o sing a Song that old was sung, From ashes, auntient Gower is come, Assuming mans infirmities, To glad your eare, and please your eyes: It hath been sung at Feastiuals, On Ember eues, and Holydayes: And Lords and Ladyes in their liues, Haue red it for restoratiues: The purchase is to make men glorious, Et bonum quo Antiquius eo melius: If you, borne in those latter times, When Witts more ripe, accept my rimes; And that to heare an old man sing, May to your Wishes pleasure bring: I life would wish, and that I might Waste it for you, like Taper light. This Antioch, then Antiochus the great, Buylt vp this Citie, for his chiefest Seat; The fayrest in all Syria. I tell you what mine Authors saye: This King vnto him tooke a Peere, Who dyed, and left a female heyre, So bucksome, blith, and full of face, As heauen had lent her all his grace: With whom the Father liking tooke, And her to Incest did prouoke: Bad child, worse father, to intice his owne To euill, should be done by none: But custome what they did begin, Was with long vse, account'd no sinne; The beautie of this sinfull Dame, Made many Princes thither frame, To seeke her as a bedfellow, In maryage pleasures, playfellow: Which to preuent, he made a Law, To keepe her still, and men in awe: That who so askt her for his wife, His Riddle tould, not lost his life: So for her many of wight did die, As yon grimme lookes do testifie. What now ensues, to the iudgement of your eye, Exit.I giue my cause, who best can iustifie.
Enter Antiochus, Prince Pericles, and followers.
Anti.Young Prince of Tyre, you haue at large receiued The danger of the taske you vndertake.
Peri.I haue (Antiochus) and with a soule emboldned With the glory of her prayse, thinke death no hazard, In this enterprise.
Ant.Musicke bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride. For embracements euen of Ioue himselfe; At whose conception, till Lucina rained, Nature this dowry gaue; to glad her presence, The Seanate house of Planets all did sit, To knit in her, their best perfections.
Enter Antiochus daughter.
Per.See where she comes, appareled like the Spring, Graces her subiects, and her thoughts the King, Of euery Vertue giues renowne to men: Her face the booke of prayses, where is read, Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence, Sorrow were euer racte, and teastie wrath Could neuer be her milde companion. You Gods that made me man, and sway in loue; That haue enflamde desire in my breast, To taste the fruite of yon celestiall tree, (Or die in th'aduenture) be my helpes, As I am sonne and seruant to your will, To compasse such a bondlesse happinesse.
Anti.Prince Pericles.
Peri.That would be sonne to great Antiochus.
Anti.Before thee standes this faire Hesperides, With golden fruite, but dangerous to be toucht: For Death like Dragons heere affright thee hard: Her face like Heauen, inticeth thee to view Her countlesse glory; which desert must gaine: And which without desert, because thine eye Presumes to reach, all the whole heape must die: Yon sometimes famous Princes, like thy selfe, Drawne by report, aduentrous by desire, Tell thee with speachlesse tongues, and semblance pale, That without couering, saue yon field of Starres, Heere they stand Martyrs slaine in Cupids Warres: And with dead cheekes, aduise thee to desist, For going on deaths net, whom none resist.
Per.Antiochus, I thanke thee, who hath taught, My frayle mortalitie to know it selfe; And by those fearefull obiectes, to prepare This body, like to them, to what I must: For Death remembered should be like a myrrour, Who tels vs, life's but breath, to trust it errour: Ile make my Will then, and as sicke men doe, Who know the World, see Heauen, but feeling woe, Gripe not at earthly ioyes as earst they did; So I bequeath a happy peace to you, And all good men, as euery Prince should doe; My ritches to the earth, from whence they came; But my vnspotted fire of Loue, to you: Thus ready for the way of life or death, I wayte the sharpest blow (Antiochus) Scorning aduice; read the conclusion then: Which read and not expounded, tis decreed, As these before thee, thou thy selfe shalt bleed.
Daugh.Of all sayd yet, mayst thou prooue prosperous, Of all sayd yet, I wish thee happinesse.
