but all in vaine for partly by the violence of the tempest and partely thorow that dismall darkenesse which vnfortunately was come vpon them they were all drowned gentle Pericles only excepted till as it were Fortune being tyred with this mishap by the helpe of a plancke which in this distresse hée got holde on hée was with much labour and more feare driuen on the shore of Pentapolis where a while complaining him of his mishaps and accosing the Gods of this iniury doone to his innocencie not knowing on what shoare whether friend or foe he had being certayne Fishermen who had also suffered in the former tempest and had béene witnesses of his vntimely shipwracke the day being cléered againe were come out from their homely cottages to dry and repaire their nettes who being busted about their work and no whit regarding his lamentation passed away their labour with discourse to this purpose in comparing the Sea to Brokers and Usurers who séeme faire and looke louely till they haue got men into their clutches when one tumbles them and an other tosses them but seldome leauing vntill they haue suncke them Againe comparing our rich men to Whales that make a great shew in the worlde rowling and tumbling vp and downe but are good for little but to sincke others that the fishes liue in the sea as the powerfull on shoare the great ones eate vp the little ones with which morall obseruations driuing out their labor and prince Pericles wondring that from the finny subiects of the sea these poore countrey people learned the infirmities of men more than mans obduracy and dulnes could learne one of another at length ouercharged with cold which the extreamity of water had pressed him with and no longer being able to endure he was compelled to demaund their simple helpe offering to their eares the mishap of his shipwracke which hée was no sooner about to relate but they remembred their eies not without much sorrow to haue bin the witnesses thereof and beholding the comely feature of this Gentleman the chiefe of these fishermen was mooued with compassion toward him and lifting him vp from the ground himselfe with the helpe of his men led him to his house where with such fare as they presently had or they could readily prouide they with a hearty welcome feasted him and the more to expresse their tendernesse to his misfortune the master dishabited himselfe of his outward apparell to warme and cherish him which curteous Pericles as curteously receiuing vowing if euer his fortunes came to their ancient height their curtesies should not die vnrecompensed and being somewhat repayred in heart by their reléefe he demaunded of the country on the which he was driuen of the name of the King and of the manner of the gouernement When the maister Fisherman commaunding his seruants to goe dragge vp some other nettes which yet were abroade he seated himselfe by him and of the question he demaunded to this purpose resolued him Our countrey héere on the which you are driuen sir is called Pentapolis and our good king thereof is called Symonides the Good King call you him quoth Pericles Yea and rightly so called sir quoth the poore Fisherman who so gouernes his kingdome with iustice and vprightnesse that he is no readier to commaund than we his subiects are willing to obey He is a happy King quoth Pericles since he gaines the name of Good by his gouernement and then demaunded how farre his Court was distant from that place wherein he was resolued some halfe a dayes iourney and from point to point also informed that the King had a princely daughter named Thaysa in whome was Beauty so ioyned with Uertue that it was as yet vnresolued which of them deserued the greater comparison and in memory of whose birth day her father yéerely celebrated feasts and triumphes in the honour of which many Princes and Knights from farre and remote Countries came partly to approoue their chiualry but especially being her fathers only child in hope to gaine her loue which name of Chiualry to approoue that all the violence of the water had not power to quench the noblenesse of his minde Pericles sighing to himselfe he broke out thus Were but my fortunes aunswerable to my desires some should féele that I would be one there When as if all the gods had giuen a plaudite to his wordes the Fishermen who before were sent out by their Maister to dragge out the other nettes hauing found somwhat in the botome too ponderous for their strength to pull vp they beganne to lewre and hallow to their Maister for more helpe crying that there was a fish hung in their net like a poore mans case in the Laws it would hardly come out but Industry being a preuayling workeman before helpe came vp came the Fish expected but prooued indéede to be a rusty armour At the name of which word Armour Pericles being rowzed he desired of the poore Fishermen that he who better than they was acquainted with such furniture might haue the view of it In briefe what hée could aske of them was granted the Armour is by Pericles viewed and knowne to be a defence which his father at his last will gaue him in charge to kéepe that it might prooue to be a defender of the sonne