SCENE III.--_The wild Island.

_Enter_ TRINCALO, CALIBAN, _and_ SYCORAX.

_Calib._ My lord, I see 'em coming yonder.

_Trinc._ Whom?

_Calib._ The starved prince, and his two thirsty subjects, that would have our liquor.

_Trinc._ If thou wert a monster of parts, I would make thee my master of ceremonies, to conduct 'em in. The devil take all dunces! thou hast lost a brave employment, by not being a linguist, and for want of behaviour.

_Syc._ My lord, shall I go meet 'em? I'll be kind to all of 'em, just as I am to thee.

_Trinc._ No, that's against the fundamental laws of my dukedom: You are in a high place, spouse, and must give good example. Here they come; we'll put on the gravity of statesmen, and be very dull, that we may be held wise.

_Enter_ STEPHANO, VENTOSO, _and_ MUSTACHO.

_Vent._ Duke Trincalo, we have considered.

_Trinc._ Peace or war?

_Must._ Peace, and the butt.

_Steph._ I come now as a private person, and promise to live peaceably under your government.

_Trinc._ You shall enjoy the benefits of peace; and the first fruits of it, amongst all civil nations, is to be drunk for joy: Caliban, skink about.

_Steph._ I long to have a rouse to her grace's health, and to the _haunse in kelder_, or rather haddock in kelder, for I guess it will be half fish. [_Aside._

_Trinc._ Subject Stephano, here's to thee; and let old quarrels be drowned in this draught. [_Drinks._

_Steph._ Great magistrate, here's thy sister's health to thee. [_Drinks to_ CALIB.

_Syc._ He shall not drink of that immortal liquor; my lord, let him drink water.

_Trinc._ O sweetheart, you must not shame yourself to-day. Gentlemen subjects, pray bear with her good huswifery: She wants a little breeding, but she's hearty.

_Must._ Ventoso, here's to thee. Is it not better to pierce the butt, than to quarrel and pierce one another's bellies?

_Vent._ Let it come, boy.

_Trinc._ Now would I lay greatness aside, and shake my heels, if I had but music.

_Calib._ O my lord! my mother left us in her will a hundred spirits to attend us, devils of all sorts, some great roaring devils, and some little singing spirits.

_Syc._ Shall we call? And thou shalt hear them in the air.

_Trinc._ I accept the motion: Let us have our mother-in-law's legacy immediately.

CALIBAN SINGS.

_We want music, we want mirth. Up, dam, and cleave the earth: We have no lords that wrong us, Send thy merry spirits among us._

_Trinc._ What a merry tyrant am I, to have my music, and pay nothing for't!

_A table rises, and four Spirits with wine and meat enter, placing it, as they dance, on the table: The dance ended, the bottles vanish, and the table sinks again._

_Vent._ The bottle's drunk.

_Must._ Then the bottle's a weak shallow fellow, if it be drunk first.

_Trinc._ Stephano, give me thy hand: thou hast been a rebel, but here's to thee: [_Drinks_.] Pr'ythee, why should we quarrel? Shall I swear two oaths? By bottle, and by butt, I love thee: In witness whereof I drink soundly.

_Steph._ Your grace shall find there's no love lost, for I will pledge you soundly.

_Trinc._ Thou hast been a false rebel, but that's all one; pledge my grace faithfully.--Caliban, go to the butt, and tell me how it sounds. [_Exit_ CALIBAN.] Peer Stephano, dost thou love me?

_Steph._ I love your grace, and all your princely family.

_Trinc._ 'Tis no matter, if thou lov'st me; hang my family: Thou art my friend, pr'ythee tell me what thou think'st of my princess:

_Steph._ I look on her, as on a very noble princess.

_Trinc._ Noble! indeed she had a witch to her mother; and the witches are of great families in Lapland: but the devil was her father; and I have heard of the Monsieur De Villes in France: but look on her beauty,--is she a fit wife for Duke Trincalo? Mark her behaviour too,--she's tippling yonder with the serving-men.

