Shakespeare's First Folio Part 16

Pro. First, n.o.ble Frend, Let me embrace thine age, whose honor cannot Be measur'd, or confin'd

Gonz. Whether this be, Or be not, I'le not sweare

Pro. You doe yet taste Some subtleties o'th' Isle, that will nor let you Beleeue things certaine: Wellcome, my friends all, But you, my brace of Lords, were I so minded I heere could plucke his Highnesse frowne vpon you And iustifie you Traitors: at this time I will tell no tales

Seb. The Diuell speakes in him:

Pro. No: For you (most wicked Sir) whom to call brother Would euen infect my mouth, I do forgiue Thy rankest fault; all of them: and require My Dukedome of thee, which, perforce I know Thou must restore

Alo. If thou beest Prospero Giue vs particulars of thy preseruation, How thou hast met vs heere, whom three howres since Were wrackt vpon this sh.o.r.e? where I haue lost (How sharp the point of this remembrance is) My deere sonne Ferdinand

Pro. I am woe for't, Sir

Alo. Irreparable is the losse, and patience Saies, it is past her cure

Pro. I rather thinke You haue not sought her helpe, of whose soft grace For the like losse, I haue her soueraigne aid, And rest my selfe content

Alo. You the like losse?

Pro. As great to me, as late, and supportable To make the deere losse, haue I meanes much weaker Then you may call to comfort you; for I Haue lost my daughter

Alo. A daughter?

Oh heauens, that they were liuing both in Naples The King and Queene there, that they were, I wish My selfe were mudded in that oozie bed Where my sonne lies: when did you lose your daughter?

Pro. In this last Tempest. I perceiue these Lords At this encounter doe so much admire, That they deuoure their reason, and scarce thinke Their eies doe offices of Truth: Their words Are naturall breath: but howsoeu'r you haue Beene iustled from your sences, know for certain That I am Prospero, and that very Duke Which was thrust forth of Millaine, who most strangely Vpon this sh.o.r.e (where you were wrackt) was landed To be the Lord on't: No more yet of this, For 'tis a Chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a break-fast, nor Befitting this first meeting: Welcome, Sir; This Cell's my Court: heere haue I few attendants, And Subiects none abroad: pray you looke in: My Dukedome since you haue giuen me againe, I will requite you with as good a thing, At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye As much, as me my Dukedome.

Here Prospero discouers Ferdinand and Miranda, playing at Chesse.

Mir. Sweet Lord, you play me false

Fer. No my dearest loue, I would not for the world

Mir. Yes, for a score of Kingdomes, you should wrangle, And I would call it faire play

Alo. If this proue A vision of the Island, one deere Sonne Shall I twice loose

Seb. A most high miracle

Fer. Though the Seas threaten they are mercifull, I haue curs'd them without cause

Alo. Now all the blessings Of a glad father, compa.s.se thee about: Arise, and say how thou cam'st heere

Mir. O wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there heere?

How beauteous mankinde is? O braue new world That has such people in't

Pro. 'Tis new to thee

Alo. What is this Maid, with whom thou was't at play?

Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three houres: Is she the G.o.ddesse that hath seuer'd vs, And brought vs thus together?

Fer. Sir, she is mortall; But by immortall prouidence, she's mine; I chose her when I could not aske my Father For his aduise: nor thought I had one: She Is daughter to this famous Duke of Millaine, Of whom, so often I haue heard renowne, But neuer saw before: of whom I haue Receiu'd a second life; and second Father This Lady makes him to me

Alo. I am hers.

But O, how odly will it sound, that I Must aske my childe forgiuenesse?

Pro. There Sir stop, Let vs not burthen our remembrances, with A heauinesse that's gon

Gon. I haue inly wept, Or should haue spoke ere this: looke downe you G.o.ds And on this couple drop a blessed crowne; For it is you, that haue chalk'd forth the way Which brought vs. .h.i.ther

Alo. I say Amen, Gonzallo

Gon. Was Millaine thrust from Millaine, that his Issue Should become Kings of Naples? O reioyce Beyond a common ioy, and set it downe With gold on lasting Pillers: In one voyage Did Claribell her husband finde at Tunis, And Ferdinand her brother, found a wife, Where he himselfe was lost: Prospero, his Dukedome In a poore Isle: and all of vs, our selues, When no man was his owne

Alo. Giue me your hands: Let griefe and sorrow still embrace his heart, That doth not wish you ioy

Gon. Be it so, Amen.

Enter Ariell, with the Master and Boatswaine amazedly following.

O looke Sir, looke Sir, here is more of vs: I prophesi'd, if a Gallowes were on Land This fellow could not drowne: Now blasphemy, That swear'st Grace ore-boord, not an oath on sh.o.r.e, Hast thou no mouth by land?

What is the newes?

Bot. The best newes is, that we haue safely found Our King, and company: The next: our Ship, Which but three gla.s.ses since, we gaue out split, Is tyte, and yare, and brauely rig'd, as when We first put out to Sea

Ar. Sir, all this seruice Haue I done since I went

Pro. My tricksey Spirit

Alo. These are not naturall euents, they strengthen From strange, to stranger: say, how came you hither?

Bot. If I did thinke, Sir, I were well awake, I'ld striue to tell you: we were dead of sleepe, And (how we know not) all clapt vnder hatches, Where, but euen now, with strange, and seuerall noyses Of roring, shreeking, howling, gingling chaines, And mo diuersitie of sounds, all horrible.

We were awak'd: straight way, at liberty; Where we, in all our trim, freshly beheld Our royall, good, and gallant Ship: our Master Capring to eye her: on a trice, so please you, Euen in a dreame, were we diuided from them, And were brought moaping hither

Ar. Was't well done?

Pro. Brauely (my diligence) thou shalt be free

Alo. This is as strange a Maze, as ere men trod, And there is in this businesse, more then nature Was euer conduct of: some Oracle Must rectifie our knowledge

Pro. Sir, my Leige, Doe not infest your minde, with beating on The strangenesse of this businesse, at pickt leisure (Which shall be shortly single) I'le resolue you, (Which to you shall seeme probable) of euery These happend accidents: till when, be cheerefull And thinke of each thing well: Come hither Spirit, Set Caliban, and his companions free: Vntye the Spell: How fares my gracious Sir?

There are yet missing of your Companie Some few odde Lads, that you remember not.

Enter Ariell, driuing in Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo in their stolne Apparell.

Ste. Euery man shift for all the rest, and let No man take care for himselfe; for all is But fortune: Coragio Bully-Monster Coragio

Tri. If these be true spies which I weare in my head, here's a goodly sight