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Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Act II, Scene 1

Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side.
 
[Enter PERICLES wet]
 
PERICLES
            ,           ,         ,       ,           x
      Yet cease | your ire,| you ang|ry stars | of heaven,
        T     T    .      Tx       ,        ,       ,
      Wind, rain, and thunder:| remem|ber earth|ly man
          ,        ,    ,                 ,         ,
      Is but | a subs|tance that | must yield | to you:
          ,        ,        ,   ,     2   ,
      And I |(as fits | my nat|ure) do o|bey you.
        ,          ,           ,        ,         ,
      Alas,| the seas | hath cast | me on | the rocks,
         ,               ,          ,           ,          ,
      Washed me | from shore | to shore,| and left | my breath
        ,            ,          ,       ,       ,
      Nothing | to think | on, but | ensu|ing death:
       ,            ,          ,         ,           x
      Let it | suffice | the great|ness of | your powers,
           ,        ,            x      ,          ,
      To have | bereft | a prince of | all his | fortunes,
           ,         ,           ,          ,   2    ,
      And hav|ing thrown | him from | your wat|ery grave,
        ,              ,          ,         ,            ,
      Here to | have death | in peace,| is all | he'll crave.
 
[Enter three FISHERMEN]
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
What, ho Pilch?
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
Ha, come and bring away the nets.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
What Patch-breech, I say.
 
THIRD FISHERMAN
What say you, master?
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
Look how thou stirrest now,
        ,     ,     2         ,            ,       ,
      Come a|way, or I'll | fetch thee | with a | wanion.
 
THIRD FISHERMAN
        ,     ,       2       ,                   ,   ,
      Faith mast/er, I am | thinking | of the / poor men
        ,           ,     ,       ,         2   ,
      That were | cast a|way be|fore us,| even^now.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
      . T    T    T           ,           ,          ,
      Alas poor souls,| it grieved | my heart | to hear
            ,   2     ,            ,      x           ,
      What pit|iful cries | they made | to us, to | help them,
        T     T  .  T      2         ,        ,          ,
      When (well-a-day)| we could scarce|ly help | ourselves.
 
THIRD FISHERMAN
      ___    ,         ,        ,        ,
      Nay | master,| said not | I as | much,
      <-    2      ,         ,        ,          ,            ,
        When I || saw the | porpus | how he | bounced and | tumbled?
            ,              ,      T     T    T
      They say,| they're half | fish, half flesh:
      <-      ,           ,           ,      ,     2      ,             ,
         A plague || on them,| they nere | come but I | look to | be washed.
        ,           x        2      ,       ,      2     ,
      Master,| I marvel | how the fish|es live | in the sea?
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
       ,        T   T .   T
      Why as | men do a-land,  \\
            ,       T   T   T        ,        ,
      The great | ones eat up | the lit|tle ones:
      ,    2      ,          ,   ,              ,    2       ,   ->
      I can com|pare our | rich mis/ers, to | nothing so || fitly
      ,    2      ,           ,           ,
      As to a | whale; he | plays and | tumbles,
        ,             ,     ,       ,        oo
      Driving | the poor | fry be|fore him,|
       ,         ,       ,           ,    2      ,
      And at | last de|vours them | all at a | mouthful.
        ,     ,                T    T  T         ,
      Such whales / have I | heard on of | the land,
           ,       ,      ,         ,             ,
      Who nev|er leave | gaping,| till they've^|swallowed
            ,      ,          T       Tx      T          ,
      The whole | parish,| church, steeple, bells,| and all.
 
PERICLES
A pretty moral.
 
THIRD FISHERMAN
       ,   ,            ,         ,         ,
      But mas/ter, if | I had | been the | sexton,
      ,      2         ,          ,    2       ,
      I would have | been that | day in the | belfry.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
                                                      ,
                                                     Why man?
 
THIRD FISHERMAN
          ,           ,            ,           ,  ,
      Because | he should | have swal|lowed / me too,
       T    T  T         ,     ,        ,
      And when I | had been | in his | belly,
          ,            ,      ,        ,          2      ,
      I would | have kept | such a | jangling | of the bells,
            ,            x            ,
      That he | should never | have left,
      <-            ,    ,        Tx        T     .   T       ,      ,
        Till he / cast bells,|| steeple, church, and par|ish up | again:
      <- ,    2         T    T   . T     ,            ,   ,
        But if the || good King Simon|ides / were of my mind,
 
PERICLES
         ,    ,
      Simon|ides?
 
