ACT I. SCENE I.—
The front of the stage is opened, and the band of twenty-four violins, with the harpsicals and theorbos which accompany the voices, are placed between the pit and the stage. While the overture is playing, the curtain rises, and discovers a new frontispiece, joined to the great pilasters, on each side of the stage. This frontispiece is a noble arch, supported by large wreathed columns of the Corinthian order; the wreathings of the columns are beautified with roses wound round them, and several Cupids flying about them. On the cornice, just over the capitals, sits on either side a figure, with a trumpet in one hand, and a palm in the other, representing Fame. A little farther, on the same cornice, on each side of a compass-pediment, lie a lion and a unicorn, the supporters of the royal arms of England. In the middle of the arch are several angels, holding the king's arms, as if they were placing them in the midst of that compass-pediment. Behind this is the scene, which represents a thick cloudy sky, a very rocky coast, and a tempestuous sea in perpetual agitation. This tempest (supposed to be raised by magick) has many dreadful objects in it, as several spirits in horrid shapes flying down amongst the sailors, then rising and crossing in the air. And when the ship is sinking, the whole house is darkened, and a shower of fire falls upon them. This is accompanied with lightning, and several claps of thunder, to the end of the storm.
Enter Mustacho and Ventoso.
Vent. What a sea comes in!
Must. A foaming sea; we shall have foul weather.
Enter Trincalo.
Trinc. The scud comes against the wind, 'twill blow hard.
Enter Stephano.
Steph. Boatswain!
Trinc. Here, master, what say you?
Steph. Ill weather; let's off to sea.
Must. Let's have sea room enough, and then let it blow the devil's head off.
Steph. Boy! Boy!
Enter Cabin Boy.
Boy. Yaw, yaw, here, master.
Steph. Give the pilot a dram of the bottle.
[Exeunt Stephano and boy.
Enter Mariners, and pass over the stage.
Trinc. Bring the cable to the capstorm.
Enter Alonso, Antonio, and Gonzalo.
Alon. Good boatswain, have a care; where's the master? Play the men.
Trinc. Pray keep below.
Anto. Where's the master, boatswain?
Trinc. Do you not hear him? You hinder us: Keep your cabins, you help the storm.
Gonz. Nay, good friend, be patient.
Trinc. Ay, when the sea is: Hence! what care these roarers for the name of duke? To cabin; silence; trouble us not.
Gonz. Good friend, remember whom thou hast aboard.
Trinc. None that I love more than myself: You are a counsellor; if you can advise these elements to silence, use your wisdom: if yon cannot, make yourself ready in the cabin for the ill hour. Cheerly, good hearts! out of our way, sirs.
[Exeunt Trincalo and mariners.
Gonz. I have great comfort from this fellow; methinks his complexion is perfect gallows: stand fast, good fate, to his hanging; make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own does little advantage us; if he be not born to be hanged, we shall be drowned.
[Exit.
Enter Trincalo and Stephano.
Trinc. Up aloft, lads. Come, reef both topsails.
Steph. Make haste, let's weigh, let's weigh, and off to sea.
[ExitSteph.
Enter two Mariners, and pass over the stage.
Trinc. Hands down! Man your main capstorm.
Enter Mustacho and Ventoso at the other door.
Must. Up aloft! and man your seere capstorm.
Vent. My lads, my hearts of gold, get in your capstorm-bar. Hoa up, hoa up!
[Exeunt Mustacho and Ventoso.
Enter Stephano.
Steph. Hold on well! hold on well! Nip well there; quarter-master, get's more nippers.
[Exit Steph.
Enter two Mariners, and pass over again.
Trinc. Turn out, turn out all hands to capstorm. You dogs, is this a time to sleep? Lubbord. Heave together, lads.
[Trincalo whistles.
[Exeunt Mustacho and Ventoso.
Must. within. Our vial's broke.
Vent. within. 'Tis but our vial-block has given way. Come, heave, lads! we are fixed again. Heave together, bullies.
Enter Stephano.
Steph. Cut down the hammocks! cut down the hammocks! come, my lads: Come, bullies, chear up! heave lustily. The anchor's apeak.
Trinc. Is the anchor apeak?
Steph. Is a weigh! is a weigh.
Trinc. Up aloft, my lads, upon the fore-castle; cut the anchor, cut him.
All within. Haul catt, haul catt, haul catt, haul: Haul catt, haul. Below.
Steph. Aft, aft, and loose the mizen!
Trinc. Get the mizen-tack aboard. Haul aft mizen-sheet.
Enter Mustacho.
Must. Loose the main-top sail!
Steph. Let him alone, there's too much wind.
Trinc. Loose fore-sail! haul aft both sheets! trim her right before the wind. Aft! aft! lads, and hale up the mizen here.
Must. A mackrel-gale, master.
Steph. within. Port hard, port! the wind veers forward, bring the tack aboard-port is. Starboard, starboard, a little steady; now steady, keep her thus, no nearer you cannot come, 'till the sails are loose.
Vent. Some hands down: The guns are loose.
[Exit Must.
Trinc. Try the pump, try the pump.
[Exit Vent.
Enter Mustacho at the other door.
Must. O master! six foot water in hold.
Steph. Clap the helm hard aweather! flat, flat, flat-in the fore-sheet there.
Trinc. Over-haul your fore-bowling.
Steph. Brace in the larboard.
[Exit.
Trinc. A curse upon this howling, [A great cry within.] They are louder than the weather.
Enter Antonio and Gonzalo.
Yet again, what do you here? Shall we give over, and drown? Have you a mind to sink?
Gonz. A pox on your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, uncharitable dog.
Trinc. Work you then, and be poxed.
Anto. Hang, cur, hang, you whorson insolent noise-maker! We are less afraid to be drowned than you are.
Trinc. Ease the fore-brace a little.
[Exit.
Gonz. I'll warrant him for drowning, though the ship were no stronger than a nut-shell, and as leaky as an unstanched wench.
Enter Alonzo and Ferdinand.
Ferd. For myself I care not, but your loss brings a thousand deaths to me.
Alon. O name not me, I am grown old, my son; I now am tedious to the world, and that, By use, is so to me: But, Ferdinand, I grieve my subjects' loss in thee: Alas! I grieve my subjects' loss in thee: Alas! I suffer justly for my crimes, but why Thou should'st—O heaven!
[A cry within.
Hark! farewell, my son, a long farewell!
Enter Trincalo, Mustacho, and Ventoso.
Trinc. What, must our mouths be cold then?
Vent. All's lost. To prayers, to prayers.
Gonz. The duke and prince are gone within to prayers. Let's assist them.
Must. Nay, we may e'en pray too, our Case is now alike.
Ant. Mercy upon us! we split, we split!
Gonz. Let's all sink with the duke, and the young prince.
[Exeunt.
Enter Stephano and Trincalo.
Trinc. The ship is sinking.
[A new cry within.
Steph. Run her ashore!
Trinc. Luff! luff! or we are all lost! there's a rock upon the starboard-bow.
Steph. She strikes, she strikes! All shift for themselves.
[Exeunt.