This King unto him took a Peer,
Who died, and left a Female Heir,
So buck some, blithe, and full of face,
As Heav'n had lent her all his grace:
With whom the Father liking took,
And her to Incest did provoke.
Bad Child, worse Father, to entice his own
To evil should be done by none:
But custom, what they did begin,
Was with long use, counted no Sin.
The beauty of this sinful Dame,
Made many Princes thither frame,
To seek her as a Bed-fellow,
In Marriage pleasures, Play-fellow:
Which to prevent, he made a Law,
To keep her still, and Men in awe,
That who so askt her for his Wife,
His Riddle told not, lost his Life:
So for her many a Wight did die,
As you grim looks do testifie.
What ensues to the judgment of your Eye,
I give my cause, who best can testifie. [Exit. Enter Antiochus, Prince Pericles, and Followers.

Ant.
Young Prince of Tyre, you have at large receiv'd
The danger of the task you undertake.

Per.
I have, Antiochus, and with a Soul emboldned
With the glory of her praise, think death no hazard,
In this enterprize.

Ant.
Musick, bring in our Daughter, clothed like a Bride
For embracements, even of Jove himself;
At whose conception, 'till Lucina reign'd,
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
The Senate House of Planets all did fit,
To knit in her their best Perfections. Enter Hesperides.

Per.
See where she comes, apparell'd like the Spring,
Graces her Subjects, and her Thoughts the King,
Of every Virtue gives Renown to Men:
Her Face the Book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious Pleasures, as from thence

Sorrow were ever rackt, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild Companion.
You gods that made me Man, and sway in love,
That have inflam'd desire within my Breast,
To taste the Fruit of yon celestial Tree,
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am Son and Servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness.

Ant.
Prince Pericles.

Per.
That would be Son to great Antiochus.

Ant.
Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden Fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd:
For Death like Dragons here affright thee hard:
Her Face, like Heav'n, enticeth thee to view
Her countless Glory, which desert must gain:
And which without desert, because thine Eye
Presumes to reach, all the whole heap must die.
Yon sometimes famous Princes like thy self
Drawn by report, adventrous by desire,
Tell thee with speechless Tongues, and semblance pale,
That without covering save yon field of Stars,
Here they stand Martyrs slain in Cupid's Wars:
And with dead Cheeks advise thee to desist,
For going on Death's Net, whom none resist.

Per.
Antiochus I thank thee, who hath taught
My frail mortality to know it self,
And by those fearful objects to prepare
This Body, like to them, to what I must:
For Death remembred, should be like a Mirrour,
Who tells us, Life's but breath, to trust in error:
I'll make my Will then, and as sick Men do,
Who know the World, see Heav'n, but feeling woe,
Gripe not at earthly Joys, as erst they did.
So I bequeath a happy Peace to you
And all good Men, as every Prince should do,
My riches to the Earth from whence they came:
But my unspotted fire of Love to you. [To Hesperides.
Thus ready for the way of Life or Death,
I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus,
Scorning advice. Read the conclusion then.

Ant.
Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed
As these before so thou thy self shalt bleed.

Hesp.
Of all said yet, may thou prove prosperous,
Of all said yet, I wish thee happiness. [Ex. Hesperides.

Per.
Like a bold Champion I assume the Lists,
Nor ask advice of any other thought,
But faithfulness, and courage.
The Riddle.
I am no Viper, yet I feed
On Mother's flesh which did me breed:
I sought a Husband, in which labour,
I found that kindness in a Father.
He's Father, Son, and Husband mild,
I Mother, Wife, and yet his Child.
How they may be, and yet in two,
As you will live, resolve it you.
Sharp Physick is the last? but O you Powers!
That gives Heav'n countless Eyes to view Mens acts,
Why could they not their sights perpetually?
If this be true, which makes me pale to read it,
Fair Glass of light, I lov'd you, and could still,
Were not this glorious Casket stor'd with ill:
But I must tell you, now my thoughts revolt;
For he's no Man on whom perfections wait,
That knowing Sin within, will touch the Gate:
You're a fair Viol, and your sense the strings,
Who finger'd to make Man his lawful Musick,
Wou'd draw Heav'n down, and all the gods to hearken,
But being plaid upon before your time,
Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime:
Good sooth I care not for you.

Ant.
Prince Pericles, touch not upon thy Life,
For that's an Article within our Law,
As dangerous as the rest: Your time's expir'd,
Either expound now, or receive your Sentence.

Per.
Great King,
Few love to hear the Sins they love to act,
'Twould braid your self too near for me to tell it:
Who hath a Book of all that Monarchs do,
He's more secure to keep it shut, than shewn:

For Vice repeated, is like the wandring Wind,
Blows dust in others Eyes, to spread it self;
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
The breath is gone, and the sore Eyes see clear.
To stop the air would hurt them, the blind Mole cast
Copt Hills toward Heav'n, to tell the Earth is throng'd
By Man's oppression, and the poor Worm doth die for't.
Kings are Earth's Gods: In Vice their Law's their will,
And if Jove stray, who dares say, Jove doth ill.
It is enough you know it, and 'tis fit;
What being more known, grows worse to smother it.
All love the Womb that there being bred,
Then give my Tongue like leave to love my Head.

Ant.
Heav'n that I had it; he has found the meaning,
But I will gloze with him. Young Prince of Tyre,
Though by the tenour of our strict Edict,
Your Exposition mis-interpreting,
We might proceed to cancel off your days;
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a Tree,
As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise:
Forty Days longer we do respite you,
If by which time our secret be undone,
This mercy shews, we'll joy in such a Son:
And until then, your entertain shall be
As doth befit our honour, and your worth. [Exit. Manet Pericles solus.

Per.
How Courtesie would seem to cover Sin,
When what is done is like an Hypocrite,
The which is good in nothing but in sight;
If it be true that I interpret false,
Then were it certain you were not so bad,
As with soul Incest to abuse your Soul:
Where now you're both a Father and a Son,
By your untimely claspings with your Child,
(Which pleasures fits an Husband, not a Father,)
And she an eater of her Mother's flesh,
By the defiling of her Parents Bed,
And both like Serpents are, who though they feed
On sweetest Flowers, yet they Poison breed.
Antioch farewel, for wisdom sees, those Men
Blush not in actions blacker than the night,

Will shew no course to keep them from the light:
One Sin, I know, another doth provoke;
Murder's as near to Lust, as flame to smoak.
Poison and Treason are the Hands of Sin,
Ay, and the Targets to put off the shame:
Then lest my Life be cropt to keep you clear,
By flight I'll shun the danger which I fear. [Exit. Enter Antiochus.

Ant.
He hath found the meaning,
For which we mean to have his Head:
He must not live to trumpet forth my infamy,
Nor tell the World Antiochus doth sin
In such a loathed manner.
And therefore instantly this Prince must die,
For by his fall my honour must keep high.
Who attends us here? Enter Thaliard.

Thal.
Doth your Highness call?

Ant.
Thaliard, you are of our Chamber,
And our mind partakes her private Actions
To your secresie; and for your faithfulness
We will advance you, Thaliard.
Behold, here's Poison and here's Gold,
We hate the Prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him.
It fits thee not to ask the reason why:
Because we bid it: Say, is it done?

Thal.
My Lord, 'tis done. Enter a Messenger.

Ant.

Enough. Let your breath cool your self, telling your haste.