Unto thy value will I mount myself

Upon a courser, whose delightful steps

Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.
Only, my friends, I yet am unprovided

Of a pair of bases.

Second Fish. We'll sure provide; thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair, and I'll bring thee to the court myself.

Per. Then honour be but equal to my will! This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill.

Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Same. A public Way or Platform leading to the Lists. A Pavilion near it, for the reception of the KING, PRINCESS, Ladies, Lords, etc. Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, and Attendants. Sim. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph? First Lord. They are, my liege;

And stay your coming to present themselves.

Sim. Return them, we are ready; and our daughter, In honour of whose birth these triumphs are, Sits here, like beauty's child, whom nature gat For men to see, and seeing wonder at. Exit a Lord. Thai. It pleaseth you, my royal father, to express My commendations great, whose merit 's less. Sim. 'Tis fit it should be so; for princes are A model, which heaven makes like to itself: As jewels lose their glory if neglected, So princes their renowns if not respected. 'Tis now your honour, daughter, to explain The labour of each knight in his device.

Thai. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform.

Enter a Knight; he passes over the stage, and his Squire presents his shield to the PRINCESS.

Sim. Who is the first that doth prefer himself?
Thai. A knight of Sparta, my renowned father;
And the device he bears upon his shield

Is a black Ethiop reaching at the sun;
The word, Lux tua vita mihi.

Sim. He loves you well that holds his life of you.
The Second Knight passes over.

Who is the second that presents himself?
Thai. A prince of Macedon, my royal father;
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 pompae 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, a 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.

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 out

ward show

Can any way speak in his just commend ;

For by his rusty outside he appears

To have practis'd more the whipstock than the lance. Second 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 'll withdraw
Into the gallery.

Exeunt.

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

SCENE III.-The Same. A Hall of State. A Banquet prepared.

Enter SIMONIDES, Thaisa, Ladies, Lords, Knights from tilting, and Attendants.

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,

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 're 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.

Per. By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates resist me, she but thought upon.

Thai. By Juno, that is queen of marriage,

All viands that I eat do seem unsavoury,

Wishing him my meat. Sure, he's a gallant gentleman.
Sim. 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. To me he seems like diamond to glass.

Per. 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 Did vail their crowns to his supremacy;