Have given you here a third of mine own life, I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise Fer. Against an oracle. I do believe it Pros. Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition Worthily purchased, take my daughter: but If thou dost break her virgin-knot before All sanctimonious ceremonies may With full and holy rite be minister'd, No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall Fer. As I hope For quiet days, fair issue and long life, With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den, The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion Our worser genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust, to take away The edge of that day's celebration When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd, Pros. Fairly spoke. Sit then and talk with her; she is thine own. What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel ! Enter ARIEL. Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pros. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you In such another trick. Go bring the rabble, O'er whom I give the power, here to this place Ari. Pros. Ay, with a twink. Presently? 10 20 30 40 Before you can say come " and " go, 66 so, so, Each one, tripping on his toe, Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach Well, I conceive. [Exit. 50 Ari. Pros. Look thou be true; do not give dalliance foo much the rein the strongest oaths are straw To the fire i' the blood: be more abstemious, else, good night your vow! Fer. I warrant you, sir; the white cold virgin snow upon my heart Abates the ardour of my liver. Well. Pros. Enter IRIS. [Soft music. Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Which spongy April at thy hest 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, sterile and rocky-hard, Where thou thyself dost air;-the queen o' the sky, Bids thee leave these, and with her sovereign grace, To come and sport; her peacocks fly amain: Enter CERES. Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that neʼer Who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy queen 70 80 1 Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate; On the blest lovers. Cer. Tell me, heavenly bow, If Venus or her son, as thou dost know, Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot 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 uone Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be pai Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain; Mars's hot minion is returned again; Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, Swears he will shoot no more but play with sparrows, 100 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 Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing. [They sing: Juno sings her blessings on you. Spring come to you at the farthest Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and Pros. Spirits, which by mine art I have from their confines call'd to enact 180 My present fancies, Fer. Let me live here ever; So rare a wonder'd father and a wife Makes this place Paradise. Pros. [Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on Juno and Ceres whisper seriously; There's something else to do: hush, and be mute, Iris. You nymphs call'd Naiads, of the windring brooks, Enter certain Nymphs. You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary, Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Of the beast Caliban and his confederates Against my life: the minute of their plot 140 Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done! avoid; no more ! Fer. This is strange your father's in some passion Mir. 150 And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled: If you be pleased, retire into my cell And there repose: a turn or two I'll walk, To still my beating brain. Fer. Mir. We wish your peace. 160 [Exeunt Pros. Come with a thought. I thank thee, Arief: come. Enter ARIEL. Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure? Pros. 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. Poe. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets? Ari. 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 unpack'd colts, they prick'a their ears, 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 entered 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 Pros. This was well done, my bird. Thy shape invisible retain thou still : The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither, I go, I go. Ari. Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, &c. |