd, No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall To make this contract grow: but barren hate, Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew The union of your bed with weeds so loathly, That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed, As Hymen's lamps shall light you. Fer.

As I hope For quiet days, fair issue, and long life, With such love as 'tis now; the murkiest den, The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion Our worser Genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust; to take away The edge of that day's celebration, When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd, Or night kept chain'd below.

Will be here with mop and mowe :

Do you love me, master? no.

Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach, Till thou dost hear me call. Ari. Well I conceive. [Exit. Pro. Look, thou be true: do not give dalliance Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw To the fire 'the blood: be more abstemious, Or else, good night, your vow! Fer. I warrant you, sir. The white cold virgin snow upon my heart Abates the ardour of my liver.

Pro.

Well.

Now come, my Ariel: bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly.
No tongue; all eyes; be silent. [Soft musick.
A Masque. Enter IRIS.

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich lease
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
Thy banks with peonied and lilied brims,
Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard:
And thy sea-marge, steril, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: The queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch, and messenger, am I,

Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Jun. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Cer. Earth's increase, and foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty;
Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing ¡
Plants, with goodly burden bowing ;
Spring come to you, at the farthest,
In the very end of harvest!

Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly: May I be bold
To think these spirits?

Pro.

Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines called to enact
My present fancies.

Fer.

Let me live here ever; So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife, Make this place Paradise.

Pro.

[JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employment.

Sweet now, silence; Juno and Ceres whisper seriously; There's something else to do: hush, and be mute, Or else our spell is marr'd.

Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wand'ring brooks,

With your sedg'd crowns, and ever harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
Answer your summons: Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry;
Make holy-day: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited; they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish.

Pro. [aside.] I had forgot that foul conspiracy Of the beast Caliban, and his confederates, Against my life; the minute of their plot

Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done; avoid; no more.

Fer. This is most strange: your father's in some passion

That works him strongly.

Mira.
Never till this day,
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pro. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort
As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabrick of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind: We are such stuff
As dreams are made of, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. - Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled.
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:

If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell,
And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk,
To still my beating mind.

Fer. Mira.

We wish your peace.

Pro. Come with a thought :

Ariel, come.

Enter ARIEL.

[Exeunt. I thank you : —

Pro. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?

Ari. I told you, sir, they were red-not with drinking:

So full of valour, that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project: Then I beat my tabor,
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their

ears,

Advanc'd their eye-lids, lifted up their noses,
As they smelt musick; so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and
thorns,

Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I' the filthy mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.

Pro.

This was well done, my bird; Thy shape invisible retain thou still : The trumpery in my house, go, bring it hither, For stale to catch these thieves.

Ari. I go, I go. [Exit Pro. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains, Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost : And as, with age, his body uglier grows, So his mind cankers: I will plague them all, Re-enter ARIEL loaden with glistering apparel, &c. Even to roaring: Come, hang them on this line. PROSPERO and ARIEL remain invisible. Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet.

Cal. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not

Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

Ste. Monster, your fairy, which, you say, is a harmless fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us.

Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great indignation.

Ste. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure against you; look

you,

Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster. Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still: Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to Shall hood-wink this mischance: therefore speak softly,

All's hush'd as midnight yet.

Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,Ste. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

Trin. That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

Ste. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

Cal. Prythee, my king, be quiet: Seest thou here, This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter. Do that good mischief, which may make this island Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,

For aye thy foot-licker.

Ste. Give me thy hand: I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

Trin. O king Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! look, what a wardrobe here is for thee! Cal. Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash. Trin. O, ho, monster; we know what betongs to a frippery: O king Stephano!