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For he's their parent, and he is their grave,

And gives them what he will, not what they crave.
Sim. What, are you merry, knights?

1 Knight. Who can be other, in this royal prefence?
Sim. Here, with a cup that's ftor'd unto the brim,
(As you do love, fill to your mistress' lips,)

We drink this health to you.

Knights.

Sim. Yet paufe a while;

We thank your grace.

Yon knight, methinks, doth fit too melancholy,
As if the entertainment in our court

Had not a show might countervail his worth.

Note it not you, Thaifa?

Thai.

To me, my father?

Sim.

What is it

O, attend, my daughter;

Princes, in this, fhould live like gods above,
Who freely give to every one that comes
To honour them: and princes, not doing so,

Are like to gnats, which make a found, but kill'd
Are wonder'd at.

Therefore to make's entrance more fweet, here say,
We drink this standing-bowl of wine to him.
Thai. Alas, my father, it befits not me

Unto a stranger knight to be so bold;
He may my proffer take for an offence,
Since men take women's gifts for impudence.
Sim. How!

Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else.

Thai. Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.

Sim. And further tell him, we defire to know,

Of whence he is, his name and parentage.

[Afide.

Thai. The king my father, fir, has drunk to you.

Per.

Per. I thank him.

Thai. Wifhing it fo much blood unto your

life.

Per. I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely. Thai. And further he defires to know of you, Of whence you are, your name and parentage. Per. A gentleman of Tyre-(my name, Pericles; My education being in arts and arms ;)— Who looking for adventures in the world, Was by the rough seas reft of ships and men, And, after fhipwreck, driven upon this fhore. Thai. He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles, A gentleman of Tyre, who only by

Misfortune of the feas has been bereft

Of ships and men, and cast upon this shore.
Sim. Now by the gods, I pity his misfortune,
And will awake him from his melancholy.
Come, gentlemen, we fit too long on trifles,
And waite the time, which looks for other revels.
Even in your armours, as you are address'd,
Will very well become a foldier's dance.

I will not have excufe, with faying, this
Loud mufick is too harsh for ladies' heads;
Since they love men in arms, as well as beds.

[The Knights dance.

So, this was well ask'd, 'twas fo well perform'd.

Come, fir;

Here is a lady that wants breathing too :

And I have often head, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip;

And that their measures are as excellent.

Per. In those that practise them, they are, my lord.
Sim. O, that's as much, as you would be deny'd

[The Knights and Ladies dance.

Of your fair courtefy.-Unclafp, unclasp;

Thanks,

Thanks, gentlemen, to all; all have done well,

But you the beft. [To PERICLES.] Pages and lights, conduct

Thefe knights unto their several lodgings: Yours, fir,
We have given order to be next our own.
Per. I am at your grace's pleasure.

Sim. Princes, it is too late to talk of love,
For that's the mark I know you level at:
Therefore each one betake him to his reft;
To-morrow, all for speeding do their best.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Tyre. A Room in the Governor's House.

Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES.

Hel. No, no, my Efcanes; know this of me,-
Antiochus from incest liv'd not free;

For which, the most high gods not minding longer
To withhold the vengeance that they had in store,
Due to this heinous capital offence;

Even in the height and pride of all his glory,
When he was feated, and his daughter with him,
In a chariot of ineftimable value,

A fire from heaven came, and fhrivel'd up
Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so ftunk,
That all thofe eyes ador'd them, ere their fall,
Scorn now their hand should give them burial.
Efca. 'Twas very strange.

Hel.

And yet but juft; for though This king were great, his greatness was no guard To bar heaven's fhaft, but fin had his reward. Efca. 'Tis very true.

Enter

Enter three Lords.

1 Lord. See, not a man in private conference, Or council, has refpect with him but he.

2 Lord. It shall no longer grieve, without reproof. 3 Lord. And curs'd be he that will not fecond it. Lord. Follow me then: Lord Helicane, a word. Hel. With me? and welcome: Happy day, my lords. 1 Lord. Know, that our griefs are rifen to the top, And now at length they overflow their banks.

Hel. Your griefs, for what? wrong not the prince you love.

■ Lord. Wrong not yourself then, noble Helicane; But if the prince do live, let us falute him,

Or know what ground's made happy by his breath.
If in the world he live, we'll feek him out;
If in his grave he reft, we'll find him there;
And be refolv'd, he lives to govern us,
Or dead, gives cause to mourn his funeral,
And leaves us to our free election.

2 Lord. Whofe death's, indeed, the ftrongest in our cenfure:

And knowing this kingdom, if without a head, (Like goodly buildings left without a roof,)

Will foon to ruin fall, your noble self,

That best know'ft how to rule, and how to reign,
We thus fubmit unto,-our fovereign.

All. Live, noble Helicane!

Hel. Try honour's cause; forbear your suffrages: If that you love prince Pericles, forbear.

Take I your with, I leap into the feas,

Where's hourly trouble, for a minute's ease.
A twelvemonth longer, let me then entreat you

To

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