Ari. Was't well done;

Pro. Bravely, my diligence, thou fhalt be free.

Alon. This is as ftrange a maze as e'er men trod, And there is in this bufinefs more than nature

Was ever conduct of; fome oracle

Muft rectify our knowledge.

Pro. Sir, my Liege,

Do not infest your mind with beating on
The ftrangeness of this bufinefs; at pickt leisure
(Which fhall be fhortly) fingle I'll refolve you,
Which to you fhall feem probable, of every
These happen'd accidents; till when be chearful,
And think of each thing well. Come hither, fpirit;
Set Caliban and his companions free :

Untie the fpell. How fares my gracious Sir?
There are yet miffing of your company
Some few odd lads, that you remember not.

Enter Ariel, driving in Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, in their ftolen apparel.

Ste. Every man shift for all the reft, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune; Coragio, bully-monfter, Coragio!

Trin. If thefe be true fpies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly fight.

Cal. O Setebos, thefe be brave spirits, indeed! How fine my master is! I am afraid

He will chaftife me.

Seb. Ha, ha;

What things are thefe, my Lord Anthonio!
Will money buy 'em?

Ant. Very like; one of them

Is a plain fish, and no doubt marketable.

Pro. Mark but the badges of thefe men, my Lords,
Then fay, if they be true: this mif-fhap'd knave,
His mother was a witch, and one fo ftrong

That could controul the moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command without her power.
These three have robb'd me; and this demy-devil
(For he's a bastard one) had plotted with them

H 2

Τω

you

To take my life; two of these fellows
Muft know and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal. I fhall be pinch'd to death.

Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb. He's drunk now: where had he wine?

Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe; where should
they

Find this grand 'lixir, that hath gilded 'em?
How cam'ft thou in this pickle ?

Trin. I have been in fuch a pickle, fince I faw you laft, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.

Seb. Why, how now, Stephano?

[cramp. Ste. O, touch me not: I am not Stephano, but a Pro. You'd be King o' th' island, Sirrah?

Ste. I fhould have been a fore one then.

Alon. 'Tis a ftrange thing as e'er I look'd on.
Pro. He is as difproportion'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 handfomely.

Cal. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wife hereafter,
And feek for grace. What a thrice-double afs
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 ftole it rather.

Pro. Sir, I invite your Highness, and your train,
To my poor
cell; where you fhall take your rest
For this one night, which (part of it) I'll waste
With fuch difcourfe, as, I not doubt, fhall make it
Go quick away; the story of my life,

And the particular accidents gone by,

Since I came to this ifle: and in the morn
I'll bring you to your fhip; and fo to Naples;
Where I have hope to see the nuptials
Of thefe our dear beloved folemniz'd ;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.

Alon.

Alon. I long

To hear the ftory of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.

Pro. I'll deliver all;

And promise you calm feas, aufpicious gales,
And fail fo expeditious, that fhall catch
Your royal fleet far off. My Ariel, chick,
That is thy charge: then to the elements
Be free, and fare thou well! Please you, draw near.
[Exeunt omnes,

O IV

EPILOGU E.

Spoken by Profpero.

my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what ftrength I have's mine own;
Which is most faint: and now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or fent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare ifland by your fpell:
But releafe me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my fails
Muft fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. For now I want
Spirits t'enforce, art to inchant;
And my ending is defpair,

Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;
Which pierces fo, that it affaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence fet me free!

A

SCENE, Athens; and a wood not far from it.

ACT

I..

SCENE I.

The Duke's palace in Athens.

Enter Thefeus, Hippolita, Philoftrate, with attendants.

OW, fair Hippolita, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring

in

Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how flow
This old moon wanes! fhe lingers my defires,
Like to a ftep-dame, or a dowager,

Long wintering on a young man's revenue.

Hip. Four days will quickly fteep themfelves in night; Four night's will quickly dream away the time: And then the moon, like to a filver bow, New bent in heaven, fhall behold the night

Of

Of our folemnities.

The. Go, Philoftrate,

Stir up th' Athenian youth to merriments;

Awake the pert and nimble fpirit of mirth;
Turn melancholy forth to funerals,

The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit Phi.
Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my fword;
And won thy love, doing thee injuries:
But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.
Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lyfander, and Demetrius.
Ege. Happy be Thefeus, our renowned Duke!
The. Thanks, good Egeus; what's the news with
thee?

Ege. Full of vexation, come I with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
Stand forth, Demetrius.My Noble Lord,
This man hath my confent to marry her.

Stand forth, Lyfander. And, my gracious Duke,
This man hath witch'd the bofom of my child:
Thou, thou, Lyfander, thou haft giv'n her rhimes,
And interchange'd love-tokens with my child:
Thou haft by moon-light at her window fung,
With feigning voice, verfes of feigning love;
And ftoln th' impreffion of her fantafy,

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nofegays, fweetmeats; (meffengers
Of ftrong prevailment in unharden'd youth),
With cunning haft thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To ftubborn harfhnefs: and, my gracious Duke,
Be't fo fhe will not here before your Grace
Confent to marry with Demetrius,
I beg the ancient privilege of Athens;
As the is mine, I may difpofe of her:
Which fhall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death, according to our law,
Immediately provided in that cafe.

The. What fay you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maið. To you your father should be as a god;

One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one

Το