978How fair Thaisa died in travail of childbirth upon the sea, and, being 979thrown for burial in the waters, was cast ashore at Ephesus; and how by the 980excellent labor of Lord Cerimon, a skilful physician, she was restored to her 981life again and by her own request placed to live a votary in the Temple of Diana.

982Prince Pericles, with his queen Thaisa, being thus on 983shipboard, and their mariners merrily having hoisted up their 984sails, their vessels, as proud of such a fraught wherewith they 985were enriched, galloped cheerfully on the ocean. Fortune did now 986seem to look fairly, neither was there promise of any other 987alteration: the day looked lovely and the sea smiled for joy 988to have her bosom pressed with these burdens.

But nothing in 989this world that is permanent; Time is the father of Fortune, he 990is slippery, and then of necessity must his child be fickle, 991and this was his alteration: a cloud seemed to arise from forth 992the south, which, being by the master and mariners beheld, they 993told Prince Pericles that it was messenger of a storm, which 994was no sooner spoken, but, as if the heavens had conspired with the 995waters and the winds been assistant to both, they kept such a 996blustering and such an unruly stir that none could be heard 997to speak but themselves. Seas of waters were received into their 998ships while others fought against them to expel them out. "Stop 999the leakage there!" cries out one. "Hale up the main-bowlines there!" 1000calls out another, and with their confusion, neither understanding 1001other since the storm had got the mastery, they made such a 1002hideous noise that it had had power to have awakened Death and 1003to have affrighted Patience.

Nor could it choose then but bring 1004much terror to our seasick queen, who had been used to better 1005attendance than was now offered her by these ill-tutored servants, 1006Wind and Water; but they who neither respect birth nor blood, 1007prayers nor threats, time nor occasion, continued still their 1008boisterous havoc. With which stir (good lady) her eyes and 1009ears having not till then been acquainted, she is struck into 1010such a hasty fright that welladay she falls in travail, is 1011delivered of a daughter, and in this childbirth dies, while 1012her princely husband being above the hatches, is one while praying 1013to heaven for her safe deliverance, another while suffering for 1014the sorrow wherewith he knew his queen was emburdened. He chid1015the contrary storm, as if it had been sensible of hearing, to 1016be so unmannerly in this unfitting season, and when so good a 1017queen was in labor, to keep such a blustering.

Thus, while the 1018good prince remained reproving the one and pitying the other, 1019up comes Lychorida, the nurse sent along by good Symonides with 1020his daughter, and into his arms delivers his sea-born babe. 1021Which he taking to kiss and pitying it with these words: 1022"Poor inch of Nature," quoth he, "thou art as rudely welcome to 1023the world as ever princess babe was, and hast as chiding a 1024nativity as fire, air, earth, and water can afford thee." 1025When, as if he had forgot himself, he abruptly breaks out: 1026"But say, Lychorida, how doth my queen?" "O sir," quoth she, "she 1027hath now passed all dangers, and hath given up her griefs 1028by ending her life." At which words, no tongue is able to 1029express the tide of sorrow that over-bounded Pericles, 1030first looking on his babe and then crying out for the mother, 1031pitying the one that had lost her bringer ere she had scarce 1032saluted the world, lamenting for himself that had been bereft 1033of so inestimable a jewel by the loss of his wife.

In which 1034sorrow as he would have proceeded, up came the master to him, 1035who, for that the storm continued still in his tempestuous height, 1036brake off his sorrow with these syllables: "Sir, the necessity 1037of the time affords no delay, and we must entreat you to be 1038contented to have the dead body of your queen thrown 1039overboard." "How varlet!" quoth Pericles interrupting him, 1040"wouldst thou have me cast that body into the sea for burial 1041who being in misery received me into favor?" "We must entreat 1042you to temperance, sir," quoth the master, "as you respect your 1043own safety, or the prosperity of that pretty babe in your 1044arms." At the naming of which word, babe, Pericles, looking 1045mournfully upon it, shook his head, and wept. But the master 1046going on, told him, that by long experience they had tried 1047that a ship may not abide to carry a dead carcass nor 1048would the lingering tempest cease while the dead body remained 1049with them.

