Fer.

O, most dear mistress!

If you'll sit down,

The sun will set, before I shall discharge

What I must strive to do.

Mira.

I'll bear your logs the while. Pray, give me that: I'll carry it to the pile.

Fer.

No, precious creature:

I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,

While I sit lazy by.

Mira.

It would become me

As well as it does you; and I should do it
With much more ease, for my good will is to it,

You look wearily.

Fer. No, noble mistress; 't is fresh morning with me, When you are by at night. I do beseech you,

Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,

What is your name?

Mira.

Miranda. O my father!

[To herself. Admir'd Miranda!

worth

Indeed, the top of admiration;
What's dearest to the world!

Full many a lady

I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I lik'd several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil: but you, O you!
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best.

Mira.
I do not know
One of my sex; no woman's face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men, than you, good friend,
And my dear father. How features are abroad,
I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you;

1 Not in f. e. 2 Not in f. e.

Nor can imagination form a shape,

Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle

Something too wildly, and my father's precepts

I therein do forget.

Fer.

I am, in my condition,

A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;

(I would, not so!) and would no more endure

This wooden slavery, than to suffer

The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly to your service; there resides,

To make me slave to it; and for your sake,
Am I this patient log-man.

Mira.

Do you love me?

Fer. O heaven! O earth! bear witness to this sound,

And crown what I profess with kind event,
If I speak true; if hollowly, invert
What best is boded me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of aught' else i' the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mira.

To weep at what I am glad of.

Pro.

I am a fool,

Fair encounter

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between
Fer.

2

them!
[Aside.
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 shows. 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; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer.

And I thus humble ever.
Mira.

My mistress, dearest,

[Kneels.

My husband then?

[Rises.

Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing

As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.

Mira. And mine, with my heart in 't: and now farewell,

Till half an hour hence.

Fer. A thousand thousand! [Exeunt FER. and MIR. Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surpris'd with all; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere supper time, must I perform Much business appertaining.

[Exit.

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

Ste. Tell not me-when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before therefore bear up, and board 'em. Servant-monster, drink to me.

Trin. Servant-monster? the folly of this island! They say, there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if the other two be brained like us, the state totters.

Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: 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-thirty 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 debauched fish thou, was there ever 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!—that a monster should be such a natural!

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 tree-The poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee? Ste. Marry will I ; kneel and repeat it: I will stand, and so shall Trinculo. [CALIBAN kneels.

Enter ARIEL, invisible. Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant; a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.

Ari. Thou liest.

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.

[ceed.

Ste. Mum then, and no more.-[To CALIBAN.] Pro Cal. I say by sorcery he got this isle;

From me he got it: if thy greatness will,

Revenge it on him-for, I know, thou dar'st;
But this thing dare not.

Ste. That's most certain.

Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee. Ste. How, now, shall this be compassed? Canst 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,. He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no farther danger: interrupt the monster one word farther, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

1 Not in f. e. 2 Dressed in motley,-this expression and "patch" were epithets often applied to fools. Trinculo, as "a jester," would be thus attired.

Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther off.

Ste. Didst thou not say, he lied?

Ari. Thou liest.

Ste. Do I so? take thou that. [Strikes him.] As you like this, give me the lie another time.

Trin. I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits, and hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! this can sack, and drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!

Cal. Ha, ha, ha!

Ste. Now, forward with your tale. Pr'ythee stand farther off.

Cal. Beat him enough: after a little time,

I'll beat him too.

Ste. Stand farther. Come, proceed.

Cal. Why, as I told thee, 't is a custom with him
I' the afternoon to sleep: then 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 nonpareil: I never saw a woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;

But she as far surpasseth Sycorax,

As great'st 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;