Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

I crai
1914

ALONSO, King of Naples.

SEBASTIAN, his Brother.

THE TEMPEST

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

PROSPERO, the right Duke of Milan.

STEPHANO, a drunken Butler.
Master of a Ship, Boatswain, Mariners.

MIRANDA, Daughter to Prospero.

ANTONIO, his Brother, the usurping Duke of ARIEL, an airy Spirit.

Milan.

FERDINAND, Son to the King of Naples.

GONZALO, an honest old Counsellor.

ADRIAN, Lords.

FRANCISCO,

CALIBAN, a savage and deformed Slave.

TRINCULO, a Jester.

IRIS,

[blocks in formation]

Other Spirits attending on Prospero.

SCENE. The Sea, with a Ship; afterwards an Island.

ACT I.

SCENE I. On a Ship at Sea. A tempestuous
noise of thunder and lightning heard.
Enter a Shipmaster and a Boatswain severally.
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 hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master's whistle. - Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!

9

of the present, we will not hand a rope more;
use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks
you have lived 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: 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 own doth little ad-
vantage! If he be not born to be hanged, our
case is miserable.
[Exeunt.

Re-enter Boatswain.

Boats. Down with the topmast! yare! lower, Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDI- lower! Bring her to try with main-course. [A NAND, GONZALO, and others. cry within.] A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather, or our office. - 42

Alon. Good boatswain, have care. Where's the master? Play the men.

12

Boats. I pray now, keep below. Ant. Where is the master, boson? Boats. Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins: you do assist the 16

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.

20

Gon. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.

22 Boats. None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor: if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

He'll be hang'd yet,

The direful spectacle of the wrack, which touch'd
The very virtue of compassion in thee,
I have with such provision in mine art
So safely order'd, that there is no soul-
No, not so much perdition as an hair,
Betid to any creature in the vessel

28

sink. Sit down;

32

For thou must now know further. Mira.

Though every drop of water swear against it, 64 Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st And gape at wid'st to glut him.

[A confused noise within, -'Mercy on us!' 'We split, we split!' - ' Farewell, my wife and

children!'

[blocks in formation]

pitch,

But that the sea, mounting to th' welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out. O! I have suffer'd

With those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel,
Who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her,
Dash'd all to pieces. O! the cry did knock
8
Against my very heart. Poor souls, they perish'd.
Had I been any god of power, I would

Have sunk the sea within the earth, or e'er
It should the good ship so have swallow'd and
The fraughting souls within her.

[blocks in formation]

II

[blocks in formation]

You have often

Begun to tell me what I am, but stopp'd, And left me to a bootless inquisition, Concluding, 'Stay; not yet.'

Pro.

The hour's now come, 36

The very minute bids thee ope thine ear;
Obey and be attentive. Canst thou remember
A time before we came unto this cell?
I do not think thou canst, for then thou wast
not

Out three years old. Mira.

40

Certainly, sir, I can.

Pro. By what? by any other house or person? Of anything the image tell me, that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Mira.

'Tis far off; 44

And rather like a dream than an assurance That my remembrance warrants. Had I not Four or five women once that tended me?

Pro. Thou hadst, and more, Miranda. But how is it

48

[blocks in formation]

Pro. Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since,

Thy father was the Duke of Milan and
A prince of power.

Mira.

Sir, are not you my father?

Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was Duke of Milan, and his only heir A princess, - no worse issued. Mira.

O, the heavens!

58

What foul play had we that we came from thence?

60

20

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Pro.

Now the condition. This King of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit; Which was, that he, in lieu o' the premises Of homage and I know not how much tribute, Should presently extirpate me and mine Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan, With all the honours on my brother: whereon, A treacherous army levied, one midnight Fated to the purpose did Antonio open The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, The ministers for the purpose hurried thence Me and thy crying self.

120

125

128

132

Mira.

Alack, for pity!

I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then,
Will cry it o'er again: it is a hint,
That wrings mine eyes to 't.
Pro.

Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon us; without the which this

I pray thee, mark me. 88 I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated To closeness and the bettering of my mind

With that, which, but by being so retir'd, O'erpriz'd all popular rate, in my false brother Awak'd an evil nature; and my trust,

91

story

137

Were most impertinent.

Mira.

Wherefore did they not

Like a good parent, did beget of him

That hour destroy us?

A falsehood in its contrary as great

95

Pro.

As my trust was; which had, indeed no limit,

[blocks in formation]

A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded,
Not only with what my revenue yielded,
But what my power might else exact, -like one,
Who having, into truth, by telling of it,
Made such a sinner of his memory,
To credit his own lie, he did believe

100

He was indeed the duke; out o' the substitution, And executing th' outward face of royalty, 104 With all prerogative: -Hence his ambition

growing,

Dost thou hear?

Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no screen between this part he play'd

Well demanded, wench:

144

So dear the love my people bore me, nor set
A mark so bloody on the business; but
With colours fairer painted their foul ends.
In few, they hurried us aboard a bark,
Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd
A rotten carcass of a boat, 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 149
To the winds whose pity, sighing back again,
Did us but loving wrong.
Mira.

Was I then to you!

Alack! what trouble

« PreviousContinue »