Each one, tripping on his toe, Will be here with mop and mowe: Pro. Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach, Till thou dost hear me call. Ari. Well I conceive. [Exit. Pro. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw To the fire i' the blood: be more abstemious, Or else, good night, your vow! I warrant you, sir; Fer. Pro. Well. Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary*, Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.- A Masque. Enter Iris. [Soft music. Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep; Thy bauks with peonied and lilied brims, Which spongy April at thy hestt betrims, To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves, Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves, Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard; Where thou thyself dost air: The queen o' the sky, Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace, To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain; 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 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 I have forsworn. Iris. Of her society Be not afraid: I met her deity Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her son 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. Highest 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. Juno. Cer. SONG. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing, Scarcity, and want, shall shun you; Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and Harmonious charmingly: May I be bold To think these spirits? Pro. I have from their confines call'd to enact My present fancies. Spirits, which by mine art Let me live here ever; Fer. So rare a wonder'dt father, and a wife, Make this place Paradise. [Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on Pro. employment. Sweet now, silence; Juno and Ceres whisper seriously; There's something else to do: hush, and be mute, Or else our spell is marr'd. Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wand'ring brooks, With your sedg'd crowns, and ever harmless looks, Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land Answer your summons; Juno does command: Abundance. + Able to produce such wonders. Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate Enter certain Nymphs. You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary, Enter certain Reapers, properly habited; they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof 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; no more. Fer This is most strange: your father's in some passion That works him strongly. Mira. Never till this day, Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd. * Vanished. Leave not a rack behind: We are such stuff As dreams are made of, and our little life Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled. If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell, And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk, To still my beating mind. Fer. Mira. We wish your peace. [Exeunt. Pro. Come with a thought :-I thank you :-Ariel, come. Enter Ariel. Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to; What's thy pleasure? Pro. We must prepare to meet with Caliban. Spirit, 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 For breathing in their faces; beat the ground * A body of clouds in motion; but it is most probable that the author wrote track. |