And strangers ne'er beheld, but wonder'd at; Cle. But see what heaven can do! By this These mouths, whom but of late, earth, sea, and air, Were all too little to content and please, Although they gave their creatures in abundance, As houses are defil'd for want of use, Must have inventions to delight the taste, wife Draw lots, who first shall die to lengthen life: Here stands a lord, and there a lady weeping; Here many sink, yet those which see them fall, Have scarce strength left to give them burial. Is not this true? Dio. Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it. Cle. O, let those cities, that of Plenty's cup And her prosperities so largely taste, With their superfluous riots, hear these tears! The misery of Tharsus may be theirs. Enter a LORD. Lord. Where's the lord governor? Cle. Here. [haste, Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st, in For comfort is too far for us to expect. Lord. We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore A portly sail of ships make hitherward. One sorrow never comes, but brings an heir, Lord. That's the least fear: for, by the semblance [peace, Of their white flags display'd, they bring us And come to us as favourers, not as foes. Cle. Thou speak'st like him's untutor'd to repeat, [deceit. Who makes the fairest show, means most But bring they what they will, what need we fear? [there. The ground's the low'st, and we are half way Go tell their general, we attend him here, To know for what he comes, and whence he And what he craves. Cle. Welcome is peace, if he on peace conIf wars, we are unable to resist. Lord. I go, my lord. [comes, [Exit. [sist ;|| Enter PERICLES, with Attendants. Let not our ships and number of our men, Per. Lord governor, for so we hear you are, Be, like a beacon fir'd, to amaze your eyes. And seen the desolation of your streets: We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre, Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears, But to relieve them of their heavy load; And these our ships you happily* may think Are, like the Trojan horse, war-stuff'd within, With bloody views, expecting overthrow, Are stor'd with corn, to make your needy bread, And give them life, who are hunger-starv'd, half dead. All. The gods of Greece protect you! And we'll pray for you. Per. Rise, I pray you, rise; And harbourage for ourself, our ships, and We do not look for reverence, but for love, men. Cle. The which when any shall not gratify, Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves, Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought, The curse of heaven and men succeed their Till when, (the which, I hope, shall ne'er be evils! [seen,) Your grace is welcome to our town and us. Per. Which welcome we'll accept; feast Until our stars that frown, lend us a smile. here a while, [Exeunt. ACT II. Enter Gower. Gow. Here have you seen a mighty king His child, I wis,t to incest bring; A better prince, and benign lord, Prove awful both in deed and word. Be quiet then, as men should be, Till he hath pass'd necessity. I'll show you those in trouble's reign, Losing a mite, a mountain gain. The good in conversation (To whom I give my benizon,)§ Is still at Tharsus, where each man Thinks all is writ he spoken can: And, to remember what he does, Gild his statue glorious: But tidings to the contrary [I? Are brought your eyes; what need speak Dumb show. Enter at one door PERICLES, talking with CLEON; all the train with them. Enter at another door, a GENTLEMAN with a Letter to PERICLES; PERICLES shows the Letter to CLEON; then gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him. Exeunt PERICLES, CLEON, &c. severally. Gow. Good Helicane hath staid at home, * Perhaps. † 1. e. Conduct, behaviour. + Know. Blessing. For now the wind begins to blow; Thunder above, and deeps below, Make such unquiet, that the ship [split; Should house him safe, is wreck'd and And he, good prince, having all lost, By waves from coast to coast is tost: All perishen of man, of pelf, Ne aught escapen but himself; Till fortune, tir'd with doing bad, Threw him ashore, to give him glad : And here he comes: what shall be next, Pardon old Gower; this 'longs the text. [Exit. SCENE I.-Pentapolis.-An open Place by the Sea Side. Here to have death in peace, is all he'll crave. Enter three FISHERMEN. 1 Fish. What, ho, Pilche! These fishers tell the infirmities of men; 2 Fish. Honest! good fellow, what's that? if it be a day fits you, scratch it out of the calendar, and no body will look after it. Per. Nay, see, the sea hath cast upon your coast 2 Fish. What a drunken knave was the sea; to cast thee in our way! Per. A man whom both the waters and the wind, For them to play upon, entreats you pity him In that vast tennis-court, hath made the ball He asks of you, that never us'd to beg. 1 Fish. No, friend, cannot you beg? here's them in our country of Greece, gets more with begging, than we can do with working. 2 Fish. Canst thou catch any fishes then? Per. I never practis'd it. 2 Fish. Nay, then thou wilt starve sure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst fish for't. Per. What I have been, I have forgot to know; But what I am, want teaches me to think on; 1 Fish. Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! have a gown here; come, put it on; keep the 2 Fish. Ho! come, and bring away the nets. warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow. 1 Fish. What Patch-breech, I say! 3 Fish. What say you, master? 1 Fish. Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wannion. 3 Fish. 'Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us, even now. 1 Fish. Alas, poor souls, it griev'd my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us, to help them, when, well-a-day, we could scarce help ourselves. 3 Fish. Nay, master, said not I as much, when I saw the porpus, how he bounced and tumbled? they say, they are half fish, half flesh: a plague on them, they ne'er come, but I look to be wash'd. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. 1 Fish. Why as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; 'a plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. Such whales have I heard on a'the land, who never leave gaping, till they've swallow'd the whole parish, church, steeple, bells, and all. Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome. Per. I thank you, Sir. 2 Fish. Hark you, my friend, you said you could not beg. Per. I did but crave. 