I'll show you those in troubles reign,

Losing a mite, a mountain gain :
The good in conversation,

To whom I give my benizon,

Is still at Tharsus, where each man
Thinks all is writ be spoken can:
And to remember what he does,
Build his statue to make him glorious :

But tidings to the contrary,

Are brought t'your eyes, what need speak I.

Dumb Show.

[Enter at one door, PERICLES talking with CLEON, all the Train with them. Enter at another door, a Gentleman with a letter to Pericles; Pericles shews the letter to Cleon, Pericles gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him.]

[Exit Pericles at one door, and Cleon at another. Good Helican that staid at home,

Not to eat honey, like a drone,

From others' labours; for though he strive

To killen bad, keep good alive:

And to fulfil his prince's desire,

Sav'd one of all that haps in Tyre:

How Thaliard came full bent with sin,

And had intent to murther him;

And that in Tharsus was not best,
Longer for him to make bis rest:

He doing so, put forth to seas,

Where when men bin, there's seldom ease:

For now the wind begins to blow ;
Thunder above, and deeps below,
Make such unquiet, that the ship

Should house him safe, is wreck'd and split;
And he, good prince, having all lost,

By waves, from coast to coast is toast;
All perishen of man, of pelf,
Ne ought escapen'd but himself;
'Till fortune tir'd with doing bad,
Threw him ashore to give him glad:
And here he comes; what shall be next,
Pardon old Gower, thus long's the text.

SCENE II,

A Sea Beach near Pentapolis. PERICLES enters, having been ship-wreck'd,

Per. Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of Heav'n, Wind, rain, and thunder! remember earthly man Is but a substance that must yield to you:

And I, as fits my nature, do obey you.

Alas! the sea hath cast me on the rocks,

Washt me from shore to shore, and left my breath
Nothing to think on, but ensuing death,
Let it suffice the greatness of your powers,
To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes;
And having thrown him from your wat❜ry grave,
Here to have death in peace, is all he'll crave.

Three Fishermen enter.

1 Fish. What, to pelch?

2 Fish. Ha, come and bring away the nets.

1 Fish. What patch breech, I say.

3

Fish. What say you, master?

1 Fish. Look how thou stirrest now;

Come away, I'll fetch thee with a wannion.

2 Fish. Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men That were cast away before us, even now.

1 Fish. Alas! poor souls it griev'd my heart to hear What pitiful cries they made to us, to help them, When, well-a-day, we could scarcely help ourselves. 3 Fish. Nay, said not I as much,

When I saw the porpus how he bounc'd and tumbl❜d? They say, they are half fish, half flesh;

A plague on them, they ne'er come but I look to be washt.

Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea?

1 Fish. Why, as men do at land,

The great ones eat up little ones :

I can compare our rich misers, to nothing so fitly
As to a whale; he plays and tumbles,

Driving the poor fry before him,

And at last devours them all at a mouthful.
Such whales have I heard on a'th'land,

Who never leave gaping, 'till they swallowed
The whole parish, church, steeple, bells and all.
Per. A pretty moral.

3 Fish. But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfrey.

2 Fish. Why, man?

3

Fish. Because he should have swallow'd me too : And when I had been in his belly,

I would have kept such a jangling of the bells,

That he should never have left,

'Till he cast bells, steeple,church, and parish up again. But if the good king Symonides were of my mind— Per. Symonides!

Fish. We would purge the land of these drones, That rob the bee of her honey.

Per. How from the finny subject of the sea
These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
And from their watry empire recollect,
All that may men approve, or men detect.
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.

2 Fish. Honest, good fellow, what's that if it be a day fits you,

Search out of the kalender, and no body look after it? Fer. Y'may see the sea hath cast me upon your coast. 2 Fish. What a drunken knave was the sea,

To cast thee in our way?

Per. A man, whom both the waters and the wind,

In that vast tennis-court, hath made the ball

For them to play upon, intreats you pity him:
He asks of you, that never us'd to beg.

1 Fish. No, friend, cannot you beg?

Here's them in our country of Greece,

Get more with begging, than we can do with working. 2 Fish. Canst thou catch any fishes then ?

Per. I never practis'd it.

I

2 Fish. Nay, then thou wilt starve sure: for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst fish for't.

Per. What I have been, I have forgot to know;
But what I am, want teaches me to think on;
A man throng'd up with cold, my veins are chill,
And have no more of life than may suffice
To give my tongue that heat to ask your help;
Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,
For that I am a man, pray see me buried.

1 Fish. Die, ko-tha, now Gods forbid; I have a gown here, come put it on, keep thee warm; now afore me a handsome fellow: come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for all day, fish for fasting days and more; or puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome.

Per. I thank you, sir.

2 Fish. Hark you, my friend, you said you could not beg.

Per. I did but crave.

2 Fish. But crave? then I'll turn craver too,

And so I shall 'scape whipping.

Per. Why, are all your beggars whipt then?

2 Fish. Oh not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipt, I would wish no better office, than to be beadle. But master, I'll go draw the net.

Per. How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!

1 Fish. Hark you, sir, do you know where you are? Per. Not well.