Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,
With other virtues, which I'll keep from boast; 190
And I will undertake all these to teach.

I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.

Boult. But can you teach all this you speak of?
Mar. Prove that I cannot, take me home again,
And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth frequent your house.

Boult. Well, I will see what I can do for thee: if

I can place thee, I will.
Mar. But amongst honest women.

Boult. Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst
them. But since my master and mistress have
bought you, there's no going but by their con-
sent: therefore I will make them acquainted
with your purpose, and I doubt not but I shall
find them tractable enough. Come, I'll do for
thee what I can; come your ways.

200

[Exeunt.

ACT FIFTH.

Enter Gower.

Gow. Marina thus the brothel 'scapes, and chances
Into an honest house, our story says.

She sings like one immortal, and she dances

As goddess-like to her admired lays;
Deep clerks she dumbs, and with her needle composes
Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
That even her art sisters the natural roses;

Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry :
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her, and her gain
She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place;
And to her father turn our thoughts again,

ΙΟ

We there him lost :

Where we left him, on the sea.
Whence, driven before the winds, he is arrived
Here where his daughter dwells; and on this coast
Suppose him now at anchor. The city strived
God Neptune's annual feast to keep: from whence
Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,

His banners sable, trimm'd with rich expense;
And to him in his barge with fervour hies.
In your supposing once more put your sight
Of heavy Pericles; think this his bark :
Where what is done in action, more, if might,
Shall be discover'd; please you, sit, and hark. [Exit.

20

Scene I.

On board Pericles' ship, off Mytilene. A close pavilion on deck, with a curtain before it; Pericles within it, reclined on a couch. A barge lying beside the Tyrian vessel.

Enter two sailors, one belonging to the Tyrian vessel, the other to the barge; to them Helicanus.

Tyr. Sail. [To the Sailor of Mytilene] Where is Lord

Helicanus? he can resolve you.

O, here he is.

Sir, there is a barge put off from Mytilene,

And in it is Lysimachus the governor,

Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?

Hel. That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.

Tyr. Sail. Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.

Enter two or three Gentlemen.

First Gent. Doth your lordship call?

Hel. Gentlemen, there is some of worth would come aboard; I pray, greet him fairly.

[The Gentlemen and the two Sailors descend,
and go on board the barge.

Enter from thence, Lysimachus, and Lords; with the
Gentlemen and the two Sailors.

Tyr. Sail. Sir,

This is the man that can, in aught you would,
Resolve you.

Lys. Hail, reverend sir! the gods preserve you!
Hel. And you, sir, to outlive the age I am,

Lys.

And die as I would do.

You wish me well.

Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's triumphs,
Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,

I made to it, to know of whence you are.

Hel. First, what is your place?

Lys. I am the governor of this place you lie before.
Hel. Sir,

Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;

A man who for this three months hath not spoken
To any one, nor taken sustenance

But to prorogue his grief.

Lys. Upon what ground is his distemperature?

Hel. 'Twould be too tedious to repeat;

But the main grief springs from the loss

Of a beloved daughter and a wife.

20

30

Lys. May we not see him?

Hel. You may;

But bootless is your sight; he will not speak
To any.

Lys. Yet let me obtain my wish.

Hel. Behold him. [Pericles discovered] This was a goodly

person,

Till the disaster that, one mortal night,
Drove him to this.

Lys. Sir king, all hail! the gods preserve you!
Hail, royal sir!

40

Hel. It is in vain; he will not speak to you.
First Lord. Sir,

We have a maid in Mytilene, I durst wager,
Would win some words of him.

'Tis well bethought.

Lys.

She, questionless, with her sweet harmony

And other chosen attractions, would allure,

And make a battery through his deafen'd parts,

Which now are midway stopp'd:

She is all happy as the fairest of all,

And with her fellow maids is now upon

The leafy shelter that abuts against

The island's side.

50

[Whispers a Lord, who goes off

in the barge of Lysimachus.

Hel. Sure, all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omit

That bears recovery's name. But, since your kindness

We have stretch'd thus far, let us beseech you

That for our gold we may provision have,

Wherein we are not destitute for want,

But weary for the staleness.

Lys.

O, sir, a courtesy

Which if we should deny, the most just gods
For every graff would send a caterpillar,
And so inflict our province. Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large the cause
Of your king's sorrow.

60

Hel.

Sit, sir, I will recount it to you.

But, see, I am prevented.

Re-enter, from the barge, Lord, with Marina, and a young

Lys.

Hel.

Lady.

O, here is

The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one!

Is 't not a goodly presence ?

She's a gallant lady.

Lys. She's such a one, that, were I well assured
Came of a gentle kind and noble stock,

Mar.

Lys.

70

I'ld wish no better choice, and think me rarely wed.
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect even here, where is a kingly patient:
If that thy prosperous and artificial feat
Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
Thy sacred physic shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.

Sir, I will use
My utmost skill in his recovery, provided
That none but I and my companion maid
Be suffer'd to come near him.

Come, let us leave her;

And the gods make her prosperous! [Marina sings.

Lys. Mark'd he your music?
Mar.

No, nor look'd on us.

Lys. See, she will speak to him.

81