Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Modern)

 2.1.0546.1[2.1]
 2.1.0.1547[Thunder] Enter Pericles wet.
 2.1.1548Pericles
 Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven!
 2.1.2549Wind, rain, and thunder, remember: earthly man
 2.1.3550Is but a substance that must yield to you,
 2.1.4551And I, as fits my nature, do obey you.
 2.1.5552Alas, the seas hath cast me on the rocks,
 2.1.6553Washed me from shore to shore, and left my breath
 2.1.7554Nothing to think on but ensuing death.
 2.1.8555Let it suffice the greatness of your powers
 2.1.9556To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes,
 2.1.10557And having thrown him from your watery grave,
 2.1.11558Here to have death in peace is all he'll crave.
 2.1.11.1559Enter three Fishermen. [They do not see Pericles.]
 2.1.125601 Fisherman
 What ho, Pilch!
 2.1.135612 Fisherman
 Ha! Come and bring away the nets.
 2.1.145621 Fisherman
 What, Patch-breech, I say!
 2.1.155633 Fisherman
 What say you, master?
 2.1.165641 Fisherman
 Look how thou stirr'st now! 565Come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wanion.
 2.1.175663 Fisherman
 'Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men, 567that were cast away before us even now.
 2.1.185681 Fisherman
 Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear  569what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, 570when (welladay!) we could scarce help ourselves.
 2.1.195713 Fisherman
 Nay master, said not I as much, 572when I saw the porpoise how he bounced and tumbled? 573They say they're half fish, half flesh. 574A plague on them! They ne'er come but I look to be washed. 575Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.
 2.1.205761 Fisherman
 Why, as men do a-land: 577the great ones eat up the little ones. 578I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly 579as to a whale: 'a plays and tumbles, 580driving the poor fry before him, 581and at last, devours them all at a mouthful. 582Such whales have I heard on, a'th'land, 583who never leave gaping, till they swallowed 584the whole parish: church, steeple, bells and all.
 2.1.21585Pericles
 [Aside] A pretty moral!
 2.1.225863 Fisherman
 But master, if I had been the sexton, 587I would have been that day in the belfry.
 2.1.235882 Fisherman
 Why, man?
 2.1.245893 Fisherman
 Because he should have swallowed me too, 590and when I had been in his belly 591I would have kept such a jangling of the bells 592that he should never have left 593till he cast bells, steeple, church and parish up again! 594But if the good King Simonides were of my mind -- 
 2.1.25595Pericles
 [Aside] Simonides?
 2.1.265963 Fisherman
 -- we would purge the land of these drones 597that rob the bee of her honey.
 2.1.27598Pericles
 [Aside] How, from the finny subject of the sea,
 2.1.28599These fishers tell the infirmities of men,
 2.1.29600And from their watery empire recollect
 2.1.30601All that may men approve, or men detect!
 2.1.30.1[He comes forward.]
 2.1.31602Peace be at your labor, honest fishermen.
 2.1.326032 Fisherman
 Honest, good fellow? What's that? If it be a day fits you, 604scratch't out of the calendar, and nobody look after it.
 2.1.33605Pericles
 May see the sea hath cast upon your coast --
 2.1.346062 Fisherman
 What a drunken knave was the sea 607to cast thee in our way!
 2.1.35608Pericles
 -- A man whom both the waters and the wind,
 2.1.36609In that vast tennis-court, hath made the ball
 2.1.37610For them to play upon, entreats you pity him.
 2.1.38611He asks of you, that never used to beg.
 2.1.396121 Fisherman
 No, friend, cannot you beg? 613Here's them in our country of Greece 614gets more with begging than we can do with working!
 2.1.406152 Fisherman
 Canst thou catch any fishes then?
 2.1.41616Pericles
 I never practiced it.
 2.1.426172 Fisherman
 Nay then thou wilt starve, sure! For here's nothing to 618be got nowadays, unless thou canst fish for't.
 2.1.43619Pericles
 What I have been, I have forgot to know;
 2.1.44620But what I am, want teaches me to think on:
 2.1.45621A man thronged up with cold; my veins are chill
 2.1.46622And have no more of life than may suffice
 2.1.47623To give my tongue that heat to ask your help,
 2.1.48624Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,
 2.1.49625For that I am a man, pray see me burièd.
 2.1.506261 Fisherman
 Die, quoth-a? Now gods forbid't, an I have a gown 627here! [He gives Pericles a gown.] Come, put it on, keep thee warm! [Pericles puts on the gown.] Now, afore me,  a 628handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll 629have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days and, moreo'er, 630puddings and flapjacks, and thou shalt be welcome.
 2.1.51631Pericles
 I thank you, sir.