2 Fish. But crave? Then I'll turn craver too, and so I shall 'scape whipping. Per. Why, are all your beggars whipp'd then? He gains the name of good, by his government. How far is his court distant from this shore? 1 Fish. Marry, Sir, half a day's journey ; and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her birth-day; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world, to just and tourneyt for her love. Per. Did but my fortunes equal my desires, I'd wish to make one there. brace :)* For that it sav'd me, keep it; in like necessity, I thank thee for't; my shipwreck's now no ill, Per. To beg of you, kind friends, this coat For it was sometime target to a king; Where with't I may appear a gentleman; 1 Fish. Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady? Per. I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms. 1 Fish. Why, do ye take it, and the gods give thee good on't! 2 Fish. Ay, but hark you, my friend; 'twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters: there are certain condolements, certain veils. I hope, Sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had it. Per. Believe't, I will. Now, by your furtherance, I am cloth'd in steel; 2 Fish. We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I'll bring thee to the court myself. Per. Then honour be but a goal to my will; This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. A public Way, or Platform, leading to the Lists. A Pavilion by the Side of it, for the reception of the KING, PRINCESS, LORDS, &c. Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, LORDS, and Atten- Sim. Are the knights ready to begin the + Keeping. press My commendations great, whose merit's less. Enter a Knight; he passes over the Stage, and Sim. Who is the first that doth prefer himself? Thai. A knight of Sparta, my renowned And the device he bears upon his shield Sim. He loves you well, that holds his life Sim. And what's the third? [The fourth Knight passes. Sim. What is the fourth? The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit. Which can as well inflame, as it can kill. With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd? Sim. A pretty moral; From the dejected state wherein he is. Can any way speak in his just commend: the lance. Sim. Knights, [fit, To say you are welcome, were superfluous. Thai. But you, my knight and guest; merit. Sim. Your presence glads our days; honour we love, For who hates honour, hates the gods above. Marsh. Sir, yond's your place. Per. Some other is more fit. 1 Knight. Contend not, Sir; for we are gentlemen, That neither in our hearts, nor outward eyes, Per. By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates resist me," she not thought upon. Thai. By Juno, that is queen Of marriage, all the viands that I eat Do seem unsavoury, wishing him my meat; Sure he's a gallant gentleman. Sim. He's but A country gentleman; He has done no more than other knights have Which tells me, in that glory once he was; crave. say, We drink this standing-bowl of wine to him. Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else. Of whence he is, his name and parentage. Thai. The king my father, Sir, has drunk to you. Per. I thank him. Thai. Wishing it so much blood unto your life. Per. I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely. Thai. And further he desires to know of you, Of whence you are, your name and parentage. Per. A gentleman of Tyre-(my name, Pericles; My education being in arts and arms;)— A gentleman of Tyre, who only by tune, Come, gentlemen, we sit too long on trifles, vels. Even in your armours, as you are address'd,▾ Sim. O, that's as much, as you would be deny'd [The KNIGHTS and LADIES dance. Of your fair courtesy.-Unclasp, unclasp; Thanks, gentlemen, to all; all have done well; But you the best. (To PERICLES.] Pages and lights, conduct These knights unto their several lodgings: We have given order to be next our own. Sim. Princes, it is too late to talk of love, [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Tyre.-A Room in the Governor's House. Enter HELICANES and ESCANES. Hel. No, no, my Escanes; know this of Antiochus from incest liv'd not free; [me,For which, the most high gods not minding longer To withhold the vengeance that they had in [store, Due to this heinous capital offence, Even in the height and pride of all his glory, [him, All. Live, noble Helicane! If that you love prince Pericles, forbear. To forbear choice i'the absence of your king; Whom if you find, and win unto return, 1 Lord. To wisdom he's a tool that will not And, since lord Helicane enjoineth us, [yield; We with our travels will endeavour it. Hel. Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands; When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-Pentapolis.-A Room in the Palace. meet him. When he was seated, and his daughter with Enter SIMONIDES, reading a Letter, the KNIGHTS That all those eyes ador'd them, ere their fall, Scorn now their hand should give them burial. Esca. 'Twas very strange. Hel. And yet but just; for though [guard This king were great, his greatness was no To bar heaven's shaft, but sin had his reward. Esca. 'Tis very true. Enter three LORDS. 1 Lord. See, not a man in private conference, Or council, has respect with him but he. 2 Lord. It shall no longer grieve without reproof. 3 Lord. And curs'd be he that will not second it. 1 Lord. Follow me, then: Lord Helicane, a word. Hel. With me? and welcome: Happy day, my lords. 1 Lord. Know that our griefs are risen to the top, And now at length they overflow their banks. Hel. Your griefs, for what? wrong not the prince you love. 1 Lord. Wrong not yourself then, noble Heli cane; But if the prince do live, let us salute him, breath. If in the world he live, we'll seek him out; 2 Lord. Whose death's, indeed, the strongest in our censure: And knowing this kingdom, if without a head, (Like goodly buildings left without a roof,) Will soon to ruin fall, your noble self, That best know'st how to rule, and how to reign, We thus submit unto,-our sovereign. Which adored them. + Satisfied. * Judgement, opinion. 1 Knight. Good morrow to the good Simonides. Sim. Knights, from my daughter this I let That for this twelvemonth, she'll not undertake Which from herself by no means can I get. Sim. 'Faith, by no means; she hath so strict- To her chamber, that it is impossible. livery; This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd, Sim. So mine; I like that well:-nay, how absolute she's in't, |