Peri.Like a bold Champion I assume the Listes, Nor aske aduise of any other thought, But faythfulnesse and courage.
The Riddle. I am no Viper, yet I feed On mothers flesh which did me breed: I sought a Husband, in which labour, I found that kindnesse in a Father; Hee's Father, Sonne, and Husband milde; I, Mother, Wife; and yet his Child: How they may be, and yet in two, As you will liue resolue it you.
Sharpe Phisicke is the last: But ô you powers! That giues heauen countlesse eyes to view mens actes, Why cloude they not their sights perpetually, If this be true, which makes me pale to read it? Faire Glasse of light, I lou'd you, and could still, Were not this glorious Casket stor'd with ill: But I must tell you, now my thoughts reuolt, For hee's no man on whom perfections waite, That knowing sinne within, will touch the gate. You are a faire Violl, and your sense, the stringes; Who finger'd to make man his lawfull musicke, Would draw Heauen downe, and all the Gods to harken: But being playd vpon before your time, Hell onely daunceth at so harsh a chime: Good sooth, I care not for you.
Ant.Prince Pericles, touch not, vpon thy life; For that's an Article within our Law, As dangerous as the rest: your time's expir'd, Either expound now, or receiue your sentence.
Peri.Great King, Few loue to heare the sinnes they loue to act, T'would brayde your selfe too neare for me to tell it: Who has a booke of all that Monarches doe, Hee's more secure to keepe it shut, then showne. For Vice repeated, is like the wandring Wind, Blowes dust in others eyes to spread it selfe; And yet the end of all is bought thus deare, The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see cleare: To stop the Ayre would hurt them, the blind Mole castes Copt hilles towards heauen, to tell the earth is throng'd By mans oppression, and the poore Worme doth die for't: Kinges are earths Gods; in vice, their law's their will: And if Ioue stray, who dares say, Ioue doth ill: It is enough you know, and it is fit; What being more knowne, growes worse, to smother it. All loue the Wombe that their first beeing bred, Then giue my tongue like leaue, to loue my head.
Ant.Heauen, that I had thy head; he ha's found the meaning: But I will gloze with him. Young Prince of Tyre, Though by the tenour of your strict edict, Your exposition misinterpreting, We might proceed to counsell of your dayes; Yet hope, succeeding from so faire a tree As your faire selfe, doth tune vs otherwise; Fourtie dayes longer we doe respite you, If by which time, our secret be vndone, This mercy shewes, wee'le ioy in such a Sonne: And vntill then, your entertaine shall bee As doth befit our honour and your worth. Manet Pericles solus. Peri.How courtesie would seeme to couer sinne, When what is done, is like an hipocrite, The which is good in nothing but in sight. If it be true that I interpret false, Then were it certaine you were not so bad, As with foule Incest to abuse your soule: Where now you both a Father and a Sonne, By your vntimely claspings with your Child, (Which pleasures fittes a husband, not a father) And shee an eater of her Mothers flesh, By the defiling of her Parents bed, And both like Serpents are; who though they feed On sweetest Flowers, yet they Poyson breed. Antioch farewell, for Wisedome sees those men, Blush not in actions blacker then the night, Will shew no course to keepe them from the light: One sinne (I know) another doth prouoke; Murther's as neere to Lust, as Flame to Smoake: Poyson and Treason are the hands of Sinne, I, and the targets to put off the shame, Then least my life be cropt, to keepe you cleare, Exit.By flight, Ile shun the danger which I feare.
Enter Antiochus.
Anti.He hath found the meaning, For which we meane to haue his head: He must not liue to trumpet foorth my infamie, Nor tell the world Antiochus doth sinne In such a loathed manner: And therefore instantly this Prince must die, For by his fall, my honour must keepe hie. Who attends vs there?
Enter Thaliard.
Thali.Doth your highnes call?
