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Hamnet, his only son, had died in 1596, at the age of eleven. His younger daughter, Judith, married to Thomas Quiney, died in 1662. She had three sons all of whom predeceased her without issue.

His eldest daughter, Susanna, wife of Dr Hall, died in 1649. She left one daughter, Elizabeth, who was twice married, first, in 1626, to Thomas Nash; second, in 1649, to John, afterwards Sir John, Barnard of Abington, by neither of whom had she any issue. Lady Barnard died on 17th February 1669-70, and thus the line of the great dramatist became extinct.

The descendants of Shakespeare's sister, Joan (Mrs Hart), claim to be the nearest representatives of the poet.

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SCENE.-The Sea with a Ship; afterwards an uninhabited Island.

Act First.

SCENE I.--ON A SHIP AT SEA.

A tempestuous noise of Thunder and Lightning heard.

Enter a Ship-master and a Boatswain.

Mast. Boatswain!

Boats. Here, master: what cheer?

Mast. Good, speak to th' mariners: fall to 't yarely,' or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir.

Enter Mariners.

[Exit.

Boats. Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare. Take in the top-sail; tend to th' Master's whistle.-Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!

Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and Others. Alon. Good Boatswain, have care.

Play the men.

Boats. I pray now, keep below.

Ant. Where is the Master, Boatswain?

Where's the Master?

Boats. Do you not hear him? You mar our labour. Keep

your cabins; you do assist the storm.

Gon. Nay, good, be patient.

Boats. When the sea is.

Hence! What care these roarers

for the name of king? To cabin silence! trouble us not. Gon. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.

Boats. None that I more love than myself. You are a Coun

VOL. I.

1 Nimbly.

A

sellor: if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more. Use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have liv'd 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 advantage! If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. [Exeunt.

Enter Boatswain.

Boats. Down with the top-mast: yare; lower, lower. Bring her to: try wi' th' main-course. [A cry within.] A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather, or our office.Enter Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo.

Yet again! what do you hear? Shall we give o'er, and drown? Have you a mind to sink?

Seb. A plague o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!

Boats. Work you, then.

Ant. Hang, cur, hang! You insolent noise-maker, 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 nutshell.

Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses. sea again: lay her off.

Enter Mariners, wet.

Mar. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!

Boats. What must our mouths be cold?

Off to

[Exeunt.

Gon. The King and Prince at prayers! let's assist them, For our case is theirs.

Seb.

I'm out of patience.

Ant. We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. -This wide-chapp'd rascal,--would thou might'st lie drowning, The washing of ten tides!

Gon.

He'll be hang'd yet,

Though every drop of water swear against it,

And gape at wid'st to glut him.

[A confused noise within.] Mercy on us!--We split, we split! Farewell, my wife and children!-Farewell, brother!-We split, we split, we split!

Ant. Let's all sink wi' th' King.
Seb. Let's take leave of him.

[Exit.

Exit.

Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground; long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [Exit.

SCENE II.-THE ISLAND: BEFORE THE CELL OF PROSPERO. Enter Prospero and Miranda.

Mira. If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.

1 Entirely.

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