A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard
Enter a Shipmaster and a Boatswain
MASTER
Boatswain!
BOATSWAIN
Here, Master. What cheer?
MASTER
Good. Speak to th' mariners. Fall to't, yarely, or
we run ourselves aground. Bestir, bestir!
Exit
Enter Mariners
BOATSWAIN
Heigh, my hearts! Cheerly, cheerly, my
hearts! Yare, yare! Take in the topsail! Tend to
th' 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?
Play the men.
BOATSWAIN
I pray now, keep below.
ANTONIO
Where is the Master, Boatswain?
BOATSWAIN
Do you not hear him? You mar our labour.
Keep your cabins! You do assist the storm.
GONZALO
Nay, good, be patient.
BOATSWAIN
When the sea is. Hence! What cares these
roarers for the name of king? To cabin! Silence!
Trouble us not.
GONZALO
Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.
BOATSWAIN
None that I more love than myself. You are
a councillor. If you can command these elements to
element (n.) 1 (plural) substances from which all material things are made [believed to be earth, water, air, fire]
silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not
hand a rope more. Use your authority. If you cannot,
hand (v.) lay hands on, handle, have to do with
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
hap (v.) happen, take place, come to pass
say!
Exit
GONZALO
I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks
he 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
rope (n.) [cry of derision, imitating a parrot's cry] hangman's rope, halter
our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be
hanged, our case is miserable.
Exeunt Gonzalo and the other nobles
Enter Boatswain
topmast (n.) section of mast fitted to the top of the lower mast
BOATSWAIN
Down with the topmast! Yare! Lower,
lower! Bring her to try with main-course.
try (v.) 8 [nautical] adjust sails so that the ship's bow is into the wind, lie to
A cry within
A plague upon this howling! They are louder than the
weather, or our office.
Enter Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo
Yet again? What do you here? Shall we give o'er and
drown? Have you a mind to sink?
SEBASTIAN
A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous,
incharitable dog!
BOATSWAIN
Work you, then.
ANTONIO
Hang, cur, hang, you whoreson, insolent noise-maker!
We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.
GONZALO
I'll warrant him for drowning, though the ship
were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an
unstanched wench.
BOATSWAIN
Lay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses!
Off to sea again! Lay her off!
Enter Mariners wet
MARINERS
All lost! To prayers, to prayers! All lost!
Exeunt
BOATSWAIN
What, must our mouths be cold?
GONZALO
The King and Prince at prayers, let's assist them,
For our case is as theirs.
SEBASTIAN
I'm out of patience.
ANTONIO
We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards.
This wide-chopped rascal – would thou mightst lie drowning
The washing of ten tides!
GONZALO
He'll be hanged yet,
Though every drop of water swear against it,
And gape at wid'st to glut him.
A confused noise within: ‘ Mercy on us!’ – ‘ We
split, we split!’ – ‘ Farewell, my wife and children!’
– ‘ Farewell, brother!’ – ‘ We split, we split, we
split!’
Exit Boatswain
ANTONIO
Let's all sink wi'th' King.
SEBASTIAN
Let's take leave of him.
Exit, with Antonio
GONZALO
Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea
for an acre of barren ground. Long heath, brown furze,
anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die
a dry death.
Exit