Ari. Was't well done;

Pro. Bravely, my diligence, thou shalt 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; fome oracle

Must rectify our knowledge.

Pro. Sir, my Liege,

Do not infest your mind with beating on
The strangeness of this business; at pickt leisure
(Which shall be shortly) single I'll resolve you,
Which to you shall feem probable, of every
These happen'd accidents; till when be chearful,
And think of each thing well. Come hither, spirit;
Set Caliban and his companions free :

Untie the spell. How fares my gracious Sir?
There are yet miffing 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 fight.

Gal. O Setebos, these be brave spirits, indeed!
How fine my master is! I am afraid
He will chastise me.

Seb. Ha, ha;

What things are these, my Lord Anthonio!
Will money buy 'em?

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 mif-shap'd knave, His mother was a witch, and one so strong That could controul the moon, make flows and ebbs, And deal in her command without her power. These three have robb'd me; and this demy-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 ?
Seb. He's drunk now: where had he wine?

Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe; where should

they

Find this grand 'lixir, that hath gilded 'em ?
How cam'st thou in this pickle ?

Trin. I have been in such a pickle, since I faw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.

Seb. Why, how now, Stephano?

[cramp.

Ste. O, touch me not: I am not Stephano, but a
Pro. You'd be King o' th' island, Sirrah?
Ste. I should have been a fore one then.

Alon. 'Tis a strange thing as e'er I look'd on.
Pro. He is as disproportion'd in his manners,

As in his shape: go, Sirrah, to my cell,
Take with you your companions; as you look
To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

Cal. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wife hereafter,
And feek for grace. What a thrice-double ass
Was I, to take this drunkard for a god ?
And worship this dull fool ?

Pro. Go to, away!

Alon. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

Seb. Or stole it rather.

Pro. 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 fuch difcourse, as, I not doubt, shall make it Go quick away; the story of my life, And the particular accidents gone by, Since I came to this ifle and in the morn I'll bring you to your ship; and so to Naples ; Where I have hope to see the nuptials Of these our dear beloved folemniz'd; And thence retire me to my Milan, where

Every third thought shall be my grave.

Alon.

Alon. I long

To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.

Pro. I'll deliver all;

And promise you calm seas, aufpicious gales,
And fail so expeditious, that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off. My Ariel, chick,
That is thy charge: then to the elements

Be free, and fare thou well! Please you, draw near.

[Exeunt omnes,

N

EPILOGUE.

Spoken by Prospero.

OW my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own;

Which is most faint: and now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or fent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your fpell :
But release me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my fails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. For now I want
Spirits t'enforce, art to inchant ;
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer;
Which pierces fo, that it affaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence fet me free!

A DRAMATIS PERSONE.

THESEUS, Duke of Athens. || Helena, in love with Deme-
Egeus, an Athenian Lord.
Lysander, in love with Her-

Philoftrate, Master of the

Sports to the Duke.
Quince, the Carpenter.
Snug, the Joiner.
Bottom, the Weaver.
Flute, the Bellows-mender.
Snowt, the Tinker.

Starveling, the Tailor.

trius.

Attendants.

Oberon, King of the Fairies.
Titania, Queen of the Fairies.
Puck, or Robin Goodfellow,

a Fairy.
Peafebloilom,

Cobweb,
Moth,
Mustard-feed,
Pyramus,
Thisbe,

Hippolita, Princess of the Wall,

amazons,

Theseus.

betrothed to

Hermia, daughter to Egeus,

in love with Lysander.

Moonshine,
Lion,

}

Fairies.

Characters in the interlude performed by the clowns.

Other Fairies attending on the King and Queen.

SCENE, Athens; and a wood not far from it.

ACT I..

SCENE

I.

The Duke's palace in Athens.

Enter Theseus, Hippolita, Philostrate, with attendants. OW, fair Hippolita, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring

Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how flow
This old moon wanes! the lingers my defires,
Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

Long wintering on a young man's revenue.

Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in night)

Four night's will quickly dream away the time :

And then the moon, like to a filver bow,

New bent in heaven, shall behold the night

Of Of our folemnities.

The. Go, Philoftrate,

Stir up th' Athenian youth to merriments;
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
Turn melancholy forth to funerals,

The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit Phi.
Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my fword;
And won thy love, doing thee injuries :

But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lyfander, and Demetrius.

Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke!
The. Thanks, good Egeus; what's the news with

thee?

Ege. Full of vexation, come I with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
Stand forth, Demetrius. My Noble Lord,
This man hath my consent to marry her.
Stand forth, Lyfander. And, my gracious Duke,
This man hath witch'd the bosom of my child:
Thou, thou, Lyfander, thou hast giv'n her rhimes,
And interchange'd love-tokens with my child:
Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung,
With feigning voice, verses of feigning love;
And stoln th' impression of her fantasy,
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats; (messengers
Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth),
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious Duke,
Be't so she will not here before your Grace
Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens;
As the is mine, I may dispose of her:
Which shall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death, according to our law,
Immediately provided in that cafe.

The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid. To you your father should be as a god;

One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one

To