That all those eyes ador'd them ere their fall, HEL. Enter three Lords. 1 LORD. See, not a man in private conference Or council hath respect with him but he. 2 LORD. It shall no longer grieve without reproof. [it. 3 LORD. And curs'd be he that will not second 1 LORD. Follow me, then: lord Helicane, a word. HEL. With me? and welcome: happy day, my lords. 1 LORD. Know that our griefs are risen to the top, And now at length they overflow their banks. HEL. Your griefs! for what? wrong not your prince you love. 1 LORD. Wrong not yourself, then, noble Heli cane; But, if the prince do live, let us salute him, * 2 LORD. Whose death's, indeed, the strongest in our censure: And knowing this kingdom is without a head, (Like goodly buildings left without a roof Soon fall to ruin,) your noble self, That best know'st how to rule, and how to reign, We thus submit unto,-our sovereign. ALL. Live, noble Helicane. HEL. Fort honour's cause forbear your suffrages: If that you love prince Pericles, forbear. You shall like diamonds sit about his crown. (*) Old editions, death. (†) Old copies, Try: amended by Mr. Dyce. 1 LORD. To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield; And since lord Helicane enjoineth us, HEL. Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands; When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-Pentapolis. A Room in the Palace. Enter SIMONIDES, reading a Letter; the Knights meet him. 1 KNIGHT. Good morrow to the good Simonides. SIM. Knights, from my daughter this I let you know, That for this twelvemonth she'll not undertake Her reason to herself is only known, SIM. Faith, by no means: she hath so strictly Sr. Let me ask you one thing. What do you think of my daughter, sir? PER. A most virtuous princess. SIM. And she is fair too, is she not? PER. As a fair day in summer,-wondrous fair. SIM. Sir, my daughter thinks very well of you; Ay, so well, that you must be her master, And she will be your scholar: therefore look to it. PER. I am unworthy for her schoolmaster. SIM. She thinks not so: peruse this writing else. PER. [Aside.] What's here! A letter, that she loves the knight of Tyre! | Will you, not having my consent, bestow Therefore, hear you, mistress; either frame Nay, come, your hands and lips must seal it too: THAI. BOTH. Yes, if it please your majesty. SIM. It pleaseth me so well, that I will see you wed; Then, with what haste you can, get you to bed. [Exeunt.(4) Gow. Now sleep yslaked hath the rout ; No din but snores, the house about,* Made louder by the o'er-fed breast Of this most pompous marriage-feast. The cat, with eyne of burning coal, Now couches from the mouse's hole; And crickets sing at th' oven's mouth, Ave the blither for their drouth. Hymen hath brought the bride to bed, Where, by the loss of maidenhead, A babe is moulded.-Be attent, And time that is so briefly spent, With your fine fancies quaintly eche; What's dumb in show, I'll plain with speech. Dumb show. Enter Gower. Enter PERICLES and SIMONIDES, at one door, with Attendants; a Messenger meets them, kneels, and gives PERICLES a letter. PERICLES shows it to SIMONIDES; the Lords kneel to the former. Then enter THAISA with child, and LYCHORIDA, a nurse. SIMONIDES shows his daughter the letter: she r joices; she and PERICLES take leave of her father, and depart with LYCHORIDA and Attendants. Then exeunt SIMONIDES and the rest. By many a dernea and painful perch, By the four opposing coigns,+ Are letters brought; the tenour these :- Of Helicanus would set on The crown of Tyre, but he will none; Come not home in twice six moons, Will take the crown. The sum of this, Who dream'd, who thought of such a thing? : So I nill relate; action may This stage the ship, upon whose deck The sea-tost* Pericles appears to speak. [Exit. |