Some subtleties1 o' the Isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!
But you, my brace of Lords, were I so minded,

[aside to SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO.
I here could pluck his Highness' frown upon you,
And justify you traitors: at this time

I'll tell no tales.

SEB.

PRO.

The Devil speaks in him. [aside.

No.

For you, most wicked Sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest faults; all of them: and require
My Dukedom of thee, which, perforce, I know,
Thou must restore.

ALON.

If thou be'st Prospero,

Give us particulars of thy preservation:

How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wrack'd upon this shore; where I have lost
(How sharp the point of this remembrance is!)

My dear son Ferdinand.

PRO.

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You have not sought her help; of whose soft grace,

For the like loss, I have her sovereign aid,

And rest myself content.

PRO. As great to me as late; and supportable

To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker

Than you may call to comfort you; for I

Have lost my daughter.

O Heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
The King and Queen there! that they were! I wish
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed

Where my son lies. When did you lose your
daughter?

PRO. In this last Tempest. I perceive, these Lords
At this encounter do so much admire2

150

ACT V

Sc. I

ACT V
Sc. I

That they devour their reason, and scarce think
Their
eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath. But, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain,
That I am Prospero, and that very Duke

Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wrack'd, 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 breakfast, nor
Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, Sir:
This cell's my Court: here have I few attendants,
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
My Dukedom, since you have given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing:
At least, bring forth a wonder to content ye
As much as me my Dukedom.

Here PROSPERO discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA

playing at chess.

MIRA. Sweet lord, you play me false.

FER.

I would not for the world.

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170

No, my dear'st love,

MIRA. Yes, for a score1 of kingdoms you should wrangle,

And I would call it fair play.

FER. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful:

I have curs'd them without cause.

ALON.

[FERD. kneels to ALON. Now all the blessings

181

Of a glad father compass thee about!
Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.
MIRA.

O, wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in 't!

ALON. What is this maid, with whom thou wast at play?
Your eld❜st acquaintance cannot be three hours:

Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,

And brought us thus together? FER.

She

Sir, she's mortal;
But, by immortal Providence, she's mine.
I chose her, when I could not ask my father
For his advice nor thought I had one.
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before; of whom I have
Received a second life; and second father
This lady makes him to me.

Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, You

Gods,

And on this couple drop a blessed crown;

For it is You, that have chalk'd forth the way

Which brought us hither!

ALON.

I say, Amen, Gonzalo !

GON. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
Should become Kings of Naples? O, rejoice
Beyond a common joy, and set it down
With gold on lasting pillars.-In one voyage
Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis,
And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife

Where he himself was lost; Prospero his Dukedom,
In a poor Isle; and all of us ourselves,

When no man was his own.

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200

210

ACT V

Sc. I

ACT V
Sc. I

Enter ARIEL, with the Master and Boatswain
amazedly following.

O, look, Sir, look, Sir! here is more of us!

I prophesied, if a gallows were on land,
This fellow could not drown. Now, Blasphemy,
That swear'st Grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?
BOATS. The best news is, that we have safely found
Our King and company: the next our Ship-
Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split-
Is tight, and yare, and bravely rigg'd as when
We first put out to sea.

ARI.

Have I done since I went.

Sir, all this service

[aside.

My tricksy Spirit!

219

PRO.
ALON. These are not natural events: they strengthen,
From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?
BOATS. If I did think, Sir, I were well awake,

I'd strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,
And (how, we know not) all clapp'd under hatches,
Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awak'd; straightway at liberty:
Where we, in all our trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant Ship; our Master
Capering to eye her: on a trice, so please you,
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.

PRO. Bravely, my Diligence! Thou shalt [aside.

be free.

ALON. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod,

And there is in this business more than nature

Was ever conduct of: some oracle

Must rectify our knowledge.

Do not infest your mind with beating on

The strangeness of this business: at pick'd leisure,

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240

Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you
(Which to you shall seem probable) of every
These happen'd accidents: till when, be cheerful,
And think of each thing well. Come hither, Spirit;

Set Caliban and his companions free:

250

[aside.

Untie the spell. [Exit ARIEL.] How fares my

gracious Sir?

There are yet missing of your company

Some few odd lads, that you remember not.

Enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO,
and TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel.

STE. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man
take care for himself; for all is but fortune. Coragio,
bully-monster, coragio!

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

CAL. O Setebos, these be brave Spirits, indeed!

How fine my master is! I am afraid

He will chastise me.

ANT.

Very like: one of them

Is a plain fish, and no doubt marketable.

PRO. Mark but the badges of these men, my Lords,
Then say if they be true. This mis-shapen knave,
His mother was a Witch, and one so strong
That could control the Moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command, without1 her power.
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil
(For he's a bastard one) had plotted with them
To take my life: two of these fellows you
Must know, and own; this Thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

CAL.

I shall be pinch'd to death.

ALON. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?

261

270

279

ALON. And Trinculo is reeling ripe. Where should they

ACT V

Sc. I

1 beyond.