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.

3 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 am beholden 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. My daughter, sir, 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.—
Oh, seek not to entrap me, gracious lord,
A stranger and distressed 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 a 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;
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,

Who takes offence at that would make me glad?
Sim. Yea, mistress, are you so peremptory?-
[Aside.] I am glad of it 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 ruled 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 further grief,-God give you joy!
What, are you both pleased?

Thai. Yes, if you love me, sir.

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

Both. Yes, if it please your majesty.

Sim. It pleaseth me so well, that I will see you

wed:

Then, with what haste you can, get you to bed.

[Exeunt.

N

ACT III.

Enter GoWER.

Gower.

OW sleep yslaked hath the rout;
No din but snores, the house about,
Made louder by the o'er-fed breast
Of this most pompous marriage feast,
The cat, with eyne of burning coal,
Now couches from the mouse's hole ;
And crickets sing at the oven's mouth,
Aye the blither for their drouth.

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 PERICLES and SIMONIDES, at one door, with Attendants; a Messenger meets them, kneels, and gives PERICLES a letter. PERICLES shows it to SIMONIDES; the Lords kneel to the former. Then enter THAISA with child, and LYCHORIDA, a nurse. SIMONIDES shows his daughter the letter; she rejoices: she and PERICLES take leave of her father, and depart, with LYCHORIDA and Attendants. Then exeunt SIMONIDES and the rest.

By many a derne and painful perch,
Of Pericles the careful search
By the four opposing coignes,
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 tenor 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 them, 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,

Y-ravished the regions round,

And every one with claps 'gan 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 vessel shakes
On Neptune's billow; half the flood
Hath their keel cut; but fortune's mood,

Varies again the grizzled north

:

Disgorges such a tempest forth,

That, as a duck for life that dives,
So up and down the poor ship drives.
The lady shrieks, and well-a-near
Doth fall in travail with her fear:
And what ensues in this fell storm,
Shall for itself, itself perform;
I nill relate; action may
Conveniently the rest convey: