PERICLES PRINCE OF TYRE
Page: 26

Use honour with you.

LYCHORIDA.
Patience, good sir.
Even for this charge.

PERICLES.
Now, mild may be thy life!
For a more blustrous birth had never babe:
Quiet and gentle thy conditions! for
Thou art the rudliest welcome to this world
That ever was prince's child. Happy what follows!
Thiou hast as chiding a nativity
As fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make,
To herald thee from the womb: even at the first
Thy loss is more than can thy portage quit,
With all thou canst find here, Now, the good gods
Throw their best eyes upon't!

{Enter two Sailors.]

FIRST SAILOR.
What courage, sir? God save you!

PERICLES.
Courage enough: I do not fear the flaw;
It hath done to me the worst. Yet, for the love
Of ths poor infant, this fresh-new sea-farer,
I would it would be quiet.

FIRST SAILOR.
Slack the bolins there! Thou wilt not, wilt thou? Blow, and
split thyself.

SECOND SAILOR.
But sea-room, an the brine and cloudy billow kiss the moon, I
care not.

FIRST SAILOR.
Sir, your queen must overboard: the sea works high, the wind is
loud and will not lie till the ship be cleared of the dead.

PERICLES.
That's your superstition.

FIRST SAILOR.
Pardon us, sir; with us at sea it has been still observed; and we
are strong in custom. Therefore briefly yield her; for she must
overboard straight.

PERICLES.
As you think meet. Most wretched queen!

LYCHORIDA.
Here she lies, sir.

PERICLES.
A terrible childben hast thou had, my dear;
No light, no fire: the unfriendly elements
Forgot thee utterly; nor have I time
To give thee hallow'd to thy grave, but straight
Must cast thee, scarcely coffin'd, in the ooze;
Where, for a monument upon thy bones,
And e'er-remaining lamps, the belching whale
And humming water must o'erwhelm thy corpse,
Lying with simple shells. O Lychorida.
Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink and paper,
My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander
Bring me the satin coffer: lay the babe
Upon the pillow: hie thee, whiles I say
A priestly farewell to her: suddenly, woman.

[Exit Lychorida.]

SECOND SAILOR.
Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches, caulked and bitumed