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^{8 note}

Let it suffice the greatness of your powers,
To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes;
And having thrown him from your watry grave,
Here to have death in peace, is all he'll crave. Enter Three Fishermen^{9 note}

1 Fish.

What, ho, Pilche^{1 note}

2 Fish.

Ho! come, and bring away the nets.

1 Fish.

What Patch-breech, I say!

3 Fish.

What say you, master?

1 Fish.

Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wannion^{2 note}

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 grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us, to help them^{3 note}, 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^{4 note}

they say, they are half fish, half flesh: a plague on them, they ne'er come, but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.

1 Fish.

Why as men do a-land^{5 note}; 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^{6 note}


, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. Such whales have I heard on a'the land, who never leave gaping, till they've swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells 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^{7 note}

2 Fish.

Why, man?

3 Fish.

Because he should have swallowed 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 were 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^{8 note}

2 Fish.

Honest! good fellow, what's that? if it be a day fits you, scratch it out of the calendar, and no body will look after it^{9 note}

Per.

Nay, see, the sea hath cast upon your coast—

2 Fish.

What a drunken knave was the sea, to cast thee in our way^{1 note}

Per.
A man whom both the waters and the wind,
In that vast tennis-court, hath made the ball
For them to play upon^{2 note}
, 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.

Can'st 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 cans't 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^{3 note}

1 Fish.

Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on^{5 note}; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow^{6 note}! Come thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks^{7 note}

Per.

I thank you, sir.

2 Fish.

Hark you, my friend, you said you could not beg.

Per.

I did but crave.

2 Fish.

But crave? Then I'll turn craver too, and so I shall 'scape whipping.

Per.

Why, are all your beggars whipped then!

2 Fish.

O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office than to be beadle. But, master, I'll go draw up the net.

Per.

How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!

1 Fish.

Hark you, sir! do you know where you are?

1 Fish.

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

Per.

Not well.

Per.

The good king Simonides, do you call him?

1 Fish.

Ay, sir; and he deserves to be so called, for his peaceable reign, and good government.

Per.

He is a happy king^{8 note}

, 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 birth-day; 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^{9 note}

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^{1 note}

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; 'twill hardly come out. Ha! bots on't^{2 note}

Per.
An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.
Thanks, fortune, yet, that after all my crosses^{3 note},
Thou giv'st me somewhat to repair myself:
And though it was mine own^{4 note}, 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^{5 note}

For that it sav'd me, keep it; in like necessity
The which the gods protect thee from! it may defend thee^{6 note}

1 Fish.
What mean you, sir?

Per.
To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,
For it was sometime target to a king;
I 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't I may appear a gentleman;
And if that ever my low fortunes better^{9 note}

1 Fish.
Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?

Per.
I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms.

1 Fish.

Why, do ye take it^{1 note}, and the gods give thee good on't!

2 Fish.

Ay, but hark you, my friend^{2 note}; 'twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters: there are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you'll remem- from whence you had it^{3 note}.

Per.
Believe it, I will.
By your furtherance, I am cloth'd in steel^{4 note}

This jewel holds his biding on my arm^{6 note}

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.

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