Pericles, Prince of Tyre.

To sing a song that old was sung

23From ashes ancient Gower is come,

34Assuming man's infirmities

45To glad your ear, and please your eyes.

56It hath been sung at festivals,

67On ember-eves and holidays,

78And lords and ladies in their lives

89Have read it for restoratives.

910The purchase is to make men glorious

1011et bonum quo antiquius eo melius.

1112If you, born in those latter times

1213When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,

1314And that to hear an old man sing

1415May to your wishes pleasure bring,

1516I life would wish, and that I might

1617Waste it for you like taper light.

1718This Antioch, then. Antiochus the Great

1819Built up this city for his chiefest seat,

1920The fairest in all Syria.

2021I tell you what mine authors say.

2122This king unto him took a fere,

2223Who died and left a female heir

2324So buxom, blithe and full of face

2425As heaven had lent her all his grace,

2526With whom the father liking took,

2627And her to incest did provoke.

2728Bad child, worse father to entice his own

2829To evil should be done by none.

2930But custom what they did begin

3031Was with long use account' no sin.

3132The beauty of this sinful dame

3233Made many princes thither frame

3334To seek her as a bedfellow,

3435In marriage pleasures playfellow,

3536Which to prevent, he made a law

3637To keep her still and men in awe:

3738That whoso asked her for his wife,

3839His riddle told not, lost his life.

3940So for her many a wight did die

4041As yon grim looks do testify.

4142What now ensues, to th'judgment of your eye

4243I give, my cause who best can justify.