But the prince, seeking again to persuade them, 1050told them that it was but the fondness of their superstition 1051to think so. "Call it by what you shall please, sir," quoth the 1052master, "but we that by long practice have tried the proof of 1053it, if not with your grant then without your consent (for your 1054own safety which we with all duty tender) must so dispose 1055of it." So, calling for his servants about him, he willed one of 1056them to bring him a chest, which he forthwith caused to be 1057well bitumed and well leaded for her coffin. Then, taking up 1058the body of his (even in death) fair Thaisa, he arrayed her 1059in princely apparel, placing a crown of gold upon her 1060head, with his own hands (not without store of funeral 1061tears) he laid her in that tomb, then placed he also 1062store of gold at her head and great treasure of silver at 1063her feet, and having written this letter which he laid upon 1064her breast, with fresh water flowing in his eyes, as loth to 1065leave her sight, he nailed up the chest, the tenor of which 1066writing was in form as followeth:

1075The chest then being nailed up close, he commanded 1076it to be lifted overboard, and then, naming his child Marina 1077for that she was born upon the sea, he directed his master 1078to alter the course from Tyre, (being a shorter cut to Tharsus) 1079and for whose safety he thither intended, where, with his host 1080Cleon and Dionyza, his wife, he intended to leave his little 1081infant to be fostered and brought up. The dead body being 1082thus thrown overboard, when, as if Fortune had bethought 1083her that she had wrought her utmost spite to him by 1084bereaving him of so great a comfort, even in the instant 1085the tempest ceaseth, where we will leave Prince Pericles 1086upon calm waters, though not with a calm mind, sailing 1087to Tharsus.

And behold, the next morning: by which time 1088the waves had rolled from wave to wave this chest to land 1089and cast it ashore on the coast of Ephesus, in which city 1090lived a lord called Cerimon, who, though of noble blood and 1091great possessions, yet was he so addicted to study and in 1092searching out the excellency of arts, that his felicity 1093consisted in contemplation, wisely foreknowing so icy is 1094the state of riches that it is thawed to nothing by the least 1095adversity, that careless heirs may dispend and riot consume 1096them, when one virtue, and our deserved fame, attendeth 1097immortality. This consideration made him so to apply his 1098time in letters and in searching out the nature of simples 1099that he grew so excellent in the secret of physic as if 1100Apollo himself or another Aesculapius had been his 1101schoolmaster. Nor was he of this plenty a niggard to the 1102needy, but so bountiful to the distressed that his house 1103and hand were accounted the hospitals for the diseased.

This 1104Lord Cerimon had his residence built so near the shore that 1105in his windows he overlooked the sea; and being this morning 1106in conference with some that came to him both for help for 1107themselves and relief for others, and some that were relating 1108the cruelty of the last night's tempest, on a sudden casting 1109his eye from forth his casement towards the main, he might 1110espie the waters as it were playing with the chest wherein 1111the dead queen was encoffined, and which was upon the sudden 1112by a more eager billow cast on his banks.

When presently, 1113thinking it to be the remnant of some shipwreck caused 1114in the last night's storm, calling for his servants, he 1115forthwith commanded them to have it brought up to him as 1116forfeited unto him, being cast on his ground, which accordingly 1117performed, he as presently gave charge it should be opened, 1118when not without much wonder he straightway viewed the dead body 1119of the queen, so crowned, so royally appareled, so 1120entreasured as before. And, taking up the writing which he 1121likewise found placed upon her breast, he read it to the 1122gentlemen who at that time accompanied him, and knowing it 1123thereby to be the dead queen to Prince Pericles: "Now surely," 1124quoth Cerimon, "thou hast a body even drowned with woe for 1125the loss of so goodly a creature. For gentlemen," said he, 1126"as you may perceive, such was the excellency of her beauty 1127that grim Death himself hath not power to suffer any 1128deformity to accompany it."

