Per.
Yet cease your ire, you ^note angry stars ^note of heaven!
Wind, rain, and thunder, ^note 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 ^note cast me on the rocks,
Wash'd me from shore to shore, and left me breath ^note
Nothing to think on but ensuing death:
Let it suffice the greatness of your powers
To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes;
And having thrown him from your watery grave,
Here to have death in peace is all he'll crave.

Enter three Fishermen.

First Fish. ^note

What, ho, Pilch! ^note

Sec. Fish. ^note

Ha, ^note come and bring away the nets!

First Fish. ^note

What, Patchbreech, I say!

Third Fish. ^note

What say you, master?

First Fish. ^note

Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or ^note I'll fetch thee ^note with a wanion ^note.

Third Fish. ^note

Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.

First Fish. ^note

Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, well-a-day, we could scarce ^note help ourselves.

Third Fish. ^note

Nay, master ^note, said not I as much when I saw the porpus ^note, how he bounced and tumbled? they say they're ^note 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 ^note.

First Fish. ^note

Why, as men do a-land ^note; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a' ^note plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours ^note them all at a mouthful: such whales have I heard on o' the ^note land, who never leave gaping till they've ^note swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells, and all.

Per. [Aside ^note]

A pretty moral.

Third Fish. ^note

But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.

Sec. Fish. ^note

Why, man?

Third Fish. ^note

Because he should have swallowed me too: and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling ^note 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,— ^note

Per. [Aside ^note]

Simonides!

Third Fish. ^note

We ^note would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey. ^note

Per. [Aside ^note]
How from the finny ^note subject ^note of the sea
These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
And from their watery empire recollect
All that may men approve or men detect!
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.

Sec. Fish. ^note

Honest! good fellow, what's that? ^note If it be a day fits you, search ^note out of the calendar, and nobody look ^note after it. ^{note note note}

Per.

May see the sea hath cast upon your coast. ^note

Sec. Fish. ^note

What a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our way! ^note

Per.
A man whom both the waters and the wind,
In that vast tennis-court, have ^note made the ball

For them to play upon, entreats you pity him;
He asks of you, that never used to beg.

First Fish. ^note

No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working. ^note

Sec. Fish. ^note

Canst thou catch any fishes then?

Per.

I never practised it.

Sec. Fish. ^note

Nay, then thou wilt starve, sure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst 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 ^note up with cold: my veins are chill,
And have no more of life than may suffice
To give my tongue that heat to ask your help;
Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,
For that ^note I am a man, pray ^note see me buried.

First Fish. ^note

Die quoth-a? ^note Now gods forbid't ^note! And ^note I have a gown here; come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays ^note, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er ^note puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome.

Per.

I thank you, sir.

Sec. Fish. ^note

Hark you, my friend; you said you could not beg. ^note

Per.

I did but crave.

Sec. Fish. ^note

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

Per.

Why, are all your ^note beggars whipped then?

Sec. Fish. ^note

O, ^note 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 ^note the net.

Per. [Aside]

How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!

First Fish. ^note

Hark you, sir, do you know where ye ^note are?

Per.

Not well.

First Fish. ^note

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

Per.

The good ^note Simonides, do you call him?

First Fish. ^note

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

Per.

He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects ^note the name of good by his government. How far is his court distant from this shore? ^note

First Fish. ^note

Marry, sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell you, ^note he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her birthday; 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 ^note wish to make one there. ^note

First Fish. ^note

O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get, he may ^note lawfully deal for—his ^note wife's ^note soul. ^{note note}

Re-enter Second and Third ^note Fishermen, drawing up a net.

Sec. Fish. ^note

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, 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armour.

Per.
An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.
Thanks, fortune, yet, that after all thy ^note crosses
Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself;
And ^note though it was mine own, part ^note of my heritage,
Which my dead father did bequeath to ^note 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 ^note—
‘For that it saved me, keep it; in ^note like necessity—
The which the gods ^note protect thee from!—may ^note defend thee.’
It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it;
Till the rough seas, that spare ^note not any man,
Took it in rage, though calm'd have given 't ^note again:
I thank thee ^note for't: my shipwreck ^note now's no ill,
Since I have here my father's gift in 's ^note will.

First Fish. ^{note note}
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 loved me dearly,

And for his ^note sake I wish the having of it;
And that you'ld guide me to your sovereign's court,
Where with it I may appear a gentleman;
And if that ever my low fortune's ^note better,
I'll pay your ^note bounties; till then rest your debtor.

First Fish. ^note
Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?

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

First Fish. ^note

Why, do 'e ^note take it, and the gods give thee good on't ^note!

Sec. Fish. ^note

Ay, but ^note hark you, my friend; '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 remember from whence you had them ^note.

Per.
Believe 't ^note, I will.
By your furtherance ^note I am clothed in steel;
And spite of all the rapture ^note of the sea
This jewel holds his building ^note on my arm:
Unto thy ^note value I will mount myself ^note
Upon a courser, whose delightful ^note steps
Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.
Only, my friend ^note, I yet am unprovided
Of a pair of bases. ^note

Sec. Fish. ^note

We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I'll bring thee to the court myself. ^note

Per.
Then honour be but a goal ^note to my will,
This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill. [Exeunt. ^{note note}

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