Enter GoWER.

Gow. Marina thus the brothel scapes, and chances

Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances
As goddess-like to her admired lays:

Deep clerks she dumbs: and with her neeld

composes

Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or

berry;

That even her at sisters the natural roses;
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry:
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their beauty on her; and her gain
She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place;
And to her father turn our thoughts again,
Where we left him, on the sea. We there him
lost;

Whence, driven before the winds, he is arriv'd
Her where his daughter dwells; and on this

coast

Suppose him now at anchor. The city striv'd God Neptune's annual feast to keep: from whence

Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,

His banners sable, trimm'd with rich expence ;
And to him in his barge with fervour hies.
In your supposing once more put your sight;
Of heavy Pericles think this the bark:
Where, what is done in action, more, if might,
Shall be discovered; please you, sit, and hark.

[Exit.

SCENE I.-On board Pericles' Ship, off Mitylene.
A close Pavilion on deck, with a Curtain before it ;
Pericles within it, reclined on a Couch. A Barge
lying beside the Tyrian Vessel.

Enter Two Sailors, one belonging to the Tyrian vessel,
the other to the barge; to them HELICANUS.
Tyr. Sail. Where's the lord Helicanus? he can
resolve you. [To the Sailor of Mitylene.
O here he is.
Sir, there's a barge put off from Mitylene,
And in it is Lysimachus the governor,
Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?
Hel. That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.
Tyr. Sail. Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.

Enter Two Gentlemen.

1. Gent. Doth your lordship call? Hel. Gentlemen,

There is some of worth would come aboard; I pray

you,

To greet them fairly.

[The Gentlemen and the Two Sailors descend and go on board the barge.

Enter, from thence, LYSIMACHUS and Lords; the Tyrian Gentlemen, and the Two Sailors.

Tyr. Sail. Sir,

This is the man that can, in aught you would,
Resolve you.

Lys. Hail, reverend sir! The gods preserve you:

Hel. And you, sir, to cut-live the age I am, And die as I would do.

You wish me well.

Lys. Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's triumphs Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us, I made to it, to know of whence you are. Hel. First, sir, what is your place?

Lys. I am governor of this place you lie before. Hel. Sir,

Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;

A man, who for this three months hath not spoken To any one, nor taken sustenance,

But to prorogue his grief.

Lys. Upon what ground is his distemperature? Hel. Sir, it would be too tedious to repeat; But the main grief of all springs from the loss Of a beloved daughter and a wife Lys. May we not see him, then? Hel.

You may indeed, sir. But bootless is your sight; he will not speak To any.

Lys. Yet, let me obtain my wish.

Hel. Behold him, sir: [PERICLES discovered.] this was a goodly person,

Till the disaster, that, one mortal night,
Drove him to this.

Lys. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you!

The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one!

Is't not a goodly presence?

My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,
But have been gaz'd on, comet-like she speaks,
My lord, that, may be, hath endur’d a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors
Who stood equivalent with mighty kings:
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and aukward casualties
Bound me in servitude. — I will desist;
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear, Go not till he speak.

Aside. - parentage— good parent

To equal mine! was it not thus? what say you? Mar. I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage,

You would not do me violence.

Per.

I do think so. I pray you, turn your eyes again upon me. — You are like something that-What country woman? Here of these shores?

Mar.

No, nor of any shores :
Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
No other than I appear.

Per. I am great with wou, and shall deliver weeping.

My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one My daughter might have been my queen's square

brows;

Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st
Modest as justice, and thou seem'st a palace
For the crown'd truth to dwell in: I'll believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation,

To points that seem impossible; for thou look'st
Like one I lov'd indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back,
(Which was when I perceiv'd thee,) that thou cam'st
From good descending?
So indeed I did.

Mar.

Per. Report thy parentage. I think thou said'st Thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury, And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine,

If both were open'd.

Mar.

Some such thing indeed I said, and said no more but what my thoughts Did warrant me was likely.

Per.

Tell thy story ; If thine consider'd prove the thousandth_part Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I Have suffer'd like a girl: yet thou dost look Like Patience, gazing on kings' graves, and smiling Extremity out of act. What were thy friends?

How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind

Per. At sea? thy mother? Mar. My mother was the daughter of a king; Who died the very minute I was born, As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft Deliver'd weeping.

Per.

O, stop there a little !

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be.
My daughter's buried. [Aside.] Well: —where
were you bred?

I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,
And never interrupt you.

Mar. You'll scarce believe me ; 'twere best I did give o'er.