Antio.Thaliard, you are of our Chamber, Thaliard, And our minde pertakes her priuat actions, To your secrecie; and for your faythfulnes, We will aduaunce you, Thaliard: Behold, heere's Poyson, and heere's Gold: Wee hate the Prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him; It fittes thee not to aske the reason why? Because we bid it: say, is it done?
Thali.My Lord, tis done.
Enter a Messenger.
Anti.Enough. Let your breath coole your selfe, telling your haste.
Mess.My Lord, Prince Pericles is fled.
Antin.As thou wilt liue flie after, and like an arrow shot from a well experienst Archer hits the marke his eye doth leuell at: so thou neuer returne vnlesse thou say Prince Pericles is dead.
Thal.My Lord, if I can get him within my Pistols length, lle make him sure enough, so farewell to your highnesse. Thaliard adieu, till Pericles be dead, My heart can lend no succour to my head.
Enter Pericles with his Lords.
Pe.Let none disturb vs, why shold this chãge of thoughts The sad companion dull eyde melancholie, By me so vsde a guest, as nor an houre In the dayes glorious walke or peacefull night, The tombe where griefe stould sleepe can breed me quiet, Here pleasures court mine eies, and mine eies shun them, And daunger which I fearde is at Antioch, Whose arme seemes farre too short to hit me here, Yet neither pleasures Art can ioy my spirits, Nor yet the others distance comfort me, Then it is thus, the passions of the mind, That haue their first conception by misdread, Haue after nourishment and life, by care And what was first but feare, what might be done, Growes elder now, and cares it be not done. And so with me the great Antiochus, Gainst whom I am too little to contend, Since hee's so great, can make his will his act, Will thinke me speaking, though I sweare to silence, Nor bootes it me to say, I honour, If he suspect I may dishonour him. And what may make him blush in being knowne, Heele stop the course by which it might be knowne, With hostile forces heele ore-spread the land, And with the stint of warre will looke so huge, Amazement shall driue courage from the state, Our men be vanquisht ere they doe resist, And subiects punisht that nere thought offence, Which care of them, not pittie of my selfe, Who once no more but as the tops of trees, Which fence the rootes they grow by and defend them, Makes both my bodie pine, and soule to languish, And punish that before that he would punish.
Enter all the Lords to Pericles.
1.Lord.Ioy and all comfort in your sacred brest.
2.Lord.And keepe your mind till you returne to vs peacefull and comfortable.
Hel.Peace, peace, and giue experience tongue, They doe abuse the King that flatter him, For flatterie is the bellowes blowes vp sinne, The thing the which is flattered, but a sparke, To which that sparke giues heate, and stronger Glowing, whereas reproofe obedient and in order, Fits kings as they are men, for they may erre, When signior sooth here does proclaime peace, He flatters you, makes warre vpon your life. Prince paadon me, or strike me if you please, I cannot be much lower then my knees.
Per.All leaue vs else: but let your cares ore-looke, What shipping, and what ladings in our hauen, And then returne to vs, Hellicaus thou hast Mooude vs, what seest thou in our lookes?
Hel.An angrie brow, dread Lord.
Per.If there be such a dart in Princes frownes, How durst thy tongue moue anger to our face?
Hel.How dares the plants looke vp to heauen, From whence they haue their nourishment?
Per.Thou knowest I haue power to take thy life from thee.
Hel.I have ground the Axe my selfe, Doe but you strike the blowe.
Per.Rise, prethee rise, sit downe, thou art no flatterer, I thanke thee fort, and heaue forbid That kings should let their cares heare their faults hid. Fit Counsellor, and seruant for a Prince, Who by thy wisdome makes a Prince thy seruant, What wouldst thou haue me doe?
Hel.To beare with patience such griefes as you your selfe doe lay vpon your selfe.
