To take my life; two of these fellows

you

Must know and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

CAL. I fhall be pincht 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 liquor that hath gilded 'em?

How cam'ft thou in this pickle?

TRIN. I have been in such a pickle, fince 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?

STE. O, touch me not: I am not Stephano, but a cramp.

PRO. You'd be king o'th' isle, Sirrah ?

STE. I fhould have been a fore one then.

ALON. 'Tis a strange thing, as I e're look'd on.

PRO. He is as difproportion'd in his manners,

As in his shape.-Go, firrah, 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 afs

Was I, to take this drunkard for a God?

And worship this dull fool?

PRO. Go to, away!

ALON. Hence, and beftow your luggage where you found it.

SEB. Or ftole 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 wafte

With fuch difcourfe, as I not doubt, fhall make it
Go quick away; the ftory 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 fee 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. I long

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

PRO. I'll deliver all;

And promise you calm feas, aufpicious gales,
And fail fo expeditious, that fhall 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.

VOL. I.

G

[Exeunt omnes.

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

W

Now my charms are all o'er-thrown,

And what ftrength I have's mine own;
Which is moft 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 spell :
But release me from my bands,
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my fails
Muft fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to pleafe. For now I want
Spirits t'enforce, art to enchant :
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 from crimes would pardon'd be,

you

Let your indulgence fet me free!

MIDSUMMER-NIGHT's

DRE A M

THESEUS, duke of Athens.

EGEUS, an Athenian lord.

LYSANDER, in love with Hermia.

DEMETRIUS, in love with Hermia.

PHILOSTRATE, 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.

HIPPOLITA, princefs of the Amazons, betroth'd to Thefeus. HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lyfander, HELENA, in love with Demetrius.

ATTENDANTS.

OBERON, king of the fairies.

TITANIA, queen of the fairies.

PUCK, or ROBIN-GOODFELLOW, a fairy.

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