SCENE V.

Pentapolis. A Room in the Palace.

8

Enter SIMONIDES, reading a Letter, the Knights meet him.

1 KNIGHT. Good morrow to the good Simonides. SIM. Knights, from my daughter this I let you know,

That for this twelvemonth, she'll not undertake
A married life.

Her reason to herself is only known,
Which from herself by no means can I get.

2 KNIGHT. May we not get access to her, my lord?

SIM. 'Faith, by no means; she hath so strictly tied her

To her chamber, that it is impossible.
One twelve moons more she'll wear Diana's livery;

8

In The Historie of King Appolyn of Thyre, "two kynges sones" pay their court to the daughter of Archystrates, (the Simonides of the present play). He sends two rolls of paper to her, containing their names, &c. and desires her to choose which she will marry. She writes him a letter (in answer), of which Appolyn is the bearer,-that she will have the man "which hath passed the daungerous undes and perylles of the sea —all other to refuse." The same circumstance is mentioned by Gower, who has introduced three suitors instead of two, in which our author has followed him. MALONE.

In Twine's translation, these suitors are also three in number, -Ardonius, Munditius, and Carnillus. STEEVENS.

This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd,'
And on her virgin honour will not break it.

3 KNIGHT. Though loath to bid farewell, we take our leaves.

[Exeunt.

SIM. So

They're well despatch'd; now to my daughter's letter:

She tells me here, she'll wed the stranger knight,
Or never more to view nor day nor light.
Mistress, 'tis well, your choice agrees with mine;
I like that well:-nay, how absolute she's in't,
Not minding whether I dislike or no!
Well, I commend her choice;
And will no longer have it be delay'd.
Soft, here he comes :-I must dissemble it.

Enter PERICLES.

PER. All fortune to the good Simonides!
SIM. To you as much, sir! I am beholden to

you,

For your sweet musick this last night:1 my ears,

This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd,] It were to be wished that Simonides (who is represented as a blameless character) had hit on some more ingenuous expedient for the dismission of these wooers. Here he tells them as a solemn truth, what he knows to be a fiction of his own. STEEVENS.

I am beholden to you,

For your sweet musick this last night:] Here also our author has followed Gower:

"She, to doone hir faders hest,
"Hir harpe fet, and in the feste
"Upon a chaire, whiche thei sette,
"Hir selfe next to this man she sette.
"With harpe both and eke with mouth
"To him she did all that she .couth,

I do protest, were never better fed
With such delightful pleasing harmony. ⠀

PER. It is your grace's pleasure to commend ; Not my desert.

SIM.
Sir, you are musick's master.
PER. The worst of all her scholars, my good lord.
SIM. Let me ask one thing. What do you
think, sir, of

My daughter?

PER.
As of a most virtuous princess.
SIM. And she is fair too, is she not?

PER. As a fair day in summer; wond'rous fair.
SIM. My daughter, sir, thinks very well of you;
Ay, so well, sir, that you must be her master,
And she'll your scholar be; therefore look to it.
PER. Unworthy I to be her schoolmaster.2
SIM. She thinks not so; peruse this writing else.
PER. What's here!

"To make him chere; and ever he sigheth,
"And she him asketh howe him liketh.
"Madame, certes well, he saied;
"But if ye the measure plaied,
"Whiche, if you list, I shall you lere,
"It were a glad thing for to here.
"A leve, sir, tho quod she,
"Nowe take the harpe, and lete me see
"Of what measure that ye mene.-

"He taketh the harpe, and in his wise
"He tempreth, and of such assize
"Synginge he harpeth forth withall,
"That as a voice celestial
"Hem thought it sowned in her ere,
"As though that it an angell were.' MALONE.

"9

to be her schoolmaster.] Thus the quarto, 1619. The first copy reads-for her schoolmaster. MALONE.

A letter, that she loves the knight of Tyre?
'Tis the king's subtilty, to have my life. [Aside.
O, seek not to intrap, my gracious lord,3
A stranger and distressed gentleman,

That never aim'd so high, to love your daughter,
But bent all offices to honour her.

SIM. Thou hast bewitch'd my daughter, and

thou art

A villain.

PER. By the gods, I have not, sir. Never did thought of mine levy offence; Nor never did my actions yet commence A deed might gain her love, or your displeasure. SIM. Traitor, thou liest.

PER.

Traitor!

SIM.

Ay, traitor, sir. PER. Even in his throat, (unless it be the king,) That calls me traitor, I return the lie.

SIM. Now, by the gods, I do applaud his courage. [Aside. PER. My actions are as noble as my thoughts, That never relish'd of a base descent."

3

— my gracious lord,] Old copies-me. I am answerable for the correction. MALONE.

Thou hast bewitch'd my daughter,] So, Brabantio, addressing himself to Othello:

"Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her."

STEEVENS.

5

the king,] Thus the quarto, 1609. The second copy has a king. MALONE.

• That never relish'd of a base descent.] So, in Hamlet: "That has no relish of salvation in it."

Again, in Macbeth:

"So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
"They smack of honour both." MALONE.

I came unto your court, for honour's cause,
And not to be a rebel to her state;
And he that otherwise accounts of me,
This sword shall prove he's honour's enemy.

SIM. No!

Here comes my daughter, she can witness it."

Enter THAISA.

PER. Then, as you are as virtuous as fair,
Resolve your angry father, if my tongue
Did e'er solicit, or my hand subscribe
To any syllable that made love to you?

THAI. Why, sir, say if you had,

Who takes offence at that would make me glad?

SIM. Yea, mistress, are you so peremptory?— I am glad of it with all my heart. [Aside.] I'll tame you;

I'll bring you in subjection.

Will you, not having my consent, bestow
Your love and your affections on a stranger?
Who, for aught I know to the contrary,
Or think, may be as great in blood as Ï.) [Aside.
Hear therefore, mistress; frame your will to mine,-
And you, sir, hear you.-Either be rul'd by me,
Or I will make you-man and wife.-
Nay, come; your hands and lips must seal it too.
And being join'd, I'll thus your hopes destroy ;-
And for a further grief,-God give you joy!

No!

Here comes my daughter, she can witness it.] Thus all the copies. Simonides, I think, means to say-Not a rebel to our state!-Here comes my daughter: she can prove, thou art one. Perhaps, however, the author wrote-Now, Here comes, &c.— In Othello, we find nearly the same words:

"Here comes the lady, let her witness it." MALONE,