Anti-THAISA, daughter to Simonidos. MARINA, daughter to Pericles and Thaisa.

Before the Palace of Antioch.

To sing a song of old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear, and please your eyes.
It hath been sung, at festivals,
On ember-eves, and holy-ales;
And lords and ladies, in their lives,
Have read it for restoratives.

The purchase is to make men glorious;
Et bonum, quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,
When wit 's more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper-light.

This Antioch then, Antiochus the Great
Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat;
The fairest in all Syria;

(I tell you what mine authors say :)
The king unto him took a pheere,
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blythe, and full of face,
As Heaven had lent her all his grace:
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke ;

Bad child, worse father! to entice his own
To evil, should be done by none.
By custom, what they did begin
Was with long use account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bedfellow,

In marriage-pleasures playfellow :
Which to prevent, he made a law,
(To keep her still, and men in awe,)
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:
So for her many a wight did die,
As yon grim looks do testify.

What ensues, to the judgment of your eye
I give, my cause who best can justify.

[Exit.

SCENE I.-The Palace of Antioch,
Enter Antiochus, Pericles, and Attendants.

Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large re-
The danger of the task you undertake. [ceiv'd
Per. I have, Antiochus, and with a soul
Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
Think death no hazard, in this enterprise. [Music.
Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride,
For the embracements, even of Jove himself;
At whose conception (till Lucina reign'd)
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence;
The senate-house of planets all did sit,

To knit in her their best perfections.

Enter the Daughter of Antiochus.

Per. See where she comes, apparel'd like the spring,

LYCHORIDA, nurse to Marina.
DIANA.

Lords, Knights, Sailors, Pirates,
Fishermen, and Messengers.
SCENE.-Dispersedly in various

countries.

Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
Of every virtue gives renown to men!

Her face the book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever 'ras'd, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

Ye gods that made me man, and sway in love,
That ha e inflam'd desire in my breast
To taste ne fruit of yon celestial tree,
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles-

Per. That would be son to great Antiochus.
Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like heav'n, enticeth thee to view
Her countless glory, which desert must gain:
And which, without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.
Yon sometime famous princes, like thyself,
Drawn by report, adventurous by desire, [pale,
Tell thee with speechless tongues, and semblance
That, without covering save yon field of stars,
Here they stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;
And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist
For going on Death's net, whom none resist.
Per Antiochus, I thank thee, who hast taught,
My frail mortality to know itself,

And by those fearful objects to prepare
This body, like to them, to what I must:

For death remember'd should be like a mirror,
Who tells us, life 's but breath, to trust it error.
I'll make my will then; and, as sick men do
Who know the world, see heav'n, but feeling woe,
Gripe not at earthly joys, as erst they did;
So I bequeath a happy peace to you
And all good men, as every prince should do;
My riches to the earth from whence they came;
But my unspotted fire of love to you.

[To the Daughter of Antiochus, Thus ready for the way of life or death, I wait the sharpest blow.

Ant. Scorning advice; read the conclusion then; Which read and not expounded, 't is decreed, As these before, so thou thyself shalt bleed. Daugh. Of all 'say'd yet, may'st thou prove pros Of all 'say'd yet, I wish thee happiness! (perous! Per. Like a bold champion I assume the lists, Nor ask advice of any other thought, But faithfulness, and courage.

THE RIDDLE.

'I am no viper, yet I feed

On mother's flesh which did me breed:
I sought a husband, in which labour,

I found that kindness in a father.
He's father, son, and husband mild,
I mother, wife, and yet his child.
How they may be, and yet in two,
As you will live, resolve it you.'
Sharp physic is the last: but O, ye powers!

That give heav'n countless eyes to view men's acts,
Why cloud they not their sights perpetually,
If this be true, which makes me pale to read it?
Fair glass of light, I lov'd you, and could still,

[Takes hold of the hand of the Princess.
Were not this glorious casket stor'd with ill:
But I must tell you,-now, my thoughts revolt;
For he 's no man on whom perfections wait,
That, knowing sin within, will touch the gate.
You 're a fair viol, and your sense the strings;
Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
Would draw heav'n down, and all the gods to
But being play'd upon before your time, [hearken;
Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime:
Good sooth, I care not for you.