Then laying his hand gently 1129upon her cheek, he bethought him that life had not lost 1130all the workmanship that Nature had bestowed upon her, 1131for even at the opening of the chest, and as it were she 1132then receiving fresh air, he might perceive a new but calm 1133glowing to respire in her cheeks. With which being somewhat 1134amazed, "Now surely gentlemen," quoth he, turning to them 1135who were greedily set round about him, "this queen hath 1136not long been entranced, and I have read of some Egyptians 1137who, after four hours death (if man may call it so), have 1138raised impoverished bodies, like to this, unto their former 1139health; nor can it be disparagement to me to use my best 1140practice on this queen." To which by the gentlemen that 1141accompanied him he was encouraged to attempt, since that 1142the recovery of her could not but appear to be a work of 1143wonder, and since that his fortune was so successful in 1144his ministering that all Ephesus was replete with his help.

1145So, calling for a servant of his to attend him with certain 1146boxes which he named were in his study, as also with fire 1147and necessary linen, invoking Apollo to be gracious to his 1148empiric and the work in hand, he began to apply to her. 1149First pulling down the clothes from off the lady's bosom, 1150he poured upon her a most precious ointment, and, bestowing 1151it abroad with his hand, perceived some warmth in her breast, 1152and that there was life in the body. Whereat somewhat 1153astonished, he felt her pulses, laid his cheek to her 1154mouth, and, examining all other tokens that he could devise, 1155he perceived how death strove with life within her, and that 1156the conflict was dangerous, and doubtful who should prevail. 1157Which being done, he chafed the body against the fire 1158until the blood which was congealed with cold was wholly 1159dissolved, when, pouring a precious liquor into her mouth, 1160he perceived warmth more and more to increase in her, and 1161the golden fringes of her eyes a little to part.

Then calling 1162softly to the gentlemen who were witnesses about him, he 1163bade them that they should command some still music to 1164sound. "For certainly," quoth he, "I think this queen will 1165live, and suppose that she hath been much abused, for she 1166hath not been long entranced" -- condemning them for rashness 1167so hastily to throw her overboard. And when he had so 1168said, he took the body reverently into his arms and bare 1169it into his own chamber, and laid it upon his bed, groveling 1170upon the breast. Then took he certain hot and comfortable 1171oils, and, warming them upon the coals, he dipped fair wool 1172therein and fomented all the body over therewith until 1173such time as the congealed blood and humors were thoroughly 1174resolved; and the spirits in due form recovered their 1175wonted course, the veins waxed warm, the arteries 1176began to beat and the lungs drew in the fresh air 1177again. And being perfectly come to herself, lifting 1178up those now again priceless diamonds of her eyes, "O 1179Lord," quoth she, "where am I? For it seemeth to me that 1180I have been in a strange country. And where's my lord 1181I pray you? I long to speak with him."

But Cerimon, who 1182best knew that now with anything to discomfort her 1183might breed a relapse which would be unrecoverable, 1184entreated her to be cheered, for her lord was well, and 1185that anon, when the time was more fitting and that her 1186decayed spirits were repaired, he would gladly speak 1187with her. So, as it were being but newly awaked from death 1188to the great amazement of the beholders, she presently fell 1189into a most comfortable slumber, which Lord Cerimon giving 1190charge none should disturb her of, he in the meantime 1191and against she should awake, provided cherishing meats, 1192and, as her strength grew, gave wholesome clothes to refresh 1193her with.

But not long after, weakness being banished 1194from her, and Cerimon by communication knew that she 1195came of the stock of a king, he sent for many of his 1196friends to come unto him and adopted her for his own 1197daughter, and related unto her how after so grievous a 1198tempest in what manner she was found. In which tempest 1199she supposing her kingly husband to be shipwrecked, she 1200with many tears entreated that, since he had given her 1201life, he would be pleased to give her leave to live unknown 1202to any man. To which Cerimon accorded; and for that 1203intent placed her in the Temple of Diana which was 1204there consecrated at Ephesus.