THE TEMPEST ACT I SCENE I- On a ship at sea; a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard Mast. Enter a Ship-Master and a Boatswain Boatswain! Boats. Here, master: what cheer? Mast. Good, speak to the mariners: fall to 't, yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir. Enter Mariners [Exit. Boats. Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master's whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough! Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND, Alon. Good boatswain, have care. Where's the 10 master? Play the men. Boats. I pray now, keep below. Ant. Where is the master, boatswain? Boats. Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins: you do assist the storm. Gon. Nay, good, be patient. Boats. When the sea is. Hence! What cares 1 these roarers for the name of king? To cabin: silence! trouble us not. Gon. Good, yet remember whom thou hast 20 aboard. Boats. None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor; if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. Cheerly, good hearts! Out of our way, I say. [Exit. Gon. I have great comfort from this fellow: 30 methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging: make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. [Exeunt. Re-enter Boatswain Boats. Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her to try with main-course. [A cry within.] A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather or our office. Re-enter SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, and GONZALO Yet again! what do you here? Shall we give o'er and drown? Have you a mind to sink? Seb. A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog! Boats. Work you then. 40 Ant. Hang, cur! hang, you insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art. Gon. I 'll warrant him for drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell. Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold! set her two courses off to sea again; lay her off. Enter Mariners wet Mariners. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost! Boats. What, must our mouths be cold? Gon. The king and prince at prayers! let's assist them, For our case is as theirs. 50 Though every drop of water swear against it And gape at widest to glut him. [A confused noise within: “Mercy on us!" — 60 Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown furze, any thing. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [Exeunt. SCENE II - The island. Before PROSPERO'S cell Enter PROSPERO and MIRANDA Mir. If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them. The sky, it seems, would pour down stınking pitch, But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffer'd With those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel, Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her, Dash'd all to pieces. O, the cry did knock Against my very heart. Poor souls, they perish'd. Had I been any god of power, I would Have sunk the sea within the earth or ere It should the good ship so have swallow'd and Pros. Be collected: No more amazement: tell your piteous heart There's no harm done. Mir. Pros. O, woe the day! I have done nothing but in care of thee, No harm. Of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter, who 10 20 |