Page:West 192 024.jpg

Rh Good wombes haue borne bad ſonnes.

Pro. Now the Condition. This King of Naples being an Enemy To me inueterate, hearkens my Brothers ſuit, Which was, That he in lieu o'th' premiſes, Of homage, and I know not how much Tribute, Should preſently extirpate me and mine Out of the Dukedome, and confer faire Millaine With all the Honors, on my brother: Whereon A treacherous Armie leuied, one mid-night Fated to th' purpoſe, did Anthonio open The gates of Millaine, and ith' dead of darkeneſſe The miniſters for th' purpoſe hurried thence Me, and thy crying ſelfe.

Mir. Alack, for pitty: I not remembring how I cride out then Will cry it ore againe: it is a hint That wrings mine eyes too't.

Pro. Heare a little further, And then I'le bring thee to the preſent buſineſſe Which now's vpon's: without the which, this Story Were moſt impertinent.

Mir. Wherefore did they not That howre deſtroy vs?

Pro. Well demanded, wench: My Tale prouokes that queſtion: Deare, they durft not, So deare the loue my people bore me: nor ſet A marke ſo bloudy on the buſineſſe; but With colours fairer, painted their foule ends. In few, they hurried vs a-boord a Barke, Bore vs ſome Leagues to Sea, where they prepared A rotten carkaſſe of a Butt, not rigg'd, Nor tackle, ſayle, nor maſt, the very rats Inſtinctiuely haue quit it: There they hoyft vs To cry to th' Sea, that roard to vs; to ſigh To th' windes, whoſe pitty fighing backe againe Did vs but louing wrong.

Mir. Alack, what trouble Was I then to you?

Pro. O, a Cherubin Thou was't that did preſerve me; Thou didſt ſmile, Infuſed with a fortitude from heauen, When I haue deck'd the ſea with drops full ſalt, Vnder my burthen groan'd, which raiſ'd in me An undergoing ſtomacke, to beare vp Againſt what ſhould enſue.

Mir. How came we a ſhore?

Pro. By providence diuine, Some food, we had, and ſome freſh water, that A noble Neopolitan Gonzalo Out of his Charity, (who being then appointed Mafter of this deſigne) did giue vs, with Rich garments, linnens, ſtuffs, and neceſſaries Which ſince haue ſteeded much, fo of his gentleneſſe Knowing I lou'd my bookes, he furniſhd me From mine owne Library, with volumes, that I prize aboue my Dukedome.

Mir. Would I might But euer ſee that man.

Pro. Now I ariſe, Sit ſtill, and heare the laſt of our ſea-ſorrow: Heere in this Iland we arriu'd, and heere Have I, thy Schoolemaſter, made thee more profit Then other Princeſſe can, that haue more time For vainer howres; and Tutors, not ſo carefull.

Mir. Heuens thank you for't. And now I pray you Sir, For ſtill 'tis beating in my minde; your reaſon For rayſing this Sea-ſtorme?

Pro. Know thus far forth, By accident moſt ſtrange, bountifull Fortune (Now my deere Lady) hath mine enemies Brought to this ſhore: And by my preſcience I finde my Zenith doth depend vpon A moſt auſpitious ſtarre, whoſe influence If now I court not, but omit; my fortunes Will euer after droope: Heare ceaſe more queſtions, Thou art inclinde to ſleepe: 'tis a good dulneſſe, And giue it way: I know thou canſt not chuſe: Comeaway, Seruant, come; I am ready now, Approach my Ariel. Come.

Ari. All haile, great Maſter, graue Sir, haile: I come To anſwer thy beſt pleaſure; be't to fly, To ſwim, to diue into the fire: to ride On the curld clowds: to thy ſtrong bidding, taske Ariel, and all his Qualitie.

Pro. Haſt thou, Spirit, Performd to point, the Tempeſt that I bad thee.

Ar. To euery Article. I boorded the Kings ſhip: now on the Beake, Now in the Waſte, the Decke, in euery Cabyn, I flam'd amazement, ſometime I’ld diuide And burne in many places; on the Top-maſt, The Yards and Bore-ſpritt, would I flame diſtinctly, Then meete, and ioyne. Ioues Lightning, the precurſers O'th dreadfull Thunder-claps more momentarie And ſight out-running were not; the fire, and cracks Of ſulphurous roaring, the moſt mighty Neptune Seeme to beſiege, and make his bold waues tremble, Yea, his dread Trident ſhake.

Pro. My braue Spirit, Who was ſo firme, ſo conſtant, that this coyle Would not infect his reaſon?

Ar. Not a ſoule But felt a Feauer of the madde, and plaid Some tricks of deſperation; all but Mariners Plung'd in the foaming bryne, and quit the veſſell; Then all a fire with me the Kings ſonne Ferdinand With haire vp-ſtaring (then like reeds, not haire) Was the firſt man that leapt; cride hell is empty, And all the Diuels are heere.

Pro. Why that's my ſpirit: But was not this nye ſhore?

Ar. Cloſe by, my Maſter.

Pro. But are they (Ariell) ſafe?

Ar. Not a haire perifhd: On their ſuſtaining garments not a blemiſh, But freſher then before: and as thou badſt me, In troops I haue diſperſd them 'bout the Iſle: The Kings ſonne haue I landed by himſelfe, Whom I left cooling of the Ayre with ſighes, In an odde Angle of the Iſle, and ſitting His armes in this ſad knot.

Pro. Of the Kings ſhip, The Marriners, ſay how thou haſt diſpoſd, And all the reſt o'th'Fleete?

Ar. Safely in harbour Is the Kings ſhippe, in the deepe Nooke, where once Thou calldſt me vp at midnight to fetch dewe From the ſtill-vext Bermoorbes, there ſhe's hid; The Marriners all vnder hatches ſtowed, Who, with a Charme ioynd to their ſuffred labour I haue left aſleep: and for the reſt o'th' Fleet Which