_Steph._ An't please your grace, she's somewhat homely, but that's no blemish in a princess. She is virtuous.

_Trinc._ Umph! virtuous! I am loath to disparage her; but thou art my friend,--canst thou be close?

_Steph._ As a stopt bottle, an't please your grace.

_Enter_ CALIBAN _again with a bottle_.

_Trinc._ Why then I'll tell thee,--I found her an hour ago under an elder-tree, upon a sweet bed of nettles, singing Tory Rory, and Rantum Scantum, with her own natural brother.

_Steph._ O Jew! make love in her own tribe?

_Trinc._ But 'tis no matter; to tell thee true, I married her to be a great man, and so forth: But make no words on't, for I care not who knows it, and so here's to thee again.--Give me the bottle, Caliban! did you knock the butt? How does it sound?

_Calib._ It sounds as though it had a noise within.

_Trinc._ I fear the butt begins to rattle in the throat, and is departing: give me the bottle. [_Drinks._

_Must._ A short life and a merry, I say. [STEPH. _whispers_ SYCORAX.

_Syc._ But did he tell you so?

_Steph._ He said you were as ugly as your mother, and that he married you only to get possession of the island.

_Syc._ My mother's devils fetch him for't!

_Steph._ And your father's too. Hem! skink about his grace's health again. O if you will but cast an eye of pity upon me--

_Syc._ I will cast two eyes of pity on thee; I love thee more than haws or blackberries. I have a hoard of wildings in the moss, my brother knows not of 'em; but I'll bring thee where they are.

_Steph._ Trincalo was but my man, when time was.

_Syc._ Wert thou his god, and didst thou give him liquor?

_Steph._ I gave him brandy, and drunk sack myself: Wilt thou leave him, and thou shalt be my princess?

_Syc._ If thou canst make me glad with this liquor.

_Steph._ I'll warrant thee; we'll ride into the country where it grows.

_Syc._ How wilt thou carry me thither?

_Steph._ Upon a hackney-devil of thy mother's.

_Trinc._ What's that you will do? Ha! I hope you have not betrayed me? How does my pigsnye? [_To_ SYCORAX.

_Syc._ Begone! thou shalt not be my lord; thou say'st I'm ugly.

_Trinc._ Did you tell her so?--ha! he's a rogue, do not believe him, chuck.

_Steph._ The foul words were yours: I will not eat 'em for you.

_Trinc._ I see, if once a rebel, then ever a rebel. Did I receive thee into grace for this? I will correct thee with my royal hand. [_Strikes_ STEPH.

_Syc._ Dost thou hurt my love? [_Flies at_ TRINC.

_Trinc._ Where are our guards? Treason! Treason! [VENT. MUST. CALIB. _run betwixt_.

_Vent._ Who took up arms first, the prince or the people?

_Trinc._ This false traitor has corrupted the wife of my bosom. [_Whispers_ MUSTACHO _hastily_.] Mustacho, strike on my side, and thou shalt be my viceroy.

_Must._ I am against rebels. Ventoso, obey your viceroy.

_Vent._ You a viceroy? [_They two fight off from the rest._

_Steph._ Ha! Hector monster! do you stand neuter?

_Calib._ Thou would'st drink my liquor, I will not help thee.

_Syc._ 'Twas his doing that I had such a husband, but I'll claw him.

[SYC. _and_ CALIB. _fight_, SYC. _beating him off the stage_.

_Trinc._ The whole nation is up in arms, and shall I stand idle? [TRINC. _beats off_ STEPH. _to the door. Exit_ STEPH. I'll not pursue too far, for fear the enemy will rally again, and surprise my butt in the citadel. Well, I must be rid of my Lady Trincalo, she will be in the fashion else; first, cuckold her husband, and then sue for a separation, to get alimony. [_Exit._