THIRD FISHERMAN
                     2        ,           ,      2         ,
                   We would purge | the land | of these drones,
            ,         ,      2     ,
      That rob | the bee | of her hon|ey.  \\
 
PERICLES
       ,              ,      ,    ,            ,
      How from | the fin|ny sub|ject of | the sea
              ,        ,       2   ,      ,        ,
      These fish|ers tell | the infir|mities | of men,
            ,           ,   2   ,       ,      ,
      And from | their wat|ery emp|ire^rec|ollect,
       ,              ,        ,         ,        ,
      All that | may men | approve,| or men | detect.
        ,    ,              ,       ,         ,   2
      Peace be / at your | labor,| honest | fishermen.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
       ,             ,                  ,     x       2   ,      ,
      Honest,| good fel|low, what's / that, if it | be a day | fits you,
         ,    ,              ,   2          ,   2    ,     ,   2
      Search out / of the | calendar,| and nob|ody look | after it?  (hex with prev)
 
PERICLES
         2     ,         ,           ,      ,           ,
      You may see | the sea | hath cast | upon | your coast.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
        ,        ,         ,              ,    oo
      What a | drunken | knave was | the sea,|
           ,      ,            ,
      To cast | thee in | our way.   \\
 
PERICLES
         ,           ,         ,       ,          ,
      A man | whom both | the wat|ers and | the wind,
                  ,   ,        ,            ,          ,
      In that / vast ten|nis-court,| have made | the ball
            ,         ,     x          ,          ,  2
      For them | to play | upon, en|treats you | pity him:
           ,        ,          ,       ,        ,
      He asks | of you,| that nev|er used | to beg.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
            ,         ,         ,
      No friend,| cannot | you beg?  \\
         ,     ,               ,             ,
      Here's them / in our | country | of Greece,
      <-        ,           ,          ,     ,        ,          ,
         Gets^more || with beg|ging, than | we can | do with | working.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
              ,           ,     ,       ,
      Canst^thou | catch^an|y fish|es then?  \\
 
PERICLES
I never practised it.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
Nay then thou wilt starve sure; for here's nothing to be got nowadays, unless thou canst fish for it.
 
PERICLES
           ,          ,    ,            ,         ,
      What I | have been,| I have | forgot | to know;
            ,       ,     ,    ,        2       ,
      But what | I am,| want teach/es me to | think on:
         ,              ,          ,         ,           ,
      A man | thronged^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:
             ,         ,         ,         ,        ,    oo
      Which^if | you shall | refuse,| when I | am dead,|
            ,       ,      ,          ,        ,    ,
      For that | I am | a man,| pray see | me bur|ied.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
Die quoth-a, 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 flapjacks, and thou shalt be welcome.
 
PERICLES
I thank you, sir.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
Hark you, my friend, you said you could not beg.
 
PERICLES
I did but crave.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
But crave? Then I'll turn craver too,
And so I shall 'scape whipping.
 
PERICLES
Why, are all your beggars whipped then?
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
Oh not all, my friend, not all: for if all your beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office, than to be beadle. But master, I'll go draw the net.
 
[Exit with Third Fisherman]
 
PERICLES
            ,          ,        ,         ,            ,      ->
      How well | this hon|est mirth | becomes | their lab||or?
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
        ,          ,      2      ,         2    ,
      Hark | you, sir,| do you know | where ye are?
 
PERICLES
                                                          ,
                                                    Not well.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
          ,           ,          ,         ,    ,
      I tell | you, this | is called | Penta|polis,
       ,          ,           ,      ,   ___
      And our | king, the | good Si|moni|des.
 
PERICLES
            ,      ,      ,    ,     2        ,
      The good | King Si|moni|des, do you | call him:
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
       ,         ,            ,      ,            ,
      Aye sir,| and he | deserves | so to | be called,
       ,          ,  2        T     .    T   T      ,
      For his | peaceable | reign, and good gov|ernment.
 
PERICLES
       ,         ,       ,      ,          ,
      He is | a hap|py king,| since he | gains from
           ,    ,            ,         ,     2       ,   2
      His sub|jects, the | name of | good, by his | government.
           ,               ,    ,         ,           ,
      How far | is his / court dis|tant from | this shore?
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
Marry, sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and tomorrow is her birthday; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world, to joust and tourney for her love.
 
