Their proper selves. You fools! I and my
Are ministers of fate; the elements

fellows

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 2 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,
Lingering 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 music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mops and mores, 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.

[Exit PROSPERO from above. Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you

In this 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. [Exit.

Seb.

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

But one fiend at a time,

I'll be thy second. [Exeunt SEB. and ANT.

Gon. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt,

Pike poison given to work a great time after,
Now 'gins to bite the spirits;-I do beseech you
That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly,
And hinder them from what this ecstacy 4
May now provoke them to.

Adr.

Follow, I

4 Alienation of mind.

ACT THE FOURTH.

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,
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me, that I boast her off,

For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
And make it halt behind her.

Fer.

Against an oracle.

I do believe it,

Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Worthily purchas'd, take my child, but not

Till sanctimonious ceremonies may

With full and holy rites be minister'd.

Then 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 strong'st suggestion
Our worser Genius can, shall never taint
My honour.

Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.
What, Ariel; my industrious servant Ariel!

Enter ARIEL.

Ari. What would my potent master? here I am.

Pro. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last

service

Did worthily perform : and I must use you

In such another trick: go, bring the rabble,
O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place:
Incite them to quick motion; for I must

Bestow upon the eyes of this

Some vanity of mine art; it is
And they expect it from me.
Ari.

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

young couple

my promise,

Presently?

Ari. Before you can say, Come, and go, And breathe twice; and cry, so, so;

Each one, tripping on his toe,

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.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary, 5

Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.all eyes; be silent. [Soft music.

No tongue;

A Masque. Enter IRIS.

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas 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 spungy April at thy hest 6 betrims,
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy
broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;

5 Surplus.

6 Command.

And thy sea-marge, steril, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: The queen o' the sky,
Whose wat'ry 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.

Enter CERES.

Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;

Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers:
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky 7 acres, and my unshrubb'd down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; Why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate;
And some donation freely to estate

On the bless'd lovers.

Cer.

Tell me, heavenly bow,

If Venus, or her son, as thou dost know,

Do now attend the queen? since they did plot
The means, that dusky Dis 8 my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company

I have forsworn.

Iris.

Of her society

Be not afraid: I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos ; and her son Dove-drawn with her.

Cer.

Highest queen of state,

Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

Juno. How does my bounteous sister? Go with

me,

To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be, And honour'd in their issue.