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  • Title: Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)
  • Editor: Tom Bishop

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Tom Bishop
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

    Pericles Prince of Tyre.
    Alasse, the Seas hath cast me on the Rocks,
    Washt me from shore to shore, and left my breath
    Nothing to thinke on, but ensuing death:
    555Let it suffize the greatnesse of your powers,
    To haue bereft a Prince of all his fortunes;
    And hauing throwne him from your watry graue,
    Heere to haue death in peace, is all hee'le craue.
    Enter three Fisher-men.
    5601. What, to pelch?
    2. Ha, come and bring away the Nets.
    1. What Patch-breech, I say.
    3. What say you Maister?
    1. Looke how thou stirr'st now:
    565Come away, or Ile fetch'th with a wanion.
    3. Fayth Maister, I am thinking of the poore men,
    That were cast away before vs euen now.
    1. Alasse poore soules, it grieued my heart to heare,
    What pittifull cryes they made to vs, to helpe them,
    570When (welladay) we could scarce helpe our selues.
    3. Nay Maister, sayd not I as much,
    When I saw the Porpas how he bounst and tumbled?
    They say they're halfe fish, halfe flesh:
    A plague on them, they nere come but I looke to be washt.
    575Maister, I maruell how the Fishes liue in the Sea?
    1. Why, as Men doe a-land;
    The great ones eate vp the little ones:
    I can compare our rich Misers to nothing so fitly,
    As to a Whale; a playes and tumbles,
    580Dryuing the poore Fry before him,
    And at last, deuowre them all at a mouthfull:
    Such Whales haue I heard on, a'th land,
    Who neuer leaue gaping, till they swallow'd
    The whole Parish, Church, Steeple, Belles and all.
    585Peri. A prettie morall.
    3. But Maister, if I had been the Sexton,
    I would haue been that day in the belfrie.
    2. Why, Man?
    1. Because
    C 2.
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