Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL like a harpy; claps his wings
upon the table; and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes.
ARIEL. You are three men of sin, whom Destiny-
That hath to instrument this lower world
And what is in 't,-the never-surfeited sea
Hath caused to belch up you; and on this island
Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men
Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad ;

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[Seeing ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, &c., draw their swords.
And even with such-like valour men hang and drown
Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows
Are ministers of fate: the elements

Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well
Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs
Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish

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One dowle that 's in my plume; my fellow-ministers Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt,

Your swords are now too massy for your strengths,
And will not be uplifted. But, remember,-
For that 's my business to you,-that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero;
Expos'd unto the sea, which hath requit it,
Him and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce, by me,
Lingering perdition,-worse than any death
Can be at once,-shall step by step attend

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You and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from-
Which here in this most desolate isle, else falls
Upon your heads,-is nothing but heart-sorrow
And a clear life ensuing.

He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mocks and mows, and carry out the table. PROSPERO. [Aside.] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou

Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring:
Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
In what thou hadst to say so, with good life
And observation strange, my meaner ministers

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Their several kinds have done. My high charms work,
And these mine enemies are all knit up

In their distractions: they now are in my power;
And in these fits I leave them, while I visit

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Young Ferdinand,-whom they suppose is drown'd,- 92 And his and mine lov'd darling.

[Exit above.

GONZALO. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you

In this strange stare?

ALONSO.

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O, it is monstrous! monstrous ! Methought the billows spoke and told me of it; The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd The name of Prosper: it did bass my trespass. Therefore my son i' th' ooze is bedded; and I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded, And with him there lie mudded.

SEBASTIAN.

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[Exit.

But one fiend at a time,

I'll fight their legions o'er.

ANTONIO.

I'll be thy second.

[Exeunt SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO.

GONZALO. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt,

Like poison given to work a great time after,
Now 'gins to bite the spirits.-I do beseech you
That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly
And hinder them from what this ecstasy
May now provoke them to.

ADRIAN.

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Follow, I pray you. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. Before PROSPERO'S Cell.

Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA.

PROSPERO. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends; for I
Have given you here a thrid of mine own life,
Or that for which I live; whom once again
I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou

Hast strangely stood the test here, afore Heaven,

4

I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand!

Do not smile at me that I boast her off,

For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
And make it halt behind her.

FERDINAND.

Against an oracle.

I do believe it

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12

PROSPERO. Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition Worthily purchas'd, 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
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain and discord shall bestrew
The union of your beds with weeds so loathly
That you shall hate it both therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

FERDINAND.

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,

Or Night kept chain'd below.

PROSPERO.

Fairly spoke :

Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.

What, Ariel! my industrious servant Ariel !

Enter ARIEL.

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200

ARIEL. What would my potent master? here I am. PROSPERO. 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 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.

ARIEL.

Presently?

PROSPERO. Ay, with a twink.

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40

ARIEL. 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 mow.

Do you love me, master? no?

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48

PROSPERO. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not ap

proach

Till thou dost hear me call.

ARIEL.

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Well, I can conceive. [Exit PROSPERO. 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!

FERDINAND.

I warrant you, sir;

The white-cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

PROSPERO.

Well.

Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly.
No tongue! all eyes! be silent.

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[Soft music.

IRIS. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,
Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,

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64

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom

groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,

Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;

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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,

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To come and sport; her peacocks fly amain:
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES.

CERES. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;

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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,

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.

CERES.

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.

Be not afraid; I met her deity

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84

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92

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 sparrows,
And be a boy right out.

CERES.

Highest queen of state, Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

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101

104

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.

CERES.

SONG.

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

Earth's increase, foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty :

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Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing; 112
Plants with goodly burden bowing;