SCENE I.
Pentapolis.
Enter Pericles wet.
Per.
Yet cease your ire, ye angry stars of heaven6 note
!
Wind, rain, and thunder, remember, earthly man
-- 42 --
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 breath7 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;
-- 43 --
And having thrown him from your watry grave,
Here to have death in peace, is all he'll crave.
Enter three Fishermen8 note
.
1 Fish.
What, ho, Pilche9 note
!
2 Fish.
Ha, come, and bring away the nets.
1 Fish.
What, Patch-breech, I say!
3 Fish.
What say you, master?
-- 44 --
1 Fish.
Look how thou stirrest now: come away,
or I'll fetch thee with a wannion1 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 griev'd my heart to
hear what pitiful cries they made to us, to help
them2 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 tumbled3 note? they
say, they are half fish, half flesh; a plague on them,
they ne'er come but I look to be wash'd. Master, I
marvel how the fishes live in the sea.
1 Fish.
Why, as men do a-land; 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 him4 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 swallow'd the whole parish, church,
steeple, bells and all.
Per.
A pretty moral.
-- 45 --
3 Fish.
But, master, if I had been the sexton, I
would have been that day in the belfry.
2 Fish.
Why, man?
3 Fish.
Because he should have swallow'd 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 sea5 note
These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
And from their watry empire recollect
All that may men approve, or men detect!
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.
2 Fish.
Honest, good fellow, what's that, if it be
a day fits you, search out of the kalendar, and no
body look after it6 note
.9Q1313
-- 46 --
Per.
You may see, the sea hath cast me on your coast.
2 Fish.
What a drunken knave was the sea, to cast
thee in our way7 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, intreats 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 can'st 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 cold8 note
; my veins are chill,
-- 47 --
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 I am a man, pray see me buried.
1 Fish.
Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a
gown here9 note; come put it on, keep thee warm. Now,
afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go
home, and we'll have flesh for holydays1 note
, fish for fasting
days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks2 note;
and thou shalt be welcome.
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 whip'd then?
2 Fish.
O not at all, my friend, not at all; for if
all your beggars were whip'd, I would wish no better
office, than to be a beadle. But, master, I'll go draw
up the net.
[Exeunt two of the Fishermen.
Per.
How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!
1 Fish.
Hark you, sir, do you know where you are?
Per.
Not well.
1 Fish.
Why I'll tell you; this is called Pentapolis,
and our king, the good Simonides.
Per.
The good king Simonides, do you call him?
1 Fish.
Ay, sir, and he deserves so to be call'd,
for his peaceable reign, and good government.
-- 48 --
Per.
He is a happy king, 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 turney
for her love.
Per.
Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I
could wish to make one there.
1 Fish.
O sir, things must be as they may; and
what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for—
his wife's soul3 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
-- 49 --
hardly come out. Ha! bots on't4 note, 'tis come at last,
and 'tis turn'd to a rusty armour.
Per.
An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.
Thanks, Fortune, yet, that after all my crosses,
Thou giv'st me somewhat to repair myself;
And, though it was mine own5 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 brace6 note
)
For that it sav'd me, keep it; in like necessity,
The which the gods protect thee from! 't may defend thee7 note
.”
It kept where I kept, I so dearly lov'd it;
'Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,
Took it in rage, though calm'd they've given it again:
I thank thee for it; my shipwreck now's no ill,
Since I have here my father's gift in his will.
1 Fish.
What mean you, sir?
Per.
To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,
For it was some time target to a king;
I know it by this mark; he lov'd me dearly,
-- 50 --
And for his sake, I wish the having of it;
And that you'd guide me to your sovereign's court,
Where with it I may appear a gentleman;
And if that ever my low fortune's better,
I'll pay your bounties; till then, rest your debtor.
1 Fish.
Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?
Per.
I'll shew the virtue I have borne in arms.
1 Fish.
Why di'e take it note8 note, and the gods give thee
good on't!
2 Fish.
Ay, but 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 it.
Per.
Believe it, I will;
By your furtherance I am cloath'd in steel9 note
;
And spight of all the rapture of the sea1 note
,
This jewel holds his gilding on my arm2 note
;
-- 51 --
Unto thy value I will mount myself
Upon a courser, whose delightful steps
Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.—
Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided
Of a pair of bases3 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.
Edmond Malone [1780], Supplement to the edition of Shakspeare's plays published in 1778 By Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. In two volumes. Containing additional observations by several of the former commentators: to which are subjoined the genuine poems of the same author, and seven plays that have been ascribed to him; with notes By the editor and others (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10911].
