And leaves (97) us to our free election.

Sec. Lord. Whose death's(98) 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,(99)
That best know'st how to rule and how to reign,
We thus submit unto,-our sovereign.

All. Live, noble Helicane!

Hel. For honour's cause, (100) forbear your suffrages: If that you love Prince Pericles, forbear.

Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,

Where's hourly trouble for a minute's ease. (101)
A twelvemonth longer, let me entreat you
To forbear the absence of your king; (102)
If in which time expir'd, he not return,
I shall with aged patience bear your yoke.
But if I cannot win you to this love,

Go search like nobles, like noble subjects,

And in your search spend your adventurous worth;
Whom if you find, and win unto return,

You shall like diamonds sit about his crown.

First Lord. To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield;

And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us,

We with our travels will endeavour it.(103)

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.

Enter SIMONIDES, reading a letter: the Knights meet him. First Knight. Good morrow to the good Simonides. Sim. Knights, from my daughter this I let you know, That for this twelvemonth she'll not undertake

A married life.

Her reason to herself is only known,

Which yet from her by no means can I get.

Sec. Knight. May we not get access to her, my lord ?(104)

Sim. Faith, by no means; she hath so strictly tied her To her chamber, that it is impossible.

One twelve moons more she'll wear Diana's livery;
This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd,

And on her virgin honour will not break it.

Third Knight. Loth to bid farewell, we take our leaves.
[Exeunt Knights.

Sim. So,

They're well dispatch'd; now to my daughter's letter:
She tells me here, she'll wed the stranger knight,
Or never more to view nor day nor light.

'Tis well, mistress; your choice agrees with mine;
I like that well:-nay, how absolute she's in't,
Not minding whether I dislike or no !

Well, I do commend her choice;

And will no longer have it be delay'd.

Soft! here he comes: I must dissemble it.

Enter PERICLES.

Per. All fortune to the good Simonides!

Sim. To you as much, sir! I'm beholding to you
For your sweet music this last night: I do

Protest my ears were never better fed
With such delightful pleasing harmony.

Per. It is your grace's pleasure to commend;
Not my desert.

Sim.

Sir, you are music's master.

Per. The worst of all her scholars, my good lord.
Sim. Let me ask you one thing:

What do you think of my daughter, sir?

Per. A most virtuous princess.

Sim. And she is fair too, is she not?

Per. As a fair day in summer,-wondrous fair.
Sim. Sir, my daughter thinks very well of you;
Ay, so well, that you must be her master,
And she will be your scholar: therefore look to it.
Per. I am unworthy for her schoolmaster.

Sim. She thinks not so; peruse this writing else.
Per. [aside] What's here?

A letter, that she loves the knight of Tyre!

'Tis the king's subtilty to have my life.

O, seek not to entrap me, gracious lord, (105)

A stranger and distressèd gentleman,

That never aim'd so high to love your daughter,
But bent all offices to honour her.

Sim. Thou hast bewitch'd my daughter, and thou art
A villain.

Per. By the gods, I have not:

Never did thought of mine levy offence;
Nor never did my actions yet commence

A deed might gain her love or your displeasure.

Sim. Traitor, thou liest.

Per.

Sim.

Traitor!

Ay, traitor.

Per. Even in his throat-unless it be the king

That calls me traitor, I return the lie.

Sim. [aside] Now, by the gods, I do applaud his courage.
Per. My actions are as noble as my thoughts,

That never relish'd of a base descent.

I came unto your court for honour's cause,
And not to be a rebel to her state;(106)
And he that otherwise accounts of me,
This sword shall prove he's honour's enemy.
Sim. No?

Here comes my daughter, she can witness it.

Enter THAISA.

Per. Then, as you are as virtuous as fair,
Resolve your angry father, if my tongue
Did e'er solicit, or my hand subscribe
To any syllable that made love to you.

Thai. Why, sir, say if you had,(107)

Who takes offence at that would make me glad?

Sim. Yea, mistress, are you so peremptory?—
[Aside] I am glad on't with all my heart.-
I'll tame you; I'll bring you in subjection.
Will you, not having my consent,

Bestow your love and your affections

Upon a stranger?-[aside] who, for aught I know,
May be-nor can I think the contrary-

As great in blood as I myself.

Therefore hear you, mistress; either frame
Your will to mine,-and you, sir, hear you,
Either be rul'd by me, or I will make you—
Man and wife :-

Nay, come, your hands and lips must seal it too;
And being join'd, I'll thus your hopes destroy ;-
And for a 108) further grief,-God give you joy!—
What, are you both pleas'd?

Thai.
Per. Even as my life, or blood that fosters it. (109)
Sim. What, are you both agreed?

Yes, if you love me, sir.

Both.

Yes, if't please your majes

Sim. It pleaseth me so well, that I will see you wed; And then with what haste you can get you to bed.

[Exeu

ACT III.

Enter GoWER.

Gow. Now sleep yslakèd hath the rout;
No din but snores the house about,(110)
Made louder by the o'er-fed breast
Of this most pompous marriage-feast.
The cat, with eyne of burning coal,
Now couches fore the mouse's hole;
And crickets sing at th' oven's mouth,
Aye the blither for their drouth. (111)
Hymen hath brought the bride to bed,
Where, by the loss of maidenhead,
A babe is moulded.-Be attent,
And time that is so briefly spent

With your fine fancies quaintly eche:

What's dumb in show I'll plain with speech.

DUMB-SHOW.

Enter, from one side, PERICLES and SIMONIDES with Attendants; a

Messenger meets them, kneels, and gives PERICLES a letter: he shows it to SIMONIDES; the Lords kneel to PERICLES. Then enter THAISA with child, and LYCHORIDA. SIMONIDES shows his daughter 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(112)
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 t' 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(113) 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:-
Lychorida, her nurse, she takes,
And so to sea. Their(114) vessel shakes
On Neptune's billow; half the flood
Hath their keel cut: but fortune's mood(115)

Varies again; the grisly north

Disgorges such a tempest forth,