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Did the sea toss upon our shore this chest:

'Tis of some wreck.

Cer.

Set 't down, let's look upon 't.

Sec. Gent. 'Tis like a coffin, sir. Cer. Whate'er it be, 'Tis wondrous heavy. Wrench it open straight: If the sea's stomach be o'ercharged with gold, 'Tis a good constraint of fortune it belches upon us. Sec. Gent. 'Tis so, my lord.

Cer.

How close 'tis caulk'd and bitumed!

Did the sea cast it up?

First Serv. I never saw so huge a billow, sir, As toss'd it upon shore.

Cer.

Wrench it open;

Soft! it smells most sweetly in my sense.

Sec. Gent. A delicate odour.

Cer. As ever hit my nostril. So, up with it. O you most potent gods! what's here? a corse! First Gent. Most strange!

Cer. Shrouded in cloth of state; balm'd and

entreasured

With full bags of spices! A passport too!

Apollo, perfect me in the characters!

[Reads from a scroll.

'Here I give to understand,

If e'er this coffin drive a-land,
I, King Pericles, have lost

This queen, worth all our mundane cost.
Who finds her, give her burying;
She was the daughter of a king:
Besides this treasure for a fee,
The gods requite his charity!'

If thou livest, Pericles, thou hast a heart

That even cracks for woe! This chanced to-night.

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55. Fortune has done well in forcing it to disgorge upon our

coast.'

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Death may usurp on nature many hours,
And yet the fire of life kindle again
The o'erpress'd spirits.

I heard of an Egyptian

That had nine hours lien dead,

Who was by good appliance recovered.

Re-enter a Servant, with boxes, napkins,
and fire.

Well said, well said; the fire and cloths.
The rough and woeful music that we have,
Cause it to sound, beseech you.

The viol once more: how thou stirr'st, thou

block!

The music there!-I pray you, give her air.

Gentlemen,

This queen will live
Breathes out of her:

nature awakes; a warmth

she hath not been entranced

Above five hours: see how she gins to blow

dead.

90

(but lying for lien is clearly wrong).

84 f. This passage is probably Recover'd bodies nine hours lying corrupt. The corresponding place in the novel makes the cure exercised by, not upon, 'Egyptians': 'I have read of some Egyptians who, after four hours' death, have raised impoverished bodies like to this, unto their former health.' Hudson has plausibly restored the lines thus:

Of an Egyptian I have heard who had by good appliances

90. viol. The Ff and three later Qq have vial, i.e. ‘phial'; and it is possible that Wilkins understood it so, as he says: When pouring a precious liquor into her mouth, he perceived warmth,' etc. But the context strongly suggests that the reference is to music.

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Her eyelids, cases to those heavenly jewels
Which Pericles hath lost,

Begin to part their fringes of bright gold;
The diamonds of a most praised water

Do appear, to make the world twice rich. Live,
And make us weep to hear your fate, fair creature,
Rare as you seem to be.

Thai.

[She moves.

O dear Diana,

What world

Where am I? Where's my lord?

is this?

Sec. Gent. Is not this strange?

First Gent.

Cer.

Most rare.

Hush, my gentle neighbours !

Lend me your hands; to the next chamber bear

her.

Get linen now this matter must be look'd to,
For her relapse is mortal. Come, come;

And Esculapius guide us!

[Exeunt, carrying her away.

SCENE III. Tarsus. A room in Cleon's house.

Enter PERICLES, Cleon, DIONYZA, and LYCHO-
RIDA with MARINA in her arms.

Per. Most honour'd Cleon, I must needs be
gone;

My twelve months are expired, and Tyrus stands

106. Where am 1? etc. Thaisa's words are from Gower, Conf. Am. (bk. viii.). In the 65

VOL. IV

100

110

novel, Cerimon, with a physician's instinct, gives a reassuring answer to her questions.

F

In a litigious peace. You, and your lady,
Take from my heart all thankfulness!

Make up the rest upon you!

The gods

Cle. Your shafts of fortune, though they hurt

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Per.

We cannot but obey
The powers above us. Could I rage and roar
As doth the sea she lies in, yet the end
Must be as 'tis. My gentle babe Marina, whom,
For she was born at sea, I have named so, here
I charge your charity withal, leaving her
The infant of your care; beseeching you

To give her princely training, that she may be
Manner'd as she is born.

Cle.
Fear not, my lord, but think
Your grace, that fed my country with your corn,
For which the people's prayers still fall upon you,
Must in your child be thought on. If neglection
Should therein make me vile, the common body,

By you relieved, would force me to my duty:
But if to that my nature need a spur,

The gods revenge it upon me and mine,
To the end of generation!

Per.

I believe you;

Your honour and your goodness teach me to 't,
Without your vows. Till she be married, madam,
By bright Diana, whom we honour, all

Unscissar'd shall this hair of mine remain,
Though I show ill in 't. So I take my leave.
Good madam, make me blessed in your care
In bringing up my child.

ΤΟ

20,

-30

Dion.

I have one myself,

Who shall not be more dear to my respect

Than yours, my lord.

Per.

Madam, my thanks and prayers.

Cle. We'll bring your grace e'en to the edge

o' the shore,

Then give you up to the mask'd Neptune and
The gentlest winds of heaven.

Per.

Your offer.

I will embrace

Come, dearest madam. O, no tears,

Lychorida, no tears:
Look to your little mistress, on whose grace
You may depend hereafter. Come, my lord.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Ephesus. A room in Cerimon's

house.

Enter CERIMON and THAISA.

Cer. Madam, this letter, and some certain
jewels,

Lay with you in your coffer: which are now
At your command. Know you the character?
Thai. It is my lord's.

That I was shipp'd at sea, I well remember,
Even on my eaning time; but whether there
Deliver'd, by the holy gods,

I cannot rightly say.

But since King Pericles,

My wedded lord, I ne'er shall see again,

A vestal livery will I take me to,

And never more have joy.

Cer. Madam, if this you purpose as ye speak,

36. the mask'd Neptune, the sea-god in his calmest aspect. 6. on my eaning time, when I

40

ΤΟ

was on the point of being delivered.

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