If thou remember'st aught ere thou cam’st here,
How thou cam'st here thou mayst.
Mira.

But that I do not. Pro. Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year

since,
Thy father was the duke of Milan, and
A prince of power.
Mira.

Sir, are not you my father?
Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and
She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father
Was duke of Milan; and his only heir
A princess, no worse issued.
Mira.

O, the heavens ! What foul play had we, that we came from

thence ? Or blessed was't we did ? Pro.

Both, both, my girl ; By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heaved

thence ; But blessedly holp hither. Mira.

O, my heart bleeds To think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to, Which is from my remembrance! Please you,

farther. Pro. My brother, and thy uncle, callid An

tonio, I pray thee mark me that a brother should Be so perfidious ;-he whom, next thyself, Of all the world I loved, and to himn put The manage of my state, as, at that time, Through all the signiories it was the first, And Prospero the prime duke, being so reputed In dignity; and for the liberal arts Without a parallel : those being all my study, The government I cast upon my brother, And to my state grew stranger, being transported

And rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle-
Dost thou attend me?
Mira.

Sir, most heedfully.
Pro. Being once perfected how to grant suits,
How to deny them, whom to advance, and whom
To trash for overtopping,-new created
The creatures that were mine, I say, or changed

them, Or else new form'd them ; having both the key Of officer and office, set all hearts i' th' state To what tune pleased his ear ; that now he was The ivy which had hid my princely trunk, And suck'd my verdure out on't.—Thou at

tend'st not. Mira. O good sir, I do. Pro.

I pray thee, mark me. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated To closeness, and the bettering of my mind With that, which, but by being so retired, O'er-prized all popular rate, in my false brother Awaked an evil nature: and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood, in its contrary as great As my trust was ; which had, indeed, no limit, A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded, Not only with what my revenue yielded, But what my power might else exact,-like one Who having unto truth, by telling of it, Made such a sinner of his memory, To credit his own lie,-he did believe He was indeed the duke ; out of the substitution, And executing the outward face of royalty, With all prerogative :-hence his ambition

growing, Dost thou hear?

Mira, Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.

Pro. To have no screen between this part he

play'd, And him he play'd it for, he needs will be Absolute Milan. Me, poor man! my library Was dukedom large enough ; of temporal royal

ties He thinks me now incapable : confederates (So dry he was for sway) with the king of Naples, To give him annual tribute, do him homage; Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend The dukedom, yet unbow'd, (alas, poor Milan !) To most ignoble stooping. Mira.

O the heavens ! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then

tell me,

If this might be a brother.
Mira.

I should sin
To think but nobly of my grandmother :
Good wombs have borne bad sons.
Pro.

Now the condition,
This king of Naples, being an enemy
To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit ;
Which was, that he, in lieu o’the premises
Of homage, and I know not how much tribute, -
Should presently extirpate me and mine
Out of the dukedom ; and confer fair Milan,
With all the honours, on my brother: whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one midnight
Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open
The gates of Milan; and, i’ the dead of darkness,
The ministers for the purpose hurried thence
Me, and thy crying self.
Mira.

Alack, for pity!
I, not remembering how I cried out then,
Will cry it o'er again : it is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to't.

a

a

Pro.

Hear a little further,
And then I'll bring thee to the present business
Which now's upon us; without the which, this

story
Were most impertinent.
Mira.

Wherefore did they not
That hour destroy us?
Pro.

Well demanded, wench; My tale provokes that question. Dear, they

durst not,
So dear the love my people bore me,-nor set
A mark so bloody on the business ; but
With colours fairer painted their foul ends.
In few, they hurried us aboard a bark;
Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared
A rotten carcase of a boat, not rigg’d,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats
Instinctively have quit it; there they hoist us,
To cry to the sea that roar'd to us ; to sigh
To the winds, whose pity, sighing back again,
Did us but loving wrong.
Mira.

Alack! what trouble
Was I then to you!
Pro.

O! a cherubim
Thou wast that did preserve me! Thou didst

smile,
Infused with a fortitude from heaven,
When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt;
Under my burden groan'd; which raised in me
An undergoing stomach, to bear up
Against what should ensue.
Mira.

How came we ashore?
Pro. By Providence divine
Scme food we had, and some fresh water, that
A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity-being then appointed

Master of this design-did give us ; with
Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries,
Which since have steaded much ; so, of his

gentleness,
Knowing I loved my books, he furnish'd me,
From mine own library, with volumes that
I prize above my dukedom.
Mira.

'Would I might But ever see that man !

Pro. Now I arise :-- - (Resumes his mantle. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we arrived ; and here Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit Than other princess' can, that have more time For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful. Mira. Heavens thank you for 't! And now,

I

pray you, sir, (For still’tis beating in my mind,) your reason For raising this sea-storm? Pro.

Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune, — Now my dear lady_hath mine enemies Brought to this shore ; and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star ; whose influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop.—Here cease more ques

tions ; Thou art inclined to sleep; 'tis a good dulness, And give it way ;-I know thou canst not choose.

[MIRANDA sleeps. Come away, servant, come! I am ready now; Approach, my Ariel ; come!

Enter ARIEL
Ari. All hail, great master ! grave sir, hail

I come