Ant. Prince Pericles, touch not, upon thy life,
For that 's an article within our law,

As dangerous as the rest. Your time 's expir'd;
Either expound now, or receive your sentence.
Per. Great king,

Few love to hear the sins they love to act;

'T would 'braid yourself too near for me to tell it. Who hath a book of all that monarchs do,

He's more secure to keep it shut, than shown:
For vice repeated is like the wand'ring wind,
Blows dust in others' eyes, to spread itself:
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear
To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole
casts
[throng'd
Copp'd hills toward heaven, to tell, the earth is
By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die
for 't.

Kings are earth's gods: in vice their law's their will;
And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill?
It is enough you know; and it is fit,
fit.-
What being more known grows worse, to smother
All love the womb that their first being bred,
Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.
Ant. Heaven that I had thy head! he has found
the meaning!

But I will gloze with him. [Aside.] Young prince of
Though by the tenor of our strict edict, [Tyre,
Your exposition misinterpreting,
We might proceed to cancel of your days;
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise:
Forty days longer we do respite you,
If by which time our secret be undone,
This mercy shows we 'll joy in such a son:
And, until then, your entertain shall be,
As doth befit our honour, and your worth.

[Exeunt Ant., his Daughter, and Attendants.
Per. How courtesy would seem to cover sin
When what is done is like an hypocrite,
The which is good in nothing but in sight.
If it be true that I interpret false,
Then were it certain, you were not so bad
As with foul incest to abuse your soul;
Where now you 're both a father and a son,
By your untimely claspings with your child
(Which pleasure fits a husband, not a father);
And she an eater of her mother's flesh,
By the defiling of her parent's bed;

And both like serpents are, who though they feed
On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed.
Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men
Blush not in actions blacker than the night,
Will shun no course to keep them from the light.
One sin, I know, another doth provoke;
Murder 's as near to lust, as flame to smoke.
Poison and treason are the hands of sin,
Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame:
Then, lest my life be cropp'd to keep you clear,
By flight I'll shun the danger which I fear. [Exit.
Re-enter Antiochus.

Ant. He hath found the meaning, for the which
To have his head;
[we mean
He must not live to trumpet forth my infamy,
Nor tell the world, Antiochus doth sin
In such a loathed manner:

And therefore instantly this prince must die;
For by his fall my honour must keep high.
Who attends us there?

Wilt live, fly after; and like an arrow, shot
From a well-experienc'd archer, hits the mark
His eye doth level at, so do thou ne'er return,
Unless thou say'st, prince Pericles is dead.
Thal. My lord, if I can get him within my pistol's
length, I'll make him sure enough: so farewell to
your highness.
[Exit.

Ant. Thaliard, adieu! till Pericles be dead,
My heart can lend no succour to my head. [Exit.
SCENE II.-Tyre.

Enter Pericles, Helicanus, and other Lords. Per. Let none disturb us: why should this charge of thoughts,

The sad companion, dull-ey'd Melancholy,
By me so us'd a guest, as not an hour,
In the day's glorious walk or peaceful night,
(The tomb where grief should sleep), can breed me
quiet?

Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun
And danger which I feared, is at Antioch, [them,
Whose arin seems far too short to hit me here;
Yet neither pleasure's art can joy my spirits,
Nor yet the other's distance comfort me:
Then it is thus; the passions of the mind,
That have their first conception by mis-dread,
Have after-nourishment and life by care;
And what was first but fear what might be done,
Grows elder now, and cares it be not done.
And so with me;-the great Antiochus
(Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
Since he 's so great, can make his will his act)
Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence;
Nor boots it me to say I honour him,
If he suspect I may dishonour him:
And what may make him blush in being known,
He'll stop the course by which it might be known;
With hostile forces he 'll o'erspread the land,
And with the stint of war will look so huge,
Amazement shall drive courage from the state;
Our men be vanquish'd, ere they do resist,
And subjects punish'd, that ne'er thought offence:
Which care of them, not pity of myself,

(Who am no more but as the tops of trees, [them,)
Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend
Makes both my body pine, and soul to languish,
And punish that before that he would punish.

1 Lord. Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast! 2 Lord. And keep your mind, till you return to us, Peaceful and comfortable!

Ting;

Hel. Peace, peace, and give experience tongue :
They do abuse the king that flatter him,
For flattery is the bellows blows up sin;
The thing the which is flatter'd, but a spark,
To which that blast gives heat and stronger glow-
Whereas reproof, obedient, and in order,
Fits kings as they are men, for they may err.
When signior Sooth here doth proclaim a peace,
He flatters you, makes war upon your life:
Prince, pardon me, or strike ine if you please,
I cannot be much lower than my knees.
Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook
What shipping, and what lading 's in our haven
And then return to us. Helicanus, thou
Hast moved us: what seest thou in our looks?
Hel. An angry brow, dread lord.

