Nor yet the other's diftance comfort me.
Then it is thus: the paffions of the mind,
That have their first conception by mis-dread,
Have after-nourishment and life by care;

And what was firft but fear what might be done,
Grows elder now, and cares it be not done.
And fo with me ;—the great Antiochus
('Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
Since he's so great, can make his will his act,)
Will think me speaking, though I swear to filence;
Nor boots it me to fay, I honour him,

If he fufpect I may dishonour him :

And what may make him blush in being known,
He'll ftop the course by which it might be known;
With hoftile forces he'll o'erfpread the land,
And with th' oftent of war will look so huge,
Amazement fhall drive courage from the state;
Our men be vanquish'd, ere they do refift,
And subjects punish'd, that ne'er thought offence :
Which care of them, not pity of myself,

(Who am no more but as the tops of trees,

Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend them,)
Makes both my body pine, and foul to languish,
And punish that before, that he would punish.

1 Lord. Joy and all comfort in your facred breast!
2 Lord. And keep your mind, till you return to us,
Peaceful and comfortable!

Hel. Peace, peace, my lords, and give experience tongue, They do abuse the king, that flatter him :

For flattery is the bellows blows up fin;

The thing the which is flatter'd, but a spark,

To which that breath gives heat and stronger glowing; Whereas reproof, obedient, and in order,

Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err.

When

When fignior Sooth here does proclaim a peace,
He flatters you, makes war upon your
life:
Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please;
I cannot be much lower than my knees.

Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook What shipping, and what lading's in our haven, And then return to us. [Exeunt Lords.] Helicanus, thou Haft moved us: what seest thou in our looks?

Hel. An angry brow, dread lord.

Per. If there be such a dart in princes' frowns,

How durft thy tongue move anger to our face?

Hel. How dare the plants look up to heaven, from

whence

They have their nourishment?

Per.

To take thy life.

Thou know'ft I have power

Hel. [Kneeling.] I have ground the axe myself; Do you but strike the blow.

Per.

Rife, pr'ythee rife;

Sit down, fit down; thou art no flatterer :

I thank thee for it; and high heaven forbid,

That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid!

Fit counsellor, and servant for a prince,

Who by thy wisdom mak'st a prince thy servant,

What would'ft thou have me do?

Hel.

With patience bear

Such griefs as you do lay upon yourself.

Per. Thou fpeak'st like a physician, Helicanus ;
Who minifter'ft a potion unto me,

That thou would'st tremble to receive thyself.
Attend me then: I went to Antioch,

Where, as thou know'ft, against the face of death,
I fought the purchase of a glorious beauty,
From whence an iffue I might propagate,

Bring arms to princes, and to fubjects joys.

Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder ;
The reft (hark in thine ear,) as black as incest ;
Which by my knowledge found, the finful father
Seem'd not to strike, but finooth: but thou know'st this,
'Tis time to fear, when tyrants feem to kiss.

Which fear fo grew in me, I hither fled,
Under the covering of a careful night,

Who feem'd my good protector; and being here,
Bethought me what was past, what might fucceed.
I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears
Decrease not, but grow faster than their years:
And should he doubt it, (as no doubt he doth,)
That I should open to the listening air,
How many worthy princes' bloods were shed,
To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope,—
To lop that doubt, he'll fill this land with arms,
And make pretence of wrong that I have done him;
When all, for mine, if I may call't offence,

Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence:
Which love to all (of which thyself art one,

Who now reprov'st me for it)

Hel..

Alas, fir!

Per. Drew fleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks, Mufings into my mind, a thousand doubts

How I might stop this tempeft, ere it came ;
And finding little comfort to relieve them,
I thought it princely charity to grieve them.

Hel. Well, my lord, fince you have given me leave to fpeak,

Freely I'll peak. Antiochus you fear,

And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant,
Who either by publick war, or private treason,
Will take away your life.

Therefore,

Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while,
Till that his rage and anger be forgot,
Or Destinies do cut his thread of life.
Your rule direct to any; if to me,

Day ferves not light more faithful than I'll be.
Per. I do not doubt thy faith;

But should he wrong my liberties in absence-
Hel. We'll mingle bloods together in the earth,
From whence we had our being and our birth.

Per. Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tharfus Intend my travel, where I'll hear from thee;

And by whofe letters I'll dispose myself.
The care I had and have of subjects' good,

On thee I lay, whose wisdom's strength can bear it.
I'll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath ;
Who fhuns not to break one, will fure crack both :
But in our orbs we'll live fo round and safe,

That time of both this truth fhall ne'er convince,
Thou show'dft a subject's shine, I a true prince. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Tyre. An Ante-chamber in the Palace.

Enter THALIARD.

Thal. So, this is Tyre, and this is the court. Here muft I kill king Pericles; and if I do not, I am fure to be hang`d at home: 'tis dangerous.—Well, I perceive he was a wife fellow, and had good discretion, that being bid to ask what he would of the king, desired he might know none of his fecrets. Now do I fee he had some reason for it: for if a king bid a man be a villain, he is bound by

the

the indenture of his oath to be one.—Hush, here come the lords of Tyre.

Enter HELICANUS, ESCANES, and other Lords.

Hel. You fhall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,
Further to question of your king's departure.

His feal'd commiffion, left in truft with me,
Doth speak fufficiently, he's gone to travel.
Thal. How! the king gone!

Hel. If further yet you will be satisfied,

[Afide.

Why, as it were unlicens'd of your loves,

He would depart, I'll give fome light unto you.

Being at Antioch

Thal.

What from Antioch?

[Afide.

Hel. Royal Antiochus (on what cause I know not,)
Took fome difpleasure at him; at least he judg'd so :
And doubting left that he had err'd or finn'd,
To show his forrow, would correct himself;
So puts himself unto the fhipman's toil,

With whom each minute threatens life or death.
Thal. Well, I perceive

I fhall not be hang'd now, although I would;
But fince he's gone, the king it sure must please,
He 'scap'd the land, to perish on the feas.—
But I'll present me.
Peace to the lords of Tyre!
Hel. Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
Thal. From him I come

With meffage unto princely Pericles;

But, fince my landing, as I have understood
Your lord has took himself to unknown travels,
My meffage must return from whence it came.
Hel. We have no reason to desire it, fince
Commended to our master, not to us :

I

[Afide.

Yet,