which he had knowne to be a preseruer of the father so accompting all his other losses nothing since he had that agayne whereby his father could not challenge him of disobedience and thanking Fortune that after all her crosses shée had yet giuen him somewhat to repayre his fortunes begging this Armour of the Fishermen and telling them that with it hée would shew the vertue hée had learned in Armes and trie his chiualry for their Princesse Thaysa which they applauding and one furnishing him with an old gowne to make Caparisons for his horse which horse hée prouided with a Iewel whom all the raptures of the sea could not bereaue from his arme and other furnishing him with the long side skirtes of their cassockes to make him bases his Armour rusted and thus disgracefully habilited Prince Pericles with their conduct is gone to the Court of Symonides where the Fisher men had fore-tolde him was all the preparation that eyther Art or Industrie might attaine vnto to solemnize the birth day of faire Thaysa the good King Symonides daughter This is the day this Symonides Court where the King himselfe with the Princesse his daughter haue placed themselues in a Gallery to beholde the triumphes of seuerall Princes who in honour of the Princes birth day but more in hope to haue her loue came purposely thither to approoue their chiualrie They thus seated and Prince Pericles as well as his owne prouiding and the Fishermens care could furnish him likewise came to the court In this maner also 5. seuerall princes their horses richly â—â—parasoned but themselues more richly armed their Pages before them bearing their Deuices on their shields entred then the Tilting
THE Painfull Aduentures of Pericles Prince of Tyre Being The true History of the Play of Pericles as it was lately presented by the worthy and ancient Poet Iohn Gower AT LONDON Printed by T. P. for Nat Butter 1608. The Argument of the whole Historie ANtiochus the Great who was the first founder of Antioch the most famous Citty in all Syria hauing one onelie daughter in the prime and glory of her youth fell in most vnnaturall loue with her and what by the power of his perswasions and feare of his tyranny he so preuailed with her yeelding heart that he became maister of his desires which to continue to himself his daughter being for her beauty desired in marriage of many great princes he made this law That whoso presumed to desire her in marriage and could not vnfold the meaning of his questions for that attempt should loose his life Fearelesse of this Lawe many Princes aduentured and in their rashnesse perished amongst the number PERICLES the Prince of Tyre and neighbour to this tyrant King Antiochus was the last who vndertooke to resolue this Riddle which he accordingly through his great wisedome performed and finding both the subtiltie and sinne of the Tyrant for his owne safetie fled secretly from Antioch backe to Tyre and there acquainted Helycanus a graue Counsell our of his with the proceedings as also with his present feare what might succeed from whose counsell he tooke aduise for a space to leaue his kingdome and betake himselfe to trauell to which yeelding Pericles puts to sea ariues at Tharsus which he finds thorow the dearth of corne in much distresse he there relieues Cleon and Dyonysa with their distressed City with the prouision which he brought of purpose but by his good Counsellour Helycanus hearing newes of Antiochus death he intends for Tyre puts againe to Sea suffers shipwracke his shippes and men all lost till as it were Fortune tyred with his mis-happes he is throwne vpon the shoare releeued by certaine poore Fishermen and by an Armour of his which they by chaunce dragged vp in their nettes his mis-fortunes being a little repaired Pericles arriues at the Court of good Symonides King of Pentapolis where through his noblenesse both in Armes and Arts he winnes the loue of faire Thaysa the kings daughter and by her fathers consent marries her In this absence of his and for which absence the Tyrians his subiects muteny would elect Helycanus whome Pericles ordained his substitute in his absence their King which passion of theirs Helycanus by his graue perswasions subdewed and wonne them to goe in quest of their lost Prince Pericles In this search he is found and with his wife Thaysa who is now with childe and Lycorida her Nurse hauing taken leaue of his kingly Father puts againe for Tyre but with the terrour of a tempest at Sea his Queene falles in trauell is deliuered of a daughter whome hee names Marina in which childe-birth his Queene dies she is throwne ouer boorde at departure of whome Pericles altereth his course from Tyre being a shorter cut to his hoste Cleon in Tharsus hee there leaues his yoong daughter to be fostered vp vowing to himselfe a solitary pensiue life for the losse of his Queene Thaysa thus supposed dead and in the seas buried is the next morning on the shore taken vp at Ephesus by Cerimon a most skilfull Physition who by his Arte practised vpon this Queene so preuailed that after fiue houres intraunced she is by his skill brought to able health againe and by her owne request by him placed