PERICLES
        ,         ,         ,          ,       ,
      Were my | fortunes | equal | to my | desires,
      ,           ,         T   T    T     oo
      I could | wish to | make one there.|
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
         ,       ,           ,            ,          ,       ,
      O sir,| things must | be as | they may:| and what | a man
       ,        ,             ,    2     ,                ,      ,
      Cannot | get, he | may law|fully deal | for his / wife's soul.  (hex with prev)
 
[Enter Second and Third Fishermen, drawing up a net]
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
Help, master, help, here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law, 'twill hardly come out. Ha bots on it, 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armor.
 
PERICLES
          ,         ,          ,         ,          x
      An arm|or, friends,| I pray | you let | me see it.
         ,     ,          2        ,       ,         ,
      Thanks fort/une, yet^that | after | all my | crosses,
             ,      ,         ,      2    ,        ,
      Thou give|st me | somewhat | to repair | myself:
                x                 ,    ,      2    ,     ,
      And though it | was mine / own part | of my her|itage,
        T    .   T    T      ,         ,         ,
      Which my dead fath|er did | bequeath | to me,
                     ,      ,      x             ,          ,
      With this / strict charge,| even as | he left | his life:
        ,           ,     ,      2       ,         ,
      Keep it,| my Per|icles,| it hath been | a shield
        T    T  .    T           ,       ,          ,
      Twixt me and death;| and point|ed to | this brace:
            ,         ,             x          ,       ,     ,
      For that | it saved | me; keep it | in like | neces|sity:
            ,           ,         ,            ,             ,    ,
      The which | the gods | protect | thee, Fame | may de/fend thee. (hex with prev)
           ,          ,     ,            ,          x
      It kept | where I | kept, I | so dear|ly loved it,
                   ,     ,           ,          ,    ,
      Till the / rough seas |(that spare | not an|y man)
        ,    2       ,               ,            x           ,
      Took it in | rage, though | calmed have | given it | again:
          ,             x      .   T   T     T         ,
      I thank | thee for it,| my shipwreck now's | no ill,
            ,          ,         ,         ,      2      ,
      Since I | have here | my fath|er's gift | in his will.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
             ,          ,
      What mean | you, sir?  \\
 
PERICLES
          ,               ,     ,             ,         ,
      To beg | of you /(kind friends)| this coat | of worth,
           ,         ,    ,   ,               ,
      For it | was some|time tar/get to | a king,
            x      ,          ,          ,          ,
      I know it | by this | mark: He | loved me | dearly,
           ,          ,        ,         ,        x
      And for | his sake,| I wish | the hav|ing of it:
            ,            ,         ,          ,            ,
      And that | you'd guide | me to | your sove|reign's court,
              ,       ,      2    ,        ,     ,
      Where with | it I | may appear | a gent|leman:
           ,         ,          ,    ,           x
      And if | that eve|r my / low fort|une's better,
            ,           ,          ,           ,            x
      I'll pay | your bount|ies; till | then rest | your debtor.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
      ___     ,           ,        ,         ,
      Why,| wilt thou | tourney | for the | lady?
 
PERICLES
             ,          ,     ,          ,          ,
      I'll show | the virt|ue I | have borne | in arms.
 
FIRST FISHERMAN
            ,         ,         ,       ,           ,    2
      Why take | it, and | the gods | give thee | good on it.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
But hark you, my friend, 'twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters: there are certain condolements, certain vails; I hope, sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had it.
 
PERICLES
             x         ,
      Believe it | I will:  \\
       ,         ,           ,         ,           ,
      By your | further|ance I | am clothed | in steel,
            ,         ,          ,       ,        ,
      And spite | of all | the rapt|ure of | the sea,
            ,       ,           ,        ,       ,
      This jew|el holds | his build|ing on | my arm:
         ,        ,     ,          ,         ,
      Unto | thy val|ue I | will mount | myself.
        ,        ,         ,         ,         ,
      Upon | a cours|er, whose | delight|ful steps,
              ,         ,      ,        ,          ,
      Shall make | the gaz|er joy | to see | him tread;
       ,  2         ,         ,        ,     ,         2    ,        ,     2->
      Only (my | friend) I | yet am | unpro|vided || of a pair | of bas|es.
 
SECOND FISHERMAN
              ,         ,      ,             ,  ->
      We'll sure | provide,| thou shalt || have
             T    T   .   T        2    ,    oo
      My | best gown to make | thee a pair;|
            ,      ,     ,               ,       __
      And I'll | bring thee / to the | court my|self.
 
PERICLES
            ,      ,    ,        ,            ,
      Then hon|or be | but a | goal to | my will,
            ,           ,         ,     T   T   .  T
      This day | I'll rise,| or else | add ill to ill.
 
[Exeunt]

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