And the device he bears upon his shield
Is an arm'd knight that's conquer'd by a lady;

The motto thus, in Spanish, 'Piu por dulzura que

por fuerza.'

[The Third Knight passes over.

Sim. And what's the third?
Thai.

The third of Antioch;

And his device, a wreath of chivalry ;

The word, 'Me pompe provexit apex.'

[The Fourth Knight passes over.

Sim. What is the fourth ?

Thai. A burning torch that's turned upside down;

The word 'Quod me alit, me extinguit.'

Sim. Which shows that beauty hath his power and will,

Which can as well inflame as it can kill.

[The Fifth Knight passes over.

Thai. The fifth, an hand environed with clouds, Holding out gold that 's by the touchstone tried; The motto thus, 'Sic spectanda fides.'

[The Sixth Knight, Pericles, passes over.

Sim. And what's

The sixth and last, the which the knight himself
With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd?

Thai. He seems to be a stranger; but his
present is

A wither'd branch, that's only green at top;
The motto, 'In hac spe vivo.'

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Sim. A pretty moral;

From the dejected state wherein he is,

He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.

First Lord. He had need mean better than his

outward show

Can any way speak in his just commend;

For by his rusty outside he appears

To have practised more the whipstock than the

lance.

Sec. Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he

comes

To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished.

Third Lord. And on set purpose let his armour

rust

Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

Sim. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan

The outward habit by the inward man.

But stay, the knights are coming: we will with

draw

Into the gallery.

[Exeunt.

[Great shouts within, and all cry 'The mean knight!'

SCENE III. The same. A hall of state: a
banquet prepared.

Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, Attendants,

and Knights, from tilting.

Sim. Knights,

To say you 're welcome were superfluous.
To place upon the volume of your deeds,

As in a title-page, your worth in arms,

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Were more than you expect, or more than's fit,
Since every worth in show commends itself.
Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast :
You are princes and my guests.

Thai. But you, my knight and guest;
To whom this wreath of victory I give,
And crown you king of this day's happiness.
Per. 'Tis more by fortune, lady, than by merit.
Sim. Call it by what you will, the day is yours ;

And here, I hope, is none that envies it.
In framing an artist, art hath thus decreed,
To make some good, but others to exceed;

And you are her labour'd scholar. Come, queen

o' the feast,

For, daughter, so you are, here take your place:
Marshal the rest, as they deserve their grace.

Knights. We are honour'd much by good
Simonides.

Sim. Your presence glads our days: honour we
love;

For who hates honour hates the gods above.
Marshal. Sir, yonder is your place.

Per.

Some other is more fit.

First Knight. Contend not, sir; for we are
gentlemen

That neither in our hearts nor outward eyes
Envy the great nor do the low despise.

Per. You are right courteous knights.
Sim.

Sit, sir, sit.

[Aside] By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates resist me, he not thought upon.

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Thai. [Aside] By Juno, that is queen of marriage, 30

All viands that I eat do seem unsavoury,

Wishing him my meat. Sure, he's a gallant

gentleman.

Sim. [Aside] He's but a country gentleman;
Has done no more than other knights have done;
Has broken a staff or so; so let it pass.

Thai. [Aside] To me he seems like diamond to
glass.

Per. [Aside] Yon king 's to me like to my father's
picture,

Which tells me in that glory once he was;
Had princes sit, like stars, about his throne,
And he the sun, for them to reverence;
None that beheld him, but, like lesser lights,

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Did vail their crowns to his supremacy:
Where now his son 's like a glow-worm in the night,
The which hath fire in darkness, none in light:
Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,
He's both their parent, and he is their grave,
And gives them what he will, not what they crave.
Sim. What, are you merry, knights?
Knights. Who can be other in this royal pre-
sence?

Sim. Here, with a cup that's stored unto the
brim,-

As you do love, fill to your mistress' lips,

We drink this health to you.

Knights.

Sim. Yet pause awhile :

We thank your grace.

Yon knight doth sit too melancholy,

As if the entertainment in our court

Had not a show might countervail his worth.

Note it not you, Thaisa?

Thai.

What is it

To me, my father?
Sim.

O, attend, my daughter:

Princes in this should live like gods above,

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Who freely give to every one that comes

To honour them:

And princes not doing so are like to gnats,
Which make a sound, but kill'd are wonder'd at.
Therefore to make his entrance more sweet,
Here, say we drink this standing-bowl of wine to

him.

Thai. Alas, my father, it befits not me

Unto a stranger knight to be so bold :
He may my proffer take for an offence,
Since men take women's gifts for impudence.
Sim. How!

Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else.

Thai. [Aside] Now, by the gods, he could not
please me better.

Sim. And furthermore tell him, we desire to
know of him,

Of whence he is, his name and parentage.

Thai. The king my father, sir, has drunk to you.
Per. I thank him.

Thai. Wishing it so much blood unto your life.
Per. I thank both him and you, and pledge him
freely.

Thai. And further he desires to know of you,
Of whence you are, your name and parentage.
Per. A gentleman of Tyre; my name, Pericles;
My education been in arts and arms ;
Who, looking for adventures in the world,
Was by the rough seas reft of ships and men
And after shipwreck driven upon this shore.

Thai. He thanks your grace; names himself
Pericles,

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