Pros. Thou hadst, and more, Miranda. But how is it Mir. That this lives in thy mind? What seest thou else But that I do not. Mir. Thy father was the Duke of Milan, and A prince of power. Sir, are not you my father? Pros. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and Mir. Pros. Mir. She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was Duke of Milan; and his only heir A princess, no worse issued. O the heavens! 50 What foul play had we, that we came from thence? 60 Or blessed was't we did ? Both, both, my girl: By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heaved thence; O, my heart bleeds Pros. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd Antonio, - The manage of my state; as at that time 70 Without a parallel; those being all my study, The government I cast upon my brother, And to my state grew stranger, being transported Dost thou attend me ? Mir. Sir, most heedfully. Pros. Being once perfected how to grant suits, How to deny them, who to advance, and who 80 The creatures that were mine, I say, or changed 'em, Or else new form'd 'em; having both the key Of officer and office, set all hearts i' the state To what tune pleased his ear; that now he was The ivy which had hid my princely trunk, And suck'd my verdure out on't. Thou attend'st not. Mir. O, good sir, I do. Pros. I pray thee, mark me. I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated 90 Awaked an evil nature; and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood in its contrary, as great As my trust was; which had indeed no limit, A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded, Not only with what my revenue yielded, Made such a sinner of his memory, To credit his own lie, he did believe He was indeed the duke; out o' the substitution, 100 Mir. With all prerogative: - hence his ambition growing, - Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Mir. O the heavens! Pros. Mark his condition, and the event; then tell me Mir. Pros. If this might be a brother. I should sin To think but nobly of my grandmother : III Now the condition. 120 This King of Naples, being an enemy Mir. Alack, for pity! I, not remembering how I cried out then, That wrings mine eyes to 't. Pros. Hear a little further, Wherefore did they not Mir. That hour destroy us? Pros. Well demanded, wench: My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not, With colours fairer painted their foul ends. In few, they hurried us aboard a bark, Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared 141 A rotten carcass of a butt, not rigg'd, Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Instinctively have quit it: there they hoist us, To cry to the sea that roar'd to us; to sigh To the winds, whose pity, sighing back again, 150 Thou wast that did preserve me. Thou didst smile, Infused with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt, Under my burthen groan'd; which raised in me An undergoing stomach, to bear up Against what should ensue. Mir. Pros. By Providence divine. How came we ashore? Some food we had, and some fresh water, that 160 A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity, who being then appointed Rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries, Mir. But ever see that man! Pros. Would I might Now I arise : [Resumes his mantle. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we arrived; and here Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit Than other princess' can, that have more time For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful. 170 Mir. Heavens thank you for't! And now, I pray you, sir, Pros. For still 'tis beating in my mind, your reason For raising this sea-storm ? Know thus far forth. 180 By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune, [Miranda sleeps. |