ACT I
SCENE I. On a ship at sea: a tempestuous noise
of thunder and lightning heard.Master
Enter a Master and a Boatswain
Boatswain!Boatswain
Here, master: what cheer?Master
Good, speak to the mariners: fall to't, yarely,Boatswain
or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir.
Exit
Enter Mariners
Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts!
yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the
master's whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind,
if room enough!
Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND, GONZALO, and others
ALONSO
Good boatswain, have care. Where's the master?Boatswain
Play the men.
I pray now, keep below.ANTONIO
Where is the master, boatswain?Boatswain
Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep yourGONZALO
cabins: you do assist the storm.
Nay, good, be patient.Boatswain
When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarersGONZALO
for the name of king? To cabin: silence! trouble us not.
Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.Boatswain
None that I more love than myself. You are aGONZALO
counsellor; if you can command these elements to
silence, and work the peace of the present, we will
not hand a rope more; use your authority: if you
cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make
yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of
the hour, if it so hap. Cheerly, good hearts! Out
of our way, I say.
Exit
I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks heBoatswain
hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is
perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his
hanging: make the rope of his destiny our cable,
for our own doth little advantage. If he be not
born to be hanged, our case is miserable.
Exeunt
Re-enter Boatswain
Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring
her to try with main-course.
A cry within
A plague upon this howling! they are louder than
the weather or our office.
Re-enter SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, and GONZALO