University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

Prospero's cell.
Enter Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda.
PROSPERO.
If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends; for I
Have giv'n you here a thread of mine own life,
Or that for which I live. O, Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me, that I boast her off;
For thou shalt find she will out-strip all praise.

FERDINAND.
I do believe it, against an oracle.
AIR.

PROSPERO.
If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,
No sweet aspersions shall the heav'ns let fall,
To make this contract grow: therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

FERDINAND.
Nothing shall melt mine honour into lust,
To spoil the edge of that day's celebration.

PROSPERO.
Fairly spoken; Miranda is thine own.
What Ariel; my industrious servant, Ariel—

SCENE II.

Enter Ariel.
ARIEL.
What would my potent master? here I am.

Prospero.
How fares the king and 's followers?

ARIEL.
Confin'd,
In the same fashion as you gave in charge:
The king, his brother, and yours, are all three
Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Old Gonzalo, his tears run down his beard
Like winter's drops, like ears of reeds; if you
Saw them, your affections would become tender.

PROSPERO.
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
Passion'd as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art?
They being penitent, the sole drift of
My purpose doth extend not a frown further;
Go, bring them, Ariel, hither; and let thy
Meaner fellows fetch the rabble, o'er whom
I gave them pow'r to do it presently.

AIR.
ARIEL.
Before you can say, come and go,
And breathe twice, and cry, so—so,
Each one tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and mow.
Do you love me, master—?No.
So ready and quick is a spirit of air,
To pity the lover, and succour the fair,
That, silent and swift, the little soft god
Is here with a wish, and is gone with a nod.—
[Exit Ariel.

SCENE III.

PROSPERO.
Look thou be true, and do not give dalliance
Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw
To th' fire i' th' blood: be more abstemious,
Or else, good night, your vow.

FERDINAND.
I warrant you, Sir.
The white, cold virgin-show upon my heart,
Abates the ardour of my passion.

AIR.
MIRANDA.
Hope waits upon the flow'ry prime;
And summer, tho' it be less gay,
Yet is not look'd on as a time
Of declination, or decay;
For, with a full hand, that does bring
All that was promis'd by the spring.

[Exeunt Ferdinand and Miranda.

SCENE IV.

PROSPERO.
Now does my project gather to a head,
And little further use have I for charms.
Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves;
And ye that on the sands, with printless foot,
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him,
When he comes back; you demy-puppets, that,
By moon-shine, do the green-four ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe not bites; and you, whose pastime
Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid
(Weak masters tho' ye be) I have be-dimm'd
The noon-tide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
Set roaring war; to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt—the strong-bas'd promontory
Have I made shake, and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar: graves, at my command,
Have wak'd their sleepers, op'd, and let them forth,
By my so potent art. But this rough magic
I here abjure.
AIR.

SCENE V.

Enter Ariel, followed by Alonzo, Anthonio and Gonzalo.
ALONZO.
All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement,
Inhabits here: some heav'nly powers guide us
Out of this fearful country—

PROSPERO.
Behold, sir, king,
The wrong'd duke of Milan, Prospero:
For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body,
And bid thee welcome!

ALONZO.
Be'st thou he, or no,
Or some inchanted trifle to abuse,
As late I have been, I know not. Thy pulse
Beats as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
Th' afflictions of my mind amends: this must crave
(And, if this be all, a most strange story)
Thy dukedom I resign, and do intreat
Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should he
Be living, and be here?

PROSPERO.
You all yet taste
Some subtilties o' th' isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain: welcome, my friends all.
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother,
Would ev'n infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest faults. Know for certain, my friends,
That I am Prosp'ro, and that very duke
Who was thrust forth of Milan:
No more of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
Not fitting our first meeting. Alonzo,
I'll shew thee a wonder to content thee
As much as me my dukedom: follow me.

Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Opens to the entrance of Prospero's cell, and discovers Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chess.
MIRANDA.
Sweet lord, you play me false.

FERDINAND.
No, my dear love,
I would not for the world.

MIRANDA.
Yes, for a score of kingdoms you shall wrangle,
And I would call it fair play.

AIR.
FERDINAND.
If on those endless charms you lay
The value that's their due,
Kings are themselves too poor to pay,
A thousand worlds too few.
But if a passion without vice,
Without disguise or art,
Miranda, if true love's your price,
Behold it in my heart.

SCENE VII.

Enter Prospero, Alonzo, Anthonio, Gonzalo, and Ariel.
ALONZO.
If this prove
A vision of the island, our dear son
Shall I twice lose.

FERDINAND.
Though the seas threaten, they are merciful:
I've cursed them without cause.

[Ferdinand kneels.
ALONZO.
Now all the blessings of a glad father
Compass thee about!

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

PROSPERO.
'Tis new to thee.

ALONZO.
What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?
Your eldest acquaintance cannot be three hours:
Is she the goddess that hath bro't us hither?

FERDINAND.
Sir, she's mortal;
And, O thanks to providence, she's mine.
I chose her when I could not ask my father
For his advice, nor thought I had one. She
Is daughter to this famous duke of Milan,
Of whom I have receiv'd a second life.
AIR.

ALONZO.
I am her's;
But oh how oddly will it sound, that I
Must ask my child forgiveness!

PROSPERO.
There, sir, stop:
Let us not burthen our remembrance with
An heaviness that's gone.

ALONZO.
Give me your hands;
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
That doth not give you joy.

AIR.
PROSPERO
(to Miranda.)
With him thy joys shall be compleat,
Dissolv'd in ease, thy hours shall flow:
With love alone thy heart shall beat,
And his be all th' alarms you know.
Cares to sooth, and life befriend,
Pleasures on your nod attend.

PROSPERO.
Sir, I invite your highness and your train
To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
For this one night, which (part of it) I'll waste
With such discourses, as I doubt not, will make it
Quickly pass away, and in the morning
I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples;
Where I hope to see the nuptials
Of these, our dear beloved, solemniz'd.

ALONZO.
I long to hear the story of your life.

PROSPERO.
In proper time, I will deliver all,
And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious, that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off: my Ariel, chick,
This is thy charge, then to the elements,
Be free, and fare you well.

DUETT.
FERDINAND.
Love, gentle love, now fill my breast,
The storms of life are o'er;
In thee, my dear Miranda, blest,
What can I wish for more.

MIRANDA.
Love, gentle love, and chaste desire,
My breast shall ever move:
Let me those heav'nly joys inspire,
And all our life be love.

FERDINAND.
Thus ever kind,

MIRANDA.
Thus ever true,

FERDINAND.
May I, my sweet one, find,

MIRANDA.
May I be all in you,

Both.
And sacred Hymen shal dispense
The sweets of love and innocencs.

CHORUS.
Let sacred Hymen now dispense
The sweets of love and innocence;
Let him his choicest blessings shed,
And nobly fruitful be their bed;
Virtue and love shall deck their crown,
With happy days and high renown.