Per. If there be such a dart in princes' frowns
How durst thy tongue move anger to our face?

[shore,

Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power,
To beat us down, the which are down already;
And make a conquest of unhappy me,
Whereas no glory 's got to overcome.

Lord. That's the least fear; for, by the semblance
Of their white flags display'd, they bring us peace,
And come to us as favourers, not as foes.
Cle. Thou speak'st like him 's untutor'd to repeat,
Who makes the fairest show, means most deceit.
But bring they what they will, and what they can,
What need we fear?

The ground's the lowest, and we are half way there: Go tell their general, we attend him here,

To know for what he comes, and whence he comes, And what he craves.

Lord. I go, my lord.

Cle. Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist; If wars, we are unable to resist.

Enter Pericles with Attendants.

Per. Lord governor, for so we hear you are, Let not our ships, and number of our men, Be, like a beacon fir'd, to amaze your eyes. We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre, And seen the desolation of your streets; 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, whom hunger starv'd half dead. Omnes. The gods of Greece protect you! And we will pray for you. Per.

Arise, I pray you, rise; We do not look for reverence, but for love, And harbourage for ourself, our ships, and men. Cle. The which when any shall not gratify, Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought, Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves, The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils! Till when (the which, I hope, shall ne'er be seen), Your grace is welcome to our town and us. [while, Per. Which welcome we 'll accept; feast here a Until our stars, that frown, lend us a smile. [Exe.

ACT II. Enter Gower.

Gow. Here have you seen a mighty king
His child, I wis, to incest bring:
A better prince and benign lord,

That will prove awful both in deed and word.
Be quiet then, as men should be,
Till he hath past 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,
Build his statue to make him glorious:
But tidings to the contrary

Are brought to your eyes; what need speak I?
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; Pericles gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him.

[Exit Pericles at one door, and Cleon at another. Good Helicane hath stay'd at home,

Not to eat honey, like a drone,

From others' labours; for though he strive
To killen bad, keeps good alive;
And, to fulfil his prince' desire,

How Thaliard came full bent with sin,
Sends word of all that haps in Tyre:
And had intent to murder him;
And that in Tharsus 't was not best
Longer for him to make his rest:
He, knowing so, put forth to seas,
Where when men bin, there 's seldom ease;
Thunder above, and deeps below,
For now the wind begins to blow;
Make such unquiet, that the ship
Should house him safe, is wrack'd and split;
By waves from coast to coast is toss'd:
And he, good prince, having all lost,
All perishen of man, of pelf,

Till fortune, tir'd with doing bad,
Ne aught escapen but himself;
Threw him ashore to give him glad:
And here he comes; what shall be next,

Pardon old Gower; this 'longs the text."

SCENE I.-Pentapolis.
Enter Pericles, wet.

[Exit.

Per. Yet cease your ire, ye angry stars of heaven! Wind, rain, and thunder, remember, earthly man Is but a substance, that must yield to you; And I, as fits my nature, do obey you. Alas, the sea hath cast me on the rocks, Wash'd me from shore to shore, and left me breath, Nothing to think on, but ensuing death: Let it suffice the greatness of your powers, To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes; And having thrown him from your wat'ry grave, Here to have death in peace, is all he 'll crave. Enter three Fishermen.

1 Fish, What, ho, Pilche!

2 Fish. Ha, come, and bring away the nets. 1 Fish. What, Patch-breech, I say!

3 Fish. What say you, master?

I 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 o' the land, who never leave gaping, till they 've swallow'd the whole parish, church, steeple, beils and all. Per. A pretty moral.

3 Fish. But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry. 2 Fish. Why, man?

3 Fish. Because he should have swallow'd me too: and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells, that he should never have left, till he cast bells, steeple, church, and parish, up again. But if the good king Simonides Iwere of my mind-

Per. Simonides?

3 Fish. We would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey.

Per. How from the finny subject of the sea
These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
And from their watery empire recollect
All that may men approve, or men detect!
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.

