To think o'th' teene that I have turn'd you to, Which is from my remembrance. Please you, farther. Pro. My brother and thy uncle, call'd Anthonio
pray thee mark me, (that a brother should Be fo perfidious!) he whom next thy felf. Of all the world I lov'd, and to him put The manage of my ftate; as at that time Through all the fignories it was the first And Profpero the prime Duke, being fo reputed In dignity; and for the liberal arts,
Without a parallel; thofe being all my study: The government I caft upon my brother, And to my state grew ftranger, being tranfported And rapt in fecret ftudies. Thy falfe uncle (Doft thou attend me?)
Mira. Sir, molt heedfully.
Pro. Being once perfected how to grant fuits, How to deny them; whom t'advance, and whom 4 "To plafh' for over-topping; new created
The creatures that were mine; I fay or chang'd 'em Or elfe new form'd 'em; having both the key Of officer and office, fet all hearts
To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was
The ivy which had hid my princely trunk, And fuckt my verdure out on't.
Mira. Good Sir, I do.
Pro. I pray thee mark ine then.
I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated To clofenefs, and the bettering of my mind With that which, but by being fo retired, O'er-priz'd all popular rate, in my false brother Awak'd an evil nature; and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him.. A falfhood, in its contrary as great
As my trust was; which had indeed no limit, A confidence fans bound. He being thus lorded,
To trash...old edit. Warb. emend.
Not only with what my revenue yielded, But what my power might elfe exact; like one 'Who loving an untruth, and telling't oft',' • 'Makes' fuch a finner of his memory To credit his own lie; he did believe He was indeed the Duke, from fubftitution And executing th' outward face of royalty With all prerogative. Hence his ambition growing 'Doft thou hear, child?'
Mira. Your tale, Sir, would cure deafnefs."
Pro. To have no fcreen between this part he plaid, And him he plaid it for, he needs will be
Abfolute Milan. Me, poor man! - my library Was Dukedom large enough; of temporal royaltics He thinks me now incapable: confederates (So dry he was for fway) wi' th' King of Naples To give him annual tribute, do him homage, Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend The Dukedom yet unbow'd (alas poor Milan!) To much ignoble stooping.
Pro. Mark 'the' condition, and th' event, then tell me
If this might be a Brother?
Mira, I fhould fin,
To think not nobly of my grand-mother.
Pro. 9 'Good wombs have born bad fons. Now the con
This King of Naples being an enemy
To me inveterate, hears my brother's fuit; Which was, that he in lieu o' th' premises, Of homage, and I know not how much tribute, Should prefently extirpate me and mine Out of the Dukedom, and confer fair Milan, With all the honours, on my brother. Whereon A treacherous army levy'd, one mid-night
5 Who having into truth, by telling of it,"
9 Mir. Good wombs have born bad fons.
Pro. Now the condition: &c. ...old edit. Theob, emend.
Fated to th' purpofe, did Anthonio open The gates of Milan, and i' th' dead of darknefs The ministers for th' purpose hurry'd thence Me and thy crying self.
Mira. Alack for pity!
I not remembring how I cry'd out then, Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to't.
Pro. Hear a little further,
And then I'll bring thee to the prefent business Which now's upon's, without the which this story Were most impertinent.
Mira. Why did they not That hour destroy us?
Pro. Well demanded, wench; My tale provokes that queftion.
So dear the love my people bore me, fet A mark fo bloody on the bufinefs; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. In few, they hurry'd us aboard a bark, Bore us fome leagues to fea, where they prepar'd A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd, Nor tackle, nor fail, nor maft; the very rats Inftinctively had quit it: there they hoift us To cry to th' fea that roar'd to us; to figh To winds, whofe pity fighing back again Did us but loving wrong.
Mira. Alack! what trouble
Was I then to you?
Pro. O a cherubim
Thou waft that did preferve me: Thou didft fimile Infused with a fortitude from heav'n;
(When I have 'brack'd' the fea with drops full falt, Under my burthen groan'd) which rais'd in me
An undergoing ftomach, to bear up
Against what should enfue.
Mira. How came we a-fhore?
1 Dear, they durft not, 2 deck'd
Pro. By providence divine.
Some food we had, and fome fresh water, that A noble Neopolitan Gonzalo,
Out of his charity (being then appointed
Master of this defign) did give us, with
Rich garments, linnens, ftuffs, and neceffaries
Which fince have steeded much. So of his gentleness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnifh'd me
From my own library, with volumes that I prize above my Dukedom.
Mira. Would I might
But ever fee that man!
Pro. Now I arife:
Sit ftill, and hear the last of our fea-forrow. Here in this inland we arriv'd, and here
Have I, thy school-mafter, made thee more profit Than other Princes can, that have more time For vainer hours, and tutors not fo careful.
Mira. Heav'ns thank you for't! And now I pray you, Sir,
(For ftill 'tis beating in my mind) your reafon For raifing this fea-ftorm?
Pro. Know thus far forth;
By accident moft ftrange bountiful fortune (Now my dear lady) hath mine enemies Brought to this fhore: and by my prescience I find my Zenith doth depend upon A moft aufpicious ftar, whofe influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes
Will ever after droop. Here ceafe more queftions, Thou art inclin'd to fleep. 'Tis a good dulnefs, And give it way; I know thou can'ft not chufe. Come away, fervant, come; I'm ready now: Approach, my Ariel. Come.
Ari. All hail, great mafter! grave Sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure. Be't to fly;
To fwim; to dive into the fire; to ride
On the curl'd clouds: to thy ftrong bidding task Ariel and all his qualities.
Perform'd to point the tempeft that I bad thee? Ari. To every article.
I boarded the King's fhip: now on the beak, Now in the waste, the deck, in every cabin, I flam'd amazement. Sometimes I'd divide, And burn in many places; on the top-maft The yards and bolt-fprit would I flame diftinctly, Then meet and join. Jove's lightnings, the precurfers Of dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary
And fight out-running were not; the fire and cracks Of fulphurous roaring the moft mighty Neptune Seem'd to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble, Yea, his dread trident shake.
Pro. 'That's my brave fpirit!'
Who was fo firm, fo conftant, that this coyl Would not infect his reafon ?
But felt a feaver of the mind, and plaid Some tricks of defperation: all but mariners Plung'd in the foaming brine, and quit the veffel, Then all a-fire with me: the King's fon Ferdinand With hair up-ftaring (then like reeds, not hair) Was the firft Man that leap'd; cry'd hell is empty, And all the devils are here.
Pro. Why that's my fpirit!
But was not this nigh fhore? Ari. Close by, my master.
3 My brave, brave spirit!
« AnteriorContinuar » |