I came unto your court in search of honour,

And not to be a rebel to your state;

And he that otherwise accounts of me,

This sword shall prove he’s honour’s enemy.

KING SIMONIDES

I shall prove otherwise, since both your practice

And her consent therein is evident

There, by my daughter’s hand, as she can witness.

Enter Thaisa

PERICLES (to Thaisa)

Then as you are as virtuous as fair,

By what you hope of heaven or desire

By your best wishes here i‘th’ world fulfilled,

Resolve your angry father if my tongue

Did e’er solicit, or my hand subscribe

To any syllable made love to you.

THAISA Why, sir, say if you had,

Who takes offence at that would make me glad?

KING SIMONIDES

How, minion, are you so peremptory?

(Aside) I am glad on’t.—Is this a fit match for you?

A straggling Theseus, born we know not where,

One that hath neither blood nor merit

For thee to hope for, or himself to challenge

Of thy perfections e’en the least allowance.

THAISA (kneeling)

Suppose his birth were base, when that his life

Shows that he is not so, yet he hath virtue,

The very ground of all nobility,

Enough to make him noble. I entreat you

To remember that I am in love,

The power of which love cannot be confined

By th’ power of your will. Most royal father,

What with my pen I have in secret written

With my tongue now I openly confirm,

Which is I have no life but in his love,

Nor any being but in joying of his worth.

KING SIMONIDES

Equals to equals, good to good is joined.

This not being so, the bavin of your mind

In rashness kindled must again be quenched,

Or purchase our displeasure.—And for you, sir,

First learn to know I banish you my court,

And yet I scorn our rage should stoop so low.

For your ambition, sir, I’ll have your life.

THAISA (to Pericles)

For every drop of blood he sheds of yours

He’ll draw another from his only child.

KING SIMONIDES

I’ll tame you, yea, I’ll bring you in subjection.

Will you not having my consent

Bestow your love and your affections

Upon a stranger?—(aside) who for aught I know

May be, nor can I think the contrary,

As great in blood as I myself.

⌈He catches Thaisa rashly by the hand⌉

Therefore hear you, mistress: either frame your will to

mine—

⌈He catches Pericles rashly by the hand⌉

And you, sir, hear you: either be ruled by me—

Or I shall make you

⌈He claps their hands together⌉ man and wife. 105

Nay, come, your hands and lips must seal it too,

Pericles and Thaisa kiss

And being joined, I’ll thus your hopes destroy,

⌈He parts them⌉

And for your further grief, God give you joy. What, are you pleased?

THAISA Yes, (to Pericles) if you love me, sir.

PERICLES

Ev’n as my life my blood that fosters it.

KING SIMONIDES

What, are you both agreed?

PERICLES and THAISA Yes, if’t please your majesty.

KING SIMONIDES

It pleaseth me so well that I will see you wed,

Then with what haste you can, get you to bed. Exeunt

Sc. 10 Enter Gower

GOWER

Now sleep y-slacked hath the rout,

No din but snores the house about,

Made louder by the o‘erfed breast

Of this most pompous marriage feast.

The cat with eyne of burning coal

Now couches fore the mouse’s hole,

And crickets sing at th’oven’s mouth

As the blither for their drouth.

Hymen hath brought the bride to bed,

Where by the loss of maidenhead

A babe is moulded. Be attent,

And time that is so briefly spent

With your fine fancies quaintly eche.

What’s dumb in show, I’ll plain with speech.

Dumb show.

Enter Pericles and Simonides at one door with attendants. A messenger comes ⌈hastily⌉ in to them, kneels, and gives Pericles a letter. Pericles shows it Simonides; the lords kneel to him. Then enter Thaisa with child, with Lychorida, a nurse. The King shows her the letter. She rejoices. She and Pericles take leave of her father and depart with I,,ychorida at one door; Simonides ⌈and attendants⌉ depart at another

By many a dern and painful perch

Of Pericles the care-full search,

By the four opposing coigns

Which the world together joins,

Is made with all due diligence

That horse and sail and high expense

Can stead the quest. At last from Tyre

Fame answering the most strange enquire,

To th’ court of King Simonides

Are letters brought, the tenor these:

Antiochus and his daughter dead,

The men of Tyrus on the head

Of Helicanus would set on

The crown of Tyre, but he will none.

The mutiny there he hastes t‘appease,

Says to ’em if King Pericles

Come not home in twice six moons

He, obedient to their dooms,

Will take the crown. The sum of this

Brought hither to Pentapolis

Y-ravishèd the regions round,

And everyone with claps can sound