to liue a Votary in Dianaes Temple at Ephesus Marina Pericles sea-borne daughter is by this growen to discreete yeares she is enuied of Dyonysa Cleons wife her foster mother for that Marinaes perfection exceedeth a daughter of hers Marina by this enuy of hers should haue beene murthered but being rescued by certaine Pyrates is as it were reserued to a greater mishap for by them she is caried to Metelyne sold to the deuils broker a bawd to haue bin trained vp in that infection shee is courted of many and how wonderfully she preserues her chastitie Pericles returnes from Tyre toward Tharsus to visite the hospitable Cleon Dyonysa and his yoong daughter Marina where by Dyonysaes dissembling teares and a Toombe that was erected for her Pericles is brought to beleeue that his Marina lies there buryed and that shee died of her naturall death for whose losse hee teares his haire throwes off his garments forsweares the societie of men or any other comfort In which passion for many moneths continuing hee at last arriues at Metelyne when being seene and pittied by Lysimachus the Gouernour his daughter though of him vnknowen so is by the Gouernour sent for who by her excellent skill in Song and pleasantnesse in discourse with relating the story of her owne mishap shee so winnes againe her fathers lost sences that hee knowes her for his childe shee him for her father in which ouer-ioy as if his sences were nowe all confounded Pericles falles asleepe where in a dreame is by Diana warned to goe to Ephesus and there to make his sacrifice Pericles obayes and there comes to the knowledge of Thaysa his wife with their seuerall Ioyes that they three so strangely diuided are as strangely mette Lysimachus the Gouernour marrieth Marina and Pericles leauing his mourning causeth the bawde to be burned Of his reuenge to Cleon and Dyonysa his rewarding of the Fishermen that releeued him his iustice toward the Pyrats that made sale of his daughter his returne backe to his kingdome and of him and his wifes deaths Onely intreating the Reader to receiue this Historie in the same maner as it was vnder the habite of ancient Gower the famous English Poet by the Kings Maiesties Players excellently presented The names of the Personages mentioned in this Historie Iohn Gower the Presenter Antiochus that built Antioch His daughter Pericles Prince of Tyre Thalyart a villaine Twoo graue Counsellors Helycanus Eschines Cleon Gouernor of Tharsus Dyonysa his wife Two or three Fishermen Symonides king of Pentapolis Thaysa his daughter Fiue Princes Lycorida a Nurse Cerimon a Phisition Marina Pericles daughter A Murtherer Pirates A Bawde A Leno A Pander Lysimachus Gouernour of Meteline Diana Goddesse of chastitie THE Painfull Aduentures of PERICLES Prince of Tyre The first Chapter WHerein Gower describes how Antiochus surnamed the Great committed incest with his daughter and beheaded such as sued to her for marriage if they could not resolue his question placing their heades vpon the top of his Castle gate whereby to astonish all others that came to attempt the like THe great and mighty king Antiochus who was as cruell in tyranny as hée was powerfull in possessions séeking more to enrich himselfe by she wes than to renown his name by vertue caused to be built the goodly Cittie of Antioch in Syria and called it after his owne name as the chiefest seate of all his Dominions and principall place
trickling from his aged eyes adopted him his happy sonne and bade them liue together as man and wife What ioy there was at this coupling those that are Louers and enioy their wishes can better conceiue than my pen can set downe the one reioycing to be made happy by so good and gentle a Lord the other as happy to be inriched by so vertuous a Lady What preparation there was for their marriage is sufficiently expressed in this that she was the onely daughter to a king and had her fathers liking in her loue what spéede there was to that marriage let those iudge who haue the thoughtes of Thaysa at this instant only conceiue the solempnities at the Temple are doone the feast in most solempne order finished the day spent in musicke dauncing singing and all Courtly communication halfe of the night in maskes and other courtly shewes and the other halfe in the happy and lawfull imbracements of these most happy Louers The discourse at large of the liberall Chalenges made and proclaimed at Tilt Barriers running at the King ioco di can mannaging fierce horses running on foote and dauncing in armours of the stately presented Playes Shewes disguised Spéeches Maskes and Mummeries with continuall harmony of all kindes of Musicke with banquetting in all delicacie I leaue to the consideration of them who haue behelde the like in Courtes and at the wedding of princes rather than afford them to the description of my penne only let such conceiue all things in due order were accomplished the dueties of marriage performed and faire Thaysa this night is conceiued with child The next day Ioy dwelling thorow the whole kingdom for this coniunction euery man arose to feasting and iollity for the wedding triumphs continued a whole moneth while Time with