Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more but play with

spar100

rows

And be a boy right out.

Cer.

High'st 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.

Juno.

Cer.

Fer.

Pros.

Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.

[They sing:

Earth's increase, foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty,
Vines with clustering bunches growing,
Plants with goodly burthen 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.

This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits?

Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.

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Fer.

Pros.

Iris.

Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father and a wife

Makes this place Paradise.

[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris
on employment.
Sweet, now,

Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;

silence!

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

You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the windring
brooks,

With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels and on this green land
Answer your summons; Juno does command: 131
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow and be merry:
Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on
And these fresh nymphs encounter 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.

Pros. [Aside.] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates
Against my life: the minute of their plot

140

Fer.

Mir.

Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done! avoid; no more!

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

Never till this day
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pros. You do look, my son, in a moved 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 fabric of this vision,
The cloud-clapp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd;

150

Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled:
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:

If you be pleased, retire into my cell

And there repose: a turn or two I'll walk,
To still my beating mind.

Fer. Mir.

160

We wish your peace. [Exeunt.
I thank thee, Ariel:

Pros. Come with a thought.

Ari.

Pros.

come.

Enter Ariel.

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

We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

Spirit,

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.

Pros.

Ari.

Pros.

169

Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?
I told you, sir, they were red-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,

Advanced 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,

180

Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I' the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.

This was well done, my bird.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still :

The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,

For stale to catch these thieves.

Ari.
I go, I go. [Exit.
Pros. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as with age his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers. I will plague them all,
Even to roaring.

190

Re-enter Ariel, loaden with glistening apparel, c.
Come, hang them on this line.

Prospero and Ariel remain, invisible.

Cal.

Ste.

Enter Caliban,

Stephano, and Trinculo, all wet.

Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may

not

Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us.

Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great indignation.

Ste.

So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure against you, look you,― Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster.

Cal.

Good my lord, give me thy favour still.

Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to

200

Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly.

All's hush'd as midnight yet.

Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,

Ste.

There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

Trin. That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

Ste.

Cal.

I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

210

Prithee, my king, be quiet. See'st thou here, This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter. Do that good mischief which may make this island