Hel. Try honour's cause; forbear your suffrages:

If that you love prince Pericles, forbear.
Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,
Where's hourly trouble, for a minute's ease.
A twelvemonth longer, let me then entreat you
To forbear choice i'the absence of your king;
If in which time expir'd, he not return,
I shall with aged patience bear your yoke.
But if I cannot win you to this love,
Go search like noblemen, like noble subjects,
And in your search spend your adventurous worth;
Whom if you find, and win unto return,

You shall like diamonds sit about his crown.

1 Lord. To wisdom he's a fool that will not

yield; And, since lord Helicane enjoineth us, We with our travels will endeavour it.

Hel. Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp

hands;

When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands.

SCENE V.

[Exeunt.

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 A married life.

Her reason to herself is only known,

Which from herself by no means can I get.

2 Knight. May we not get access to her, my

lord?

Sim. 'Faith, by no means; she hath so strictly

tied her

To her chamber, that it is impossible.

One twelve moons more she'll wear Diana's livery; This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd,

And on her virgin honour will not break it.

3 Knight. Though loath to bid farewell, we take

our leaves.

Sim. So

[Exeunt.

They're well despatch'd; now to my daughter's

letter:

She tells me here, she'll wed the stranger knight,
Or never more to view nor day nor light.
Mistress, 'tis well, your choice agrees with mine;
I like that well: -nay, how absolute she's in't,
Not minding whether I dislike or no!
Well, I commend her choice;

And will no longer have it be delay'd.
Soft, here he comes: - I must dissemble it.

Enter PERICLES.

Per. All fortune to the good Simonides !

Sim. To you as much, sir! I am beholden to

you,

For your sweet musick this last night: my ears, I do protest, were never better fed

With such delightful pleasing harmony.

Per. It is your grace's pleasure to commend;

Not my desert.

Sim.

Sir, you are musick's master.

Per. The worst of all her scholars, my good Sim. Let me ask one thing. What do you

think, sir, of

My daughter?

Per.

As of a most virtuous princess.

Sim. And she is fair too, is she not?
Per. As a fair day in summer; wond'rous fair.
Sim. My daughter, sir, thinks very well of you;

Ay, so well, sir, that you must be her master,
And she'll your scholar be; therefore look to it.
Per. Unworthy I to be her schoolmaster.
Sim. She thinks not so; peruse this writing else.
Per. What's here!

[Aside.

A letter, that she loves the knight of Tyre?
'Tis the king's subtilty, to have my life.
O, seek not to intrap, my gracious lord,
A stranger, and distressed gentleman,
That never aim'd so high, to love your daughter,
But bent all offices to honour her.

Sim. Thou hast bewitch'd my daughter, and

A villain.

thou art

Per. By the gods, I have not, sir.
Never did thought of mine levy offence;

Nor never did my actions yet commence
A deed might gain her love, or your displeasure.

Sim. Traitor, thou liest.

Per.

Traitor!

Sim.

Ay, traitor, sir.

That calls me traitor, I return the lie.

Per. Even in his throat, (unless it be the king,)

Sim. Now, by the gods, I do applaud his cou[Aside.

rage.

Per. My actions are as noble as my thoughts, That never relish'd of a base descent.

I came unto your court, for honour's cause,

And not to be a rebel to her state:

And he that otherwise accounts of me,

This sword shall prove he's honour's enemy.
Sim. No!

Here comes my daughter, she can witness it.

Enter THAISA.

Per. Then, as you are as virtuous as fair, Resolve your angry father, if my tongue Did e'er solicit, or my hand subscribe To any syllable that made love to you? Thai. Why, sir, say if you had, Who takes offence at that would make me glad? Sim. Yea, mistress, are you so perémptory? I am glad of it with all my heart. [aside.] I'll tame

you;

I'll bring you in subjection. -
Will you, not having my consent, bestow
Your love and your affections on a stranger?
(Who, for aught I know to the contrary,
Or think, may be as great in blood as I.)

[Aside.

Hear therefore, mistress; frame your will to

mine,

And you, sir, hear you. - Either be rul'd by me, Or I will make you - man and wife.

Nay, come; your hands and lips must seal it too.And being join'd, I'll thus your hopes destroy; And for a further grief,

-God give you joy!

What, are you both pleas'd?

Thai.

Yes, if you love me, sir.

Per. Even as my life, my blood that fosters it.
Sim. What, are you both agreed?

Both.

Yes, please your majesty.

Sim. It pleaseth me so well, I'll see you wed: Then, with what haste you can, get you to bed.

[Exeunt. ACT III.

Enter GOWER.

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 'fore the mouse's hole:
And crickets sing at th' oven's mouth,
As 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; 6
What's dumb in show, I'll plain with speech.

Dumb Show.

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. S1MONIDES shows his Daughter the Letter; she rejoices: she and PERICLES take leave of her Father, and depart. Then SIMONIDES, &c. retire.

Gow. By many a dearn 7 and painful perch 8 Of Pericles the careful search