1206How Pericles arriuing at Tharsus, deliuereth his 1207yoong daughter Marina vnto Cleon and Dyonysa to be fostered 1208vp: and how Lycorida the Nurse lying vppon her death-bed, 1209declareth vnto Marina who were her parents.

1210Hauing thus left the recouered Thaysa amongst the holy 1211Nunnes in the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, our Storie biddeth vs 1212looke backe vnto sorrowfull Pericles, whose shippe with fortunate 1213winde, fauour of the heauens, and prouidence of his pylate, arriued 1214at the shoare of Tharsus, where vpon his landing hee was curteously 1215receiued by Cleon and Dyonysa; whome he as curteously saluted, telling 1216them the heauie chaunces which had befallen him, both of the great 1217stormes and tempests on the Sea,which he with patience had indured, 1218as also of the death of the good Lady Thaysa, which he not without 1219much sorrow suffered, onely quoth he, I haue heere left a little 1220picture of her, who for it was giuen vnto me at Sea, I haue named 1221Marina, and I thanke the heauens, is so like vnto her, that I neuer 1222doe looke vppon it, but with much comfort, in whose protection and 1223education I meane to vse your friendship, while I goe on in trauell 1224to receiue the kingdome of Antiochus, which is reserued for mee. And 1225if you will euer shew your gratitude, for my former charitie extended 1226towardes you, and all this Citty in a former distresse, the gods haue 1227giuen this cause, to prooue your thankefulnesse. When both vowing by 1228solemne oath, their care should be on her, as reason vnto themselues, 1229who is the guider of mans life: he satisfied with that their promise, 1230thanked them, telling them moreouer, that with them also he woulde 1231leaue Lycorida her mothers nurse, (and giuen vnto him by her good 1232father Symonides) that shee might be a nurse vnto her child, only 1233further requesting them, and so charging Lycorida, that if it pleased 1234the gods to lend her life to the yeeres of vnderstanding, they should 1235not till his returne, make knowne vnto her, that she was a braunch 1236sproong from him, but onely be brought vppe as the daughter of Cleon 1237and Dyonysa, lest that the knowledge of her high birth, should make 1238her growe prowd to their instructions. Of which hauing likewise promise, 1239he deliuered the infant and the nurse to Cleon, and therewithall, great 1240sums of golde, siluer, and apparrell, and vowing solemnely by othe to 1241himselfe, his head should grow vncisserd, his beard vntrimmed, himselfe 1242in all vncomely, since he had lost his Queene, and till he had married 1243his daughter at ripe years. When they much wondring at so strange a 1244resolue, and promising to be most faithfull with all diligence according 1245to his directions, Pericles tooke his leaue, departed with his Ship, 1246sayling euen to the vttermost parts of all Egypt, while his yoong daughter 1247Marina grew vp to more able discretion, and when she was fully attaind to 12485. yeers of age, being to her selfe knowne no other but to be free borne, 1249she was set to Schoole with other free children, alwayes ioyntly accompanied 1250with one onely daughter that Dionysa had, being of the same time that 1251she was of, where growing vp, aswel in learning, as in number of yeeres, 1252vntill she came to the reckoning of foureteene, one day when she returned 1253from Schoole, she found Lycorida her Nurse sodainely fallen sicke, and 1254sitting beside her vpon the bed, she as in care of her, demaunded the 1255cause and manner of her sickenesse: when the Nurse finding her disease 1256to haue no hope of recouery, but a harbinger that came before to prepare 1257a lodging for death, answered her to this purpose; For my sickenesse, 1258quoth she, it matters not (deare childe) since it is as necessary to be 1259sicke, as it is needefull to die, onely I intreate of you to hearken vnto 1260a dying womans wordes that loueth you, and laying them vppe in your heart, 1261perswade your selfe, that in these houres no sinner should, or can be so 1262wretched, to spare a minute to finde time to lie. Knowe then, that you are 1263not the daughter of Cleon and Dyonysa, as you till this haue supposed: 1264but hearken vnto me, and I will declare vnto thee the beginning of thy 1265birth, that thou mayest knowe how to guide thy selfe after my death: 1266Pericles the Prince of Tyre is thy father, and Thaysa king Symonides 1267daughter was thy mother: which father and mother departed from thy grandsir 1268at Pentapolis toward their kingdom of Tyre, thy mother being at Sea, fell 1269in trauell with thee, and died after thou wert borne: when thy Father 1270Pericles inclosed her body in a Chest with princely ornaments, laying 1271twenty talents of golde at her head, and as much at her feete in siluer; 1272with a Scedule written, containing the dignitie of her birth, and maner 1273of her death, then caused he the Chest to be thrown ouer-boorde into the 1274Sea, thorow a superstitious opinion which the mariners beleeued, leauing 1275her body so inriched, to the intent, that whither soeuer it were driuen, 1276they that found it, in regarde of the riches, would bury her according to 1277her estate. Thus Lady were you borne vppon the waters, and your fathers 1278Ship with much wrestling of contrary windes, and with his vnspeakeable 1279griefe of minde, arriued at this shoare, and brought thee in thy swadling 1280clowtes vnto this Citty, where he with great care deliuered thee vnto this 1281thine hoste Cleon and Dyonysa his wife, diligently to be fostered vp, and 1282left me heere also to attend vppon thee, swearing this oath to keepe 1283inuiolate, his haire should be vncisserd, his face vntrimmed, himselfe 1284in all things vncomely continually to mourne for your dead mother, vntill 1285your ripe yeares gaue him occasion to marry you to some prince worthy your 1286birth and beauty; wherefore I now admonish you, that if after my death, 1287thine hoste or hostesse, whom thou calst thy parents, shall happly offer 1288thee any iniury, or discurteously taking aduantage of thy absent father 1289as vnbefitting thine estate intertain thee, haste thee into the market 1290place, where thou shall finde a Statue erected to thy father standing, 1291take hold of it, and crie aloude; You cittizens of Tharsus, I am his daughter 1292whose Image this is, who being mindefull of thy fathers benefits will 1293doubtlesse reuenge thy iniurie. When Marina thanking Lycorida for making 1294that known to her, which till then was vnknowne, and happly either thorow 1295Time or Death might haue beene buried in her ignorance: and vowing, if euer 1296neede should so require (of which as yet she had no cause to doubt) her 1297counsell should befollowed. And so Lycorida through sickenesse growing more 1298weake, and Marina for this knowledge and aduise still tending on her, in 1299her armes at last shee gaue vp the Ghost.