The Tempest | Page 2

to be drowned than thou art.
Gon. I'll warrant him for drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell, and as leaky as an unstanched wench. 45
Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold! set her two courses off to sea again; lay her off.
Enter Mariners wet.
Mariners. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!
Boats. What, must our mouths be cold?
Gon. The king and prince at prayers! let's assist them, 50 For our case is as theirs.
Seb. I'm out of patience.
Ant. We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards: This wide-chapp'd rascal,--would thou mightst lie drowning The washing of ten tides!
Gon. He'll be hang'd yet, Though every drop of water swear against it, 55 And gape at widest to glut him.
[A confused noise within: "Mercy on us!"-- "We split, we split!"-- "Farewell my wife and children!"-- "Farewell, brother!"-- "We split, we split, we split!"]
Ant. Let's all sink with the king. 60
Seb. Let's take leave of him. [Exeunt Ant. and Seb.
Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown furze, any thing. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [Exeunt. 65
Notes: I, 1.
SC. I. On a ship at sea] Pope. Enter ... Boatswain] Collier MS. adds 'shaking off wet.' 3: Good,] Rowe. Good: Ff. Good. Collier. 7: till thou burst thy wind] till thou burst, wind Johnson conj. till thou burst thee, wind Steevens conj. 8: Capell adds stage direction [Exeunt Mariners aloft. 11: boatswain] Pope. boson Ff. 11-18: Verse. S. Walker conj. 15: cares] care Rowe. See note (I). 31: [Exeunt] Theobald. [Exit. Ff. 33: Bring her to try] F4. Bring her to Try F1 F2 F3. Bring her to. Try Story conj. 33-35: Text as in Capell. A plague--A cry within. Enter Sebastian, Anthonio, and Gonzalo. upon this howling. Ff. 34-37: Verse. S. Walker conj. 43: for] from Theobald. 46: two courses off to sea] two courses; off to sea Steevens (Holt conj.). 46: [Enter...] [Re-enter... Dyce. 47: [Exeunt. Theobald. 50: at] are at Rowe. 50-54: Printed as prose in Ff. 56: to glut] t' englut Johnson conj. 57: See note (II). 59: Farewell, brother!] Brother, farewell! Theobald. 60: with the] Rowe. with' F1 F2. with F3 F4. 61: [Exeunt A. and S.] [Exit. Ff. 63: furze Rowe. firrs F1 F2 F3. firs F4. long heath, brown furze] ling, heath, broom, furze Hanmer.] 65: [Exeunt] [Exit F1, om. F2 F3 F4.]
SCENE II. The island. Before PROSPERO'S cell.
Enter PROSPERO and MIRANDA.
Mir. If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them. The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch, But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffer'd 5 With those that I saw suffer! a brave vessel, Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her, Dash'd all to pieces. O, the cry did knock Against my very heart! Poor souls, they perish'd! Had I been any god of power, I would 10 Have sunk the sea within the earth, or ere It should the good ship so have swallow'd and The fraughting souls within her.
Pros. Be collected: No more amazement: tell your piteous heart There's no harm done.
Mir. O, woe the day!
Pros. No harm. 15 I have done nothing but in care of thee, Of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter, who Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing Of whence I am, nor that I am more better Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell, 20 And thy no greater father.
Mir. More to know Did never meddle with my thoughts.
Pros. 'Tis time I should inform thee farther. Lend thy hand, And pluck my magic garment from me. --So: [Lays down his mantle. Lie there, my art. Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort. 25 The direful spectacle of the wreck, which touch'd The very virtue of compassion in thee, I have with such provision in mine art So safely order'd, that there is no soul, No, not so much perdition as an hair 30 Betid to any creature in the vessel Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st sink. Sit down; For thou must now know farther.
Mir. You have often Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd, And left me to a bootless inquisition, 35 Concluding "Stay: not yet."
Pros. The hour's now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear; Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember A time before we came unto this cell? I do not think thou canst, for then thou wast not 40 Out three years old.
Mir. Certainly, sir, I can.
Pros. By what? by any other house or person? Of any thing the image tell me that Hath kept with thy remembrance.
Mir. 'Tis far off, And