2 Fish. Honest, good fellow, what's that? If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it. [coast. Per. You may see, the sea hath cast me on your 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,
In that vast tennis-court, hath made the ball
For them to play upon, entreats you pity him ;
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; A man throng'd up with cold; my veins are chill, And have no more of life than may suffice To give my tongue that heat to ask your help: Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead, For that I am a man, pray see me buried.

1 Fish. Die, quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on, keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! 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 Per. I did but crave. [not beg, 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? 2 Fish. Ó, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office than to be a beadle. But, master, I'll go draw up [Exeunt two of the Fishermen. Per. How well this honest mirth becomes their

the net.

labour !

1 Fish. Hark you, sir, do you know where you are? Per. Not well.

1 Fish. Why, I'll tell you; this is called Pentapolis, and our king, the good Simonides.

Per. The good king Simonides, do you call him? 1 Fish. Ay, sir, and he deserves so to be called, for his peaceable reign, and good government. Per. He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects 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 birthday; and there are princes and knights| come from all parts of the world to just and tourney for her love.

Per. Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there.

1 Fish. O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for his wife's soul.

Re-enter the two Fishermen, drawing up a net. 2 Fish. Help, master, help; here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law; 't will hardly come out. Ha! bots on 't, 't is come at last, and 't is turn'd to a rusty armour!

Per. An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.
Thanks, Fortune, yet, that after all my crosses,
Thou giv'st me somewhat to repair myself;
And, though it was mine own, part of mine heritage
Which my dead father did bequeath to me,
With this strict charge (even as he left his life),
Keep it, my Pericles, it hath been a shield
Twixt me and death (and pointed to this brace);

It kept where I kept, I so dearly lov'd it;
Till the rough seas, that spare not any man, [again:
Took it in rage, though calm'd they've given it
I thank thee for it; my shipwrack now 's no ill.
Since I have here my father's gift in his will.
1 Fish. What mean you, sir?

I

Per. To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth, For it was some time target to a king; know it by this mark; he lov'd me dearly. And for his sake, I wish the having of it: And that you'd guide me to your sovereign's court, Where with it I may appear a gentleman; And if that ever my low fortune 's better, I'll pay your bounties; till then, rest your debtor. 1 Fish. Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady? Per. I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms. 1 Fish. Why, d' ye take it, and the gods give thee good on 't.

2 Fish. Ay, but hark you, my friend; 't was we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the water: there are certain condolements, certain vails, I hope, sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had it.

Per. Believe it, I will;

By your furtherance I am cloth'd in steel;
And spite of all the rupture of the sea,
This jewel holds his biding on my arm;
Unto thy value I will mount myself
Upon a courser, whose delightful steps
Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.-
Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided
Of a pair of bases.

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.-A public Way or Platform, leading to
the Lists. A Pavilion by the side of it, for the re-
ception of the King and Princess.
Enter Simonides, Thaisa, Lords, and Attendants
Sim. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph?
I Lord. They are, my liege;
And stay your coming, to present themselves.
Sim. Keturn them, we are ready; and our daugh
In honour of whose birth these triumphs are, [ter,
Sits here, like beauty's child, whom Nature gat
For men to see, and seeing wonder at. [Ex. a Lord.
Thai. It pleaseth you, my royal father, to express
My commendations great, whose merit 's less.
Sim. 'T is fit it should be so; for princes are
A model which heaven makes like to itself:
As jewels lose their glory, if neglected,
So princes their renown, if not respected.
T is now your honour, daughter, to explain
The labour of each knight, in his device.
Thai. Which, to preserve mine honour, I 'Ù per-
[Enter a Knight; he passes over the stage, and

[form.

his Squire presents his shield to the Princess. Sim. Who is the first that doth prefer himself? Thai. A knight of Sparta, my renowned father: And the device he bears upon his shield Is a black Æthiop reaching at the sun; The word, Lux tua vita mihi. Sim. He loves you well, that holds his life of you. [The second Knight passes. Who is the second that presents himself? Thai. A prince of Macedon, my royal father; And the device he bears upon his shield Is an arm'd knight, that 's conquer'd by a lady: The motto thus, in Spanish, Piu per dulcura que per fuerça. [The third Knight passes. Sim. And what 's the third?

Thai. The third of Antioch; and his device, A wreath of chivalry: the word, Me pompæ provexit apex. [The fourth Knight passes.

Sim. What is the fourth?
Thai, A burning torch that 's turned upside down;
The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit.
[will,
Sim. Which shows that beauty hath his power and