Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Tempest (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editors: Brent Whitted, Paul Yachnin
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-370-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editors: Brent Whitted, Paul Yachnin
    Peer Reviewed

    The Tempest (Folio 1, 1623)

    12
    The Tempest.
    Trin. Lord, quoth he? that a Monster should be such
    a Naturall?
    Cal. Loe, loe againe: bite him to death I prethee.
    1385Ste. Trinculo, keepe a good tongue in your head: If
    you proue a mutineere, the next Tree: the poore Mon-
    ster's my subiect, and he shall not suffer indignity.
    Cal. I thanke my noble Lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd
    to hearken once againe to the suite I made to thee?
    1390Ste. Marry will I: kneele, and repeate it,
    I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

    Enter Ariell inuisible.
    Cal. As I told thee before, I am subiect to a Tirant,
    A Sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me
    1395Of the Island.
    Ariell. Thou lyest.
    Cal. Thou lyest, thou iesting Monkey thou:
    I would my valiant Master would destroy thee.
    I do not lye.
    1400Ste. Trinculo, if y ou trouble him any more in's tale,
    By this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
    Trin. Why, I said nothing.
    Ste. Mum then, and no more: proceed.
    Cal. I say by Sorcery he got this Isle
    1405From me, he got it. If thy Greatnesse will
    Reuenge it on him, (for I know thou dar'st)
    But this Thing dare not.
    Ste. That's most certaine.
    Cal. Thou shalt be Lord of it, and Ile serue thee.
    1410Ste. How now shall this be compast?
    Canst thou bring me to the party?
    Cal. Yea, yea my Lord, Ile yeeld him thee asleepe,
    Where thou maist knocke a naile into his head.
    Ariell. Thou liest, thou canst not.
    1415Cal. What a py'de Ninnie's this? Thou scuruy patch:
    I do beseech thy Greatnesse giue him blowes,
    And take his bottle from him: When that's gone,
    He shall drinke nought but brine, for Ile not shew him
    Where the quicke Freshes are.
    1420Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger:
    Interrupt the Monster one word further, and by this
    hand, Ile turne my mercie out o'doores, and make a
    Stockfish of thee.
    Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing:
    1425Ile go farther off.
    Ste. Didst thou not say he lyed?
    Ariell. Thou liest.
    Ste. Do I so? Take thou that,
    As you like this, giue me the lye another time.
    1430Trin. I did not giue the lie: Out o'your wittes, and
    hearing too?
    A pox o'your bottle, this can Sacke and drinking doo:
    A murren on your Monster, and the diuell take your
    fingers.
    1435Cal. Ha, ha, ha.
    Ste. Now forward with your Tale: prethee stand
    further off.
    Cal. Beate him enough: after a little time
    Ile beate him too.
    1440Ste. Stand farther: Come proceede.
    Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custome with him
    I'th afternoone to sleepe: there thou maist braine him,
    Hauing first seiz'd his bookes: Or with a logge
    Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
    1445Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
    First to possesse his Bookes; for without them
    Hee's but a Sot, as I am; nor hath not
    One Spirit to command: they all do hate him
    As rootedly as I. Burne but his Bookes,
    1450He ha's braue Vtensils (for so he calles them)
    Which when he ha's a house, hee'l decke withall.
    And that most deeply to consider, is
    The beautie of his daughter: he himselfe
    Cals her a non-pareill: I neuer saw a woman
    1455But onely Sycorax my Dam, and she;
    But she as farre surpasseth Sycorax,
    As great'st do's least.
    Ste. Is it so braue a Lasse?
    Cal. I Lord, she will become thy bed, I warrant,
    1460And bring thee forth braue brood.
    Ste. Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and
    I will be King and Queene, saue our Graces: and Trin-
    culo and thy selfe shall be Vice-royes:
    Dost thou like the plot Trinculo?
    1465Trin. Excellent.
    Ste. Giue me thy hand, I am sorry I beate thee:
    But while thou liu'st keepe a good tongue in thy head.
    Cal. Within this halfe houre will he be asleepe,
    Wilt thou destroy him then?
    1470Ste. I on mine honour.
    Ariell. This will I tell my Master.
    Cal. Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure,
    Let vs be iocond. Will you troule the Catch
    You taught me but whileare?
    1475Ste. At thy request Monster, I will do reason,
    Any reason: Come on Trinculo, let vs sing.
    Sings.
    Flout 'em, and cout 'em: and skowt 'em, and flout 'em,
    Thought is free.
    1480Cal. That's not the tune.
    Ariell plaies the tune on a Tabor and Pipe.
    Ste. What is this same?
    Trin. This is the tune of our Catch, plaid by the pic-
    ture of No-body.
    1485Ste. If thou beest a man, shew thy selfe in thy likenes:
    If thou beest a diuell, take't as thou list.
    Trin. O forgiue me my sinnes.
    Ste. He that dies payes all debts: I defie thee;
    Mercy vpon vs.
    1490Cal. Art thou affeard?
    Ste. No Monster, not I.
    Cal. Be not affeard, the Isle is full of noyses,
    Sounds, and sweet aires, that giue delight and hurt not:
    Sometimes a thousand twangling Instruments
    1495Will hum about mine eares; and sometime voices,
    That if I then had wak'd after long sleepe,
    Will make me sleepe againe, and then in dreaming,
    The clouds methought would open, and shew riches
    Ready to drop vpon me, that when I wak'd
    1500I cri'de to dreame againe.
    Ste. This will proue a braue kingdome to me,
    Where I shall haue my Musicke for nothing.
    Cal. When Prospero is destroy'd.
    Ste. That shall be by and by:
    1505I remember the storie.
    Trin. The sound is going away,
    Lets follow it, and after do our worke.
    Ste. Leade Monster,
    Wee'l follow: I would I could see this Taborer,
    1510He layes it on.
    Trin. Wilt come?
    Ile follow Stephano. Exeunt.

    Scena