The Tempest (Folio 1, 1623)
Peer Reviewed
The Tempest.
17
¶Thy brother was a furtherer in the Act,
¶You, brother mine, that entertaine ambition,
¶Would heere haue kill'd your King: I do forgiue thee,
2035Vnnaturall though thou art: Their vnderstanding
¶Begins to swell, and the approching tide
¶That now ly foule, and muddy: not one of them
¶That yet lookes on me, or would know me: Ariell,
2040Fetch me the Hat, and Rapier in my Cell,
¶As I was sometime Millaine: quickly Spirit,
¶Thou shalt ere long be free.
¶
Ariell sings, and helps to attire him.
¶In a Cowslips bell, I lie,¶There I cowch when Owles doe crie,¶On the Batts backe I doe flie¶after Sommer merrily.2050Merrily, merrily, shall I liue now,
¶Being awake, enforce them to this place;
¶And presently, I pre'thee.
¶Ar. I drinke the aire before me, and returne
2060Or ere your pulse twice beate.
Exit.
¶Gon. All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement
¶Inhabits heere: some heauenly power guide vs
¶Out of this fearefull Country.
¶Pro. Behold Sir King
2065The wronged Duke of Millaine, Prospero:
¶Do's now speake to thee, I embrace thy body,
¶And to thee, and thy Company, I bid
¶A hearty welcome.
¶(As late I haue beene) I not know: thy Pulse
¶Th'affliction of my minde amends, with which
¶Thy Dukedome I resigne, and doe entreat
¶Be liuing, and be heere?
¶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.
¶Beleeue things certaine: Wellcome, my friends all,
¶But you, my brace of Lords, were I so minded
2090And iustifie you Traitors: at this time
¶I will tell no tales.
¶Pro. No:
¶For you (most wicked Sir) whom to call brother
2095Would euen infect my mouth, I do forgiue
¶Thy rankest fault; all of them: and require
¶My Dukedome of thee, which, perforce I know
2100Giue vs particulars of thy preseruation,
¶(How sharp the point of this remembrance is)
¶My deere sonne Ferdinand.
2105Pro. I am woe for't, Sir.
¶Saies, it is past her cure.
¶Pro. I rather thinke
2115Then you may call to comfort you; for I
¶Haue lost my daughter.
¶Alo. A daughter?
¶Oh heauens, that they were liuing both in Nalpes
¶The King and Queene there, that they were, I wish
2120My selfe were mudded in that oo-zie bed
¶At this encounter doe so much admire,
2125Their eies doe offices of Truth: Their words
¶Are naturall breath: but howsoeu'r you haue
¶That I am Prospero, and that very Duke
2130Vpon this shore (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;
2135This 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
2140As much, as me my Dukedome.
¶
_Here Prospero discouers Ferdinand and Miranda, play-
2145I would not for the world.
¶And I would call it faire play.
¶Alo. If this proue
2150Shall I twice loose.
¶Fer. Though the Seas threaten they are mercifull,
¶I haue curs'd them without cause.
¶Mir. O wonder!
¶How many goodly creatures are there heere?
¶How beauteous mankinde is? O braue new world
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