Ari.

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?

Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
Till thou dost hear me call.

Ari.

Well, I conceive.

[Exit.

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Pros. 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,
else, good night your vow!
Fer.
I warrant you, sir;
he white cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

Well.

Pros.
Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly!
No tongue! all eyes! be silent.

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 banks with pioned and twilled brims,

Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom-groves,
Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;

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

Where thou thyself dost air;-the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am 1,

Bids thee leave these, and with her sovereign grace,
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?

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Have given you here a third of mine own life,
Or that for which I live: who once again
I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou

Hast strangely stood the test here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me that I boast her off,

For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise
And make it halt behind her.

Fer.

Against an oracle.

I do believe it

Pros. Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition Worthily purchased, take my daughter: but

If thou dost break her virgin-knot before

All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,

No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
Sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

Fer.

As I hope For quiet days, fair issue and long life,

With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den,

The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worser genius can, shall never melt

Mine honour into lust, to take away

The edge of that day's celebration

When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd,
Or Night kept chain'd below.

Pros.

Fairly spoke.

Sit then and talk with her; she is thine own.

What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel !

Enter ARIEL.

Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pros. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you

In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,

O'er whom I give the power, here to this place :
Incite them to quick motion; for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art: it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.

Ari.

Pros. Ay, with a twink.

Presently?

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30

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Ari.

"" So, so,

Before you can say "come" and
And breathe twice and cry
Each one, tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and mow.
Do you love me, master? no?
Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel.
Till thou dost hear me call.

Do not approach

Well, I conceive.

[Exit.

Ari.
Pros. 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,
else, good night your vow!
Fer.

I warrant you, sir; he white cold virgin snow upon my heart Abates the ardour of my liver.

Well.

Pros.
Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly!
No tongue! all eyes! be silent.

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 banks with pioned and twilled brims,

Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,

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

Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;

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

Where thou thyself dost air;-the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am 1,

Bids thee leave these, and with her sovereign grace,
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?

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80

Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate; And some donation freely to estate

On the blest 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.

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-right shall be paid

Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain ;

Mars's hot minion is returned again;

Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,

Swears he will shoot no more but play with sparrows, 100 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.

Juno.

[They sing:

Cer.

Earth's increase, foison plenty,

Barns and garners never empty,

Plants with goodly burthen bowing;

Vines with clustering bunches growing,

Spring come to you at the farthest
In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on yon,

Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits?

Pros. Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines call'd to enact

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My present fancies,

Fer.

Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father and a wife

Makes this place Paradise.

Pros.

[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on employment.

Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;

Sweet, now, silence!

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 windring brooks,
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels and on this green land
Answer your summons; Juno does command:
• Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow and be merry:
Make holiday; 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 whereof
PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a
strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish.
Pros. [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy

Of the beast Caliban and his confederates

Against my life: the minute of their plot

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Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done! avoid; no

more !

Fer. This is strange your father's in some passion
That works him strongly.

Mir.
Never till this day
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pros. You do look, my son, in a moved 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:

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And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,

The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,

The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,