Per. I will believe you by the syllable Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave: — How came you in these parts? where were you bred? Mar. The king, my father, did in Tharsus leave me; Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife, Did seek to murder me: and having woo'd

I know not; but

Here is the regent, sir, of Mitylene,
Speaks nobly of her.

Lys.
She would never tell
Her parentage; being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.

Per. O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd ir;
Give me a gash, put me to present pain;
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,
O'erbear the shores of my mortality,

And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,

Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tharsus,
And found at sea again! 1 O Helicanus,
Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods, as loud
As thunder threatens us: This is Marina. -
What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,
For truth can never be confirm'd enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.

Mar.

What is your title?

First, sir, I pray

Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now (As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect,) My drown'd queen's name, thou art the heir of kingdoms,

And another life to Pericles thy father.

Mar. Is it no more to be your daughter, than
To say, my mother's name was Thaisa?
Thaisa was my mother, who did end,
The minute I began.

Per. Now, blessing on thee, rise; thou art my

It nips me unto list'ning, and thick slumber
Hangs on mine eye-lids; let me rest. [He sleeps.
Lys. A pillow for his head;

[The curtain before the pavilion of PERICLES is

closed.

So leave him all. Well, my companion-friends, If this but answer to my just belief,

I'll well remember you.

[Exeunt LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and attendant Lady.

SCENE II.. The same.

PERICLES on the deck asleep; DIANA appearing to him as in a vision.

Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither,

And do upon mine altar sacrifice.

There, when my maiden priests are met together, Before the people all,

Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife:

To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's, call,
And give them repetition to the life.

Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe:
Do't, and be happy, by my silver bow.

Awake, and tell thy dream. [DIANA disappears.
Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,

I will obey thee! Helicanus !

Enter LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, and MARINA. Hel.

Sir.

Per. Come, my Marina.

Sir, lend your arm. [Exeunt.

Enter GowER, before the temple of Diana at

Ephesus.

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then done.

This, as my last boon, give me,

(For such kindness must relieve me,)

That you aptly will suppose

What pageantry, what feats, what shows,

What minstrelsy, and pretty din,

The regent made in Mitylin,

To greet the king. So he has thriv'd,
That he is promis'd to be wiv'd
To fair Marina; but in no wise,
Till he had done his sacrifice,
As Dian bade: whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confound,
In feather'd briefness sails are fill'd
And wishes fall out as they're will'd.
At Ephesus, the temple see,
Our king, and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon,
Is by your fancy's thankful boon.

SCENE III. - The Temple of Diana at Ephesus; THAISA standing near the Altar, as high Priestess; a number of Virgins on each side; CERIMON and other Inhabitants of Ephesus attending. Enter PERICLES, with his Train; LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and a Lady.

Per. Hail, Dian! to perform thy just command,
I here confess myself the king of Tyre;
Who, frighted from my country, did wed
The fair Thaisa, at Pentapolis.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tharsus
Was nurs'd with Cleon; whom at fourteen years
He sought to murder: but her better stars
Brought her to Mitylene; against whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,
Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.

Voice and favour!

You are, you are O royal Pericles! - [She faints. Per. What means the woman? she dies! help, gentlemen!

Cer. Noble sir,

I will, my lord. Beseech you, first go with me to my house,

Where shall be shown you all was found with her;
How she came placed here within the temple;
No needful thing omitted.

Per.

Pure Diana!

I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer
My night oblations to thee. Thaisa,

This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter,
Shall marry her at Pentapolis.
And now,

This ornament that makes me look so dismal,

| Will I, my lov'd Marina, clip to form ; And what this fourteen years no razor touch'd, To grace thy marriage-day, I'll beautify. Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, Sir, that my father's dead. [my queen,

Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Will in that kingdom spend our following days; Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign. Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, To hear the rest untold. Sir, lead the way.

Enter GowER.

[Exeunt.

Gow. In Antioch, and his daughter, you have
heard

Of monstrous lust the due and just reward:
In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen
(Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,)
Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast,
Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last.
In Helicanus may you well descry
A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:
In reverend Cerimon there well appears
The worth that learned charity aye wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursed deed, and honour'd name
Of Pericles, to rage the city turn;

That him and his they in his palace burn.
The gods for murder seemed so content

To punish them; although not done, but meant.
So on your patience evermore attending,
New joy wait on you! Here our play has
[Exit GoWER.

ending.

Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and Edmund. Kent. I thought, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall.

Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?

Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had, indeed, sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.

Glo. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. know this noble gentleman, Edmund ?

837

Do you

Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.

Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again :- - The king is coming.

[Trumpets sound within.