Lyc.

Even for this charge.

PER.

Patience, good sir,

Now, mild may be thy life! For a more blust'rous birth had never babe: Quiet and gentle thy conditions!

For thou art the rudcliest welcome to this world,
That ere was prince's child. Happy what follows!
Thou hast as chiding a nativity,

As fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make,
To herald thee from the womb: even at the first,
Thy loss is more than can thy portage quit,
With all thou canst find here.-Now the good gods
Throw their best eyes upon it!(1)

Enter two Sailors.

1 SAIL. What courage, sir? God save you! PER. Courage enough: I do not fear the flaw; It hath done to me the worst: yet, for the love Of this poor infant, this fresh-new sea-farer, I would it would be quiet.

1 SAIL. Slack the bolins there! Thou wilt not, wilt thou? Blow and split thyself.

2 SAIL. But sea-room, an the brine and cloudy billow kiss the moon, I care not.

1 SAIL. Sir, your queen must overboard; the sea works high, the wind is loud, and will not lie till the ship be cleared of the dead.

PER. That's your superstition.

1 SAIL. Pardon us, sir; with us at sea it hath been still observed, and we are strong in custom: therefore briefly yield her, for she must overboard straight.

PER. A terrible childbed hast thou had, my dear; No light, no fire: the unfriendly elements Forgot thee utterly; nor have I time

To give thee hallow'd to thy grave, but straight
Must cast thee, scarcely coffin'd, in the ooze;
Where, for a monument upon thy bones,
And aye-remaining lamps, the belching whale
And humming water must o'erwhelm thy corpse,
Lying with simple shells. O, Lychorida,
Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink and paper,
My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander
Bring me the satin coffer: lay the babe
Upon the pillow; hie thee, whiles I say
A priestly farewell to her; suddenly, woman.
[Exit LYCHоRIDA.

(*) Old copies, oare; corrected by Steevens.
(1) Old copies, coffin.

A For thou art the rudeliest welcome-] Malone changed welcome to welcom'd; but the former is the word adopted in Wilkins' novel:-"Poor inch of nature (quoth he) thou arte as rudely lee to the worlde, as ever Princesse Babe was, and hast as chiding a nativitie as fire, ayre, earth and water can affoord thee."

2 SAIL. Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches, caulked and bitumed ready.

PER. I thank thee.-Mariner, say, what coast is this?

2 SAIL. We are near Tharsus. PER. Thither, gentle mariner!

Alter thy course for Tyre; when canst thou reach it?

2 SAIL. By break of day, if the wind cease.
PER. O make for Tharsus!-

There will I visit Cleon, for the babe
Cannot hold out to Tyrus; there I'll leave it
At careful nursing.-Go thy ways, good mariner;
I'll bring the body presently.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Ephesus. A Room in Cerimon's House.

Enter CERIMON, a Servant, and some persons who have been shipwrecked.

CER. Philemon, ho!

Enter PHILEMON.

1 GENT. But I much marvel that your lordship, having

Rich tire about you, should at these early hours
Shake off the golden slumber of repose:
It is most strange,

Nature should be so conversant with pain,
Being thereto not compell'd.

a

CER.
I hold it ever,
Virtue and cunning were endowments greater
Than nobleness and riches: careless heirs
May the two latter darken and expend;
But immortality attends the former,
Making a man a god. 'Tis known, I ever
Have studied physic, through which secret art,
By turning o'er authorities, I have
(Together with my practice) made familiar
To me and to my aid, the bless'd infusions
That dwell in vegetives, in metals, stones;
And I can speak of the disturbances

That nature works, and of her cures; which doth

Or tie my treasure up in silken bags,
To please the fool and death.

2 GENT. Your honour has through Ephesus pour'd forth

Your charity, and hundreds call themselves
Your creatures, who by you have been restor❜d:
And not your knowledge, your personal pain, but

CER. 'Tis wondrous heavy; wrench it open straight; If the sea's stomach be o'ercharg'd with gold, 'Tis a good constraint of Fortune it belches upon us.c

2 GENT. It is so, my lord.

(*) Old text, pleasure, corrected by Steevens.

(t) Old editions, up upon.

e 'Tis a good constraint of Fortune it belches upon us.] Manifestly and incorrigibly corrupt.

"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 liv'st, Pericles, thou hast a heart
That even cracks* for woe! This chanc'd to-night.
2 GENT. Most likely, sir.
CER.
Nay, certainly to-night; [rough
For look how fresh she looks!-They were too
That threw her in the sea. Make a fire within ;
Fetch hither all my boxes in my closet.
Death may usurp on nature many hours,
And yet the fire of life kindle again
The o'erpress'd spirits. I have heard+
Of an Egyptian that had nine hours lien dead,
Who was by good appliance recovered.a

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; nature awakes; a warmth
Breathes out of her: she hath not been entranc'd
Above five hours. See how she 'gins to blow
Into life's flower again!

1 GENT.

The heavens

(*) First edition, 1609, ever cracks.
(+) Old copies, I heard; have inserted by Malone.
(1) Old copies, warmth breath, and warm breath.

a By good appliance recovered.] This passage, seems hopelessly depraved. In the novel founded on the play it runs as follows:-"I have read of some Egyptians, who after four houres death, (if man may call it so) have raised impoverished bodies, like to this, unto their former health."

b Wand'ringly-] Steevens's emendation; the old editions reading, wond'ringly.

As doth the sea she lies in, yet the end
Must be as 't is. My gentle babe, Marina,-whom,
For she was born at sea, I have nam'd 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 reliev'd, 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'de 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.

(*) Old copies, shakes.

(†) First quarto, haunt; folio, 1664, hate.

e Unscissar'd-] The old copies read, "unsister'd shall this heir." The correction, which was made by Steevens, is established by the corresponding passage in Wilkins' novel: Vowing solemnely by othe to himselfe, his head should grow uncisserd, his beard untrimmed, himself in all uncomely," &c.

Though I show ill in't.] The old copies have will. We adopt Mr. Dyce's reading.

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 yearning time;
But whether there delivered or no,

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 you speak,
Diana's temple is not distant far,

Where you may 'bide until your date expire:
Moreover, if you please, a niece of mine
Shall there attend you.

THAI. My recompense is thanks, that's all; Yet my good will is great, though the gift small. [Exeunt.

(*) The word now was inserted by Malone.
(†) First quarto, learning; second quarto, eaning.

a Where you may 'bide until-] The old editions have, "Where you may abide lill."