THE Painfull Aduentures of Pericles Prince of Tyre.

Being The true History of the Play of Pericles, as it was lately presented by the worthy and ancient Poet Iohn Gower.

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AT LONDON. Printed by T. P. for Nat: Butter, 1608.

The Argument of the whole Historie.

ANtiochus the Great, who was the first foun­der of Antioch, the most famous Citty in all Syria, hauing one onelie daughter, in the prime and glory of her youth, fell in most vnnaturall loue with her; and what by the power of his perswasions, and feare of his tyranny, he so preuailed with her yeelding heart, that he be­came maister of his desires; which to continue to himself, his daughter, being for her beauty desired in marriage of many great princes, he made this law, That whoso presumed to de­sire her in marriage, and could not vnfold the meaning of his questions, for that attempt should loose his life. Fearelesse of this Lawe, many Princes aduentured, and in their rashnesse perished: amongst the number PERICLES the Prince of Tyre, and neighbour to this tyrant King Antiochus, was the last who vndertooke to resolue this Riddle, which he accor­dingly, through his great wisedome, performed: and finding both the subtiltie and sinne of the Tyrant, for his owne safetie fled secretly from Antioch backe to Tyre, and there acquain­ted Helycanus a graue Counsell our of his with the procee­dings, as also with his present feare what might succeed, from whose counsell he tooke aduise, for a space to leaue his king­dome, and betake himselfe to trauell; to which yeelding, Pe­ricles puts to sea, ariues at Tharsus, which he finds (thorow the dearth of corne) in much distresse: he there relieues Cleon and Dyonysa with their distressed City, with the prouision which he brought of purpose; but by his good Counsellour Hely­canus hearing newes of Antiochus death, he intends for Tyre, puts againe to Sea, suffers shipwracke, his shippes and men [Page] all lost, till (as it were) Fortune tyred with his mis-happes, he is throwne vpon the shoare, releeued by certaine poore Fi­shermen, and by an Armour of his which they by chaunce dragged vp in their nettes, his mis-fortunes being a little re­paired, Pericles arriues at the Court of good Symonides King of Pentapolis, where through his noblenesse both in Armes and Arts, he winnes the loue of faire Thaysa the kings daugh­ter, and by her fathers consent marries her.

In this absence of his, and, for which absence the Tyrians his subiects muteny, would elect Helycanus (whome Pericles ordained his substitute in his absence) their King, which pas­sion of theirs Helycanus by his graue perswasions subdewed, and wonne them to goe in quest of their lost Prince Pericles: In this search he is found, and with his wife Thaysa, who is now with childe, and Lycorida her Nurse; hauing taken leaue of his kingly Father, puts againe for Tyre, but with the ter­rour of a tempest at Sea, his Queene falles in trauell, is deli­uered of a daughter, whome hee names Marina, in which childe-birth his Queene dies, she is throwne ouer boorde, at departure of whome Pericles altereth his course from Tyre, being a shorter cut, to his hoste Cleon in Tharsus; hee there leaues his yoong daughter to be fostered vp, vowing to him­selfe a solitary & pensiue life for the losse of his Queene.

Thaysa thus supposed dead, and in the seas buried, is the next morning on the shore taken vp at Ephesus by Cerimon a most skilfull Physition, who by his Arte practised vpon this Queene, so preuailed, that after fiue houres intraunced, she is by his skill brought to able health againe, and by her owne request, by him placed to liue a Votary in Dianaes Temple at Ephesus. Marina Pericles sea-borne daughter, is by this gro­wen to discreete yeares, she is enuied of Dyonysa Cleons wife, her foster mother, for that Marinaes perfection exceedeth a daughter of hers, Marina by this enuy of hers should haue beene murthered, but being rescued by certaine Pyrates, is as it were reserued to a greater mishap, for by them she is ca­ried to Metelyne, sold to the deuils broker a bawd, to haue bin [Page] trained vp in that infection, shee is courted of many, and how wonderfully she preserues her chastitie.

Pericles returnes from Tyre toward Tharsus, to visite the hospitable Cleon, Dyonysa, and his yoong daughter Marina, where by Dyonysaes dissembling teares, and a Toombe that was erected for her, Pericles is brought to beleeue, that his Marina lies there buryed, and that shee died of her naturall death, for whose losse hee teares his haire, throwes off his garments, forsweares the societie of men, or any other com­fort. In which passion for many moneths continuing, hee at last arriues at Metelyne, when being seene and pittied by Ly­simachus the Gouernour, his daughter (though of him vn­knowen so) is by the Gouernour sent for, who by her excel­lent skill in Song, and pleasantnesse in discourse, with rela­ting the story of her owne mishap, shee so winnes againe her fathers lost sences, that hee knowes her for his childe, shee him for her father; in which ouer-ioy, as if his sences were nowe all confounded, Pericles falles asleepe, where in a dreame is by Diana warned to goe to Ephesus, and there to make his sacrifice. Pericles obayes, and there comes to the knowledge of Thaysa his wife, with their seuerall Ioyes that they three so strangely diuided, are as strangely mette. Lysimachus the Gouernour marrieth Marina, and Pericles leauing his mourning, causeth the bawde to be burned. Of his reuenge to Cleon and Dyonysa, his rewarding of the Fi­shermen that releeued him, his iustice toward the Pyrats that made sale of his daughter, his returne backe to his kingdome, and of him and his wifes deaths. Onely intreating the Rea­der to receiue this Historie in the same maner as it was vnder the habite of ancient Gower the famous English Poet, by the Kings Maiesties Players excellently presented.

The names of the Personages mentioned in this Historie.

  • Iohn Gower the Presenter.
  • Antiochus that built Antioch
  • His daughter.
  • Pericles Prince of Tyre.
  • Thalyart a villaine.
    Twoo graue Counsellors.
    • Helycanus
    • Eschines
  • Cleon Gouernor of Tharsus.
  • Dyonysa his wife.
  • Two or three Fishermen.
  • Symonides king of Pentapolis
  • Thaysa his daughter.
  • Fiue Princes.
  • Lycorida a Nurse.
  • Cerimon a Phisition.
  • Marina Pericles daughter.
  • A Murtherer.
  • Pirates.
  • A Bawde.
  • A Leno.
  • A Pander.
  • Lysimachus Gouernour of Meteline.
  • Diana Goddesse of chastitie

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