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,
Ari.

Well I conceive.

[Erit. Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw To the fire i' the blood : be more abstemious, Or else, good night, your vow! Fer.

I warrant you, sir; The white cold virgin snow npon my heart Abates the ardour of my liver. Pro.

Well. Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary, Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertlyNo tongue; all eyes ; be silent. [Soft music.

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 bauks with peonied and lilied brims, Which spongy April at thy hestt 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 sovereigo 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* acres, and my upshrubb'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;
Aud 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 Dist my daughter got,
ller 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: here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed.rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain;
Mars's hot minion is return'd again;
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out,
Cer.

Highest queen of state, Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter Juno. Juno. How does my bouuteous sister? Go with me To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be, And honour'd in their issue.

SONG.

Juno

Cer.

Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blssings on you.
Earth's increase, and foison* plenty;
Burns, 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 call'd to enact
My present fancies.
Fer.

Let me live here ever; So rare a wonder'dt father, and a wife, Make this place Paradise. (Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on

employment. Pro.

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; Juvo does command:

• Abundance.

† Able to produce such wonders.

Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sun-burn's sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry ;
Makc holy.day: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs evcounter 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 bim strongly. Miru.

Never till this day,
Saw I him touched 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 lowers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve ;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded",

• Vanished.

| 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. 2 We wish your peace.

(Ereunt. 1 Pro. Come with a thought :- I thank you :-Ariel,

come.

Enter Ariel.

Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to; What's thy pleasure?
Pro.

Spirit, We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

Ari. Ay, my commander: when I presented Ceres, I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd, Lest I might anger thee. Pro. Say again, where didstthou leave these varlets?

Ari. I told you, sir, they werered-hot 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 eyelids, lifted up their noses. As they smelt music; 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 entered their frail ships: at last I left them I'the filthy mantled pool beyond your cell, There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake O'er-stunk their feet.

• A body of clouds in motion ; but it is most probable that the author wrote track.