Per.Thou speakst like a Physition Hellicanus, That ministers a potion vnto me: That thou wouldst tremble to receiue thy selfe, Attend me then, I went to Antioch, Whereas thou knowst against the face of death, I sought the purchase of a glorious beautie, From whence an issue I might propogate, Are armes to Princes, and bring ioies to subiects, Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder, The rest harke in thine eare, as blacke as incest, Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father Seemde not to strike, but smooth, but thou knowst this, Tis time to feare when tyrants seemes to kisse. Which feare so grew in me I hither fled, Vnder the couering of a carefull night, Who seemd my good protector, and being here, Bethought what was past, what might succeed. I knew him tyrannous, and tyrants feare Decrease not, but grow faster then the yeares, And should he doo't, as no doubt he doth, That I should open to the listning ayre, How many worthie Princes blouds were shed, To keepe his bed of blacknesse vnlayde ope, To lop that doubt, hee'le fill this land with armes, And make pretence of wrong that I haue done him, When all for mine, if I may call offence, Must feel wars blow, who spares not innocence, Which loue to all of which thy selfe art one, Who now reprou'dst me fort.
Hell.Alas sir.
Per.Drew sleep out of mine eies, blood fró my cheekes, Musings into my mind, with thousand doubts How I might stop this tempest ere it came, And finding little comfort to relieue them, I thought it princely charity to griue for them.
Hell.Well my Lord, since you haue giuen mee leaue to speake, Freely will I speake, Antiochus you feare, And iustly too, I thinke you feare the tyrant, Who either by publike warre, or priuat treason, Will take away your life: therfore my Lord, go trauell for a while, till that his rage and anger be forgot, or till the Destinies doe cut his threed of life: your rule direct to anie, if to me, day serues not light more faithfull then Ile be.
Per.I doe not doubt thy faith. But should he wrong my liberties in my absence?
Hel.Weele mingle our bloode togither in the earth, From whence we had our being, and our birth.
Per.Tyre I now looke from thee then, and to Tharsus Intend my trauaile, where Il'e heare from thee, And by whose Letters Ile dispose my selfe. The care I had and haue of subiects good, On thee I lay, whose wisdomes strength can beare it, Ile take thy word, for faith not aske thine oath, Who shuns not to breake one, will cracke both. But in our orbs will liue so round, and safe, That time of both this truth shall nere conuince, Exit.Thou shewdst a subiects shine, I a true Prince.
Enter Thaliard solus.
So this is Tyre, and this the Court, heere must I kill King Pericles, and if I doe it not, I am sure to be hang'd at home: t'is daungerous.
Well, I perceive he was a wise fellowe, and had good discretion, that beeing bid to aske what hee would of the King, desired he might knowe none of his secrets.
Now doe I see hee had some reason for't: for if a king bidde a man bee a villaine, hee's bound by the indenture of his oath to bee one.
Husht, heere comes the Lords of Tyre.
Enter Hellicanus, Escanes, with other Lords.
Helli.You shall not neede my fellow Peers of Tyre, further to question mee of your kings departure: his scaled Commission left in trust with mee, does speake sufficiently hee's gone to trauaile.
Thaliard.How? the King gone?
Hell.If further yet you will be satisfied, (why as it were vnlicensed of your loues) he would depart? Ile giue some light vnto you, beeing at Antioch.
Thal.What from Antioch?
Hell.Royall Antiochus on what cause I knowe not, tooke some displeasure at him, at least hee iudg'de so: and doubting lest hee had err'de or sinn'de, to shewe his sorrow, hee'de correct himselfe, so puts himselfe vnto the Ship-mans toyle, with whome eache minute threatens life or death.
Thaliard.Well, I perceiue I shall not be hang'd now, although I would, but since hee's gone, the Kings seas must please: hee scap'te the Land to perish at the Sea, I'le present my selfe. Peace to the Lords of Tyre. Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
Thal.From him I come with message vnto princely Pericles, but since my landing, I haue vnderstood your Lord has betake himselfe to vnknowne trauailes, now message must returne from whence it came.
Exit.Hell.Wee haue no reason to desire it, commended to our maister not to vs, yet ere you shall depart, this wee desire as friends to Antioch wee may feast in Tyre.
