But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded, I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you And justify you traitors: at this time I will tell no tales. SEBASTIAN [Aside] The devil speaks in him. PROSPERO No.
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require My dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know, Thou must restore. ALONSO If thou be'st Prospero, Give us particulars of thy preservation;How thou hast met us here, who three hours since Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost--How sharp the point of this remembrance is!--My dear son Ferdinand. PROSPERO I am woe for't, sir. ALONSO Irreparable is the loss, and patience Says it is past her cure. PROSPERO I rather think You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace For the like loss I have her sovereign aid And rest myself content. ALONSO You the like loss! PROSPERO As great to me as late; and, supportable To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker Than you may call to comfort you, for I Have lost my daughter. ALONSO A daughter?
O heavens, that they were living both in Naples, The king and queen there! that they were, I wish Myself were mudded in that oozy bed Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter? PROSPERO In this last tempest. I perceive these lords At this encounter do so much admire That they devour their reason and scarce think Their eyes do offices of truth, their words Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have Been justled from your senses, know for certain That I am Prospero and that very duke Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most strangely Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed, To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;For 'tis a chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a breakfast nor Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;This cell's my court: here have I few attendants And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
My dukedom since you have given me again, I will requite you with as good a thing;At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye As much as me my dukedom.
Here PROSPERO discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA playing at chess MIRANDA Sweet lord, you play me false. FERDINAND No, my dear'st love, I would not for the world. MIRANDA Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle, And I would call it, fair play. ALONSO If this prove A vision of the Island, one dear son Shall I twice lose. SEBASTIAN A most high miracle! FERDINAND Though the seas threaten, they are merciful;I have cursed them without cause.
Kneels ALONSO Now all the blessings Of a glad father compass thee about!
Arise, and say how thou camest here. MIRANDA O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in't! PROSPERO 'Tis new to thee. ALONSO What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?
Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:
Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us, And brought us thus together? FERDINAND Sir, she is mortal;But by immortal Providence she's mine:
I chose her when I could not ask my father For his advice, nor thought I had one. She Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan, Of whom so often I have heard renown, But never saw before; of whom I have Received a second life; and second father This lady makes him to me. ALONSO I am hers:
But, O, how oddly will it sound that I Must ask my child forgiveness! PROSPERO There, sir, stop:
Let us not burthen our remembrance with A heaviness that's gone. GONZALO I have inly wept, Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you god, And on this couple drop a blessed crown!
For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way Which brought us hither. ALONSO I say, Amen, Gonzalo! GONZALO Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice Beyond a common joy, and set it down With gold on lasting pillars: In one voyage Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis, And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife Where he himself was lost, Prospero his dukedom In a poor isle and all of us ourselves When no man was his own. ALONSO [To FERDINAND and MIRANDA] Give me your hands:
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart That doth not wish you joy! GONZALO Be it so! Amen!
Re-enter ARIEL, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following O, look, sir, look, sir! here is more of us:
I prophesied, if a gallows were on land, This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy, That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?