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That Cleon's wife, with envy rare,
A present murderer does prepare
For good Marina, that her daughter
Might stand peerless by this slaughter.
The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,
Lychorida, our nurse, is dead;
And curs'd Dionyza hath

The pregnant instrument of wrath
Prest for this blow'. The unborn event

I do commend to your content:

Only I carry winged time

Post on the lame feet of my rhyme;

Which never could I so convey,

Unless your thoughts went on my way.

Dionyza does appear,

With Leonine, a murderer.

[Exit.

SCENE I.

Tharsus. An open Place near the Sea-shore.

Enter DIONYZA and LEONINE.

Dion. Thy oath remember; thou hast sworn to do it: 'Tis but a blow, which never shall be known.

Thou canst not do a thing i'the world so soon,

To yield thee so much profit. Let not conscience,
Which is but cold, inflame love in thy bosom,
Inflame too nicely; nor let pity, which
Even women have cast off, melt thee, but be
A soldier to thy purpose.

Leon. I'll do't; but yet she is a goodly creature.
Dion. The fitter then the gods should have her.
Here

6 The pregnant instrument of wrath -] Pregnant, in this instance, means prepared, instructed; or perhaps, ready.

7 Prest for this blow.] Prest is ready; prêt, Fr.

Weeping she comes for her old nurse's death.

Thou art resolv'd?

Leon.

I am resolv'd.

Enter MARINA, with a Basket of Flowers.

Mar. No, no, I will rob Tellus of her weed,
To strew thy green with flowers: the yellows, blues,
The purple violets, and marigolds,

Shall, as a chaplet +, hang upon thy grave,

While summer days do last. Ah me! poor maid,
Born in a tempest, when my mother died,
This world to me is like a lasting storm,

Whirring me from my friends'.

Dion. How now, Marina! why do you keep alone?
How chance my daughter is not with you? Do not
Consume your blood with sorrowing you have
A nurse of me. Lord! how your favour's chang'd3
With this unprofitable woe! Come, come;

Give me your wreath of flowers, ere the sea mar it®.
Walk forth with Leonine; the air is quick there,
Piercing, and sharpens well the stomach.
Leonine, take her by the arm, walk with her.

Mar. No, I pray you;

I'll not bereave you of your servant.

Come ;

Dion.

Come, come;

†"shall as a carpet,”—MALONE.

7 Whirring me from my friends.] Whirring or whirrying, had formerly the same meaning. A bird that flies with a quick motion, accompanied with noise, is said to whirr away.

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your favour's chang'd —] i. e. countenance, look.

ere the sea mar it, &c.] i. e. ere the sea mar your walk upon the shore by the coming in of the tide, walk there with Leonine. We see plainly by the circumstance of the pirates, that Marina, when seized upon, was walking on the sea-shore; and Shakspeare was not likely to reflect that there is little or no tide in the Mediterranean. CHARLemont.

"And it pierces and sharpens the stomach."-MALONE.

I love the king your father, and yourself,
With more than foreign heart'. We every day
Expect him here: when he shall come, and find
Our paragon to all reports, thus blasted,
He will repent the breadth of his great voyage;
Blame both my lord and me, that we have ta'en
No care to your best courses. Go, I pray you,
Walk, and be cheerful once again; reserve
That excellent complexion, which did steal
The eyes of young and old. Care not for me;
I can go home alone.

Mar.

Well, I will go;

But yet I have no desire to it.

Dion. Come, come, I know 'tis good for you. Walk half an hour, Leonine, at the least; Remember what I have said.

Leon.

I warrant you, madam.

Dion. I'll leave you, my sweet lady, for a while; Pray you walk softly, do not heat your blood: What! I must have a care of you.

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Mar. When I was born the wind was north.
Leon.

Was't so?

Mar. My father, as nurse said, did never fear, But cry'd, good seamen ! to the sailors, galling His kingly hands with hauling of the ropes: And, clasping to the mast, endur'd a sea

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That almost burst the deck, and from the laddertackle

1 With more than foreign heart.] With the same warmth of affection as if I was his country woman.

2 Our paragon to all reports,] Our fair charge, whose beauty was once equal to all that fame said of it.

Wash'd off a canvas-climber': Ha! says one,
Wilt out and, with a dropping industry,

They skip from stem to stern: the boatswain whistles, The master calls, and trebles their confusion.

Leon. And when was this?
Mar.

It was when I was born:

Never was waves nor wind more violent.

Leon. Come, say your prayers speedily+.
Mar.

What mean you?

Leon. If you require a little space for prayer,
I grant it Pray; but be not tedious,
For the gods are quick of ear, and I am sworn
To do my work with haste.

Mar..

Leon. To satisfy my lady.

Why, will you kill me?

Mar. Why would she have me kill'd?
Now, as I can remember, by my troth,
I never did her hurt in all my life;
I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn
To any living creature: believe me, la,
I never kill'd a mouse, nor hurt a fly:
I trod upon a worm against my will,
But I wept for it. How have I offended,

Wherein my death might yield her profit, or
My life imply her danger?

Leon.

My commission

Is not to reason of the deed, but do it.

Mar. You will not do't for all the world, I hope.
You are well-favour'd, and your looks foreshow
You have a gentle heart. I saw you lately,
When you caught hurt in parting two that fought ;

3 Wash'd off a canvas-climber ] A canvas-climber is one who climbs the mast, to furl, or unfurl, the canvas or sails. Mr. Malone concludes Marina's speech at "deck," and places the rest of it at the end of Marina's next speech.

Mr. Malone omits speedily.

Good sooth, it show'd well in you; do so now:
Your lady seeks my life; come you between,
And save poor me, the weaker.

Leon.

And will despatch.

I am sworn,

Enter Pirates, whilst MARINA is struggling.

1 Pirate. Hold, villain!

[LEONINE runs away.

2 Pirate. A prize! a prize!

3 Pirate. Half-part, mates, half-part. Come, let's have her aboard suddenly. [Exeunt Pirates with MARINA.

SCENE II.

The same.

Re-enter LEONINE.

Leon. These roving thieves † serve the great pirate Valdes ;

And they have seiz'd Marina. Let her go:

There's no hope she'll return. I'll swear she's dead,
And thrown into the sea.-But I'll see further;

Perhaps they will but please themselves upon her,
Not carry her aboard. If she remain,

Whom they have ravish'd, must by me be slain. [Exit.

SCENE III.

Mitylene. A Room in a Brothel.

Enter Pander, Bawd, and BOULT.

Pand. Boult.

Boult. Sir.

"roguing thieves "-MALONE.

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