Enter Cleon the Gouerneur of Tharsus, with his wife and others.
Cleon.My Dyoniza shall wee rest vs heere, And by relating tales of others griefes, See if t'will teach vs to forget our owne?
Dion.That were to blow at fire in hope to quench it, For who digs hills because they doe aspire? Throwes downe one mountaine to cast vp a higher: O my distressed Lord, euen such our griefes are, Heere they are but felt, and seene with mischiefs eyes, But like to Groues, being topt, they higher rise.
Cleon.O Dioniza. Who wanteth food, and will not say hee wants it, Or can conceale his hunger till hee famish? Our toungs and sorrowes to sound deepe: Our woes into the aire, our eyes to weepe. Till toungs fetch breath that may proclaime Them louder, that if heauen slumber, while Their creatures want, they may awake Their helpers, to comfort them. Ile then discourse our woes felt seuerall yeares, And wanting breath to speake, helpe mee with teares.
Dyoniza.Ile doe my best Syr.
Cleon.This Tharsus ore which I haue the gouernement, A Cittie on whom plentie held full hand: For riches strew'de her selfe euen in her streetes, 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.
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?
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.
Enter a Lord.
Lord.Wheres the Lord Gouernour?
Cle.Here, speake out thy sorrowes, which thee bringst in hast, for comfort is too farre for vs to expect.
Lord.Wee haue descryed vpon our neighbouring shore a portlie saile of ships make hitherward.
Cleon.I thought as much. One sorrowe neuer comes but brings an heire, That may succeede as his inheritor: And so in ours, some neighbouring nation, Taking aduantage of our miserie, That stuff't the hollow vessels with their power, To beat vs downe, the which are downe alreadie, And make a conquest of vnhappie mee, Whereas no glories got to ouercome.
Lord.That's the least feare. For by the semblance of their white flagges displayde, they bring vs peace, and come to vs as sauourers, not as foes.
Cleon.Thou speak'st like himnes vntuterd to repeat, Who makes the fairest showe, meanes most deceit. But bring they what they will, and what they can, What need wee leaue our grounds the lowest? And wee are halfe way there: Goe tell their Generall wee attend him heere, to know for what he comes, and whence he comes, and what he craues?
Lord.I goe my Lord.
Cleon.Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist, If warres, wee are vnable to resist.
Enter Pericles with attendants.
Per.Lord Gouernour, for so wee heare you are, Let not our Ships and number of our men, Be like a beacon fier'de, t'amaze your eyes, Wee haue heard your miseries as farre as Tyre, And seene the desolation of your streets, Nor come we to adde sorrow to your teares, But to relieue them of their heauy loade, And these our Ships you happily may thinke, Are like the Troian Horse, was stuft within With bloody veines expecting ouerthrow, Are stor'd with Corne, to make your needie bread, And giue them life, whom hunger-staru'd halfe dead.
Omnes.The Gods of Greece protect you, And wee'le pray for you.
Per.Arise I pray you, rise; we do not looke for reuerence, But for loue, and harborage for our selfe, our ships, & men.
Cleon.The which when any shall not gratifie, Or pay you with vnthankfulnesse in thought, Be it our Wiues, our Children, or our selues, The Curse of heauen and men succeed their euils: Till when the which (I hope) shall neare be seene: Your Grace is welcome to our Towne and vs. Peri. Which welcome wee'le accept, feast here awhile, ExeuntVntill our Starres that frowne, lend vs a simile.
Enter Gower.
Heere haue you seene a mightie King, His child I'wis to incest bring: A better Prince, and benigne Lord, That Will proue awfull both in deed and word: Be quiet then, as men should bee, Till he hath past necessitie: I'le shew you those in troubles raigne; Loosing a Mite,a Mountaine gaine: The good in conuersation, To whom I give my benizon: Is still at Tharstill, where each man, Thinkes all is writ, he spoken can: And to remember what he does, Build his Statue to make him glorious: But tidinges to the contrarie, Are brought your eyes, what need speake I.
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