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 young couple
Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.
Ari. Presently?

Pro. Ay, with a twink.

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 moe;

Do you love me, master? no.

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Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach, Till thou dost hear me call,

Ari. Well, I conceive.

[Exit. 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 upon my heart
Abates the ardour of
my liver.

Pro. Well.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary,

Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.

No tongue; all eyes; be silent.

A Masque. Enter IRIS.

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[Soft music,

Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;

Thy

Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
Thy bank with pionied and twilled brims,
Which spungy April at thy hest betrims,

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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, sterile, 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 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 acres, and my unshrubb'd down,

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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.

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Cer.

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 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; 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
And be a boy right out.

Cer. High queen

of state,

Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

sparrows

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

Jun. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing:
Long continuance, and increasing.

Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.

Cer.

Cer. Earth's increase, and foison plenty:
Barns, 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
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'd father, and a wife,
Make this place paradise.

Pro. Sweet now, silence:

Juno, and Ceres, whisper seriously;

you;

There's something else to do: hush, and be muté,
Or else our spell is marr'd.

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140

[JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employment.

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; Juno does command:

Come,

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

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow and be merry;
Make holy-day: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

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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 vanish heavily.

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 strange: your father's in some passion That works him strongly.

Mira. Never till this day,

Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pro. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,
As if you were dismay'd: be chearful, 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,

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The