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النشر الإلكتروني

Untie the spell. [Ex.ARI.] How fares my gracious sir?
There are yet missing of your company
Some few odd lads, that you remember not.

Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO in their stolen apparel.

Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune :-Coragio, bully-monster, Coragio!

Trin. If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight.

Cal. O Setebos, these be brave spirits, indeed! How fine my master is! I am afraid

He will chastise me.

Seb. Ha, ha;

What things are these, my lord Antonio !
Will money buy them?

Ant. Very like; one of them

Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.

Pro. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords, Then say, if they be true :-This mis-shapen knave, His mother was a witch; and one so strong

That could control the moon; make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command, without her power:
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil
(For he's a bastard one,) had plotted with them
To take my life: two of these fellows you
Must know, and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal. I shall be pinch'd to death.

Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb. He is drunk now: where had he wine?

Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe; where should they
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them ?—
How cam'st thou in this pickle ?

After the statute against

[] This was the phraseology of the times. witches, revenge or ignorance frequently induced people to charge those against whom they harboured resentment, or entertained prejudices, with the crime of witchcraft, which had just then been declared a capital offence. In our ancient reports are several cases where persons charged in this manner sought redress in the courts of law. And it is remarkable in all of them, to the scandalous imputation of being witches, the term-a strong one, is constantly added. In Michaelmas term, 9 Car. I. the point was settled that no action could be supported on so general a charge, and that the epithet strong did not enforce the other words. In this instance, I believe, the opinion of the people at large was not in unison with the sages of Westminster-Hall. Several of these cases are collected together in I. Viner, 422. REED.

Trin. I have been in such a pickle, since I saw 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 of the isle, sirrah ?

Ste. I should have been a sore one then.

Alon. This is as strange a thing as e'er I look'd on.

[Pointing to CALIBAN. Pro. He is as disproportion'd in his manners,

As in his shape :-Go, sirrah, 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 wise hereafter,
And seek for grace: What a thrice-double ass.
Was I, to take this drunkard for a god,

And worship this dull fool?

Pro. Go to ; away!

Alon. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

Seb. Or stole it, rather.

[Exe.CAL. STE. & TRIN.
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 waste
With such discourse, as, I not doubt, shall make it
Go quick away the story of my life,
And the particular accidents, gone by,

Since I came to this isle: And in the morn,
I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples,
Where I have hope to see the nuptial
Of these our dear-beloved solemniz'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 strangely.

Pro. I'll deliver all;

And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,

And sails so expeditious, that shall catch

Your royal fleet far off.-My Ariel ;-chick,—
That is thy charge; then to the elements

Be free, and fare thou well! [Aside.]-Please you draw

near.

[Exeunt.

Now

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

my
charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own ;
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or sent 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.1
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please: Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant
And my ending is despair,

2

Unless I be reliev'd by pray'r ;2
Which pierces so, that it assaults

Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

[1] By your applause, by clapping hands. Noise was supposed to dissolve a spell. STEEV.

[2] This alludes to the old stories told of the despair of necromancers in their last moments, and of the efficacy of the prayers of their friends for them. WARB.

TWO GENTLEMEN OF

VERONA.

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