The Tempest ACT FIRST SCENE I [On a ship at sea:] a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard. Enter a Ship-Master and a Boatswain. Mast. Boatswain ! Boats. Here, master; what cheer? Mast. Good; speak to the mariners. Fall to't, yarely, or we run ourselves aground. Bestir, bestir. Exit. Enter Mariners. Boats. Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my 6 hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master's whistle. Blow till thou burst 3 Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others. 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 these roarers for the name of king? To cabin! silence! trouble us not. 15 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 25 your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have liv'd 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 Re-enter Boatswain. 35 Exeunt. Boats. Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her to try wi' the main-course. A plague (A cry within.) Enter Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo. upon this howling! They are louder than the Yet again! What 40 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. Ant. Hang, cur! hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drown'd than thou art. Gon. I'll warrant him for drowning though the ship were no stronger than a nut-shell and as leaky as an unstanched wench. Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses off to sea again! Lay her off. 45 50 Enter Mariners wet. Mariners. All lost! To prayers, to prayers! Boats. What, must our mouths be cold? Gon. The King and Prince at prayers! assist them, Seb. For our case is as theirs. 55 Let's I'm out of patience. Ant. We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chapp'd rascal - would thou mightst Gon. lie drowning The washing of ten tides! He'll be hang'd yet, Though every drop of water swear against it Mercy on us ! 60 A confused noise within. We split, we split! Farewell, my wife and children! 65 Ant. Let's all sink wi' the King. Seb. Let's take leave of him. Farewell, brother! We split, we split, we split! Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. Exit. 70 Exeunt. SCENE II [The island. Before Prospero's cell.] Enter Prospero and Miranda. you have Mir. If by your art, my dearest father, Pros. pitch, But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffered 5 With those that I saw suffer! A brave vessel, 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 Be collected; No more amazement. Tell your piteous heart 10 Mir. Pros. O, woe the day! No harm. I have done nothing but in care of thee, 16 |