As Hymen's lamps fhall light you.

FER. As I hope

For quiet days, fair iffue, and long life,

With fuch love as 'tis now; the murkieft den,
The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worfer Genius can, fhall never melt

Mine honour into luft; to take away

The edge of that day's celebration,

When I shall think, or Phœbus' steeds are founder'd, Or night kept chain'd below.

PRO. Fairly spoke:

Sit then, and talk with her, fhe is thine own.-
What, Ariel; my industrious fervant Ariel!
Enter ARIEL.

ARI. What would my potent master? here I am. PRO. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use

you

In fuch another trick: go, bring the rabble,

O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place;
Incite them to quick motion; for I must

Beftow upon the eyes of this young couple

Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.

ARI. Presently?

PRO, Ay, with a twink.

ARI. Before you can fay, Come, and go, And breathe twice; and cry, So, fo;

Each one, tripping on his toe,

Will be here with mop and mowe:

PRO. Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach,

Till thou doft hear me call.

ARI. Well I conceive.

[Exit.

PRO. Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw To the fire i' the blood: be more abftemious,

Or elfe, good night, your vow!

The white-cold virgin fnow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.

PRO. Well.

Now come, my Ariel; bring a corollary,

Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.—

No tongue; all eyes; be filent.

A Mafque. Enter IRIS.

[Soft mufick,

IRIS. Ceres, moft bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with ftover, them to keep;
Thy banks with peonied and lilied brims,

Which fpungy April at thy heft betrims,

[groves,

To make cold nymphs chafte crowns; and thy broom
Whose shadow the difmiffed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
And thy fea-marge, fteril, and rocky-hard,

thyself

Where thou thy felf do'ft air; The queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch, and meffenger, am I,

Bids thee leave thefe; and with her fovereign grace,
Here on this grafs-plot, in this very place,

To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES.

CER. Hail, many-colour'd meffenger, that ne'er Doft difobey the wife of Jupiter;

Who, with thy faffron wings, upon my flowers

Diffuseft honey-drops, refreshing showers;

And with each end of thy blue bow doft crown
My bofky acres, and my unfhrubb'd down,

Rich scarf to my proud earth; Why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grafs'd green?
IRIS. A contract of true love to celebrate;
And some donation freely to eftate
On the blefs'd lovers.

CER. Tell me, heavenly bow,

If Venus, or her fon, as thou doft know,
Do now attend the queen? fince they did plot
The means, that dufky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's fcandal'd company
I have forfworn.

IRIS. Of her fociety

Be not afraid: I met her deity

}

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her fon
Dove-drawn with her: here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain;
Mars's hot minion is return'd again;

Her waspish-headed fon has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with fparrows,
And be a boy right out.

CER. Highest queen of state,

Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

JUN. How does my bounteous fifter? Go with me, To bless this twain, that they may profperous be, And honour'd in their issue.

SONG.

JUNO. Honour, riches, marriage-bleffing,
Long continuance, and increafing,

Hourly joys be fill upon you!
Funo fings her blessings on you.
CER. Earth's increase, and foifon plenty ;
Barns, and garners never empty ;
Vines, with cluft' ring bunches growing;
Plants, with goodly burden bowing;
Spring come to you, at the fartheft,
In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity, and want, shall shun you;
Ceres' bleffing fo is on you.

FER. This is a moft majestic vifion, and
Harmonious charmingly: May I be bold
To think these spirits?

PRO. Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines call'd to enact
My prefent fancies.

FER. Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,

Make this place Paradise.

[JUNO and CERES whisper, and fend IRIS on employment.] PRO. Sweet now, filence:

Juno and Ceres whisper feriously;

There's fomething else to do: hush, and be mute,

Or else our spell is marr'd.

IRIS. Younymphs, call'd Naiads, ofthe wand'ring brooks,

With your fedg'd crowns, and ever-harmless looks,

land

Leave your crifp channels, and on this green
Answer your fummons; Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You fun-burn'd ficklemen, of Auguft weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry ;-

Make holy-day your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one

In country footing.

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the
Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof
PROSPERO ftarts fuddenly, and speaks; after which, to` à
ftrange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish.
PRO. [afide.] I had forgot that foul confpiracy

Of the beaft Caliban, and his confederates,

Against my life; the minute of their plot [no more. Is almost come.—[To the spirits.] Well done ;—avoid ;— FER. This is most strange: your father's in some paffion That works him ftrongly.

MIRA. Never till this day,

Saw I him touch'd with anger fo distemper'd.
PRO. You do look, my fon, in a mov'd fort,
As if you were difmay'd: be cheerful, fir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the bafelefs fabrick of this vifion,
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The folemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, fhall diffolve;
And, like this infubftantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind: We are such stuff
As dreams are made of, and our little life

Is rounded with a fleep.-Sir, I am vex'd;

Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled.
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:

If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell,

And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk,
To ftill my beating mind.