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Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Tom Bishop
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Lord Cerymon with a seruant.
Cery. Phylemon, hoe.
1200
Enter Phylemon.
Phyl.. Doth my Lord call?
Cery. Get Fire and meat for these poore men,
T'as been a turbulent and stormie night.
Seru. I haue been in many; but such a night as this,
1205Till now, I neare endured:
Cery. Your Maister will be dead ere you returne,
There's nothing can be ministred to Nature,
That can recouer him: giue this to the Pothecary,
And tell me how it workes.
1210
Enter two Gentlemen.
1.Gent. Good morrow.
2.Gent. Good morrow to your Lordship,
Cery. Gentlemen, why doe you stirre so early?
1.Gent. Sir, our lodgings standing bleake vpon the sea
1215Shooke as the earth did quake:
The very principals did seeme to rend and all to topple:
Pure surprize and feare, made me to quite the house.
2.Gent. That is the cause we trouble you so early,
T'is not our husbandry.
1220Cery. O you say well.
1.Gent. But I much maruaile that your Lordship,
Hauing rich tire about you, should at these early howers,
Shake off the golden slumber of repose; tis most strange
Nature should be so conuersant with Paine,
1225Being thereto not compelled.
Cery. I hold it euer Vertue and Cunning,
Were endowments greater, then Noblenesse & Riches;
Carelesse Heyres, may the two latter darken and expend;
But Immortalitie attendes the former,
1230Making a man a god:
T'is knowne, I euer haue studied Physicke:
Through which secret Art, by turning ore Authorities,
I haue togeather with my practize, made famyliar,
To me and to my ayde, the blest infusions that dwels
1235In Vegetiues, in Mettals, Stones: and can speake of the
Disturbances that Nature works, and ofher cures;
which doth giue me amore content in course of true delight
Then to be thirsty after tottering honour, or
Tie my pleasure vp in silken Bagges,
1240To please the Foole and Death.
2. Gent. Your honour has through Ephesus,
Poured foorth your charitie, and hundreds call themselues,
Your Creatures; who by you, haue been restored;
And not your knowledge, your personall payne,
1245But euen your Purse still open, hath built Lord Cerimon,
Such strong renowne, as time shall neuer.
Enter two or three with a Chist.
Seru. So, lift there.
Cer. What's that?
1250Ser. Sir, euen now did the sea tosse vp vpon our shore
This Chist; tis of some wracke.
Cer. Set't downe, let's looke vpon't.
2.Gent. T'is like a Coffin, sir.
Cer. What ere it be, t'is woondrous heauie;
1255Wrench it open straight:
If the Seas stomacke be orecharg'd with Gold,
T'is a good constraint ofFortune it belches vpon vs.
2.Gent. T'is so, my Lord.
Cer. How close tis caulkt & bottomed, did the sea cast it vp?
1260Ser. I neuer saw so huge a billow sir, as tost it vpon shore.
Cer. Wrench it open soft; it smels most sweetly in my sense.
2.Gent. A delicate Odour.
Cer. As euer hit my nostrill: so, vp with it.
Oh you most potent Gods! what's here, a Corse?
12652.Gent. Most strange.
Cer. Shrowded in Cloth of state, balmed and entreasured
with full bagges of Spices, a Pasport to Apollo, perfect mee
in the Characters:
Heere I giue to vnderstand,
1270If ere this Coffin driues aland;
I King Pericles haue lost
This Queene, worth all our mundaine cost:
Who finds her, giue her burying,
She was the Daughter of a King:
1275Besides, this Treasure for a fee,
The Gods requit his charitie.
If thou liuest Pericles, thou hast a heart,
That euer cracks for woe, this chaunc'd to night.
2.Gent. Most likely sir.
1280Cer. Nay certainely to night, for looke how fresh she looks.
They were too rough, that threw her in the sea.
Make a Fire within; fetch hither all my Boxes in my Closet,
Death may vsurpe on Nature many howers, and yet
The fire oflife kindle againe the ore-prest spirits :
1285I heard of an Egiptian that had 9. howers lien dead,
Who was by good applyaunce recouered.
Enter one with Napkins and Fire.
Well sayd, well sayd; the fire and clothes: the rough and
Wofull Musick that we haue, cause it to sound beseech you:
1290The Violl once more; how thou stirr'st thou blocke?
The Musicke there: I pray you giue her ayre:
Gentlemen, this Queene will liue,
Nature awakes a warmth breath out of her;
She hath not been entranc'st aboue fiue howers:
1295See how she ginnes to blow into lifes flower againe.
1.Gent. The Heauens, through you, encrease our wonder,
And sets vp your fame for euer.
Cer. She is aliue, behold her ey-lids,
Cases to those heauenly iewels which Pericles hath lost,
1300Begin to part their fringes of bright gold,
The Diamonds of a most praysed water doth appeare,
To make the world twise rich, liue, and make vs weepe.
To heare your fate, faire creature, rare as you seeme to bee.
Shee moues.
1305Thai. O deare Diana, where am I? where's my Lord?
What world is this?
2.Gent. Is not this strange?1.Gent. Most rare.
Ceri. Hush (my gentle neighbours) lend me your hands,
To the next Chamber beare her: get linnen:
1310Now this matter must be lookt to for her relapse
Is mortall: come, come; and Escelapius guide vs.
They carry her away. Exeunt omnes.