his feathered wings sofanned away the houres and with his flippery féete so glided ouer the dayes that nine Moones had almost chaunged their light ere halfe the time was thought to be expired when it happened that as the good Symonides and princely Pericles with his faire Thaysa were walking in the garden adioyning to their pallace one of the Lords who as before were sent by graue and carefull Helycanus in search of their absent Prince came hastily in to them who vppon his knée deliuered vnto the yoong Prince a Letter which being opened the contents therein spake thus vnto him That Antiochus and his daughter as is before described were with the violence of lightning shot from heauen strucke sodainely dead And moreouer that by she consent of the generall doyces the Cittie of Antioch with all the riches therein and the whole kingdome were reserued for his possession and princely gouernment Which Letter when he had read he presently imparted the news thereof to his kingly Father who vppon view receiued hée strait knew what vntill then the modesty of Pericles had concealed that his sonne whome from pouerty hée aduanced to be the bedfellow of his daughter was Prince of Tyre who for the feare he had of Antiochus had forsooke his kingdome and now had giuen vnto him the kingdome of Antiochus for recompence that graue Helycanus had not without much labour appeased the stubborne mutiny of the Tyrians who in his absence would haue elected him their king and that to auoyde a future insurrection his whole state in safety how necessary it was for him to make a spéedy returne which gladnesse Symonides imâ—â—cted to his Daughter who as gladly receiued them While Pericles intending a while to leaue his déerest déere behinde him considering how dangerous it was for her to trauell by sea being with childe and so neere her time he beganne to intreate of his kingly father of all necessarie prouision for his departure since the safety of twoo kingdomes did importune so much when on the other side Thaysa falling at her fathers féete her teares speaking in her sute faster than her wordes shée humbly requested that as his reuerend age tendered her or the prosperitie of the Infant wherewith shée thought her selfe happy to be imburthened hée would not permitte her to remaine behinde him Which teares of hers preuayling with the aged King though compelling his teares to take a loth and sorrowfull departure of her Their Shippes being strongly appoynted and fraught with all things conuenient as golde siluer apparrell bedding victualls and armour and fearing what too vnfortunately hapned causing an aged Nurse called Lycorida a Midwife with other handmaides to attend her They are shipt and hée on shoare the one gasing after the other with a gréedy desire vntill the high vsurping waters tooke away the sight from them both The seauenth Chapter How faire Thaysa died in trauell of childe-birth vppon the Sea and being throwen for buriall in the waters was castashoare at Ephesus and how by the excellent labour of Lord Cerimon a skilfull Physition she was restored to her life againe and by her owne request placed to liue a Votary in the Temple of Diana PRince Pericles with his Quéene Thaysa being thus on shippe boorde and their marriners merrily hauing hoysed vppe their sayles their vessels as prowde of such a fraught wherewith they were enriched galloped chéerefully on the Ocean Fortune did now séeme to looke fairely neyther was there promise of any other alteration the day looked louely and the sea smiled for ioy to haue her bosome pressed with these burthens But nothing in this world that is permanent Time is the father of Fortune hée is slippery and then of necessitie must his childe be fickle and this was his alteration a cloude séemed to arise from forth the south which being by the Maister and Marriners beheld they tolde Prince Pericles that it was messenger of of a storme which was no sooner spoken but as if the heauens had conspired with the waters and the windes bin assistant to both they kept such a blustering and such an vnruely stirre that none could be heard to speake but themselues seas of waters were receiued into their ships while others fought against them to expell them out stop the lecage there cries out one hale vppe the maine bowlings there calles out another and with their confusion neither vnderstanding other since the storme had gotte the maistery they made such a hideous noyse that it had had power to haue awakened Death and to haue affrighted Patience nor could it choose then but bring much terror to our sea-sicke Quéene who had béene vsed to better attendance than was now offered her by these ill tutored seruantes Winde and Water but they who neither respect birth nor blood prayers nor threats time nor occasion continued still their boysterous hauocke With which stirre good Lady her eies and eares hauing not till then bin acquainted she is strucke into such a hasty fright that welladay she falles in trauell is deliuered of a daughter and in this childe birth dies while her princely husband being aboue the hatthes is one while praying to heauen for her safe deliuerance an other