Fer. I warrant you, Sir,
The white cold virgin-fnow upon my heart,
Abates the ardour of my liver.
Now come my Ariel, bring a corolary,
Rather than want a fpirit, appear, and pertly.
No tongue; all eyes; be filent.
A MASQUE. Enter Iris.
Iris. Ceres, moft bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats, and pease; The turfy mountains, where live nibling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep; Thy banks with pioned, and tulip'd brims, Which spungy April at thy hest betrims,
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom
groves,
Whose shadow the dismissed batchelor loves,
Being lafs-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard,
And thy fea-marge fteril, and rocky hard,
Where thou thy felf do'st air; the Queen o'th' sky,
Whofe wat'ry arch and messenger am I,
Bids thee leave these, and with her Sov'raign Grace,
Here on this grafs-plot, in this very place
(Juno defcends.
To come and sport; her peacocks fly amain:
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.
Cer. Hail many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er
Do'st disobey the wife of Jupiter:
Who, with thy faffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffuseft honey drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow do'ft crown
My bosky acres, and my unfhrub'd down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy Queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grafs green ?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate,
And fome donation freely to eftate
On the bless'd lovers.
Cer. Tell me heav'nly bow,
If Venus or her fon, as thou do'st 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 forfworn.
Iris. Of her fociety
Be not afraid; I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her fon
Dove-drawn with her; here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
'Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain
Mars's hot minion is return'd again;
Her waspish-headed fon has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows
And be a boy right-out.
Cer. High Queen of state,
Great Juno comes, I know her by her gate.
Jun. How does my bounteous fifter? go with me
To bless this twain, that they may profp'rous be,
And honour'd in their issue.
Jun. Honour, riches, marriage blessing,
Long continuance and encreasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you,
Juno fings her blessings on you :
Earth's increase, and foyfon plenty,
Barns and garners never empty,
Vines, with clustring 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' bleffing fo is on you.
Fer. This is a most majestick vision, and Harmonious charmingly: may I be bold To think these spirits?
Pro. Spirits which by mine art
I have from all their confines call'd, t'enalt
My present fancies.
Fer. Let me live here ever;
So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,
Make this place paradife.
Pro. Sweet now, filence:
Juno and Ceres whisper feriously;
There's something else to do; hush, and be mute,
Or elfe our spell is marr'd.
Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on imployment.
Iris. You nymphs call'd Nayads of the winding brooks,
With your fedg'd crowns, and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green-land
Answer your fummons, Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.
You fun-burn'd ficklemen, 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.
SCENE IV.
Enter certain reapers, properly habited; they join with the nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof Profpero starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow and confused noise, they vanish.
Pro. I had forgot that foul confpiracy Of the beast Caliban, and his confed'rates, Against my life; the minute of their plot
Is almost come. 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 look, my fon, in a mov'd fort,
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 their vision,
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The folemn temples, the great globe it felf
Yea all which it inherit, shall diffolve,
And like this unsubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind! we are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a fleep. Sir, I am vext;
Bear with my weakness, my old brain is troubled:
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity;
If thou be pleas'd, retire into my cell,
And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk
To still my beating mind.
Fer. Mira. We wish you peace.
Pro. Come with a thought; I thank thee, Ariel: come,
Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to; what's thy pleasure ?
Pro. 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.
Pro. 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 kifling of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor,
At which like unbackt colts they prickt their ears,
Advanc'd their eye-lids, lifted up their noses,
As they smelt musick; fo I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd through
Tooth'd briars, sharp furzes, pricking gofs and thorns,
Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I'th' filthy mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to th' chins, that the foul lake
O'er-ftunk their feet.
Pro. This was well done, my bird;
Thy shape invisible retain thou still;
The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,
For ftale to catch these thieves.
Pro. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanly taken, all, all loft, quite loft;
And, as with age, his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers; I will plague them all,
Even to roaring: come, hang them on this line.
Enter Ariel loaden with glistering apparel, &c. Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, all wet.
Cal. Pray you tread softly, that the blind mole
Hear a foot fall; we now are near his cell.
Ste. Monster, your Fairy, which you fay is a harmlefs Fairy, has done little better than plaid the Jack with us.
Trin. Monster, I do fmell all horse-piss, at which my nose is in great indignation.
Ste. So is mine: do you hear, monster? if I should
take a difpleasure against you; look you Trin. Thou wert but a loft monster.
Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still:
Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to
Shall hood-wink this mifchance; therefore speak foftly;
All's hufht as midnight yet..
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