 2.1.526322 Fisherman
 Hark you my friend: you said you could not beg!
 2.1.53633Pericles
 I did but crave.
 2.1.546342 Fisherman
 But crave? 635Then I'll turn craver too, and so I shall scape whipping!
 2.1.55636Pericles
 Why, are your beggars whipped then?
 2.1.566372 Fisherman
 Oh, not all, my friend, not all. For if all your beggars 638were whipped, I would wish no better office than to be beadle. 639But master, I'll go draw up the net.
 2.1.56.1[Exeunt 2 and 3 Fishermen.]
 2.1.57640Pericles
 [Aside] How well this honest mirth becomes their labor.
 2.1.586411 Fisherman
 Hark you, sir. Do you know where ye are?
 2.1.59642Pericles
 Not well.
 2.1.606431 Fisherman
 Why, I'll tell you. This is called Pentapolis, 644and our king, the good Simonides.
 2.1.61645Pericles
 The good Simonides, do you call him?
 2.1.626461 Fisherman
 Ay sir, and he deserves so to be called 647for his peaceable reign and good government.
 2.1.63648Pericles
 He is a happy king, since he gains from 649his subjects the name of good by his government. 650How far is his court distant from this shore?
 2.1.646511 Fisherman
 Marry sir, half a day's journey. And I'll tell you: 652he hath a fair daughter, and tomorrow is her birthday, 653and there are princes and knights come from all parts of 654the world, to joust and tourney for her love.
 2.1.65655Pericles
 Were my fortunes equal to my desires, 656I could wish to make one there.
 2.1.666571 Fisherman
 Oh, sir, things must be as they may! And what a man can 658not get, he may lawfully deal for -- for his wife's soul.
 2.1.66.1659Enter the two [other] fishermen, drawing up a net.
 2.1.676602 Fisherman
 Help, master, help! Here's a fish hangs in the net 661like a poor man's right in the law: 'twill hardly come out! 662[He pulls a piece of armor from the net.] Ha! Bots on't, 'tis come at last; and 'tis turned to a rusty armor.
 2.1.68663Pericles
 An armor, friends? I pray you, let me see it.
 2.1.69664[He examines the armor.] Thanks, Fortune, yet that after all thy crosses,
 2.1.70665Thou giv'st me somewhat to repair myself,
 2.1.71666And though it was mine own, part of my heritage
 2.1.72667Which my dead father did bequeath to me
 2.1.73668With this strict charge even as he left his life:
 2.1.74669"Keep it, my Pericles. It hath been a shield
 2.1.75670'Twixt me and death," and pointed to this brace.
 2.1.76671"For that it saved me, keep it. In like necessity --
 2.1.77672The which the gods protect thee from -- may't defend thee."
 2.1.78673It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it,
 2.1.79674Till the rough seas, that spares not any man,
 2.1.80675Took it in rage, though, calmed, have given't again.
 2.1.81676I thank thee for't, my shipwreck now's no ill,
 2.1.82677Since I have here my father gave in his will.
 2.1.836781 Fisherman
 What mean you, sir?
 2.1.84679Pericles
 To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,
 2.1.85680For it was sometime target to a king.
 2.1.86681I know it by this mark. [He indicates a detail of the armor.] He loved me, dearly,
 2.1.87682And for his sake I wish the having of it,
 2.1.88683And that you'd guide me to your sovereign's court,
 2.1.89684Where with it I may appear a gentleman.
 2.1.90685And if that ever my low fortune's better,
 2.1.91686I'll pay your bounties, till then, rest your debtor.
 2.1.926871 Fisherman
 Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?
 2.1.93688Pericles
 I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms.
 2.1.946891 Fisherman
 Why, d'ye take it; and the gods give thee good on't.
 2.1.94.1[Pericles begins putting on the armor.]
 2.1.956902 Fisherman
 Ay, but hark you, my friend: 'twas we that made up 691this garment through the rough seams of the waters. 692There are certain condolements, certain vails; I hope, 693sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had 694them.
 2.1.96695Pericles
 Believe't, I will:
 2.1.97696By your furtherance I am clothed in steel,
 2.1.98697And, spite of all the rapture of the sea,
 2.1.99698This jewel holds his building on my arm.
 2.1.100699Unto thy value I will mount myself
 2.1.101700Upon a courser, whose delightful steps
 2.1.102701Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread;
 2.1.103702Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided
 2.1.104Of a pair of bases.
 2.1.1057032 Fisherman
 We'll sure provide. Thou shalt have 704my best gown to make thee a pair, 705and I'll bring thee to the court myself.
 2.1.106706Pericles
 Then honor be but equal to my will,
 2.1.107707This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill.
 2.1.106.1[Exeunt.]
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Modern)
