t ACT I hand a rope more; use your authority. If you cannot, GON. I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks Re-enter Boatswain. [exeunt. BOATS. Down with the top-mast! yare; lower, lower! Re-enter SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, and GONZALO. 37 Yet again! what do you here? Shall we give o'er, and drown? Have you a mind to sink? SEB. A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog! BOATS. Work you, then. 41 ANT. Hang, cur, hang! you whoreson, insolent noisemaker, we are less afraid to be drown'd than thou art. GON. I'll warrant him for drowning, though the ship were no stronger than a nut-shell, and as leaky as an unstanch wench. BOATS. Lay her a-hold, a-hold! set her two courses! off to sea again; lay her off! Re-enter Mariners, wet. MARINERS. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost! BOATS. What, must our mouths be cold? 50 [exeunt. GON. The King and Prince at prayers! let us assist ANT. We're merely1 cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chopp'd rascal - would thou might'st lie drowning [A confused noise within.] Mercy on us! We split, we split!-Farewell, my wife and children! - Farewell, brother! We split, we split, we split! [Exit Boatswain. ANT. Let's all sink wi' the King. [exit. SEB. Let's take leave of him. [exit. GON. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground; long heath, brown furze, any thing. The Wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [exit. SCENE II. The Island: before the Cell of PROSPERO. MIRA. If by your art, my dearest father, you have It should the good ship so have swallow'd, and I have done nothing but in care of thee- 1 utterly. 2 sky. 3 freighting. 10 ACT I ACT I Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing MIRA. More to know Did never meddle with my thoughts. 'Tis time I should inform thee further. Lend thy hand, 20 [lays down his robe. Lie there, my art. - Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort. The direful spectacle of the wrack, which touch'd The very virtue of compassion in thee, I have with such prevision in mine art No, not so much perdition as an hair Betid to any creature in the vessel 30 Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st sink. Sit down; For thou must now know further. MIRA. 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; 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 PRO. By what? by any other house or person ? Of any thing the image tell me that MIRA. 'Tis far off, 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 40 1 over. That this lives in thy mind? What see'st thou else MIRA. But that I do not. 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; thou, his only heir, A princess-no worse issued. MIRA. O the Heavens! What foul play had we, that we came from thence? 60 Or blessed was 't we did ? PRO. Both, both, my girl : But blessedly holp hither. MIRA. O, my heart bleeds Without a parallel: those being all my study, PRO. -Being once perfected how to grant suits, To trash for over-topping-new-created The creatures that were mine, I say, or chang'd 'em, 70 80 1 trouble. 2 check. ACT I Or else new-form'd 'em; having both the key The ivy which had hid my princely trunk, And suck'd the verdure out on't. Thou attend'st not. MIRA. O good sir, I do. I pray thee, mark me. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded, Not only with what my revénue yielded, But what my power might else exact like one Made such a sinner of his memory To credit his own lie- he did believe He was indeed the Duke; out o' the substitution, 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 He thinks me now incapable; confederates- Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend MIRA. O the Heavens! PRO. Mark his condition, and th' event; then tell me, |