Pericles Prince of Tyre | Page 9

ne'er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.
FIRST FISHERMAN. Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a' plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. such whales have I heard on o' the land, who never leave gaping till they they've swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells, and all.
PERICLES. [Aside.] A pretty moral.
THIRD FISHERMAN. But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.
SECOND FISHERMAN. Why, man?
THIRD FISHERMAN. Because he should have swallowed me too; and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells, that he should never have left, till he cast bells, steeple, church, and parish, up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind, --
PERICLES. [Aside.] Simonides!
THIRD FISHERMAN. We would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey.
PERICLES. [Aside.] How from the finny subjec of the sea These fishers tell the infirmities of men; And from their watery empire recollect All that may men approve or men detect! Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.
SECOND FISHERMAN. Honest! good fellow, what's that; If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it.
PERICLES. May see the sea hath cast upon your coast.
SECOND FISHERMAN. What a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our way!
PERICLES. A man whom both the waters and the wind, In that vast tennis-court, have made the ball For them to play upon, entreats you pity him; He asks of you, that never used to beg.
FIRST FISHERMAN. No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.
SECOND FISHERMAN. Canst thou catch any fishes, then?
PERICLES. I never practised it.
SECOND FISHERMAN. Nay, then thou wilt starve, sure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst fish for 't.
PERICLES. What I have been I have forgot to know; But what I am, want teaches me to think on: A man throng'd up with cold: my veins are chill, And have no more of life than may suffice To give my tongue that heat to ask your help; Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead, For that I am a man, pray see me buried.
FIRST FISHERMAN. Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome.
PERICLES. I thank you, sir.
SECOND FISHERMAN. Hark you, my friend; you said you could not beg.
PERICLES. I did but crave.
SECOND FISHERMAN. But crave! Then I'll turn craver too, and so I shall 'scape whipping.
PERICLES. Why, are your beggars whipped, then?
SECOND FISHERMAN. O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office than to be beadle. But, master, I'll go draw up the net.
[Exit with Third Fisherman.]
PERICLES. [Aside.] How well this honest mirth becomes their 1abour!
FIRST FISHERMAN. Hark you, sir, do you know where ye are?
PERICLES. Not well.
FIRST FISHERMAN. Why, I'll tell you: this is called Pentapolis, and our king the good Simonides.
PERICLES. The good King Simonides, do you call him?
FIRST FISHERMAN. Ay, sir; and he deserves so to be called for his peaceable reign and good government.
PERICLES. He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects the name of good government. How far is his court distant from this shore?
FIRST FISHERMAN. Marry sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her birth-day; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world to just and tourney for her love.
PERICLES. Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there.
FIRST FISHERMAN. O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for -- his wife' soul.
[Re-enter Second and Third Fishermen, drawing up a net.]
SECOND FISHERMAN. Help, master, help! here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law; 'twill hardly come out. Ha! bots on't, 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armour.
PERICLES. An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it. Thanks, fortune, yet, that, after all my crosses, Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself, And though it was mine own, part of my heritage, Which my dead father did bequeath to