DUMB-SHOW.

Enter PERICLES and SIMONIDES at one door, with Atten-
dants; a Messenger meets them, kneels, and gives
PERICLES a letter: PERICLES shews it SIMONIDES;
the Lords kneel to him. Then enter THAISA with
child, with LYCHORIDA, a Nurse. The KING shews
her the letter; she rejoices: she and PERICLES take
leave of her Father, and depart with LYCHORIDA
and their Attendants. Then exeunt SIMONIDES and
the rest.

By many a dern and painful perch,
Of Pericles the careful search,

By the four opposing coigns

Which the World together joins,

Is made with all due diligence

That horse and sail and high expense

Can stead the quest. At last from Tyre—
Fame answering the most strange inquire—

To the Court of King Simonides

Are letters brought, the tenour these:
Antiochus and his daughter dead;

The men of Tyrus on the head
Of Helicanus would set on

The crown of Tyre, but he will none:

The mutiny he there hastes to oppress;

Says to 'em, if King Pericles

Come not home in twice six moons,

He, obedient to their dooms,

Will take the crown. The sum of this,

Brought hither to Pentapolis,

Yravished the regions round,

And every one with claps can sound,

Our heir-apparent is a King!

Who dream'd, who thought of such a thing?
Brief, he must hence depart to Tyre:
His Queen with child makes her desire
(Which who shall cross?) along to go;
Omit we all their dole and woe:

20

30

40

ACT III

Enter PERICLES, on Shipboard.

PER. Thou God of this great vast, rebuke these

surges,

Which wash both Heaven and Hell! and Thou, that

hast

Upon the winds command, bind them in brass,

Having call'd them from the deep! O, still
Thy deafening, dreadful thunders! gently quench
Thy nimble, sulphurous flashes! O, how, Lychorida,
How does my Queen? Thou stormest venomously;
Wilt thou spit all thyself? The seaman's whistle
Is as a whisper in the ears of Death,
Unheard. Lychorida !-Lucina, O
Divinest Patroness and Midwife gentle

To those that cry by night, convey thy deity
Aboard our dancing boat; make swift the pangs
Of my Queen's travails!

ΤΟ

Enter LYCHORIDA, with an Infant.

Now, Lychorida!

LYC. Here is a thing too young for such a place,
Who, if it had conceit, would die, as I
Am like to do: take in your arms this piece
Of your dead Queen.

PER.

How, how, Lychorida!

LYC. Patience, good Sir! do not assist the storm.

Here's all that is left living of your Queen

A little daughter: for the sake of it,

Be manly, and take comfort.

PER.

O you Gods!

Why do you make us love your goodly gifts,

And snatch them straight away? We here below
Recall not what we give, and therein may

20

30

That ever was Prince's child. Happy what follows!
Thou hast as chiding a nativity

As fire, air, water, earth, and Heaven can make,

To herald thee from the womb: even at the first

Thy loss is more than can thy portage quit,

With all thou canst find here. Now, the good
Gods

Throw their best eyes upon 't!

Enter two Sailors.

FIRST SAIL. What courage, Sir? God save you !
PER. Courage enough: I do not fear the flaw;

It hath done to me the worst. Yet, for the love
Of this poor infant, this fresh-new seafarer,

I would it would be quiet.

40

FIRST SAIL. Slack the bolins there! Thou wilt not, wilt thou? Blow, and split thyself!

ACT III

Sc. I

ACT III SEC. SAIL. But sea-room, an the brine and cloudy billow Sc. I kiss the Moon, I care not.

FIRST SAIL. Sir, your Queen must overboard: the Sea works high, the wind is loud, and will not lie till the ship be clear'd of the dead.

PER. That's your superstition.

50

FIRST SAIL. Pardon us, Sir: with us at sea it hath
been still observ'd; and we are strong in custom :
therefore briefly yield her, for she must overboard
straight.

PER. AS you think meet. Most wretched Queen!
LYC. Here she lies, Sir.

PER. A terrible childbed hast thou had, my Dear;
No light, no fire: the unfriendly elements
Forgot thee utterly; nor have I time

To give thee hallow'd to thy grave, but straight
Must cast thee, scarcely coffin'd, in the ooze;
Where, for a monument upon thy bones,
The air-remaining lamps, the belching whale
And humming water must o'erwhelm thy corpse,
Lying with simple shells. O Lychorida,
Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink and paper,

My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander
Bring me the satin coffer: lay the babe
Upon the pillow: hie thee, whiles I say

A priestly farewell to her: suddenly, Woman.

60

70

[Exit LYCHORIDA.

SEC. SAIL. Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches, caulk'd and bitum'd ready.

PER. I thank thee. Mariner, say what coast is this?

SEC. SAIL. We are near Tarsus.

PER. Thither, gentle Mariner,

Alter thy course for Tyre. When canst thou reach

it?

SEC. SAIL. By break of day, if the wind cease.

PER. O, make for Tarsus!

There will I visit Cleon, for the babe

Cannot hold out to Tyrus: there I'll leave it

At careful nursing. Go thy ways, good Mariner:
I'll bring the body presently.

80

[exeunt.

SCENE II. Ephesus. A Room in CERIMON's House.

Enter CERIMON, with a Servant, and some Persons who have been shipwracked.

CER. Philemon, ho!

Enter PHILEMON.

PHIL. Doth my Lord call?

CER. Get fire and meat for these poor men:

'T has been a turbulent and stormy night.

SERV. I have been in many; but such a night as this,

Till now, I ne'er endur'd.

CER. Your master will be dead ere you return;

There's nothing can be minister'd to nature

That can recover him. [to PHILEMON.] Give this to the 'pothecary,

And tell me how it works. [Exeunt all but CERIMON.

SEC. GENT. That is the cause we trouble you so

early;

"Tis not our husbandry.2

CER.

O, you say well.

20

FIRST GENT. But, I much marvel that your Lordship,

having

Rich tire about you, should at these early hours

Shake off the golden slumber of repose.

'Tis most strange,

ACT III
Sc. II