And flat meads thatch'd with stover,' them to keep;
Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,2
Which spongy April at thy hest betrims

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; thy bloomy groves,
Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,

Being lass-lorn; thy pole-yclipt vineyard;

And thy sea-marge, steril and rocky-hard,

Where thou thyself dost air: the Queen o' the Sky, 70
Whose watery arch and messenger am I,

Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign Grace,
[JUNO descends.

Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport. Her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES.

CER. Hail, many-colour'd Messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;

Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers,

And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down,

Rich scarf to my proud Earth-Why hath thy Queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green?

IRIS. A contract of true love to celebrate,

And some donation freely to estate

On the bless'd lovers.

CER.

Tell me, heavenly Bow,
If Venus, or her Son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the Queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
I have forsworn.

IRIS.

I: I

Of her society
Be not afraid I met her Deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her Son
Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted. But in vain;

1

80

coarse fodder. 2 may mean: (1) set with marsh marigolds and
reeds; (2) trenched and faced; (3) staked and wattled, etc.

61

90

ACT IV
Sc. I

ACT IV
Sc. I

Mars his hot minion is return'd again;

Her waspish-headed Son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.

CER.

High'st Queen of State,
Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

JUNO. How does my bounteous Sister? Go with me,
To bless this Twain, that they may prosperous be,
And honour'd in their issue.

[They sing.

JUNO.

Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Earth's increase and foison plenty ;
Barns and garners never empty ;
Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing;
Plants, with goodly burden bowing:
Spring come to you, at the farthest,
In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.
FER. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly!' May I be bold
To think these Spirits ?
PRO.

CER.

SONG.

Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.

FER.

Let me live here ever!
So rare-wonder'd a father and a wife

PRO.

Or else our spell is marr'd.

IOI

Make this place Paradise.

[JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employment. MIRA.

Sweet, now, silence!

Juno and Ceres whisper seriously:

There's something else to do.

1 magically.

Hush, and be mute,

120

IRIS. You Nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wand'ring brooks, ACT IV
With your sedg'd-crowns and ever harmless looks,
Sc. I
Leave your crisp1 channels, and on this green
land
Answer our summons: Juno does command!
Come, temperate Nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sun-burn'd Sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry!
Make holy-day: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh Nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end of which PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish.

PRO. [aside.] I had forgot that foul conspiracy

Of the beast Caliban, and his confederates,
Against my life: the minute of their plot

Is almost come.-[to the Spirits.] Well done! avoid:

130

MIRA.
Never till this day,
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
PRO. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,

As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, Sir!
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all Spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:

no more.

FER. This is most strange: your father's in some passion
That works him strongly.

140

150

ACT IV
Sc. I

As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.—Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled:
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity.

If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell,

And there repose.

To still my beating mind.
FER. MIRA.

We wish your peace.

PRO. [aside.] Come with a thought. [aloud.] I thank ye. [Exeunt FERD. and MIRA.] Ariel, come!

A turn or two I'll walk,

Enter ARIEL.

ARI. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure?
PRO.
Spirit,

We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
ARI. Ay, my commander: when I presented Ceres,

I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd
Lest I might anger thee.

PRO. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?
ARI. I told you, Sir, they were red-hot with drinking;
So full of valour, that they smote the air

PRO.
This was well done, my
Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
The trumpery in my house, go, bring it hither,
For stale1 to catch these thieves.

160

For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet: yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor,
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears,
Advanc'd their eye-lids, lifted up their noses,

As they smelt music: so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns,
Which enter'd their frail shins. At last I left them 181
I' the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,

There dancing up to th' chins, that the foul lake
O'er-stunk their feet.

ARI.
I go, I go.
PRO. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,

1 lure.

bird.

170

[exit.

Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as, with age, his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers. I will plague them all are

190 ACT IV Sc. I

Re-enter ARIEL loaden with glistering apparel, etc.
Even to roaring.-Come, hang them on this line.1
PROSPERO and ARIEL remain invisible. Enter CALIBAN,
STEPHANO, and TRINCULO; all wet.

CAL. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

STE. Monster, your fairy, which, you say, is a harmless fairy, has done little better than play'd the Jack2 with us.

TRIN. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my
nose is in great indignation.

STE. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should
take a displeasure against you; look
TRIN. Thou wert but a lost monster!

you

200

CAL. Good my Lord, give me thy favour still:

Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to

Shall hood-wink this mischance; therefore, speak softly.
All's hush'd as midnight yet.

TRIN. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool

STE. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

210

TRIN. That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster!

STE. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

CAL. Pr'ythee, my King, be quiet! See'st thou here,

This is the mouth of the cell: no noise, and enter:

12

Do that good mischief, which may make this Island
Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,

For aye thy foot-licker.

STE. Give me thy hand: for I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

TRIN. O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! look, what a wardrobe here is for thee!

CAL. Let it alone, thou fool: it is but trash.

1 lime-tree.

2 Jack o' Lanthorn.

221