And pluck my magick garment from me.-So; The direful fpectacle of the wreck, which touch'd Which thou heard'ft cry, which thou faw'ft fink. Mira. You have often [Sit down; Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd, Pro. The hour's now come; thine ears; Obey, and be attentive. Canft thou remember A time before we came unto this cell? I do not think thou canft; for then thou waft not Out three years old. Mira. Certainly, fir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other houfe or perfon? Of a any thing the image tell me, that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Mira. 'Tis far off; And rather like a dream than an affurance Pro. Thou hadit, and more, Miranda: But how is it, That this lives in thy mind? What fee'st thou elfe In the dark back-ward and abysm of time? If thou remember'ft aught, ere thou cam'st here; How thou cam'ft here, thou may'ît. Mira. But that I do not. Pro. Twelve years fince, Miranda, twelve years Thy father was the duke of Milan, and A prince of power. Mira. Sir, are not you my father? [fince Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She faid-thou wait my daughter; and thy father Was duke of Milan; thou his only heir And princefs, no worse iffu'd. Mira. O the heavens!! What foul play had we that we came from thence? Or blefs'd was't we did? Pro. Both, both, my girl: By foul play as thou fay'ft, were we heav'd thence; But bleffedly 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 further. Pro. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd Anthonio,~ I pray thee, mark me,-that a brother fhould Be fo perfidious!-he whom, 'next thyself, Of all the world I lov'd, and to him put The manage of my ftate; as, at that time, Through all the figniories it was the first, . And Profpero the prime duke; being fo reputed In dignity, and for the liberal arts, Without a parallel; thofe being all my ftudy, Mira. Sir, moft heedfully. Pro. Being once perfected how to grant fuits, How to deny them; whom to advance, and whom To trafh for over-topping; new created The creatures that were mine, I fay, or chang'd 'em, Pro. I pray thee, mark me. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated As my truft was; which had, indeed, no limit, To credit his own lie,-he did believe He was indeed, the duke; out of the substitution, [ing,- Was Was dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties The dukedom, yet unbow'd (alas, poor Milan!) Mira. O the heavens! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then If this might be a brother? Mira. I fhould fin To think but nobly of my grandmother: Good wombs have borne bad fons. Pro. Now the condition. This king of Naples being an enemy [tell me, To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's fuit; Mira. Alack, for pity! I not remembering how I cry'd out then, Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint, That wrings mine eyes to't. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon us; without the which, this Were most impertinent. [ftory Mira. Wherefore did they not That hour destroy us? Pro. Well demanded, wench; Mytale provokes that queftion. Dear, they durft not; Mira. Alack! what trouble Was I then to you! Pro. O a cherubim Thou waft, that did preferve me! Thou didst smile, Infufed with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the fea with drops full falt; Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me An undergoing ftomach to bear up Against what thould enfue. Mira. How came we afhore? Some food we had, and fome fresh water, that Out of his charity, who being then appointed I priz'd |