Pericles Prince of Tyre.
Whose towers bore heads so high they kist the clowds,
And strangers nere beheld, but wondred at,
Whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'de,
Like one anothers glasse to trim them by,
Their tables were stor'de full to glad the sight,
And not so much to feede on as delight,
All pouertie was scor'nde, and pride so great,
The name of helpe grewe odious to repeat.
And strangers nere beheld, but wondred at,
Whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'de,
Like one anothers glasse to trim them by,
Their tables were stor'de full to glad the sight,
And not so much to feede on as delight,
All pouertie was scor'nde, and pride so great,
The name of helpe grewe odious to repeat.
Dion.O, t'is too true.
Cle.But see what heauen can doe by this our change,
These mouthes who but of late, earth, sea, and ayre,
Were all too little to content and please,
Although they gaue their creatures in abundance,
As houses are defil'de for want of vse,
They are now staru'de for want of exercise,
Those pallats who not yet two sauers younger,
Must haue inuentions to delight the tast,
Would now be glad of bread and beg for it,
Those mothers who to nouzzell vp their babes,
Thought naught too curious, are readie now
To eat those little darlings whom they lou'de,
So sharpe are hungers teeth, that man and wife,
Drawe lots who first shall die, to lengthen life.
Here stands a Lord, and there a Ladie weeping:
Here manie sincke, yet those which see them fall,
Haue scarce strength left to giue them buryall.
Is not this true?
These mouthes who but of late, earth, sea, and ayre,
Were all too little to content and please,
Although they gaue their creatures in abundance,
As houses are defil'de for want of vse,
They are now staru'de for want of exercise,
Those pallats who not yet two sauers younger,
Must haue inuentions to delight the tast,
Would now be glad of bread and beg for it,
Those mothers who to nouzzell vp their babes,
Thought naught too curious, are readie now
To eat those little darlings whom they lou'de,
So sharpe are hungers teeth, that man and wife,
Drawe lots who first shall die, to lengthen life.
Here stands a Lord, and there a Ladie weeping:
Here manie sincke, yet those which see them fall,
Haue scarce strength left to giue them buryall.
Is not this true?
Dion.Our cheekes and hollow eyes doe witnesse it.
Cle.O let those Cities that of plenties cup,
And her prosperities so largely taste,
With their superfluous riots heare these teares,
The miserie of Tharsus may be theirs.
And her prosperities so largely taste,
With their superfluous riots heare these teares,
The miserie of Tharsus may be theirs.
Enter a Lord.
Lord.Wheres the Lord Gouernour?
Cle.Here, speake out thy sorrowes, which thee bringst
in
